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SEEING BEYOND SIGHT by lailani mendoza

Pinching pennies for a purpose

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INSIDE

Country singer plays it forward New year, new sounds Make for the mountains Searching for the perfect selfie

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When Travis Freeman lost his sight, he learned there is more to vision than what meets the eye. Read his story on page 2

Small Forward, Big Faith

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hen the Korver clan gets together in Pella, Iowa, the conversation bounces from church to basketball and leadership.

Fitting, considering the family’s vital stats: Laine, the matriarch, once scored 74 points in a high school game before marrying Kevin, a hoops-crazy pastor. Their church, Third Reformed, regularly draws over 2,000 people – pretty impressive, since Pella only has 10,000 residents. (Of course, Third Reformed’s parking lot has a hoop).

The couple, along with Kevin’s brothers Karl, Keith and Ken, once hustled down the court for their hometown Central College. Another

brother, Kris, played at Northwestern College. Today, he is their men’s basketball coach – the winningest one in the school’s history.

“We want young men to display character in everyday life and on the court,” he says in his school bio.

“We view basketball as a tool for life transformation.”

It was steeped in this foundation of basketball and faith that Kevin and Laine’s four sons grew, producing four Division 1 ballers; Kirk is currently on the University of Missouri-Kansas City squad, while Klayton played for Drake University, and Kaleb was a guard at Creighton University.

Firstborn Kyle Korver also played

by Crystal Kupper

for the Bluejays, but the 6-7, 212-pound guard wanted more than just setting the school and league records for career three-pointers (371). He accomplished that goal in 2003, signing with the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers.

Eleven years later, after stops with the Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls, the 33-year-old has made his mark with the Atlanta Hawks as one of the league’s best beyond the arc. On March 5, 2014, Korver’s streak of consecutive games with a made trey ended at 127, thrashing the previous record of 89 set by Dana Barros.

“I knew he was a good shooter, but you gain a whole new appreciation when you see him go about his

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business,” former Hawks head coach Larry Drew told the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

The Korver family business, however, was raising sons of character and were pretty “hands off” when it came to basketball, Korver tells Living Light News.

“Basketball was never about making the NBA in my family. It was about … all the different disciplines you pick up from working hard at basketball,” he says.

“They cared more about me developing those things than trying for the NBA.” In fact, Korver says, just making it to the Division 1 level was a “shocker” for his family.

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Living Light News - January/February 2015

by Lailani Mendoza When Travis Freeman pursued his dream to become a Corbin Redhound, he didn’t realize he’d be fulfilling something bigger than a childhood dream.

Born and raised in a small town in southeastern Kentucky, Freeman had always been drawn to the outdoors. His earliest memories involved camping with his parents. He learned to water ski solo at four years old, and relished jumping off a 20-foot cliff into the lake’s clear blue waters.

Just like other Corbin boys, Freeman dreamed of playing football as a Redhound. By the time he turned 12, he was looking forward to middle school and playing with the high school team.

Then the migraines started.

Days after returning from summer camp, the boy who rarely sat still cradled his head in a darkened living room, enduring what seemed like a migraine headache. He blamed the late nights and early mornings at the camp. When his mother came home the following day to find her son lying down on the couch again with a migraine, she began to worry.

After enduring nine days of searing pain – which included a trip to the ER, puzzling symptoms and temporary cures – Freeman woke up one morning with no headache. Unfortunately, it was immediately replaced with pain in his left eye.

The doctors determined Freeman had an extremely rare sinus infection behind the eyes. After an emergency surgery that saved his life, Freeman woke up blind. Yet even as Freeman’s world was plunged into darkness, blindness failed to quench his spirit – or his dream.

“I believe I will see again, but if I don’t, I can’t wait to see what God’s going to do through this,” Travis told his parents.

“They told me that 70 percent of the people who have what I had die … Surviving against such long odds made losing my sight seem like a small price to pay,” Freeman told The Times-Tribune. “I came out of it and I’ve never looked back.”

The dream of being a Redhound lingered, so his

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“You have a fun college career, meet a good girl, go get married and move on with life,” he says. “Even going to Creighton was kind of a big deal.”

It was for Creighton, too. The righty finished fourth all-time in scoring and tops in three-pointers made, three-point attempts, three-point accuracy and free throw accuracy.

The New Jersey Nets selected him 51st in the 2003 draft but immediately sold his draft rights to the Sixers for $125,000. That gave the Nets enough cash to finance their summer league and buy a new copy machine.

Korver, with his lights-out shooting, eventually became more valuable than office equipment. In the 2004-2005 season, the swingman tied for the league lead with 226 three-pointers. Two seasons later, he posted the NBA’s best free throw percentage (91.4 percent). Next, he set the single-season highest threepoint percentage with 53.6 percent.

And then there’s that three-point consistency record – good enough for the Hawks to re-sign Korver to a four-year, $24 million deal in 2013.

“He was a huge priority for us,” Atlanta general manager Danny Ferry told reporters. “No matter what direction our summer was going, he was a

mom asked the football coach if Travis could be their equipment manager. “No,” Coach Farris flatly replied, “but he can play. He’ll play centre; I’ll teach him.”

His incredible story of playing football blind and overcoming challenges was the inspiration behind the film 23 Blast, Hollywood actor Dylan Baker’s directorial debut, released in October 2014. The independent film was covered by Fox News, USA Today, Sports Illustrated and other media.

Playing football blind was definitely a challenge, but Travis’ perseverance inspired his team to win the conference championship.

Actor Mark Hapka was stretched playing the role of Freeman, Baker told Fox News. “He showed

photo courtesy Travis Freeman

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Travis Freeman

up and said, ‘Can I wear those black glasses?’ and I said, ‘No, Travis never wears glasses,’ and he said, ‘Well, can I keep my eyes closed?’ and I said, ‘Nope, Travis keeps his eyes open.’

“So Mark had to learn to focus on something other than the person he was talking to,” Baker added.

“I thought it was a great movie,” Freeman, who was on set for the 23-day filming in Corbin, tells Living Light News. “They did a great job in capturing the spirit of my story.”

In conjunction with 23 Blast (the DVD comes out Jan. 20), Freeman also released his autobiography, Lights Out: Living In A Sightless World, to share the secret to his indomitable spirit that blindness couldn’t break.

“The year prior to losing my sight, I had made a

part of what we were building here.”

It’s what Korver is building at home and in the community, however, that he says matters most. He married Juliet in 2011, and daughter and son Kyra and Knox arrived one and three years later. Those relationship investments, he says, supersede any sport.

“I want [my kids] to feel like they’ve seen a marriage that they want to emulate,” he says. “That example is such a powerful thing in life.”

And even though he had an entire family setting an example of personal relationships with Jesus Christ, it wasn’t until his rookie season in the pros that he fully understood its depth.

Wrapped up in the celebrity athlete lifestyle, Korver woke up one morning feeling “totally empty,” he told Sports Spectrum. “I was in the shower, and I just sat there on the floor. I was like, ‘God, I don’t want

Kyle Korver

profession of faith [to Jesus Christ],” says Freeman.

After becoming a Christian, the 11-year-old woke up an hour earlier than usual for an entire year to pray and read the Bible. He described it as “a year in an oasis, drinking from the Fountain of Life.”

Adds Freeman, “Without that year, the remainder of this story would be very, very different.”

How did he avoid falling into despair? “It’s totally the grace of God,” he explains. “I trusted that God was good, that God had a plan for my life, and that God had my best interest in mind. I couldn’t have articulated it like that at 12, but that really was what I believed and what I trusted.”

After four years of high school football, Freeman earned his Business degree at University of Kentucky while working as the Wildcats’ equipment manager.

He has a PhD from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and works as an adjunct religion professor at the University of the Cumberlands. He also founded and runs the Freeman Foundation.

Freeman wants others to know his story because he knows its potential to inspire people and direct people to Jesus Christ. “Despite the darkness that surrounds my physical eyes, I can be a light glowing on someone’s spiritually dark horizon,” he says.

“Everyone is walking in darkness. Everyone is dealing with a physical and spiritual obstacle in their lives. It’s only through Christ that we can have faith to deal with those obstacles and to overcome those issues.”

Freeman may be physically blind, but his spiritual eyes have been opened after surrendering his life to Jesus. “[People] are in darkness and … without Christ because of sin. Christ is the light of the world.

