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NO L O N G E R By Lailani Mendoza

For years she sold herself on the street to survive. Now she’s thriving after being bought for the highest price ever.

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Habs Budaj Backs Up Beliefs

efore Peter Budaj left his home in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia at the age of 16 to play in the Ontario Hockey League in Toronto, his father told him that one day he would have to make a very important decision.

“He said, ‘I can show you anything you want, but when you get older, you’ll have to decide what to do with your faith. Do you want to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ or not?’ ” remembers Budaj, now 31. “My parents showed me the right path and I’m very thankful I’ve been able to stay a Christian.” After three seasons in the OHL, he was drafted 63rd overall by the National Hockey League’s Colorado Avalanche in 2001. In his first year, while deciding what to put on his goaltender’s mask, the Avalanche’s equipment manager suggested The Simpsons devout Christian character, Ned Flanders.

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“I’ve probably seen 15 minutes worth of The Simpsons episodes in my whole life,” laughs Budaj, who ended up putting the character on his mask – and quickly became known for it. “It’s funny because people will mention characters from the show to me and I don’t know what they’re talking about.” Budaj appeared in 34 games as a back-up goalie during the 2005-2006 season. In 2008, he was named the starting goalie for the Avalanche. He recently earned a spot on the 2014 Slovakian Olympic Team. He was also chosen in 2006 and 2010. On April 1, 2011, Budaj became the

first Slovakian goaltender to reach 100 career NHL wins. Three months later, Budaj signed a two-year contract worth $2.3 million with the Montreal Canadiens. On April 10, 2013, he received a two-year contract extension. This season, he and Habs’ starting goalie Carey Price have combined to provide some of the best goaltending in the franchise’s storied history. Budaj’s 9.23 save percentage and 2.05 goals against average are earmarks of his best NHL season ever.

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prostitution ... I have a trauma right where my throat has been cut. Guns were placed to my head Tajuan McCarty clearly remembers how she first and the trigger pulled. I should be dead.” learned to read. It wasn’t at a daycare centre. It As she suffered abuse day after day, McCarty wasn’t at home. turned to drugs to numb the pain and eventually It was on her dad’s prison uniform. became an addict. “I knew that T-E-D was Ted,” McCarty says. “I was “I was lower than the lowest of the lows. There 18 months old.” Her father was incarcerated when was no such thing as low self-esteem – there was she was only three months old, and she and her self-hatred. I hated the fact that I breathed, I hated mother visited him regularly. the fact that I walked, I hated the fact that I talked, Raised an only child by a single mother working I hated the fact that I lived. I had most of the time, McCarty became extremely lonely. attempted suicide so many times She isolated herself to cope. and it just didn’t happen.” “Everything was unhealthy,” she recalls. “There was Ironically, her arrest at age this hole and void in me, and I was putting myself in 26 cracked the door open to a [vulnerable] position because I was searching.” freedom. A 12-step program gave At 12, she was sexually abused by a family friend. her resources to deal with her “Between 12 and 15 I ran away many times,” she says. addiction. In an attempt to raise her “They say within 24 to 48 hours of a teenager self-worth, she earned a bachelor running away, they’re exploited. And yes, that is degree and two masters degrees. true, because it’s not long until you become hungry.” In 2009, she came upon the As her hunger pangs got unbearable, an attractive- Dream Center in Birmingham, Ala. looking man offered food and a place to stay. Intrigued, she went in and asked “These other girls are here so it’s gotta be alright,” the director some questions. she reasoned. “[I asked] ‘What do y’all do here?’ Soon she realized his provision came with a huge and she started talking about Bible price. For three weeks, he kept Tajuan in a crack lab studies and tutoring,” she recalls. “I teaching her how to sell cocaine. thought, ‘I’m in the wrong place.’ “There was the night he gave me drugs, he said, “I believed in God, but I had a ‘Go sell these, but bring me back X amount of metaphysical kind of God. I didn’t Tajuan McCarty dollars.’ And the amount he said was a whole lot want anything to do with Jesus,” she more than the drugs he’d given me. says. “I thought Jesus was hell, fire and brimstone.” “When I went out that night I knew I had to sell me,” “[Then the director] said ‘And I’m trying to reach out she says, “in order to go back and not get in trouble.” to the prostitutes in the area.’ That piqued my interest.” Over the next 10 years, she and a group of girls were McCarty was convinced her approach wouldn’t work sexually trafficked in every U.S. state except Hawaii and even put her in danger. Feeling compelled to help, and Alaska, and as far as Canada and Mexico. She was she gave the director more than two hours of notes. brutally raped more times than she can count. “At the very end of it, she looked at me and asked “I’ve been through everything – I’ve been raped, me ‘How do you know all of this?’ Before I could I’ve been cut, I’ve been beaten, I was arrested for even think about it, it came out of my mouth – ‘I

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Despite his success, Budaj maintains a spirit of humility. “My parents sacrificed everything for me and my brother and I feel blessed that I can do a sport that I love,” he says, noting his passion began when he saw hockey games on television at three years old. “I enjoy being on the ice, working hard, and winning.” In addition to the Montreal Canadiens’ logo and a Ned Flanders cartoon, Budaj has been known to add a Bible verse such as Joshua 1:9 on his helmet’s backplate: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” “I don’t hide my faith and, at the same time, I’m not a Christian who will go in the middle of the street and yell to everyone that they have to read the Bible,” says Budaj. “Our actions and how we live our lives is a better showing of our faith.”

He admits at times it can be difficult to stay grounded when playing in the NHL. “I’m not a huge superstar or anything, but people recognize you on the street and it’s easy to get carried away. “You’re under a microscope and people notice who you represent,” says Budaj. “I slip many times, but on the other hand, there are opportunities to point toward God and show others who He is.” A member of the Hockey Ministries International since he started his career, Budaj regularly invites teammates to the Canadiens’ chapel program. The six-foot-one netminder, who prays before every game, describes chapel as a casual get-together – not a church service – to talk about God and find out where everyone is standing in

used to walk that same street.’ ” McCarty started helping regularly with the street outreach. As she saw the Christian director love the prostitutes unconditionally, she began to see who Jesus really is. One time while reaching out to a girl at the Centre, Tajuan called on Jesus Christ. “I remember praying ‘Lord help me help her.’ ” Suddenly, Tajuan felt overwhelmed by God’s love. “That’s when Jesus started changing my life.” Just a year after becoming a Christian, she founded The WellHouse, a Christian organization helping sexually abused and trafficked women. Running without government funding, it has rescued over 100 women since 2010. “We provide everything they need and they’re never charged a dime,” says McCarty. “Our ultimate goal is to restore as many of them as we possibly can to a life they deserve, to let them meet Christ and to know that they are loved, period, regardless of what happened in their lives.” Jesus paid the highest price for McCarty – with His very life. “Before I knew Christ, in my mind I was just a whore, a prostitute, a dope fiend,” McCarty explains. “He has redeemed and restored me so much it’s unfathomable. “I am bought and sold – I am all in. I am a radical follower of Christ.” She tells doubters, “If He can provide everything to me every single day of ... my life and bring me where He has now, how can we not believe?” To women trapped in the sex trade, she cries, “[Jesus] loves you. There’s unconditional love waiting – all you have to do is reach for it.” their faith. “People misinterpret God,” he says. “They think there’s a big, bad God that’s going to strike you down. They don’t understand that God is loving, but hopefully that will change.” “I put everything in His hands, pray that God will keep everyone safe and that I would play to the best of my abilities … I pray that God will use me and help me to say the right things when I need to say them. I also hope I will live my life so other people can see that there’s something different about this guy, in a good way.” Budaj and his wife Taylor have a two-year-old son, Peter Jr. He is acutely aware that while spectators and teammates curiously watch the character of Christian hockey players, he continuously needs to provide a good example to his own son. “At the end of the day, hockey is just a sport,” says Budaj. “What is more important is being there when people need me, being more understanding, loving, forgiving, and not judgmental. “There are many things I need to work on and I can’t do it on my own, but with God’s help, I can!”

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Newsbriefs Racing To Victory KNOXVILLE, TN — When the flag dropped at the Daytona 500 in 2011 – the biggest race in Trevor Bayne’s career, the NASCAR racer’s sights were set on victory. And win he did, clinching the title as the youngest ever to win the prestigious race at the ripe age of 20. Now 22, Bayne is faced with a bigger challenge after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in November. Instead of waving the white flag, the Knoxville native, who’s been racing go-karts since he was five, said he’ll continue to drive his No. 6 Ford Mustang in the Nationwide Series. This season, he’s ranked sixth overall, with 21 Top 10s in

the Series in 33 starts. “For me, going through something hard, that shows our true character,” he told USA Today. This isn’t the first time Bayne has battled hardship. In 2011, he was hospitalized for five weeks following his Daytona win, yet instead of griping the devoted Christian tweeted “I’m in the hospital but God is still good.” Raised in a Christian home, Bayne said it wasn’t until middle school when he finally understood what Jesus Christ did for him. And now, he completes every race as a true follower of Jesus. “I drive to bring glory to Christ and I will give Him 100 per cent in all I do,” he told CBN.

ST. PAUL, MN — Jeff Ansorge used to work as the executive chef of a posh restaurant, earning $80,000 a year, and had 17 staff at his command. The talented chef worked at the Capital Grille for 12 years, creating delectable $40 entrees for Minneapolis’ wealthy diners. But in October 2012, he gave it all up to work as the head cook at a Salvation Army soup kitchen, serving meals to St. Paul’s less fortunate. The chef offers five-star food service to his new clientele despite the limited resources. “I try to feed them something that I would feed to my own family,” he said. “He makes phenomenal meals that you would pay quite a bit of money to go to a restaurant and have,” Salvation Army Captain John Joyner told The Associated Press. He’s also

One For The Team

chopped the lunch program’s annual operations in half. Ansorge said a spiritual awakening following a divorce prompted the job change. “I was suffering from a major depression for four years. And my priorities were all wrong. I wanted the high-paying job. I wanted the big house. I wanted the cars. I wanted all that. And ultimately, none of that satisfied me,” the 40-year-old told AP. Ultimately, he found meaning in his renewed commitment to God. Ansorge said he’s never been happier now that he’s doing what he was meant to do. “Now I make less than 40 per cent of what I once did. I’m on the clock. I get paid by the hour,” he told DesiringGod.com. “But I’m out of debt. I own my house and cars. It was worth it.”

Cash And Compassion

Atlanta’s Homeless Hero ATLANTA, GA — Joel Hartman may not have much, but he does have a heart of gold. The homeless Atlanta man became an overnight sensation after a hotel employee heard about his good deed. It all started when Hartman found a wallet while rummaging through a trash can looking for food. Instead of keeping the wallet for himself, which contained a woman’s ID and credit cards, Hartman went from one hotel to another to return the wallet to its rightful owner. He traced the owner back to the Omni Hotel at the CNN Center. The hotel’s managing director, Scott Stuckey, was so touched by Hartman’s kindness that he

A Recipe For Faith

launched a search that involved the media. “He did the right thing, and now I want to do the right thing for him,” Stuckey told The Associated Press. Hartman returned to the hotel when he heard that Stuckey was looking for him. The homeless hero was stunned when he was offered a weeklong stay at the luxury four-diamond hotel, a steak dinner and $500. The staff also bought him new clothes and gave him a makeover. “I felt honoured that they would even take the time to think about me like that,” an emotional Hartman, who had slept in the woods the night before, told AP. “It’s pretty cool. That does a bit more for my faith in humanity also.”

