The Sacred Pause In Northern New Mexico
Every spring, people in small northern New Mexico communities enter into a time of sacred peace known as Lent. The lenten season starts with Ash Wednesday when people flock to mass to get the mark of an ash cross on their forehead. A priest will recite, as he blesses the people, “you are dust and to dust you shall return.”
Over the next 40 days, people choose to give up something for Lent to show their commitment to their relationship with God. Some people have questions and doubts about how Catholics practice Lent. The best way to explain why we sacrifice things we love and why we don’t eat meat on Fridays for 40 days is because we are taught that love means sacrifice. If you’re willing to sacrifice things you love, you are growing in your relationship with God.
Entering this sacred season as a community creates strong bonds to one another, knowing we’re sacrificing together. While this community connection is meaningful, there is something deeper, something that unites us not only to one another, but to our ancestors, our grandmas and grandpas, tias and tios who used to sit in the same pews, attend the same services, and practice the same discipline en el nombre de la fe. It’s more than just entering the religious season of Lent, but it’s experiencing the cultural connection to the one thing they instilled in us, and that was our Catholic faith.
On Good Friday at the end of our forty-day Lenten season, Costillans and Questeños join together for a 20-mile pilgrimage from Costilla to Questa. People meet at the Sangrado Corazon Catholic Chapel in Costilla in the very early hours when it’s still dark. The caminantes are led by the guia (cross) and each member of the pilgrimage carries the guia for a duration of the walk.
The pilgrimage starts with morning prayer, then caminantes walk silently in prayer and reflection. After some time, group prayer begins, then traditional New Mexican church songs are sung in unison. The guia never touches the ground and similarly, caminantes are never allowed to walk ahead of the cross. Throughout the walk, a peace surrounds the walkers which surpasses all understanding as bonds with the comunidad en Cristo are strengthened.
Caminantes stop at Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe church in Cerro to recite the stations of the cross, then make one final stop at the morada to pray. The caminantes arrive at St. Anthony’s Parish in Questa around noon on Good Friday and the community is there to extend an encuentro for the caminantes, whom they have prayed for the past 10 hours as they made their journey. The joy and the peace and connection felt to family, both living and those who have passed, our community, as well as the connection to God and the Holy Spirit is unparalleled to any peace ever experienced.
Mikayla Ortega and Gabrielle Rael


I’m a second generation Indian American author, speaker, and activist. I’m the Vice President of the Asian American Christian Collaborative and the Co-Executive Director at Pax. My husband, Aaron, and I also co-planted Hope Community Church, a minority-led multicultural church in East Austin. I’m passionate about breaking cycles of injustice in our country and helping inspire and equip the next generation to live out their callings at the intersection of their faith and culture. My writings on faith and culture have been featured in Christianity Today, ERLC, Missio Alliance, The Gospel Coalition and more. You can also read my regular posts at (in)courage and Think Christian. I live in Austin, TX with my husband and two amazing kids and in my free time I love to hike, play board games, and watch Bayern Munich.


About Jasmine Brady
Jasmine Brady’s story could focus on her rich heritage in Christian music. It could talk about the legacy of selfless service that runs deep in her family. It’s a story of crushing loss and perseverance in the face of disaster, and ultimately, it’s a narrative about surrendering everything to the sovereignty of God.
Jasmine’s great uncle and aunt were Southern Gospel icons, Howard and Vestal Goodman. Her maternal grandparents are the legendary Joel and Labreeska Hemphill. And her mother, fan favorite Candy Hemphill Christmas, is well-known for leaving a successful singing career to serve the homeless population of Nashville with The Bridge ministry which she founded with her husband, Kent, in 2004. Jasmine carries this unique history into her own calling to sing, to serve, and especially to worship and lead others in worship.
Given her family tree, it’s no surprise that at 13, she began to feel God tugging at her heart to write songs and to lead her youth group in worship. That continued throughout her high school years and led her to become part of the a cappella group Voices of Lee at Lee University during her first two years of college.
Once again, she began to feel God calling her back home to help her parents at Resting Place Church, now known as Regeneration Nashville. Throughout her late teens and early 20’s she was leading worship as well as pursuing a solo career in the music business. “No matter how hard I tried to advance my personal career, every door remained closed,” Jasmine says. “I couldn’t understand. Why would God not want me to use the gifts that He’d given me?”
During that season, Jasmine says the Lord spoke two scriptures quietly into her heart, and they have become what has encouraged and driven her ever since. The first was Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” The other was Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.” Jasmine laid every gift God had given her at the foot of the cross and submitted her life to His will.
She married Jonmichael Brady in 2009, and they have two children, Cooper and Adele. She stopped writing songs or pursuing any career dreams. “I decided that if it was God’s will, He would do it His way and in His time. God taught her that worship is what we are created to do, whatever our career path.
“The Lord spoke to my heart and said, ‘If you never sing professionally, will I still be enough for you?’ Through tears I told the Lord yes, and I honestly never planned on singing or writing professionally again. That had to be enough because He is enough.”
In March of 2020, a tornado tore through Nashville and hit the place where The Bridge meets each Tuesday. The following week, “stay at home orders” were issued and the pandemic began taking its toll on her city. A few days later, Jasmine’s husband lost his job of 15 years. Once again, Matthew 6:33 and Proverbs 3:5-6 sustained her, and gradually God started birthing new songs in her.
“I’ve stayed at Jesus’ feet in worship while songs like ‘Faith Arise’ and ‘God is in Control’ have come pouring out of my soul,” Jasmine says. She began leading the songs that encouraged her own heart, and it wasn’t long until people at Regeneration Nashville and viewers online began asking where they could purchase her music. That led to her latest album “Shalom.”
“My music died,” Jasmine says, “and His worship is what resurrected.” The dream she had surrendered long ago was broken, then blessed, and then multiplied. “I’m grateful for every step of this journey. I’ve learned that everything is possible when we seek Him first and His Kingdom. Then everything else will fall into place.”


March 10, 1936 - January 28, 2021
As we prepare for the funeral of our father, Francis P. McCoy, we think about how best to honor his memory. Our Dad was a man of service. He received from his parents, Bill and Barbara McCoy, the ideal that we are all obligated to help others and he transmitted this ideal through his example to his children, grandchildren, and other loved ones. For those who survive him, remembering and living within this legacy is the most fitting tribute we can offer. Dad offered not one but many examples of ways to serve others. He served the defense of his nation as a soldier in the United States Army. He served the protection of his community for decades as a volunteer firefighter. He served the youth of his community by helping boys grow to be young men as Boy Scouts. He served the cause of democracy by actively participating in the electoral process and encouraging others to do the same. He served his faith and his Lord through a life of devout belief and participation in the Christian lifestyle. He served the needy and underserved through the many financial donations he made to their causes. Even near the end, his commitment to service did not waver – as his own health declined, he worried about who would care for his roommate if he were not around. This thread of service stretched through Dad’s life and let him touch others in so many ways. You set a great example for us, Dad. Goodbye and thank you. Remembering Francis P. McCoy are his children Tim (Kathleen), Steve (Roanna), Jeff, Eric (Missy), and Matt (Karen); his grandchildren Megan, Charlie, Matthew, Madison, Brandon (Jasmine), Nicholas (Tiffany), Braeden, Amanda, Kody, Logan, Zachary, Daniella (Levi), and Lauryn; his great-grandchildren Peyton, Camden, Luka, Ezra, and Raylyn; and many siblings, relatives, close friends, and acquaintances. Also remembering Francis P. McCoy are his friend Arlene Maria Hoffman; her children Arlene Ahrens and Georgeann Meyer (Thomas); her grandchildren Cynthia Drennon (Jesse) and Alyssa Meyer, and her great-grandchildren Gabriel and Peighton Drennon. For those wishing to remember Francis P. McCoy by making a donation in his name, the St. Labre Indian School, P.O. Box 216, Ashland MT 59003-9989 was an institution he loved and supported for many years.
As we prepare for the funeral of our father, Francis P. McCoy, we think about how best to honor his memory. Our Dad was a man of service. He received from his parents, Bill and Barbara McCoy, the ideal that we are all obligated to help others... View Obituary & Service Information
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Sometimes you miss the memories – Life Quote Sometimes you miss the memories, not the person.
Adopt the pace of nature her secret is patience.
Good things come to those who believe – Life Quote Good things come to those who believe, better things come to those who are patient and the best things come to those who don’t give up.
Some of you today have – Motivational Quote Some of you today have had unfair things happen, life has not turned out like you’d hoped. God is saying, “If you’ll rise up out of those ashes, put on a new …
Forever in my heart – Love Image
Mother Teresa Quotes Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.
Inspirational Quotes You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream.
Everything you are seeking are seeking you in return. Therefore, everything you want is already yours. So, you don’t have to get anything. It is simply a matter of becoming more aware of what you already possess.
You were unsure which pain is worse, the shock of what happened or the ache for what never will.
I do not let what happened in my past, control my future. I learn from it and it makes me stronger.


Pro-life Issues & Infomation
“May the Continent of Hope also be the Continent of Life! This is our cry: Life with dignity for all! The time has come to banish once and for all from the Continent every attack against life. Holy Virgin of Guadalupe, Queen of Peace, save the nations and people of this Continent!" ~ Pope John Paul II - January, 1999 ~
- American Life League - One of the most influential prolife organizations in the U.S. Their mission is to inform, educate, and inspire with a goal to having an America that respects and protects human life from the moment of fertilization until natural death.
- Billboards For Life - This project is dedicated to and under the protection of Our Lady of Guadalupe - patroness of the Americas and the helpless unborn. It is the work of the non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, Catholics for Children, whose goal is to assist in saving souls and lives.
Click here for a listing & pictures of all the billboards.
- Catholics United for Life - Catholics United for Life is a nationwide organization with branches in a number of cities. They come together to pray and give witness for the protection of all innocent human life.


