www.connected123.com
INSIDE THIS EDITION: NEW POLICIES REMINDERS FOR ALL CLIENTS COUNTDOWN TO FOOTBALL SEASON HARD DAYS DISRUPTIVE GOD GOD IS GOOD
August 2014
CONTRIBUTORS: CARL TOWNSEND MARY PALLADINO JANE WHITE LYSA MEEKS SHANTAE BEVERLY SANDY MAYBERRY KATIE MCCAFFREY AARON LEWIS ANDREA LEWIS DESIGNER: ANDREA LEWIS EDITOR: KATIE MCCAFFREY CONNECTED123.COM
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AGENT OF THE MONTH 4 OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE 6 NEW POLICIES 8 FOOD FOR THOUGHT 13 REMINDERS FOR ALL CLIENTS 14 A NOTE FROM YOUR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE 18 LYNCHBURG HAPPENINGS 20 COUNTDOWN TO FOOTBALL SEASON 22 HARD DAYS 24 DISRUPTIVE GOD 28 GOD IS GOOD 32 CUSTOMER SERVICE 36 ABOUT AUGUST 40 RECIPE AND GAMES 42 PRAISES & PRAYER REQUESTS 46
Disruptive God
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REMINDERS FOR ALL CLIENTS
New Policies
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Hard Days connected123.com 3
ISA’s Will Smith How Many Years at ISA? Let’s just say since 1998 What Roles Have You Had at ISA? I’ve been a CSR, I’ve helped out with training and assisting other CSR’s on phone calls. I’ve also run the BA desk at times. What’s Your Favorite Part of Working at ISA? I really enjoy working with different ministries and praying for those who call in for prayer. The best part is doing work for the Lord.
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Do You Have Any Stand Out Moments From Your Time Here? The only thing that I can think of is that I’ve been Employee of the Month several times. What Does Your Life Outside of ISA Look Like? Raising my 3 daughters; Amya age 14, Kimora age 5 and Brianna age 3. Being with my family and friends, playing basketball and cheering for my Boston Celtics. I also love to travel a lot.
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Month of : July Outbound Agent: Danielle Porter Ani Revenue: Lisa Poe Agent Revenue: Will Smith Fla. Ani Revenue: Barrett Molina Fla. Agent Revenue: Doris George Agent of the Month: Will Smith
ay Connected?
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New Policies
By Carl Townsend
There is absolutely no excuse or reason for a person to be rude or hang up on a caller. None of us like to be handled in an unprofessional manner. This type of behavior will not be tolerated at In Service America. I also feel that good agents should be rewarded for good performance. As a result, we plan to have everyone go through a formal evaluation by the first week of September. You will be evaluated on several key areas of performance and will be placed in a category that will enable you to get bonuses and additional pay. I have outlined the criteria for this plan with the following: Evaluation periods will be finished and completed by our management staff no later than September 1st, 2014. Stage One – New hires. Title: Trainee. Starting Pay $9.00.
• To maintain a position, agent must maintain a $20 per hour or higher. • 4 violations of any kind means an automatic termination.
Stage Two – 90 days to one year. Title: Associate Agent. Starting Pay $10.00 • No warnings for policy or procedure violations. This includes: o Attendance issues. o Client warnings. o Automatic elimination if you get a warning. The clock starts over again. 8 Stay Connected
• • • • • •
Must maintain a revenue based of $23 per hour or higher. Must have a 70% utilization rate. o This will be posted daily on the bulletin boards so you can evaluate and track your performance. Is trained on all essential clients. Must be trained on the following clients to qualify for an increase. o TD Jakes o Joyce Myers o Turning Point o Creflo Dollar o Life Outreach o Jewish Voices Scheduling Flexibility. o Must work in busier calling periods such as Sunday mornings. Monitoring Records must be positive. You will be evaluated twice in the first year. An evaluation doesn’t mean a pay increase unless you meet your goals.
Stage Three – One year to Two Years. Title: Communicator Agent. Starting pay $11.00 • No policy or procedural violations. • Must maintain a revenue base of $25 or higher. • Must have a 70% utilization rate. • Is trained on all inbound projects or does not qualify for the pay increase. • Must have positive feedback on monitoring records • Scheduling Flexibility. o Must work in busier calling periods such as Sunday mornings.
