Life

Fighting for Kids Takes Faith

Shelly Pond
1 May 2018
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kids

When caring for children in crisis, most agree that faith-based foster care services make a difference.  When children are placed in a loving family with support from the community and the local church, a dire situation is infused with hope. Proper training and support is critical to success.  Besides 4KIDS of South Florida, discussed on page 26, here are three other faith-based foster care agencies making a big difference in the lives of kids. Mount Bethel Human Services Corporation Now in its 25th year of service, Mount Bethel Human Services Corporation (MBHSC) helps low- and moderate-income families in Fort Lauderdale […]

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Grandpa Knows Best

Omar Aleman
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He did not have degrees on the wall, a couch or charge $100 per hour, but was a great psychologist and counselor. What he did have was a perennial cigar in his mouth, thinning hair and a constant penchant for a strong cup of coffee. He was a successful cigar maker, community leader and an occasional liar… to me! He “stretched the truth” around me, and I am the better for it. He was a “game changer”; the majority of my few good qualities are rooted in his teachings. “Abuelo” knows best “Let’s go touch the moon,” he said, as […]

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best

Lifework Alum Helps You SQUEEZE The Most Out of Your Money

Shelly Pond
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squeeze

After building the very successful healthcare technology company, Mobile Help, Elias Janetis is now helping consumers squeeze the most out of their paychecks by launching a new company aptly named SQUEEZE. While both companies utilize technology to benefit others, Janetis said there’s really no intersection except that he believes both ideas were inspired by God. “I’ve never taken a business class, and I’ve never taken an engineering class,” said Janetis. “After high school I graduated from Bible College, then went to school for international relations and history… I believe God’s called me to be a spirit-led entrepreneur. He gives me […]

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Finishing Well

Dr. Bob Barnes and Torrey Roberts
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We are at that point in the year where everyone is tired… teachers, faculty, students and parents.  Glimmers of summer are right around the corner; however, there are some hurdles to cross before we get there.  For those of us with older children, there are final projects, papers and exams. For younger kids it may be equally as daunting battling the homework every night.  So why is it worth fighting the battles at this point? Why do we want to instill in our children that finishing strong is so important? Well, this is a very valuable life lesson.  We want […]

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well

How Screens Are Killing Teens

Rob Hoskins
25 Apr 2018
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teens

Not only am I fascinated by trends, I believe they hold predictive indicators. When studied, these trends allow us foresight into coming areas of need and potential for ministry opportunities. I recently read a report with compelling evidence showing a strong correlation between increased amounts of screen time among teens and increases in depression and suicidal ideation and attempts.[1] Suicide in teens This trend is particularly alarming because the new “normal” is actually quite abnormal. It’s become natural for this generation of digital natives to spend an average 7.5 hours[1] on screens daily just for purposes of entertainment–not including school […]

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Soul Care for Pastors

Brian Brookins
18 Apr 2018
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Pastors need care.  It is a simple statement, but many pastors live in practical denial of this truth. Pastors spend their lives pouring out care to others in many forms, and if they are not careful, they will give out care until they themselves give out.  Burnout, according to one recent study, is happening at an unprecedented rate, estimating that some 1500 pastors are dropping out of ministry every month.   I’ve been a pastor in this community for 30 years, and I can tell you that I’ve seen the isolation and difficulties facing pastors first hand. However, never before […]

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How Do I Raise A Kid of Conscience?

Dr. Bob Barnes and Torrey Roberts
10 Apr 2018
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conscience

Webster’s Dictionary defines conscience as, “the sense or consciousness of the moral goodness or blameworthiness of one’s own conduct, intentions or character together with a feeling of obligation to do right or be good.” The development of a consistent value system is the foundation for our decisions, for our sensitivity to what is right and what is wrong and for the feelings of those around us. The media has recently been barraging us with stories that show us why the development of a conscience is imperative. It seems scary that many children today are growing up without a moral code. […]

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Pro-Life Campaigns Celebrate Lives Saved

The Good News
3 Apr 2018
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Three local 40 Days for Life campaigns joined March 2 to celebrate the mid-point of the life-saving initiative, observed Feb. 14 to March 25 in 47 nations. But the gathering for food and fellowship had more to rejoice over than just hitting the halfway mark of the 40-day period of prayer and fasting, community outreach and peaceful vigil for an end to abortion. The same day of the celebration, three women chose life outside the abortion facility where Tom Walker leads the Fort Lauderdale campaign. Two of the mothers chose life for their children because of a simple sign that […]

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Lifework Leadership Spurs Family Legacy

Shelly Pond
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lifework leadership

In reflecting on legacy, John Kassing, CEO of Marquis and a Lifework Leadership alumnus, said “Our children will be the living testament to who we are; they are our legacy.” His wife, Susan Kassing, a Lifework Leadership Coach and alumnus, agreed, “The most important job on the planet is parenting.” Because they wanted their adult children to be “contributing, productive members of society and church,” the Kassings have made Lifework Leadership a family affair. After encouraging their daughter, Lauren, and her husband, Jordan Kohley, to go through the program, sons Ryan and Peter look forward to participating. The Kassings have […]

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Legacy Family Businesses Build Community

Shelly Pond
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“Do you remember these businesses?” a trending post asks on Facebook as readers reminisce about popular South Florida mainstays that went the way of the dinosaurs. Sustaining a business for the long haul can be daunting, and the statistics for family businesses are not particularly optimistic. “About 30 percent of all family-owned businesses survive into the second generation. Twelve percent will still be viable into the third generation, with only three percent of all family businesses operating at the fourth-generation level and beyond,” according to the Conway Center for Family Business. Yet as South Florida has grown and matured, there […]

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businesses