Where the light shines, darkness cannot exist. So when the light of Christ’s grace and mercy shines into your life, the fear and the uncertainty that comes with the darkness vanishes.”

“I know that my blindness in this life and my present circumstance isn’t the end. There is a new heaven and a new earth where there will be no more disability, no more blindness, no more pain and sorrow and worry.

this anymore. These are not my desires. I want to glorify you.’”

Since that morning, Korver has aimed for just that, creating the Kyle Korver Foundation (kylekorverfoundation.com). The organization, birthed during his days in Philadelphia, runs coat drives and other inner-city initiatives. Korver also owns Seer Outfitters, a for-profit clothing company that donates all its profits to various causes around the country, from building wheelchair ramps in Salt Lake City to donating hoops in Chicago to renovating houses in Nebraska.

“Anytime your life is focused on other people, it’s just a bigger and better life,” he says. “When you’re focused solely on yourself, and things like money, people’s worlds get small. When you focus on others, your world gets bigger.”

For now, Korver’s world is continuing to contribute to the Hawks, but predominantly teaching his kids “who they are in Jesus, in Christ. That’s most important.” Because without Jesus, he says, he wouldn’t have this platform.

“I have zero doubt that the only reason I’m here, still playing basketball at 33, is because of Him – not because my faith is more special – [but] because I have a gift and I’m very grateful for it,” Korver says. “The best way I can say thank you is just working to the best of my abilities to take advantage of those opportunities that have come.”

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Living Light News - January/February 2015

Newsbriefs Lessons From A Lawyer HOUSTON, TX – Mark Lanier, one of America’s top trial lawyers, recently published a book called Christianity On Trial: A Lawyer Examines the Christian Faith. In the book, Lanier – a lifelong Christian – presents a case for the rationality of believing in Christianity using the skills of an elite trial lawyer and testimonies of well-known witnesses. The 53-year-old isn’t just known for winning a $9 billion verdict (the second highest verdict in the US last year), he’s also a passionate Christ follower who built a theological library modelled after seven Oxford libraries on his property. The library is

open for public use and is the venue of an annual Christmas party extravaganza for family, friends and colleagues that raises funds for charities in Guatemala. The idea for the book started from a teaching series that Lanier teaches at his home church. “Like a lot of people who study religion, you question your faith and beliefs. I’ve been through the questioning,” he said, “and I’m more convinced than ever that there’s truth in who God is. It is the driving force behind who I am and what I do.” In a recent Christianity Today article, he stresses, “I believe Christianity can hold up to the highest level of academic scrutiny.”

A Match Made In Heaven DALLAS, TX – They claim it’s a match made in heaven.

After about a year of being engaged, E! News host Jason Kennedy and fashion blogger Lauren Scruggs tied the knot in December 2014 in Scruggs’ Dallas hometown.

The Christian couple were introduced by Kennedy’s cohost Giuliana Rancic after she interviewed Scruggs about her recovery from a life-threatening accident. The former fashion model lost her left eye and part of her left arm when she accidentally walked into a spinning plane propeller in 2011. Rancic told Scruggs she should meet Kennedy, who leads a star-studded Bible study in Hollywood attended

by the likes of Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez. “I didn’t know who he was. But she told me that he had this amazing Bible study in Los Angeles,” recalls Scruggs. “When I was asking Giuliana about places to go hiking, she told me, ‘Just ask Jason places to go. He hikes all the time.’” The two hit it off after their first group hike. In June 2014, Kennedy popped the question with candles that spelled “Will you marry me?”

“God has blessed me with somebody I’ve been waiting for my whole life,” Kennedy told E! News before their wedding. “Lauren changed everything for me and I can’t believe I get to spend the rest of my life with her.”

Specializing in

Football’s Faithful NEW YORK, NY – As the best college football players were recognized at the 80th Annual Heisman Memorial Trophy Gala last month, the top three athletes shared the secret for their accomplishment. Oregon Ducks QB Marcus Mariota acknowledged that being awarded the 2014 Heisman Trophy is “such a blessing,” thanking his parents in an emotional tribute. The 6-4, 219-pound Hawaiian native led in passing efficiency (186.3), enjoyed a spectacular 38-2 TD to interception ratio and tied for most TDs by a winner (53 TDs), leading him to be the first Duck to win the Heisman. In an interview with Fellowship for Christian Athletes, Mariota said he knows his faith in Jesus Christ will guide him on and off the field, even after

his sports career is over. “No matter what – whether things are good or bad – I know I can always trust in Him. And that has really allowed me to go all in for Him,” he said.

Wisconsin Badgers running back and second placer Melvin Gordon credits the role of Bible studies in keeping him grounded. “It gets tough sometimes trying to really connect with God when you just have so much stuff going on,” Gordon told The Gospel Herald. “I think that Bible study kind of just brings me back to everything and I love it.” Alabama Crimson Tide receiver Amari Cooper, who came in third, stresses the importance of being faithful.

“I’ve faced adversity a lot, but I remain faithful. So if you remain faithful, and you don’t quit, I believe the Lord will bless you in all things.”

God’s hands and I have great peace in that.” He added, “I will embrace this process and attack it the same way I do everything else in life. God has more than prepared me for it.

For everyone sharing similar struggles, I’m praying for you and keep fighting!” Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid says Berry’s positive attitude will go a long way in helping him overcome his illness. “We know it’s going to work out for Eric,” says Reid.

“He’s a beast, and right now he needs to be a beast.” Dr. Christopher Flowers, director of the Emory Lymphoma Program, says lymphoma is “very treatable and potentially curable.”

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PORT BARRE, LA – When Joseph “Gabe” Sonnier was first hired as principal at Port Barre Elementary, it felt like a homecoming. That’s because the 53-year-old worked there for more than 20 years as head custodian before working his way up to become the principal. To help his mom with expenses, Sonnier dropped out of college and started working odd jobs. By 1981 when he took the custodian job, he had a young family of his own. A talk with the thenprincipal helped change the course of his life. “I’d rather see you grading papers than picking them up,” Principal Wesley Jones told Sonnier. He heeded Jones’ advice 15 years later, going back to school at 39, and juggling work with completing his bachelor’s degree at the University of Louisiana and Master’s in

LONDON, UK – Last Christmas, South London restaurateur Richard Simpson served free meals to those who can’t afford it – just like he’s done in the last six years. Every Dec. 25 from 1 to 5 p.m., the proprietor of Cummin’ Up Carribbean restaurant dish out a threecourse meal, entertainment, gifts and games to the less fortunate. “So much of this season has become about consuming and taking, but there is a beauty in giving to those who are outside of our circle of family and friends,” says Simpson, a born again Christian who offers the meals to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ to others.

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feel the love of God, and this is just one way of doing it.” Simpson’s clan cooks the food. But to make it happen, he relies a lot on volunteers.

People from Simpson’s church donate food and new clothes, while others offer free transportation, a listening ear and a friendly smile to guests.

“We even set up tables on the pavement so that people who live with their dogs can have a Christmas meal with them,” Simpson told This Is Local London. In 2013, about 40 people went through Cummin’ Up’s doors with as many as 100 diners coming in recent years. Asked what message he tries to convey, Simpson responds, “Agape means love, and perfect love casts out fear.”

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Science and Education at Arkansas State. “I would get to school at 5 a.m. and then leave at 7 a.m. to get to LSUEunice,” he recalls. “After classes I would come back at 8:30 p.m. and work the rest of my hours usually until around midnight. Then I would go home and do homework and get two or three hours of sleep.” Just recently, his inspiring story was featured on People magazine. After being unanimously appointed as principal, People reported Sonnier “stood alone in the principal’s office, opened the blinds, looked out at his school and said a prayer of thanks.”

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Living Light News - January/February 2015

Uncommon Ground

by Lynetta Smith

Ian and Eileen Edwards celebrate a year of fostering connections through Common Ground Community Cafe in Sherwood Park.

volunteers, from their six-yearold son to senior citizens in their eighties, who prepare and serve food, wait on customers, and clean.

Ian and Eileen allow anyone who wants to volunteer, even those who might not be otherwise employable.

Volunteers perform the tasks best suited to their ability. “Sometimes we stretch them,” Eileen says with a chuckle.

