{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Godonomics","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics","author_name":"chadhovind","author_url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics\/author\/chadhovind","title":"Doubts are normal: God Offers Christmas Evidence to Strengthen Christmas Faith - Godonomics","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"863BmZANfb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics\/2011\/11\/sent-to-a-virgin.html\">Doubts are normal: God Offers Christmas Evidence to Strengthen Christmas Faith<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/godonomics\/2011\/11\/sent-to-a-virgin.html\/embed#?secret=863BmZANfb\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Doubts are normal: God Offers Christmas Evidence to Strengthen Christmas Faith&#8221; &#8212; Godonomics\" data-secret=\"863BmZANfb\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","description":"Christmas\u00a0Faith\u00a0is\u00a0Strengthened\u00a0through\u00a0Christmas\u00a0Evidence.\u00a0\u00a0 The\u00a0Bible\u00a0offers The Bible Offers evidence\u00a0to\u00a0Strengthen\u00a0our\u00a0Confidence\u00a0in\u00a0Christ&#8217;s\u00a0claims,\u00a0birth,\u00a0and\u00a0final\u00a0work.\u00a0\u00a0Hundreds\u00a0of\u00a0years\u00a0prior to\u00a0His\u00a0arrival,\u00a0prophets\u00a0laid\u00a0out\u00a0specific\u00a0details\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0Messiah&#8217;s\u00a0birth.\u00a0\u00a0Studying\u00a0these\u00a0prophetic predictions\u00a0strengthens\u00a0our\u00a0confidence\u00a0in\u00a0God,\u00a0His\u00a0power,\u00a0His\u00a0wisdom,\u00a0and\u00a0His\u00a0timeless\u00a0plan. Doubts\u00a0Are\u00a0Natural: Do\u00a0you\u00a0ever\u00a0have\u00a0moments\u00a0where\u00a0you\u00a0wonder&#8230;\u00a0\u201cIs\u00a0this\u00a0all\u00a0really\u00a0true?\u00a0\u00a0Am\u00a0I\u00a0really\u00a0sure\u00a0that\u00a0I haven\u2019t\u00a0placed\u00a0my\u00a0eternal\u00a0destiny\u00a0into\u00a0a\u00a0story\u00a0about\u00a0a\u00a0talking\u00a0snake\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0magical\u00a0Resurrection? Do\u00a0you\u00a0ever\u00a0hear\u00a0all\u00a0the\u00a0theories\u00a0from\u00a0different\u00a0religions\u00a0and\u00a0philosophies\u00a0and\u00a0wonder\u00a0if\u00a0Jesus\u00a0is really&#8230;\u00a0the\u00a0ONLY\u00a0way\u00a0to\u00a0God?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0With\u00a0the\u00a0pressure\u00a0of\u00a0multi-culturalism\u00a0and\u00a0relativism\u00a0in\u00a0our culture&#8230;\u00a0Isn\u2019t\u00a0only\u00a0natural\u00a0to\u00a0at\u00a0least\u00a0wonder? As\u00a0you\u00a0approach\u00a0the\u00a0holidays,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0easy\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0real\u00a0life\u00a0pain\u00a0and\u00a0allow\u00a0doubt\u00a0to\u00a0creep\u00a0into\u00a0your life:\u00a0Your\u00a0son\u00a0and\u00a0daughter-in-law\u00a0are\u00a0struggling\u00a0with\u00a0infertility,\u00a0your\u00a0mom\u00a0is\u00a0dying&#8230;\u00a0Your grandfather\u00a0passed\u00a0away\u00a0this\u00a0past\u00a0year&#8230;\u00a0You\u00a0got\u00a0a\u00a0medical\u00a0report,\u00a0Audit\u00a0notice,\u00a0or\u00a0pink\u00a0slip&#8230; just\u00a0in\u00a0time\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0Holidays&#8230;.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Whatever\u00a0the\u00a0\u201cthing\u201d\u00a0was\u00a0or\u00a0is,\u00a0it\u00a0has\u00a0you\u00a0doubting\u00a0God\u2019s\u00a0love. God\u2019s\u00a0presence.\u00a0And\u00a0God\u2019s\u00a0plan. &nbsp; Michael\u00a0Jordan\u00a0is\u00a0a\u00a0friend\u00a0who\u00a0has\u00a0been attending our church for\u00a0about\u00a0a\u00a0year. He\u00a0would\u00a0call\u00a0himself\u00a0a skeptic\u00a0or\u00a0maybe an explorer. I\u00a0interviewed\u00a0him\u00a0on\u00a0stage last\u00a0January.\u00a0He\u00a0shared his\u00a0doubts\u00a0about\u00a0faith\u00a0and\u00a0God\u00a0stem\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0hypocrisy\u00a0of\u00a0church\u00a0people\u00a0over\u00a0the\u00a0years.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0However,\u00a0he has\u00a0been\u00a0coming,\u00a0listening,\u00a0watching.