The Spiritual Growth series was written as a response to the burden to see people trained for the work of ministry. They are also good for teaching in a church setting, bible study and connect groups. The books have been translated into a number of languages and are widely used in church planter training. The four titles are: Foundations for Christian Life (Part 1), Living the Christian Life (Part 2), Giftings for the Christian Life (Part 3), Spiritual Warfare in the Christian Life (Part 4).
Can I be sure I am ‘saved’? Is it really necessary for a Christian to go to church? I was baptised as a baby, is that enough? I have faith, I think, but what do I do with it?
Solid foundations for Christian life are important. This is the book for helping you build strong foundations from the Bible, the Word of God. It’s the first in the Spiritual Growth series of four books. It’s great for self-study or for groups and other training.
Living the Christian Life
I want God to guide me but how will He? Isn’t it OK to read my star signs? How can the Bible help with my anger? Why is my family so against me being a Christian? Is it sometimes alright not to forgive?
The Bible is full of very practical wisdom on how to live as a Jesus-follower in our society today. Living the Christian Life will help you tap into this wisdom with chapters as diverse as coping with stress, living a sexually pure life and honouring the government. It’s the second in the Spiritual Growth series of four books, great for self-study or for groups and other training.
Giftings for the Christian Life
Why is there so much controversy about the Holy Spirit? Aren’t gifts the things God gave me when I was born? How do I know if I am filled with the Holy Spirit? Do I really have to speak in tongues?
The C1 church moved in the power of the Holy Spirit, after the Day of Pentecost. The New Testament teaching on this is for us today, and we need to find what the Word of God says and let the Holy Spirit fire revolutionise us as happened ‘in the beginning’ of the church. Giftings for the Christian Life is clear, Biblical teaching on the Person of the Holy Spirit and how He moves, the gifts of the Holy Spirit and how they operate in and through God’s people. It’s the third in the Spiritual Growth series of four books, great for self-study or for groups and other training.
Spiritual Warfare in the Christian Life
Can’t I just have a peaceful, quiet Christian life? Isn’t Jesus the Prince of Peace? My friend said some strange things are happening in his house at night – what is that?
There is a battle going on in the unseen realm, between the Kingdom of Light and the Kingdom of Darkness. We need to be aware of the character, strategies and methods the enemy of our soul uses, and know our authority in Jesus, as God’s children, to overcome his evil plans. Spiritual Warfare in the Christian Life is clear, Biblical teaching to help you understand and practise the principles of this unseen spiritual warfare for the Jesus-follower. It’s the fourth in the Spiritual Growth series of four books, great for self-study or for groups and other training.


This morning my wife and I did our daily bible reading and it inspired me to finally write my final blog about the things I’ve learned about money. We are reading through the book of Ecclesiastes and today we read chapter 5. For this entry I really wanted to address the tension that seems to be building around the subject of economic classes. There is a lot of public discussion about the responsibility that high-income earners have in society and I wanted to comment on it. The verses I read this morning seem like the best possible place to start. Here is Ecclesiastes 5:8-20:
Riches Are Meaningless
8 If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. 9 The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
10 Whoever loves money never has enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
This too is meaningless.
11 As goods increase,
so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owners
except to feast their eyes on them?
12 The sleep of a laborer is sweet,
whether they eat little or much,
but as for the rich, their abundance
permits them no sleep.
13 I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:
wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
14 or wealth lost through some misfortune,
so that when they have children
there is nothing left for them to inherit.
15 Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,
and as everyone comes, so they depart.
They take nothing from their toil
that they can carry in their hands.
16 This too is a grievous evil:
As everyone comes, so they depart,
and what do they gain,
since they toil for the wind?
17 All their days they eat in darkness,
with great frustration, affliction and anger.
18 This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. 19 Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. 20 They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.
For me, this was a really helpful excerpt for understanding a biblical stance on wealth. Verses 8-18 have always been second nature for me, but 19 and 20 are more challenging. The key, in my opinion, is separating wealth from a love of money. The bible says the love of money will eat away your soul and most people I know would say they agree. We’ve seen some of our nation’s most wealthy become disgustingly greedy and cause a lot of pain. According to the bible, though, it’s not good enough to just equate wealth with greed. Doing so has led a lot of people to feel a strong sense of guilt over the blessings God has given them. For me, that feeling of guilt comes from the fact that if I spend $50 on dinner for myself, that’s $50 that could have paid for two people to have clean water for the rest of their lives.
I think the bible is telling me that it’s actually ok to enjoy my dinner free from guilt. It’s a gift from God that I am able to afford it and if I feel guilty about it, I’m actually disrespecting God and His gift. That DOES NOT mean I don’t need to do anything about the people without water. The best way to think about it is in terms of ratios. If I budget a percentage of my income to be given to charity, then I will end up giving so much more money throughout my lifetime than if I constantly beat myself up over the money I spend on myself. If I gave 100% of my money throughout all of my life, two things are guaranteed to take place: 1) poverty will still exist when I die and 2) my family will have zero money when I die. It’s common sense if you think about it: we must have money in order to give it away. It’s not surprising that the bible spends much more time speaking about the dangers of greed in this passage, but we can’t ignore the last part where it talks about enjoying the gifts God gives us. It’s ok to go out to eat and buy expensive toys when you are able to afford it. If I have $10 million and I spend $200,000 on a sports car, that’s a very small percentage of my wealth that I have wrapped up in my car. I could still give $1 million to charity which is far more than most people are able to do. We should try to enjoy our wealth without falling in love with it and we should DEFINITELY stop judging other people for their wealth. When we do that the real problem isn’t greed, it’s envy.


Men go through a lot, especially husbands who are faithful to their wives and family.
God only knows what some men go through on a daily basis to support their families.
The pain, grief, sadness, frustration, anguish and burdens that some husbands bear to keep the family together and make sure “little Mary and Johnny” are happy is something husbands should be proud of. .
That being said, everyonemen need encouragement, and if you are awife who needs a word of encouragementfor your husband
Or you are a husband looking to God's Word for inspiration; this publication is ideal for you.
What is a good Bible verse for husbands?
Some of the most encouraging scriptures for husbands include John 3:16-17, Romans 10:9-10, Isaiah 41:10, and many others that can inspire hope, peace, strength, patience, and courage to go on and become a Man of God. God, God waits.
Here are some helpful, inspiring and timely Bible verses to encourage your husbands.
"Come to me, all of you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
In Matthew 11:28-31, Jesus advises us that when our bodies, minds, or spirits get tired, we should turn to him for rest and refreshment.
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you will be with me; your rod and your staff will give me breath.”
When we cry out to God, He comforts us and helps us in the dark, giving us strength to persevere.
“I leave you peace; I give you my peace Not as the world gives, I give to you. Do not be troubled in your heart, do not be afraid."
When the peace of God is in our hearts, we are empowered to face any personal, professional and family problems that life throws our way.
“But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought he was a ghost and they screamed, because they all saw him and were terrified. But he immediately spoke to them and said: “Be of good cheer; it's me. Do not be afraid.
Jesus encouraged his disciples to be courageous and fearless, even in uncertain times. Likewise, as a husband, when he's not sure what to do next; the Lord is telling you to stand firm and have courage.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and next to the rivers, they will not drown you; when you go through the fire, you will not be burned, and the flame will not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give you Egypt as a ransom, Cush and Sheba in exchange for you.
Men encounter situations in their daily lives that require greater courage. But we can be sure that our God is with us at all times.
"Because for you I can run against a troop, and by my God, I can jump over a wall."
We understand that our journey may be full of obstacles, but our God gives us power to command a troop and jump over walls.
“But the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I was not dishonored; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.
Joseph, Job, and Moses are courageous people who share their stories in the sacred texts about their trials and tribulations. They never gave up on the Lord.
"Do not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is in your midst, the great and awesome God."
You have to be sure that God is with you at all times. So don't panic when you have to make difficult decisions or face situations that seem unattainable.
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart rejoices, and with my song I give him thanks.”
Remember that as you pray, you should also express your gratitude to the Lord for His infinite care for you and your family. The honor of God must be preserved.
“Even the young will weary and weary, and the young will fall down exhausted;
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength; they will fly with wings like eagles; they will run and not get tired; they will walk and not get tired.”
Faith gives us strength and patience to wait on God so that He will be glorified in the end.
“Why are you dejected, O my soul, and why are you troubled within me? Hope in god; because again I will praise him, my salvation.
When we read the gospels, we read that God our Father is the source of our salvation and that He has our best interest at heart. Praise the Lord!
1 Corinthians 10:13
“No temptation has come upon you that is not common to men. God is faithful and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation he will also give the way out, so that you can bear it."
Evil women and other dangerous temptations would try to destroy him. But strong men persevere and defend the word of God.
Also, God will protect you and keep you safe as we endure temptations.
“This God – His way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; it is a shield for all those who take refuge in it.
For who is God but the LORD? And who is the rock but our God?
The God who strengthened me and made my path blameless.”
The word of God is a source of strength, serving as a protective shield for all his children.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
"But he said to me: 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will gladly glorify myself more in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
For the love of Christ, then, I am happy with illnesses, insults, privations, persecutions and calamities. Because when I'm weak, then I'm strong."
God loves and cares for each of His children and showers them with all His blessings and grace. The Lord is in our hearts and He will help you in the difficult moments of life.
“The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our strength. Saddle"
When we entrust all our ways to God, he is the one who opens all doors and fulfills our desires.
2 Chronicles 25:8
“But go, act, be strong for the battle. Why should you assume that God will strike you down before the enemy? Because God has power to help or to overthrow."
Do and give the best for your family as for God. When you do your best, God will richly reward you.
“I have been crucified with Christ. I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And what I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, we all have the victory.
“O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices, and in your salvation how greatly he rejoices!
You gave him your heart's desire and did not withhold the request from your lips. Saddle"
The strength of our Lord over our lives makes us rejoice and live a life of peace, love, favor and victory.
"Didn't I send you? Be strong and brave. Do not faint or faint, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
Because God is our mentor and leader, we can be at peace knowing that He is with us.
Thanks for reading, we have come to the end of our collection of encouraging scriptures for husbands. I hope you find them useful and relevant too.
Use these encouraging words to minister to your husband. And if you are a husband and you are reading this; These motivational and inspirational Bible quotes can help guide you through this uncertain and dark time in life.
Share and share your favorite quotes from this list on Facebook and Instagram with your friends and followers.


