5. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1905 and chartered in 1906 by an act of the United States Congress, is an independent policy and research center, whose primary activities of research and writing have resulted in published reports on every level of education. Nine presidents have guided the Foundation through its history, each bringing unique shape to its work.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnegie_Foundation_for_the_Advancement_of_Teaching

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Devotional Thoughts :: Extreme Devotion

Re:, on: 2008/3/23 11:11

The mood was somber, almost harsh. The Lithuanian court was meeting to determine the sentence for Nijole Sadunaite.
Her “crime,” like so many others’, was simply being a Christian in a Communist nation.
Then the judge offered her a final chance to speak. He eagerly waited for the young woman to tearfully beg for mercy.
Perhaps she would even renounce her ridiculous faith in God. Yet he was in for a surprise.
There were no tears from Nijole. Her face shone, and a beautiful smile began to form. Her eyes held warmth, even for
her accusers.
“This is the happiest day of my life,” said the condemned woman. “I am on trial for the cause of truth and love toward
men.”
Now, every eye in the courtroom was on her. “I have an enviable fate, a glorious destiny. My condemnation here in thi
s courtroom will be my ultimate triumph.”
The passion in her voice was unmistakable. “I regret only that I have done so little for men. Let us love each other, an
d we will all be happy. Only the one who has no love will be sad.”
She turned her attention away from the judge and peered into the eyes of other believers who watched the trial. “We
must condemn evil, but we must love the man, even the one in error. This you can learn only at the school of Jesus Chri
st.”
When it comes to learning about those who have been persecuted

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Re:, on: 2008/4/2 7:21
“Why is it that so many Christians sing only once a week? Why only once? If it is right to sing, sing every day. If it is wro
ng to sing, don’t sing on Sunday.”
The pastor had spent several horrifying years in prison at the hands of the Communist authorities. He was jailed for hi
s belief in Christ, and though he remembered the tortures there, he did not focus on them much. Instead he spoke of the
times of joy in the presence of his Lord. He and his fellow Christian prisoners formed a community of praise—in the midd
le of prison.
“When we were in prison we sang almost every day because Christ was alive in us. The Communists were very nice t
o us. They knew we liked to praise God with musical instruments, so they gave every Christian in prison a musical instru
ment. However, they did not give us violins or mandolins—these were too expensive. Instead, they put chains on our ha
nds and feet. They chained us to add to our grief. Yet we discovered that chains are splendid musical instruments! Whe
n we clanged them together in rhythm, we could sing, ‘This is the day (clink, clank), this is the day (clink, clank), which th
e Lord has made (clink, clank), which the Lord has made (clink, clank).’” What a joyful noise unto the Lord!
To those who have yet to experience it, persecution seems to focus entirely on loss. The loss of freedom. The loss of ho
pe. Even losing one’s life. However, those who have suffered for their faith in Christ overlook what’s missing and focus o
n new discoveries. They relish what little freedoms they have instead of regretting what they lack. In this story, Communi
st captors robbed believers of most of life’s freedoms and dignity. However, these stout believers focused on what remai
ned—their joy in the Lord. If it is good to sing to the Lord when you have everything—it is good to sing to him when you
have lost it all, too. What will you do today to make sure you do not lose your Christian joy?
Re:, on:

------------------Re:, on: 2008/4/25 6:24
Quote:
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Psalm18 wrote:
Devastated and grieving, Mary clung to her faith and prayed. Finally a strange peace came over her. She made this commitment to God: “
Everyone has a job to do. I can never marry or do any physical work. So I will offer my life for the Muslims, like the ones who killed my fathe
r and mother and tried to kill me. My life will be a prayer for them."
Her prayers and her undeniable witness of Christ brought many Muslims to faith in the Son of God. In Lebanon, 1990 was the fiercest year of the fift
een-year civil war. Thousands were killed or wounded, and hundreds of thousands fled. However, Mary’s offering of her wounded life encouraged man
y Christians to stay and take a stand for Christ.
The greatest gift to God’s service will not fit in an offering plate. When we view our entire lives as offerings to God, our resources to benefit his ki
ngdom are unlimited. Many of those who have been persecuted like Mary share a similar story. They continue to offer their lives to serve those who
oppress them as an act of worship. Therese of Lisieux once noted, “Sufferings gladly borne for others convert more people than sermons.” The majorit
y of Christians will find it easy to make the usual excuses for offering their lives: “too busy” and “too much going on.” However, God can reveal uniqu
e ways that we can be witnesses for Him.
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Re:, on: 2008/5/17 17:27
Drunken Russian guards entered the cold cell one harsh winter afternoon. One prisoner, Nicolaie Moldovae, was a poet
and composer as well as a devout believer and leader of an evangelical movement in the Orthodox church. He received
a five year sentence in the brutal Russian prison for his ministry work.
“Lie on your belly!” a guard yelled to Nicolaie. In his thin shirt and shorts, he lay on the freezing floor. The guards then
stepped on his back, legs, and feet with their heavy boots for an hour.
When the guards left, fellow prisoners knelt beside Nicolaie to see how badly he was hurt. To their amazement, Nicol
aie said, “I have written a new hymn while I was being walked upon.” He began to sing, “May I not only speak about futu
re heavens, but let me have heaven and a holy feast here.”
After Nicolaie was released from prison, the Communist police searched his home and confiscated a unique book of
manuscripts that Nicolaie had worked on for several years. Hundreds of hours of precious work, writing, and devotion w
ere immediately taken. After this, Nicolaie composed another hymn. “I worship you with gratitude for all you ever gave m
e, but also for everything beloved you took from me.
You do all things well, and I will trust in you.”
Today, Nicolaie Moldovae’s songs are celebrated throughout his nation.
It