Stage Four –Two years Plus. Title: Expert Agent. Starting Pay $12.00 • No Policy or procedural violations. • Must maintain a revenue base of $27 or higher. • Must have a 70% utilization rate or higher. • Must hit 100% goals on all outbound campaigns • Is trained in all inbound and outbound projects or does not qualify for the pay increase. • Scheduling flexibility. o Must work in busier calling periods such as Sunday mornings.
Everyone will be required to attend a orientation class to review this plan. These meetings will come over the next 4 to 6 weeks.
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about me As the last few weeks of summer shine bright and warm, and we begin to anticipate the approaching crisp and colorful days of fall… … I too am filled with a warm joy and excited expectations as I join the ISA family. Let me introduce myself; I am Maryangela Palladino, though I originally hail from Philadelphia, PA (Go EAGLES!), I have lived in Lynchburg, VA for 24 years. I have two children, 26 and 21 years old, and a beautiful 5-yearold granddaughter. My passion outside of work is FOOD! Along with my marketing profession, I am also a chef and caterer. So… if you ever find yourself wondering what to have for dinner, come see me; PLEASE! I’ll always have a few ideas and recipes to toss your way. As for my work experience… In my 20+ years spanning multiple marketing disciplines including: direct mail, experiential marketing, brand management, public relations, event planning, data base management, business analytics, telemarketing, radio and television production, and documentary production… … I worked with InService America, largely in my role as Chief Marketing Officer of Liberty University Resident and OnLine Schools and Jerry Falwell Ministries. From a client’s perspective, ISA impressed me with their commitment to customer service, attention to detail and staff of well-trained communicators. Even when problems did occur, the dedication to fix issues quickly, and communicate effectively, won my loyalty. I have worked with other call centers in the past, and I can tell you first-hand, ISA sets the standard in professionalism and leadership. Thank you for welcoming me into the family as an ISA Account Manager. I look forward to being on “the other side” and servicing our clients the way I was served and respected over the years. Deepest Regards,
Food for Thought by Maryangela Palladino hile at Liberty, I had the remarkable privilege of working W closely with a man I believe lived as a giant among men, Dr. Jerry Falwell. He imparted on me one of life’s greatest lessons; and I want to share it with you: Never Never Never Give Up These borrowed words, by one of Dr. Falwell’s personal heroes, Sir Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of Great Britain during WWII, charged his bomb-shocked, and war-weary people to persevere (to never give up) during the non-stop bombardment by German planes. I witnessed Dr. Falwell call upon these same words time-andtime again. I remember hard days on Liberty Mountain; believing God would deliver the miracles needed to keep the university doors open. From a man that simply would not give up, a Super University was born; a world-class, five star campus serving a current student body of over 100,000 residential and online students. And I can’t tell you how many times I draw upon these words. Just this summer, I endured two emergency back surgeries after waking one morning and not being able to walk. MRIs revealed a tumor growing on my lower spine. Now, three months later, I am joining the ISA family, completely healed. Never Never Never Give Up Five simple words… I challenge you to, like me, engrave
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REMINDERS FOR ALL CLIENTS By Lysa Meeks
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Always ask for a phone number, first and last name, mailing address, and EMAIL ADDRESS SPELL VERIFY your callers information to them Follow your script, asking for media, donations, up sells, and cross sells-do not bypass a screen Answer your call with a smile Show amazing enthusiasm in your voice Read updates and emails before, during, and at the end of your shift to stay prepared Always have a pen and paper near you to write down what your caller’s request is. NEVER WRITE CREDIT CARD INFORMATION DOWN ON PAPER Use your 3 name closing on EVERY CALL
Joyce Meyer Reminders • Use the F10 screen ONLY for: a) ADD TO MAILING LIST b) REMOVE FROM MAILING LIST c) UPDATED ADDRESS, LISTING THE NEW ADDRESS ON THE F6 AND THE OLD ADDRESS ON THE F10 d) ISA WEBSITE ORDERS • Using the ISA WEBSITE ORDERS: Remember to list the products on the F10 by PRODUCT-TYPE-PRICE-then add the flat shipping rate of $4.00 in. Go to the F9 screen and select ISA WEBSITE PRODUCTS and enter the total amount of the products ordered plus the $4.00 S&H so you can charge the CC • Partnership goes on an action form. You must include all information on action form for mew partner a) How much they would like to give b) What day of the month partnership is to come off c) What month they wish to start partnership d) Credit card information e) If they would like the TOM f) What prompted them to become a partner • Salvation package which includes the book-A New Way Of Living- is located on the F8 screen under salvation • The bi-monthly magazine is located on the F8 screen by searching for the current month you are in 14 Stay Connected
Turning Point Reminders: • • • •
Keep calls 4 minutes and under Only do COLD transfers to customer service Customer service issues can also be done by sending an email to customer service. Gather caller’s information, media, then go to the F12 screen and select the correct disposition for the customer service issue. The two free offers your callers will refer to are the monthly devotional and your greatest turning point. The monthly devotional can be found on the F8 screen by searching for the current month you are in. Your greatest turning point can be found on the F9 screen
Urban Alternative Reminders: • • •
Never give the customer service number out Always do a WARM transfer to customer service, if no one is available, gather your caller’s information and put the call back request on an action form NEVER put CC information on an action form for UA!