Mol an Oige Concert – Dec 21st
The annual Mol an Oige Concert takes place in the Church of Ireland in Clifden on Saturday Dec 21st at 8pm.
Featuring some of Conamara’s finest young musicians, singers and dancers, this vibrant event captures the spirit of Christmas and celebrates the very best of Conamara goodwill. All money raised goes to local St. Vincent de Paul.
Performing on the night will be the award-winning Grupaí Ceoil, under the baton of Marie Walsh. Liz ad Yvonne Kane will have some fine young fiddlers strutting their stuff and Sr. Karol’s choir promise to raise the rafters.
A bevy of sean-nós dancers will keep the action moving and a number of special guests will add to the magic of the night.
Admission is free but all donations to St. Vincent de Paul are welcome.


"Mary Contemplating the Life of Christ," (in progress), 20" x 24," egg tempera
"The First Night," 11" x 14," egg tempera
"L'madone et L'Infant de Remy de Saint," 4 3/16" x 5 13/16", egg tempera miniature on vellum
"Avalon Madonna with Yellow Flowers," 1 7/8" x 2 5/8," egg tempera miniature on vellum
1 1/4" x 1 1/2," egg tempera on vellum
More on the pastel tomorrow, but I realized that along with my portrait series where I try to show the "Mary" within each of us, I enjoy painting Mary herself, and because of this, I thought it would be meaningful to share with you the various ways in which I've attempted to portray her so far.
One of the special aspects of Mary was her life as the mother of Christ, and at the top of the post I have included a painting in progress. I've been working on this painting of Mary where in an introspective moment she is contemplating the future of Jesus's life, almost seeing it in advance. Behind Mary and Jesus in the background are scenes from the future life of Christ.


E4H stands for Equip for Harvest – a Church Planting Boot Camp Learning Experience.
It is designed so that you and your board or leadership team will come away from this training experience better equipped to make disciples, especially through church planting, but also through your existing church ministries.
In this training experience you will explore questions like:
What is the church and what is church planting?
What are the qualifications needed in a church planter?
How do you make and multiply disciples of Jesus through church planting?
What are your church’s building blocks? (What needs to be in place for health and multiplication?)
How do you get from the dream stage to launching that first public service?
What does a core team and launch team look like and how do you build the core?
What is a disciple-making pathway for my church and how do I develop one?
What internal and external systems are needed for a successful church plant?
What do I need to know about my church neighborhood and the people we are trying to reach?
The Schedule for E4H:
October 23 – 26, 2015
Friday, Saturday, and Monday — 9am-5pm
Sunday morning visit to a church plant; 2:00pm – 5:00pm class training; 5:00pm – 8:00pm visit Mercy City Church Plant
Where will it be held?
Toronto, Ontario – Mercy City Church facilities, 100 Halsey Avenue – Unit #7, East York, ON M4B 1A9
What time will it be held?
Friday, Saturday, Monday: 9:00am – 5:00pm Eastern Time Zone; Sunday schedule: Visit church plant in the morning; 2:00pm – 5:00pm for class training; 5:00pm – 8:00pm visit Mercy City Church (includes meal) with followup discussion.
How do I prepare?
Read one of the following books: Aubrey Malphurs, The Nuts and Bolts of Church Planting (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2011); Ed Stetzer, Planting Missional Churches (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2006)
What is the cost for registration for the 4-Day E4H Training?
$199 (includes 1 meal, snacks & resources); spouses of church planters are $40
$500 special group rate for 3-5 people from your church or church planting team
What resources will be available?
When you register, you will receive a link to access and download all the Power Point slides used in the E4H experience as well as a folder full of additional church planting resources and recommended links.
What do I need to bring?
Bring your laptop or tablet for personal access to the presentation slides and for in class research. Also, bring your Bible and note taking resources.
What do I do if I have any questions?
Call Charlie Worley, Lead Trainer and Coach, at the EFCC Home Office 1.877.305.3322 (toll free) or 604.513.2183 (PST). You may also email him or text him (call the phone number listed for access information).
Meet Your Trainers and Coaches
A veteran church planter and church planting leader, Bruce is the Director of Church Planting for the Evangelical Free Church of America Southeast District. Prior to that, he was a Church Planting Missionary and the Director of Church Planting in the Rocky Mountain District (EFCA). Bruce has also been a Sonlife Ministries trainer and a church health consultant and has served as a youth director, an associate pastor and a senior pastor of a church that daughtered three new churches. He has a passion to see new churches in the USA and Canada intentionally making disciples and reproducing new churches.
Chris Yu is currently the Pastor at Mercy City Church in Toronto. This EFCC Plant is a missional inner city church plant focusing on serving the socially marginalized and disadvantaged people groups living in the community.
Dr. Charlie Worley is the Church Planting Catalyst for the EFC of Canada. With over 38 years of ministry experience, most of it in church planting leadership, he brings wisdom and knowledge about church leadership to the #E4H experience.
http://www.efccm.ca/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/KOL29489-001.jpg412620theEFCChttp://www.efccm.ca/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/headerlogo2.pngtheEFCC2015-08-17 08:30:012016-06-23 13:50:06E4H Headed to Toronto in 2015! (Updated)


Reading: Isaiah 40
Okay. So, really, this is actually only about verses 27-31, but you can’t tell me you regret reading the entire chapter. It’s good to stop every now and again simply to take in the awesome power of our God!
My focus today is on encouragement. Let’s face it, we all get discouraged. Right now, I’m going through some major stress–namely, unemployment. When I get discouraged and stressed, I often forget to share my frustrations with God. In the past, I thought that God was too busy/big/important to bother with my stress. Eventually, He showed that He is always there and wants me to come to Him with all my problems, no matter how trivial they seem. I realized that, instead of holding everything up inside me, I could release it to the one called The Comforter. I have since spent many moments at the stone bench pacing, throwing my hands in the air, and railing at God about one thing or another. Going on in a way I would never let myself go with another person. (A scary thought if you’ve ever seen me go off on someone.) Continue reading


God is your constant provider
So I tell you, don't worry about the food or drink you need to live, or about the clothes you need for your body. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes. Look at the birds in the air. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. And you know that you are worth much more than the birds. Matthew 6:25-26, NCV.
How could you not worry when everything seem to be falling apart around you? How could you not be concerned when all of your experiences tell you to? How? Because you are worth so much to God that he sent his son to die for you.


(Disciples of Christ)
Serving on the Westside of Indianapolis for about 50 years, Westview is a diverse congregation where every person is welcome to worship, learn, fellowship with others, and be involved in mission. We have a friendly style of worship which includes a time for reading and interpreting the Bible each week, enjoying uplifting music, learning about various service projects, and sharing the Lord’s Supper. Congregants come from various backgrounds, cultures, and religious traditions, including those with no previous connection to Christianity. As a fellowship group, we are connected with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which means we allow individual thought and ideas. No creedal statements or tests of faith are required for membership. We believe in God and claim Jesus Christ as our Guide and Lord.
Each Sunday we welcome visitors to join us in worship, learning, and thinking about the faith. We admit we don’t have all the answers, so we invite you to join us in questioning, investigating, and learning about how faith in Jesus Christ can make a difference in how we live in the world today.
If you would like more information about Westview, feel free to call the church office (317-291-7871) or email Rev. Mulligan (firstname.lastname@example.org).
9:30am Christian Education for all
Fellowship follows each service
Please join us
5925 West 34th Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46224
(between High School and Moller Roads)
Prayer for the Week -
Most holy and wondrous God, we gather here today to focus on your will and not our own. We gather to hear your voice. You have told us that all are loved and honored in your sight. Teach us today to see with new eyes the needy, the lonely and the oppressed, that we may nurture in them a sense of peace and joy. Help us in this time together to discover anew the marvelous ways you continue to love us so that we might spread this love to others. Amen.
Our website visitors might also appreciate reading Luke: 10:25-37, "Love Who", and join us as we consider this passage on Sunday.
A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions. I am blessed to be a blessing. Thank you for letting me share in your pain, as well as your joys Westview. Thank you for letting me grow, and helping me to grow Westview. My time as Interim Minister ends April 14th but Westview will always hold a special place in my heart.
Please pray for us, and know that we are praying for all of you.
Rev. Steven A. Garrett


Saturday Mornings at 9am An informal time to connect before the Facebook Live worship service! Please indicate your full name in the zoom waiting room.Meeting ID 844 9342 0428Passcode 298895
Join Pastor Stephanie and Steve Kennedy for a six-week study on Being Mortal beginning Wednesday, February 3rd from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. on Zoom.
Join Pastor Stephanie every Wednesday morning at 10am on Zoom for 90 minutes of devotion, discussion and meditation. Every Wednesday from 10am to 11:30 am Meeting ID: 588 088 690


Westminster Nature Preschool
Westminster Nature Preschool is committed to the growth of each child as an individual. Our staff is trained in working with young children and their parents, providing a natural bridge between home and school. By creating a warm and accepting environment, our children develop trust in others and feel confident to become creative and independent learners. Our staff provides a rich learning experience for the children, where curriculum stems from the children's interests, and each day provides a new adventure. The critical thinking skills learned through playing, constructing, imagining, exploring, and talking with others prepare a child for a lifelong love of learning. Each child will leave prepared for kindergarten, and more importantly, will leave prepared to enter the world with a foundation of Christian values that will help him or her display compassion and respect in all situations.


