Fort Bend Christian Magazine - August / September 2016

Faithfully Serving Sugar Land, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenberg and Stafford

FORT BEND

Family Friendly News with an Eternal Purpose

Inside this Issue: Cancer Patient Relies on Healthy Living, God to Bring Healing Sugar Land Pastor Comes Home Again to Help Bring Congregation, Neighborhood Together

Bible Trivia Yes, You Are An Inspiration

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August / September 2016

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August / September 2016

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Letter from the Publisher FORT BEND

Volume II, Issue I

7

Bible Trivia

9

Cancer Patient Relies on Healthy Living, God to Bring Healing

14 Dr. Steve Harris –

Treating the Whole Patient 21 Fort Bend Christian Academy

Names New Head of School 23 Pastor Profile: Sugar Land Pastor

Comes Home Again to Help Bring

Congregation, Neighborhood Together 29 Yes, You Are An Inspiration 37 Estate Planning 101: To Probate

or Not to Probate? It’s All in the Planning 41 Outrage 44 Recipe: Baby Back Ribs Our Mission Statement: “Our mission is to have a magazine devoted to His glory, provide cutting-edge stories important to today’s Christian, promote Christian-Judeo values we find important, and editorial content that your entire family can enjoy.”

Wow. It’s hard to believe that summer is almost over! I pray that you have had a wonderful summer thus far, and spent plenty of quality time with your families. My youngest son, Jeremiah, is about to start his senior year of high school and my baby Naomi is entering her sophomore year. Where does the time go?

In this issue, we are featuring an article on a very good friend of mine, Tracy Walker.

Tracy is a wonderful person with many involvements. She is the owner of her own State Farm Insurance agency in Sugar land, a Rotarian, and an outstanding Christian. She is also a single mother of three remarkable children. However, recently Tracy was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer in her liver and pancreas.

I encourage you, our faithful readers, to keep her in your prayers. The article in this issue will fill you in on further details to her plight.

I also have another urgent prayer request for one of our magazine’s talented writers, Jessa McClure.

Jessa joined our staff a little over two years ago and is the wife of a pastor. She truly understands what it means to let the life of Christ shine through her. The articles that she writes for our magazines are inspirational.

Jessa was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor. Thankfully it is not cancerous. However, because of its size and position inside of her brain, it does require surgery. Once again, I call to you, our readers, to keep this remarkable woman of God in your prayers.

On a brighter note, Fort Bend Christian magazine is celebrating our Second Anniversary with this issue. We would like to thank all of you for making us a success! For going on two years, we’re proud to bring you a Christ-focused and family oriented magazine. We’re able to deliver this loving message because of our advertisers, and want our readers to support those advertisers you see in our publications.

Please be sure to let them know you appreciate the fact that they advertise with us, and let them know where you saw their ad. Have a wonderful Labor Day and may the Lord richly bless you!

Joseph R. Menslage President/Publisher Fort Bend Christian Magazine joseph@houstonchristianmagazine.com

Like Us On Facebook! facebook.com/FortBendChristianMagazine

For advertising information, contact Joseph Menslage at (281) 497-6455 or email joseph@houstonchristianmagazine.com

Meet Our Staff

© 2016 Fort Bend Christian Magazine. All rights reserved. No part of this publication or website may be distributed or reproduced without prior written consent of the publisher. Advertisements and or editorial content published in Fort Bend Christian Magazine does not necessarily reflect the views of Fort Bend Christian Magazine.

To SUBSCRIBE: send a check or money order for 30.00 for a 12-month subscription to Fort Bend Christian Magazine, 650 West Bough, Suite 150-170, Houston, TX 77024. For EDITORIAL or calendar submissions, please mail them to Fort Bend Christian Magazine, 650 West Bough, Suite 150-170, Houston, TX 77024.

CUSTOMER SERVICE For 24/7 service, please visit our website: www. FortBendChristianMagazine.com. You can also call (281) 497-6455 or write to us at 650 West Bough, Suite 150-170, Houston, TX 77024.