Creflo Dollar Reminders: • • • • •
Temporary-DO NOT set up any recurring/change express-You must do an escalation for this request Ensure that you are using the correct BATCH number Make sure your price codes are correct for each product you are ordering Change your RESPONSE code on EVERY transaction Select “INITATE ROUTING” and send to 2006 for your escalations
Touching Lives: • FOLLOW THE SCRIPT-ASK THE SALVATION QUESTIONS
• Ask for a donation on EVERY call EXCEPT a salvation call
TD Jakes Reminders: • Do Not capture credit card information and place it on an • • •
action form For the WTAL Platinum seating has been sold out! Only seating available is Gold, Silver, and Bronze! Be mindful of the different monthly offers each month and ensure that you are selecting the correct product for the correct monthly offer Use correct casing
Jewish Voice Ministries • You are now able to search for a caller by last name and zip • • •
code For partnership, product numbers and prices are: a) SPG50-$50.00 b) SPP100-$100.00 c) SPS25-$25.00 You are unable to hold the credit card to be charged at a later date. Please ask your caller to call back in when they are ready to become a partner Always do up sell
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As CSR’s you are the front line of ISA! Our clients depend on us to give their callers accurate information and to take pride in our work we are doing for the kingdom. You never know who will meet you at the golden gates and thank you for your act of compassion in helping them search for material that would strengthen their walk with the Lord, or your prayer with them that was answered, or for leading them to know and accept our Lord into their heart. Take time between your calls to browse our ministries websites, read updates, read ministry material, and read emails. If you have questions or are unsure about anything please ask for help before you get a call.
“Give, and it will be given back to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” Luke 6:38
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New enhancements with Jewish Voice. We are now able to search for existing customers. Please make sure that you research for your customer before entering information into the system again. Jewish Voice has given us the information to assist those that are frequent callers to the ministry. Please use the various search fields that have been implemented in the AS400 so that we aren’t creating duplicate accounts. Also, beginning next month JWV will add 6 additional lines and ISA has been given the opportunity to handle the calls. ISA and JWV formed a great partnership. Let’s continue to give them the great service that we are known to give our partners. Free Offer of the Month for CDM. CDM will have free offer day on August 6th and August 26th. This means that on that day caller’s will be calling for the free offer that was mentioned on the broadcast. You may have some that will call the next day due to the high call volume on the initial day, if so we are able to send the offer to the caller. We are excited about CDM starting this up again. Also, this month
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AN Acc ote from o Jan unt Exe your eW hite cutive:
CDM is offering a t-shirt with the low and high combo. Depending on the size the constituents request will be the product code that you enter. The constituent is allowed to purchase one additional t-shirt at $15. This information is located on the broadcast schedule. At the bottom are tabs with the product codes. Client Complaints.
Recently there have been several client complaints. One issue that we have had in particular, warm transferring to Urban Alternative and Jewish Voice. These two clients have requested that we announce when ISA is transferring a call to customer service. Please make sure that you capture the caller’s name and the reason they are needing to speak with customer service. If you are unsure how to handle customer service calls please review the information that is on the fact sheet. We must handle these calls as requested by the ministry. We always want to give high value to each and every one that we come in contact with. You only get one chance to make a great impression.
