Life

Money Lessons to Master

Jeremy McKeen
7 Jan 2014
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One of the greatest lessons someone can learn is how to biblically handle money. Your use of money affects more than you may realize. The Bible teaches that there is a direct connection between your spending and your spiritual growth. Jesus once told a parable about the importance of faithfully handling money. A manager had wasted his master’s possessions and, knowing he was about to be fired, he quickly went to his master’s debtors and cut their debts by 20 percent and some by 50 percent. He did this so that he would have friends that would give him a […]

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Band of Brothers

Rick Deal
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It seems that, so often, when we see a man’s friendship portrayed on the big screen these days, it’s usually a pretty sorry excuse for a friendship. We are, of course, generalizing here and this certainly does not apply to every film or TV show, but in the general mainstream of movies and sitcoms, men usually have shallow friendships, while women tend to have deeper abiding ones. But why? In these mediums, male friendships break down into a few simple groups: If you are single, conversations greatly revolve around meeting and pursuing women or else a very one-dimensional topic such […]

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Financial Resolutions for 2014

Jeff Masters
6 Jan 2014
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Did you know that nearly one-third of New Year’s resolutions relate to money, with saving more, spending less and paying off debt ranking as the top three ambitions for the past two years? If your 2014 resolutions include financial goals, you’re already on the right track. People who make specific resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than those who don’t. For a financially successful new year, apply these disciplines to your life right away. Get organized Start by putting your goals in writing and setting short-, mid- and long-term milestones to help you stay on track. […]

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Correct Your Christianese

Rick Deal
8 Dec 2013
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There are many expressions that have become common in Christian vernacular. Sometimes we can use these phrases for so long that we forget what they may sound like from the outside. It’s good to reexamine what we say from time to time; to rethink sayings that could easily be misunderstood or simply seen as lacking sincerity. Here we have a few phrases that may need to be retired, or at least rethought. “Christians aren’t perfect, they’re just forgiven.” What it is supposed to mean: We as Christians are no better or more worthy of salvation than the rest of the world. We […]

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Holiday Fitness Tips

Edwin Morales
4 Dec 2013
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For many, the season of unhealthy holiday eating begins all the way back in October with Halloween. Two Snickers bars for the kids, one for mom; five Twizzlers for you, two for me. Then, before you’ve even had time to catch your breath – or loosen your belt – the Thanksgiving eating extravaganza arrives. Immediately after Thanksgiving come seemingly endless Christmas parties, work functions and social events. More food, more cakes, more sweets, more choices. While previous studies suggested that the average weight gain during the holiday season was 5-10 pounds, more current research shows that the reality for most […]

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5 Fitness and Health Myths

Edwin Morales
11 Nov 2013
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Perhaps you have been contemplating starting a new fitness routine. You have bought new sneakers, new workout clothes, and even a new recipe book for your new healthy lifestyle. Then, right as you begin, all your friends, family and co-workers begin to advise you what to do or what not to do. We have heard things such as “women should not lift weights,” and “low/no fat foods are better for you.” Let’s explore some of these common myths in health and fitness and determine what is true and what is not. Myth #1 – “The substitute” Consider this: the average […]

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God is Great. God is Good.

Chrissie Ferguson
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God is great. God is good. And we thank him for our food. By his hands, we are fed. Thank you, Lord, for daily bread. It’s a simple blessing, a prayer of thankfulness we teach our children to recite before eating food. Many children have memorized this blessing or maybe one that is similar. But do children really know why they say these words? Are children truly thankful for what they are about to eat? Do they really know what it means to be thankful? Depending upon a child’s age, he or she may or may not know the meaning […]

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Does Your Wife Have a Secure Retirement?

Jeff Masters
8 Nov 2013
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Ephesians 5:25 instructs husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church. This love is displayed by sacrificial acts of caring, giving and provision. It is the highest calling for husbands. Statistics show that 8 out of 10 wives outlive their husbands on average by 14 years. Studies also show that a widow not only faces the grief of the loss of her spouse, but also takes on financial obligations that her husband previously supported (2009 Retirement Confidence Survey conducted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute). The physical care of the house, car and other functions we husbands many […]

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You Don’t Know the Real Me

Lori Harding
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In the 1961 film, The Great Impostor, Tony Curtis plays a bright young man “who hasn’t the patience for the normal way of advancement.” Based on a true story, Curtis’ character finds that people rarely question you if your papers are in order. He becomes a marine, a monk, a surgeon onboard a Canadian Warship, and a prison warden. This scenario was lived out again by Barry Bremen, nicknamed, The Late Great Impostor; a novelty-goods salesman who achieved a kind of flash celebrity in the 1980s as an impostor who slipped past security to shag fly balls in the major […]

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The Art of Appreciation

Patricia Hartman
5 Nov 2013
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This is the month we celebrate Thanksgiving, the holiday dedicated to thanking God for our bounty of blessings. On this day, we may also be mindful to thank others in our lives. But what about the other 364 days? Are they days of appreciation or criticism? What’s your score? With your closest relatives/friends in mind, answer the following questions for each: When was the last time you spoke an appreciation to them? When was the last time you criticized them? What is your appreciation versus criticism ratio for them? Did you find that you are the most critical of those […]

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