Joseph Menslage Publisher

joseph@houstonchristianmagazine.com

Mirtha Schultz-Bader Senior Account Executive

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Associate Publisher and Promotions

mirlenis@fortbendchristianmagazine.com

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General Sales Manager

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August / September 2016

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August / September 2016

Bible Trivia Test Your Knowledge By Answering the Trivia Questions Below 1. Who should keep themselves from idols? a) The Israelites b) Children of man c) Women d) Children of God Minors 2. A deceiver is also a what? a) Liar b) Bad person c) Lost child d) Temptress e) Antichrist 3. We should be fellow helpers to what? a) Family b) Brethren c) Forgiveness d) Truth e) None of the above 4. What does it mean to offer a sacrifice with leaven (Amos 4:5)? a) add something to enhance its smell b) add bulk to the sacrifice c) make it burn better d) taint an offering with evil attitude 5. According to Paul, which is a sign of spiritual maturity? a) following new teachings b) Blindness of heart c) Childlike innocence d) Speaking the truth in love 6. ‘For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with what? a) Kindness b) Joy c) Humility d) Thanksgiving e) Grace 7. What is another kind of famine the Lord will send on Israel as penalty for deceit? a) No luxuries from foreign places b) No words from the Lord c) No leisure time d) No pleasant music 8. According to Paul, with what are believers sealed? a) The sign of the cross b) The mark of the beast c) The Holy Spirit d) Membership in the church 9. Which statement is NOT part of Paul’s teaching about unity? a) One hope to which believers are called b) One Spirit c) One baptism d) One way to build up the body of Christ 10. Paul tells the Ephesians to walk in goodness, righteousness and truth, as children of what? a) Obedience b) Thanksgiving c) Light d) Abraham Answers

1) Children of God 2) Antichrist 3) Truth 4) taint an offering with evil attitude 5) Speaking the truth in love 6) Thanksgiving 7) No words from the Lord 8) The Holy Spirit 9) One way to build up the body of Christ 10) Light

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August / September 2016

Cancer Patient Relies on Healthy Living, God to Bring Healing

By Jessa McClure

Friday night lights were burning brightly as Sugar Land resident, Tracy Walker, lie on the floor of her home with crippling pain. Her son was ready to take the field for his last football game of the season, but Walker couldn’t even stand.

“My mom had driven up to see my son’s game and when she found me, she said, you need to go to the ER,” Walker said.

The mother of three reluctantly went to the hospital where she underwent a CT scan.

“They said, you have lesions on your pancreas and liver. I didn’t know what that meant,” she said. “They had given me some pain drugs so I was feeling better. And it was my son’s last football game, so I told them I’d go to [the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center] on Monday to get it checked out.”

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But after the weekend, Walker was feeling better and decided to just follow up with her primary care doctor who ordered an MRI. The second scan showed fluid in her abdomen. The doctor then sent Walker to see her OB/ GYN. “They also said I needed to go MD Anderson and that they would send my records over to the hospital,” Walker said. “So, I called the hospital and said, ‘let me know when you get the records,’ and sort of put it out of my mind.”

A few weeks passed and Walker forgot about the records and the searing pain she’d endured.

“I’m a single mom and I was worried about getting my numbers done for the first quarter of the year,” she said. “I was working, very stressed out and distracted.”

But she couldn’t shut it out forever. It wasn’t long before the pain returned.

“I called MD Anderson and they had never received my records,” she said. “Three days later they ordered a PET scan, and two days after that they told me I needed to come in and speak

with an oncologist.”

Terrified and still feeling poorly, Walker sat down in the oncologists office, waiting to hear the diagnosis. “[The doctor] said she thought I had pancreatic cancer, but they needed to be sure,” she said.

Walker endured another procedure so the doctor could have a biopsy done on the affected areas. Two weeks later, Walker finally got the results she was dreading.

“She told me I had a rare type of pancreatic cancer. She said, with this type of cancer, surgery is number one,” she said.

Walker is still waiting for the surgery to happen, and as she waits, she prays that the cancer does not spread.

“If I had gone to MD Anderson back in November, maybe I’d only have two spots instead of five,” she said.

But even though her diagnosis is serious, Walker truly believes that God will heal her.

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August / September 2016

“I’m on so many prayer lists. I have prayer warriors praying for me.”

She has also started listening to podcasts about cancer and learning all she can about boosting her immune system.

“I’m taking a lot of supplements because I have to be at top shape when they do the surgery,” she said. “The surgery will have a huge impact on my immune system, and if it is already down, it could prompt more cancer cells to spread.”

Walker is also drinking alkaline water, using essential oils, and working out with a rebounder to stimulate you lymphatic symptom.

“I thank God for giving this to me because it really opened me up,” she said. “And even after surgery, I know I’m going to be okay because I know what to do to prevent it from coming back. I’ve learned my lesson.”