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Lynchburg Happenings
Reed Creek in Concert Aug 8, 2014 7:00pm - Aug 8, 2014 9:00pm Enjoy the bluegrass sounds of local band Reed Creek on the third floor of the Bedford Museum. $10 donation to attend. www.bedfordvamuseum.org. Coffee & Chocolate Pairing! Aug 8,2014 7:00pm - 8:00pm Join us for a unique experience as we pair our single origin chocolates with locally roasted single origin coffees! $12. Per person, $20 per couple. www.CaoArtisanChocolates.com Lynchburg Rail Day 2014 Aug. 9, 2014 9:00am - 3:00pm Blue Ridge Chapter, National Railway Historical Society 36th Annual LYNCHBURG RAIL DAY 2014 $6/person, Family admission: $10. Children 12/under free w/paying adult. http://www.blueridgenrhs.org/ Summer Saturdays in the Cemetery Aug. 9, 2014 10:00am - 11:00am (& most Saturdays) Casual guided walking tours highlight history and horticulture on the grounds every Saturday morning. 434-847-1465
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Season 3 in Concert Aug 9, 2014 6:00pm - Aug 9, 2014 8:00pm Listen to the Soul Pop sounds of Season 3, and then stay to watch a movie. www.mayberrydrivein.com. Keep the Spirit of ’45 Alive Concert and Ceremony Aug 9, 2014 7:00pm - Aug 9, 2014 9:00pm A special ceremony and concert to honor the “Greatest Generation.” www.dday.org. Second Sunday Concert Aug. 10, 2014 3:00pm - 4:00pm Free and informal music performance in the Bicentennial Chapel. 434-847-1465 Lynchburg HillCats Game Aug.10, 2014 6:00pm - 9:00pm Head out to Calvin Falwell Field as The Lynchburg HillCats take to the field for some good ole baseball. 434-528-1144 Face the Forest: 5K Obstacle Course Race Aug 16, 2014 8:00am - Aug 16, 2014 12:00pm Entry fees support children’s educational programming at Poplar Forest. To register, visit poplarforest.org/events/obstaclecourse-race.
For even more events and information visit: www.discoverlynchburg.org/events www.lynchburgliving.com/calendar-of-events
2014 Bedford County Family Farm Tour Aug. 16, 2014 10:00am - 3:00pm Plan on coming to the 2014 Bedford County Family Farm Tour, a FREE familyoriented event. 540-586-3707 Gypsy Road Band in Concert Aug 16, 2014 6:00pm - Aug 16, 2014 8:00pm Gypsy Road Band in concert, followed by a movie on the big screen. www.mayberrydrivein.com. After Jack in Concert Aug 16, 2014 7:30pm - Aug 16, 2014 10:00pm Enjoy After Jack’s unique take on traditional mountain music. Admission info and details at www.bowercenter.org. Alvar Suñol’s Opening Exhibition Aug 21 6:00pm - 8:30pm The exhibition opens Thursday, August 21 from 6:00pm – 8:30pm and is free and open to the public. The exhibition will be open through September 12, 2014. Liberty University’s Art Gallery 434-592-7629
Distant Drums Music Festival Aug 22, 2014 12:00pm - Aug 23, 2014 9:00pm August 22-23. Enjoy the work of artisan craft vendors and the sounds of Country, Blues, Jazz, Gospel and Oldies. Admission info and other details at www.sedaliacenter.org. In the Arts We Will Shine: A Lecture about Thomas Jefferson’s Trailblazing Art Collection Aug 23, 2014 6:00pm - Aug 23, 2014 8:00pm A fascinating look at Thomas Jefferson, the art collector, presented by Randolph College art professor Leanne Zalewski, Ph.D. Free. Lenny Marcus Jazz Trio in Concert Aug 23, 2014 7:30pm - Aug 23, 2014 10:00pm Admission is $10 in advance online, $12 at the door, and $7 for students under 18. www.bowercenter.org. Chocolate Tour Tasting Aug. 30, 20114 3:00pm - 4:00pm A one hour exploration into the world of cacao and fine chocolates! Reservations required. $7 pp 434-847-2970
Countdown to by Football Season Maryangela Palladino
College Football Kickoff – Thursday August 28th Ole Miss vs Boise St
NFL Kickoff – Thursday, September 4
Defending Super Bowl Champions Seattle Seahawks vs Green Bay Packers
Even Before Cornhole, there was Tailgating The art of tailgating can be described as a delicate balance between fandom and celebration. It is an event that does what nothing else can: It brings together sports and eating –- two treats in one! Did You Know What can be considered to be the first tailgating event in history happened right here in Virginia, during the Civil War. The event took place in 1861 at the Battle of Bull Run, in Manassas. At the battle’s start, civilians from the Union side arrived with baskets of food and shouting, “Go Big Blue!” encouraging their side to win the commencing battle. Tailgating 101 w w w w w w w w w
Dress in team colors Plan your menu; keep it simple Make a list of all items needed; pack non-perishables the night before Plan to arrive 3-4 hours early and stay 1 -2 hours after the game Find a good spot to park: location is everything Fly your Flag high for friends to find you easily Decorate your tailgate site Meet your tailgate neighbors Leave area clean
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Feeding the ‘Gaters The two staples of tailgating are burgers and hot dogs; however, these are not the only options. Here is a delicious New Orleans sandwich that can easily be made the night before game day. Just assemble, place in zip-top bags, and refrigerate overnight. Store-bought craft paper and simple twine create clever sandwich wrappers.