Bryan Peacock has volunteered since Common Ground’s inception. The retired manager of a construction company helped with the renovation of an old pharmacy at 50 Brentwood Blvd into a modern café, and now works as a barista. He credits the high number

of volunteers to Ian and Eileen Edwards’ vision. “In general, people want to help, and they just gave us the vehicle to be able to do that.”

The non-profit’s unique culture lends itself to the inclusivity the Edwardses sought to create in the community. Eileen says, “Customers will treat our baristas very well, and differently than I’ve seen in other places. So there’s less impatience.”

This culture, they believe, reflects the Kingdom of God. “We are privileged to partner with Jesus to bring about the Kingdom of God, so that kingdom model is probably what influences me most in my daily work. Our goal is to create a

place where everybody has value and worth and knows it. Anyone who wants to participate can do so in a meaningful way, because I think the Kingdom of God does that,” says Eileen.

For inspiration, Ian credits theologian Frederick Buechner, who said, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

The Edwards’ answer to God’s call has resulted in a thriving – though anything but common – business. “In this context, the need was really a sense of community, and my great joy was just to help bring that into being,” says Ian.

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The couple now offers advice to others who want to open Sometimes the world’s deepest similar non-profit businesses. hunger can be met in a coffee shop.

The two Moravian pastors For the last year, Sherwood Park’s envisioned the café as a place Common Ground Community Café to provide a gathering place has served more than just food. for the majority of Sherwood Owners Ian and Eileen Edwards Park residents who are not greet patrons with the smell of regular church attenders. “That freshly baked teacakes was lacking here – the and muffins, along opportunity to build with fair trade those relationships coffee and tea. and connect with “Our goal is to Customers each other,” says also shop for Ian, who is blind create a place paintings and works with a where everybody and jewellery guide dog. has value and made by Designers worth and local artists planned the and craftsmen. layout to facilitate knows it.”

Musicians conversations provide live music between patrons and during open mic workers. An open kitchen nights. area and hip-height counters allow However, the non-profit café baristas to be part of the room, serves a greater purpose. “We don’t with less separation between them have a ‘front porch feel’ [in our and customers. neighbourhood], so it’s a place “The café, rather than the where people can bump into each church, is a place where people other,” says Ian. come with questions,” Eileen says.

As first-time business owners, “So I might be standing there the couple launched Common making muffins and have my Ground with little experience hands full of mixing batter, and besides Eileen’s volunteer time at a there will be a conversation.” non-profit café in Edmonton called Ian adds, “The hope is that The Carrot. everybody will share the important Ian quips, “We were just a little things in their lives, and for many bit ignorant and insane; because people that’s a life of faith.” we didn’t know enough that we To keep overhead down, couldn’t do it, so we just did it.”

Ian coordinates more than 50

Living Light News - January/February 2015

Building A Strong

by Lynetta Smith

photo by Noel Granado

Andrew Hansen and James Bekecs have one ambition: forge relationships with the youth who come to Foundation Youth Centre.

That’s a lofty goal, considering many Mill Woods teenagers face substance abuse, depression, loneliness, self-harm, suicidal thoughts and gang activity. Of course, students struggle with other normal teen issues too, such as the pressure to become sexually active. Bekecs and Hansen work to help students gain self-confidence by making wise choices.

Bekecs explains how the centre is making a difference.

“I know how important it is for a teenager to have a positive role model who can pour into them and challenge them in all sorts of ways. My heart is to be real and share my story with students.”

The Centre, a ministry of Youth Unlimited Edmonton, provides a wide variety of services to youth ages 12-18.

Teachers and college students provide tutoring, plus students have the opportunity to learn life skills while serving in the café. Those interested can learn photo and video editing, as well as screen

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Foundation printing on T-shirts.

Foundation features a stateof-the-art recording studio, where students can learn to record albums and upload them to iTunes and YouTube.

“We want to be able to provoke students to think about their lyrics and express themselves in a positive way, not to follow the way the world leads but put something out that will build someone up, educate people on an important topic or just make people think about life and decisions,” says Bekecs.

He knows the impact Jesus Christ can have on the lives of young people, because he’s

David Roslund, James Bekecs and Andrew Hansen hang out at the newly launched Foundation Youth Centre in Mill Woods.

experienced it himself.

“I know I’ve been transformed

by Christ and have found hope, life and completeness in Him. I want every student to have the opportunity to come to know Christ in the same way.”

For Bekecs, time spent with the youth is an opportunity to “point to Christ – the Way, the Truth and the Life – and the hope He gives us.”

“It’s much more than just knowing words in a book; it needs to get from your head to your heart,” explains Bekecs. “It’s about building that foundation and having a true relationship with Christ and knowing Him on a deeper level than just going to church on Sundays.”

Volunteer David Roslund knows firsthand the transformational power of a relationship with Jesus. As a youth who’d endured childhood emotional and physical abuse, he looked for connections in wrong places, those he calls “fake friends.” After finding the party and drinking lifestyle lacking, Roslund began questioning whether God was “the real deal.”

One night while alone in his room, he accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour.

“Jesus was my last resort and after that I began to pursue a life built on a relationship with Him,” says Roslund. He started by finding a Christian circle of friends.

“I began to learn how to live life all over again. I learned so much about God and His irresistible love,” Roslund says.

Soon Roslund had an opportunity to minister in Los Angeles, CA at the Dream Center Foundation, a churchbased ministry to drug addicts, homeless and impoverished people. “I learned there that I had an intense passion for youth. I got to work alongside some talented Christian young adults from all over the world.”

Naturally, Roslund leaped at the opportunity to serve troubled youth in Mill Woods.

He and over 35 other volunteers assist Hansen and Bekecs in their mission to empower the youths who attend Foundation Centre’s drop-ins.

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“My heart is to ... share my story with students.”

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Living Light News - January/February 2015

Lifestyles

Faith in Frugality

by Bonnie Grove

photo courtesy Crystal Paine

“We want to live beneath our means so that we are able to give generously to others.”

Crystal Paine

With her husband in law school and the two of them living on a rice and beans budget, Crystal Paine shared on her blog in 2004 that she had only spent $17 on groceries that week.

Immediately, reader comments and emails rolled in, asking how she’d done it. In response to the flood of queries, Paine wrote a blog series, an e-book, and an e-course on the subject of “Supermarket Savings,” and still the questions kept pouring in.

Finally, after three years, Crystal started MoneySavingMom.com, a blog dedicated to helping people live well within a budget, which now sees four million page views per month.

Paine, who is active in her local church, puts into practice the moneysaving skills she learned growing up.

“I was raised by parents who were careful about how they spent their money. And they passed down their frugal ways to their children,” the homeschooling mom of three tells Living Light News. “My mom taught me how to menu plan, shop the sales, stick with a grocery budget, and use coupons while I was still living at home.”

Those formative years set the stage for Paine’s approach to budgeting, as well as her faith.

“My parents modelled a relationship with Christ. From the time I was a baby, they taught me about Jesus and shared the Gospel with me, and my need for a Saviour.”

Paine made a decision to follow Jesus Christ at age 11. “Where once I lived

in constant fear and worry, I now have lasting peace. Where once I had emptiness, I now have true fulfillment.”

Years after that fateful blog post, Paine has established herself as a personal finance expert in frugal topics and money-saving ideas and tips. “Running MoneySavingMom. com has been quite the adventure and has far exceeded my wildest imaginations,” says the Kansasbased writer.

Founding and running a successful blog wasn’t easy. Blogging was relatively new back in 2004, and Paine had to feel her way along a path of her own creation, learning as she went how to monetize a blog and how to communicate her message with an ever-increasing audience – all while living on a shoestring budget herself.

“We were living on less than $12,000 a year. The goal was to stay out of debt, tithe 10 percent, and to survive.”

MoneySavingMom.com is filled with practical money-managing tips, store and grocery deals, coupons, freebies, recipes. Paine also freely shares resources on homeschooling, book recommendations for children, and tips for how to turn a blog into a business.

She also has a page dedicated to her frugal living Canadian readers who cannot benefit from US coupons.

On her blog, Paine includes posts about the impact her faith has made on her life. “My heart’s desire is not only to encourage families to get their finances in order so they can give generously, but also to use the blogging platform God has given me to share Christ in little, beautiful ways to a world who is hungry for fulfillment and meaning.”

