THE FAMILY NEWS NETWORK BEGINS! This is how the Family News page began several years ago and we published many encouraging and inspiring stories from around the world for the last three years. We no longer do that… the newer focus is on the teachings and articles themselves. I’ve included here the reasoning behind the Family News structure which should help the readers understand what they see on the archived pages. The original introduction continues here:
As promised… our second new web page, FAMILY NEWS!
The FMM website has been used from its earliest days to catch people’s attention and provoke them to think differently about God, about His character, about His plans for creation, and what He requires of them. As such, they’ve written in through the “Contact Us” feature and email correspondence has taken place between them and headquarters here in Omaha, a/k/a “Home.” (Note: I use the term ‘headquarters’ very loosely – as you probably already know, we’re just a handful of disciples listening to Father and then obeying what He asks of us – no building, no office, no structured agendas, no flowing stream of funding.)
As we mentioned in the LETTERS FROM HOME introduction, the FAMILY NEWS page will not contain details that would identify the original writers, thus compromising the safety of our family members living in places where proclaiming faith in Yeshua could become a death sentence. My first draft attempt to share a story without name, location or even gender didn’t work very well. It was awkward, stilted, cumbersome – not easy to write and even harder to read. So here’s what I’m thinking…
1) If someone sends in comments about the material and what it’s done in their lives, we will share their email, using their exact words, but what would be published will not contain identifying details. (Instead we’ll insert blanks ______.)
2) If through our correspondence, a comprehensive story of what God has done or is doing in their midst unfolds, we will share the story only after receiving the author’s permission.
3) For many in our FMM family, English is a second language. Therefore, grammar or verb tense or spelling might not be what is ‘normal’ to those born and raised with English as their first language. My plan is to post exactly what we receive. I do not believe it serves Father’s purposes for a brother’s or sister’s story to be “cleaned and polished” in its use of the English language. The more important – perhaps most important – issue is what God is doing right here in our midst. Personally, I find it even a more remarkable revelation of the fact that He is not hindered by the nuances of human language.
4) Family News will come from you… the family. If you have praises, encouragements, prayer requests, questions… send them in. We as the FMM family want to stand with one another in the various, and sometimes extremely difficult, issues of life. The point of sharing our stories is to give our great God the glory due His matchless and Holy Name! There truly is no one like our God and we want to be able to rejoice in His mighty works together and encourage one another by sharing His faithfulness.
5) As a work in progress, I’m not sure yet what’s feasible for postings here. Right now I’m thinking monthly updates but I’m also seeing the need for “SOS” postings when urgent needs are brought to light. I could use your prayers and suggestions.
Your sister, Nancy