New Orleans Mini Muffulettas Ingredients • 2 (16-oz.) jars mixed pickled vegetables, chopped • 3/4 cup green olives, chopped • 2 tablespoons bottled olive oil-and-vinegar dressing • 12 sesame hamburger slider buns or hamburger buns • 12 Swiss cheese slices • 12 provolone cheese slices, • 12 thin deli ham slices • 12 Genoa salami slices • 12 Mortadella (an Italian bologna – optional) Preparation 1. Finely chop pickled vegetables. Stir in olives and dressing. 2. Spread 1 heaping tablespoonful pickled vegetable mixture over each roll bottom. Top each with 1 Swiss cheese slice, 1 ham slice, 1 salami slice, 1 mortadella slice, 1 provolone cheese, and roll tops. Cover with plastic wrap. Serve immediately, or chill until ready to serve.
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Hard Days by Katie McCaffrey
Many years ago I received some not so happy news. It was one of those hard days that come and go but this one was hitting me harder than usual. Needing serious mood lifting I drove myself to the nearest Burger King to get the biggest, juiciest cheeseburger that I could find. With my Whopper in hand, I high tailed it to the park for some time on the swings. Arriving, I pulled into a parking space only to find the park covered up with elementary school children out on a field trip. My perfect lunch in the park was not starting out well. I ate my lunch in the car and then headed down to the swings with purpose. I HAD to swing. Apparently I was right, God saw fit for me to be on that swing right then. He had a much needed gift awaiting for me on that swing set.
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“I was waiting for my turn to swing. My name’s Alyssa, what’s yours?” Said a very small child. “That’s a very nice name Alyssa, my name is Katie,” I replied. “How do you spell that?” “K-A-T-I-E.” “Do you know how to spell my name?” “I have a friend Alyssa that spells it A-L-Y-S-S-A.” “That’s my name!” Alyssa was in kindergarten and unfortunately none of her classmates could say “Alyssa” so they called her “Melissa.” “But that’s not my name.” She said. Alyssa loves to swing, in fact she knows all about it. Her dad gave her the best swing advice, “Don’t swing high that’s dangerous, swing slow and close to the ground that’s the safe way.” Beside me on the next swing over was a young lad who seemed to be trying to fly on the swing. Further conversation led me to find out that his name was Tyler and that he was a bat. I suppose he was trying as hard as he could to spread his wings and fly and he just wasn’t getting where he wanted to go. Up and down on that swing, but never really taking off. I looked up to see a tiny little blonde girl standing, head down, at the edge of the swings. “Do you want to swing?” Sadly she nodded and I slid off the swing to allow room for her. Alyssa connected123.com 25
offered me her swing but I told her I needed to be getting home anyway. The little blonde girl seemed to be having trouble getting into the swing and Alyssa said it was because she was small. I assured her that being smaller than others is okay because I too am small and that doesn’t make me any less of a person. With a little bit of encouragement I then lifted her into the swing. “You’re not small, you’re big.” Alyssa’s little comment made me blush and I tried to hide my face. “She’s my friend, that’s why we have these necklaces when you put them together they are hearts.” And with that Alyssa hopped of her swing, and began to push her friend. A smile played across my face and spread even up into my eyes. I walked away with a spring in my step and a song in my heart. As soon as I was back in my car my phone rang, it was the good news that I needed to hear. I think that God knew that I needed to learn the lessons that the three small children 26 Stay Connected
would teach me before I could move on and proceed to the next thing that He had for me. Now of course that’s not the end of the story, but this is the part that sticks out to me. God, in his unfailing love and wisdom knew that I needed an encounter with Tyler, the little nameless girl, and Alyssa. Looking back on that day in the park I truly believe that I swung with angels. Never have I seen such a life lesson stuffed into such tiny packages. I don’t remember what they looked like, or what they were wearing, but I will never forget their stories and what they taught me. Tyler’s biggest struggle was that he was not a bat, Alyssa that people mispronounced her name, and the little nameless girl that she was small. These three children didn’t let their struggles get them down. A childlike faith that all would work out in the end. I’ve pondered when it was that I last had faith so sound and concrete, so easily trusting and not wavering like the swing when something unexpected and unwelcome came along. connected123.com 27