Though Paine no longer needs to pinch pennies just to survive, she continues to live by her frugal practices. “Recently, someone emailed in and asked if I died tomorrow would I regret the frugal choices I’ve made?” Paine and her husband discussed the question together. “We would absolutely not regret that we’ve chosen to live beneath our means, make

sacrifices, delay purchases until we can pay cash for them, and live on a strict written budget. We live very fulfilled lives and we wake up excited about each day.”

Running a monetized blog with advertising that encourages people to spend while simultaneously encouraging careful budgeting and frugal living creates a tension she continues to wrestle with.

“If we were just frugal for being frugal’s sake, we’d likely quickly burn out or give up.” She reminds her readers, “It’s not about saving money so we can continuously upgrade our lifestyle and always be buying bigger and better things. We want to live beneath our means so that we are able to give generously to others. The more we steward our money well, the more abundance we will have to meet those needs.”

Paine is the author of four books on the subject of saving money, managing a budget, and her latest, Say Goodbye To Survival Mode: 9 simple strategies to stress less, sleep more, and restore your passion for life, is a whole person approach to living a happier life.

Written in her down-to-earth, friendly style, Paine expounds on how small changes add up big.

“Goals,” says Paine, “even if they are seemingly ‘small’ goals, give you purpose, accountability, and momentum.”

All critical to maintaining the lifestyle of living below your means.

“When you have a purpose for why you are forgoing eating out or shopping at thrift stores or driving an old car, it’s much easier to stick with it for the long haul.”

Paine’s mission is to challenge women to wisely manage their time and resources and live life on purpose. She continues to look to God for what’s on the horizon.

“Someone asked me a few days ago, ‘Where do you see yourself two years from now?’

“My response? God’s plans for my life have been so crazily beyond what I could have ever dreamed that I’m just trusting Him for light for the next step. I’ll take that next step and then trust Him for light for the next.”

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Living Light News - January/February 2015

SeniorScene

7

Food

connects

Crafting A

people

Family

Cookbook

by Carolyn Tomlin

I have a friend who has a unique way of organizing stacks of recipes. When asked her method, she replied, “I have my favourites written on bits of paper, restaurant paper napkins, back of envelopes – anything that’s available at the time. These are held together with a couple of rubber bands. About every three or four years, the rubber deteriorates and breaks and I simply replace the bands.”

She adds, “Because I pull recipes from this stack often, I can put my hand on the shape and colour of the paper immediately. After collecting for years, my stack is quite large. Of course it may not work for others, but it works for me!”

This system may be workable, but there is a better method. Consider collecting family or favourite recipes and self-publishing in a cookbook. Here’s how: Design a template. Before you begin, make a template, print out and make blank copies for all recipes. Include the title of the item, list of ingredients and directions. Add a bit of family history about the person that contributed the recipe. If possible, attach photos of the completed dish and the person.

A template will make your work go faster

and add some continuity to the project.

This method also makes it easier for the contributor.

Choose Categories. Most

general cookbooks contain the following categories: meats, main dishes, vegetables, fruit, breads, desserts, appetizers, beverages and miscellaneous. Place each recipe in the corresponding group as you sort through your collection of favourite recipes.

In addition to categories, a cookbook may add a list of weight and measurements for liquid and dry ingredients. Others include a conversion terms for the metric system.

Substitutions for basic ingredients, herbs and spices that enhance specific foods are other additions valuable to the user.

Interview Family and Friends. Family participation is the

key to collecting these recipes and there are several ways to encourage this involvement.

If your family has an annual reunion, plan to talk with the clan at this time. Today’s technology makes this task simple through the use of smartphones and other recording devices. For those living in another area, phone and record (ask for permission). Or send a printed template asking the family or friend to complete and return.

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Include Recipes From Yesterday. If you’re like many seniors,

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Self-Publish Your Cookbook. After receiving the recipes,

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type them in a Word file on your computer.

Make the necessary adjustments for spelling and content, while keeping the voice of the recipe’s contributor.

Publishing your book has never been easier through self-publishing websites like createspace.com or blurb.ca. These websites also allow you to create an e-book version for Kindle, and offer the added option of selling the book online through Amazon.

Personnel are available to answer questions and provide guidance.

You’ll enjoy sharing this cookbook with family and friends for years to come.

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8

Living Light News - January/February 2015

Wellness

GoNuts!

by Beth Bence Reinke, MS, RD

Walnuts look like miniature brains, with their wrinkled surfaces and skull-like shells. And guess what? It turns out eating the crinkly little beauties may actually boost brain health.

Walnuts For Your Noggin

Walnuts contain nutrients that nourish the brain, including the mineral manganese and a plant-based omega-3 fat called alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA. Of all the nuts, walnuts boast the highest amount of ALA, which helps build brain cell membranes and may even boost mood. In a study comparing nine kinds of nuts, walnuts ranked highest in polyphenols, an antioxidant that defends brain cells by protecting them from inflammation and toxins.

A growing body of research shows walnuts may protect brain function as we age, too. In one study, mice fed the human equivalent of 1 to 1 1/2 ounces of walnuts per day showed improved memory and better learning ability. Researchers suspect walnuts may protect against oxidative damage caused by amyloid beta protein, which contributes to plaques in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

aglow with Almonds

The teardrop-shaped nuts have quite a bit going for them. An ounce of almonds contains a third of your daily value for vitamin E, as well as 75 milligrams of calcium, the most of any nut. They’re top nut for fibre content, too, with 3 1/2 grams per ounce.

Almonds may be especially helpful for people with diabetes. In a study of adults with Type 2 diabetes, incorporating almonds into a balanced diet improved blood sugar control and decreased total cholesterol and LDL, which are risk factors for heart disease, especially in people with diabetes. Plain almonds, without sugary coatings, are your best bet.

Mixed Nuts For Mixed Nutrients

Walnuts and almonds aren’t the only beneficial nuts though. Reach into any bag of mixed nuts and you’ll put out a near-perfect food. Nuts contain high-quality vegetable protein, unsaturated fats, dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals and a host of phytochemicals that promote health.

You’ll find a variety of minerals in nuts: potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron and selenium. Pistachios have the most potassium of any nuts — at almost 300 milligrams an ounce — as much as a five-inch banana or ¾ cup of orange juice.

At almost two milligrams an ounce, cashews are highest in iron, and pack a decent amount of copper and zinc, too.

Nuts For A Healthy Weight

For too many years, nuts had a bad reputation because they’re high in fat, and therefore calories.

But the fats are the healthy monounsaturated kind found in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet. Plus when nuts are included as part of a balanced diet, they don’t seem to boost weight gain.

If you’re trying to control your weight, the evidence for noshing on nuts is convincing. In a review of

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Consuming nuts may protect your heart by lowering LDL cholesterol levels and slashing your risk of heart disease. Across several studies where participants ate varying amounts of nuts — from none to one or two servings per month to more than five servings per week — the degree of protection seems to be dose-related. There was a decrease in heart disease risk for each additional serving of nuts people ate per week. Overall, the risk of heart disease was 37 percent lower for people who ate nuts more than four times a week versus never eating nuts.

In A Nutshell

Ready to crack open a few nuts? Try eating them the old-fashioned way, with a nutcracker in hand and a bowl to catch the shells. Since a serving of one ounce isn’t very many nuts, eating them one-at-atime helps you slow down and enjoy the flavours.

Check the chart to compare the calories and nut count for your favourites.

Beth Bence Reinke, MS, RD, is a registered dietician who writes about food, health and nutrition. She is the author of ‘Fruit Lovers’ Devotions To Go’ and several children’s books. Visit her website at www. bethbencereinke.com.

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33 published studies, people who ate nuts didn’t gain weight and their waist circumferences and BMIs stayed stable. In addition, a couple of studies showed eating nuts twice a week was associated with a lower risk of weight gain.

Number of Calories per nuts in 1 ounce ounce almonds 23 163 Brazil nuts 6 186 cashews 18 157 hazelnuts 21 178 pecans 19 196 pistachios 49 159 macadamias 10-12 204 walnuts 14 halves 185

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Note: One ounce of Brazil nuts contains 544 micrograms of selenium. The RDA is 55 micrograms per day.

