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Forgiveness

by Phillip Morrison on December 12, 2013
Category: Special Features

I doubt if any of you know Madeline Rackley, but I hope all of us can imagine ourselves in her shoes for a few minutes. We are standing in Judge Jim Coronado’s courtroom in Austin, Texas on November 6, 2013, listening as the terms of our sentence are listed: ten days in jail; ten years probation; loss of a driver’s license for two years; perform 200 hours of community service; have an ignition interlock device installed; not be allowed to drink; and be subject to random alcohol and drug testing.

What on earth did the 27-year-old woman do, kill somebody?

That’s exactly what she admitted, pleading guilty to a second-degree felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, reduced from an original charge of intoxication manslaughter, punishable by 20 years in prison. At 1:46 a.m. on July 1, 2012, Rackley drove her Honda Civic off a boat ramp into Lady Bird Lake. She and a front-seat passenger were able to get out of the car, but Jarrett Ryan Whittington, 25, apparently trapped in the back seat, was unable to escape.

Only 10 days in jail for killing a person? Somebody must have gotten to the judge!*

As a matter of fact, two somebodies got to the judge and begged for mercy. Gary and Mary Whittington, though grieving the loss of their only son, welcomed Rackley’s plea agreement because they wanted to forgive her. TheAustin American-Statesman reported that an attorney in the case said, “From the beginning [the Whittingtons] have said they wanted the least amount of punishment that would do the most good.” Another observer noted that a life lost would not be restored by another life destroyed.

News of Nelson Mandela’s death this week has reverberated around the world. In the 1960s, Mandela was convinced that only violence and guerrilla warfare could rid his native South Africa of the scourge of apartheid. In 1964 he was found guilty of sabotage and sentenced to life in prison. Prisoner number 46664 was sent to Robben Island, formerly a colony for lepers, a lunatic asylum, and then a prison where people were sent to be forgotten.

But Mandela, not forgotten, was released on February 11, 1990 after serving 27 years. His followers waited for his rage and a call for retribution, but the call never came. Instead, there came a call for forgiveness. A brutally segregated society that had not even allowed black people to vote soon elected a black man president. It’s hard to imagine a more unlikely journey than from prisoner to president, but Mandela’s journey didn’t end there. John DramaniMahama, President of Ghana, said Mandela became the moral compass of Africa and the world.

 

Once two friends were walking through the forest. They knew that anything dangerous can happen to them at any time in the forest. So they promised each other that they would remain united in any case of danger.

Suddenly, they saw a large bear approaching them. One of the friends at once climbed a nearby tree. But the other one did not know how to climb. So being led by his common sense, he lay down on the ground breathless, pretending to be a dead man.

The bear came near the man lying on the ground. It smelt in his ears, and slowly left the place. Because the bears do not touch the dead creatures.Now the friend on the tree came down and asked his friend on the ground, “Friend, what did the bear tell you into your ears?” The other friend replied, “The bear advised me not to believe a false friend.”

• The Ant and Grasshoper

The Ants were employing a fine winter’s day in drying grain collected in the summer time. A Grasshopper, perishing with famine, passed by and earnestly begged for a little food. The Ants inquired of him: “Why did you not treasure up food during the summer?” He replied: “I had not leisure; I passed the days in singing.” They then said: “If you were foolish enough to sing all the summer, you must dance supperless to bed in the winter.”

Idleness brings want.

Title:     The Ass And His Driver
Author: Aesop (author of Aesop’s Fables) [More Titles by Aesop (author of Aesop’s Fables)]
An Ass, being driven along the high road, suddenly started off, and bolted to the brink of a deep precipice. When he was in the act of throwing himself over, his owner, seizing him by the tail, endeavored to pull him back. The Ass persisting in his effort, the man let him go, and said: “Conquer; but conquer to your cost.”

2)Title:     The Ass And His Shadow
Author: Aesop (author of Aesop’s Fables) [More Titles by Aesop (author of Aesop’s Fables)]
A traveler hired an Ass to convey him to a distant place. The day being intensely hot, and the sun shining in its strength, the traveler stopped to rest, and sought shelter from the heat under the Shadow of the Ass. As this afforded only protection for one, and as the traveler and the owner of the Ass both claimed it, a violent dispute arose between them as to which of them had the right to it. The owner maintained that he had let the Ass only, and not his Shadow. The traveler asserted that he had, with the hire of the Ass, hired his Shadow also. The quarrel proceeded from words to blows, and while the men fought the Ass galloped off.

In quarreling about the shadow we often lose the substance.

 3)  The Ass And The Lap-dog
Author: Aesop (author of Aesop’s Fables) [More Titles by Aesop (author of Aesop’s Fables)]
A man had an Ass and a Maltese Lap-dog, a very great beauty. The Ass was left in a stable, and had plenty of oats and hay to eat, just as any other Ass would. The Lap-dog was a great favorite with his master, and he frisked and jumped about him in a manner pleasant to see. The Ass had much work to do, in grinding the corn-mill, and in carrying wood from the forest or burdens from the farm. He often lamented his own hard fate, and contrasted it with the luxury and idleness of the Lap-dog, till at last one day he broke his halter, and galloped into his master’s house, kicking up his heels without measure, and frisking and fawning as well as he could. He next tried to jump about his master as he had seen the Lap-dog do, but he broke the table and smashed all the dishes upon it to atoms. He then attempted to lick his master, and jumped upon his back. The servants hearing the strange hubbub, and perceiving the danger of their master, quickly relieved him, and drove out the Ass to his stable, with kicks, and clubs, and cuffs. The Ass, beaten nearly to death, thus lamented: “I have brought it all on myself! Why could I not have been contented to labor with my companions, and not try to live by idleness?”

