Charlize Theron, Jennifer Aniston,

Kate Moss and Andie MacDowell

have at least one thing in common.

They have all promoted L'Oréal

beauty products, telling us that we’re

“worth it”. Did they first say;

“because I’m worth it” or “because

you’re worth it”? In any case, we see

celebrities treating themselves luxuri-

ously, as they encourage us to follow

suit. The reason is that both they, and

we, are ‘worth’ spending both time

and money on. Since they say it often

enough, it seems that they really be-

lieve it. If they keep saying it, maybe

we’ll believe it too.

Go on…

But L'Oréal is not alone in appealing

to our temptation to self-indulgence.

Stella Artois portrays a young French

countryman indulging in the

‘reassuringly expensive’ liquid re-

freshment that was a dying man’s last

request. And remember, “nothing

should come between you and new

frothier Kenco Cappio Cappucino” –

even looking after the baby! Advertis-

ers are not just appealing to their prod-

uct’s superiority now. They are ap-

pealing to our desire to pamper and

indulge ourselves.

Number one

But, hold on a minute. Are we really

worth it? Do we think too much of

ourselves? Or do we think of our-

selves too much? Either way, the re-

sult is that we are tempted to selfishly

indulge ourselves, all because we be-

lieve that we’re worth it.

One thing leads to another

Taken to the extreme, what would a

world full of self-indulgent people be

like? Would there be love and com-

passion, charity and caring? Com-

menting on the detrimental effect of

marriage breakdown on children, Bob

Geldof has blamed the “because I'm

worth it” society for leading people to

abandon marriages for what he re-

garded as self-indulgent reasons. He

stated; “Perhaps a lot of it is down to

an overblown sense of self.”

Value where it counts

Yet, while we are tempted to boost

our self-worth and self-esteem in

many ways, God says that he values

us much more than we could ever

imagine. Not because we are worth

it, but simply because he loves us.1

He already knows every detail of

our lives, and yet he still values us

much more than we can imagine.2

Each of us is so precious, that Jesus

gave his life, so that we could get a

life.3

Who is worth it?

When next considering self-

indulgence or self-worth, think about

he who values us more than we know.

He promises us more fulfillment and

life than we can imagine, if we will

only turn to him instead. Jesus said;

“If anyone would come after me, he

must deny himself and take up his

cross daily and follow me.”4 He is

certainly worth it!

——————————————– 1Romans 5v8, 2Luke 12v5-7, 3John 3v16, 4Luke 9v23

C o l i n G l e n C h r i s t i a n F e l l o w s h i p

Number 7, November 2004

“Because I’m worth it!” 1

Boyan Koltaj 2

The Dream-Maker 3

God has not promised 3

Open House 4

Christmas Shoebox Appeal

4

Inside this issue:

Cross alk “Because I’m worth it!”

(Male Model)

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will

give you rest.”

Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:28 NIV)

Page 2

Boyan Koltaj Born into a non-religious family, my

parents got divorced when I was 3 years

old. After moving away with my mother

and my sister, I lived an average life of

an average boy. I did well in school and

was good at sports.

One of the lads

When I turned 15, I realised that many

of my friends were different because

they had started drinking and smoking.

At first I thought that it was really stu-

pid, but the more I watched them, the

more I saw why. It was something that

you aren’t supposed to do, something

that made them distinctive and impor-

tant. And the girls liked it as well, so

one day I gave it a try. All of my

friends affirmed me and I was truly one

of them again. It made me feel good

and it bonded us together. Before I

knew it, I started doing things without

even asking why.

Cracking up! However, this search for ‘feeling good’

took me very low. I woke up one morn-

ing when I was nearly 18 and realised

that I had been a heroin addict for about

three years. My relationship with my

family was falling apart and the worst

thing was, I didn’t feel good. Nothing I

did made me feel good. On the outside

my life was great, all that I wanted. I

had the coolest friends, girlfriends and

the best drugs, going to the coolest par-

ties. But in my heart, I knew my life

had fallen apart.

The best of friends

Then, one of my best friends died be-

cause of heroin. I knew the same thing

would happen to me very soon. I was

high on drugs, but I was looking for

someone I could talk to. Suddenly, I

remembered a lady, a friend of my

mother, who once offered me help.

