Faith Based Journal 16 by d-mars.com

Faith Based Journal November 2012

Inspire, Inform & Educate

GIVING BACK

INSIDE

16 th Edition

Proverbs 21:26 …the righteous gives and does not hold back.

10 Ideas: Giving Thanks in Everything By Mary May Larmoyeux Why should I thank God for those things... regardless of whether I consider something to be a blessing or a burden. PAGE 7

Setting the Tone By Susan J. Ellis People have many different views of what a religious congregation should be and of what can be expected from church members. PAGE 9

The 2012 I.C.O.N Honorees: Mr. Taurus Morgan - McDonald’s Owner Operator, Stacy Johnson - Executive Producer of Move Something Insprired 2 Dance Battle, MR. D-MARS - President of d-mars.com, Pastor Chris Gamez - Pastor of The Worship Experience

Thanks-GIVING By Rodney White Many of us turned Thanksgiving into a holiday where we are purportedly thankful for the gifts we have received. PAGE 11

MFAH Presents the Portraits, Landscapes and Biblical Paintings of Henry Ossawa Tanner

Cheap Grace? By Dave Campbell It has been said that many treat Jesus’ sacrifice with less value than it is worth and do what they want after accepting his forgiveness . PAGE 12

“You get the best out of others when you give the best of yourself.” ~ Harvey S. Firestone

November, 2012

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November 2012

Behind The

Journal

Publisher’s Message

Keith J. Davis, Sr.

SR. PUBLISHER Keith J. Davis, Sr. VICE PRESIDENT Kevin Davis

This month’s theme is “Giving Back” in honor of the Thanksgiving Holiday. As a person of faith, there is a lot to be thankful for in 2013. Count your blessings, “one by one” and you will see that it’s not only time to get your praise on, but also to “pay it forward” and be a blessing to someone else who is in need this holiday season. Giving from the heart always has a boomerang effect. As always, thank you for your continued support of d-mars.com. When you support d-mars.com, you are supporting more than just our company; you are supporting the communities in which we live and work. Working together, we can succeed in making positive things happen.

EDITING CONSULTANT Sharon Jenkins OPERATIONS COORDINATOR Johnny Ray Davis, Jr. ACCOUNTING MANAGER Eugenie Doualla

CONTENTS

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Onyebuchi Okoh C.T. Foster Eric D. Goodwine

Move Something With Stacy J .................................................................................................. MFAH Presents the Portraits, Landscapes and Biblical Paintings of Henry Ossawa Tanner ... 10 Ideas: Giving Thanks in Everything ...................................................................................... Balancing Work And Family – 5 Tips To Keep You Sane .......................................................... Good Parenting: Learn Ways To Cope With Your Family’s Bad Moods .................................. Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember ....................................................................................... Setting the Tone ....................................................................................................................... Offering Gratitude & Thanksgiving One Day at a Time ............................................................ Squanto ...................................................................................................................................... Thanks-GIVING ........................................................................................................................ Cheap Grace? .........................................................................................................................

PHOTOGRAPHY L.C. Poullard Grady Carter Tony Gaines MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR Andrea Hennekes LAYOUT & GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Ferland Antwine DISTRIBUTION Booker T. Davis, Jr. Rockie Hayden CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rose Carter Mary May Larmoyeux Jill Hart Dave Campbell Adina Soclof Blaze (Barbara) Lazarony Susan J. Ellis Deborah Brunt Rodney White Barbara Rainey

MR. D-MARS Tip of the Month “The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.” ~ Albert Einstein

d-mars.com 7322 Southwest Fwy, Suite 805 Houston, Texas 77074 713-272-9511 . Phone 713-272-6364 . Fax www.d-mars.com

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November, 2012

Move Something With Stacy J

By Rose Carter

ove Something has set a dynamic presidency and represented the arts in the gospel entertainment industry. This show provides participants opportunities to display their talents in an atmosphere designed totally with the dancer and teacher in mind. As an educational mechanism, the show encourages teens, young adults and adults to explore deeper into the origin of dance. It also allows participants to compete in various dance categories before a panel of professional judges and a live audience. Move Something Inspired 2 Dance Battle is not just a DANCE but a MOVE

Hosted by Movement Coach Stacy J, Move Something is produced by Visual Arts Productions, a non-profit institution, whose primary goal is to create healthy and financially viable communities by providing educational and health beneficial programs to economically disadvantaged youth. VA Productions recognizes the two prevailing issues that are negatively impacting our youth and young adults today more than ever, Bullying and Obesity. These two devastating unhealthy momentums in our current society both provide long-term emotional and physical damage with fatal results.