 4) the Ass Carrying The Image
Author: Aesop (author of Aesop’s Fables) [More Titles by Aesop (author of Aesop’s Fables)]
An Ass once carried through the streets of the city a famous wooden Image, to be placed in one of its temples. The crowd as he passed along made lowly prostration before the Image. The Ass, thinking that they bowed their heads in token of respect for him, bristled up with pride and gave himself airs, and refused to move another step. The driver, seeing him thus stop, laid his whip lustily about his shoulders and said: “O you perverse dull-head! it is not yet come to this, that men pay worship to an Ass.”

They are not wise who take to themselves the credit due to others.

5) The Ass, The Cock, And The Lion
Author: Aesop (author of Aesop’s Fables) [More Titles by Aesop (author of Aesop’s Fables)]
An Ass and a Cock were together, when a Lion, desperate from hunger, approached. He was about to spring upon the Ass, when the Cock (to the sound of whose voice the Lion, it is said, has a singular aversion) crowed loudly, and the Lion fled away. The Ass, observing his trepidation at the mere crowing of a cock, summoned courage to attack him, and galloped after him for that purpose. He had run no long distance when the Lion, turning about, seized him and tore him to pieces.

False confidence often leads into danger.

  6) tItle:     The Ass, The Fox, And The Lion
Author: Aesop (author of Aesop’s Fables) [More Titles by Aesop (author of Aesop’s Fables)]
The Ass and the Fox, having entered into a partnership together, went out into the forest to hunt. They had not proceeded far, when they met a Lion. The Fox approached the Lion and promised to contrive for him the capture of the Ass, if he would pledge his word that his own life should be spared. On his assuring him that he would not injure him, the Fox led the Ass to a deep pit, and contrived that he should fall into it. The Lion, seeing that the Ass was secured, immediately clutched the Fox, and then attacked the Ass at his leisure.

 7) Traitors must expect treachery.
Title:     The Bald Knight
Author: Aesop (author of Aesop’s Fables) [More Titles by Aesop (author of Aesop’s Fables)]
A Bald Knight, who wore a wig, went out to hunt. A sudden puff of wind blew off his hat and wig, at which a loud laugh rang forth from his companions. He joined in the joke by saying: “What marvel that hairs which are not mine should fly from me, when my own have forsaken even the man with whom they were born.”

Those who cannot take care of their own, should not be entrusted with the care of another’s property.
 8) The Fox and The Crow

A Fox once saw a Crow fly off with a piece of cheese in its beak and settle on a branch of a tree. “That’s for me, as I am a Fox,” said Master Reynard, and he walked up to the foot of the tree. “Good day, Mistress Crow,” he cried. “How well you are looking today: how glossy your feathers; how bright your eye. I feel sure your voice must surpass that of other birds, just as your figure does; let me hear but one song from you that I may greet you as the Queen of Birds.” The Crow lifted up her head and began to caw her best, but the moment she opened her mouth the piece of cheese fell to the ground, only to be snapped up by Master Fox. “That will do,” said he. “That was all I wanted. In exchange for your cheese I will give you a piece of advice for the future: “Do not trust flatterers.”

Police to name suspects behind Tolikara riot

thejakartapost.com | National | Wed, July 22 2015, 11:43 AM

National News

• MUI urges Muslims to remain peaceful after Tolikara incident
• Updates: Volcano briefly forces fresh shutdown of Bali airport
• Volcano forces fresh shutdown of Bali airport

The National Police said on Wednesday morning that they might announce the names of suspects behind a religious clash in Tolikara, Papua, on Wednesday.

“There is a possibility that we could determine the suspects today, hopefully,” National Police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti said as quoted by kompas.com

Badrodin did not reveal further information about the possible suspects but asserted that the police would investigate the case thoroughly.

He said the police had questioned 31 witnesses in the case and that they planned to question five more today.

Some of the witnesses are members of the Evangelical Church of Indonesia (GIDI), while the rest are Muslims who performed Idul Fitri prayers at the subdistrict military command (Koramil) field in Tolikara.

“We hope to find a clue to solve this case,” Badrodin said.

He also rebuffed allegations of foreign intervention in this case.

A riot occurred in Tolikara last Thursday between Muslims and Christians that led to the destruction of several kiosks. One person died in the incident while several others were injured.

The riot started after people, thought to be members of GIDI, threw rocks at those performing Idul Fitri prayers. (ika)(++++)

– See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/07/22/police-name-suspects-behind-tolikara-riot.html#sthash.9rLpTOQ7.dpuf

be near

Read: Psalm 34:4-18Bible in a Year: Psalms 29-30; Acts 23:1-15

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart. —Psalm 34:18

My friend was going through some difficult challenges in her life and family. I didn’t know what to say or do, and I told her so. She looked at me and said, “Just be near.” That’s what I did, and later on we started talking about God’s love.