Although she is doing whatever she can to strengthen her body before surgery, she has realized that she can’t rely completely on herself.

“I’ve always been independent, and I’ve always wanted to do things myself,” Walker said. “This is the first time that God has taught me that I’m not an island. I don’t got this. He’s got this. And I believe that with God’s grace and power, I will be healed.”

August / September 2016

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Dr. Steve Harris – Treating the Whole Patient

By Dr. Rebecca Deurlein

Chiropractor Steve Harris has been in practice for 40 years, but it didn’t take him nearly that long to discover what would become the key to his success. While his patients come to him seeking relief from physical ailments, he finds himself treating much more than the body. As he puts it, he tries to be a “true doctor,” because he seeks to understand the underlying causes of pain or discomfort and work toward total healing with his patients.

Much of Dr. Harris’ success with his patients stems from a genuine passion for helping others, coupled with a Christian approach to healing. Dr. Harris chose this career after witnessing a chiropractor who helped his father when no other doctor could. After his father’s transformation, he sent the entire family – including Harris – and more than 100 friends and acquaintances to the chiropractor who had helped him. Harris was able to experience firsthand the benefits of the treatment and knew at age 14 that he wanted to help people in the

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same way. He started his career at age 23 and over the years has seen how powerful the profession is in helping with a variety of problems of the spine and joints including discs, sports injuries, neck and back injuries from auto accidents, and chronic headaches.

“I currently treat a 2-year-old who had been in an auto accident,” Harris said. “I use a gentle adjusting instrument that sends impulses up and down the spine and stimulates the nerves to help with alignment and pain.” The 2-year-old lies peacefully on the table and enjoys the treatment, and Dr. Harris is thrilled that he is able to get her neck and back into proper alignment. “Chiropractic is extremely safe, so much so that insurers require much lower malpractice insurance premiums of us than they do doctors in other fields. It’s because they know how safe our procedures are.”

Throughout his career, Dr. Harris’s passion for chiropractic has grown as technology has advanced and instruments such as this one have become available. While he still performs physical spine manipulations on patients who need or request it, much of what he does incorporates the use of technological breakthroughs in healthcare. One such breakthrough is the spinal disc decompression machine used to treat the growing number of people who

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GARY GREENE August / September 2016

suffer from spinal disc degeneration.

Dr. Harris estimates that 90% of his patients have some level of disc degeneration, which leads to pain, numbness, and further wear on the body.

“Unbelievably, this is one of the few areas that just can’t be helped by exercise,” Dr. Harris explained. “I’ve treated athletes in their absolute prime who suffered from this ongoing, progressive problem despite their level of fitness. With this treatment, however, we are able to stop the progression, back it up some, re-nourish and re-moisturize the discs, and give up to 17% of the disc space back to the patient.”

Dr. Harris also uses a state-of-the-art laser machine that penetrates discs, speeds healing, reduces inflammation, and heals damage. Laser is used in Dr. Harris’ office to treat pain, with the added benefit of healing spinal tissue damage and upgrading scar tissue.

“I was able to completely erase a patient’s knee pain using laser, but the surprise benefit is that the laser also severely reduced a protruding, purple scar on that knee. My patient was happy she was finally out of pain, but she was equally happy to lose that outward reminder of her pain!”

And this is where Dr. Harris reflects on his practice, particularly as a Christian. He notes that while people come to him with a variety of physical ailments, many are manifestations of something deeper in their lives, including stress, depression, problems at home or at work. When Dr. Harris detects that there might be something emotional behind the pain, he asks permission to share Scripture with his patients. Never has he been refused. His

patients come from all religious backgrounds, but, as he said, “Everyone is looking for relief.”

To illustrate this, Harris shared a story about a patient named Bill, who came in with back pain. He weighed 400 lbs., had a stomach ulcer, high blood pressure, and congested lungs. He smoked a carton of cigarettes every two days, drank a bottle of whiskey and 15 cups of coffee a day, and vomited 30 minutes after every meal. Dr. Harris said to him, “Bill, you have a problem with every major system in your body, and any one of those problems can cripple or kill you. If you want help, I will give it to you, but you have to listen and do everything I say.” At 53 years old, with a prognosis of two years to live, Bill agreed.

