December 2023 Frontlines

FRONTLINES Partners Sharing the Love of Christ

DECEMBER 2023 / CBN.com

FROM YOUR DOORSTEP TO THE WORLD

Discover how you are caring for hurting children here and abroad! page 6 More

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YOUR GLOBAL IMPACT LOOK AT WHAT YOU ARE DOING AROUND THE WORLD!

ISRAEL • When the Palestinian militant organization Hamas launched approximately 4,000 rockets into Israel in early October of 2023, CBN Israel was there to help the Jewish people. A few years ago, they provided more than 20 bomb shelters in strategic locations around the Gaza Strip.

GUATEMALA • Nine-year-old Ehimy is grateful to CBN’s Operation Blessing for providing surgery to remove a cyst on her throat—at no cost to her family. She said, “After they operated on me, I thanked God because the cyst was no longer there. Thank you for helping me! I am very happy.”

UNITED STATES • There have been 1 billion views on CBN Animation’s Superbook YouTube channels. Also, a projected 435 million people watched a Superbook episode last year.* That’s five percent of the world’s population!

Thanks to your generous support, lives are being changed every day. *Brown, Fraser & Associates, a research company founded by Regent University professor Dr. William Brown and by Dr. Benson Fraser, carried out a study of CBN’s international viewership in 2022. To prepare this study, Brown and Fraser surveyed 17,275 persons in 102 cities or regions of 10 countries. Brown and Fraser applied the results from these and prior years’ surveys to project audience sizes and impact of CBN programming.

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CBN’S OPERATION BLESSING AND CBN ISRAEL

CBN PARTNERS STAND WITH ISRAEL IN HER TIME OF NEED You offered a lifeline to a devastated single mother Watch

In the midst of recent terrorist attacks in Israel, your partnership has been a lifeline. Operation Blessing’s international disaster relief team is on the ground working with CBN Israel to meet the needs of displaced families including shelter, meals, and hygiene supplies.

Days before the unrest, CBN Israel relief teams were aiding Esther, a single mother escaping a

history of domestic violence.

When terror struck, Esther found herself locked in a bomb shelter with her children for over 12 hours.

CBN Israel’s team on the ground worked tirelessly to provide immediate aid. Collaborating with local authorities, they ensured Esther and her family could finally sleep and shower.

Your generous heart of giving made it all possible. Esther’s heart is warmed by you—a “huge ray of light” in these dark times, showing the love of Christ in action.

DECEMBER 2023 3

CBN’S ORPHAN’S PROMISE

RAISING NIKHIL

Learn how your compassion is nourishing the mind, body, and soul More

Eleven-year-old Nikhil possessed a significantly low BMI for his age. He lives in a low-income community of India, where his hardworking father struggles to earn enough to feed their family.

When CBN’s Orphan’s Promise recognized the need, things began to change.

Thanks to the steadfast support of caring partners like you, Orphan’s Promise connected with a local center to provide nutritious meals to children in need.

The center worked with medical professionals to organize regular physical and dental checkups. A doctor prepared a nutrition plan for Nikhil. With the help of Orphan’s Promise, he and his siblings enjoy nourishing food.

In addition, Orphan’s Promise provided the local boys and girls access to better education. They also counseled their parents on how to create a more stable home environment. Thank you for extending hope so children like Nikil can look forward to a brighter future!

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#GIVETRUTH THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON Enjoy your premier source for Christian News!

Our trusted journalists report on breaking news and top stories— as well as political, health, and entertainment news you won’t find anywhere else—all through the lens of faith.

CBN News. Because Truth Matters®. #GiveTruth—JoinCBNNews.com | Find us in your area—WatchCBNNews.com | Download the app—CBNNewsApp.com

Find us in your area—WatchCBNNews.com Download the app—CBNNewsApp.com | #GiveTruth—JoinCBNNews.com

DECEMBER 2023 5

FROM YOUR DOORSTEP

TO THE WORLD Discover how you are caring for hurting children here and abroad!

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M

ost of the children you and I know will be delighted by the presents they unwrap on Christmas Day, but before long, those gifts will be forgotten. This is not the case for the gifts you are giving to children like Emanuel, Samantha, and Adalynn. What you have given them has changed their lives forever, and they will never forget your kindness.

forced to drink from open pools on the side of a mountain that are filled with bacteria.