Many times we don’t know how to respond when others are grieving, and words may do more harm than good. Serving others requires that we understand them and find out what they need. Often we can help by meeting practical needs. But one of the best ways to encourage those who are suffering is to be near—to sit beside them and listen.

God is near to us when we call out to Him. “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles,” the psalmist says. “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Ps. 34:17-18).

By putting ourselves in the shoes of others and allowing our hearts to feel compassion, we can help those who are hurting. We can be near them as God is with us and sit close to them. At the right time, the Holy Spirit will give us the words to say, if they are needed. —Keila Ochoa

Who needs my help or for me to sit alongside them this week?

The best way to encourage others may be to just be near.

INSIGHT: Notice the exuberance with which David celebrates God in Psalm 34. In verses 1-3, the king declares his commitment to continual praise and invites others to join him in the celebration. At the root of his exaltation are two great expressions of God’s care—His answers to our prayers (vv. 4-6) and His protection and provision (vv. 7-10). These take on such great value to David because he recognizes his own weakness, marked by his fears (v. 4) and his sense of personal emptiness (“this poor man,” v. 6). God’s rescue in the face of such realities is cause for celebration.

Share your thoughts on today’s devotional on Facebook or odb.org.

given name

Most families have their own family stories. One in our family has to do with how I got my name. Apparently, when my parents were in the early days of their marriage, they disagreed about what to name their first son. Mom wanted a son named after Dad, but Dad wasn’t interested in naming a son “Junior.” After much discussion, they reached a compromise, agreeing that only if a son was born on Dad’s birthday would he be given Dad’s name. Amazingly, I was born on my dad’s birthday. So I was given his name with a “Junior” attached to it.

The naming of children is as old as time. As Joseph wrestled with the news that his fiancée, Mary, was pregnant, the angel brought him insight from the Father about naming the Baby: “She will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). Not only would Jesus be His name, but it would also explain the reason for His coming into the world: To take on Himself the punishment we deserve for our sin. His redemptive purpose behind the manger is wrapped up in the perfectly given Name above all names.

May our heart’s desire be to live in a way that honors His wonderful name! —Bill Crowder

Thank You, Father, for sending Your Son to rescue us from sin and bring us into relationship with You.

Jesus: His name and His mission are one and the same.

INSIGHT: The Bible contains more than 200 names for Jesus. In today’s passage we see two of them—Jesus andImmanuel—both drawn from the Old Testament. Jesus, the Greek form of the Hebrew word Joshua, means “the Lord saves” and describes what He came to do: “He will save His people from their sins” (v. 21). This phrase comes from Psalm 130:7-8 where Israel is encouraged to “put [their] hope in the Lord. . . . He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins” (niv). Immanuel is an Old Testament name mentioned in the prophecy of Isaiah (7:14; 8:8) and describes His nature: He is “God with us” (Matt. 1:23).

Share your thoughts on today’s devotional on Facebook or odb.org.

Faithful Service

Our Daily Bread — Faithful Service July 20, 2015

Read: 2 Timothy 2:1-10 Bible in a Year: Psalms 26-28; Acts 22 Having served in World War I, C. S. Lewis was no stranger to the stresses of military service. In a public address during the Second World War, he eloquently described the hardships a soldier has to face: “All that we fear from all the kinds of adversity . . . is collected together in the life of the soldier on active service. Like sickness, it threatens pain and death. Like poverty, it threatens ill lodging, cold, heat, thirst, and hunger. Like slavery, it threatens toil, humiliation, injustice, and arbitrary rule. Like exile, it separates you from all you love.”You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. —2 Timothy 2:3 The apostle Paul used the analogy of a soldier suffering hardship to describe the trials a believer may experience in service to Christ. Paul—now at the end of his life—had faithfully endured suffering for the sake of the gospel. He encourages Timothy to do the same: “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Tim. 2:3). Serving Christ requires perseverance. We may encounter obstacles of poor health, troubled relationships, or difficult circumstances. But as a good soldier we press on—with God’s strength—because we serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who sacrificed Himself for us! —Dennis Fisher Dear Father, help me to be faithful in my service to You. Thank You for the strength You provide to help me persevere through suffering.