His dream was to build the largest house in Texas and he wanted to live long enough to see that dream realized. So Dr. Harris instructed him to stop drinking that day, stop smoking the next week, reduce coffee to 2 cups the next, diet, follow a nutritional program, exercise, and come in regularly for treatments. Bill dropped almost half his weight, his overall health improved, and he built his 34,000 square foot dream house on Galveston bay in Seabrook. When Dr. Harris attended the Open House, he gifted Bill with a Bible and a letter guiding him through the Scriptures.

Five weeks later, Bill was murdered. His foreman found him and the Bible, which he then passed on to Bill’s son, Ron Carlson.

At the time, Ron was contemplating suicide. His sister Deborah Thornton had been murdered by the notorious Karla Faye Tucker, leaving him with no family. Desperate for answers, he turned to the Bible and 2 years later on Bill’s birthday, Ron called Dr. Harris to thank him for his dad’s Bible and to let him know

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he had become a Christian. He went on to meet the murderer of his sister and to extend forgiveness and compassion. Later, his extraordinary willingness to forgive made him a media sensation, and he was invited to appear on Primetime, Larry King, and Good Morning America. “He professed his faith stronger and more effectively than I have seen or heard since,” Harris said proudly. “That one Bible led to a transformation that was shared with countless people.”

Dr. Harris shares this story to illustrate one of his favorite Bible verses from Isaiah 55:11: So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Dr. Harris believes that one kind act – one Scripture, one piece of advice, one phone call, one treatment – can change not just one life, but thousands. Given that he’s treated over 11,000 patients in his career, it’s obvious that his influence spreads far beyond his patients.

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August / September 2016

Fort Bend Christian Academy Names New Head of School Sugar Land, TX – David Pitre, Ph.D. has been named Head of School for Fort Bend Christian Academy.

After beginning his career as an instructor in higher education, Dr. Pitre served independent and Christian independent schools in several senior-administrative roles, including Head of School, founding Head of Upper School, Academic Dean, and Dean of Faculty.

Dr. Pitre has been involved in a wide variety of professional activities and associations, including serving on accreditation teams in several states, participating in professional organizations such as the National Association of Independent Schools, the International Dyslexia Association, the National Association of Episcopal Schools, and serving as a member of the board of directors of the Texas Association of Nonpublic Schools.

“For me to serve as Fort Bend Christian Academy’s next Head of School is both a professional honor and a personal privilege,” Pitre said. “For all of FBCA’s successes, good work remains to be done as it moves into its next stage of development as a premier Christian independent school.”

Dr. Pitre earned a B.A. from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette (formerly the University of Southwestern Louisiana), a M.A. from Virginia Tech University, and a Ph.D. from the University of

South Carolina. He is married to Judy, a speech/language therapist and reading/language clinician and diagnostician.

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August / September 2016

Pastor Profile: Sugar Land Pastor Comes Home Again to Help Bring Congregation, Neighborhood Together

By Jessa McClure

The sanctuary of a Missouri church was filled to capacity with parishioners in their Sunday best, waiting to hear a sermon that would kick off their Easter activities.

Providence Christian church lead pastor, John Davis, at the time only a high school sohpomore, sat amongst the congregation expecting a normal day. But as the pastor got up to preach, he decided to resign from his position and leave the stage in the middle the service.

Shocked and mystified, congregates began yelling and running out of the building. Davis knew in that moment that God was leading him to ministry.

“I thought what that guy did was pretty lame and hurtful,” he said. “I thought, well, if I go into ministry, at least there will be one church where that never happens.”

Davis had resisted his calling up until that point. His father

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was a pastor, and while he respected his father and his profession, he didn’t think it was for him.

“I was sensing God was leading me in that direction, but I was resisting. I was trying to find other things to do,” he said. “And when that happened it became the catalyst for me going into ministry.”

After graduating from high school, Davis attended Ozark Christian College in Joplin, MO. And by the time he was a junior, he had already secured a preaching position at a “little country church,” as Davis put it.

“There were only about 20 people in the church, but they were very nice and patient with me,” he said. “They allowed me to learn how to be a pastor.”

Once he had completed his degree, he left the country church and headed for the Lone Star State to become a student ministry pastor. He didn’t have any experience with ministering to students, but he took the position anyway.

Despite his lack of knowledge, Davis stayed at the church for more than seven years, and found great success. Hundreds of people poured into Providence each week, and when Davis got a call to become the executive pastor at New Hope Church in Pearland, he believed Providence would continue to draw people in.

He left for Pearland and watched his new church grow to include four campuses. Davis wondered about Providence every once in a while, but with the church, and a family of seven, he didn’t have time to rest on the thought too long.