For years, Emanuel endured stomachaches as a result of drinking the contaminated water. “Sometimes the pain makes me cry. I can’t stand it,” he said.

Then the generosity of our faithful partners made it possible for CBN’s Operation Blessing to install a community water project in his village that pipes water from high in the mountains and adds Emanuel in Honduras chlorination for purification. The Clean water is a gift that Emanuel result was life-changing. is grateful for every day. This young “The water is refreshing,” said boy and his widowed mother live in Emanuel. “Even if I drink five glasses a small village in the mountains of of water, it does not give me a Honduras. His mother couldn’t afford stomachache!” to buy bottled water, so Emanuel was His mother added, “I will always be

DECEMBER 2023 7

grateful for everything you did for us.”

Samantha in Pakistan

Four-year-old Samantha lives with her parents, brother, grandmother, and uncle’s family in Pakistan.

Because they are Christians, this family is marginalized in the community and relegated to labor-intensive, low-wage jobs.

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Samantha’s parents often struggle to provide basic necessities for their children. And her grandfather was so overwhelmed by debt that he took his own life. “We can’t think of education for our children. … This is so hard,” Samantha’s mother shared.

Samantha and her brother, Winston, desperately needed a chance to learn and grow in a safe environment. With the help of

“I will always be

grateful for everything you did for us.

friends like you, they now attend a school supported by CBN’s Orphan’s Promise that provides them with a daily meal and biblical teaching. Now, the family attends church together, and Samantha practices reading by sharing Bible verses with her parents.

“Thank you,” Samantha said.

“I am very happy!”

Adalynn in Michigan

Emily refers to her 5-year-old daughter, Adalynn, as the best part of her life. “She is just so kindhearted,” said Emily. “She’s my entire world.”

Emily is a single mother who worked full time at a call center and part time at a restaurant to provide for her daughter. Then, her finances took a huge hit. “My hours were way less. At my second job … we were all laid off,” she shared. “I was like, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to keep a roof over our head. I don’t know

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how I’m going to keep food on the table for us.’”

That’s when she found out about a local ministry that partners with Operation Blessing. “I was kind of anticipating a couple of grocery bags, but they filled my car up. I was so blown away by it,” said Emily. “I knew it was going to change our lives.”

Emily is currently working as a receptionist at a pediatric care office and a monitor at a foster care facility. Thanks to Operation Blessing for helping her get back on her feet, her life is much more stable now. “Thank you so much for taking that burden off of me,” she said. “It’s helping me set up a great future for my child. This, honestly, can change somebody’s life.”

Your gifts of education, essentials, spiritual encouragement, and more are giving families across the globe hope for a better future.

DECEMBER 2023 9

CBN NEWS: HEALTHY LIVING

Choose Wisely Live your best life God’s way!

Watch

December is here and the holiday season is upon us. What a great time to also plan for the new year!

“We have set ways,” says Dr. Wendy Patrick—author of Why Bad Looks Good: Biblical Wisdom to Make Smart Choices in Life, Love, and Friendship.

“They can either be great routines that bring us love, life, and happiness, or … that are continually leading us down the wrong path.”

She tells Lorie Johnson of Healthy Living that “it’s all about learning biblical wisdom,” and each chapter in her book is complete with applicable Scripture verses.

Because Dr. Patrick has been a prosecutor for almost 30 years—in addition to being an ordained minister with a master’s degree in divinity and a doctorate in theology—her unique insights into human behavior offer 10 frontlines

sound advice.

“Recognize the real from the fake,” she says. “The only way to actually discern what’s false is to know what’s true.” And she encourages us to ask questions and look past what we see.

“We more often misjudge a book by a cover instead of actually having a look and taking a read.”

But how do we break old patterns and create better routines? “Through reading Scripture, and that illuminates your path,” she says.

Dr. Patrick wants “not to have people be secularly happy, but to learn to know Him and internally be able to have the best life ever. Healthy living … at its best.”

So, set your mind, plan in advance, and determine that 2024 will be simply amazing!