How To Learn English

My cat speaks English. Sometimes my cat comes to me and tells me that she is hungry. Or that her leg hurts. How does my cat tell me these things? I don’t speak pussy-cat language. Tips and ideas on the best ways to learn English faster. Tips for Beginners You are like a new baby Babies learn their language slowly. First they learn to listen. Then they learn to speak. Finally, they can read and write. Listen to English every day Listen to English radio. Watch English TV. Go to English movies. Use online lessons. Make an English/ESL friend Make up conversations. Practise dialogues. Use beginner textbooks. Read English stories Start with children’s storybooks. Try ESL readers. Read advertisements, signs and labels. Try EnglishClub.com for Young Learners. Write down new words Start a vocabulary (new word) notebook. Write words in alphabetical order (A…B…C…). Make example sentences. Always use an English-English dictionary first. Keep an English diary Start with one sentence. How do you feel? How is the weather? What did you do today? Write another sentence tomorrow. Visit an English speaking country Learn English more quickly. Stay with an English family. Hear native speakers talk. Have a fun experience. My English Learning Contract Sample Learning Agenda Where do I start? Why do you want to learn English? Before you begin (or go back to) studying English, ask youself one question. Why do I want to study English? Is it because you want to, or because someone else wants you to? Like every decision in life, studying English must be something you want to do. Set goals If you know why you want to study, setting goals is easy. For example, maybe you want to travel to an English-speaking country. Great. Your goal might be to learn “Survival English”. Perhaps you already know many useful phrases, but you want to improve your listening skills and pronunciation. Whatever your goals are, write them down. Make an agenda How long do you need to study to achieve your goals? This answer is different for every student. The important thing is to be realistic. If you work 60 hours per week, don’t plan on spending another 40 hours a week studying English. Start off slow, but study regularly. Use material that is challenging, but not too difficult. Find out what works for you. After you have studied for a few weeks, adjust your study schedule accordingly. Do you study best at night, or on the bus on your way to work? Do you like to study alone in a quiet place, or with friends and background music? Click here for a sample 4 week agenda. Make a commitment Learning English requires a lot of motivation. Nobody is going to take your attendance when you aren’t in class. If you are sure you are ready to begin studying, make a commitment. Click here to sign a contract with yourself. Have fun learning English! The things we do best in life are the things we enjoy doing. If you aren’t having fun learning English, you’re not studying the right way! You can be a serious student who has fun at the same time. Make up your own rewards program to give yourself incentives to stay on task. Study a Balance of the 4 Key Skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing) Most students want to communicate better in English. If this is one of your goals, it is important to study a balance of the four major skills. Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing are the main (macro) skills you need to communicate in any language. Being very good at only one of these skills will not help you to communicate. For example you need to be able to read well before you can write well. You also need to be able to listen before you can speak. It helps to think of these communicative skills in two groups. INput <<< Listening (in through your ears) Reading (in through your eyes) OUTput >>> Speaking (out through your mouth) Writing (out through your hand) It’s simple. Think of it this way. First you have input. Next you have output. First you listen to someone ask you a question. Second you speak and give them your answer. First you read a letter from someone. After that you write back to them. These are examples of communicating. Input and output don’t necessarily go in a specific order. Sometimes you speak first and then you listen. Sometimes you write about something you hear. During communication, the person you are communicating with uses one of the opposite skills. Therefore, in order to understand each other, everyone must be skillful in all four areas. Some students want to know which skill is the most important. Since all of the skills rely on each other, they are all important. However, to communicate we do use some skills more often than others. For example, about 40% of the time that we spend communicating we are simply listening. We speak for about 35% of the time. Approximately 16% of communication comes from reading, and about 9% from writing. These statistics are for an average communicator in English. Depending on someone’s job or situation, these numbers may vary. Each of these main skills have micro skills within them. For example, pronunciation is a type of speaking skill that must be practised in order to improve communication. Spelling is a skill that makes understanding the written word easier. Grammar and vocabulary are other micro skills. Micro doesn’t mean they are unimportant. Macro skills such as listening are very general, while micro skills are more specific. (More about input and output) For the best results, create an agenda that combines all four areas of study. Allow one type of studying to lead into another. For example, read a story and then talk about it with a friend. Watch a movie and then write about it. This is what teachers in an English class would have you do, right? EnglishClub.com has lessons in all 4 key skills (and all minor skills), as well as many outside links to help you study further.(ESL Internet resources) 1. How to learn LISTENING Listen to the radio Don’t always have a pen in hand. Sometimes it helps to just listen. Watch English TV Children’s programming is very useful for ESL learners. Choose programs that you would enjoy in your own language. Remember that much of what you hear on TV is slang. Call Automated Answering Machine recordings You can find these numbers at the front of telephone books in many English-speaking countries. Before you dial, make sure that you are calling the free numbers. Watch movies Choose ones with subtitles, or one from ESLNotes.com (provides useful notes on popular movies). Use Internet listening resources Every day there are more and more places to listen to English online. Useful Listening links: EnglishClub.com English Listening More listening tips 2. How to learn SPEAKING and pronunciation Talk to yourself Talk about anything and everything. Do it in the privacy of your own home. If you can’t do this at first, try reading out loud until you feel comfortable hearing your own voice in