to end Bullying and Childhood Obesity! These two rising issues have negatively impacted our youth today: hindering them from accomplishing their full potential in life. Move Something is dedicated to nurturing and transforming the minds of our youth by propelling them into positive and healthy futures through the arts. Now, while the show has been designed with a competitive tone, it is far from being just that. Move Something is the training station and bridge for inspirational dancers who seek to cross-over to main stream in the gospel entertainment industry. One of this initiative’s missions is to be the portal that connects Industry Executives, Recording Artists, Promoters along with Video and Network Producers to professional inspirational dancers. After completing in the Move Something Inspired 2 Dance Battle outstanding winners have gone on to be featured on: • MTV-Randy Jackson’s “America’s Best Dance Crew” • FOX-“So You Think You Can Dance” • BET-“Dr. Bobby Jones Gospel” and • Various Stellar Award Artists’ Videos.

As an outlet Move Something offers seminars that cover various topics such as: creating violence free communities, healthy living, physical fitness activities, financial literacy, entertainment law and entrepreneurship. VA Productions also strives to enhance a student’s way of thinking and learning. One of the foundational principals is to acquire competence in dancing that pursuit of excellence is transferred to other domains

such as math and reading. The training encourages students to connect various intangible variables such as fluidity in movement and visualizing in space, which enhances their competency in literacy and math skills. Powered by McDonald’s Move Something has honored numerous personalities in the Houston areas with its coveted I.C.O.N Award. This award recognizes individuals that “Inspire Creativity Over Negativity.” These individuals having been faced with barriers and challenges yet inspired empowered and encouraged others to move through their challenges and impossibilities to self-sufficiency. The 2012 I.C.O.N Honorees: Mr. Keith J. Davis President of d-mars.com, Mr. Taurus Morgan - McDonalds Owner Operator, Ms. Corliss A. Rabb Texas Southern University, Pastor Chris Gamez- Pastor of The Worship Experience, Pastor Juanita Rasmus - St.John’s United Methodist Church and Ms. Gwen HodgeFounder of Heavenly Bound. The 2012 Move Something Inspired 2 Dance Battle Hosted by Stacy J is set to air on The WORD Network in February 2013. GRAND PRIZE ADULTS Prairie View Mime Runner-Ups – The Crusaders 4 Christ GRAND Prize Youth Crescendo Runner-Ups- Perfect Praise 2012 Move Something Judges: Mr. Khalif Townes, Ms. Yoshika Berrad &

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Pastor Chris Gamez About the Coach As a vessel, a gift, and spiritual inspiration, Stacy Johnson represents a powerful motivating force through ministry of dance. Her journey displays vision, and passion for the Arts stressing the importance of commitment while bringing the sacred to the secular. This Houstonian’s fierce determination to heal through the art of expression and elevation through spiritual commitment is seen with optimizing clarity. In 1990, Stacy was put to the test when doctors proclaimed that she would not walk or have the ability to speak after being diagnosed with Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Her quest to overcome this temporary eclipse forced her to display the power of God through prayer and gratitude in choreography. Challenged but not defeated, this battle opened up a myriad of opportunity and well deserved recognition for her, opening the eyes of many believers as well as non-believers in today’s ministry in the gospel industry. Stacy continues to reach beyond the clouds with her passion for the art of dance while inspiring and creating opportunities for many. For more information about VA Productions, Move Something Auditions, Stacy Johnson or Partnerships visit www. movesomething.com/Youtube: MoveSomething 3000 or call 917-272-8883

November, 2012

MFAH Presents the

Portraits, Landscapes and Biblical Paintings By Rose Carter

of Henry Ossawa Tanner

to Paris, Jerusalem, Cairo and Tangiers, and his work sold to millionaires and museums,” said Emily Ballew Neff, MFAH curator of American painting and sculpture and coordinating curator of the exhibition at the Houston venue. “This large-scale survey includes the artist’s insightful portraits, Southern landscapes, genre paintings of African American family life, epic biblical paintings, landscapes of the Holy Land and beautiful portrayals of life in France at the turn of the last century. Together the show reexamines Tanner’s career in the context of turn-of-the-century modernity and religion.” Henry Ossawa Tanner: Modern Spirit delves into the life and career of Tanner from his upbringing in Philadelphia in the years after the Civil War; through the artist’s training at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts with Thomas Eakins; Tanner’s success as an American artist at the highest levels of the international art world at the turn of the 20th century; his role as an elected leader of an artist’s colony in rural France; his unique contributions in aid of servicemen during World War I through the Red Cross in France; his modernist invigoration of religious painting deeply rooted in his own faith; and Tanner’s depiction of the Holy Land and North Africa. The exhibition also presents the first scientific and technical analysis of his artistic materials and methods. The most substantial scholarly catalogue to date on Tanner’s life and work accompanies the exhibition. The book includes 14 essays by established and emerging scholars from the United States and France, and it is published by University of California Press. Organization and Funding This exhibition is organized by the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA. Exhibition Presenting Foundation sponsors: The Terra Foundation for American Art and the