Visit WendyPatrickPhD.com for more information.

QA &

with Gordon Robertson My wife and I tithe, but we have lots of bills. Nothing seems to help. Should we give what we can (less than 10 percent)— paying off all our bills? We’ll give over 10 percent later when they’re paid off.

Put the bills before God and pray, “You are my provider. How can we get through this? What do You want me to do?”

In your giving, always give cheerfully. Don’t give out of obligation. When you give cheerfully, you walk into this wonderful promise from the Apostle Paul who says, “God loves a cheerful giver.”

Turn Up the Christmas Tunes with CBN Radio Celebrate the birth of our Savior with a festive blend of classic and contemporary Christmas music—carefully selected to bring the true spirit of Christmas wherever you go.

Listen now on CBNRadio.com and the free CBN Radio app!

In my life, when I’ve had times where I didn’t tithe or I delayed tithes, I lacked confidence going forward. I want to make sure God is in my finances. I do that through the tithe, through the offering— and I want to do it cheerfully.

Then, all these other things will be added. Always put His kingdom first.

Do you have a question for Gordon?

Log on to CBN.com/AskAQuestion and follow the instructions.

NEED PRAYER? Call 800-700-7000 or go to CBN.com/Prayer anytime day or night.

REAL PEOPLE. AMAZING STORIES. FOR MORE INSPIRING TESTIMONIES TO LIFT YOUR SPIRIT VISIT: CBN.COM/FRONTLINES

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SOLE SURVIVOR

FREED FROM DARKNESS

GIVING IN TO GOD

When a plane crashed in the Louisiana woods, just one passenger survived. It was 7-year-old Mason, who was rushed to the hospital after suffering multiple lifethreatening injuries. Find out what happened next!

At the age of 17, Joy fell into the wrong crowd. From there, she was tricked into making easy money and was trapped into a human-trafficking ring.

Discover how this real-life testimony unfolded.

Christian and Crystal faced dwindling income and mounting bills while providing for their children. Crystal suggested an idea that perplexed her husband, but he eventually gave in. Tune in to see how God restored their finances.

Let It Stream, Let It Stream, Let It Stream

on CBN family Christmas

There’s enough delightful holiday content to binge on CBN family to keep you warm and cozy till the New Year. Enjoy: • Roaring Fireplace scenes with crackling wood or music • Christmas Radio when you want to stream festive holiday tunes • Recipes including Gordon’s timeless turkey brine and Terry’s famous hot fudge sauce • Christmas in Israel with Chris Mitchell, who explores a Nativity in the Holy Land and more • “Gizmo’s Night Before Christmas” that provides animated fun for children

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Watch now at CBNfamily.com

THE FIRST AND SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD “Your redemption is drawing near.”

By Gordon Robertson President and CEO

W

hen Gabriel told Mary she would give birth to the Savior of the world, she knew her pregnancy could bring shame on her family. Yet Mary’s reply in Luke 1:38 should be the response of every Christian: “Let it be to me according to your word.”

This reflects Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane: “Not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). As believers, we should live according to God’s Word rather than on our own terms, no matter the cost.

Interestingly, Jesus likened birth pangs to the sign of His coming at the end of the age. “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains” (Matthew 24:6-8).

Jesus continued in verses 12-14 by giving His followers specific warnings that we should take seriously today:

“Because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

So no matter what trials we face in the world, let’s not allow our love to grow cold. We must focus on the great task of preaching the Gospel to every nation, tongue, and tribe for the final ingathering. His Word gives us the assurance of His love, His peace, and His power. And by preaching the Good News, we show forth our faith.

As Jesus said in Luke 21:28, “Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

So as we celebrate the first coming of Jesus at Christmas, let’s look forward to that glorious day when He returns and our joy will be complete. May God bless you!

Excerpted from a teaching at CBN Staff Chapel.

Scripture is quoted from the ESV.

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IN THE KITCHEN WITH ALVEDA KING

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Copyright © 2023 by The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc. Frontlines may also be viewed online at www.CBN.com. All rights reserved. Reproduction without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. Due to Revenue Canada regulations, not all premiums are available in Canada.

Scripture is quoted from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.