Lake Marion Christian Church is a non-denominational New Testament Independent Christian Church. We are a brand new Church Plant in the Lake Marion area beginning with a Bible study in the summer of 2011 and Sunday worship services in September. We are excited to see how God will help us impact this community for His glory.
Our Passion: Loving God and Loving People
Our Mission: Matthew 28: 18-20 -- to help fulfill Jesus’ Great Commission by:
1. Seeking– those far from God.
2. Sharing – God’s love and Word.
3. Serving – Our community and world.
Our Vision: To plant a strong New Testament Independent Christian Church that will teach and take Christ to:
1. Our Community.
2. Our State.
3. Our World.
What you will find if you come to share with us?
You will find…
• Imperfect people striving to be what God wants us to be.
• We will love you as you, accept you where you are at and show you how God can help you become all He meant for you to be.
• Jesus Christ will be lifted up for all to see.
• You will hear God’s Word (the Bible) preached from the pulpit and taught in our classes. --- We will strive to, “Speak where the Scriptures speak and be Silent where they are silent.”
• You will hear messages and lessons that will help you in your daily life.
• We will do our best to have true authentic worship that will help each and every worshipper bring glory to God.
• You will be challenged to grow in your relationship with Christ and go out into our community and share His Love with others.
• You will find people who are real and who really care about you and have the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships.
• At Lake Marion we don’t believe we are the only Christians but we will be --- Christians only.
Our Core Values: Jesus > People > Worship >Bible >Prayer >Service.


Verse mapping is a powerful tool that allows us to delve deeper into the meaning and context of a particular verse in the Bible. It involves looking at the verse in its original language, as well as considering the historical and cultural background in which it was written.
But why is this important? After all, doesn't the Bible stand on its own, regardless of the context or history surrounding it?
The short answer is no. While the Bible is the inspired Word of God, it was also written by human beings in a specific time and place, and it's important to understand the context in which it was written in order to fully grasp its meaning.
Take, for example, the verse "love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39). On its own, this is a powerful and timeless command that has the potential to transform our lives. But if we take the time to verse map it, we can gain a deeper understanding of its meaning and application.
For example, when we look at the original language (in this case, Greek), we can see that the word for "love" used in this verse is "agape," which refers to a selfless, unconditional love. This helps us to understand that this is not a casual or superficial love, but rather a deep and intentional commitment to others.
But that's not all. When we consider the historical and cultural context in which this verse was written, we can see that it was spoken within the context of Jewish law, which required people to love their neighbors as themselves. By understanding this context, we can see that Jesus was not just repeating an existing commandment, but rather, He was elevating it to a higher level, calling His followers to a deeper, more radical love for others.
So, as you can see, verse mapping can be a valuable tool in helping us to understand the full meaning and significance of a particular verse in the Bible. It allows us to go beyond just reading the words on the page and to see how they fit into the larger story of God's Word.


It’s a small world
August 24th, 2015
Charmaine Porter, resident of Seattle in Washington State U.S.A. was ordering some guidebooks for the pilgrimage recently. She mentioned in an e mail that she already had family ties to the Michael and Mary Lines, with her parents in law living in Bury St Edmunds. They have been active in supporting renovation work at nearby Ickworth Church which is on the Mary Line.
Described by Hamish Miller and Paul Broadhurst in The Sun and the Serpent as “a gloomy and neglected place”, it seems there has been an energetic rebirth with the church re-opened.
Appropriately enough Charmaine mentioned how last year her god sons were christened there – the first such ceremony to take place here since 1977. “As I sat in the church I could literally feel the spirit finally free and the energy soaring around the space.”
Her father in law a novice dowser has started exploring the power sources of the church, leads tours of the vaults and is vigorous in organising events and concerts in the church.
Charmaine concluded by saying: “I want to make sure its not a secret anymore. The church loves visitors.”
This seems a wonderful example of the possibility of restoring our relationship with the earth and it’s often neglected sacred places, which is so much at the heart of our vision of pilgrimage.
Hopefully this post and the following link to Ickworth Church facebook page will help spread the word.


Welcome to St. Michael's day care! We are delighted to have your child with us on this journey of faith. Through daily activities, stories, and age-appropriate lessons, we aim to create an environment where your child's faith can flourish.
In our program, we strive to help your child explore their faith through various means, including prayer, stories of saints, and participating in religious holidays. By exposing them to these elements, we hope to foster a genuine sense of spirituality and a deep connection to God. As parents, your support and involvement in this journey are invaluable. We encourage you to engage with your child at home, nurturing their faith through prayer, conversations about your values, and small acts of kindness.
The foundation of a strong faith is laid during the early years, and we are honored to play a part in that. Together, we can provide your child with the guidance and love they need to develop their spirituality. Join us in this faith-filled adventure, and let's watch your child's faith grow and blossom in the nurturing environment of our St. Michael's day care.


A Father's Love: The generational bridge that changes hearts forever.
Journey with Mike & Nikki as they open doors to show the importance of how a father’s love profoundly impacts his children. You’ll be swept through a maze of emotion as you laugh and cry through their exploits—from the delivery room to dating—and experience with them the power of simple letters or creating unforgettable, life-altering moments. Captured in well-crafted stories are life lessons to challenge us to cherish the times that touch our hearts and chisel our character, and to stop and reflect on whether we, as either parent or child, have set the bar high enough for the role we want to play in the lives of the people we treasure.
Check Out What People Are Already Saying About This Book...
Any father knows no one can touch your heart like your child. You’ll provide for them, defend them and love them without a hesitation or second thought. But when you are a dad to a daughter, the dial gets turned up even further! The times my daughter and I spend together are memories I want to etch in stone forever. In the savoring, I learn, grow and walk in gratitude. Mike and Nikki have reflected and savored their love in "A Father's Love". Their journey is shared with us to encourage and at times challenge us on our own path. Enjoy the stroll and be inspired.Gregg Matte Pastor of Houston’s First Baptist Church and author of "Unstoppable Gospel"
What a beautiful and heartfelt journey Nikki and Mike have shared with all of us who are fathers (and sons) wanting so desperately to do the bestWhat a beautiful and heartfelt journey Nikki and Mike have shared with all of us who are fathers (and sons) wanting so desperately to do the best job we can – and hoping everyone survives our bumbles and stumbles and best intentions. Grab your favorite beverage and enjoy the read – it’s worth every moment.Verne Harnish Author of "Scaling Up", "Mastering the Rockefeller Habits", and columnist for Fortune Magazine
One of the most terrifying and exhilarating days of my life was the day my daughter entered the world. In A Father’s Love, Nikki and Mike Lejeune unpack the ups and downs of a relationship between father and daughter in a complicated, modern world. The duo delivers the Holy Trinity of solid values, lessons learned & an unbreakable spirit flavored with a dash of Cajun humor. If tears of joy aren’t running down your face as you read this book, your soul could use a tune up. Each story reminds us all how the love of a Father provides remarkable comfort and security through all times and has me looking forward to the journey that lies ahead with my own daughter!Scott Cooksey Author of The Idea Chargers
"A Father's Love" is a thoughtful and touching collection of stories that will inspire and encourage you. This father and daughter team use their literary skills and experiences to alert us to the opportunity we all have as parents and children to create lasting and memorable relationships with each other.Mark Sanborn Author of "The Fred Factor" and "You Don't Need a Title to be a Leader"
About Mike & Nikki
Mike & Nikki live in Houston, Texas, where Mike is president of Simple Leadership, serving as a professional speaker on leadership development and igniting employee performance. He is a past president of the National Speakers Association and the author of the blog and podcast series Simpleleadership.net. When Mike isn't on stage, coaching professionals, or leading a Bible study, you can find him in the kitchen perfecting his crawfish etoffee recipe or spending time with his wife, Tommie.
Nikki is a student at Texas A&M University, where she is pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. She is a youth leader and active in the community theater (deserving the name "Drama Queen"). If Nikki isn’t studying radiology or pathology, she is usually singing Disney songs or two-stepping with friends.
Book Progress Updates...
Orders are now being taken for A Father’s Love! What an amazing journey Nikki and I have had. Blessed by the time spent TOGETHER in capturing stories of times that shaped us both. I am truly a lucky man!


