Home Life

National Foster Care Month Brings Attention to the Crisis Close to Home

Last month, over 2,000 people came together for 4KIDS’ biggest gathering of world-changers yet, Advocate 4KIDS! Featuring a live performance by Christian artist Jimmy Needham, and an inspiring message from motivational speaker Nick Vujicic, it was a night many will never forget. Together, businesses, churches and passionate individuals from six different counties discovered how they can make a difference for children in foster care. All those in attendance were empowered to believe that it only takes one person to redefine a child’s future and leave a life-changing impact for generations to come. Since 1988, May has been recognized annually as National Foster Care […]

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World-Class Developer Champions the Cause of Homeless Veterans and Families

Building on the legacy of Ireland’s Inn, Andy Mitchell, CEO of The Fairwinds Group and President of Operation Lift Hope, has erected the $650 million luxurious Auberge Beach Residences and Spa in Fort Lauderdale while on a mission to end homelessness for veterans and families. With a seemingly endless supply of energy and a deep, guiding faith, Mitchell has become a strong community advocate, urging business leaders to join forces with government officials and service providers to solve the housing crisis. Formerly a divisional president and CEO for Masco, one of largest home furnishing companies in the U.S. with over […]

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Hope South Florida Helps Homeless Veterans and Families Get Back on Their Feet

When families and veterans are facing homelessness, sometimes all they need is a little hope, someone to come alongside them and a hand up to get back on their feet. Since 1995, Hope South Florida, formerly The Shepherd’s Way, has been that beacon of hope, providing shared meals, a listening ear and access to crisis and rapid re-housing. In February they were able to open the Vision of Hope Family Center, a day respite center for families in a church building located at 1100 N. Andrews Ave. “Now homeless families no longer need to hang out in their cars all […]

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Veterans Honored with Quilts of Valor

United Way of Broward County’s MISSION UNITED, in partnership with the South Florida Coalition of Quilts of Valor Quilters, comprised of members of Gold Coast Quilters Guild and Quilt Guild by the Sea, honored 44 veterans who have been touched by war at the Welcome Home Ceremony and Quilts of Valor Presentation on March 21 at the Pompano Beach Cultural Center. The 44 military veterans were presented with a locally-made quilt. These veterans have all had at least one deployment to a wartime theater or combat zone and represented multiple eras including WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Kosovo, Bosnia, Gulf War, Iraq […]

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Meet the Needs

God created us for an intimate relationship with Him and others. Last month we addressed bonding; we were created with biological needs for bonding and closeness. We all have needs and were designed to be dependent. We’re physically needy. We need food, clothing, water and shelter to survive. We’re spiritually needy. Man needs communion with God and freedom from guilt and shame; we need forgiveness, mercy and grace from God. We’re also emotionally and relationally needy. We need a relationship with God and others. We’re intellectually needy. We’re born with intellectual capacity, but we need instruction and information. Many of […]

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Teens and Stress

In years past, the teen years were looked at as a time of “finding oneself.” Behavior, dress and poor choices were even excused by this. It was expected for teens to act out or push back because this time period was a time of exploration to find who you were. Today the focus has shifted to not finding oneself or finding your skillset but to getting into the best college or getting into college. Now not that this isn’t a worthy goal, because it is, but we need to evaluate how it is impacting our parenting. What is going on […]

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Parenting—the call of a lifetime

As we spend this month getting ready to celebrate Mother’s Day, there is joy and pain in equal measure around this day for many. Especially those who have lost their mother for any reason. Working for a global ministry that serves children and youth, I am deeply saddened by the worldwide epidemic of family brokenness. It increases the weight of the spiritual responsibility we carry as believers to be spiritual mothers and fathers to the young among us. Who better to share his heart on this topic than my friend, Jim Daly, who has personally experienced the pain of abandonment, […]

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Good News Wants to Know…

In an effort to help our readers get acquainted with leaders who are making an impact in South Florida, we’re asking the kind of questions that make for interesting conversation at a neighborhood barbecue. This month we want to know what their children have to say, not what they think they will say…so we asked them to call them (If they don’t have a child, call someone they may have mentored) and ask them … What would the public or your friends be SURPRISED to learn about you? Here’s what we learned…   From his son Cam: -Romney Rogers coached baseball, football and soccer […]

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2019 Summer Camp Guide

Summer camps can provide a wonderful opportunity for summer enrichment. Here are a few local offerings listed geographically from south to north.   Unleashed Camp 2019 Mission/Service Camp July 28 – August 1 6th grade to 12th grade 21113 Johnson St., #120 Pembroke Pines, FL 33029 Cost: Early Bird $275/week, Regular $295/week 954-432-0321 westpines.org/students   Kids Summer Camp Tour around the city camp, performing arts workshop, inspiring and creative activities. June 10 – August 2 Grades K – 12 Christi/Stepss Academy 3495 N. Hiatus Sunrise, FL 33351 954-749-6869 stepssacademy.com   St. Mark’s Episcopal School Summer Camp Day Camp, Academic & Enrichment, […]

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Bonding

Last month we explored loneliness and its dramatic rise globally in all age groups. In a society that’s more connected than ever before, how can that be? Social media, the internet and mobile phones have provided more access to people and information than any other time in history. We have the world at our fingertips. We have an increasing circle of “friends,” we can interact expressing “likes,” posting well wishes or opinions with words, symbols or video clips expressing our thoughts. Facebook has 2.27 billion active monthly users (third Q for 2018); 1.49 billion active daily. About 68 percent of […]

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