major exhibition of the work of African American artist Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859–1937) concludes its national tour at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston (MFAH). Traveling retrospective has spurred renewed appreciation of Tanner’s career. The son of a former slave, Tanner trained in Philadelphia under Thomas Eakins and went on to achieve international success. On view from October 21, 2012, through January 13, 2013, Henry Ossawa Tanner: Modern Spirit presents more than 100 works, including 12 paintings that have never been shown together and the only two known sculptures that Tanner completed. The exhibition also features Tanner’s famed Resurrection of Lazarus. This

career-making canvas, on loan from the Musée d’Orsay, earned Tanner his first international accolade when it was exhibited in 1897, and had never crossed the Atlantic before this exhibition tour. The exhibition is organized by the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, where it opened in January before traveling to the Cincinnati Art Museum in May. “I am delighted that Houstonians will be able to see the most extensive exhibition of Tanner’s work to date,” said MFAH director Gary Tinterow. “A contemporary of Sargent and Whistler, Tanner is perhaps better known in France than here, so this exhibition will provide the opportunity to appreciate the extraordinary career of this great American painter.” “Tanner’s journey as an artist took him

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November 2012 Henry Luce Foundation. This exhibition has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor. Leading support from the Mr. and Mrs. Raymond J. Horowitz Foundation for the Arts, Inc. About the MFAH Founded in 1900, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, is among the 10 largest art museums in the United States. Located in the heart of Houston’s Museum District, the MFAH comprises two gallery buildings, a sculpture garden, theater, two art

schools and two libraries, with two house museums, for American and European decorative arts, nearby. The encyclopedic collection of the MFAH numbers some 64,000 works and embraces the art of antiquity to the present. Media Contacts: Mary Haus, Marketing and Communications Director mhaus@mfah.org Amy Lowman, Publicist alowman@mfah.org 713.639.7554

10 Ideas: Giving Thanks

in Everything

By Mary May Larmoyeux

e’re told in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks.” It’s easy for me to give thanks when I run my hands through a grandchild’s hair … or smell the damp earth after a spring rain … or gaze out of a frosted window at the new fallen snow. But what about the life of a newborn baby snuffed out before she took her first step … or the ears of my mom that can’t hear my words … or a loved one shaking a fist saying, “I don’t love you.” Why should I thank God for those things? I think it’s because giving God thanks for all things demonstrates a recognition that He is a good God (Psalm 118:29), regardless of whether I consider something to be a blessing or a burden. Giving thanks expresses my trust that God has a perfect plan. I believe that He is working all things for His good purposes (Romans 8:28), whether I understand or not. So, what am I thankful for? Here’s my list: 1. Faith (Galatians 2:16; John 3:16 ): Almighty God, thank You that I don’t have to earn my way to heaven. Thank You for the gift of faith. I know that I have been made right with You because of my faith in Your Son, Jesus Christ. My salvation is secure. 2. Family (1 Timothy 5:4): Thank You, Father, for creating families. Thank You for giving me parents, siblings, a spouse, children, and grandchildren. Family is part of Your plan and I’m so grateful for my loved ones. 3. God’s Word (Hebrews 4:12): Jehovah God, thank You for giving us the Bible— Your Word. It guides me, comforts me, and gives me hope. 4. Creation (Revelation 4:11): Lord, as I see a golden sunrise filling the morning sky, watch a hummingbird outside my kitchen window, or gaze from the top of a mountain, I can’t help but praise You. How great You are! Thank You for the beauty of nature and the promise that the best is yet to come. 5. Love (1 Corinthians 13, 1 John 4:7, 1 John 4:16 ): Abba Father, when I read that love is patient, and kind … not jealous or boastful … not seeking its own … keeping no record of wrongs … I feel so inadequate. But when I remember that You are love and that You will love through me, I have hope. You are love itself. Thank You for wanting to shine through ordinary people like me. 6. Daily problems (James 1:2-4): Jehovah-Jireh, You are my provider. If I didn’t have problems, my focus would grow inward. I thank You, by faith, for the trials of this life because they draw me to You and remind me that this Earth is not my home. 7. Suffering (1 Peter 2:22-24; 1 Timothy