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Living Light News - January/February 2015

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Living Light News - January/February 2015

“She loved me unconditionally

when no one else was there.”

Jimmy Wayne

by Teresa Lockhart A person may be at a place that seems dreary and hopeless, but one step in the right direction can lead to somewhere beautiful.

Country artist and author Jimmy Wayne would know.

He’s living proof that when we least expect an answer, God can put a path under our feet that leads us to peace and joy.

Wayne’s latest book, an autobiography titled Walk to Beautiful, chronicles his personal journey growing up as a foster child who was rescued by a high school guidance counsellor and an elderly couple with huge hearts.

Since then, he graduated college and made his way to Nashville to find his way to the top of the charts with his single, “Do You Believe Me Now.” And now he’s a bestselling New York Times author. His first book Paper Angels, was inspired by a song he co-wrote that has since been adapted into a movie which aired on UP TV in November.

The song came along after Wayne found himself in an upscale mall in the Green Hills area of Nashville. He watched as shoppers walked past a Salvation Army’s Angel Tree, which bore the names of foster children waiting to be selected by shoppers willing to give a little of their time and generosity to make a child’s Christmas a little brighter.

But no one stopped. No one seemed to care.

For Wayne, the experience was personal. As a former foster child growing up in poverty in North Carolina, he knew firsthand the impact those gifts mean to a child who has very little hope at “the most wonderful time of the year.”

“When I was 14 years old, my social worker

Country music artist Jimmy Wayne shares the compelling tale of his powerful life journey in his bestselling autobiography ‘Walk To Beautiful’.

Plays It Forward

signed me up for the Angel Tree Program, and I got my first guitar,” says Wayne. “I would not be here, would not have the success and have the home I live in, have the car I drive, the clothes I wear.

“None of this would have happened had it not been for a guitar. And where did I get the guitar?”

This one act of kindness by a random shopper changed Wayne’s life forever, and now he’s determined to pay, or in Wayne’s case, play it forward to help others who feel they have little hope set their feet on a path to a better life.

His autobiography, written with New York Times bestselling author Ken Abraham, reveals what it was like to walk in Wayne’s shoes.

Every page offers a revealing glimpse into what it was like to live with a mother who was in and out of jail and psychiatric wards. The book also tells of Wayne’s own experiences with homelessness and living in foster care and detention homes.

He is also no stranger to domestic violence.

On his 15th birthday, he witnessed his stepfather shoot his stepsister three times, paralyzing her, while surviving a murder attempt by the same man.

“I know how important it is when one person helps a child,” Wayne explains. “I’ve always wanted to share my story so that it would help others. I tried sharing it through my music, but it’s impossible to do that in three minutes.”

Wayne’s way of helping started with one step – literally. Inspired by God, Wayne set forth in 2010 to walk over 2,700 km from Nashville to Phoenix to raise awareness of foster children who “age out” of the system

and then find themselves homeless with no support system.

At first he received great support for his journey, including a $50,000 donation from a record label executive. But when he returned, he received word his record label had dropped him. He was unemployed. His friends were gone.

“What’s the next step?” he thought, and then an answer came to him – start writing your story. And so he did.

Two key figures in the autobiography are Russell and Bea Costner, the elderly Christian couple who took him in and treated him like a son.

“The amount of love that she [Mrs. Costner] gave me outweighed any amount of pain that I have ever endured,” says Wayne.

“She loved me unconditionally when no one else in my life – with the exception of my sister, who couldn’t do anything for me – when no one else was there.

“That’s exactly the example of what Christ did for us: ‘You have nothing to give Me, but I’m willing to give My life for you.’ ” Even though Wayne grew up in a life of violence and instability, Jesus was never far away. But their meeting came about as the result of the most unusual circumstances, a story that Wayne allows to unfold in his book.

Wayne’s mother suffered both from a mental disorder and alcoholism. Though she spent Saturday nights drinking until she was wasted, she still managed to find herself at the Baptist church on Sunday mornings singing “I’ll Fly

Away” with other members of the congregation.

“I always knew Mama had invited Jesus back in the house by the overwhelming smell of Pine-Sol,” Wayne wrote. “When Mama was off the bottle, she was in the Bible; and when she was in the Bible, she made Patricia [Wayne’s sister] and me clean the house all day.”

One summer a group from a church invited Wayne to go to Vacation Bible School, and even though he was reluctant to go, he went anyway. After attempting to distract the teacher, Wayne eventually settled into a craft lesson that told the story about Jesus and why He died on the cross.

“By the end of the teacher’s story, we all had made crosses out of the beads and wire, and the craft was ours to take home with us that day,” says Wayne. “But I couldn’t have cared less about the handmade cross we had just made.

“I just wanted to learn more about Jesus — the One who didn’t smell like Pine-Sol.” After surrendering his life to Christ, Wayne has continued on a journey with Jesus, and has felt compelled to help others like himself find the path that leads to Him. There is talk about Walk to Beautiful being made into a movie, but nothing is definite yet.

Wayne also continues to support programs such as the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree.

“Hopefully, what it does is raise more awareness,” he said. “New doors are opening, which allow me to speak to new audiences, which allow opportunities to help more people.”

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photo courtesy Jimmy Wayne

Sights&Sounds

Living Light News - January/February 2015 ANDREW PETERSON After All These Years andrew-peterson.com Review by Matt Conner When an artist releases a greatest hits collection, it’s often a chance to pull together a low-cost project to leverage some easy money. It’s a repurposed gift, for the most part. For Andrew Peterson, After All These Years provided an opportunity for a much more substantive offering.

Packed full with 20 tracks, After All These Years is technically Andrew Peterson’s “best of” collection. But with reworked versions of eight old tracks as well as three new songs, there’s plenty of new material for any fan to enjoy.

The title track is a meaningful reflection on lessons learned after nearly two decades as a songwriter. In addition to the new tracks, there are at least two songs from every release in Peterson’s catalog, which gives newer listeners an idea of what else they might enjoy.

Of the reworked tunes, “Isn’t It Love” is the most striking since it’s replaced the playfulness of the original with a new somber arrangement, an enriching move that fans will appreciate.

Yet it’s a cover of Gloria Gaither’s beautiful “To All The Poets” that feels like an ideal and personal closing track. It’s amazing how much the song sounds like a Peterson original.

Peterson and his unique talent is a rarity, one of those poets for which so many have been so grateful.

BROOKE FRASER Brutal Romantic brookefraser.com Review by Lindsay Williams If Taylor Swift’s new album catapulted her into an entirely different genre, then Brutal Romantic is Brooke Fraser’s 1989. The saccharine singer/ songwriter all but vanishes on Fraser’s latest offering.

So much so, in fact, that it’s hard to believe this album is birthed from the same artist. Brutal Romantic is a re-invention for the New Zealand-native.

Produced by David Kosten (Snow Patrol), the album reveals Fraser nose-diving into electro-pop territory. Distortion sadly covers up the utter beauty and pureness found in her voice.

The collection’s 10 tracks shimmer with the most polished of sophisticated European pop in the vein of Lorde. Thankfully, Fraser’s rare penchant for turning a phrase still exists under all the sonic bells and whistles.

As thought-provoking as ever, Fraser’s lyrics push careful listeners to keep a dictionary close by, thanks to a plethora of heady references and veiled metaphors. Songs like “Psychosocial” provide social commentary on today’s technologically-obsessed world. Additional tracks seem to mimic the fierce tension felt between modern culture and the world as it should be, as if Fraser is aching for more.

Fraser is not afraid to push artistic boundaries. Brutal Romantic lies in stark contract to her former work; however, Fraser wears electro-pop like a fashion icon, even if it leaves longtime fans wanting.

AARON GILLESPIE Grace Through The Wandering aarongillespie.com Review by Josh McConnell

JukeBox It isn’t unusual for band members to have solo projects.

Sometimes, they are for fun, sometimes they are cathartic and other times these projects turn into a full-blown career.

For Aaron Gillespie, he says he didn’t expect to still be a solo artist. Formerly the drummer of Underoath and currently the lead singer for The Almost, he expected to be a worship pastor by now. But after a successful worship album in 2011, he is back with another solo effort – and grateful for it.

Titled Grace Through The Wandering, the 11-track disc is a pleasant surprise to the modern worship genre. No doubt taking influence from his past work, Gillespie offers worshipful lyrics set to alternative music.