Disruptive God
By Aaron Christoper Lewis
I once heard a fellow Christian make the comment while teaching, “Jesus does not interrupt lives.” The comment was made in reference to encouraging individuals to meet people where they are and form relationships. This sounds good until you realize that in the context of the situation being addressed, Jesus was never mentioned, and neither was church. So what was actually being said was that it’s ok to not talk about Jesus and just be friends with the community because “that’s what Jesus would do.” Following up this comment was a statement about the interaction between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. It was stated that “Jesus did not disrupt the woman’s life but met her in a daily activity in a very non-threatening way.” Although this concept of Jesus and his approach appeals to our modern day “love wins” Christian culture, the truth is it’s completely wrong as to this story and the truth of how Christianity works. One of the problems with what took place in the discussion was a poor biblical view of how Christians are to interact with our world. Along with this poor view, there was also a complete collapse of proper exegesis (interpretation) in regards to this passage and what actually took place in it. The reason for this was clearly an individual looking for a proof text, which almost always leads to misapplication of scripture.
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JOHN 4:7-27 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.2 The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir,give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’;18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him. connected123.com 29
This passage if read properly (and not used as proof text for something unrelated) is saturated with conflict and disrupting of the woman’s life. VS 7 Christ asks the woman to get him water when it was not her responsibility. VS 8-9 Christ a Jew speaks to a Samaritan woman alone, both of which are socially unacceptable in their culture. VS 10-15 Jesus confuses her contextual understanding of what water is in relation to spiritual and physical water. VS 16-18 Jesus deals with her personal sexual and relationship life. VS 19-24 Jesus disrupts and challenges her views on worship VS 25-26 Jesus disrupts her world by telling her He is the Messiah. VS 27 Shows that Jesus in the mind of his disciples had disrupted and broken cultural norms by speaking to a woman who was a Samaritan. VS 28-30 The woman after having this life altering experience shows the level she has had her world disrupted by going back into her town and testifying to Jesus being there. After reading through this passage it is clear that Jesus did not come as a passive individual into people’s lives. He disrupted every aspect of their lives. He turned their worlds upside down. He presented them with a truth, light and message that was so vastly different from what they knew, the only two responses they had were either radical change or rejection. 30 Stay Connected
This article was written for two primary reasons: The first of which is to show that Christ does not come passively into our lives in a nonconfrontational way. Every part of our salvation is in direct confrontation with our nature. It is often painful and is disruptive to what we, as humans want to do. We must be clear in our understanding and presenting of this truth both for our own spiritual lives and for the lives of those we are speaking to. The second reason is as a caution to leaders, especially in a ministry setting. It does not matter how much individuals are on fire for Jesus or how passionately they are willing to work for a ministry, at the end of the day it is the responsibility of the trained and educated leaders to oversee the sharing of the truth. Leaders are responsible for both who they allow to speak on their behalf and what they say. Good leaders cannot allow individuals who are not prepared, to turn the Gospel message into something it is not.
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God is Good
byAndrea Lewis
Sometimes you just have to stop in your tracks and thank God for how good He is. Not because He’s recently done something for you and not because everything is going your way… but just because of
Who He is...