Celebration Lutheran School opened its doors in 1998 offering 3K, 4K, 5K and 1st grade. Additional classes were added each year, and CLS now offers a family supportive educational community for children in 3K – 8th grade (including a Full Day 4K option).
Why do families choose Celebration Lutheran School? Through small, caring, learning and spiritual environments, staff offer high quality academics where children are challenged to achieve their individual God-given potential. Parents also find support at the school as they partner with school staff to raise up the next generation of believers and leaders. Ministry partner Faith Lutheran Church and other area LCMS churches provide spiritual support for the school and families of Celebration.
To learn more about our school or come for a tour please fill out the “contact us” page or give us a call.
We want YOU to join OUR Family!


“Our social activism or politics won’t save anyone, but it could still help someone and show that the message we speak makes a difference in our lives.”
I think this is the right way to approach social activism as Christians. We shouldn’t make it the core of who we are, but we should view it as an outpour of Gospel-centered living. If we’re able to do so, we expand our audience beyond those whom we might’ve befriended through shared social activism to those in the church who ought to be challenged by the things that we believe come from living out the Gospel. Be willing to change the church culture, but be willing to let the Gospel change you.


Learn more about the book collaboration experience!
In this beautiful experience you will get access to:
- 4 LIVE group coaching session with Sacred Writing Coach, Keira Poulsen
- 2 LIVE group coaching sessions with Nicole McBeth
- Your chapter professionally edited
- BECOME a Published Author with Freedom House Publishing Co.
Live Author Call with Nicole McBeth
Learn more about becoming a co-author!
It is your time to step forward and share your story to bring hope and inspiration!
Join us in this powerful book collaboration experience!
Join Keira and Nicole on a LIVE author call to learn more about becoming a co-author!
Join us to learn more!
If you cannot make the call live, it will be emailed to you.
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A message from Nicole McBeth:
I consider myself to be a work in progress. Sometimes this “progress” stretches me beyond my limits, or at least what I thought my limits to be. Quite often the experiences I have gone through have pushed me to my knees, searching for answers, looking for solutions. My fifty-four years on this earth have shown me that in the school of life, the curriculum is individual. My lessons were designed for me. Nevertheless, my experiences and the lessons I learn from them do not exist in a vacuum. In other words, I have learned much from what others have gone through; I have learned because of what others have gone through. I’ve learned that children who were raised in the same home will have completely different memories of their childhood. I’ve learned that life can be joyful, even amidst the challenges we face. I’ve learned that our existence on this earth is an amalgamation and accumulation of the choices we make on a daily basis. Some choices may be careful and intentional, some incidental. I believe it is a beautiful and precious gift from God, the agency to determine for ourselves how we will live each day. Even so, all choices have consequences, some positive, some negative, some that come right away, and some that we don’t see for years. It’s strange to think that from a beautiful gift can come a burden. It’s even stranger to consider what lessons someone else may have to learn because of the choices we make.
I’m not sure anyone ever chooses to become an addict, at least I know my brother didn’t. Just as I know he would never choose to cause me or his family pain. But addiction is no respecter of persons. It has many faces, comes in all forms, shapes, and sizes, with many reasons behind the need to use, and always with unexpected casualties. Recent experience and years of lessons learned have made me very aware of that ripple effect. The reverberations of one choice can have a lasting impact, whether resulting from deliberate decision-making or thoughtless whim. For this book, my project was not to examine the freedom of choice or the power of consequence, but to honor the inadvertent; the pain that was felt, the scars that were made, the lessons that were learned, the grace that was shown, and the growth that was achieved by people who have seen addiction up close. As an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I also seek to expand the conversation around addiction in the Church. Because addiction, for both the addict and their loved ones, is not a linear battle and recovery rarely fits into twelve steps.
I have become familiar with the consequences of addiction. Alcoholism runs on both sides of my family, and my husband’s family has known addiction as well. I remember the hushed conversations my grandmother would have with certain family members about how sad she was that her brothers weren’t invited to dinners because they couldn’t hold their liquor. Those memories have stayed in my mind and my body since I was a young girl. I also remember the tears my Granna would cry as she would hug her brother and tell him she loved him. Those moments are hard to forget. The love my Granna had for her brothers resonated deeply with me at the time, and still does. They had their reasons for turning to alcohol--they needed numbing. Did these reasons justify the addiction? Make it “right” or bearable? No. But it did make me wonder how the problem of addiction could ever be “solved.” How could we ever make sense of something so messy? Looking back now, it was vital for me to watch and learn from my Granna, because her example would serve me later on in my own life. I would need to learn how to understand, love, and support, while still setting and maintaining my own boundaries. In many ways, her example drove me to work on this book. Now that I am, I’m just grateful for the image of her embrace.
So, why this book? In a way, it feels like life is authoring this book. The idea came to me after years of praying to know how to help my brother. It came quietly to my heart, as most answers to my prayers do, but audibly enough for me to know: I was being asked to write on the heartbreaking, stressful, awful, complicated, muddy, often misunderstood topic of addiction. At first, I questioned whether or not I should. I am no expert on addiction. I am no psychiatrist, doctor, therapist, or scientist, but I am the sister of an addict. All I have is my own story. And as I sat with the idea of this book for quite some time, another impression came to me with just as much clarity--“there is healing in His wings.” So, my story has become many as I have collaborated to create this book. Its content is sacred, because those who have decided to share their stories do so with great courage and hope. I share in the hope that healing will come. My prayer is that all who choose to pick up this book will consider how it might change one life. If it’s your life, we pray for you. If it’s someone you know, we honor you. If you, like me, have been pushed to your knees searching, pleading for answers, I ask that you stay and pray for one more day. We pen these stories for you.


Each December, the Saginaw Family YMCA sets aside time for faith-based celebration with music, scripture and prayer.
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
by December 16:
RSVP to Manuel Rivera, Youth Program Development Director
or (989) 753-7721 ext 209
Or directly here: Register
Luncheon at noon at no charge to the community. Donations are welcome this year for:


Excerpt from the Lilith Bible Tarot Deck companion guide book
The full colour companion guide for the Lilith Bible Tarot Deck includes an image of every card in the deck.
Each card description starts with the scripture that forms the content for the card. This is primarily taken from the Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible and a reference is given to the Biblical source should the reader want to read the original.
The next section describes the imagery and meaning of the card. First there are some keywords to focus on the overall meaning, then a more detailed description of the card and the Biblical mythology and folklore surrounding it's story. Each description particularly endeavours to look at the situation through the lens which Lilith might - sympathetic to the women in the Bible, and with strong feminist overtones. The final paragraph provides the advice for the card for a one card reading.
Yahweh said unto Satan … Hast thou considered my servant Job … a whole-hearted and an upright man, one that feareth God, and shunneth evil? and he still holdeth fast his integrity, although thou didst move Me against him, to destroy him without cause … And Satan answered … Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth Thy hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, surely he will blaspheme Thee to Thy face. And Yahweh said … Behold, he is in thy hand; only spare his life. So Satan went forth from the presence of Yahweh, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot even unto his crown.
And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself therewith; and he sat among the ashes. Then said his wife … Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity? blaspheme God, and die. (Job 2)
Imagery & Meaning
Keywords: Over-burdened. Overwhelmed. Forbearance. Suffering.
Dinah ministers to Job as he sits on his dung heap in sackcloth and ashes covered in boils in the TEN OF WANDS. Midrash places Dinah as Job’s wife. She converts him to Judaism and he becomes a devout follower of Yahweh. Unbeknownst to Job, Satan and Yahweh enter into a wager and he is beset with troubles for their entertainment.
While Job’s suffering is legendary, who spares a thought for Dinah his wife? She also loses her ten children, her status and wealth as she is bound up with Job’s troubles. She also has to bear the long and painful speeches of Job’s friends picking at the scab of why Job has incurred the wrath of Yahweh.
On top of this, recall the outrageous story of Dinah’s early experiences in which she was either raped by, or eloped with Shechem. In revenge her brothers executed the men of the town with a circumcision ruse. It would seem more than the human unit could bear. In a final twist of the knife, when Yahweh wins the bet with Satan and reinstates Job he has a further ten children. No other wife is mentioned. Possibly she found handmaidens to assist?
Things seem too much to bear at the moment. This is transitory. Your situation will change for the better. Your burdens will be lifted. You are able to bear this.


“Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior”
Our mission is equipping girls with God’s love. 1st through 8th grade meet the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month during the school year.
"Jesus And Me" A faith based gathering of Junior High youth. We get together and learn lessons of importance, make new friends, and just hang out! For grades 6 through 8 meeting the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month during the school year.
High School Youth Group
Unity in the body of Christ. The Prosper Youth Group brings high school youth together from around the area to have fun and fellowship while praising our God. The group meets the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month during the school year.
The Cadet Pledge: Thankful to God for His gifts to me, I pledge myself to be ready to serve God, my parents, my country, my church, my neighbor, and my Corps.
The Prosper Cadets meet the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month during the school year.


"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Community Groups are a wonderful way to journey and grow with others in the Christian faith. We currently have six different groups that meet weekly or monthly and are glad to welcome newcomers. Group meetings typically involve Bible study or a discussion of a Christian book or DVD series, a time of prayer, and fellowship. Some groups also share a meal or dessert.
Click here to learn more about Community Groups at Ebenezer or to see a list of the current groups.