GUTHRIE, OK — When Jessica Eaves walked up to the man who had stolen her wallet, she surprised him with an ultimatum: return her wallet and she’ll pay for his groceries – or she’ll call the police. The Oklahoma woman was grocery-shopping when when she realized her wallet was missing. As Eaves, a Christian outreach leader, tracked down the robber in the store, she said a Bible verse came to mind – turn the other cheek. “I walked up to him and I told him that Jesus forgives me every day and that if he would give me my wallet back, I would forgive him and I would pay for his groceries,” she told Fox News. “And I did.” Eaves’ generosity left the

man shocked and in tears. He gave her back the wallet, and apologized profusely as they walked to the checkout counter. “I’ll never forget tonight. I’m broke, I have kids, I’m embarrassed and I’m sorry,” he reportedly told Eaves. As she paid for the man’s grocery, which consisted of milk, bread, bologna, crackers, soup and cheese, something convinced her it was God-ordained. “I never carry cash,” the mom of four told Christian Post. “When I got to the checkout counter that day his total was just a little over $27, and I had $28 in cash in my wallet. And so I knew in that moment it wasn’t me. It was Christ that played in that moment.”

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TUSCALOOSA, AL — Sports can bring out the best – and the worst – in people. This became apparent at the Iron Bowl where Crimson Tides kicker Cade Foster incurred fans’ wrath after missing three field goals. With only a second left and the back-to-back defending champ’s chance to compete at national championship on the line, coach Nick Saban benched the starting kicker for freshman Adam Griffith. Tides and Auburn fans vividly remember what happened next – Auburn’s defensive back Chris Davis returned Griffith’s kick for over 100 yards for a winning touchdown (34-28). Tides fans are expected to get disappointed and upset. But when irate fans started threatening Foster, Alabama fan Kaitlin Goins had enough.

The 20-year-old public relations major published an open letter to Foster on her blog that expressed support for the senior athlete and the irony of insulting a player while calling oneself a fan of their team. The blog post garnered half a million views and positive comments after it was posted on Dec. 1. Goins explained she was simply raised to stand up for what she believed in. “I grew up watching football. I remember game after game hearing my parents’ friends comment after a kicker missed a goal, ‘Pray for him and his family. The weight of the loss will fall on him,’ ” Goins, whose Twitter description says “loving life and God with all I have” told Alabama Media Group. “I was heartbroken for Cade. So I did the only thing I know to do, write.”

Survivor At Sea LAGOS, NIGERIA — You might have seen the video that recently went viral. Some people call it luck, but Harrison Odjegba Okene prefers to call it divine intervention. In the early morning of May 26, the tugboat where the Nigerian cook worked capsized taking 12 seamen along with it 30 metres to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. While his 10 Nigerian colleagues and their Ukrainian captain all perished, Okene survived by finding an air pocket that supplied him with oxygen for 72 hours. The Dutch diving company hired for the recovery effort had already collected four bodies when they saw a hand on the TV screen that monitored the development.

A diver approached, thinking it belonged to another dead body. “But when he went to grab the hand, the hand grabbed him!” Tony Walker of DCN Diving told the Associated Press of the rescue. After a momentary shock, the diver realized a survivor was trapped inside and assisted Okene, clad only in boxer shorts, to safety. The 29-year-old said he prayed for a miracle and credits God for keeping him alive. “I started calling on the name of God ... I started reminiscing on the verses I read before I slept,” Okene told the Associated Press. “I read the Bible from Psalm 54 to 92. My wife had sent the verses to read that night when she called me before I went to bed.”

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Living Light News - January/February 2014

Rhythms Of Generosity by Andrew Hess

Think about the things you’re passionate about and start giving to that work. looking forward to the time when you can give more. I encourage you to think about the things you are most passionate about and start giving to that work. What excites you? Maybe you are passionate about giving to global needs, poverty relief, clean drinking water, vaccinations or fighting the sex trade. I recommend researching the stewardship of organizations doing such work with online tools like Charity Navigator and ECFA, then start contributing regularly, establishing a rhythm of generosity. I’m encouraged by the Apostle Paul’s exhortation to the church in Corinth: “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:6-8). God has not called us to a begrudged reimbursement, but rather an understanding that our resources – financial or otherwise – are gifts from Him that we can use to serve Him. Most of us will never be in a place financially where we have more money than we know what do with. There will always be loans to pay off, mortgages, college funds and retirement to put our money toward, so we will need to learn to give generously from places of need. Don’t wait to establish rhythms of generosity in your life. Wherever your finances are currently, make a plan to be generous and start giving regularly to things you are passionate about. Offer your first fruits and don’t be surprised when like the believers in Corinth, God makes all grace abound to you. Andrew Hess is a Research Associate for Family Formation Studies at Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs, CO. You can follow Andrew on Twitter at @AndrewWHess.

“Your brain is like a sponge that absorbs knowledge, but that’s not exactly how it’s done.”

Arrested Development by Phil Callaway

hen I was a kid my brothers liked to tell me stories of prison. For never being there, they sure knew a lot about it. They said inmates had escaped the nearby penitentiary and were headed this way. Other stories had to do with police officers making random arrests in our town, handcuffing boys who didn’t seem particularly interested in attending school or church. I was terrified of the police as a child. So you can imagine my horror when we were driving along and suddenly red lights danced in our rearview. Dad said, “Aw shoot!” which was pretty strong language for him. Sure enough, a real live uniformed policeman stood at the open window like an A&W waitress, eyeing each of us with suspicion, and then turning to my dad. Now Dad was the product of a wild youth. He was not unfamiliar with the long arm of the law. But along the way he had experienced a spiritual transformation, so the thought of him speeding was unthinkable. “They’re gonna arrest Dad,” my brother whispered.

s Phil Callaway “But for what?” I wondered out loud. If they had distracted driving laws in those days, Dad would be handed a life sentence. For one thing, we had a Titanic-sized Mercury station wagon and there were upwards of 72 of us in it at any given time. He must have felt like a zookeeper, transporting chimpanzees between animal sanctuaries. The officer ran his eyes over Dad’s driver’s license. “Rev. Callaway, do you know why I’ve pulled you over?” Reckless endangerment seemed a reasonable charge to me. Seatbelts were as rare as cruise control in those days. A few families used them. The same families that wore bike helmets and mostly stayed indoors. Rarely did one of us not have at least a head sticking

out a window. Or both arms. Or we’d be attempting to crawl through the back window onto the luggage rack where we could hang by one knee while someone timed us. It’s a wonder to look back and think to yourself, “I lived, I lived.” But at the time, it all seemed perfectly normal. “Rev. Callaway?” The officer was asking again. “Do you know what you’ve done?” I held my breath,

functioning and my father, the most law-abiding of citizens, in the act of attempting to ensure he was not speeding, became the only man I’ve ever met to almost be arrested for not keeping up with traffic. Is there anything in the world like watching a gavel stop mid-swing? Judgment was about to fall. Mercy arrived. Because of someone else’s mercy, we are free. I’m not sure there’s a better reason to laugh. Titus 3:5 tells us, “God

I’m not sure there’s a better reason to laugh. terrified, entertaining visions of visiting my father in prison. Maybe the officer knew about me. About the firecrackers I’d smuggled across the border or something worse. “You were going too s-l-o-w,” the officer said. I fully intended to stay completely quiet, incognito. But a laugh worked itself into my stomach. From there it spread to my joints and limbs and burst forth from my windpipe. “Too slow?” I laughed. “Too slow?” As it turned out, our speedometer had ceased

saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy.” Because of what Jesus did, my record is clean. Because of mercy, I have nothing to fear and everything to smile about. I think I’ll grab the car keys and the kids and go celebrate with some ice cream. This time we’ll be wearing seatbelts. Phil Callaway is a speaker, best-selling author, and host of Laugh Again Radio. Check it out at laughagain.org

Managing money is a challenge. Education, housing, transportation, food and clothing all seem to empty our wallets fast. Add to these the challenges of finding employment and the ever-increasing price of everything, it’s no wonder many find themselves financially s Andrew Hess frustrated. A recent USA Today article, “Millennials Struggle With Financial Literacy,” points out more and more millennials are taking on huge debt and taking on significant financial burdens early in their lives that could create significant future challenges. I agree; it’s important to learn to manage finances. Making a plan and establishing a monthly budget are great foundations to stewarding resources well. However, I want to suggest another essential element of good financial stewardship. It might seem odd, but I believe one of the vital components of healthy stewardship, regardless of your current financial situation, is giving. Now, that may sound like strange advice, especially for those who already feel financially strapped. What about my debt? Shouldn’t I pay that down first and then start giving? I believe many millennials mistakenly put off giving until they are in a better place financially, thinking, I’ll start giving when I’m making better money. When it comes to stewardship, we can aggressively pursue our financial goals, even while we grow in giving. It’s okay to start small. Maybe you start by giving a little every month,

Living Light News - January/February 2014

Of Blue Rugs And Other Created Things

s Marcia Laycock by Marcia Laycock

here’s a blue hooked rug beside my bed. I step down onto it each morning and each morning I think of my dad. He made the rug in 1946, just after the end of World War II. He was living on the psychiatric unit of a hospital in Germany at the time, after joining in the liberation of Bergen Belsen, one of Hitler’s notorious death camps. What he saw there made my father’s mind stop and his soul shrivel. It would be many months before he was well enough to leave the hospital. He worked on the hooked rug a little each day. It was one of the few things he brought home with him when he returned to Canada. His only surviving souvenir, it was more precious to him than the medals he received. I often wondered about that, wondered why he would hold it so close. I

never asked because he didn’t like to talk about the war and very few people knew he’d spent time in a psychiatric facility. My mother warned me not to mention it when she told me where the rug had come from. But I think the reason he prized that handmade item was because it had been part of his healing. As his hands performed the simple act of forming bits of blue wool into a pattern on a loom, his mind began to heal, his soul began to be restored. Todd Henry, founder of Accidental Creative, once said, “The creative process is

He prized that handmade item because it had been part of his healing. a daily assault on the beachhead of apathy.” I believe it can be more. I believe it can be an assault on the evil and imbalance in ourselves and in the world, a beachhead against chaos and destruction. I believe that as we write, as we sew or knit or quilt, as we paint or sculpt or weave, we are healed, we are made more whole and we draw closer to the Divine Spirit that guides us on. We also remind

ourselves and those who will read our words or enjoy our created things, that complete health, in mind, body and soul, is the state in which we were meant to live. Thus hope is breathed out, made literal in words, in blankets, in hats and paintings and artwork, and we are all encouraged. That process brings us joy and satisfaction because it is what we were created to do. We were created to make life better by practicing and using the gifts God has given us, whether it be to write a novel or paint a portrait or hook a rug. Creating opposes the purposes of the evil one who is set on destruction, and flows with the purposes of God. And, as Oswald Chambers is quoted as saying: “If you agree with God’s purpose He will bring not only your conscious life, but all the deeper regions of your life which you cannot get at, into harmony.” (from Called of God in The Complete Works of Oswald Chambers) That is true health, true holiness. “Therefore, my dear friends … continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” Philippians 2: 12-13). Marcia Laycock’s latest book, ‘One Smooth Stone,’ is available at www.vinemarc.com or by calling 1-800-238-9376.

