Life

Tell Mom How Much She Means To You

The Good News
1 May 2014
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“For Mother’s Day this year, I want . . . .” If you’ve ever heard your mom utter these words, consider yourself among the fortunate. For the rest of us, Mother’s Day can be a somewhat stressful holiday filled with indecision and confusion as to what to buy for the woman who gave us birth. Not to worry, though; with a little forethought, Mother’s Day can be a breeze. Here are a few ways to let mom know she’s appreciated. Service and memories We often think that gifts need to be physical, but it isn’t so. Some of the best […]

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Shrinking the Expectation Gap

Patricia Hartman
17 Mar 2014
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Lorraine gave up on her marriage. “I don’t love Rich anymore. In fact, I don’t know if I ever loved him. We live separate lives. I guess we just grew apart.” Lorraine’s statement is ironically accurate. She stopped demonstrating love (action) toward her husband. However, her true reason for quitting is that she is not feeling loved. When asked about the vows she took when she got married, Lorraine got a deer-in-the-headlights look that said, “Vows. . . what vows?” Traditional wedding vows Although Lorraine has convenient amnesia now, she repeated these traditional vows when she got married: I, Lorraine, […]

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What You Need to Know about Eating Disorders

Sasha Richardson
12 Mar 2014
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In the United States, eating disorders account for the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. Nearly 24 million people suffer from an eating disorder. Coupons tempt us with cheap, late-night fast-food. Tabloids frighten us with “imperfect” bodies and blurred-out faces. Billboards discourage us with “perfect” bodies offering liposuction. Should we eat or not? Are we supposed to gain or lose weight? We need food to live. Unlike drugs and alcohol, abstinence from food is not an option. Eating disorders seem to be one of the most downplayed illnesses that afflict our country. The three most common types of eating […]

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No More Scrubbing – My Story of Sexual Exploitation

The Good News
9 Mar 2014
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By: Julie Woodley As I write this, I’m filled with words that have been locked up in me for so long: I cry like a child, I tremble, and I remember those horrible memories. I choose to have the courage to unleash these words because so many individuals need to hear the heart’s cry of those that have been sexually exploited. I know God can use my tears, pain, and horrific memories to help my other sweet sisters have a voice as well and know that they are loved. My deepest desire is that those affected by sexual exploitation live […]

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Unmarketing: Jesus’ Unconventional Method of Spreading His Message

The Good News
6 Mar 2014
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I’ve thought for the longest time that marketing and advertising (my chosen profession) is probably the most useless things in the world of Christianity.  My rationale goes something like this: Jesus didn’t have a brand. He didn’t even have logo. Jesus didn’t have the media. He didn’t even have the internet for crying out loud. Jesus wasn’t worried about ROI (his Return On Investment) And yet the entire known world was changed by a man with no marketing plan. Inconceivable. And yet. And yet there are still some things we business people can glean from Jesus’ un-marketing methods.  Let’s start […]

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Can You Hear Me Now?

John Hawkins, Sr
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When it comes to couples communication, a common complaint is, “We fight over the stupidest things.” Why do small issues generate such big emotions? It is usually because that small issue is symbolic of a core emotional issue in each mate. Communication skills are essential to solving the issues that come up in every marriage or relationship. If you do not learn how to communicate and resolve issues, you will just move from relationship to relationship. Why couples have issues Why would people not expect to have issues with all the differences involved in relationships? Here are just four common […]

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Investing Pitfalls

Jeff Masters
3 Mar 2014
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Are you investing money like it was yours for your purposes, or are you investing as a steward of God’s resources with diligence and care? Making a return should be a by-product of doing what God has called you to do. Remember that peace does not come by building up material possessions and it is our motive for investing that determines Godly intent. The management of money requires that it be invested and multiplied, but the world and its marketing powerhouse deceives and manipulates us to invest with wrong motives of greed and fear. Many do not get wisdom or […]

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A Well-Rounded Wheel Keeps Life Balanced

Edwin Morales
2 Mar 2014
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Check email. Check news. Check Facebook. Check Twitter. Check. Check. Check… Finally sit. Then we realize we just need more time. Today, we are so hurried, always in motion, always ready to jump.  Our lives are full of to-do’s. When faced with a task or goal, we tend to focus much of our energy, intelligence, and emotion on them. As we focus heavily in one or a few areas of life, we begin to ignore others causing a great imbalance resulting in frustration and confusion. To avoid this imbalance and its costly effects, we can effectively prioritize our goals and […]

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Abstinence: Saying No to Temptation and Yes to God

Tori Sollars
1 Mar 2014
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Ocean Currents. They are strong and mighty fellas; convincing enough to sway everything in their path in one direction. Picture yourself right smack dab in the center of one. Waves are weighing hard against you, pushing you down the easy path, the path that requires little to no effort to wade through. Does this image remind you of anything?  As we take a moment to look around, it seems our culture today prefers the easy route. We are a nation conditioned to convenience, a nation that expects its desires to be met. Look anywhere and we can see businesses advertising […]

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Getting Your Retirement Plan on Track

Jeff Masters
11 Feb 2014
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retirement plan

It has been a full five years since the 2008 market crash, which wiped out $2 trillion or 20 percent of Americans’ retirement savings. This Great Recession rolled through and wiped out many older American’s dreams for the future. The economic downturn has reshaped the concept of traditional investing and confidence in our free market and its wealth-building promise. The market has recently returned to near historic highs, and still the anxiety of retirement investing lingers among investors. When negative headlines or an economic report hit the news, they often trigger a flight response that can impact our financial health. […]

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