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1:8): El-Shaddai, most powerful God, why is there suffering on this Earth? How could a good God allow helpless children to endure great hardships and faithful saints to be persecuted? O, Lord, I know the answer. It’s in Your Word. I only have to look to Jesus (1 Peter 2:22) who committed no sin; yet, He was crucified for our sin—for my sin. I need only look to the apostle Paul (2 Timothy 1:8) who accepted his suffering for the gospel, knowing that he could endure hardships through the power of God, believing that You would work it all for Your good purpose. 8. My inadequacies (Proverbs 20:24): Lord, there is much about life that I don’t understand. But You didn’t ask me to understand, did You? You asked me to trust You, and You are trustworthy. You promise that You are working all things out—right now. I do trust in You, O Lord. 9. Prayers of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26-27): Sometimes I just don’t know how to pray, Lord. I don’t know what to ask for and I don’t know what to do. That doesn’t surprise You, does it? Thank You that the Holy Spirit understands my weaknesses and that He prays for me according to Your perfect will. 10. I am not in control (Psalm 103:19): Jehovah-Nissai, the Lord our Banner, You go before me, and I am so glad. You know the many times I’ve prayed for specific things only to be grateful later that You responded, “No.” You have the big picture. So often You’ve answered my prayers with something much better than I could have ever imagined. Thank you for being in control—and not me. Thank You, Sovereign Ruler over all. This Thanksgiving Day, and every day, I want to give thanks. Give thanks in everything.

November, 2012

Balancing Work And Family – Good Parenting: Learn Ways To Cope With Your Family’s Bad Moods 5 Tips To Keep You Sane By Jill Hart

he balancing act - every mother’s nightmare. Many days we feel like circus jugglers with more plates in the air than we can possibly handle. Over the years, however, I’ve learned a few secrets that help me keep things in perspective: Keep God First In Matthew 6:33 we’re told to seek God’s kingdom above all else. Like the apostle Peter who saw Jesus walking on water and asked to join him – as soon as we take our eyes off of Christ and begin to doubt, we sink. In order to keep our eyes on Him, we need to be in relationship with Him. Schedule time in your day to read God’s Word and to talk with Him in prayer. Surround yourself with friends who love the Lord and who will point you back to Him when you struggle. Don’t Be Afraid To Choose Family Over Business As business owners, we do our best to maintain professionalism even when we’re working at our kitchen table with kids hanging on to our ankles. We have deadlines, client demands to meet and emails and phone calls to return. However, there comes a time in every work-at-home mom’s life when family simply must come first. It may be that your child is struggling or it could be an extended family member in crisis. The point is, it’s ok to step away from your business when absolutely necessary. Be respectful – let your clients know that you will be gone and when you plan to return. But don’t be afraid to set business aside for a time to be there for people who need you. Plan Ahead This is by far my biggest struggle. I’m a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of girl. I

By Adina Soclof

love working from home because every day is different and, for the most part, I’m in control of what I do and when. However, as a work-at-home mom so many distractions – emails to read, laundry to do and kids needing attention. So, I’ve had to learn to plan ahead. What works for me is to plot everything out weekly, giving each day a title for both home and business. So, Mondays are usually laundry days on the home front and “clean out inbox” days for business. Tuesdays tend to be more relaxed with maybe a trip to the park or the swimming pool with some writing to be done in the early morning. Find what works for you and make the best possible use of your time. It may seem backwards, but with some extra effort you can turn your work-athome workplace into a relaxing, enjoyable atmosphere. Make it a point to spend the quality with your family that you so often wish for (yep, I do that, too). Jill Hart’s entrepreneurial career began in her teens when she spent a summer working with her father who ran his own business. When he put her in charge of a Coke machine and allowed her to keep the profits, she saw the benefits of being her own boss. She is the founder of the popular Christian work-at-home website, CWAHM.com. Jill has articles published in In Touch Magazine, P31 Woman magazine and Focus on the Family’s Thriving Family, as well as across the web on sites like DrLaura.com. She is the author of So You Want To Be a Workat-Home Mom and speaks to audiences around the country about faith, business and leadership topics. Learn more about Jill at JillHart.com and connect with her on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/ SpeakerJillHart) and Twitter @cwahm.