English. Record your own voice This might feel very uncomfortable, but it will help you find your weak pronunciation points. Listen to yourself a few days later. Which sounds do you have difficulty hearing? Use the telephone. Participate in class Learn common idioms Understand the sounds that your language doesn’t have For example, many languages don’t have the “r” sound. These sounds require extra practice. Recognize that teachers are trained to understand you When you get out into the real world, average people will have a more difficult time understanding you unless you practise speaking slowly and with proper pronunciation. Practise minimal pairs Study word and sentence stress Practice tongue twisters Useful Speaking links: EnglishClub.com English Speaking EnglishClub.com English Pronunciation Speaking tips More speaking tips 3. How to learn READING and vocabulary Read something every day Children’s books, simplified readers (Penguin), newspapers, magazines, Internet sites, novels, and much much more… Read what interests you. Remember that you learn better when you are having fun. Read at the appropriate level You want to learn new vocabulary, but you also want to understand what you are reading. If you are looking up every word, the reading is too difficult. Review Who, What, Where, When, Why for each story you read You can do this for almost any type of reading. Who is it about? What happened? Why did it happen? Where did it take place? When did it take place? This is very useful when you have no comprehension questions to answer. You can write or speak your answers. Always have an English-English dictionary nearby It is a bad habit to always rely on a translation dictionary or electronic dictionary. Think of your English-English dictionary as your life line. Use online dictionaries when you are using the Internet (keyword online dictionary). Record vocabulary in a personal dictionary Keep this notebook separate from other work Record vocabulary in alphabetical order (an English address book works well because it has letters of the alphabet) Record the part of speech (sometimes there is more than one) Write a sample sentence for yourself (don’t use the one from the dictionary) Review your personal dictionary (especially new entries) every night before bed Useful Reading links: EnglishClub.com English Reading EnglishClub.com English Vocabulary More reading tips 4. How to learn WRITING and spelling Keep a diary/journal Don’t always pay attention to grammar. Free-writing can be very useful. It can show you that writing is fun. Have fun with the language. Write emails in English Stay in contact with teachers or other students. Rewrite your local news in English This is another exercise that can be done on a daily basis. Remember that regular activities are the best ones. Learn important spelling rules Remember, you won’t always have a dictionary or a spell-checker handy, especially when you are writing a test. Even native English speakers need to review the spelling rules from time to time. Learn commonly misspelled words Learn common English errors Get an ESL penpal Useful Writing links: EnglishClub.com English Writing More writing tips More TIPS for learning English Don’t be afraid of grammar Grammar is for communication Sometimes students get obsessed with grammar. This is especially true for students who grew up with strict grammar schooling. Remember that you only study grammar in order to communicate. Practise with a few exercises, then write an essay or have a conversation and try to use your new tools. Isolate your weak points Don’t waste time on grammar exercises that you already understand just because they are easier for you. Concentrate on grammar that is difficult for you. If you are unsure of where your problems are, write a few short essays or paragraphs and ask a teacher to circle repeated errors. Then you can look up your problem and practise it. Teach grammar points to a friend Find a friend who studies at a lower level than you. Teaching will force you to remember the rules and to understand them properly. Try preparing a worksheet for your friend. Useful Grammar links: EnglishClub.com English Grammar Gramar is your friend Grammar Safari Improve your homework skills Stay organized. Keep separate notebooks for exercises, writing, and vocabulary. Use a pen that you love. Study in short, regular periods. Allow a short amount of time for review. Study in a place where you feel happy and comfortable. Don’t allow distractions. Consider email, TV, and the telephone (unless in English) off limits while you are studying. Have a drink and snack handy so that you don’t have to get up. If you study in pairs or groups, make an English-only rule. Visit an English-Speaking Country Take a language holiday. Stay with a homestay family. Learn from native English teachers. Gain access to English culture. Get a part-time job. Volunteer. Make native English friends. Make friends with people from other countries. Become more confident. Hire a tutor. Offer language lessons/swap in your own native tongue. Useful links: Language Holidays Homestay English Schools Guide Prepare for a standardized test such as TOEIC or TOEFL Qualify for a better job in your country (TOEIC). Get accepted to an American college or university (TOEFL). Use guided-study text books. Study a broad range of whole language. Track your improvement easily (test scores). Learn idiomatic language. Learn business English (TOEIC). Improve your vocabulary quickly. Take classes and get access to many listening exercises. Challenge yourself to improve your score. Learn and practise proper essay format (TWE/NEW TOEFL). Become a grammar expert. Improve your general knowledge. Useful links: ESL Exams TOEFL Tips and Practice TOEIC Tips and Practice Official Cambridge site Official TOEFL site Official TOEIC site Fun with English Ideas Have an English-only evening once a week. Cook in English (rewrite your recipe in English) or watch English movies. Write an English love letter. (If your loved one doesn’t understand English that’s even better!) Write English limericks. (These are excellent and simple for writing, pronunciation and rhythm practice.) Rewrite fairytales, jokes or instructions in English. Go out and pretend you don’t understand your native language (try to get by in only English). Go online and find the lyrics to your favourite English songs and sing along to them (use a search engine). Learn the words to English national anthems. Sing along when you hear them on TV (sporting events). Invent an English character for yourself (with job, family, etc). Write this person’s biography. Buy an English board game (like Monopoly or Scrabble). Play cards in English. Start up or join an English reading or conversation club. Talk to yourself in English while you clean or do the dishes. Go around the house and try to name everything in English (furniture, clothes etc). Look up words you don’t know.