Our Own Super Powers

s Rhonda Rhea by Rhonda Rhea

omebody asked me what super power I would want if I could have any of them. I thought about it, and then I decided on Batman’s. Because as far as I can tell, Batman’s super power is this: having a fat boatload of money. That one just seemed the most reasonable. After thinking about it a little more, I decided it was entirely conceivable I’ve been bitten by a radioactive spider. It must have been a spider that had the super power of being a regular human. That’s my super power. Being a regular human. But again, this worked out okay for Batman. I’m not going to get all bent out of shape about not being a super hero. For one thing, that would make me Mr. Fantastic or Elastic Man or somebody stretchy like that. But mostly because all of that’s silly pretend power. I

know where the real stuff comes from. We have power available to accomplish everything worthy of accomplishing – all through the power of the Spirit of God. Through His power and according to His plan, every believer has the amazing opportunity to work for the Kingdom of God. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” I love thinking about the way every task has been long ago chosen for each of us by a loving Father. If He handpicks each mission, why

It was entirely conceivable I’ve already been bitten by a radioactive spider. would we wonder – even for a second – where the power would come from to carry out each of those missions? In that same chapter in Ephesians, we’re told, “In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” Christians never lack the power to carry out whatever job He’s given us to do. That power – His power – dwells

in us. First Corinthians 12:6 says that “there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.” We’re not talking about a person’s “abilities” here. Not our strength. Not our intelligence. Not our possessions or our money – even if we have a fat boatload of it. This power is infinitely bigger. Born again people are empowered by the Holy Spirit of God. Super powers of the highest order. If you ever find yourself feeling inadequate for a task you believe God has called you to, let me encourage you to remember that you don’t need to hesitate for a second. He will accomplish through you by His indwelling power every job He’s calling you to do. No need to shy away from any task – even those that seem overwhelming in your own non-super-heroic powers. The power to share His Gospel, for instance, comes directly from the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8 says that “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses.” The power to change the world is right there. And it stretches from here to eternity. Without the slightest assistance from Mr. Fantastic. Rhonda Rhea is a radio personality and conference speaker across North America. She’s the author of several fun and fruitful books. Find out more at www.RhondaRhea.org.

Plan To Succeed by Dr. Charles F. Stanley

avid reached down and touched the leather cords that were wrapped tightly around his wrist. Would they snap into action the moment the smooth stone left his sling? He believed they would. He was confident – sure he was doing what God wanted him to do. He s Dr. Charles F. Stanley was not afraid. He watched the horizon with bold assurance as the giant approached. Not too close, he thought. Just close enough. Then he broke into an all-out run toward victory!

Set Your Goals And Live By Faith

How many times have you wanted to achieve a goal but felt unsure or afraid? Maybe the challenge seemed too great, or you thought you lack the ability, education, or means to achieve it. As a young man, David no doubt had some of these same questions. While tending his father’s sheep, he had plenty of time to develop a personal relationship with God – and this is where David gained the greatest victory. The day he faced Goliath, everything God taught him came together. As the young man stepped onto the battlefield to face a seasoned warrior, the odds seemed stacked against him. But it wasn’t. With one quick, sure motion, David hit his target and achieved his goal. He had been trained to believe that with God’s help, he would succeed – and he did.

Set Goals Even When You Face A Challenge When David arrived on the scene, not everyone was happy to see him – in fact his own brother was angry that he had come. Opposition is common when you say yes to God –

especially when you begin to trust Him to do the impossible. However, the thought of failure never occurred to David. He had a priority, and that was to defend the Lord’s reputation. Setting goals according to God’s standards always ensures victory. While not all the goals you set will be spiritual in nature, each one should be based on principles found in God’s Word. The secret to achieving these is to have the right focus. David knew the Lord had anointed him to be king of Israel, but position and status were not his focus. His objective was to honour God, and this is the difference between his success and the failure of King Saul.

Goals need to be definable and measurable. God’s Plan For Setting Goals Here are some steps to consider in setting goals: Clarity Of Purpose. David had a clear mental picture of what he wanted to accomplish: destroy the enemy. As long as you allow fear and thoughts of inadequacy in, you will not achieve your goals. Faith in an all-powerful God who loves you unconditionally will ignite hope. Instead of feeling inadequate, you will begin to say along with the apostle Paul, “I can do all things through [Christ] who strengthens me,” (Philippians 4:13). Consuming Desire. Passion – not procrastination – and a deep desire to please and honour the Lord are essential for reaching any goal, no matter how large. Confidence. Consider the resume of the apostle Paul – with the “right” teacher, background, pursuits, and attitude. And yet he writes, “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ and may be found in Him” (Philippians 3:8-9).

Course of action. Whether your goal is spiritual or personal, ask the Lord to help you develop a plan. Objectives should be written out and committed to Him. Surrender is essential. Calendar Of Events. Goals need to be definable and measurable. Keeping a diary of your progress and marking off milestones on a calendar will help you remain focused, energized, and heading in the right direction. More than likely, if you do not have a deadline for the goal, it will not get done. Consistency. One of the worst things you can do is start something and never finish it. That’s why it’s important to be determined. Fix your eye on the goal, and don’t allow yourself to be drawn off course. Control Of Emotions. Anger, fear, insecurity, bitterness, and other emotions can get us off track and prevent us from achieving our objective. David’s heart was set on winning the battle and honouring God. Goliath may have taunted him, but his tactics did not work. Courage To Act. David confidently said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail on account of [Goliath]; your servant will go and fight the Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:32). It is Biblical to take time and evaluate the cost involved in reaching your goal (Luke 14:28-32). But when you do, calculate according to the Lord’s desires, standards, and will for your life rather than by your own limited insight. Conscious Dependence Upon God. David told Goliath, “This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands” (v. 46). He did not say, “Because of my great ability, I will achieve this goal, win this battle, and conquer this foe.” David’s heart was set on exalting and honouring God with his life. When this is the motivation for your decisions and actions, you will accomplish your personal goals and achieve great things for God. Dr. Charles F. Stanley is the founder of In Touch Ministries. For In Touch’s television and radio broadcast times visit intouchcanada.org. Article © 2014 courtesy In Touch Ministries.

Living Light News - January/February 2014

MORE THAN by Lori Sandys Lapierre This winter’s bitter temperatures take on a different meaning when you’re homeless. And the House of Refuge Mission is determined to meet the needs of those cold, hungry – and hurting. “The mission started in Edmonton’s inner city in the 1970’s,” explains Bob Vandergrift, who has directed the nondenominational Christian ministry for over eight years, “to minister to the poor, hungry and needy. “We’ve always had a gospel message and some food – soup

and sandwiches,” he says of the ministry that has operated daily. Vandergrift began to volunteer in the 1980’s after a friend invited him along to see the work being done. Volunteers continue to be one of the mission’s strengths. “We are probably the only organization or agency that is 100 per cent volunteer. Our budget is under $100,000 a year. We’ve never charged anybody for anything. And we’ve never gone to any government agency for funding. We survive on donations.” It is also the last stop for many

REFUGE

denied assistance elsewhere – an important fact, which makes them unique compared to other agencies. “We would take people under the influence of drugs and alcohol – we didn’t turn anybody away,” Vandergrift notes. But the Mission faced an enormous setback on Oct. 19, when the building at 10339A–95 Street was completely destroyed by an electrical fire. Vandergrift is determined that will not stop the work being done by the House of Refuge. “The souls of men and women – that’s the number one

goal. [And] ministering to the poor and needy,” he states emphatically. So in spite of having no facility, the ministry continues to meet the needs of the homeless and hungry in front of Edmonton Cash Register, located diagonally across from their former location. Food and clothing are handed out daily at 6 p.m. But a building is vital to the ministry and their work – there is currently no place to store food donations, for instance. Previously serving about 7,500 meals a month, it can now only reach about a dozen people daily in the biting cold. And it’s too frigid outside for church services, making it much harder to meet the spiritual needs of those who come seeking more than physical assistance. Husband and wife John and Kim Coe are very grateful that the House of Refuge was there when they hit rock bottom. John shares their painful descent from responsible parents and employees to drug addicts after being introduced to cocaine and then crack by friends. “We wouldn’t go to work, we lost job after job, [then] the house – the

photo by Noel Granado

“Bob took u under his w s as a specing ial case.”

Bob Vandergrift from House of Refuge has witnessed many of the Mission’s success stories – like John Coe and his family.

sheriff repossessing our vehicles. It got worse and worse,” John shares. “We were [finally] living in a garage. There was no power, heat, or water. A lot of mornings, it was warmer outside than it was in the garage.” But Coe remembers standing outside of the mission when Vandergrift spied them and led them inside. “He prayed for us,” John recalls. “We realized we could get a hot meal. Bob really grew on us – he took us under his wing as a special case.” An amazing example of the work God is doing through the House of Refuge, the Coes were clean and in housing a year later. Now they even gave back, volunteering every week. Vandergrift is hopeful for a new location that will allow the ministry to continue the work that Jesus Christ encourages in Matthew 25:40: “... whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” “We’re looking for a location presently, [but] there’s a great resistance to having us in areas because of our clientele,” Vandergrift points out. “There were people that wanted us out where we were, but we [continue to] serve.” For more information, to volunteer, or to make a donation, visit refugemission.com or call 780-465-4966.

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Living Light News - January/February 2014

Mercy

A MISSION OF

by Lailani Mendoza

when I started questioning what I believed in and why I believed it.” It also taught her what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. “Jesus is the only one that’s always there for you and you can always depend on,” she says. She says her faith in God motivates her to give to others. “Once I

“I DECIDED I WILL USE MY TIME OFF EVERY YEAR TO SERVE PEOPLE RATHER THAN JUST BE A TOURIST.” “There’s a spiritual care team that would come in daily that would have a time of worship with them, care for them and share the Gospel for the people who were willing to listen.” Raised by Christian parents, Lee heard the Good News about Jesus at a very young age. “Growing up in church Edmonton nurse Rhoda Lee is using doesn’t necessarily mean that her holiday to care for patients aboard the Africa Mercy, the world’s you are a Christian of course,” largest floating hospital. explains Lee. “It wasn’t probably until high school

graduated from nursing, I decided that I will use my time off every year to use towards a missions trip – to try to serve people rather than just be a tourist,” says Lee, who raised $2,000 to pay her own way for this charity trip. She’s also made adjustments to her day job in Edmonton to give her the flexibility to do medical missions. “A lot of people ask me, ‘Why don’t you get a permanent position?’ At this point in my life, I’m more than comfortable with [the hours] I have been getting at work, and I know that I will be provided for.” “It’s because of [God] that I know I’m taken care of … I can do these adventurous things because I know that I’m doing what God wants me to do, and because I know that I’m in His hands.”

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Rhoda Lee is spending six weeks on a ship in a warmer part of the world, but working on her tan isn’t on the itinerary. “It’s not exactly gonna be in the Caribbean,” says Lee with a chuckle. She says colleagues mistakenly thought she was going on a cruise. “I won’t be sitting deckside, drinking fruity cocktails.” The cardiovascular ICU nurse from Edmonton left for the Congo last month to help with a medical mission. Africa Mercy is a beacon of hope to the thousands of patients lined up on PointeNoire’s port who don’t have access to healthcare. The range of medical procedures, from cataract removal to cleft palate surgery, are truly life-changing for the recipients who are usually ostracized from the community for their physical disfigurements. The 28-year-old first boarded the Africa Mercy two years ago after hearing about it from friends who had served on the ship. “I knew this could be a good opportunity for me to serve using the skills that I gained in my work.” This trip, Lee is using her critical care skills as a recovery room nurse. She will be one of the first persons patients will see following their long-awaited surgery. Her first assignment brought her to Sierra Leone for three months. There, she took care of ICU patients who were treated for cleft palates, cleft lips or large tumours.

She worked full-time every week with shifts that ranged from eight to 10 hours. Dealing with a vomiting kid and preparing for a visit from Princess Anne were all part of a day’s work during her three-month stint. Because Mercy Ships is a Christian organization, prayer and singing songs of worship is a common occurrence. Medical teams pray together and doctors pray for patients before surgeries.

Living Light News - January/February 2014

SeniorScene

EXERCISES by Carolyn Tomlin Books filled with puzzles. CD loaded with educational quizzes. Step-by-step guides to avoiding dementia. All of these may be helpful, but exercises for brain health do not necessarily cost money. Seniors have the power within to utilize resources in our lives that are necessary to maintain brain function. Use a variety of activities to play mind games that stimulate learning. Have fun and enjoy what you do! Follow these ideas to keep your mind sharp and alert.