ometimes holidays can be challenging. The Passover holiday was fun. Our family spent a lot of time together. I would like to tell you that we all behaved and it was an idyll, serene time. However, I would be lying. We had lots of good times but quite often conflict reared its head. We all took turns being irritable and whiny (yes, even the adults), short tempered and peevish. I used to get very upset when things were not always running smoothly and everyone was not on their best behavior. I finally came to the realization that family life is unpredictable. The instances where everyone is levelheaded and satisfied should be cherished as a gift. Bad moods, which usually occur at some point everyday, or at least once a week, need to be navigated with respect, empathy and acceptance. This is easier said than done. Here are two great tips to help you manage those tough moments when you and your family members are in a bad mood: 1. Learn how to talk respectfully: Families need to learn healthy communication and coping skills. It is imperative that parents learn ways to deal with the frustrations of everyday life with kids so they can act as role models. Yelling and lashing out at kids sends the wrong message. Children learn best by observing their parent’s behavior. Children will have an easier time getting along with their siblings, peers and others if they see their parents resolve conflicts appropriately. In my classes I teach parents to use one of the most helpful, productive and effective communications tools, the “I” statement. Every member of the family can use this handy skill. Instead of saying: “You guys are acting like brats. Stop fighting

right now!” You can say: “I am getting frustrated with all this fighting.” “I am having trouble holding onto my patience with all the loud fighting going on around me.” Children can also be taught to use “I” statements: Instead of saying: “You are so stupid!” You can teach children to say: “I get upset when you tease me about my questions.” “I don’t like it when you touch my stuff without my permission!” 2. Take a breather: When parent’s emotions are running high they should give themselves a break from their family. Parents can say, “Whoa, I am in a bad mood. I feel like yelling. Let me go into the other room and see if I can pull myself together.” Parents can also teach this technique to kids and they can gently encourage each person in the family to find a quiet place to recharge. Parents can say: “Looks like you are getting really upset with your brother. Sometimes it helps to just move away and find a place to calm down.” Family life is not always easy. Finding ways to get along and cope can ease the tensions that arise in every normal home and when your brood is spending a lot of extra time together. To learn more ways to help you and your kids get along, Join us for our Parenting Simply workshop: “How To Manage Sibling Rivalry Without Losing Your Mind.” Visit us at www.parentingsimply. com for more information.

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November 2012

Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember I By Barbara Rainey

’ve heard many people say that Thanksgiving is their favorite holiday. Is that surprising? Though it’s a holiday sandwiched between the increasingly popular Halloween and the overwhelmingly merchandised Christmas, Thanksgiving remains the holiday of “coming home.” It’s a holiday of rest—in stark contrast to the frenzy of obligation and spending that threatens to destroy the essence of Christmas. Our national obser vance of Thanksgiving is unique. It is both distinctly Christian and exclusively American, a holiday for celebrating faith, family, and freedom. Having majored in history in college, I’ve been concerned for years that “we the people” don’t know and understand what Abraham Lincoln referred to when he began his famous Gettysburg address with the statement, “Fourscore and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty … “ I was determined that my children would hear the stories of the courageous men, women, and children who lived honorably and, through faith in God, made enormous sacrifices to secure freedom for us all. I wanted them to understand God’s

sovereignty at work in the lives of our forefathers and His providential direction of their circumstances. For the Rainey family, Thanksgiving was not going to be just eating, hours of TV, naps, and leftover turkey sandwiches—followed by a stressfilled Friday of frantic Christmas shopping at the mall. With my husband’s help I initiated some new traditions into our Thanksgiving Day. The two more important ones are the reading of stories about the Pilgrims’ journey of faith from England to the shores of Cape Cod and the recording and sharing of our family’s personal blessings. As believers in Christ, we have so much to be thankful for and as Americans God has abundantly blessed our nation. During the years when all our children were still at home, our family would travel to my parents’ home for the traditional Thanksgiving meal. Before we left our home, however, we enjoyed another tradition - a special brunch. Everyone wore his or her Sunday “dress up” clothes for the meal. The children made place cards, decorated the table, and set it with special plates and glasses. The brunch always included a special French toast that requires 45 minutes to bake. While this meal was baking in the oven,