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Going through the course of a day, it can be so easy to forget about the goodness of God. But if you’ll allow yourself to contemplate on it, you’ll suddenly realize that the Creator God of the universe loves you, pays attention to what you think and do, and is always with you no matter where you go. Not only is He the source of all we know and beyond anything imaginable, but He is infinite, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, and doles out more heaping helpings of love than we can even handle. He gave His Son, His only Son, to save us from the pit of sin and despair… All this after we willingly chose to walk away from Him… He didn’t have to do it. He could have wiped the slate clean of all humanity centuries ago and started all over again, after-all, He’s God! But He didn’t, because He loves us, and because He is good. That’s goodness that you just can’t explain. That’s love we can’t begin to understand. When you allow yourself to think on God’s goodness, a wave of amazment will come over you. It’s like that feeling when you open a window at the very start of spring, and fresh air rushes in and consumes every inch of your face. It’s as if every fiber of your being is filled with the sweet aroma of morning and all you can do is breathe. That’s what realizing God’s goodness is like. It’s the moment when you realize exactly how crazy and beautiful your story really is. Think about your life right now….
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Think about how you were born, how you grew up… Think about how you first heard of Jesus… Think about when you accepted Christ… Think about how glorious that moment of Salvation was… Think about how you’ve grown in Christ… Think about all those moments you failed, and how God came through for you every time… Think about all the lessons you’ve learned in life… Think about the likelihood of you messing up again, and God still coming through every time… Think about how you had to learn some of those lessons multiple times… Think about how God helps you in that special way only He knows how… Think about the fact that God knows your future… Think about how pointless worry is, since God knows that future… Think about how you’ve shared God with others… 34 Stay Connected
Think about how often you’ve thanked Him for His love… Think about how patient He is to wait for us to realize some things… Think about the joy He must have when we finally realize it… Think about all those times you’ve complained to Him about something… Think about how each time, He didn’t try to defend Himself, but asked you to be patient… Think about how powerful, glorious, magnificent, and huge He is… Think about how perfect, holy, beautiful, and pure He is… Think about how creative, brilliant, masterful, and wonderful He is… Think about how good, loving, righteous, and unchanging He is…
Now think about how… He knows your name. He made you in your mother’s womb. He loves you.
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Customer Service
cus·tom·er serv·ice
noun The process of ensuring customer satisfaction with a product or service. We received a call from someone named Danelle Webb who wanted to compliment the order agent who helped her named Martha Collins. She was very friendly and helpful and wanted to make sure that her supervisor was told that she was doing an awesome job! Way to represent! Please tell her we said “Thank You” as well!
BONNIE MCKEE received a JM compliment from Joan Smith whom stated these wonderful comments below: PATIENT, KIND, SHE IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO REPRESENT THE COMPANY, SWEET SPIRIT, SHE REALLY ENJOYED SPEAKING WITH BONNIE AND JUST LOVES THE MINISTRY!!!!! WONDERFUL JOB BONNIE!!!!!!!!! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alisha Carroll Received a Wonderful Compliment from Turning Point caller Ms. Maria Fry: “Alisha did a WONDERFUL Job representing the Lord and your ministry, She patiently listened well, and did NOT interrupt like many do, and she answered my many questions like a professional... Thank You Turning Point and Dr. David Jeremiah for hiring such Splendid people like Alisha, God Bless You and Continue doing the Lords work this way!” OUTSTANDING JOB ALISHA!!!
Weekend Warrior Get extra hours by working the weekend!
Fin
Who doesn’t like a bump in pay?
rs F e e e d
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Find a new employee for ISA and get $25 for each of the first three months they’re employed!
Daily Checklist Have you done the following today? Check E-Mail Read Current Updates Study Current Broadcast Schedules connected123.com 39
About
August
Did You Know... August was named in honor of Augustus Caesar. It has 31 days because Augustus wanted as many days as Julius Caesar’s month of July had (They took that extra day from February.) Previously named Sextilis in Latin, it was the sixth month of the Roman calendar. Birthstone: Peridot Flower: Glaiolus August is also related to the word “auger”, a hole digging tool, because farmers dug for next season at this time every year.
August Events - National Back To School Month - National Psoriasis Awareness Month - National Investors Month - Admit You’re Happy Month - Women’s Small Business Month - National Sandwhich Month - National Catfish Month - Panini Month - Happiness Happens Month - Inventor’s Month.