Exercise Your Creativity

It’s something we all possess – it’s your imagination! Look in your food pantry and think of ways to put a delicious meal together from three or four ingredients. Take a walk and observe how a neighbour has designed their landscaping. Could you come up with a better idea? Before taking a trip, look at a map and find another route that will take you to your destination. Identify the names of trees by their leaves or bark and check your score with a plant guide.

Try Another Way

Instead of performing an ordinary task the usual way, try another approach. Which side of your face do you wash or put makeup on first? Reverse this process. If you’re righthanded, try eating with your left. Use visual clues and gestures to communicate with a spouse or friend. Tie your shoes with your eyes closed. Identify other daily tasks and come up with alternate ways to perform these.

Gain Skills Through Reading

Can you name a skill you’ve always wanted to know about? Local libraries have books on hobbies, crafts, music, art and checkout is free. Kindle has thousands of books to download at a fraction of the cost of a paperback – and often these are free for a period of time. Learning a new language has never been easier. Today, seniors can find online help with foreign languages whether for travelling or personal satisfaction. One of the easiest programs is pimsleur. com, a set of CDs to listen to at home. Or, register for a non-credit language program at a local college or university.

Internet Learning

Projects that we enjoy are those we use most often. The Internet offers free memory games, math and word games that increase our reasoning skills and potential. Find them online by typing “free brain games” in your search bar. Several websites offer free games daily. Increase your social contacts by being competitive with a friend. Or, try to improve your personal score and enhance your reasoning speed and capabilities.

For The Mind Exercise For Mental Alertness

It’s been said, “A body in motion, stays in motion.” Seniors who continue to view exercise as part of their daily routine not only receive physical gain, but mental benefits as well. Exercise produces an increase of blood flow and stimulation to the entire body – as well as our brain. Regardless of our age, we need healthy blood vessels to transport oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to the brain. One exercise that seniors can enjoy and continue is the simple act of walking. You may enjoy having a companion join you for a daily walk. Or, you may use this as a time to listen to inspirational tapes or music. Others choose this as a free time to plan their daily activities. Start a walking routine and continue it daily for multiple profits.

Employment Opportunities Looking for meaningful work and a chance to serve God? Look no further!

Office Manager

If after prayerful consideration you would value the opportunity to serve God and help grow our ministry, send your resume and cover letter to: Jeff Caporale jeff@livinglightnews.com

Associate Editor This unique fulltime position offers a skilled editor and writer the opportunity to share amazing Christ-centred stories with our readers.

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Requirements:

• Extremely organized and detail oriented • Management experience • Servant leader • Multitasking abilities • Excellent computer skills • Highly productive and able to meet deadlines

• Writing, editing, and assigning stories to writers • Finding interesting local and feature stories • Assigning photography shoots/securing photos from various sources • Managing and growing our team of writers • Proofing page layouts • Posting articles on our website using WordPress • Helping establish and manage social media platforms including Twitter and Facebook

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This rewarding fulltime position requires an experienced office manager to manage the administration and accounting areas of our ministry.

• Day-to-day accounting using QuickBooks (i.e. payables, receivables, invoicing, bank recs, payroll etc.) • Overseeing distribution of publication via Canada Post and delivery agents (every two months) • Ensuring office equipment, computers, software and supplies are in order • Implementing new operations to improve and enhance ministry • Helping Publisher oversee staff, volunteers and ministry operations

Yes, seniors can choose numerous ways to exercise their brain by using what you have in your home and community at little or no cost.

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Sales Team Leader This exciting fulltime position provides a talented sales professional the opportunity to earn both financial and eternal rewards by helping to fund/grow our ministry and impact lives with the gospel message.

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Living Light News - January/February 2014

Parenting 10 Things Parents Need To Know About Teens by Dr. Greg Smalley Parenting teens can be a frustrating and thankless job, but it can also be a rewarding experience if we understand what they are going through. Here are 10 things parents should know: 1. Teenagers will often test boundaries set for them. Teens move from dependence to independence, and it is accomplished by testing and sometimes exceeding

s Dr. Greg Smalley limits. 2. Adolescents are profoundly influenced by popular culture.

Parents must pay attention to the TV shows, movies, and music their teens enjoy. 3. Teenagers are worried about their future. Many adolescents fret about life after high school and whether or not they will make it in the adult world. 4. Teens love their parents and learn from them. The good news is that parents are the biggest influence on their teenagers. The bad news is that many parents are not an altogether

great influence. 5. Most teenagers do the right thing most of the time. Troubled kids get all the press, but research shows most kids make it through adolescence without major disasters. 6. Adolescents see temporary setbacks as insurmountable obstacles. Many teens lack perspective, which can lead to irrational decisions and behaviour. 7. Teenagers can’t

comprehend that their parents were ever their age. Teenagers are convinced that their problems and struggles are unique to them and their era. 8. Teenagers will test their parents’ values and beliefs before making them their own. Teens need to separate what they hold to be true from what you told them is true. 9. Church may bore them, but God doesn’t.

While some teens find church restricting, they are very interested in what God can do in their lives. 10. Teenagers are responsible for their actions. Every parent makes mistakes, and some are whoppers, but ultimately teenagers are responsible for their own actions. Article © 2014 courtesy Smalley Relationship Center. Visit www.smalley.cc for more information.

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Living Light News - January/February 2014

Wellness

Foods that fight

Inflammation by Beth Bence Reinke, MS, RD If you’ve ever suffered through itchy, puffy eyes or a fiery-red skinned knee, you know what inflammation feels like. Warmth and swelling signal acute inflammation, a natural and good reaction where the body gears up to heal itself from an injury or infection. But there’s another kind – chronic inflammation – that is not good at all. The chronic form of inflammation is a lingering process that harms the body instead of healing it. Chronic inflammation contributes to diseases such as heart disease, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Thankfully, there’s a way to fight the bad inflammation using weapons as close as your kitchen and grocery store. More and more research points to a healthful diet as one way to reduce inflammation and ward off chronic diseases.

Fats

Omega-3s and monounsaturated fats help fight inflammation. Go with extra-virgin olive oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, nuts, avocadoes and flaxseed. Buy whole flaxseeds, grind them and sprinkle in other foods such as oatmeal, sauces and stews. For nuts, walnuts and almonds are highly recommended.

Fruits and Vegetables

Enjoy a variety of brightly-coloured fruits and veggies – they’re full of disease-fighting antioxidants. You may know antioxidants like lycopene in tomatoes or anthocyanins

in blueberries or resveratrol in grapes. Vitamin C, found in countless fruits and veggies, is also an antioxidant. Other anti-inflammatory powerhouses include broccoli, mushrooms, berries, cherries, onions and garlic.

Whole grains

Foods made from white flour, such as pasta and white bread, have most of their healthful vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre stripped away during milling. That’s why whole grains, which contain all three parts of the grain kernel, are most nutritious. In addition to whole grain pasta, try wild or brown rice, quinoa, oats, barley or couscous.

Proteins

Choose organic lean meats, eggs and dairy products whenever possible. Dried beans and legumes are highfibre protein sources full of plant antioxidants, also called phytochemicals. Fish low in mercury but high in omega-3 fats, such as wild Alaskan salmon, sardines and herring, are good additions to an anti-inflammatory eating plan.

Herbs/spices

Various herbs show anti-inflammatory properties, such as rosemary, basil and thyme. Add generous amounts of freshly snipped herbs to all kinds of savoury dishes. Ginger and turmeric are considered especially potent anti-inflammatory spices. Curcumin, a compound in turmeric, has been extensively studied for its anti-cancer properties, too. Sprinkle cinnamon in oatmeal or add ginger or turmeric to meats and grains.

Drinks

Beverages can battle inflammation, too. Brewed teas, such as green, white and oolong, contain antioxidants called catechins. Rich, unprocessed cocoa provides flavanols, so making hot chocolate with organic milk and real cocoa is a winter treat that soothes inflammation.

What about snacks?

You probably noticed junk foods weren’t on the menu, right? That’s because many snack foods and baked goods are mostly sugar, refined flour and unhealthy trans fats – all inflammation-promoting ingredients. Don’t allow them to sneak into your cart or cupboards. Instead, enjoy disease-fighting snacks such as fresh fruits, raw veggies, nuts and popcorn. Add a cup of piping hot tea and a square of dark chocolate (with at least 70 per cent cacao) to round out your inflammation-fighting nibbles. Lastly, if you go to fast food restaurants, use caution. Think about a typical meal of a burger, fries and soda – fatty meat on a refined flour bun, white potatoes deepfried in unhealthy fat and a load of salt and sugar – a pro-inflammatory meal. Instead, you can load up on antiinflammatory foods like a leafy green salad with fruit and nuts, dressing with healthy fats and unsweetened tea. By arming yourself with anti-inflammatory foods, you’ll be ready to do battle with chronic inflammation, at home or on the go. Beth Bence Reinke, MS, RD, is a registered dietician who writes about food, health and nutrition. Visit her website at www. bethbencereinke.com.

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Sliding to Sochi Lyndon’s Rush For Gold He played football, raced motorcycles and snowboarded, so Lyndon Rush seemed made for bobsledding. With his strength — he was a starting linebacker in high school and a defensive lineman for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies — he also had that “it” factor. He was a little crazy. “If you’re a thrill seeker like I am, you’re always into going fast,” Rush, who as a child raced dirt bikes in the summer and snowmobiles in the winter, explains. That was exactly what coaches on the Canadian Olympic bobsled team were looking for when Rush was invited to a tryout in 2004. But Rush’s storybook ending — he won a bronze medal in the four-man event at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and is a pilot on the 2014 team — didn’t have a happy, storybook start. First, Rush strained his hamstring pushing the sled in his tryout.Then they asked him if he wanted to try driving. “My first thought was ‘You just let anyone do this?’ ” Rush recalls with a chuckle. But rather than starting at the top of the hill, Rush started at the midway point, limiting his speed to about 80 kilometres an hour. After his first ride and first insight — “This is pretty cool.” — Rush was asked the obvious question. “They asked me if I wanted to race from the top,” he says. Naturally, he was all in. Unfortunately, Rush crashed. While he wasn’t hurt — he’s never broken a bone or been hurt seriously in 10 years of racing despite going as fast as 140 kilometers an hour — the crash was a wake-up call. “I realized this could really bite you if you made a mistake,” Rush says. “That challenge really appealed to me.” Rush was sold. And determined. But he wasn’t an overnight success.That first year, Rush’s on-the-job-training included competitions among the team. By the end of his inaugural year he entered his first international race — the America’s Cup in Park City, Utah. A series of other races in the developmental circuit followed and he was basically a middle of the pack finisher. Never winning. Never placing last. But he always had this don’t-settle dream. “Right from the start my goal was to be an Olympian for Canada and win an Olympic medal,” Rush tells Living Light News. “I didn’t want to think, ‘Well, if I can get down without crashing I’d be happy.’ Right from the start I wanted to be the best.” Six years after first trying out for the Canadian national

team at age 23, he got his first World Cup win in 2009. He always showed improvement, working up the ladder. But winning, being the best, was always his driving force. That motivation got a jolt when he was on the awards platform at the 2010 Olympics to receive a bronze medal. He saw the U.S. team’s reaction to receiving the gold medal. “I remember looking into the eyes of the Americans and seeing them tear up,” Rush says. “Just as a lover of sports, it was a neat moment for me.” Rush feels being on the Olympic team is as much a calling as it is a goal. “I want to win every race I get in,” Rush says. “And the