As my children grew up, I was determined to make this holiday a time for celebrating faith, family, and freedom. we gathered around the table and began reading about the Pilgrims. I’ve always been impressed by the faith the Pilgrims demonstrated when they held the first Thanksgiving festival. Though they had suffered much while starting a new life in the new world, they also recognized that God had clearly and miraculously guided their steps. Though they had suffered much, their experience was remarkably better than others who had attempted to colonize on the American shores. Plymouth had lost 50 percent of its numbers, but Jamestown in Virginia had lost 90 percent. The Plymouth settlers had successfully built a little community and grown crops to provide for themselves, while other colonies were totally dependent on supplies from England. Yes, God blessed them abundantly, and they sincerely offered Him their thanks and praise. Just before our family began eating our Thanksgiving brunch, we would all write (on special place cards) five things for which we were thankful to God. On each of our plates were five kernels of corn - a reminder of the Pilgrims’ daily ration during one of their first difficult winters. As we ate, we passed a basket around the table, each person placed one kernel of corn at a time into the basket and told of one thing for which he or she was thankful. The basket went around the table five times. I’ve saved all of these place cards as reminders of how God has worked in our lives. Here, for example, are some of the things our children wrote a number of years ago on one Thanksgiving: “I’m thankful for being able to have a family.” “I’m thankful Ashley got to come home from college for Thanksgiving.”

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“I’m thankful for having a big sister.” “I’m thankful for God in my life.” “I’m thankful for my ministry at my high school.” “I’m thankful for my sisters and all they’ve taught me about relationships.” “I’m thankful I got to shoot a deer!” “I’m thankful for a great brother.” Dennis and I were thrilled to hear the kids actually thank God for each other! After so many years of arguing and fighting with each other, they were finally beginning to show each other the affection we hope will continue through their lives. That year we also were touched by something our son Samuel wrote: “I’m thankful for my muscular dystrophy.” He had been diagnosed with the disease earlier in the year, and we had been through some wrenching, emotional months. While Dennis and I had prayed aloud many times, thanking God by faith for how He would use this disease in all our lives, this was the first time we heard Samuel express this sentiment. It was a big step of faith for him. And it provided another sign that our children were truly learning the authentic spirit of Thanksgiving. As you plan your family’s Thanksgiving this year, you might want to try something like the simple routine I’ve described. To help you, I’ve written a book called Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember that helps tell the story of the Pilgrims and their faith in our sovereign God. It is written so it can appeal to children of different ages . Part of this article was adapted from Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember, by Barbara Rainey, Crossway Books, Wheaton, Illinois, copyright 2002.

10.

November, 2012

Setting the Tone Offering Gratitude & Thanksgiving One Day at a Time By Blaze Lazarony, Contributing Writer

By Susan J. Ellis

eople have many different views of what a religious congregation should be and of what can be expected from church members. Some feel that the spiritual aspects of a faith community override all other considerations, while others wish to see a more service-oriented type of worship-inaction. Some congregation members desire only to participate in religious services and prefer to give their volunteer time out in the community at large. Others seek the fellowship of the congregation and want to become involved in church-sponsored activities. Faith communities in North America and in many other parts of the world are actually voluntary associations made up of volunteers. Except for the clergy and some specialized staff who are paid a salary, congregation members who do the work of the church do so by choice, without monetary pay. The techniques of coordinating volunteers that have been tested and proven in other settings also work in faith communities. Unfortunately, there is still resistance by some to anything that uses the vocabulary of “management” in relation to a religious institution. This is based on a belief that attention to process and structure interferes with true spirituality and worship. There is also concern that “business-like” organizing demands more from congregation members than should be expected from volunteers. The Church Puzzle Game is based on the perspective that acting from the heart is best supported by thoughtful organization. As Game leader, you must be prepared for your participants to have many of these conflicting feelings. The important thing is to permit such ideas to surface and be discussed. One good way to introduce the need to play The Church Puzzle Game is to ask the group of players the following question: If you were asked to describe our church, would any of the following observations occur to you? • We are expanding our program activities but are finding it increasingly hard to enlist the help of congregation members to do the necessary work. • A few people are overworked. • Too many others hardly do anything.

•

A core group of people is always on the “inside” of decision-making and these insiders are therefore perceived by others as a “clique.” • There are poorly-defined, “gray areas” of responsibility. • There is duplication of effort. • Some tasks never seem to get done. • Key leadership positions are hard to fill. • It is difficult to get new congregation members actively involved. • Good ideas surface but are not implemented. • There is stereotyping by sex and age of who can do certain jobs. Excerpted from The Church Puzzle Game by Susan J. Ellis 2002 Energize, Inc. pp. 3-4. Found in the Energize website library at: www.energizeinc.com/art.html

e are embarking on a time of year when many people quote Charles Dickens, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” otherwise known as the Holiday Season. The 39 days from Thanksgiving until New Year’s Day is a time when American’s eat, decorate, go to parties, shop, wrap, eat, party again, open gifts, take it all down, return things, recycle, and then eat some more. Sounds hectic right? And it feels even more difficult some years too. I’ve decided to shift my energy this year even before the season officially starts and set my intention to find gratitude one day at a time. (Truth be told, I gave this program a trial run in October and had amazing results.) How to Offer Gratitude:

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When you wake up and before you put your feet on the floor, allow one positive and uplifting word or virtue to enter into your consciousness. Some examples include: connection, love, joy, or happiness. Allow this word to become your word for the day. Feel free to jot it down in your calendar, put on a sticky note, or write on your white board. Embrace this word for the entire day; make it your goal to embody this word in as many ways as possible. Don’t forget to take the time to think, play, and have fun with your embodiment of the word! If you’ve chosen happiness for example, one idea would be to consider smiling at as many people you can during the day. You can keep it the word as your personal secret or you can share your word with others too, whatever you chose. You can make it a game and even ask others guess your word for the day. Then just keep the process going from Thanksgiving Day to New Year’s Day and feel free to share your words in the comment area below too. I bet you’re wondering about those amazing results I mentioned, so I’ll share: One of my words was connection; I held the intention of connecting with people who I haven’t spoken with in months, after all life gets busy for all of us. I made phone calls and wrote to anyone that just popped into my consciousness on that day. What followed was a mini-reunion that flowed into the next week; I received return emails, talked with people over the phone, and even meet old friends for lunch. I felt so energized by reconnecting with people and they were grateful that I thought of them and we had a chance to catch-up. Are you ready to find your idea of gratitude one day a time? Just get started on Thanksgiving morning and be ready to experience your own amazing results and cheers to 39 days of good times! Bio: Blaze, aka Barbara Lazarony is a fire-starter and mentor to people who want to light up the world. She is a Certified Transformational Life Coach, Hypnotherapist, Speaker, and Author who committed to helping professionals discover who they are and what they want to manifest in their lives. To discover more of your passion, purpose, and power in your life and business visit www. BlazeABrilliantPath.com

November 2012

Squanto By Deborah Brunt

f you’ve ever faced hardships, you may want to hear this story. It’s an amazing story. In fact, if I wrote it into a novel, you’d say it was too coincidental, too far-fetched. But because it really happened, it may help you see that far-fetched and wonderful things can come from hardships. It may even provoke you to give thanks. It all started 400 years ago when a Native American named Squanto lived near Cape Cod with his tribe, the Patuxets. One day, an English sea captain kidnapped Squanto and four other Patuxets, carted them off to England, taught them English and pumped them for information about the New World. Nine years passed before Squanto linked up with a second sea captain, who took him back across the Atlantic to his home. As soon as Squanto stepped off that ship, the captain of another vessel invited him and 19 other Patuxets aboard. The captain pretended to want to barter but really wanted a cargo of slaves. This captain took his captives back across the Atlantic to Spain, where Squanto was bought and freed by friars, who introduced him to the Christian faith. Are you still following here? I told you this would seem far-fetched. As soon as he could secure passage, Squanto left Spain for England. More time passed before he again sailed for home. In spring of 1620, 15 years after he was first abducted, Squanto stepped ashore at what we now know as Plymouth, Massachusetts. There, he found no one at all from his tribe. Two years after his second kidnapping, a plague had killed every man, woman and child among his people. Of all that had befallen him, this blow was by far the worst. In despair, Squanto wandered into the camp of another tribe, the Wampanoags. He remained with them for a year, utterly desolate. Meanwhile, a little of group of Pilgrims landed in the New World and settled at Plymouth, on land that had formerly belonged to the Patuxets but now belonged to no one. That first winter, nearly half the Pilgrims died.

The future looked bleak for the 55 survivors (17 of whom were children). They had little food and only English wheat and barley to plant. In March, the grieving man who had twice been abducted by Englishmen heard about the little colony and went calling. Instead of single-handedly wiping them out, he single-handedly saved them. Before the next winter, he had taught the Pilgrims what they needed to know to survive in the Massachusetts wilderness, and they had embraced him as their own. In October, the Pilgrim governor declared a day of Thanksgiving. Pilgrims and Native Americans celebrated together. Whom did Squanto and his newfound family thank? The God the Phillips New Testament calls “the blessed controller of all things” (1 Tim. 6:15). Why did they thank him? He certainly hadn’t kept them from hardship. But he’d done something even more amazing. Romans 8:28 describes it this way: “Morever we know that to those who love God, who are called according to his plan, everything that happens fits into a pattern for good” (Phillips). Through his trials, Squanto learned English, came to know Christ, survived the plague that obliterated his tribe and returned to New England six months before the arrival of the Pilgrims. The Pilgrims, who were supposed to settle 100 miles south, chose instead the one place where help awaited them. Which, then, is more far-fetched: to attribute it all to coincidence or to give thanks to the God who - no matter how vast the wilderness - can bring together a man desperately needing purpose and a people desperately needing life? Adapted from “We Confess! The Civil War, the South, and the Church,” by Deborah Brunt, (c) 2011 by Deborah P. Brunt. All rights reserved. Also by Deborah: “The Elijah Blessing: An Undivided Heart.” Key truths for living life: http://www. keytruths.com. Blog:http://keytruthsblog. wordpress.com. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters. com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