“About 18 months ago [Providence] lost their lead pastor.

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August / September 2016

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August / September 2016

So, they called me and asked if I knew anybody that could fill the position,” he said. “I told them I didn’t really know anybody, but that I would come and fill in a couple of Sundays.”

When Davis walked into the sanctuary for the first time in 14 years, he was discouraged by what he saw.

“When I left we had about 300 people every Sunday, and when I got back there was only about 90,” he said. “I thought, what in the world? Somebody should do something. The more I thought about it, the more I heard God saying that it should be me.”

So, the pastor returned to the church that took a chance on him nearly 20 years before.

“When I got here the service and the building were very traditional. I just said, I think we need to turn this around,” he said.

“I’ve been very impressed by people’s openness and willingness to do whatever it takes to reach people.”

Over the past year-and-a-half, Davis has helped the church remodel the building to make it more inviting, and has created ministry projects that get the congregation out from behind the church walls and into the surrounding neighborhoods, serving others.

“We’ve started doing small things like taking coffee and donuts to our local first responders, collecting food for food pantries, and handing out bottled water at 5K events in our area,” he said. “We’re trying to be more visible, and give people easy entry points into serving others outside of the church.”

Davis believes that God sent him back to Providence to be a visionary.

“I came with some new ideas and strategies,” he said. “I don’t think [the congregation] ever stepped away from the mission of the church, which is to go and make disciples, but I just don’t think they knew how to reach the community.”

With Davis’ help, the church has gained dozens of new church members and has integrated a more contemporary style and sound.

“We have a young, 20-something, Hispanic worship leader,” he said. “It’s a very band-driven sound now.”

The pastor said this has helped the church reach people who have been turned off by church in the past or have never been to church.

“I’ll have people come up to me and say, I’ve been to church before and had no idea what was going on. But now, it kind of makes sense,” Davis said. “That’s our goal—to help people connect to God.” Davis wants Providence to be a place where unchurched people can come in and feel welcome, and be able to someday help someone else have that same feeling.

“We want to help people grow in their own faith so that they’re not just receiving, but they’re giving; that they’re not just being fed, but they’re feeding someone else.”

Those who want to connect with Davis and this multi-generational, multi-ethnic church, can come for morning service at 10:45 a.m. on Sunday mornings and stay for adult Bible fellowship begins at 9:30 a.m. Providence Christian Church is located at 8727 Gaines Road, Sugar Land, TX 77498.

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August / September 2016

Yes, You Are An Inspiration

By Dr. Rebecca Deurlein

Recently, I packed up my office at school to come home for the summer. I had collected cards and notes from students during the course of the year - thank you notes, Thanksgiving cards, and goodbye missives written by those same teenagers we all accuse of being self-centered. They’re not. Okay, sometimes they are. But they are also completely selfless when it comes to expressing their genuine gratitude. The two drawers in my nightstand contain enough evidence of teenage sweetness to dispel any rumors you may have heard of their apathy. They care, very much, especially about people who care about them.

As I gathered each note, I re-read it, first with smiles, and then increasingly with awe. I noticed for the first time a pattern among the letters in a phrase I never expected to hear about myself: “You inspire me.”

Trust me, I’m not telling you this to boast or brag.

Quite the opposite, actually. This was an incredibly humbling

August / September 2016

experience for me. To be considered an inspiration to another human being - to several of them - is, as they used to say in the

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70’s, heavy, man. When I think of inspirational people, I tend to think of Mother Theresa, Olympic athletes, and soldiers. Certainly not myself.

But when I really think about who has inspired me, personally, my single grandmother raising my mom on her own comes to mind. Then my mom.

Then some amazing mentors I’ve had over the years. I’m not sure that any of them know they’ve inspired me, but they absolutely have. They have inspired me to work hard, persevere, be independent, think for myself, and never carry a grudge.

As parents, you inspire your children. They may never tell you that, so I’m doing it for them.

I had coffee with a young man today who would impress the socks off of you, and guess what? His parents have played a primary role in the man he is becoming. They’ve inspired him to communicate in healthy ways, to help those in need, and to know when to let go. He knows and respects their bottom line, and there’s not a doubt in my mind he will go on to inspire his own children one day.

So what can you do specifically to make a lasting impact on your kids? Try the following:

and treating others as you would be treated are basic tenets of your life.