Whether the song is driven by a rhythmic kick drum, fun electric guitar scale or just typical keyboards, the melodies are catchy and fun. Songs range from upbeat anthems to sombre ballads, but typically they are consistent in sound.

There are also blatant elements of simplicity, no doubt playing to the congregation crowds. While “Hold Me Close” can be lyrically repetitive, other songs stick to the basic songwriting formulas.

Looking for a new modern worship effort? Grace Through The Wandering is an excellent, refreshing option.

I AM THEY I Am They iamtheyband.com Review by Lindsay Williams Americana music is a trend that looks good on newcomers I Am They. The Carson City, Nev., six-piece formed out of a community of area churches as they came together for a worship gathering called Solomon’s Porch.

The 10 songs on their self-titled debut are as organic and authentic as their origins. With gentle, three-part harmonies shared between one female and two male leads, I Am They is a breath of fresh air in a genre overflowing with male voices.

While their trio of lead singers and country-tinged melodies may at first conjure comparisons to Lady Antebellum, the group is more comparable to Mumford & Sons or even Rend Collective sans Irish flair. (They even have a female drummer.)

Rollicking foot-stomping abounds on every track. Raucous clapping is encouraged, and singing along is imminent.

The worshipful choruses set against a backdrop of folksy instrumentation allow listeners to learn the lyrics quickly.

“From the Day” previews the refreshingly delightful material found throughout the album. The band’s cover of “Here’s My Heart” and closer “Amen” reveal the singers are as emotive as they are creative. Meanwhile, cuts like “Your Love Is Mine” and “Make A Way” rise above the lyrical fray, proving I Am They is far more than a fleeting musical fad.

GINNY OWENS I Know A Secret ginnyowens.com Review by Matt Conner Fifteen years have passed since Ginny Owens won over critics and fans (and earned a Dove for Best New Artist) with her inspirational debut Without Condition. With a jumpstart behind singles like “Free” and “If You Want Me To,” it’s interesting Owens has largely sat in the backseat since that time, relying on a series

13

of under-the-radar releases than any real radio success.

Her latest release I Know A Secret shows well what a sophisticated songwriter Owens has become.

The title track starts the album on a surprisingly slower note, but its impact is immediate. Owens is reaching into deeper wells on this one, both lyrically and musically, and the listener is immediately drawn in from the outset.

“I Will Praise You” and “In This Darkness” are particularly resonant tracks for their themes of God’s presence in troubled times. Others like “Deeper,” the most interesting track musically on the album, and “What My Life Is For” bring a dynamism to the mix and have real radio potential.

Here’s hoping more people pay attention this time to an artist who continues to impress.

JEREMY CAMP I Will Follow jeremycamp.com Review by Lindsay Williams Jeremy Camp has been a fan favourite for years, captivating audiences with his tight blend of rock, pop and worship and his compelling story of loss and redemption. While the singer has continued to maintain momentum with a steady stream of radio hits, the songs he unveils on his new collection, I Will Follow, ring with a level of excellence that’s even above Camp’s normally superior standards.

The award-winner co-wrote all 11 tracks, and Seth Mosley (Newsboys) added a dose of youthful production to keep I Will Follow feeling bright and energetic from front to back.

“Living Word” bursts out of the gate with a fresh intensity mirroring the singer’s renewed passion for music.

Meanwhile, “Christ In Me,” “Same Power” and “He Knows” move listeners with gripping lyrics and building choruses.

“Finally Home” finds the singer hitting some high notes and sounding like Train. With a riff reminiscent of American Authors’ “Best Day of My Life,” the track reflects on the glory of heaven and features vocals from Camp’s wife and two daughters.

I Will Follow is the best addition to Camp’s discography thus far. (Note: A deluxe edition is available – worth the extra dough.)

THIRD DAY Lead Us Back thirdday.com Review by Josh McConnell Despite having only two official worship albums, multi-platinum rock band Third Day has always been synonymous with the genre. Many tunes sung in churches were penned by lead singer Mac Powell, with the Grammy Awardwinning band often aiming for a worship experience at their concerts.

Choosing to abandon the Offerings moniker for their third worship disc, Third Day’s Lead Us Back boasts 12 tracks that attempts to blur the line between rock and worship.

Musically speaking, many tracks have alternative rock’s brooding tone. Soul On Fire is driven by the bass line, while songs such as “Your Words” have prominent kickdrum and others simply encourage clapping to an excellent timed beat. A banjo also sneaks into a track or two.

While the band does well experimenting with new musical influences, the lyrics could use some re-invention to avoid sounding flat against the otherwise excellent soundtrack.

Nonetheless, Lead Us Back is still a solid disc for the genre and worth checking out when it drops in March.

14

Living Light News - January/February 2015

Getaways

Makefor the Mountains!

by Sarah Chestnutt

take home! Sun Peaks has a wide variety of boutique shops with locally-made keepsakes.

Or check out the Kids’ Craft Night on Wednesday evenings at Sundance Kids Centre so the little ones can make their own souvenirs.

Kamloops is more than just an airport — take the shopping shuttle into town, or cheer on the home team with Kamloops Blazers hockey.

You might be feeling the effects of all your activity. Good news – there are three spas to choose from to help rejuvenate those tired muscles. Sun Peaks Spa is central, quiet, and peaceful; Hands On The Move’s a mobile massage that will come to you.

Ready to crash? There are over 7,000 beds waiting. Hostels, chalets, condos, lodges, and more – you’ll find what fits you best.

Crystal Forest is reminiscent of a fairy tale and Fireside Lodge is right in the heart of the resort village. Looking for luxury? Sun Peaks Grand Hotel & Conference Centre is a landmark not to be missed.

And in the morning? Snow and sunshine awaits.

If

photos courtesy Adam Stein, Kevin Hagel, Royce Sihlis/Tourism Sun Peaks

Christmas is over, but winter’s still here.

What to do next? Hit the slopes, of course!

What could be better than a ski-in, skiout alpine village with 360-degree skiing and snowboarding on three mountain peaks? Time to head to Sun Peaks, British Columbia. Whether you’re a thrill-seeking individual, a family with a pack of kids tagging along, or going with the gang, it’s the place to be this season.

It’s not just one of North America’s premier winter destinations, with an expansion for the 2015 season, Sun Peaks is the second largest ski resort in Canada. The new areas, including locally known Gil’s Hill on the upper reaches of Tod Mountain, increase the terrain for skiers and riders with deep, backcountry turns.

Fresh powder is only a short flight away, with flights from Edmonton to Kamloops through WestJet (direct flights daily, starting Feb. 15) or Air Canada and a 40-minute shuttle ride.

Whether you’re skilled on skis, can carve around other riders, or have no idea how to get on a chairlift without injuring yourself (or others), you’ll find the run for you.

And if you are unfamiliar with winter sports, there are plenty of ski camps and family programs to help get your feet under you.

Want to see how it’s done? On Feb. 15, check out the 4th Annual Bluebird Banked Slalom — exciting even if you’re a spectator.

Skiers and riders race the clock on a closed bank slalom course.

Get in on the action at the Family Day Family Race on Feb. 9. On the Suncatcher Ski Run, friendly competition between and

amongst families is a great way to spend the day.

Keep an eye out for signage at the top of Sunburst Chairlift for the days when Olympic champion, Canadian Senator, and director of skiing Nancy Greene is there.

Join her most Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m. for tours, no matter your ability.

Kick off your day with First Tracks Breakfast. Get exclusive access to the powder from the Crystal Chair, followed by breakfast at the Sunburst Mid-Mountain Restaurant.

Not a morning person? Try Fondue Dinner & Evening Descent instead. The twilight ride up the Sunburst Chairlift to Sunburst Mid-Mountain Restaurant is followed by fondue, then a lantern-lit ski down the 5 Mile run under the starry sky.

Things don’t have to go downhill, though. Give Nordic skiing a try, with 34 km of groomed and track-set trails. The Morrisey Express Chairlift will take you to backcountry trails off the Holy Cow trail that can’t be beat.

Need a break from the slopes? Fly with Bungee Trampoline, yell mush on a dog sled tour, or watch the view go by on a Horse Drawn Sleigh Ride. There’s a full size outdoor rink to skate or join the drop-in hockey game and a tube park to slide down the mountain in an entirely different way.