“I realized this could really bite you if you made a mistake. Lyndon Rush Olympics being the biggest race, I really want to win that one. But really more than anything is this is what God wants me to be doing right now. I feel fortunate He’s given me the opportunity and feel blessed to be able to do something I love so much.” All his hard work paid off. In 2012, Rush nabbed a World Cup gold with Jesse Lumsden in the two-man event, and in February 2013, the duo won the overall World Cup bobsleigh title in Sochi — Rush’s first overall title. In November 2013,Team Rush was sixth in the four-man race at the World Cup. As the third youngest of six children, Rush grew up in

by Crystal Kupper Humboldt on the Saskatchewan prairies. His mother was a stay-at-home-mom and his father was a rancher and sold Native Nebraskan Curt pig feed. His parents brought the family to church every Tomasevicz crouches down, Sunday morning. all strength and controlled “We talked about God all the time in our family,” power and quick-twitch Rush says. muscle fibres ready to burst He was golfing with his dad when Rush made the off the line. When the signal most important decision of his life, one that continues comes, his 6-1, 225-pound to impact his life to this day. frame covers the yards in mere “I think I was six or seven,” Rush says. “Just a little seconds. guy. My dad talked about how Jesus had died on the He was, after all, educated by cross and how He died for my sins.” football’s best at the University On the third hole, Rush sat down with his dad of Nebraska, a small-town son and prayed. who long dreamed of Memorial “And I asked Jesus into my heart,” Rush says. Stadium. “I remember my dad tearing up and saying Yet 33-year-old Tomasevicz’s how I had Jesus in my heart.There’s been lots uniform is no longer the infamous of different re-dedications over the years. But Cornhusker red jersey. Instead, he that’s where (it) started.” sports black spandex as he heaves Since graduating from college, Rush himself and three teammates down has been a professional sledder, doing it a narrow, icy bobsled track at 152 fulltime. It’s a job and a dream. During kilometres an hour. the summer, he trains, lifting weights and “Football and pushing a bobsled have running. When the World Cup season some similarities in that each ‘play’ lasts starts, Rush and his team compete from about five seconds,” Tomasevicz tells Living October to March. He says training is Light News. “It takes a huge amount of like prayer in a Christian’s life. power and speed to be successful. And both “It’s your line of communication can be very rough and dangerous sports.” with God,” Rush says. “You read your Pigskin-loving Nebraskans know rough Bible and you pray and you grow. and dangerous. But how does a guy from When you weigh your success and Shelby — elevation 1,640 feet and not a jagged your walk, it correlates to your mountain peak in sight — produce a goldprayer life. It’s similar with an medal winning bobsledder? athlete.You weigh your success That’s right;Tomasevicz, a former walk-on in a sport and it comes back to running back and linebacker at Nebraska, cruised how your training was.” to the top in the four-man bobsleigh at the 2010 Now, at age 33 with his Vancouver Olympics, ending a 62-year drought fourth child due in May, Rush for the U.S. As the brakeman on the “Night Train,” says Sochi 2014 will be his Tomasevicz and his teammates edged out perennial last Olympics. powerhouses Germany and Canada. It’s an event he hopes to It’s a career Tomasevicz never anticipated. Rather, stay cool at. he aimed for the U.S. Air Force Academy. Days “I try not to be before his physical fitness test, however, he broke his anxious,” he said. “I run collarbone. So on to Plan B: walking on to Nebraska’s Philippians 4:6 [I can renowned football squad.The Cornhuskers, impressed do all things through by his 39-inch vertical leap, picked him and only three Christ who gives me others out of 120 wannabes. strength.] through my Playing on the scout team,Tomasevicz never made head all the time.”

it big. But besides his bachelor’s and master’s degree in electrical engineering, he left Nebraska with something else: the drive to win. “I had to … get my tail whooped every day. It wasn’t easy, but I learned that giving 100 per cent on every play and getting beat to the ground was better than going half-speed and getting beat to the ground,” he says. “I also learned … where my breaking point was. It was more than I thought. It wasn’t easy getting up off the ground play after play, but I did it and never quit.” Looking to stay fit after college,Tomasevicz hit the weight room and met a former track star-turned

“It takes a huge amount of power and speed to be successful.” Curt Tomasevicz bobsledder. She convinced him that his body type — quick yet strong — was perfect for her sport. So he sent out some e-mails, tried out in Calgary in 2004 and made the team. His first major stop? The 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy, where his team finished sixth. From there, the successes began building up like snowdrifts: a World Cup gold medal in 2007, a bronze at America’s Cup in 2008, and, as part of the attentiongarnering Night Train squad, the four-man World Championships in 2009 at Lake Placid.Then, the ultimate prize the following year at Whistler. His hometown, with just 714 people, played a critical

role, raising nearly $25,000 to support its favourite brakeman for his first three years of training. “When I was playing sports in high school,” he says, “I’m sure no one expected my athletic career to go toward bobsled. But they have all jumped on board right away.” Along with athletic support,Tomasevicz also enjoyed the close-knit connections of his local church. Since he was a young child, he’s had a “steady and strong” relationship with God. “I came to truly believe the teachings in the Bible and found truth in the teachings,” he told Beyond the Ultimate. “My faith became something that I tried to display in my actions throughout the week and not just on Sunday.” The stresses of his freshman year challenged that foundation. “I had a lonely and lost feeling,” he says. “But going to church and surrounding myself with good people was the best way to refocus on the important things and build my life around the structure I wanted to.” Just don’t think Tomasevicz’s relationship with Jesus Christ is contained within a cathedral. It spills over and onto everything, from his training during the off-season in Colorado to the frigid open air of bobsleigh tracks the world over. “I say a short prayer under my breath before every time we slide down the hill,” he says. Plus, “I try – and I am not always successful – to compete with top notch sportsmanship and class. But I hope that … my faith helps lead me to be a better athlete and person.” To that end,Tomasevicz has spoken to over 70 schools since 2010, including some with Classroom Champions, a program started by a former teammate to serve struggling students. His message might be about “staying off drugs, or the benefits of reading, or anything in between.” As the Sochi Olympics approach in February, kids are listening even more intently. All signs point toward another medal — Tomasevicz and teammates Steven Holcomb, Chris Fogt and Steve Langton recently won the season-opening World Cup race in November held in Calgary. With designs on a post-Olympics engineering Ph.D. and maybe even a professorship,Tomasevicz will take a rest when the Night Train arrives at the station for the final time. But until then, his love for his sport and God remain strong. “You can never get too comfortable standing at the top of the track,” he says. “There is a little nervousness every time.That’s the part that I love.”

photos by Damian Battinelli (Curt’s headshot) and Charlie Booker (action shot) courtesy USA Bobsled and Skeleton Federation

photos courtesy Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton (action shot by Charlie Booker)

by Gail Wood

Brakeneck Speed

Living Light News - January/February 2014

LifeStyles

“I never, in a million years, would have imagined the most heartwarming, tear-jerking stories I started receiving in response.”

Time to

Celebrate!

One woman is changing the way people look at turning another year older

by Sarah Chestnutt On her 38th birthday, Robyn Bomar didn’t have a party. Despite the high expectations that come from being an event and wedding planner, she didn’t even arrange an evening with friends. Rather, she celebrated by doing 38 acts of kindness for others — one for each year of her life. Instead of going out for dinner, she dropped a gift card on the table of a family having lunch in a local Destin, Fla., restaurant then left. The balloons weren’t decorating the house, they were handed out to hospital patients and children shopping with their parents. “Having just come off a busy holiday

season, I wasn’t really in the mood to do anything special for my own birthday in January,” she tells Living Light News. That was when the idea came for doing something special — but different. “Being a ‘planner’ I didn’t want to just wander aimlessly on my birthday, looking for someone to bless so I knew this was going to be more along the lines of what I like to call ‘Intentional Acts of Kindness,’ ” Bomar explains. “We sat down as a family and I asked our three daughters to help brainstorm some ways we could bless people. Their ideas were all over the map, but we were eventually able to narrow the list down to about 40 (no event planner is ever without a Plan B, just in case things don’t go exactly as planned). “We were better able to prepare by knowing ahead of time what we wanted to do, so we gathered all our supplies and materials like water bottles for joggers, coins for laundry and vending machines, and handwritten notes of encouragement to leave around town.” It was an idea Bomar says she didn’t come up with entirely on her own. “I believe, without a doubt, that the Lord impressed upon me to spend that particular birthday just blessing others. I

had been praying for almost exactly a year that God would show me how I could make a real difference in the world. I had no idea when I suggested to my husband that I plan out 38 kind things to do for others, that God was about to open a door wide open as an answer to that prayer!” Initially, Bomar thought her unique celebration would end there, but eventually she was convinced to share it — and the idea exploded online. “To think how close I came to never even posting about that day on my blog is crazy to me now! I didn’t want to seem boastful or self-promoting and didn’t plan on sharing the experience,” she says. “I never, in a million years, would have imagined the most heartwarming, tear-jerking stories I started receiving in response. People started reposting the blog to private message boards, parenting groups, teacher sites ... it was so moving and frankly I just sat at my computer and asked God, ‘What do You want me to do with this?’ The immediate and constant response from people all over the Internet let me know this was something much bigger than a single day.” Nine months later, Bomar knew what to do. “It wasn’t until October of that same year ... that I knew what to do with the experience. I was actually in the shower when God showed me what to

As Robyn Bomar celebrates another birthday this January, she invites people to change the way

photo courtesy Robyn Bomar

they look at birthdays.

call it, what to do with it, what to do next.” The Birthday Project was born. The mission of the Project is to create a shift in the way people celebrate birthdays. With chapters around the world and a website full of inspiration and ideas, it has gained momentum and continues to explode across the Internet — including over 20,000 likes on Facebook. Bomar believes the momentum stems from what drives the Project. “My personal relationship with Jesus is the very reason why there is a Birthday Project. I believe it is not me, but Christ in me, that is the driving force behind it all. I don’t make a single decision without praying about it first and I don’t, for a single second, believe it would be as far reaching as it has become if not for Him.” This reliance on God is not new to Bomar. “When I was seven years old I asked Jesus into my heart,” she recalls. “He was always there, a very real presence in my life. I cannot ever remember not having ongoing conversations with Him, praying and knowing He was near to me.” Bomar can see Jesus’ influence. “I know not everyone who follows The Birthday Project on social media or celebrates their birthdays by giving to others believes in Jesus. But I know that what I am inspiring people to do and what people are doing by loving others without judgment or expectation of anything in return is exactly how Jesus loved people.” Bomar, who’s celebrating her 42nd birthday this January, quit her job to devote herself to the Project and is currently writing a book sharing stories of those affected by its work. Stories such as the woman returning from war with PTSD and contemplating suicide when she came across the Project. “[She] was so changed by the experience that [she is] still alive, and with a new hope for [her] future ... “I never cease to be amazed at how ... spending a concentrated amount of time celebrating a single day cannot help but spill into the other 364 days of the year.” For more info on The Birthday Project, visit thebdayproject.com.