1. Be who you say you are. Teach your kids that authenticity is crucial to trust and and respect.

3. Give your kids - and everyone else in your life - the benefit of the doubt. Don’t expect them to mess up. Expect them to be amazing and then raise them to do just that.

2. Live out your faith. Teach your kids that prayer, gratitude,

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August / September 2016

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4. Forgive those who have wronged you. Pick yourself up and move on. You won’t inspire anyone by holding onto bitterness and becoming a victim.

be much more likely to develop that same confidence.

8. Believe in your kids’ dreams. Be realistic, but let them know that you respect and support their dreams, especially when their dreams differ from yours. They need to know that their future is their own.

9. Have a sense of humor. When you can laugh at yourself, they learn not to take themselves and their problems so seriously.

Humor puts everything in perspective.

10. Give them the security they need to fly. It seems paradoxical, but when they know you’re always there for them, that’s when they truly find their freedom.

Inspire your kids today. Greatness doesn’t mean fame and fortune. It means being an inspiration to others.

5. Always strive to be better. Set the example for your kids of lifelong learning, pursuit of mastery, and giving your all to a task.

6. Respect yourself. There’s no better way to model high standards and healthy relationships.

7. Be confident. If you know who you are, play to your strengths, and worry less about what others think, your kids will

Being there is why I’m here.

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Dr. Rebecca Deurlein is the author of Teenagers 101: What a top teacher wishes you knew about helping your kid succeed (Amazon, Barnes & Noble). She is a mom of two who has a doctorate in education and 20 years’ experience as a teacher of thousands of teens.

Rebecca lives in Sugar Land, TX, and works at Fort Bend Christian Academy. She has her own freelance writing business, and her blog, A Teacher’s Guide to Understanding Teenagers, can be found at rebeccadeurlein.wordpress.com. You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter. For public speaking events or more information, go to rebeccadeurlein.com.

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August / September 2016

The Buzz About Fort Bend

The Central Fort Bend Chamber and the Rosenberg-Richmond Auto Mile hosted the 31st annual Golf Tournament at Black Hawk Country Club on Monday, June 27, 2016 in Richmond. The event was a great success and over 200 Chamber members participated as sponsors, players and volunteers.

On Monday, July 18th the Central Fort Bend Chamber hosted a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for their new member HNTB Corporation. HNTB Corporation is a nationwide transportation and infrastructure firm based out of Kansas City, and they have had a local office in the Houston area since 1979.

The Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) initiative at FBCA is a collaborative effort with a single mission: produce a God-honoring, cohesive, cutting-edge program that engages learners through riveting, relevant and competitive curriculum.

The goal is to yield learners equipped to be problem-solving leaders in college and industry.

John Kennedy, Texas State Technical College and Jeff Haley, Board Chair Central Fort Bend Chamber, stop for a photo during the Fort Bend Masters Golf Tournament on June 27th at the prestigious Black Hawk Country Club in Richmond.

Wesley Wittig, Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office; Cason Wen, Roberts Markel Weinberg Butler Hailey P.C., and John Laine, The Lone Store Inc., were among attendees at the Central Fort Bend Chamber’s July Working Lunch. Ross Asher, a Shareholder in the litigation section of Roberts Markel Weinberg Butler Hailey P.C., gave an overview of Firearm laws in Texas.

The Central Fort Bend Chamber showed their support to Kiddie Academy as they hosted the company’s Ground Breaking ceremony, on July 22, 2016. Kiddie Academy®, is the leading provider of comprehensive education-based child care programs. The Richmond location is one of ten Kiddie Academy locations scheduled to open in the Houston metro area between now and February.

August / September 2016

For Advertising Information, Call (281) 497-6455 • www.FortBendChristianMagazine.com • 33

The Buzz About Fort Bend

The Central Fort Bend Chamber showed their support to My House Fitness on July 6th at the company’s Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in Richmond. Business owners, Rodney and Lashunda Hubbard, welcomed over 30 guests into their new facility and all joined in on ribbon cutting photos, fun, food and networking.

The Central Fort Bend Chamber hosted a congressional update with Congressman Pete Olson on Friday, August 5, 2016 at Safari Ranch Texas in Richmond, Texas.

Congressman Olson provided an update on the past year in Congress and discussed the vision he has for the United States.

County Judge Bob Hebert recognized Fort Bend County volunteer historians and preservationists for their efforts in 2015. The Texas Historical Commission issued the county’s historical commission the THC Distinguished Service Award for accomplishments during the last calendar year. Judge Hebert, an avid historian, said the award illustrates “continued great leadership and a superior work ethic demonstrated by the volunteers who make up the county historical commission.”