We have Rwandan brothers and sisters on the other side of the world who have given us immeasurable gifts. Their faithfulness to God and his gospel is the reason they planted us in Colorado Springs 15 years ago as a light to North America.
In gratitude for sharing their spiritual riches, help us give back to them out of our physical riches here in America! We are partnering with them to finish their health clinic in the village of Kibali: a place where hundreds receive HIV care, over 200 babies are born a year, and many receive medicines that otherwise would be out of reach. Each year we run a simultaneous 5k race with them on the other side of the world, friend-raising and fund-raising as a way of strengthening our bond.
This not just a project for us: it is a gift to friends whose names we know. Emmanuel, Justin, Specios, Felix - and so many more - thank you for your generous gift!
To find out more, check out the article in our local paper here: http://daily.gazette.com/Olive/ODN/TheGazette/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TheGazette%2F2017%2F07%2F23&entity=Ar04201&sk=27EC77E8&mode=text


Many people draw their inspiration from religion and spirituality. It’s the driving force behind many works of art, and movies are no exception. In today’s post, we’re going to be dealing with Christian movies oriented toward the black community. From historical movies to movies that deal with everyday struggles and the role of faith in overcoming, our list has it all. Without further ado, let’s check out the greatest black Christian movies of all time.
1. He Who Finds A Wife (2009)
We start our list with He Who Finds A Wife. The movie follows Ansel and Lauren, a couple soon-to-be-married. On the surface everything is perfect, but underneath doubt is bubbling and threatening to ruin everything they’ve built together. Matters are only made worse when Ansel starts working with a new and attractive woman. Will Lauren and Ansel manage to patch up their relationship before the wedding day? Will they manage to overcome temptation and doubts with the help of god?
2. Not Easily Broken (2009)
Not Easily Broken deals with marriage wows. Dave and Clarice struggle in their marriage and issues have been piling up for a while now. Clarice gets injured and due to that pulls further away into her shell. After the accident, Julie enters their life as Clarice’s physical therapist. Dave finds the closeness and comfort he was looking for in Julie, especially after her son dies in a horrific accident. Will Dave break his wedding wows or will the two manage to find strength in faith and in each other?
3. Woodlawn (2015)
Woodlawn is a movie based on a true story. It follows Tony Nathan a gifted football player. Tony Nathan managed to defeat racial stereotypes and defuse racial tensions with his strength of belief. This movie tells the story of his path and his unwavering faith.
4. The Gospel (2005)
David is living a fast trendsetter life, he has everything success, money, and a large social circle. He is quite the opposite of his father, a god-fearing and honest man who serves as a pastor to his community. David’s father suddenly gets sick and David returns to his old home to abandon his prodigal ways. He will soon discover the role he has in the church and the joy of simple but spiritual life.
5. Grace & Mercy (2006)
Up next on our list of black Christian movies we have Grace & Mercy. The movie follows two sisters who decide to rob Grace’s former employer due to being down on their luck and desperate for a way out. In a twist of fate, the alarms goes off and the two sisters get stuck in a church. They decide to take everyone in the church as their hostage. However, the members of the church offer nothing but understanding and guidance for the two sisters. The movies deal with the themes of faith and how to keep your spiritual resolve in the hardest of moments.
6. He Who Finds a Wife 2: Thou Shall Not Covet (2011)
A sequel to the original He Who Finds a Wife. This movie also deals with themes of marital infidelity as it follows two couples who set themselves up for failure by taking part in dangerous love triangles. With the help of their faith and the strength of their love, will they manage to return to the light?
7. Hav Faith (2016)
Hav Faith follows Hamilton A. Vaughn a man in showbusiness who finds himself in quite an unusual role. After a life-changing incident, he takes on the role of the church leader. His life gradually starts taking on a new purpose, he meets Faith, his old friend. But nothing is perfect as it seems. Some people that are part of the church do not agree with his appointment, primarily the son of the former bishop. Hamilton A. Vaughn will have to find faith and strength within him in order to overcome obstacles and thrive.
8. War Room (2015)
Tony and Elizabeth seemingly have a perfect life. With money, a beautiful daughter, large house the only thing they lack is happiness. Tony has abusive tendencies and Elizbeth is not quite sure how to handle them. One day Elizabeth meets Miss Clara, an elderly client who gives her a piece of advice on how to approach her marital troubles.
Miss Clara explains to Elizabeth about her praying closet or a “War Room” dedicated to standing up to evil and troubles. Elizabeth starts praying for Tony and it leads to him hitting rock bottom. But most things in life are bound to get worse before they get better. Tony needs to hit rock bottom before he can re-discover god, his wife, love, and marriage.
9. Black Nativity (2013)
This musical drama introduces us to Langston, he is a troubled teen sent to spend the holidays with his grandparents after his mother is evicted from their Baltimore apartment. On his way to his grandparent’s place, Langston gets into a lot of trouble with the love, due to incidents he wasn’t guilty of. This is only the start of his troubles, and he will need to dedicate himself to self-reflection and faith in order to find answers to his troubles.
10. Just a Measure of Faith (2014)
Just a Measure of Faith is a black Christian drama movie that follows Jacob and Kayla. Jacob and Kayla are seemingly two opposites, Kayla puts all her faith and resolve in god, and Jacob refuses to. He prefers to handle his worries and problems alone. In the end, it turns out that Jacob alone is not enough to solve all his problems, his wife tries to steer him toward faith and community. Will Jacob find his way toward god and manage to save his marriage?
11. Nothing Without GOD (2016)
Nothing Without GOD follows Keenan Robinson. He never had a family of his own as he was transferred from foster family to foster family often facing abuse and critique. Against all odds, he manages to secure a place at college, but he does not excel at it, and the support he should be receiving at home is non-existent. One day he meets a teacher who manages to change his outlook on life and overcome the toxic worldview he was raised in. He soon learns that to do anything meaningful in life, you need the support of god.
12. Nothing Without GOD 2 (2020)
A sequel to the first movie released in 2016. Keenan Robinson recently graduated college but he has trouble finding his purpose in life. He decides to foster a younger boy and teach him some of the principles that helped him while he was in college. This will be a perfect opportunity for Keenan to rediscover both god and the divine plan he has for him.
13. I’m in Love with a Church Girl (2013)
I’m in Love with a Church Girl is a Christian drama that revolves around two young people that couldn’t be more different than they are. Miles Montego is “king of the streets” he dabbles in various crimes and has quite a long rap sheet. Vanessa is a quiet and spiritual person dedicated to god. Against all odds, the two are attracted to each other, but if they want their relationship to succeed, Miles will need to rediscover god and Vaness will have to rediscover her faith in Miles.
14. Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. (2022)
Our next movie is a comedy but has quite a pronounced spiritual theme. Trinite and her pastor-husband got caught up in a huge scandal that ruined their church. In the aftermath of the events, the two will need to rediscover faith and god. This is the only way for them to rebuild their congregation and keep it.
15. My Brother’s Keeper (2021)
My Brother’s Keeper follows Travis Fox, a veteran struggling with PTSD.
Travis needs to return to his hometown in order to settle the affairs of his parents. Instead of comfort and nostalgia, he encounters nothing but trouble in the small town. In order to deal with his PTSD, he turns to members of the church who offer guidance and comforting words.
Travis will realize that the only way to deal with his personal issues is through god, however, not everything ends on a good note, his faith will get tested by an old secret that threatens to ruin his newfound resolve and the progress he’s made.
16. The Preacher’s Wife (1996)
The Preacher’s Wife is a comedy with elements of drama and tells us the story of Reverend Henry Biggs. Henry Biggs is on the verge of losing everything, his church is failing, his wife considers their marriage over and under the circumstances, and his faith starts to fail as well. He prays to god for any kind of sign and help, and the help arrives, in the form of a real angel called Dudley. Dudley is here to help Henry through his darkest hour and restore his faith in god. The only problem is, is Henry’s faith strong enough to endure the test of faith?
17. Church Girl (2011)
Church Girl follows a story of a young talented girl who sings in her father’s church choir. Even though her faith is strong, it will get tested as soon as she meets a producer, interested in her talented voice and, it would seem other things. Her father noticed that his daughter strayed from the path of church and tries to make things right again. The only thing he needs to realize is that this test of fate belongs to his daughter and alone and only through the rediscovery of god will she manage to walk the right path again.
18. God Calling (2018)
In God Calling we meet Sade, she recently lost a child and with it, her faith in god. The movie follows her unconventional rediscovery of faith, hope, and god. As she and her family struggle to face the reality and discover ways how to move on.
19. Let the Church Say Amen
Let the Church Say Amen follows the life of a single mother. She has a somewhat rocky relationship with her father due to having a child without a husband. The fact that her father is a preacher doesn’t help at all. She tries to mend relationships with men in her life, starting with her father. To do that, she will have to accept god and start making the right choice in life. Only by walking the path of light will she again manage to earn the respect and trust of her father.
20. A Question of Faith (2017)
Three unconnected families are brought together through a chain of events caused by tragedies in their life. Maria is a teen that ran over Eric. She ended up in a juvenile detention center and Eric ended up in the E.R. The first two families are connected through those two events. The third family joins the mix as Michelle a talented youth ends up in the hospital as she passes out during an important audition. She ends up in the same hospital as Eric.
Uwilinigly three families will be forced to rediscover god, and make peace with their future.