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Living Light News - January/February 2014

Sights&Sounds

Hootie drummer beat the odds and lives to tell about it through new album photos courtesy Jim Sonefeld and EB Media

OnceLost

But Now He’s by Elisabeth Handley

Found

His mom says Jim “Soni” Sonefeld was born with drumsticks in his hands. That talent enabled him to achieve success beyond his wildest dreams as drummer for the internationally-renowned band Hootie & The Blowfish. The band rocketed to mega-stardom with the release of their first major label album Cracked Rear View in 1994, the fourth biggestselling debut ever and the 12th biggest-selling record of all time in the US. Hootie won numerous awards, including two Grammys, becoming one of the most successful pop acts of the ’90s. This fame and fortune was hard-earned. Led by the iconic voice of gritty, bluesy Darius Rucker, they toured the American South and East Coast for 10 years before making it big, usually earning about $6,000 each per year. But once discovered by a scout for Atlantic Records, Cracked Rear View sold 16 million copies in the U.S. alone. “I was living the dream,” Sonefeld says. “We were at the top where it was brilliant, amazing.” Through it all, however, he was a functioning alcoholic. Attending a Catholic school in his home town in Illinois, he came away thinking he wasn’t worthy as a person. “I felt I had blown it, and what was the point of adhering to a Christ that had condemned me?” he says. “I used it as justification for living a life that was very unrighteous.” This sense of unworthiness pervaded his life. Living to give off a nice-guy image, Sonefeld was suffering on the inside. Years of behaviour

he wasn’t proud of led to alcohol abuse as a way to dull the pain. “I was 14 when that first swallow hit my throat and made me feel better. Instead of growing emotionally or spiritually throughout my teens and 20s, I stalled out. I turned to alcohol to numb the pain.” Sonefeld headed to the University of South Carolina where he met his Hootie bandmates. After the massive success of their debut album, Sonefeld says, “I got some money, which makes everything better for a time. The attention of fans works as well as alcohol.” As the charm of fortune and travel began to wear off, and the fans began fading out, Sonefeld started to feel a giant void. He tried desperately to fill it with drugs, alcohol, sex, and material goods. “I couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t working, why I kept coming up empty in my heart,” he says. “I was heading down fast.” With a wife and two little kids at home, but a major monkey on his back, family life was a disaster. Sonefeld increasingly secluded himself in his backyard studio to make music, drink and escape. It was there his four-year-old daughter found him one morning, passed out, and asked, “Dad, what are you doing out here? Why aren’t you in the house?” Finally tired of trying to be both a dad and a drunk, Sonefeld reached out to the only person he knew that had gotten sober. This man that he used to party with took him to his first 12-step meeting. The drugs and alcohol had imprisoned Sonefeld in a fog where it was impossible to

Jim Sonefeld see or think straight. At the meetings, Sonefeld learned how to stop drinking and make better decisions. He was able to recognize the darkness he had been living in, admit his addiction and wrongdoing, and start making amends. “I was able to find the God I had been so afraid of all my life,” he says, choking with emotion. “God saves people who are unsavable. Once I saw that I was the miracle, I started to literally see the light.” This divine intervention was the beginning of Sonefeld’s road to recovery and what he describes as his daily transformation. It’s a dramatic shift in thinking to understand you only have to worry about today, he says. Addicts dwell on the past and worry about the future like no one else, explains Sonefeld. Living for the day relieves that pressure. Sonefeld was finally able to trust in God and allow God to direct his life. “This is true liberation, true freedom,” he says, “knowing deep in your heart that God’s will is better than mine 100 per cent of the time.” Still, surrendering his life to Jesus Christ didn’t take away all of life’s difficulties. The sad fact was that Sonefeld had a broken marriage, which ended in divorce. Though it was difficult to admit that defeat, he continued to work through his issues with God. In the nine years since Sonefeld attended

that first 12-step meeting, he has remarried and is about to celebrate his fifth anniversary with his wife, Laura. Together they have five children, aged nine through 15. He describes their home as a little crazy but full of joy. It was Laura who encouraged him to write about coming to Christ and the subsequent transformation. Found was released in 2012, a celebration of his faith, renewal, and deliverance paired with a solid backbeat, strong melodies, and soaring harmonies. Each self-penned song has personal meaning such as “The Shelter of Your Wings,” which celebrates the difference of waking up in a fog, full of heartache, and waking up clean and sober with God in your heart. Sonefeld’s second album, as yet untitled, is scheduled to come out in 2014. He now reaches out to other men suffering drug and alcohol addiction, sharing how Jesus Christ can set them free. “I’ve seen Him take some souls that didn’t appear to have much going for them and make miracles. I’m one of those,” he tells Living Light News. “Be encouraged that no matter how unworthy you think you are, there is a God who thinks you are worthy. If you start listening you will absolutely get to live that miracle.” For more about Jim Sonefeld or to check out his music, visit www.jimsonefeld.com

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Living Light News - January/February 2014

BENJAH Haze & Reflections benjahmusic.com Review by Josh McConnell

JukeBox

While some think electronic or synth music can easily be produced in a basement setup, this generalization overlooks the incredible amount of skill required to pull it off really well. Grammy nominated artist Benjah understands this challenge and tackles it full force with the release of his eight-track album Haze & Reflections. The former Group 1 Crew member builds texture into this electronica and dubstep-esque effort with various musical influences. G1C’s Blanca gives opener “Rainbows” a strong Ke$ha sound. On “Action,” the Florida native deviates from his usual rapping to try out his vocal chops. “Don’t Shoot” shows some strong reggae influences evident on other tracks. Not simply a basement concoction, Haze & Reflections is an amalgamation of different styles that sets Benjah’s sound apart.

BETHEL MUSIC Tides bethelmusic.com Review by Josh McConnell Bethel is a worship music community of songwriters, musicians and singers based out of Redding, Calif., home of the popular group and movement known as Jesus Culture. Led by Brian and Jenn Johnson, several artists from Bethel, including Jeremy Riddle, have solo projects already. They come together to create worship music without the business pressures. When artistic quality isn’t sacrificed for mass appeal, the result is very refreshing indeed. Bethel’s latest effort, Tides, is a 13-track studio album that bleeds genres together. Vocalists in the Brit-rock influenced disc give various tracks a distinct feel. Bouncy opener “Chasing You” has a Tegan and Sara vibe, thanks to Jenn’s vocals and ‘80s style keyboards. Meanwhile, “Breaking Through” and “Heaven’s Song” both sound like Delirious? worship tunes. If you are looking for a brand new worship disc for your collection, Tides is the one for you.

CASTING CROWNS Thrive castingcrowns.com Review by Lindsay Williams Casting Crowns continues to be a perennial favourite. And for good reason. Band members balance unwavering commitment to their churches amidst a gruelling touring schedule. Mark Hall is a youth pastor first and foremost, and Casting Crowns is simply an extension of his work. The award-winning group’s new effort, Thrive, is one of the strongest evidences of the intrinsic relationship between what he teaches students and what he shares through music. According to Hall, in order to thrive, you have to first be rooted in the Word of God. From the foot-stomping, Americanaflavoured title track to the elegant closer, “Waiting On the Night to Fall,” Casting Crowns leads listeners through ways to reach in so they can be equipped to reach out. The group has consistently performed well in radio, and first

SUPPLYING & INSTALLING:

single “All You’ve Ever Wanted” was a wise choice with a bright piano melody and a simple yet profound lyric. Songs like “Just Be Held,” where Hall displays a rare falsetto, and the sparse “Broken Together” find Crowns at their best, marrying honest lyrics with memorable melodies. The stripped-down “Follow Me” is another gem, thanks to member Megan Garrett’s lovely vocals. They would do well to include more of this organic balladry that allows the truth of their lyrics to shine. Thrive fails to unearth much new ground, but longtime fans will find what they would expect from the band – Biblicallyinfused lyrics that pack a punch.

DAVE BARNES Golden Days davebarnes.com Review by Lindsay Williams Bridging the gap between the sacred and secular, Barnes has amassed a large, loyal following in his decadeplus work of writing and recording music. His massive hit, “God Gave Me You,” from 2010’s What We Want, What We Get introduced him to new audiences, thanks to country heavyweight Blake Shelton cutting the track and Christian radio embracing the song. New fans learned what longtime followers already knew: Barnes has a knack for writing heartfelt songs about real life. His latest effort, Golden Days, follows suit with tracks that give us a glimpse into Barnes’ personal life. This collection finds Barnes in a particularly nostalgic mood. “Twenty Three” kicks off the set with a groove-heavy number that reflects on the beginning of his career, a time of carefree anticipation. Ironically, he ends the album with the restless “Hotel Keys,” idly wondering if it’s all worth it. Stand-out track “Good” celebrates life’s simple treasures found in faith, family and friends. The quaint “By Two” equally exposes Barnes’ gratitude for blessings found in relationships. His bluesy side shines through on fun toe-tappers like “Little Civil War” and “Sharon Sue.” “All She Wants Is You” is another highlight, telling the story of a girl who hurts those she loves only because she needs them most. With an undercurrent of melancholy, Golden Days is yet another solid effort from the beloved troubadour.

JAHAZIEL Heads Up jahazielmusic.com Review by Matt Conner North American fans of Christian hip-hop might not be hip to Jahaziel yet, but his global sound and dynamic range will soon make the U.K.-based emcee a favorite across the pond. With a new album filled with impressive guests, Jahaziel should reap significant fruits from Heads Up. “I Said Yeah” features Ram1 and showcases the dual worlds of Jahaziel as a hip-hop and reggae artist. The album pinballs between the two but never feels disparate despite the split. Instead Jahaziel showcases a larger wheelhouse than most artists. The cornerstone track on Heads Up is undoubtedly “They Don’t Know,” which features Maxi Priest. The legendary

reggae fusion artist is a nice get for Jahaziel, yet he remains in the spotlight despite the guest list. The intensity of “Amen” is particularly noteworthy, as is the Jahaziels’s delivery atop playful piano on “Hold On.” Horns and a party vibe give another dimension to the hopeful track. Jahaziel reveals his heart on “Numbers Game,” a slower ballad that features great vocal work from Christon Gray. By the time Heads Up fades, it’s clear that Jahaziel is likely the next hip-hop artist to break. The talent, range and message are there in a dynamic, diverse package.

JAMIE GRACE Ready To Fly jamiegrace.com Review by Matt Conner Three years ago, Gotee Records took a leap with their latest talent, a teenage girl named Jamie Grace who had caught TobyMac’s eye during the previous year. Her sweet, soulful acoustic mix grabbed both audiences and awards, scoring a Grammy nomination and Dove win for Best New Artist. Now Grace is back with a proper follow-up, and the label has a sure stake this time around. Ready To Fly is her sophomore release, and Grace’s upbeat, earnest pop remains front-and-centre on this new collection. “Beautiful Day” kicks off the album with a summery singalong. The snappy pop delivery is perfectly suited to carry her effervescent look at the day ahead as a gift that God has given her. “Fighter” details her diagnosis and ongoing journey with Tourette syndrome. It’s a solid lead single that reveals a depth for the now 21-year-old songwriter. The same can be said for “The Waiting,” a piano ballad where Grace asks questions of the “dreams that lie like dust in her hand.” While she stretches her wings, Grace’s second album remains true to her youthful spirit, and feel-good tunes like “Do Life Big” and “Every Bit of Lovely” bolster that tag. She was an instant hit the first time around, and Jamie Grace will likely remain among the biggest names in Christian music with her latest LP.

SWITCHFOOT Fading West switchfoot.com Review by Josh McConnell Back in September, alternative rock group Switchfoot gave us a small taste of their then upcoming full-length album. The Fading West EP consisted of only three songs to whet our appetite and provide some early promotion for the band’s rockumentary of the same name. The full-length album is finally out, a month after the band’s film was released. Titled Fading West, the California natives’ ninth record is one of their strongest to date. Much of the songs are still signature Switchfoot, such as guitar-driven and intense “Say It Like You Mean It” and radio hit “Love Alone Is Worth The Fight.” But the band also offers something slightly different with tracks such as pop-tinged “Who We Are” and eclectic “BA55.” Switchfoot is known for their strong songwriting and they don’t disappoint here. The album is filled with poetic content. The words seamlessly flow with the beat. Fans can indulge in philosophical musings set to the band’s reinvented sound. The new year may have just begun, but Fading West is already shaping up to be one of 2014’s best. Pick this one up.