The Central Fort Bend Chamber showed their support to new member and business, Richmond Health Care Center Thursday, July 14th at the company’s Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in Richmond. Administrator, Erika Parrish and Marketing Director, Rick Carr welcomed over 30 guests into their facility. The company was well received by business owners, elected officials and community members who gathered to join in on welcoming the staff, ribbon cutting photos, fun, food and networking.

County Judge Bob Hebert proclaimed Saturday, July 23, 2016 as Clear the Shelters Day in Fort Bend County. During the event, staff and volunteers of Fort Bend County Animal Services and Saving Our Companion Animals - Fort Bend County, devoted their time, resources and energy to this united effort to bring attention to homeless pets being sheltered at Fort Bend County Animal Services.

The Fort Bend Walk to End Alzheimer’s is a walk to help raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. The walk will be on Saturday, October 29, 2016 at Constellation Field in Sugar Land at 9:00 a.m. The walk is family, stroller, and dog friendly. The event is sponsored by the non-profit organization, Alzheimer’s Association.

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August / September 2016

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August / September 2016

Estate Planning 101: To Probate or Not to Probate? It’s All in the Planning

By Margie Connolly, Family and Estate Planning Attorney, Margaret McCullough Connolly, PLLC

Probate court proceedings (during which a deceased person’s assets are transferred to the people who inherit them) can be long, costly, and confusing. It’s no wonder so many people take steps to spare their families the hassle. Different states, however, offer different ways to avoid probate.

Here are your options in Texas.

1. Living trusts In Texas, you can make a living trust to avoid probate for virtually any asset you own -- real estate, bank accounts, vehicles, and so on. You need to create a trust document (it’s similar to a will), naming someone to take over as trustee after your death (called a successor trustee). Then -- and this is crucial -- you must transfer ownership of your property to yourself as the trustee of the trust.

Once all that’s done, the property will be controlled by the terms of the trust. At your death, your named successor trustee will be

able to transfer it to the trust beneficiaries without probate court proceedings.

2. Joint ownership If you own property jointly with someone else, and this ownership includes the “right of survivorship,” then the surviving owner automatically owns the property when the other owner dies.

No probate will be necessary to transfer the property, although of

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course it will take some paperwork to show that title to the property is held solely by the surviving owner.

In Texas, two forms of joint ownership have the right of survivorship: Joint tenancy. Property owned in joint tenancy automatically passes to the surviving owners when one owner dies. (The survivor must, however, live at least five days longer than the deceased co-owner. Tex. Estates Code sec. 121.152.) No probate is necessary.

Joint tenancy often works well when couples (married or not) acquire real estate, vehicles, bank accounts or other valuable property together. In Texas, each owner, called a joint tenant, must own an equal share. To establish joint tenancy, owners must sign a joint tenancy agreement.

Survivorship community property. Married couples can sign an agreement to own property together as “survivorship community property.” Owning property this way avoid probate when one spouse dies and the other becomes sole owner. (Tex. Estates Code sec. 112.051 and following.)

3. Payable-on-death designations for bank accounts In Texas, you can add a “payable-on-death” (POD) designation to bank accounts such as savings accounts or certificates of deposit.

You still control all the money in the account -- your POD beneficiary has no rights to the money, and you can spend it all if you want. At your death, the beneficiary can claim the money directly from the bank, without probate court proceedings.

Transfer-on-death registration for securities- Texas does not let you register stocks and bonds in transfer-on-death (TOD) form.

4. Transfer-on-death deeds for real estate Texas allows you to leave real estate with transfer-on-death deeds. These deeds are sometimes called beneficiary deeds. You sign and record the deed now, but it doesn’t take effect until your death. You can revoke the deed or sell the property at any time; the beneficiary you name on the deed has no rights until your death.

As the laws change, and as your family situation changes, (marriage, divorce, birth of a child, death of a named agent), it is crucial that you have an estate planning attorney review your current documents to make sure your goals for your hard-earned assets are fulfilled in the event the unthinkable happens.

This article does not constitute legal advice. Please seek the advice of a competent lawyer in your state. Margie Connolly is a practicing attorney in Sugar Land, TX. To schedule a free consultation, call 281-433-9488, or visit mmconnollylaw.com.