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August Quotes “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” - William Shakespeare “If the first week in August is unusually warm, the coming Winter will be snowy and long.” - Unknown “August, the summer’s last messenger of misery, is a hollow actor.” - Henry Rollins “What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance.” - Jane Austen “If a cold August follows a hot July, It foretells a Winter hard and dry.” - Unknown “Whilst August yet wears her golden crown, Ripening fields lush- bright with promise; Summer waxes long, then wanes, quietly passing Her fading green glory on to riotous Autumn.” - Michelle L. Thieme “The Queen of Hearts, she made some tarts, all on a summer day: The Knave of Hearts, he stole those tarts, and took them quite away!” - Lewis Carroll “For every fog in August, There will be a snowfall in Winter.” - Unknown “There’s a time each year that we always hold dear, Good old summer time; With the birds and the trees’es and sweet scented breezes, Good old summer time, When you day’s work is over, then you are in clover, And life is one beautiful rhyme, No trouble annoying, each one is enjoying, The good old summer time.” - In the Good Old Summertime, Lyrics by Ron Shields
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Fresh Southern Peach Cobbler 16 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced into thin wedges 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon cornstarch 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces 1/2 cup boiling water MIX TOGETHER: 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons white sugar 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Directions NOTE: Recipe directions are for the original serving size of 4. 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). 2. In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined. 4. Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden, about 30 minutes. 42  Stay Connected
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44  Stay Connected Free Printable Crossword
AUGUST SAND CASTLE LEMONADE
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4. To cook outdoors on a grill 7. Beverage made of lemon 9. The month at the biginning of summer 10. Independence Day 11. What you can do at the beach? 12. Opposite of cold
1. A big fruit you can eat in summer 2. What you can make at the beach with sand? 3. Protective eyewear
8. The month at the end of summer
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4. To cook outdoors on a grill 7. Beverage made of lemon 9. The month at the biginning of summer 10. Independence Day 11. What you can do at the beach? 12. Opposite of cold
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5. Time off from school
6. Sleeping in a tent
6. Sleeping in a tent
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2. What you can make at the beach with sand? AUGUST SAND CASTLE LEMONADE
FOURTH OF JULY HOT JUNE
SWIM VACATIONS CAMPING
BARBECUE SUNGLASSES WATERMELON
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Summer wordsearch
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Praise Reports!
“On July 15 my husband, Reginald was cutting wood with his chain saw, and the chain saw slipped and cut his leg. I was working that day and when he came in to tell me what had happened our immediate response before we left to go to the hospital was ‘let’s pray.’ Because that’s what we do, pray and believe! I than called work and told Dean who was the BA on duty what had happened, and was told to get off and go to the hospital with my husband. To God be the glory my husband Reginald only received 14 sutures. The nurse was amazed and said with a chain saw accident to the knee, people don’t come in and walk out like he did and stated, ‘someone had to be with you.’ I told the doctor ‘it was prayer’ and my husband said, ‘it was Jesus’ and he asked the doctor ‘do you believe?’ The doctor said, ‘Yea I believe.’ On the the way out a friend was in the emergency room and my my husband and I stopped and prayed with her for healing and a good report from the doctor. The pharmacy doctor stated he ‘was lucky’ and ‘someone was watching over him,‘ my response was, ‘it was Jesus’ and he was Blessed! My husband went to the ER for one thing but, God lead us to share the goodness and the love of Jesus Christ. Thanks for prayer from believers with faith. That is what makes a difference--faith filled believers. I would like to say it’s great to also work for a company that doesn’t mind prayer over the phone with employees or even while working on the job.” - Sandra Christian 46 Stay Connected
Prayer Requests As always keep ISA, our families and our clients in your prayers. Shantae Beverly
Healing for her son
Joe Vaughan
Comfort for him and family
Lameka DeBiase
Healing & Strength
Cortez McIvor
Comfort & Strength
Tammera Arnold
Strength
Lameka Debaise Sherita Gregory
Health & Healig
Janice Jackson Kathryn McCanna
Health & Healing
Healing for her brother Comfort & Strength
Bonnie McKee
Health & Healing
Thea Boston
Healing for her and her son
Sharaya Mitchell
Strength
Veronica Nowlin
Healing
Candice Saunders
Strength & Healing for her uncle connected123.com 47
ISA Store Now Serving Hot Tea & Coffee Drinks Coke, Diet Coke, Cherry Coke, Powerade, Mt. Dew, Fanta, Ginger Ale, Fruit Punch, 5-Hour Energy Shots, and more Food Hot Dogs, Popcorn, Coffee Cake, Muffins, Cookies, Candy Bars, Trail Mix, Chips, honey Buns, and more You can also find a number of specialty products, books, CDs and other items Don’t have cash? Not a problem. Put it on credit. The cost will simply come out of your next pay check!
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