Chuck Missler

July 17, 2009
by Rodney Olsen
Add Comment

missler.jpgChuck Missler packs venues across the world when he speaks. People are eager to hear his insights on what’s happening in the world today.

After a distinguished military career and more than thirty successful years in the business world, Chuck Missler decided to pursue his life-long love of teaching the Bible on a full-time basis.

He founded Koinonia House, an organisation devoted to encouraging people to study the Bible.

He has spent many years studying the links between the scriptures and current day events. He recently joined me in the 98.5 Sonshine FM studios to talk about his views on Scripture and how words written thousands of years ago are relevant for the 21st century. His main emphasis is on knowing what’s really going on in the world. Where are we headed today? What part do we need to play in this rapidly chaning world?

You can hear what he had to say by clicking the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Chuck Missler? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

Is flying still safe?

July 16, 2009
by Rodney Olsen
1 Comment

airplane.jpgIn an article titled Deadly times for flying, News.com.au has listed details of air crashes over the past few months.

The crash of an Iranian Tupolev airliner in northern Iran with 168 people on board comes just two weeks after a Yemenia Airbus A310 crashed in the Indian Ocean off the Comoros with 153 passengers and crew on board, with only one survivor.

That incident occurred just 29 days after the crash of an Air France A330, killing 228. The three crashes make June and July one of the deadliest periods for air travel.

I have to admit that I love flying and while the recent air crashes have saddened and concerned me, I’d still jump on a plane tomorrow if I had the chance.

Has the news of recent air crashes discouraged you from flying? If you had to get from point A to point B would you look for alternate transport? Do you think that flying is still safe?

If you love or hate flying, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Just click on the comments link to leave a few words in the comments section of this post.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Is flying still safe?? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

Can living together lead to divorce?

July 16, 2009
by Rodney Olsen
2 Comments

weddingcake.jpgA new study has revealed that couples who choose to live together before marriage are more likely to have their relationship end in divorce than those who wait until after the wedding to move in together.

With more than 70 percent of couples in the United States living together before marrying, and I’d guess a similar number in Australia, this study gives an interesting insight into the alarmingly high divorce rates in both countries.

The study, carried out by researchers from the University of Denver, also shows that those who wait are more likely to have a more satisfying marriage.

An AFP article, Living together before marriage ups chance of divorce: study, quoted researchers explaining some of the main elements of the research findings.

“We think that some couples who move in together without a clear commitment to marriage may wind up sliding into marriage partly because they are already cohabiting,” said senior researcher and study co-author Galena Rhoades.

“It seems wise to talk about commitment and what living together might mean for the future of the relationship before moving in together, especially because cohabiting likely makes it harder to break up compared to dating,” said another researcher, Scott Stanley.

Of course it would be a gross over simplification to suggest that waiting leads to ‘happily ever after’ and living together is a direct pathway to divorce, but it is well worth looking at the research and seeing what we can discover.

Why do people choose living together over marriage? I wonder if it has a lot to do with seeing the breakdown of so many other marriages, especially parents’ marriages.

Some research from a separate study that has appeared in the Journal of Family Issues says the most common reason people choose to live together before marriage is that they want to spend more time together, followed by convenience, followed by testing the relationship.

Testing the relationship used to be the biggest reason but researcher Galena Rhoades suggests it’s also the worst possible reason to move in together.

Cohabiting to test a relationship turns out to be associated with the most problems in relationships.

So what do you think? Are we better off sticking with traditional values and waiting? Can living together lead to long lasting relationships if we are sure about the long term direction of the partnership or does that still lack the commitment of marriage?

Please leave your thoughts in the comments section of this post.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Can living together lead to divorce?? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

Confession …

July 15, 2009
by Rodney Olsen
Add Comment

anne_jackson.jpg … is good for the soul.

If you’ve ever wanted to be quoted in a book, here’s your opportunity.

Anne Jackson, author of the fabulous Mad Church Disease: Overcoming the Burnout Epidemic which I reviewed here, has a new project underway. She’s writing a new book based on her extremely popular blog post, Keeping Your Mouth Shut. The post asked readers to leave a comment about things they didn’t feel they could say in church. It rapidly gathered hundreds of comments as people confessed the secret thoughts they felt wouldn’t be welcome in church. Some were funny, some very serious.

Anne’s new book, Permission to Speak Freely, is starting to come together but she needs your help. Check out her post Be in My New Book & Get the First 1200 Words Free to see how you can have your confessions added to the book.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Confession …? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

Released

July 15, 2009
by Rodney Olsen
Add Comment

On Friday last week I was a Convict for a Cause.

I broadcast my 98.5 Sonshine FM radio programme from Karrinyup Shopping Centre where I was asking people to donate towards Cystic Fibrosis WA so that I could be released. I was joined by fellow announcer Tim Long and a number of guests. Check out the video to see some of the fun we had for a serious cause.

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is the most common life threatening, recessive genetic condition affecting Australian children and is the second most common life-shortening, childhood onset inherited disorder in the United States. For such a serious condition it really doesn’t get a lot of attention.

What can you do to support families who are battling CF?

It’s not too late to donate. Simply click here, choose how much you’d like to give, then fill in your relevant details.

Donations can be accepted on Visa or MasterCard. Please keep in mind that the amounts are in Australian Dollars and of course the tax deductibility is only available in Australia. If you’re not in Australia and you’d like to work out the exchange rate you can work it out through this currency converter.

Thank you for your help with this. Together we can make a very big difference for families who can really do with our support and encouragement.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Released? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.