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August / September 2016

Outrage

By Gary Gillen

Outrage is the only word to describe the feelings of so many Americans who watched in disbelief as the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, James Comey, point by devastating point refuted virtually every statement Hillary Clinton has uttered over the past year about her reason for using a server in her home instead of the State Department’s own secure server while she was Secretary of State. Her statements on the nature of and types of information she allowed to flow through her personal unprotected server, her work related e-mails that were, in spite of her protestations, not turned over to the State Department and the people she allowed to see those sensitive documents were proven false.

After his breathtaking recitation of the lies, misstatements, fabrications, prevarications and misleading comments by Clinton, he stunned the world by stating that, “no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case.” Comey said that the investigation found no “intent” a prosecutorial requirement not found in the statutes or used in previous prosecutions of government officials who abused sensitive documents. Generally, after an in-

August / September 2016

vestigation, the case would be referred to a Grand Jury and they would decide if a prosecution was warranted. No Grand Jury saw this case though.

We are expected to believe that the tarmac meeting between Comey’s immediate boss, Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Hillary Clinton’s husband, former President Bill Clinton, had no bearing in Comey’s unprecedented announcement that no prosecution should be sought.

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Of course, we are also expected to believe that the fact that President Obama, Comey’s bosses boss, was hosting Hillary Clinton on Air Force One on a campaign tour that very day also played no role in his decision. What an awkward flight that would have been if Comey had decided to refer the investigation to a Grand Jury.

Many, like me, believe Clinton set up this system to deny the right of the American People to see the work product of the Secretary of State though the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) which was written to prevent acts just like this. Every executive at every level of government, from your City to the Presidency know

that their communications are subject to the Freedom of Information Act and that it is illegal to destroy documents that are covered by the Act. By hiding her e-mails at home she effectively thwarted the Act. Then by deciding which e-mails to turn over when she got caught, she again violated the law. As to “intent”, why go to all the trouble of setting up her own system, then refusing to turn over the hard drives containing her e-mails if you had no “intent” to violate the law. Her repeated but debunked statements that it was for convenience begs the question: Wouldn’t it be more convenient to use the State Department run system already in place? She would not have had to hire staff to operate her home-based system. The State Department was doing that already.

Comey also exposed the lie that “All work related e-mails were turned over.” They weren’t. He exposed the lie that there were no top secret e-mails on her server. There were.

If Clinton can’t or won’t follow the same laws that everyone else in government must, can’t or won’t follow the rules to protect our secrets and can’t or won’t tell the American people the truth, how can we trust her to be President?

We can’t.

Gary Gillen owns and operates Gillen Pest Control and Gillen Political Strategies in Richmond. He is the only person in history to have served on both the Richmond City Commission and the Rosenberg City Council. He was the Chairman of the Republican Party of Fort Bend County 2006-2007. He can be reached at Gary@ GaryGillen.com

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Recipe: Baby Back Ribs You don’t have to go out for baby backs anymore.

Make them on your own grill.

The Rub • 2 racks of baby back ribs (2 - 21/2 pounds ea.)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 tablespoon chili powder • 2 teaspoons brown sugar • 1-1/2 teaspoons salt • 1 teaspoon garlic powder • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme Combine the olive oil with the dry ingredients to make a smooth paste. Rub over the ribs, and wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate 2 hours or up to overnight.

Allow ribs to stand at room temperature about 30 minutes before you put them on the grill. Cook the ribs in a covered charcoal or gas grill using the indirect heat method at 300°F (if your grill has a thermometer). Grill 1-1/2 to 2 hours, turning once, until very tender (meat will shrink back from the ends of the bones). Remove ribs from the grill, set on a baking sheet and cover tightly with foil. Place in a warm oven (200°F) for 30 minutes before serving. Makes 4 servings.

Prep time: 20 min.; Cooking time: 2 hrs.; Total time: 2 hrs. 20 min.

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The Sauce • 1 tablespoon butter • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced or pressed • 1 tablespoon chipotle chilies w/ adobo sauce, chopped (optional) • 2 tablespoons brown sugar • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice • 1 cup catsup • 1 tablespoon molasses Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until garlic begins to soften, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 to 30 minutes until sauce has thickened. Ribs may be served with the sauce on the side.

If you want to glaze the ribs with the sauce, begin basting ribs with the sauce after 1 hour, turning every 15 minutes to coat both sides, until ribs are done.

Remove finished ribs to a baking sheet, cover tightly with foil and place in warm oven for 30 minutes before serving.

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