Snowmobile tours offer incredible views of the Thomson-Nicola Region from packed trails, frozen lakes, and clear meadows. Set out on foot with snowshoe tours through the trails. The new sunrise tour ends with hot drinks to warm you up at a cozy camp.

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Living Light News - January/February 2015

Looking Back, Looking Forward

by Andrew Hess

Determine your top goals and create a plan to meet them.

These are your primary goals for the next year.

Most people shouldn’t focus on more than four main goals in a year. If we focus on too many things, nothing will get done. As we focus on achieving the most important goals, we separate the most important things from the good things. Successful people are able to say no to good objectives in order to achieve their most important goals.

Now that you’ve decided on some goals for the year, create a plan for how you will achieve these goals. Break your big yearly goals down into smaller monthly goals and break your monthly goals down into smaller weekly goals. What do you need to do each month and each week to make sure you hit these annual goals? After completing this, you should start to see a plan emerge. You now have some very tangible goals to focus on each week that will help you accomplish your top goals for the year.

Weekly goals can be as simple as reading relevant articles or book chapters, listening to a podcasts or audiobooks, meeting with mentors, taking classes, hitting specific benchmarks, etc. You should clearly see how your weekly goals are helping you achieve your monthly and yearly goals and they should be things that you can tell when you’ve achieved them.

Instead of the goal “learn something new,” set the specific goal of “read Chapter Three.” Then you will know when you’ve accomplished your goal.

Goal-setting is a skill that many of the most successful people work at tirelessly. Take time to reflect on where you’ve come and dream about what’s ahead. What accomplishments would give you the most satisfaction?

Determine your top goals and create a plan to meet them. Make sure at the end of this year, you can look back with gratitude at all you’ve accomplished by setting goals and working hard to accomplish them.

Andrew Hess is the senior editor of Churchleaders.com in Colorado Springs, CO. You can follow Andrew on Twitter at @AndrewWHess.

Faith means believing in things you’ve never seen ... like your feet!”

Blown Away

by Phil Callaway Do you have a hobby?

A friend says his cat is his hobby. I said, “Beware of any hobby that climbs your curtains.”

Ten-year-old Austin Siok’s hobby is mooing. He won the annual mooing contest at the Wisconsin State Fair because he sounded more like a real cow than any of the other 80 participants.

Austin has mooed since kindergarten. He won after a moo-off with the second place winner. I bet he’s an udder delight to have around the home.

Some moo for a hobby, others sue for a hobby.

Jonathan Lee Riches made it into the Guiness Book of World Records by filing the most lawsuits ever. He has sued Somali pirates, Britney Spears, Martha Stewart, Plato, the Eiffel Tower, the president of Iran and the butter substitute “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter.” He allows people no margarine for error.

As for me, I like growing stuff. I think God put us in the garden for a reason. And if you can eat what you grow, so much the better. A few years ago I bought a 6 ft by 9 ft greenhouse and spent a day putting it together with my handyman

s Phil Callaway friend Dave. Come summer, I watched the tomatoes come alive. I couldn’t keep up with them. I made pizza sauce. Salsa. Sandwiches. I ate them by the fistful. I gave them to grateful neighbours. “Thanks!” they said. “That’ll be five bucks,” I told them.

In January we awoke one morning to discover that a fierce wind had moved our greenhouse about 60 feet.

Or at least parts of it. Pieces were spread from here to Argentina.

I was mad at first. Then my wife said, “Thank God it wasn’t our home.” And she was right. Later that day I told my social network friends, “If any of you find shards of my first greenhouse embedded in your car doors, houses, or garages, please return them to me. If I can get enough

parts, I’d like to re-assemble and re-sell it. Maybe have a Blow Out sale.”

But nothing arrived. I told my friend Kevin what happened. He said, “You’re a busy guy. Don’t cheap out on your hobbies. Buy another greenhouse.” So I did. This time Dave and I placed it on a solid foundation, but before we could put screws into it, the rain came and we ran inside. Where I promptly forgot about the greenhouse.

says, “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress … my God, my strength, in whom I will trust.” He is the only foundation that we can build our marriages, our friendships, and our lives on that won’t move 60 feet when the storm comes.

A few days later I called handy Dave and another not-so-handy friend James and we bent that greenhouse back into shape. We lifted it onto a solid foundation and sunk four-inch screws into

In January we awoke one morning to discover that a fierce wind had moved our greenhouse about 60 feet.

Guess what happened? It blew over. I was not a happy gardener. I couldn’t stop thinking about Matthew 7 in the Bible where Jesus tells about the foolish guy who built his house on sand. The rains came, the winds blew and next thing he knew he was taking out a classified ad asking people to mail back the pieces.

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of solid foundations. I’m not just talking about hobbies or houses, but life. Psalm 18:2

the base. I bought airplane cable, tied it over each end and sunk metal posts down to China. There is not a crane on earth that could pry this thing from the ground. Come August, we began enjoying the world’s greatest tomatoes.

When we couldn’t eat them fast enough, we invited the neighbours over for a Blow Out sale.

Phil Callaway is a speaker, best-selling author, and host of Laugh Again Radio. Check it out at laughagain.org

www.glasbergen.com © 2015 by Randy Glasbergen

The beginning of a new year is a great time to set aside a few moments for reflection.

In fact, one of the secrets of growth is taking time to consider where we’ve been and where we’re headed. It’s in these slow, quiet times that we solidify what we’ve learned s Andrew Hess from past experiences and set goals for what we hope to achieve in the future. Here are a few things that have helped me do this well.

First, it’s important to look back with gratitude.

Think back over the last year and consider the opportunities you had, the lessons you learned, the mistakes you’ve made, and the blessings you’ve enjoyed.

Write them all down. Your list might grow longer than you’d originally thought, but take your time and carefully think through your year. Read over your list and be thankful for each good thing that came into your life. You can even be thankful for the mistakes you made that taught you an important lesson.

Gratitude is a very strong motivator. Too often we don’t spend enough time being thankful for what we’ve been given and the opportunities we’ve enjoyed.

Next, begin thinking about the things you’d like to accomplish in the upcoming year. These could be personal, relational, or vocational goals. But take some time and dream about what you’d like to accomplish in the next year. Write them all down.

Now read over your list and determine the top four goals on your list and circle them. If you could get nothing else done, which four goals would be your top priorities?

Living Light News - January/February 2015

17

The Search For The

S

Perfect Selfie

eriously, the selfie phenomenon has taken the world by storm.

These days, it seems like everybody and their dog (yes, there’s a selfie app for that!) are taking self-portraits, more commonly known as selfies.

First coined in September 2002 by a tipsy young Australian man, it wasn’t until 2013 that “selfie” exploded in the mainstream. Not only was it added to the dictionary, it was hailed Word of the Year by Oxford Dictionary following a reported 17,000 per cent increase in usage.

While the practice of taking a selfie has captivated people from all walks of life – from your buddy to Barack Obama – another trend is emerging of people going to extremes for the perfect selfie.

Reuters reported a surge of requests for nose jobs, eyelid surgery and hair transplants as a result of people wanting to improve their online image – the heightened demand seemingly linked to the selfie phenomenon.

While the selfie has gotten flak for being a narcissistic indulgence, it seems to spring out of a person’s

basic need for acceptance.

As columnist Jonathan Freedland wrote, “The selfie’s usual purpose is to be transmitted by social media – with ‘social’ being the key word. They may be focused on the self, but they also express a timeless human need to connect with others. In that respect, the selfie is like so much else in the digital world – all about ‘me,’ but revealing a sometimes desperate urge to find an ‘us.’ ” We believe that somehow, if we look gorgeous or have the six-pack abs, people will love and accept us – and we will be happy.

Yet even somebody as beautiful as Kim Kardashian is still left wanting. “I don’t find myself as sexy as everyone thinks,” she said. “I am a lot more insecure than people would assume.”

Transformers star Shia LaBoeuf said it well: “Most actors on most days don’t think they’re worthy. I have no idea where this insecurity comes from, but it’s a God-sized hole. If I knew, I’d fill it, and I’d be on my way.”

Actually, God already made a way for this void to be filled.

When He created us, the Bible says every person was “fearfully and

wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) and “created in His own image” (Genesis 1:27). However, we were marred when sin entered the world.