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0He\u00a0even\u00a0decided\u00a0to\u00a0go\u00a0on\u00a0our\u00a0Belize\u00a0mission\u00a0trip\u00a0last\u00a0year\u00a0and\u00a0is planning\u00a0to\u00a0go\u00a0again\u00a0this\u00a0year.\u00a0\u00a0We\u00a0were\u00a0at\u00a0a\u00a0lunch\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0weeks\u00a0ago\u00a0and\u00a0he\u00a0shared\u00a0some\u00a0interesting &#8220;coincidence&#8221;\u00a0that\u00a0have\u00a0him\u00a0thinking\u00a0about\u00a0his\u00a0doubts.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As\u00a0a\u00a0boat\u00a0lover\u00a0who\u00a0sold\u00a0high\u00a0end\u00a0racing\u00a0boats for\u00a0years,\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0big\u00a0deal\u00a0for\u00a0him\u00a0to\u00a0go\u00a0to\u00a0Belize\u00a0and\u00a0miss\u00a0the\u00a0annual\u00a0boat\u00a0show\u00a0he\u00a0attended\u00a0faithfully for\u00a020\u00a0years,\u00a0but\u00a0he\u00a0went.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As\u00a0a\u00a0medical\u00a0supply\u00a0company\u00a0he\u00a0often\u00a0has\u00a0supplies\u00a0in\u00a0his\u00a0bag.\u00a0\u00a0He\u00a0had several tools\u00a0in\u00a0his\u00a0bag\u00a0used\u00a0to\u00a0check\u00a0a\u00a0patient\u2019s\u00a0blood.\u00a0\u00a0He\u00a0pulled\u00a0them\u00a0all\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0bag.\u00a0He\u00a0even turned\u00a0the\u00a0bag\u00a0upside\u00a0down\u00a0to\u00a0dump\u00a0them\u00a0out.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0He\u00a0filled\u00a0his\u00a0bag\u00a0with\u00a0toys\u00a0and\u00a0candy\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0kids.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As they\u00a0arrive\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0hospital\u00a0in\u00a0Belize.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Michael\u00a0realized\u00a0that\u00a0the\u00a0hospital\u00a0needed\u00a0some\u00a0Oxidizers&#8230;\u00a0The very\u00a0thing\u00a0he\u00a0dumped\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0his\u00a0bag\u00a0a\u00a0week\u00a0earlier.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0He\u00a0reached\u00a0into\u00a0his\u00a0bag\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0a\u00a0toy\u00a0and\u00a0sure enough&#8230;\u00a0There\u00a0was\u00a0one\u00a0medical\u00a0tool\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0bag.\u00a0\u00a0He\u00a0turned\u00a0to\u00a0me\u00a0and\u00a0said,\u00a0&#8220;Chad,\u00a0I\u00a0don&#8217;t\u00a0have\u00a0an explanation\u00a0for\u00a0this&#8230;\u00a0But\u00a0I\u00a0imagine\u00a0you\u00a0do.\u00a0What\u00a0I\u00a0know\u00a0FOR\u00a0SURE,\u00a0is\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0emptied\u00a0and\u00a0dumped everything\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0that\u00a0bag\u00a0that\u00a0was\u00a0medical.&#8221;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We\u00a0laughed\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0is\u00a0beginning\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0God\u00a0draw\u00a0Him\u00a0near despite\u00a0his\u00a0doubts.\u00a0Michael\u00a0is\u00a0learning\u00a0evidence\u00a0for\u00a0his\u00a0faith.\u00a0 &#8220;We\u00a0know\u00a0doubts\u00a0are\u00a0a\u00a0part\u00a0of\u00a0life\u00a0for\u00a0all\u00a0of\u00a0us. Doubts\u00a0Are\u00a0Natural: God\u00a0comes\u00a0to\u00a0us\u00a0in\u00a0our\u00a0doubts\u00a0and\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0say,\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0can&#8217;t\u00a0believe\u00a0you\u00a0feel\u00a0that\u00a0way.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0He\u00a0doesn\u2019t say,\u00a0\u201cJust\u00a0believe&#8230;\u00a0Faith\u00a0is\u00a0the\u00a0absence\u00a0of\u00a0facts.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0No,\u00a0No,\u00a0No.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0God\u00a0comes\u00a0to\u00a0us\u00a0and\u00a0welcome our honest\u00a0doubts. God\u00a0Offers\u00a0Evidence\u00a0to\u00a0Strengthen\u00a0Our\u00a0Faith\u00a0When\u00a0it\u00a0is\u00a0Weak.\u00a0\u00a0 Christmas\u00a0Faith\u00a0is Strengthened\u00a0through\u00a0Christmas\u00a0Evidence.&hellip;"}