11 Tips to Help You Learn English Faster

1. Take a deep breath and SPEAK!
The more you think about speaking, the more nervous you will get. Just try speaking more. Next time you go to English class or speak English, count how many times you speak in five or ten minutes. After that, try to speak more. If you spoke one time today, next English class, try to speak two or three times. The more you speak the more you will learn how to communicate properly.

2. Don’t apologize for not knowing everything or “Not speaking English!”
You are learning English… You are trying, right? That’s what’s important. You don’t say “I don’t know how to cook that.” and stop cooking new things or “I don’t now how to use a computer.” and stop using new computer apps and programs. You just keep doing your best and you learn more and more as time goes on.  Please don’t say ‘I DON’T speak English’. Instead you could say:
• “I am learning English. Could you speak a little slower?”
• “I’m sorry, I didn’t understand.”
• “Could you repeat that?”
• “So, you’re saying that…. [rephrase what you heard]”.
• “What does _________ mean?”

3. Stop translating everything word for word to your language.
Translating everything to your native language is a big NO NO when learning English! If you are doing it, STOP right now! Translating everything is slowing down your progress. If you hear something in English and instantly try to translate it to your native language; you will not be focusing on learning English, but rather translating. When you hear people speaking in English:
• Listen for words you DO understand
• Use contextual clues… so, if you hear, “There is a big rhinoceros.” If you don’t know what ‘rhinoceros’ means but you see a big animal in a picture, or someone is pointing at something. Use those clues to figure out what it means.

4. Train your ears to understand.
You need to focus and listen. Train you ears to listen for words they (YOU) know in English. Listen for patterns. Don’t focus on grammar or single words. Focus on the phrases. Listen to English movies, music, and TV. Listen to the way things are phrased or ordered. If you train your ears, you will automatically start to understand more when people speak English. Training your ears to listen to English, will help focus on the big picture; understanding English. You cannot become fluent if you are focusing on words, one at a time. It would take you forever to learn English.

5. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
Fear can stop you from learning English.
• Do you go to English class and think that everyone is going to make fun of you or laugh at you if you try to speak English?
• Do know all the grammar rules but struggle to have a conversation in English?
• Do you avoid speaking with native English speakers and other people that speak English better than you?
Stop being so afraid to speak English! You need to let go and relax. You need to stop thinking of the ‘What if’s…?’. Instead focus on doing and your actions. No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. The more you do something the better you get at it. To be a better English speaker and understand more English you need to stop being afraid of making mistakes.

6. Keep Trying. Don’t Give Up.
Professional athletes practice a lot. They weren’t born professional athletes. A ton of hard work and hours went into being so good at what they do. They could never be a professional soccer or baseball player without trying. If a professional athlete stopped practicing today, their skills would get worse. They would start making mistakes. The more you practice speaking English, reading English, listening to English, and writing in English the better you will get. You won’t be able to speak English fluently tomorrow or even next month. Over time if you put in the effort, you will be more comfortable and know a lot more English.

7. Keep a small notebook… write down important phrases.
Write down entire phrases that you hear. You could write it down because you think you will use it, you learned something new, or you didn’t understand. When you look back at the notebook later you will have the whole phrase; instead of one word in isolate (alone, with no example). By writing down the entire phrase you mind remember is like that. Next time you need it, the whole phrase will come out, instead of just one word.

8. Stop Negative Self-Talk
Do you find yourself saying or thinking negative things about learning English? Such as,
• “You will never learn English.”
• “Why do I always make mistakes? I am so stupid.”
• “I never know what to say. English is so hard.”
If you do say these things to yourself, then you do have negative self-talk about learning English.
How do you fix negative self-talk?
• Recognize you are being negative.
• Rephrase or change your statement. State the negative in a different manner
Negative Self-Talk: “I will never learn English”.
Positive Self-Talk: “English is difficult but I am going to keep trying. I am sure I will get it soon.”
Being positive will help you learn English quicker.

9. Set goals- Know why you are learning English. What do you want to accomplish? Do you want to speak English fluently? Do you want to get a job speaking English? Are you going to travel to the United States? Do you need to know English for University? Do you want to learn English because all of your friends speak English? Think about why you are learning English and set some goals.
• How long will you study English?
• How will you study or learn English?
• What specifically will you do to learn English?
• How will you know when you meet your goal?
• What will happen when you meet your goal?

10. Try something new
Have been trying to learn English the same way for the last year? Three years? Seven years or more? Try something new! Change is good for you. It will help you grow.
• Try listening to English podcast.
• Take an online English class.
• Listen to music in English.
• Watch TV or news in English.
• Watch YouTube English Lessons
• Take a class from a different teacher.
• Do a language exchange online or in your city
• Find an English speaking friend (native or not)

11. Throw your textbook (or grammar book) out the window. 
Okay…. Maybe you don’t need to be so dramatic but a textbook should be used as a reference. Don’t throw it out the window; put it in the closet. An English textbook should not be your only resource when learning English. It should be there to use from time to time when you have a question or want to look up something. You need to focus on YOU. What do you need to learn? You are an individual. What you need to learn in English is different than what your neighbor, your friend and your boss need to know in English. The textbook will not change based on each individual’s needs… it is a one size fit all. Language learning is NOT one size (or way) fits all!

Was this post on English Tonight helpful to you? If yes, subscribe to our email list. You will receive a free eBook on Phrasal Verbs, a Report on American Slang and helpful updates every two weeks. SUBSCRIBE HERE. 

    

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how do you learn English fast

Every week, I get emails about this topic.   Typically, someone writes and wants to know how they can speak fluently in only 2 or 3 months.  Usually they are in a hurry because they have a test or an interview coming soon.

Of course, its best not to wait until 2 months before your interview to think about this! 

But still, its an interesting question.   Is it possible to learn English very very fast?   Is it possible to make massive improvements in only 2-3 months?

The answer is yes.

But of course, to make massive improvements requires massive intensity and effort.