Finding her phone number I asked if I

could come and visit her. As I came to

her apartment and we talked, I really felt

that I could trust her. I shared all that

was in my heart with her, and in the end

she replied: “I know someone who can

help you!” While I wondered who this

could be, she answered “Jesus”.

Loved beyond measure

That night was the first time in my life

that I heard the gospel. We watched a

video tape of Billy Graham who described

a ‘sinner’. At the end of the night I

knew ‘I’ was a sinner and God had all

the right to put me in the deepest of hell.

But Billy Graham said that God ‘still’

loved me. In fact, he loved me so much,

that he gave his only Son, Jesus, for me.

Freedom In all of those painful years I was look-

ing for love and acceptance through mu-

sic, drugs, alcohol and sex. Now I real-

ised that God, the creator of all, loved

me all the time, no matter what I did,

and just as I was – a junkie. I asked God

for forgiveness and asked Him to take

over my life. Since then my life has

never been the same. Not only because

God has healed me from addiction that

night, but because he has freed me from

my sins. He has set me free to be who I

was made to be.

Family connections

Step by step he began to change my life.

I am thankful that he has restored my

relationship with my family. As time

went by, I realised that I also have a

much bigger family – others who have

been set free by God’s love, whether it

is at home in Slovenia, or in Northern

Ireland. As I moved on, they have al-

ways reminded me of Jesus’ uncondi-

tional love and power to change lives.

(Boyan came to N. Ireland to study and

now works as a College administrator.

He attends ‘Open House’ Bible studies

on Friday evenings.)

“I beg your pardon. I never promised you a

rose garden - along with the sunshine

there's gotta be a little rain sometime…”

Joe South

(Rose Garden)

“I have a dream… I have a dream… I have a dream…”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Page 3

The Dream-Maker Joseph, of technicolour dream-coat fame

was, as many know, both a dreamer and

an interpreter of dreams. Unfortunately

talking unwisely about his dreams got

him into trouble with his brothers who

became jealous and sold him into slav-

ery. Years later, after some time in an

Egyptian prison, through his God-given

ability he interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams

and so rose to a position of great power

in Egypt. When in that position he

saved both the people of Egypt and his

entire family from starvation during a

famine. As a result he was able to say to

his brothers ‘ You intended to harm me

but God intended it for good’.1

Up from the ashes

Life, as Joseph found out, isn’t always

easy even for those who do their best to

follow God. Jesus one day confirmed

this when he told his disciples ‘In this

world you will have trouble’.2 Because

of this it can appear at times that God

forsakes those who love him. Even Je-

sus experienced this. However the apos-

tle Paul wrote, while sitting in prison,

‘in all things God works together for the

good of those who love him’.3 We now

know that if Paul hadn’t been confined

to prison the Christian Church would

most likely not have a number of the 12

or so letters that he wrote from his

prison cell and that make up such a large

portion of the New Testament. His

hardship has become our blessing and

ultimately his also. Paul also said in

another of his letters; ‘God is able to

do far more than we can hope and

dream …’.4

Dream his dreams Perhaps you used to have hopes and

dreams but circumstances and events

have disillusioned you, even to the ex-

tent that you no longer dare to have

any. Don’t give up hope. ‘If you de-

light in him’ God can, as the psalmist

David says, even ‘give you the desires

of your heart’.5 He may of course

change your desires in the process!

Reasons to be cheerful... If you really trust in God be glad if he

shows you, one day this side of heaven,

the reason for your hardships. But, if

he doesn’t, hold on by faith to his

promise that your hardships are, in

some as yet unknown way, going to

work out for your good, and perhaps

the good of others also. Remember the

story of Joseph, and especially Jesus

‘who for the joy that was set before him

endured the cross …and opposition

from sinful men, so that you will not

grow weary or loose heart.’6

———————–———————— 1 Genesis 50v20, 2 John 16v33, 3 Romans 8v28, 4

Ephesians 3v20, 5 Psalm 37v4, 6 Hebrews 12v2 & 3

God has not promised God has not promised

Skies always blue,

flower-strewn pathways,

all our lives through;

God has not promised

Sun without rain,

joy without sorrow,

peace without pain.

But God has promised

strength for today,

rest for the labour,

light for the way,

grace for the trials,

help from above,

unfailing sympathy,

undying love.