August 13, 2016 | Tagged Leadership
Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, Stephen Curry and the Big Pendulum Swing toward Respect for Faith
Anyone who is paying attention to the sports world will see an increased respect for the role faith plays in athletics. Some who ridiculed Christianity in the Tim Tebow era seem to have a more open stance in the wake of athletes like NBA MVP Stephen Curry and Penultimate Olympian Michael Phelps acknowledging a personal relationship with God as key to their inward success.
The pendulum swing away from vilipending people who talk about their faith has become even more noticeable this past year with Stephen Curry’s open demonstrations of faith and the transformation of burnt-out Olympian Michael Phelps. The world is taking notice that real faith is aligned with real humanity, just as hypocritical faith is an echo of hypocritical humanity. Faith, authentic, generous, and humble, has provided a deep sense of meaning and purpose for some of the best athletes in the world.
“What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul,” is wisdom that is parabled again and again in the sports arena and has no correlation more apparent than in the life of Michael Phelps. To have an athlete of his talent, achievement, and fame contemplating suicide after 18 gold metals bespeaks the necessity for meaning beyond sports. Phelps found himself in a spiral of self-destruction attempting to ease his inner emptiness with drugs and the trappings of success. Phelps told ESPN that the Christian devotional book The Purpose Driven Life “turned me into believing there is a power greater than myself and there is a purpose for me on this planet.”
Sports without life-meaning compared with sports expressed through life-meaning couldn’t have been more obvious at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction in 2009. The lack of meaning and purpose in Michael Jordan’s speech made headline news with telling commentary from ESPN reporter John Greenberg writing in response to Jordan’s speech “I miss Jordan the Hero. I don't really want to know Jordan the Man.”
What exposed Jordan’s speech to be so lacking was the juxtaposition it shared with the other members inducted such as John Stockton, Vivian Springer and David Robinson who all share a profound inner faith. For athletes like David Robinson, sports became a way to honor God not a way to become a god.
What makes the Jordanesque athletes who seek to make sports or themselves a “god” less admirable these days is the modest and profound story of athletes who are not only our heroes but people we would want to emulate in character.
In major sectors of the sports world people are seeing a major move away from ego and toward humility. The difference faith plays in the lives of great athletes is creating a genuine level of respect in sports journalism. Sports announcers, journalists and commentators are dispensing with the obvious dismissive or scornful tone previously leveled at athletes and instead adopting a more insightful appreciation for the role faith plays in sports.
Perhaps the reason for the vilification of faith resided in the beliefs that faith and, Christianity in particular, was seen as incongruent with competitive athletics. Yet in the wake of the desire to demonize your opponent to the point of even physical violence as seen in the likes of the Tanya Harding attack on Nancy Kerrigan or Mike Tyson biting the ear of Evander Holyfield, there is a winsome quality to the attitude and behavior of respectful Christian athletes who view their opponents with gratitude. Olympic medalist Katie Ledecky after winning gold in the 200 meters finished her race with a sincere appreciation and thankfulness for her competitors. This came right before the clowning antics of South African swimmer Chad le Clos attempting to get under the skin of Michael Phelps. Humility and gratitude are admirable. Pride cometh before the fall.
NBA MVP Stephen Curry has been vocal about the role faith has played in his life from the onset, and sports announcers tried early on to silence the role faith played in his life. However, his symbolic demonstrations of chest pumping and pointing to the sky has always shown where his meaning and purpose reside. As sports announcers and media became more tolerant of his expression of faith, announcers began listening and nodding their head when faith was discussed rather than cutting him short.
Respect for faith isn’t just impacting the media world. Curry’s actions have inspired an entire generation to re-think faith and to feel freedom to demonstrate their faith openly. Walk into a summer camp or an AAU gym and you will find Curry wannabes thumping their chest and pointing heavenward. Though some young athletes coming up through the system may be looking for an edge and are falsely influenced to grab onto the glitter of religion as a staircase to the sports god, those who are paying attention will see faith from the inside out is the difference maker. As athletes move away from faith being a talisman or lucky charm and into a deeper vision of faith as transformative, more and more athletes are finding real purpose in choosing to put God first and view sports as an outflow of their faith.
Respect for the power of faith is trickling down even beyond the sporting world. In the militaristic and often hostile school separation of church and state where discussions of faith are tantamount to treason, dialogue and respectfulness for faith are beginning to emerge. For example, when Maya Angelou is taught in Detroit public schools, her faith and her poetry are connected hand in glove.
This is great news for people like Coach Danny Beard, senior Vice President for NBC Basketball Camps, one of the largest residential basketball camp training programs. NBC Basketball Camps is a respected sports program combining training which emphasizes development for the whole athlete: physical, mental, relational and spiritual. “Athletes are looking for something real that can motivate them from the inside out and I can’t think of anything more powerful and meaningful than a personal relationship with God.” He states the pendulum swing of respect for faith has created a more natural segue between intensive sports training and spirituality. He recalls that in the 1990s to early 2000s there was an understandable uneasiness and skepticism when talking about faith and sports, but this has changed. Beard states, “Athletes have a respect now and curiosity about faith because they understand their own sense of emptiness and can see the hope faith has provided in the lives of their role models.”
With election season on the horizon, it will be interesting to see how the pendulum will continue to swing. Unfortunately, faith and politics tend to be embroiled without good outcomes. Clayton Cornell, professor of politics at Washington State University, shares evidence that many people are actually more influenced behaviorally by their party than by their faith. During a discussion sponsored by Humanities Washington entitled “American Rage: Division and Anger in Politics”, Cornell shared research that people who identify as “Christian” will say they value helping and serving the poor but will vote in opposition to those values to align with a party rather than stick with their faith. He also reported a large percentage of both parties view people who are not in their personal party as dangerous and detrimental to the wellbeing of our country. With faith used as a brandishing sword, the typical result is greater alienation and mistrust.
Pendulum swings are usually a necessary response to misalignment. Hopefully, the era of silence and violence toward people of faith in sports and the demonizing and hatred-laced religiosity in politics is moving in a more respectful and tolerant arc. With the negative example of ISIS intolerance and violence toward Christianity and other faiths as well as the dread of the approaching election year along with the real examples of great athletes becoming good people through faith this might be the perfect catalyst for healthy discussion and a new consideration of faith and its place in our lives.
About NBC Basketball Camps
Since 1971, NBC Camps has been founded on the principles of total athlete development including emphasis on improving skill, developing leadership, growing talent, mental toughness, grit and confidence, and building compentency and personal faith. Summer camps are held in 16 different states and 6 countries. NBC Basketball Camps offer a variety of training opportunities including camps, travel teams, fall and spring training sessions, leadership and coaching seminars. For more information about NBC Camps please visit www.nbccamps.com.
This article was written by Chief Operating Office for NBC Camps, J.S. Ferch


