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Bullying: A Silent Epidemic

Sasha Richardson
9 Sep 2014
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Across the media, bullying has been portrayed as a part of life, even a rite of passage, and put in a comical light. We can probably admit to laughing with the stereotypical bully in comics and movies. Nevertheless, the truth about bullying reveals that it is far from comical. Effects About 80 million children attend private and public schools K-12 in the U.S. and 20-25 million are reported as being bullied each year. Reportedly 200,000 children fear being bullied each day enough to miss school. 400,000 children have either attempted or talked about committing suicide due to bullying, and 7,000 […]

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Speaking the Truth in Love

The Good News
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“You’re not cute,” she said as she pointed a well-manicured index finger at my chest. Wide eyed, my peers glanced at me, looked at our mentor, eyed the box of tissues and waited. I drew in a deep breath and smiled. “You’re not necessarily headed to the stages where you think you are headed,” she continued. “But, you have a stage. You’re not one of those ‘cutsie’ girl speaker types. You’re powerful. Unique. Dramatic. Inspiring. She demonstrated each word as she spoke them and made her point, “You have your audience.” As my heart filled to overflowing, the resultant tears […]

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The Pastor’s Wife Who Went Crazy

The Good News
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When I was eight years old, I wrote a suicide letter to my grandma and mailed it. Naturally, very concerned, she turned it over to my parents, who in turn had me meet with a Christian counselor. Little did I know then that that would mark the beginning of a lifelong journey with a battle in my mind. Along the way I would fight these battles in my mind, not knowing how, but knowing that for survival I needed to fight my mind. During my adolescent and young adult years, I ended up fighting these battles with alcohol. And on […]

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At the Wheel of John Herbeck’s Auto

Tami Gomez
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Drew Ciba, owner and president of John Herbeck’s Auto Repair since 2002, has built a reputation for doing great work and charging honest prices. A longtime resident of South Florida, he was brought up in Margate, later moved to North Carolina, but was drawn right back to settle in Pompano. Ciba and his wife, Dayla, have two children. Drew became interested in cars while working at a Mobile gas station while attending Broward College. He later worked in the service department at a Lincoln Mercury dealership in North Carolina. However, his passion for classic cars began in 1983 when Ciba […]

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A Response to Ferguson

Jerry Newcombe
5 Sep 2014
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When will the rioting in Ferguson, MO. stop? There has been much mayhem — including the police using tear gas — and much looting in the St. Louis suburb. The media covers this story heavily. Some estimate there may be as many media members as there are protesters. All of this follows the shooting death of a black teenager, Michael Brown, allegedly by a white police officer. Though the facts are sketchy, many are convinced that an injustice has been done. The reaction has created an additional crisis. Reports indicate that thugs from all over have descended on Ferguson to […]

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Disney’s Night of Joy Sept. 5 & 6

The Good News
3 Sep 2014
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Are you ready to rock? Prepare yourself for a magical weekend when 17 of the biggest names and hottest acts in Christian music take over Magic Kingdom park for two nights of unforgettable performances on September 5 and 6. From contemporary hits to hard-hitting high-energy rock, there’s something for every kind of music fan. Worship on Friday Friday’s performances include worship with Hillsong United, Chris Tomlin, Matthew West, for King & Country, Mandisa, Building 429, Matt Maher and The Neverclaim. Creating a unique musical expression, Hillsong United is an evolving collaboration of pastors, worship leaders, musicians and songwriters giving voice […]

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Taking the Gospel into Public Schools

The Good News
1 Sep 2014
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 “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” –  Matthew 9:37-38 NLT First Priority clubs exist on over 165 campuses in southern Florida seeking to share the Gospel in public schools. This is done through student-led campus clubs meeting once a week. Many are shocked to hear that First Priority only has 12 paid staff members. A team of twelve staff members network an unpaid volunteer staff of 165 faculty sponsors and well over 125 youth pastors and leaders, […]

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School Can Be a 9 Month Mission Trip

The Good News
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The Dominican Republic, Kenya, Colombia, Southeast Asia, Haiti — these are some places that may pop into your head when you think of a mission trip. Mission trips are altruistic endeavors by church groups to provide physical and/or spiritual relief in times of crisis. At First Priority students are equipped for a mission trip to places that desperately need Jesus. It is estimated that where they go 96% of the population is without Jesus. Where’s their destination? The public school campus. If you have gone on a mission trip before, it may have lasted a week, a month or a […]

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First Priority: Connecting the Church to Reach the Campus for Christ

The Good News
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  Three of the largest school districts in the country are right here in South Florida: Miami-Dade County is the 2nd largest, Broward County the 5th and Palm Beach County is the 12th. These are only three of the five counties First Priority serves. Startling evidence shows that 96% of those students do not attend church or show evidence of a personal relationship with Christ, which demonstrates the urgent need for us to meet them where they are — the campus. The greatest influence on a teenager is a peer, so First Priority partners with the local church to equip […]

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Putting Hope Within Reach

Shelly Pond
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Teen Challenge Women’s Home is a residential discipleship program located in Davie that helps women break off the destructive chains of drug addiction and alcoholism that ensnare them. According to Teen Challenge literature, there are over 278 million drug users worldwide. Sadly drug addiction shatters lives, but Teen Challenge works with adults, youth and families to help them pick up the pieces by offering life transformation to individuals through Christ-centered programs. Rick Fernandez, executive director of Teen Challenge in Davie since 1988 and a graduate of the program, explained they are “home to up to 16 hurt, abused women – […]

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