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Cultivating Hope in the Midst of Depression

Julie Woodley
9 Dec 2014
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Cultivating Hope

As Christians we are told at Christmas that this should be the happiest time of the year — a time of joy with grateful family, colleagues and friends. Yet, for some of us this is sadly not the case. In my work with Christians in a private practice and then in my ministry I began to see that the Holidays can be a significant increase in depression. One North American survey reported that 45% of respondents dreaded the festive season. One very blue Christmas I reflect back on one Christmas that was filled with depression, sadness and feeling very isolated […]

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Pick PDQ for a Fresh Family Feast

Shelly Pond
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Eating right can be a challenge during the holiday season as schedules are squeezed and meal planning falters. PDQ is an excellent option for families on the go. PDQ stands for People Dedicated to Quality and they are true to their name. Serving up fresh tenders, hand-tossed salads and made-to-order sandwiches, it’s not the usual fast food fodder. Their hand-breaded chicken tenders are delightfully light and tender. Paired with a selection of signature sauces, they will satisfy the little dipper in the family. My personal favorite is their Buffalo Bleu sauce that combines the traditional spicy Buffalo wing flavor with […]

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Step Back in Time at Bethlehem Revisited

The Good News
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Bethlehem Revisited

First United Methodist Church of Coral Springs invites you to step back in time to Bethlehem Revisited, a living interactive recreation of the town of Bethlehem as it may have appeared 2,000 years ago. This five-day family-friendly event begins Friday, December 12th and will close on Tuesday, December 16. On week nights, you can enter the city between 7 and 9 p.m. with entrance an hour earlier on Saturday and Sunday at 6 p.m. The historic recreation includes a walled city utilizing more than 30,500 square feet of lumber. While awaiting entrance into the city gate, visitors may encounter Roman […]

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Surviving the Holidays Financially

Jeff Masters
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Christmas is the time of year to have fun while enjoying the holiday with family and friends. However, the magic can also be extinguished by the mad rush of stressful shopping, vacation planning and other obligations. It’s no wonder that the holiday season is actually one of the most stressful times, especially from a financial perspective. Smart spending and creating a Christmas budget can reduce the financial burden and alleviate some of that unwanted stress.  It’s way too easy to get caught up in the shopping mania of this season and find yourself in a freshly dug hole in January. […]

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When Choosing A Gift Has You Stumped

Tami Gomez
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What to get, what to get…? So many options, but nothing seems right. Finding Christmas gifts is sometimes the hardest part of Christmas, especially when looking for someone important to you who seems to have everything he wants or needs. However difficult it may seem to be, it is not impossible. Before we continue, it’s important to realize that your gift does not have to fill a void in any person’s life; it’s just a Christmas present. The job of void-filling is the Holy Spirit’s, not yours. If this person already has everything he needs, then your gift ought to […]

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Will the Real St. Nicholas Please Stand Up?

Penni Bulten
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In America, St. Nicholas (aka Santa Claus) is seen as a jolly, fat, bearded man, who drives a sleigh pulled by reindeer. But this is a caricature, coming from illustrations for Harper’s Illustrated Weekly in 1869, done by Thomas Nast. This art was a continuation of the chubby, plump “jolly old elf” image in the poem “The Night Before Christmas.” (This depiction is normally attributed to Clement C. Moore, professor of Biblical Languages at New York’s Episcopal General Theological Seminary. However, Don Foster’s book Author Unknown suggests that Henry Livingston, a patriot and author of humor and children’s verse, actually […]

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Christmas Near the Beach

Gabriella Morris
6 Dec 2014
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Christmas Near The Beach, a South Florida-style celebration, returns to the Arts Park at Young Circle in Hollywood on Saturday, December 13 from 4 to 9 p.m. With more than 5,000 people in attendance last year, the free event will feature bands, dancers, singers, vendors, a classic car show and a free photo with St. Nick at his Beach House.  Now in its 8th year, Christmas Near The Beach is a production of Expressions of Joy, a Christian dance academy serving Broward and Palm Beach counties. Their objective is to boldly share the good news of the gospel in a […]

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What Jesus Understood About Hanukkah

Dr. Susan Michael
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A common understanding of the December holiday season is that Christmas is the holiday for Christians and Hanukkah is the holiday for Jews. Few Christians relate to Hanukkah since it is not one of the biblical feasts of Israel. But, the fact that Jesus celebrated Hanukkah should make Christians curious enough to investigate the possible importance of the festival to their faith.  It is no exaggeration to say that had it not been for Hanukkah, there could have very well not been a Christmas. Hanukkah prepared the way for the birth and ministry of Jesus. Therefore, Christians may want to […]

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The Message of a Manger

Dr. Tommy Boland
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manger

Have you ever considered why our Lord was born in a manger and not a magnificent palace? Well, this month I would like you to consider, actually marinate if you will, in the message of a manger, and see if God does not meet you in your place of deepest need and shower upon you glad tidings of great joy! Away in a Manger “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7 KJV). As pastor of The […]

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Enjoy a Healthy Life Balance

Steve Davis
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We usually associate the Christmas season with words like joy and peace, giving and receiving, happy and merry. Other choice words could be stressful and tiring, packed and rushed, expensive and…perhaps…Aaaaahhhhh! What are the best practices to enjoy a healthy life balance? Actually, our lives are an outward expression of inward living. Jesus’ career assignment was to provide us with a new “power-full” way of inner living that brings amazing order and peace, free from anxiety and chaos. In our Adult Development courses at Trinity International University, we illustrate a healthy life balance with a picture of a tree and […]

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