Annie Johnston

Flint (1866-

1932) was

adopted into the

Flint family as a

child and grew

up in Clifton

Springs NY.

She became a

teacher but early

in her career she

contracted

arthritis and had

to give it up and

began to write

poetry.

Please consider how you can help brighten

up someone’s Christmas this year, by putting together a

shoebox gift.

Colin Glen Christian Fellowship

Christmas Shoebox Appeal

Help children less fortunate this Christmas

• This is a brilliant yet simple opportunity for children and

families to send gifts to youngsters who would otherwise never receive anything at Christmas.

• Operation Christmas Child, by ‘Samaritan’s Purse’ charity, sends a message of hope to children in desperate situa-tions around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and offering booklets of Bible stories. It focuses on the true meaning of Christmas - Jesus Christ, God’s greatest gift.

• In 2003 more than 6.5 million gift-filled shoe boxes were sent to some of the poorest boys and girls in the world in over 100 countries. Gifts are distributed to people regard-less of nationality, political or religious background.

• By taking an average size shoe box, covering it with Christmas wrapping paper and filling it with paper, pencils, toothbrush, toothpaste, toys and sweets, children can show that they are thinking of those less fortunate.

John & Elaine Duffy 42A Cloona Park Upper Dunmurry Lane Belfast BT17 0HH Phone: (028) 9060032

Ken & Olive Allen Phone: 07870 184117 Email: info@cgcf.net Web: www.cgcf.net

www…on the Internet

For past issues of ‘Crosstalk’, Christian web-site Links, free stuff, etc, go to: www.cgcf,net

See previous copies of ‘Crosstalk’, follow Christian links, and find out more (with some pages in Irish).

Open House Every Friday

We meet on Friday evenings for prayer, Bible study, with tea, coffee & a bite to eat too. Join us as we look into the Bible to see what we can learn from it, and how it is relevant to our lives today. Everyone is welcome - just turn up, or ring for more details. We meet at 42A Cloona Park - Just off the Stewarts-town Road roundabout. Every Friday 7.30-9.30 pm (except during July)

Colin Glen Christian Fellowship will donate £2 per shoebox to cover promotion, transport, processing & distribution costs.

For more information, ring the numbers at the top of the page, or see the internet webpage: www.samaritanspurse.uk.com/occ/ Please leave shoebox gifts at 42A Cloona Park (full address and map are shown above). They need to be dropped off by 30th November to be delivered by Christmas Day.

Please select from: ✔ A cuddly toy ✔ A toothbrush, toothpaste ✔ A bar of soap and flannel ✔ A notepad, colouring book ✔ Picture books ✔ Pencils and pens ✔ A set of crayons or felt pens ✔ A hat, cap, gloves, scarf ✔ A small ball or tennis ball ✔ A puzzle e.g. small jigsaw ✔ For boys: a toy car, truck, passenger plane or similar item ✔ For girls: jewellery (e.g. pair of clip earrings, make-up or hair accessories) ✔ A greetings card or a photo of yourself ✔ Sweets (must be well within sell-by date)

Please do not include: ✖ No chocolate due to customs regulations in receiving countries ✖ Other edible items (e.g. crisps, biscuits, tinned food or cake) ✖ War related items (e.g. toy guns and soldiers, knives) ✖ Clothing (other than listed above) ✖ Glass containers, mir-rors or fragile items ✖ Liquids of any type (eg blow bubbles, sham-poos, bubble bath, toi-letry sets or aerosols) ✖ Marbles or sharp ob-jects ✖ Anything of a political, racial or religious na-ture ✖ Medicines ✖ Books with words

Due to import regulations, all goods should be new/nearly new.

Latest date to drop off boxes: 30th November

How to pack your shoe box gift:

Find a medium-size empty shoe box. Please then COVER the box in

Christmas paper making sure that you wrap the lid and box separately.

Decide whether your gift will be for a BOY or a GIRL and the AGE

range: 2-4 yrs, 5-9 yrs, 10-14 yrs. Write Girl/Boy and the age on the outside of the lid – on the top right as you would a stamp on a letter.

Fill the shoe box with gifts from the lists shown.

PLEASE DO NOT WRAP items in-dividually or overfill your box.

Please DO NOT SEAL the box as it will need to be checked to ensure it

meets Customs requirements. Use an elastic band, if available.