So, how can you do it?  How can you improve super-fast?  What do I recommend for this kind of goal?

1. OBSESSION

The first and most important thing you need to achieve this goal is incredible passion.  You must have tremendous emotional power to learn super-fast.   Why?  Because you must study English 8-14 hours a day…  and every hour you must be alert, interested, and energetic.

To improve that quickly, you must build emotion.  You must be obsessed with English.  You must be passionate and incredibly enthusiastic.  Remember, Emotion is 80% of success, method is only 20%.

To create passion, you need very compelling reasons to learn English.  Just doing well on a test is not a strong enough reason.  Just getting a new job is not a strong enough reason.  You need HUGE reasons for doing this.  Imagine all the incredible benefits you will have as a fluent English speaker.  Imagine how your life will change 5 years from now.  10 years from now.  20 years from now.

If you are motivated by money, imagine how English will make you amazingly rich.  Visualize your dream house, your dream car, your dream life.

If love motivates you, imagine how English will help you meet incredible people from other countries.  Imagine dating beautiful/handsome foreigners!  Imagine incredible love and passion– possible because you are a fluent English speaker.

You can also exaggerate the terrible things that will happen if you fail to speak English fluently.  Imagine all the jobs you will miss.  Imagine all the people you will never meet.  Imagine how bad your life will be because you can’t speak English.

Make your reasons bigger!  Bigger reasons = Bigger Passion.  Bigger Passion = Bigger Success.

Emotions is the key.  Make your emotion stronger!  Become obsessed with English!

2. MASSIVE INPUT

The second key to super-fast learning and incredible intensity is to focus on English INPUT.  Do not waste time studying grammar or vocabulary.  Don’t waste time trying to speak.

You should spend all of your time either listening or reading.  This is the fastest and most efficient method for speaking English fluently.

Carry your iPod everywhere.  Always have a book with you.

Specifically, you should listen mostly to the Mini-Story Lessons, the Point of View Lessons, and the Main Audio Articles.  These are the most powerful lessons and will help you learn the fastest.

You should read easy English novels– starting with novels for children.   Absolutely do not waste time reading textbooks!

3. MASSIVE INTENSITY

To be fluent in only 2-3 months, you must create massive intensity.  In other words, you have to listen and read 8-14 hours a day, every day.   You must listen constantly to English.   You must read constantly.

In fact, I recommend alternating the two activities.  Listen for an hour, then read a novel for an hour.  Then listen again for an hour.  Then another hour of novel reading.

If you are really focused on speaking well, do more listening.  But don’t worry, reading will also help your speaking ability.

So that’s it.  That’s my simple method for very fast English fluency.

Of course, most people do not need to improve so quickly.  For most people, two hours a day of listening and reading is enough.

But if you need or want to improve very quickly, follow this plan.

Sexual Myths, Sexual Reality

Everyone knows that God created us as sexual beings. We also know that young people face tremendous pressures regarding sex. But who explains how and when a young person can best awaken his or her sexuality?
David Treybig

Imagine that you and some of your friends have been invited to tour a nuclear power plant. Shortly after you gather outside the plant’s entrance for your scheduled tour, an employee greets you and explains that even though the official guide isn’t available, all of you are welcome to wander through the plant on your own. “Go ahead and push any buttons you wish,” says the employee. “After all, experiential learning is fun and you’ll be able to see firsthand what happens as a result.” Without any protective gear or instruction, you and your friends begin wandering around, pushing buttons and looking for fireworks. Whoa! Stop this nightmare! No one in his or her right mind would recommend this course of action. It’s a recipe for disaster! Ironically, this is the approach many have taken to sexual education. Some mistakenly assume that young people should be free to experiment with their sexuality whenever and however they would like so they can develop their own ideas and perspective. Sadly, it’s like the imaginary nuclear power plant tour. Start pushing buttons in a random fashion and it won’t be long before you have a nuclear disaster. Start experimenting with sex in a random fashion without any instruction and you’ll soon experience tragic consequences that could include emotional pain, unwanted pregnancy and even sterility or death from a
sexually transmitted disease (STD). As young people, how we respond to our developing sexuality is one of the most important decisions we will make. Choices made at this time of life directly affect our future success, our health, our marital happiness and even our relationships with God. Sex is thus a critically important subject. And as we might expect, the Bible is filled with instruction regarding this aspect of life.
As the Creator of sexuality in human beings, God is the One who has all the answers. He knows how we were designed and how we can best experience happiness in all areas of life—including sex. Human beings, by themselves and apart from God, don’t have all these facts.
God begins His instructions about sex in Genesis, the first book of the Bible, and continues adding information all the way through the concluding book of Revelation.
Good and bad decisions in this area are recorded in many of the other books, too.
So what are some of the important truths regarding sexuality? What information do young people need to know so they can avoid disasters and experience the happiness
God intends for us to enjoy?