2 edition of Bible Story Vol.1 found in the catalog.
Bible Story Vol.1
Arthur S. Maxwell
First Published in 1953 by Review and Herald.
|Statement||by Arthur S.Maxwell ; Illustrations Painted by Herbert Rudeen.|
|Series||The Bible Story|
|The Physical Object|
|Number of Pages||190|
written 30 stories about 30 Bible people for families just like yours. Her stories are in this book. I’m a mom who homeschools my two children. We like to talk about Bible stories together as a family. We discover interesting facts about Bible times and talk about the people in the stories. We pray. • Overview Stories - the whole Bible in 10 stories, 20 stories, 30 stories, and 40 stories. • 74 Character Traits - All the Bible stories grouped together under such titles as “Comfort,” “Blame,” “Deception,” “Determination,” “Forgiveness,” “Persistence,” etc. e h r g The BibleTelling User Guide greatly increases the.
Volume One covers the Old Testament books of Genesis through Nehemiah, as well as the key themes of Life, the Curse, Salvation, Atonement and Covenant. (Paperback with Study Guide Included). Each lesson includes: Age appropriate Bible story, Point to Ponder, Application to Make, Questions to Ask, Memory Verse to Learn and Corresponding Coloring Page Volume 1 contains 53 stories covering Genesis 1 (Creation) through Joshua 10 (The Sun Stands Still).
- watermarks do not appear on purchased books All photographs (both grayscale and original) belong to the photographer and may not be used without written permission from Teresa Davis. Photos in the New Creations Coloring Book Series were either taken by Dr. Teresa Davis, from her collection of Vintage prints, or from public domain sites/5(). "Experience the Bible like never before, in a way you'll never forget." Preview the first story in the beloved Jesus Storybook Bible. Through 4 animated DVD volumes, see that Jesus is .
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Product details Series: the Bible Story (Book ) Hardcover: pages Publisher: Review and Herald; Newly rev. and illustrated edition () Language: English ISBN ISBN Package Dimensions: x x inches Shipping Weight: ounces Customer /5(24).
The Bible Story Vol. 1 Paperback – January 1, by Basil Wolverton (Author) out of 5 stars 6 ratings4/5(6). The Bible Story: The Book of Beginnings, Volume 1 Arthur S. Maxwell. out of 5 stars Hardcover. $ The Bible Story: Volume 2 Arthur S. Maxwell. out of 5 stars Hardcover.
36 offers from $ The Bible Story: Volume One, the Book of Beginnings Arthur S. Maxwell. out of 5 stars /5(5). Ella is a skilled Bible Story Vol.1 book editor and writer, and served until retirement as the managing editor for Moody Publishers.
Among her many children¿s books Bible Story Vol.1 book The Bible in Pictures for Toddlers and the acclaimed Read-Aloud Bible Stories series, the first volume of which is an ECPA Gold Medallion winner and C.S. Lewis Honor Book. Ella and her husband, Andrew, reside near Chicago, Illinois/5().
The Bible Story, Volume 1: The Book of Beginnings by Arthur S. Maxwell. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “The Bible Story, Volume 1: The Book of Beginnings” as Want to Read /5. Bible Stories, Vol. 1 - Deseret Book Annimated Bible Stories Minutes, Color Life with Jesus - This story begins with one special child who was born in Bethlehem and raised in Nazareth.
These fine, hardcover books are the most comprehensive set of Bible stories for children that we have seen. This set has the quoted Bible texts taken from the New International Version (NIV).
* Written especially for the elementary school ages, eas Beautifully written by renowned children's author, Arthur S. Maxwell (aka Uncle Arthur), and /5.
Introduction. True stories taken from the world’s greatest book, the Bible, provide a history of the world from creation onward. PART 1. So for example, in Book 3 the book is broken up into 4 Parts, "Part One - Stories of Israel in the Wilderness Leviticus - Numbers " and that "Part One" is then broken up into mini stories that are from 2 to 8 pages long, and again reference specific Bible verses just under the story title, "Water From a Rock (Numbers )" The /5().
Book 1: Beginnings (Stories ) These stories go from Creation to the Death of Moses. After the events of the ancient world, the main emphasis is on Abraham and Moses. Abraham and his family form the beginning of God’s new nation. Children's Bible Story Book, Vol.
Timothy R. Eby. From the introduction. Children play an important role in the Kingdom of God. In the gospels of Matthew and Mark, Jesus tells the disciples to allow the children to come to Him, for such is the Kingdom of Heaven. In Deuteronomy we are charged to teach our children the truths of God’s word.
CONTENTS Foreword vii Introduction ix PART I on Part 1: In the Beginning 3 on Part Two: Let There Be Light 8 and Eve 12 and Abel 19 and the Flood Part One 23 and the Flood Part Two: The Big Boat 27 and the Flood Part Three: Hidden in Plain Sight 31 Tower of Babel 35 m and Isaac: The Gospel in Genesis 38 Isaac and Rebecca:.
These books truly represent “THE STORY OF THE BIBLE.” Many have attempted to write various kinds of “Bible Story Books,” but they are usually written only for children, and are pri-marily designed to entertain instead of educate or inspire.
The reader will see that the wonderful style and artwork of this series capture the spirit of God’s. Compare book prices from overbooksellers. Find The Bible Story: The Book of Beginnings, Vol.
1 () by Maxwell, Arthur Stanl/5(). This is a five book series that presents all the stories of the Bible, written in an easy to understand conversational style. Each story is presented in its simplest form and is accurate to Scripture. * The stories are accurate to Scripture * They are crafted so as to present only the simple understanding of the story.
now buy, kids hut’s fun learning gift pack, which includes dvd's of rhymes and stories, magic book, coloring book, crayons and tia-tofu magnet. Song The Bible Story yt. Bible For Children exists to make Jesus Christ known to children by distributing illustrated Bible stories through: the Web, Cell Phone/PDAs, printed color tracts and coloring books, in many languages.
Bible for Children Your favorite stories from the Bible. Absolutely free. Other Languages. THIS is a book of true stories. They are taken from the world's greatest book, the Bible.
The stories give you a history of the world from when God. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Read Aloud Bible Stories: Read-Aloud Bible Stories Vol. 1 by Ella K. Lindvall (, Hardcover, New Edition) at the best online prices at eBay.
Free shipping for many products!/5(14). They have come up with all sorts of strange ideas and suggestions, but most of them are far from the truth. In only one place - the Bible - will you find the true story.
If you will open this wonderful Book, you will find that the very first part is called Genesis, meaning "the book of beginnings.". Read and learn about the books of the Bible in comic book form. Featuring:Manga MessiahIs This the End of Your World or the Beginning?Manga MutinyManga MelechMenga Messengers Manga Bible Books, Volumes The Bible story of the Three Wise Men, from the gospel of Matthew, is also known as the biblical Magi or the Three Kings.
This Bible story is mainly regarding a group of famous foreigners who traveled to visit Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.Volumes of the Bible Story books by Arthur S.
Maxwell. They provide the widest coverage of any Bible storybook on the market. They are full of stories, all the way from the first chapter of Genesis to the last chapter of Revelation.


A few months ago, my friend Ellie and I got together to talk over tea. Whenever we set aside time to have a planned conversation, we can cover bazillions of topics and spend up to four hours simply talking. On this particular afternoon, one of the topics was our fathers. We were sharing about how grateful we are for the fathers God blessed us with – their love, respect, training, humor, and discipline. As we were talking, a woman interrupted us. She wanted to tell us how special it was to hear two young ladies praising their fathers. And she wanted to encourage us to speak those words to our dads. I tell my dad I love him, but I don’t often speak aloud my thankfulness. So today, on Father’s Day, I want to take the opportunity to formally honor my father.
Daddy, you are my role model. I want to be like you in the way that I speak, talk, listen, and live. You have set an example as a godly man and that example has set a precedent for what I look for in a future husband. The way that you love and respect my mother shows me how a man should treat his wife, or any woman for that matter. The way that you train and disciple your children follows after the teaching in Proverbs. I hope to do as well in raising my own children someday. (As much as I say I won’t have children, you’ll probably have grandchildren to spoil eventually.) Your sense of humor is also something that I admire. You don’t have to take yourself – or anyone else – seriously, but you know when to draw the line. And of course, your dance skills are impeccable. I love how you are always willing to dance, and no matter what Mom says, I think you’re a pretty swell dancer. Thank you for pulling me out onto the dance floor, even when I was in middle school and embarrassed, because I need to take myself less seriously.
Your unconditional love and selflessness is a picture of Jesus. You always look to the interests of others before yourself. Many times you have sacrificed comfort and time for me. I can’t recall a time that I’ve ever heard you complain. You look for the positive in a situation and you are the rock on which I lean in difficulty. You are quick to forgive and move on. While it is one of the most painful things to disappoint you, you have never remained angry or made me feel unworthy. I have assurance that you will love me no matter what, not only from your words but also from your actions. That is Jesus’s love in motion.
Thank you for always challenging me to never conform. You have engrained within me a love and acceptance for uniqueness in life. I know that the bandwagon fallacy will never work with you. I have learned that saying, “everybody’s doing it…” is the quickest way to end a discussion. And while it has frustrated me at times, I am truly thankful for your resolve to do life differently. My life has been more full because we chose not to do things like everybody else.
In addition, you have respected me as an “adult” since the age of twelve. Although that term caused me to put undue pressure on myself, your meaning behind it pushed me to maturity. Even in the little things, such as the use of “um,” “whatever,” “like,” and “basically,” you have cultivated excellence. Thank you for pushing me to be more articulate, effective, and excellent in my speaking and writing. I can rely on you for an honest critique accompanied by encouragement. You have always called me to something greater than myself, and for that I am thankful.
These are only a few of the many ways that I look up to you. I am extremely grateful for your presence in my life. As every child writes on their Father’s Day cards, I would not want any other Dad but you. (And that’s the truth.) Thank you for inspiring me to chase after my dreams and for challenging me to always do my best, yet always loving me despite my flaws. I am so appreciative that you have never asked me to be anyone other than myself. I am the woman I am today because of your respect and support. I love you, Dad.


Presbyter Dr. Stoyan Chilikov, Assoc. Prof.
University of Plovdiv “Paisii Hilendarski”
Absract. The text aims to explore the soteriological nature of the ascetic views of two of the most remarkable ascetic fathers. Based on a comparative analysis, are traced the general moments in their writings, as well as their differences, which outline the development of the ascetic tradition from antiquity to the present day. Abba Dorotheos conveys the ascetic experience of the Egyptian ascetics of the sixth century, the core of which is the spiritual struggle, the cutting off of passions and the acquiring of virtues. At the heart of the Christian feat, St. Porphyrios places the love for God, which transforms passions, converts evil and deifies man, with the focus being not on the fight against the passions, but on Christ and the communion with Him. Sacraments, prayer, worship lead one to praise and contemplation of God. In the words of St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalivia the correlation between soteriology and ecclesiology is much more clearly expressed.
Keywords: asceticism; feat; soteriology; ecclesiology; spiritual struggle; contemplation; Abba Dorotheos; Porphyrios of Kavsokalivia


The youngest of four daughters born to a farmer and homemaker, Sally was raised in the small West Tennessee town of Bradford. She received a guitar as a gift at the age of four and was immediately captivated by music. There were two annual Gospel singings at the local high school, events that Sally scrambled to attend. During one of these concerts, she realized the call God had placed on her life.
Sally Quick is determined to walk near to the heart of God. This commitment to her faith helps her to find those messages that He most wants her to write and sing about. Sally believes that joy is a fruit of the Spirit, not a fruit of our situation. A woman who has faced great challenges since childhood, Sally wants to share with others how they can find peace in the midst of life's storms. For some people, starting a new venture later in life might be a little scary. But for Sally Quick, there is not much this strong woman won't tackle.
As she approached the twenty-two year mark of singing in groups, the Lord began to deal with Sally about her individual service. She had not seen the inside of a classroom in over thirty years, but in January 2013, Sally pulled up her bootstraps and started college. With her eye on a seminary degree and honing her writing skills, this ministry-driven woman desires to be all God plans for her to be.
Sally wants nothing more than to effectively reach others with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She has added Liberty University Divinity School to her busy schedule. "I don't know all the Lord has planned for me, but I want to stand when He says stand and move when He says move!" A lifetime commitment to ministry stems from one basic belief: Do everything as unto the Lord.