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Living Light News - January/February 2014

Cover to Cover GRACE FILLED MARRIAGE

JESUS > RELIGION

NO ONE TO TRUST

UNSTOPPABLE

“I married an angel. She married an idiot.” Tim Kimmel can make his readers laugh while skillfully confronting the truth without judging. The book’s premise is perspective. Kimmel knows love requires corrective lenses and he probes practical ways to see the best in your spouse. He shares examples in a refreshing, candid and sensitive manner. Examples come from his own marriage and other couples that he and his wife Darcy have helped through their ministry. Grace Filled Marriage is not a typical “how-to” book. Instead, Kimmel encourages spouses to individually find ways to offer security, significance and strength as a foundation for life together. From there, couples can be free to be different, vulnerable, and honest. Kimmel tells on himself in the early pages. While his wife was travelling, he was left in charge of his long-haired daughter. He couldn’t manage her hair and it became a source of gossip at church. Darcy found out but didn’t condemn her husband. Instead she taught him how to Frenchbraid her own hair. It became a bonding moment when he saw something new and practical in her role as a mother. Her tender teaching touched his heart as her partner, too. True love indeed. Whether you have been married a month, a year or for decades, Grace Filled Marriage is an enjoyable read that just may bring – and keep – couples closer together.

You may not have heard of Jefferson Bethke, but his writing, like many young believers, seek to bring the Christian community back to its birthplace – Jesus Christ. Within the covers of this book are fresh reminders of what faith in Jesus is about – a personal relationship. Within the pages, chapters and very heart of this book, Jefferson tells the reader quite candidly why he prefers a relationship with Jesus to religion. By religion he means of course “trying harder, doing more, and trying to be good enough.” And that is why this not-so-young evangelical loves Bethke’s contribution. He is insightful, provocative, frank, honest, to the point, and challenging. He pokes fun, weeps, rants, shares deeply from his own soul and life story, and yet in the end offers something better. To top it off, the 25-year-old does not even have a seminary degree, nor does he want one. Yet, he possesses an intuition, a perception, and a deep sensitivity that resonates so well with the topic he wrestles with. I have purposely not given a preview of the book, and for good reason. It deserves full attention, a deep read and a resolute focus. It will shake you up, cause you to squirm a bit, even to wonder in places, and yet Jefferson disarms and questions with humility and grace. Come thirsty to this book, and drink deeply.

David, under the WITSEC, has kept his identity secret from everyone including his wife, Summer. While awaiting trial where he will be a witness in a high-profile mafia case, he’s settled down in a new life as a newlywed and worked at an IT job. Things appear to be placid, but when assassins threaten to kill him and his new wife if they don’t turn over vital evidence, David realizes someone tasked with guarding their lives has sold them out. With time running out and a wife who no longer trusts him, he must find out which U.S. Marshall betrayed his new identity before the mafia catches them. Even if he can manage to keep himself and Summer alive, he’s not sure his marriage will survive. As a new believer, the only one David can trust is Jesus. Lynette Eason packed this thriller full of plot twists and surprises, launching the reader through a maze of fast-paced events. With a keen knowledge of WITSEC policies and procedures, she brings her characters to life in an ultimate test of their faith. Her dizzying portrayal of treachery on every side has the reader puzzling with each turn of the page, following David and Summer from one spine-chilling scenario to the next. This book is sure to please any crime thriller fan and encourage every believer to persevere during a trial of faith.

Being born without arms or legs has not kept Nick Vujicic from enjoying a life filled with adventure, love and personal fulfillment. Vujicic is an inspirational speaker and evangelist, the author of Life Without Limits, and founder of the nonprofit organization, Life Without Limbs. Vujicic’s goal for this book is to share the unstoppable power of faith in action that has allowed him to build an incredible life despite his disabilities. He writes, “Putting faith in action is about believing and achieving. It’s about having faith in yourself, your talents, your purpose, and most of all, in God’s love and His divine plan for your life.” Through true stories he shares how he and others have overcome difficult circumstances. He encourages people to realize that no struggle is insurmountable and you are never alone in your circumstances. His advice encourages the reader to not only be inspired by what he has overcome, but to put their faith into action by taking the necessary steps to create change in their life. Topics include relationships, bullying, depression, financial crisis, health and disability, and living in balance. Unstoppable is interesting and enjoyable to read. Nick Vujicic writes like a friend sharing his passion for life and his desire to help others live a “ridiculously good life.”

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Living Light News - January/February 2014

photo by The City of Toronto / derivative work by Skeezix1000 under CC BY 2.0

Guess Who Finished First On 2013’s Sorry List? Rob Ford. Paula Deen. Oprah Winfrey. What do they have in common? They all made Time magazine’s 2013 Top 10 Apology List. You probably saw their somber – even emotional – mea culpas on the news. Toronto Mayor Rob Ford eventually owned up to smoking crack cocaine and apologized repeatedly, not just for initially denying this offense, but also for making vulgar comments about his wife and knocking over a city councillor. Oprah Winfrey admitted she was sorry for accusing a Swiss store clerk of racism. Winfrey claimed the clerk had refused to show her a $38,000 Tom Ford handbag and assumed she couldn’t afford the bag because of her race. The clerk denied the allegation. Celebrity chef Paula Deen made two video apologies and did an inclusive interview with The Today Show to express regret for using a racial epithet. Nobody likes to admit they’re wrong – especially when you have to do it in front of millions of people. But as unpleasant as it can be, any public figure knows the importance of issuing an apology following a serious faux pas. It’s the right thing to do. Besides, there are almost always repercussions that need to be minimized. So despite the embarrassment, these well-known people humbled

themselves and offered expressions of remorse. The truth is, we’ve all done something wrong that required an apology. Who hasn’t told a lie? Who hasn’t taken something that wasn’t theirs? First John 1:8 of the Bible says “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.”

Celebrity chef Paula Deen made two video apologies. You might ask, “What’s the big deal?” Like these well-known people, something is at stake for each of us – even bigger than a lucrative contract with a TV network or our own reputation. Our offenses, which the Bible calls sin, separate us from a holy God and carry serious consequences. When we stand before the judgment seat of God – which the Bible says everyone will do – no one will get a passing grade on their own merit. Romans 3:23 says

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” But there’s good news. Did you know that God sent His Son Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for our sins so that when we die we can be presented perfect before God (Hebrews 10:14)? That’s because Jesus lived a perfect life, never sinning once, and by accepting Him as our Saviour, we receive His righteousness. His death on the cross exonerates us from all our shortcomings. His resurrection offers eternal life to all who believe in Him. There are a couple of things required – turning from our sins and asking God for forgiveness. First John 1:9 says “But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” All God wants is a heartfelt apology. You don’t even have to do it in front of a camera. Just pray this prayer from your heart: Dear God, I am really sorry for the things I’ve done in my life that have broken Your laws, hurt other people and separated me from You. Thank You that I can be forgiven of my sins through the blood of Your Son Jesus Christ that was shed on the cross. I accept Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. Help me to live my life for You from this day forward. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen

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Living Light News - January/February 2014

Getaways

Trading Snowmen for

Sandcastles

by Sarah Chestnutt

Take time to dine onsite at Blue Marlin Restaurant. With the finest seafood in the area and a dramatic location out over the Caribbean water, it will be a meal you’ll always remember. You could spend your entire vacation relaxing and splashing with the kids in the waves, and who would blame you for switching snowmen for sandcastles? But Punta Cana is not just sand and surf – there’s so much more. Dozens of companies offer inland nature and culture excursions allowing you to zipline above the forest canopy, drive past tropical jungles and plantations (make sure you get a taste of fresh sugar cane), or ride horseback on a beach. Your hotel can help you find the excursion right for you. Make your way to Caño Hondo for an eco-adventure exploring the massive forest preserve and inland streams. Come by boat across Samana Bay to see indigenous paintings and strange rock formations, mangrove swamps, and animals you won’t find anywhere else. While near the bay, check into whale watching tours. From January to March the bay is taken over by humpbacks. Whether you’re a golfer or just want to take a swing at it, you’re right on course for a hole-in-one trip. At the No. 1 golf destination in the Caribbean, you can treat yourself to challenges created by famous golf course designers such as Nick Price, Jack Nicklaus, and Nick Faldo. Shovelling snow will be far from your mind when standing on the green.

Tired of shovelling the car out from last night’s snowfall and can’t wait for the days when the kids don’t need snowsuits to go next door? Grab your swimsuit and let tropical sun melt away your winter blues. The whole family will never forget leaving the snow for palm trees in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. The region features over 35,000 hotel rooms, so finding a temporary home won’t be hard. With a variety of world class hotels offering everything from affordable, family-friendly hotels and upscale resorts to secluded and private villas, you’re sure to find a room to fit your style and budget. Why not try Grand Resorts at Cap Cana? The luxury complex includes three resorts, and is only 10 minutes from Punta Cana International Airport so you don’t have to wait to dip your toes in the sea. Named for the marina it surrounds, Fishing Lodge Cap Cana is a waterfront resort with Mediterranean-style villas offering a relaxing vacation for the whole family. Ocean Club Cap Cana, a boutique-style hotel is conveniently located where the marina meets the sea. Sanctuary Cap Cana offers ocean views, swim out access, and a lavish spa that won’t let you forget you’re in a tropical paradise.

You might stumble upon a kid’s baseball game – the sport’s a way of life. And where’s there’s passion, the talent seems to follow. All 30 MLB clubs run academies in the Dominican, with up-and-coming stars always up at the plate. Maybe you’ll happen to see the next Albert Pujols? Take the family out the ballgame to watch the pros at the Dominican Republic’s Winter Professional Baseball Championship. January’s playoff season and games start at 7:30 p.m. on weekdays. Ready for some skill on the sea? Check out Master Of The Ocean, Feb. 23-27. Watch international athletes compete in surfing, windsurfing, kite-surfing, and stand up paddling. There are cultural activities for young audiences too. Looking for more great food? You’ll definitely have incredible food at any of the resorts, but Punta Cana has many restaurants where you can dine among the locals on authentic Dominican cuisine. From tropical fruit to fresh seafood, the food’s unique and delicious. Ask a local for their favourite spot to get “flag” for lunch. The emblematic dish uses white rice with red beans accompanied by beef or chicken and “tostones,” fried slices of green plantain. After a trip to Punta Cana, you’ll have plenty of warm weather memories to get you through the rest of winter when you come home.

Photos courtesy: Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism

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Living Light News - January/February 2014

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Living Light News - January/February 2014

Church YourDirectory

Join us in Praise & Worship -Sundays @ 10:15 a.m.

Church Neighbours. .

Wednesday Night Programs @ 6:30 p.m. – Celebrate Amazing Freedom (Recovery Ministry), Parenting Class, Kid’s Jesus & Me (JAM)

Other programs: Primetimers (60+) | Youth (Jr & Sr High) Men’s and Ladies Bible Studies

Baptist Church “A Caring Community”

invite you to visit them this weekend! SHERWOOD PARK

Nazarene

Small Groups - Weekdays contact us for times

Office: 780-464-2626

Fellowship

5313 - 91 St. Edmonton 780-462-3737

Sunday Evening 6pm

Wednesday 7pm 2215 17 Street NW Edmonton, AB T6T 1J1 (780) 440-1195

253 Woodvale Road West | 780-461-5393 www.hillviewchurch.ca

FIRST CHURCH OF GOD

A Worship Experience!

We are a Spirit filled church for every generation 9861-84 Ave. Edmonton 780-433-0725

Service Times

www.livingwordchristiancentre.ca

eaglesvision@shaw.ca

Services: Sunday at 10:00 am Wednesday at 7:00 pm

Non-denominational full gospel church

Jesus is Lord

Services: Sunday 10am & 6pm

Discover the Triumphant life in Christ!

Sunday Morning 9:30am & 11am

7215 - 97 St. Edmonton, AB Sunday 9 am & 11am

Eagles Vision

Church of The

1380 Sherwood Drive Sherwood Park, AB Sunday Morning Family Worship: 10:00 a.m. Kids Trek: 10:20 a.m.

Welcome!