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November, 2012

Thanks-GIVING By Rodney White

nother holiday season is upon us. Thanksgiving in its context is self-explanatory. However not enough people follow the holiday in the spirit that it was intended. Many of us turned Thanksgiving into a holiday where we are purportedly thankful for the gifts we have received. I say purportedly for two reasons. One, we should spend all year counting and being thankful for our blessings, but we only spend one day. Two, it should be the other way around. The word is Thanksgiving. We should GIVE something because we are thankful. Not be just thankful for what we got. Do not get me wrong, this writer is thankful for many things and I do celebrate the day. However, I applaud those that you will find down at a homeless shelter or other venue on Thanksgiving Day. Those that are “giving back” to the communities in which they live and work are “walking the talk” of the season. Thanksgiving Day is a day we have an opportunity to provide aid to the sick and the shut in, the hopeless and the homeless. It is a day those among us that are more fortunate can make a positive difference in the lives of many. It is a day of giving, not receiving! What about you, will you GIVE on

Thanksgiving Day? Alternatively, will you be perfectly content giving thanks for the things that you received? “Thanksreceiving” just does not sound right, does it? As for this writer, you will be able to find me and my family uptown with about 15,000 of our closest friends walking/ running in a 5k/10K race called the Turkey Trot. This race benefits senior citizens through the Sheltering Arms Senior Services in Houston Texas. It will take place on

Thanksgiving Day Thursday, November 22. Races will start at Dillard’s by the Galleria on Westheimer and Post Oak Roads. Race day registration will begin at 6 am with first race at 7:20 am. A post-Turkey Trot event at Dillard’s will begin after the final race, the kids run/ walk, at 9 am. Whether you join us for the race, or whether you GIVE in a different way. The important thing is that we GIVE. If you have ever considered an alternative to the traditional day, now is a great time to take action! Happy Thanks-GIVING”

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November 2012

Cheap Grace?

By Dave Campbell

Romans 5: 1. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ 2. through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

t has been said that many treat Jesus’ sacrifice with less value than it is worth and do what they want after accepting his forgiveness . I would like to suggest that the value of grace remains at the level set by the giver and is totally independent from the actions of the receiver. That is, the fully paid grace we receive from God is valuable beyond measure and yet is totally “cheap” to us. That is, it is FREE. (Can’t get much cheaper than free). God intended it to be free and with no real strings attached. We need to see that God did this for us, outside our own will or desire and that he brought this grace to us, when we did not seek it and that it continues past any action we can do, either positive or negative. Thus the issue, of its value based on my actions or how I accept it is irrelevant. What IS important, as suggested by this passage is that in order to accept God’s offer we have to enter his kingly court AND without grace we cannot enter there. God has made a provision through Jesus blood that we CAN enter and then can accept God’s gift there in his courts. Our attitude on entering that court is

the real issue. So, pay close attention to what I am about the say: If I enter with an arrogant attitude, saying in my heart, “oh, yea, no problem, God will forgive me, I deserve it”. Then I am NOT entering his court by GRACE but by my own value. THIS is where people trip up. We can ONLY accept God’s salvation and gain eternal life WHEN we come to Him based on HIS grace ONLY. We come, knowing fully in our heart that we could never enter to see God, or get His audience and therefore never even ask for eternal life, if it was not for God having favor toward us that is TOTALLY undeserved. So, there is no cheap or expensive grace. Grace is grace is grace, always. But grace has no power when a person perceives they do not need it, .and I mean ALL of it! Dave Campbell has ministered for 30 years from large platforms to local outreaches. He has counseled hundreds of people with difficult issues. Today he is a professional writer, employed full time, as well as a free-lance writer for Christ. Article Source: FaithWriters.com http:// www.faithwriters.com and FaithReaders. com http://www.faithreaders.com

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