Respect your sexuality
One of the biggest problems in our modern, secular society is disrespect for sex. When God made Adam and Eve male and female, He said this was “very good”(Genesis1:27, 31,) emphasis added throughout). Sexuality in human beings was not designed to just be okay; it was designed to be extremely good! And it is great and wonderful when we use
this special gift of God in the way He intended. God’s beautiful picture of sexuality is for us to refrain from having sex until we are married and then to only enjoy sex with the person to whom we are married (1 Corinthians 6:18; Exodus 20:14). Sex was designed by God to be a special pleasure bond to be shared between a husband and wife. By following God’s instruction, this act would help husbands and wives grow closer together in an intimate bond, allowing them to have the greatest sex possible and helping them avoid potential dissolution of their marriages in divorce. It is a beautiful act of love for two people to grow up as virgins (not having engaged in any kind of sexual gratification) and then on their wedding night present their bodies to each other saying, “I loved you so much, I saved myself for you and you alone.” This is true love!
This is the most beautiful love story of all! And it is the kind of start that can help a couple live happily ever after in a joyous marriage instead of ending in a heartbreaking divorce as so many do today.
But how often do modern songs and movies tell us this story of sexuality? Not often, if at all. Instead, sex today is cheapened and degraded into a casual act for
people to experience prior to marriage and even during marriage with whomever they wish. It’s commonly assumed that to fully enjoy life, people should have sex with
anyone they happen to like at the moment.
The modern “love story” of unrestrained sexual activity has two people on their wedding night saying, “I have loved so many different people before I met you that I
think we can have sex without any problem at all. Tonight isn’t really that special. And did I remember to tell you? I have a few STDs I’ll be sharing with you. They are
painful and impossible to cure. They’ll be with us for life. But Baby, I really love you. At least right now I think I do and I’m willing to stay with you until someone better comes along.” Which love story would you rather experience? You aren’t helpless. You do get to choose. The modern approach of so many is disrespectful of others, disrespectful of self, disrespectful of sex and disrespectful of God. With all this disrespect surrounding sex, it’s no surprise that people are getting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), unplanned pregnancies and marriages that soon dissolve in failure.

Sexual myths
Given all the confusion that exists today regarding sex, it is important for us to understand some of the most common but mistaken ideas regarding sex. Here are a few of today’s myths:
• “People can’t help falling in love.” We may be attracted to someone at first sight but true biblical love is something that grows. It isn’t selfish and is based on respect and admiration for another person’s character and godly attributes (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).
• “People have to engage in sex.” No one yet ever died from not having sex. Awakening sexual activity at the right time (after marriage) is important (Song of Solomon 3:5).
• “If you’ve already had sex, your life is ruined.” God always offers us the opportunity to repent (admit we sinned and live properly). The advice we are given under these circumstances is the same Jesus gave the woman caught in the act of adultery: “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11 ).
• “Everybody is doing it.” According to songs and movies one would think this is true. But it isn’t. More young people graduate from high school today not having had sex than those who have. And the number of those abstaining is increasing.

A plan for sexual happiness
As individuals, we choose whether we will live sexually pure lives or whether we will ignore the instructions that lead to happiness and satisfaction. Making a commitment to
parents, friends and God to be sexually pure in word, thought and deed is an important first step in living a full, complete, sexually happy life. We can determine that we will not use filthy language of any kind—including the type that degrades sex. We can also determine that we will not watch movies with inappropriate sexual content or listen to songs with sexually explicit lyrics. We can determine that we won’t bow to peer pressure to go along with those who disrespect sex. We can determine that we are willing to be mocked for our beliefs and that we won’t succumb. We can choose to associate primarily with friends who share our convictions. And we can make it our daily practice to pray to God for strength to honor Him in the way we live our lives.
God intends for dating and marriage to be high-class, honorable experiences (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7). Treat sex as God’s honorable gift to be awakened only in marriage,
and you can reap the sweet reward of a happy, godly life. No explosions. No diseases. No heartache. Just a great love story that can last your whole life.

Quoted from :youthhouse.com

Delay May Not Mean Denial

Our Daily Bread — Delay May Not Mean Denial

December 29, 2014

Our Daily Bread is hosted by Les Lamborn

READ: John 11:21-35

When [Jesus] heard that [Lazarus] was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. —John 11:6

My sons’ birthdays are in December. When they were small, Angus quickly learned that if he didn’t receive a longed-for toy for his birthday at the beginning of the month, it might be in his Christmas stocking. And if David didn’t receive his gift for Christmas, it might appear for his birthday 4 days later. Delay didn’t necessarily mean denial.

It was natural for Martha and Mary to send for Jesus when Lazarus became seriously ill (John 11:1-3). Perhaps they looked anxiously along the road for signs of His arrival, but Jesus didn’t come. The funeral service had been over for 4 days when Jesus finally walked into town (v.17).

Martha was blunt. “If You had been here,” she said, “my brother would not have died” (v.21). Then her faith flickered into certainty, “Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You” (v.22). I wonder what she expected. Lazarus was dead, and she was wary about opening the tomb. And yet at a word from Jesus, Lazarus’ spirit returned to his decaying body (vv.41-44). Jesus had bypassed simply healing His sick friend, in order to perform the far greater miracle of bringing him back to life.

Waiting for God’s timing may also give us a greater miracle than we had hoped for. —Marion Stroud

My Savior hears me when I pray,
Upon His Word I calmly rest;
In His own time, in His own way,
I know He’ll give me what is best. —Hewitt

Time spent waiting on God is never wasted.

Bible in a year: Zechariah 9-12; Revelation 20

Insight