Calvary

Sundays 10 am Sunday School 11 am Divine Worship 6:30 pm Evening Service Wednesdays 7:30 pm Bible Study Prayer Summit 9 am to 2 pm (2nd Sat. of each month)

Triumphant Ministries

6720-82 Ave. NW, Edmonton Apostle Norma Sinclair-Paul 780-463-1432

Sundays

Sunday Morning Alive (a class for every age) Sunday Morning Worship Sunday Evening Worship

9:15-10:15AM 10:30 AM 6:00 PM

Wednesdays

Family Night at SPA: 5:45 PM - Supper ($1.00/ person) 6:45 PM - Kids Programs 7:00 PM - Small Groups: Youth/ Young Adults/ Men/ Women/ Bible Study/ ALPHA

780-469-2404

info@firstchog.ca Pastor Julian Wigg

The mission of Sunrise Community Church is to Glorify God by following and making followers of Jesus Christ.

Sunday Worship 9:45 a.m. Sunday School 11:20 a.m.

for Youth & Young Adults, Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. Held next door at Victory Church and followed by an event. Phone: 780-467-7005 www.heartlandalliance.ca • general@heartlandalliance.ca 132-2257 Premier Way, Sherwood Park

2821 - 109 Street, Edmonton AB, T6J 6B7 780-435-6611 www.spaforlife.com God’s Good Word 780-462-9228

Baptist Church

Come as you are!

Grow Belong Belong Serve Belong

Belong Sunday Services - 9:30 & 11:00am Serve Children and Youth Ministry on Sundays Grow

passionate worship Worship Services Belong Grow warm community Worship Services Worship Services & 11 Sundays at 9:30Grow obedient discipleship Birth - 12 Years | Jr. Youth Gr. 6 & 7 Serve 9:30 11us am &&join 11 am Sundays ys at at 9:30 compassionate Sunda service on Sunday Also Grow joyfulServices mission Ample parking, easily accessible Worship for: Sunda y mornings mornings ymornings ofof r:r: y mornings o Alsous!join join us us on on Sunda Also Comeysjourney with join usprograms on Sunda f r:from the Anthony Henday Children’s Sunda at 9:30 & 11 am Also

Worship Services Sundays at 9:30 & 11 am

Sundays at 9:30 & 11 am Children’s programs up up to to gr graade de 66 and and Children’s programs

Children’s programs programs up toAdult graade deClasses andup to grade 6 and Children’s to gr 66 and 10712-29 Avenue 780-437-2217 Children’s programs Youthup and

Youth and AAdult dultoEdu cation Classes Classes Youth and fEdu r: cation Also join us on Sunda y mornings Youth andEast Adult Edu Classes 14025 - 167 Ave. Edmonton, AB of Hwy 21cation on Located just 6 and Rd. in Sherwood Park (780) 452-5566 Children’s programs up to gradeBaseline Youth and Adult Edu (780) 464-4040 SUNDAY SCHOOL: 9:15cation AM Classes www.trinity-baptist.ca www.trinity-baptist.ca WORSHIP SERVICE: 10:30 AM www.trinity-baptist.ca w w w. n o r t h p o i n t e c h u rc h . c a www.trinity-baptist.ca (780) 464-4040 464-4040 info@trinity-baptist.ca info@trinity-baptist.ca (780) www.southsidenazarene.ca of(780) Hwy 464-4040 on Baseline Baseline d. of Hwy 2121 on RRd. info@trinity-baptist.ca Located just East Located just East www.trinity-baptist.caCanadian B just ofWestern Western Canada aptists Baptists of Canada Affiliatedwith withthe the Canadian Affiliated Located East of Hwy 21 on Baseline Rd. (780) 464-4040 info@trinity-baptist.ca

Mill View

Affiliated with the Canadian aptists B of Western Canada Located just East of Hwy 21 on Baseline Rd.

The West Edmonton

Sunday Worship at 10:00 am

Affiliated with the Canadian aptists B of Western Canada

Church of God

10162 - 152 St, Edmonton Ph: 780-443-5911

Sunday Children Education (Pre-K to Grade 6) 10:15 am

Sunday Celebration: 10:30 am Lead Pastor: Roger S. Stewart

• Parenting Class • International Friendship Club • Divorce Care

Community with 20/20 Vision

Diverse Youth (gr. 7-12) - Friday Nights!

5002 - 62 St. Beaumont Pastor Marlo Jenkins 780-929-5111 www.eaglemontchurch.ca

Serve Serve

‘The Gate’ Service

Knowing God, Loving People & Serving the World

Sunday Gathering - 10 am

3303-37 St., Edmonton 780-463-2699

Southside Pentecostal Assembly

Baptist Church

@ 10 am

Youth Activities: 780-466-4041

abundantlifeministries.ca

Church BaptistChurch Baptist

Children’s Ministry for Nursery to Grade 6 available at all services unless otherwise noted on website.

Join Us Sundays

7676 Wagner Rd. 780-465-7394

TrinityTrinity Trinity Saturday Evening Service - 6:30 p.m. Sunday Morning Services - 9:15 & 11:15 a.m.

9224-82 St., Edmonton

Sunday: 10 am Wednesday: Prayer & Praise 7:15 pm

Wednesday 6:45pm - Children and Youth Worship and Teaching

ALLIANCE CHURCH

Welcomes You!

Reaching up to Christ, and out to people!

Join us on Sunday Mornings! 9:30am Sunday School for all ages Worship Services @ 9:30am & 11:00am 9802 - 76 Ave, Edmonton 780-433-8756 www.zbcc.ca

B A P T I S T

C H U R C H

9333-199 St. • Edmonton • 780-451-3881 www.westmeadows.org Pastor Kevin Schular “Where you can Begin, Believe and Belong!”

Meeting at 1972 - 68 St., Edmonton 10:30am Sundays 780-469-6783

Join us Sunday: Sunday School 9:45 Worship 11am

7407 - 98 Ave. 780-469-3814

Living Light News - January/February 2014

EventsCalendar Special Events Pastor’s Day Feb. 5, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Knox Evangelical Free Church, 8403-104 St., Edm. Guest Speaker: Lee Eclov. Cost: $20/ person (lunch incl.; spouses welcome). For more info, visit refreshministries.org, or call Lyndon at 780-518-0232. Family Day Carnival Feb. 17, 1-4 p.m., Evangel Assembly, 4461-50 St., Edm. This is a free family carnival. For more details, call Shauna at 780468-4714, or visit evangel.info. Embrace Charity Mar. 29, silent auction and snack bar – 5 p.m., concert – 7 p.m., Christcity Church, 14788156 St., Edm. Featuring: Brian Doerksen and band, Watoto

Children’s Choir and live painter Lewis Lavoie. Tickets: $15-$30. For tickets, visit embracecharity. ca or email tickets@ embracecharity.ca.

Regular Events Seniors Supper Jan. 20, 6 p.m., Sherwood Park Alliance Church, 1011 Clover Bar Rd. Cost: $14. Tickets available by calling Cathy at 780467-8404, ext. 322. Time for Ladies Wednesdays, 9-11 a.m., or 7-8:30 p.m., Fireside Rm., Millwoods Assembly, 2225-66 St., Edm. Topics featured this Starts Jan. 15. Cost: $15. For more info, visit mwpa.com, or call 780-462-1515. International Students

Fridays, 6:30-9 p.m., McKernan School, 11330-76 Ave., Edm. For more info, visit ismcedmonton.org, call David or Kathy at 780-465-5991, or email got@telusplanet.net.

Music & Drama Free Family Film Night Jan. 24, 7-9 p.m., Highway Christian Centre, 10436-63 Ave., Edm. Film – “Meant to Be”. For more info, visit freefamilyfilms. com. Tenore Concert and Dessert Night Jan. 26, 6 p.m., Millwoods Assembly, 2225-66 St., Edm. Cost: $10. For more info, visit singtenore.com. For tickets, call 780-462-1515. Ernie Haase & Signature Sound Mar. 28, 7 p.m., Sherwood Park Alliance Church, 1011 Cloverbar Rd. Cost: $25. Tickets available online at joyfulsoundconcerts. com, or by calling 866-999-

7909. For more info, visit erniehaase.com.

Classes & Seminars Winning at Conflict Marriage Seminar Jan. 25, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Calvary Community Church, 8704 Millwoods Rd., Edm. Cost: $60-$80/couple. Childcare available for $10/family. To register, email Barb at bzerbin@ calvarycommunity.ca, or call 780-462-8444, ext. 326. Parenting Course Feb. 4-Mar. 11, starting 6 p.m., West Edm. Christian Assembly, 6315-199 St., Edm. For more info, or to register, email Ingrid at irust@weca.com, or call 780489-2579. Immanuel Emotional Healing Workshop Feb. 7, 7-9 p.m., Feb. 8, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Gospel Centre, 9445-153 St. Edm. Cost: $85 until Jan. 24, $105

Conferences/ Retreats

Family Blessing Conference Feb. 21-22, West Edm. Christian Assembly, 6315-199 St., Edm. Cost: $30/person, $60/couple. To register call Runa at 780489-2579, or email runa@weca. com.

Breakforth Live! 2014 Jan. 31-Feb. 2, Evangel Assembly, 4461-50 St., Edm. Keynote Speaker: Rev. Hans Weichbrodt. No charge.

Missions Fest Feb. 21-23, Shaw Conference Centre, Jasper Ave. and 97 St., Edm. No charge. For info, visit mfest.ab.ca.

Young Adults Retreat Feb. 7-9, Camp Nakamun, Busby, AB. This retreat is for young adults aged 18-25. Guest Speaker: Jon Morrison (Assoc. Dir. Of Apologetics Canada). Cost: $75. For more info, visit campnakamun.com.

Promise Keepers – Stronger Mar. 14-15, West Edm. Christian Assembly, 6315-199 St., Edm.. Cost: $55 until Feb. 18, $70 thereafter. Online registration available at promisekeepers.ca, or call 888-901-9700.

after that. For more info, visit immanuelapproach.com., or fathersheart.ca. To register, call 780-413-0061, or email positivechangesnow@shaw.ca.

FREE EVENT LISTING!

List your Christian-related event here for FREE! Simply email your event info: name, description, cost, date, time, and location, to events@livinglightnews.com (subject to space availability)

“I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.” Psalm 3:5

Christmas has Come & Gone

and now you need

Encourage your Pastor to attend ...

Pastor Renewal Day

more space?

Refresh Ministries invites pastors and Christian leaders to a special day of refreshment and encouragement featuring author and pastor Lee Eclov of Lincolnshire, Ill.

Christmas is coming! Where will your company sleep?

Now you see it

Ma yfi

103 Ave.

eld R

oad

170 St.

105 Ave.

172 St.

NOW YOU SEE IT

102 Ave. Stony Plain Rd.

029SI1_The Kitchen Studio and Wall Beds-h.indd 1

March 18

Saskatoon

A professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, a Contributing Editor of Leadership Journal, and a pastor for over 35 years, Lee Eclov’s 2012 book, Pastoral Graces: Reflections on the Care of Souls (Moody Publishers) won Leadership Journal’s “Best of the Best” 2012 book award in the category, “The Leaders Inner Life.”

Now you don’t! NOW YOU DON'T

780-468-7088 10414 - 172 St.

780-468-7088

Call Edmonton, Alberta

February 5, 2014 9:00 am– 3:00 pm Knox Evangelical Free Church 8403-104 St NW, Edmonton, AB

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Cost: $20/person at the door. Lunch included - Spouses welcome before Feb 1: refreshministries.org or contact Lyndon Wall at 780-518-0232

www.wallbeds-etc.com Or visit www.wallbeds-etc.com March 19

Calgary

March 20

Edmonton

8/16/2011 2:08:25 PM

April 1

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Montréal

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Winnipeg

May 7

Langley

Church Leaders Forum 2014

Gain a bird’s-eye view of Canada’s changing landscape and learn how to re-frame the Gospel for today’s reality. Featuring Bruxy Cavey, Teaching Pastor, The Meeting House and Dr. Don Moore, National Church Ambassador, World Vision Canada. find out more at: www.shiftingstats.ca

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Presented by World Vision in partnership with local church ministerials

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