Fear, guilt, insecurities, blame and shame have become part of our lives because of sin, which separates humans from God. Despite our imperfections, God showed His great love for us by sending His Son to restore a right relationship with us. Jesus died on the cross, paying the penalty of our sins (Romans 5:8).

Sins needed to be paid for with the blood of a sinless sacrifice.

No one else could become this sacrificial offering except Jesus Christ – holy God in human form.

On the third day Jesus rose

GoodNews!

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Health, Fitness & Beauty Absolute Chiropractic (780-438-2229) S Aspen Healthcare/Homecare Surgical (780-452-4386) S Congdon’s Aids to Daily Living (780-483-1762) S Dr. David Milner, Dentist G Hayes Denture Clinic, Spruce Grove (780-960-0227) S Ihear Unicare (780-409-9585) S Loon River Health Centre (780-649-3490) S Paradigm Esteem (780-962-0152) S Provincial Home Oxygen (780-930-7052) G Provincial Sleep Group / Sleep Apnea Clinic (780-701-4531) G The Medicine Shoppe, Skyview (780-472-9929) G

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again, proving that He is God and everything He promised was true.

The Bible says “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). This gives every person the chance to be accepted by God and forgiven of their sins.

One must turn the focus from self to the Saviour. When someone asks God for forgiveness and commits to following Jesus, the Bible says he becomes a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), “the old is gone, the new has come.”

There’s no more need to measure up.

By God’s grace, he becomes “accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6).

Additionally, God promises you a new spirit and a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26). He brings love, joy, peace, and contentment into your life – something way more beautiful than the perfect selfie.

Are you ready for this ultimate transformation? Pray this prayer with your heart.

Dear God, Thank you that You love me despite my sins and imperfections, enough to sacrifice your Son on the cross so I can be made perfect in Your sight. I am sorry for trying to reach perfection on my own; I know now it is futile apart from Jesus Christ. I confess my sins and surrender to Your great love. I welcome Jesus Christ as the Lord of my life. Help me to follow You from this day forward. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

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Travel & Lodging Camp Nakamun, Busby (780-967-5585) S All listings are in Edmonton unless otherwise indicated.

18

Living Light News - January/February 2015

EventsCalendar Special Events Oil Kings Hockey Faith & Family Night Jan. 16, 7pm., Rexall Place, 118 Ave. 74 St., Edm. Come and watch the Oil Kings play Regina. Includes giveaways and post-game rally.

Featuring Pastor Dan Taylor from Disciples Church. Tickets: $17, available by calling Scott at 780-409-3766, or email: sritchie@edmontonoilers.com.

Men’s Breakfast Jan. 17, 10 a.m., Dickinsfield Mall, 9208-144 Ave., Edm. Special guest speaker: Dr. Simon Sheh ( Pure at Heart Ministry ) Cost: $5. Please pay at the door.

Breakfast put on by: Champion City Church championcitychurch.com Ladies Diamond Gala Jan. 24, 6-9 p.m., Polish Veterans Hall Grand Ballroom, 9203-144

Ave., Edm. Evening will feature decadent hors d’oeuvres, live music, and an inspirational guest speaker. Tickets: $10, available by calling Champion City Church at 780-472-2700. Donation proceeds will support the Edmonton Dream Centre.

Eat Like A Wild Man Jan. 26, 6-7 p.m., North Pointe Comm. Church, 14025-167 Ave. A men’s event. An evening of feasting on wild meat caught

by North Pointe’s very own hunters. For info, call: 780-4525566.

Family Day Festival Feb. 16, 1-5 p.m., Steele Heights Baptist Church, 5812 -149Ave, Edm. There will be sleigh rides, sledding, professional entertainment, bouncy castles, air brush tattoos, tropical foods, crafts, and much more. This year we’ve incorporated a Hawaiian

theme. All activities free. For info, call 780-478-1553.

Regular Events The Cellar Youth Centre 13407-97 St., call 780-554-7203 Youth who frequent the Cellar enjoy an array of activities such as playing pool, video games, computer time, free food, concession, art projects, and one-on-one mentoring. For info, visit yuedmonton.com.

Clareview ESL Monday evenings, 7-8:45 p.m., Bethel Community Church, 14204-25 St., Edm. We welcome beginner, intermediate and advanced students to practice English in an informal, small group setting. No charge. Freewill offerings will be accepted.

For more info., call 780-4750553.

Seniors Health And Fitness Tuesdays & Thursdays, Noon, Northgate Baptist Church, 13208-95 St., Edm. This is a go-at-your-own pace program for those aged 45-95+. Feel free

to bring walkers, etc, if required.

This class is for all abilities; anyone with any condition or disability is welcome. $5/session; coffee afterwards. Call 780-4765855 or visit northgatebaptist.ca.

Men’s Floor Hockey Wednesdays, 7-9 p.m., Beverly Alliance Church, 12235-50 St., Edm. Come out and play floor hockey! For ages 14+. For more info., visit bac.ca, or call 780474-0476.

Celebrate Recovery Wednesdays, 7 p.m., Fort Rd. Victory Church, 13470 Fort Rd., Edm. The purpose of Celebrate Recovery is to allow us to become free from life’s hurts, hang-ups and habits. For more info, contact Peter on the church’s website (frvc.ca) on their “Contact Us” tab.

Deliverance Ministry Fridays, 7 p.m., Promised Land Ministries, 12145-67 St., Edm. Break free from spiritual bondage! Deliverance through Jesus Christ can transform your life. Visit us on Friday nights to find out how. For more

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Classes Alpha Tuesdays, begins Jan. 20, Beulah Alliance Church, 17504-98A Ave., Edm. Come explore the Christian faith over free meals. No question is too simple, too tough, or too out there. Perfect to invite friends.

For info, or to register, email angie@beulah.ca.

Conferences/ Retreats Breakforth Jan. 30-Feb. 1, Northlands / Edm. Expo Centre, 7515118 Ave., Edm. The nation’s leading equipping and renewal conference featuring well known speakers and artists such as Kay Arthur, Phil Callaway, Robin Mark, and many more. Tickets: $127$294. For details and tickets, visit breakforthcanada.com.

Missions Fest Feb. 20-22, Shaw Conf. Centre, 9797 Jasper Ave., Edm. The guest speakers for this year’s missions

festival include Donna Boone (Cdn. Children’s Chaplaincy Assoc.), Terry Law (World Compassion), Barry Slauenwhite (Compassion Can.), and more.

No charge. For all the details, visit mfest.ab.ca.

Young Adults Retreat Jan. 16-18, Camp Nakamun, Busby, AB. This camp is for those aged 18-25. Speaker: Dean Kurpjuweit. Music provided by Paul Woida. Tickets: $75. Online registration at campnakamun. com Promise Keepers – Fearless Mar. 13-14, West Edm. Christian Assembly, 6315-199 St., Edm. Discover the freedom that comes when we fear only God. Early bird tickets: $60 ($40/ youth) Lunch not incl. Tickets available at promisekeepers.ca.

Inner Revolution Mar. 27-29, Radisson Hotel, Edm. South, 4440 Gateway Blvd.

Theme: Engaging in your critical life connection. Guest Speakers: Dr. Jim Richards and Clint Byars.

For info, visit doxa-canada.com.

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Please feel free to explore our web site, learn more about our firm, and discover how Snyder & Associates can help you.

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Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

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CORPORATE

Living Light News - January/February 2015

19

We welcome you!

Church YourDirectory

Church Neighbours. .

Sunday Services: 9:15 am & 10:45 am 11:00 Children’s Sunday School (ages 2 yrs up to Grade 6) Midweek Programs: Youth (Insight & Awana) , College & Career; Ladies Small Group Bible Study, Men’s groups, all meeting during the week 13208-95 St. NW, Edmonton 780-476-5855 northgatebaptist.ca

invite you to visit them this weekend!

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EMMAUS WAY EMMAUS LUTHERAN CHURCH Service – Sunday @ 10am Children’s Ministry – 2-12 yrs (supervised nursery)

5015-144 Ave., Edmonton

Contemporary Worship, Sunday School, Youth Corner Sundays at 11:00 AM

9004-153 Ave. Edmonton 780-456-7890 www.necf.ca • necf@necf.ca

Pastor Glen Carlson

Learning together to “live life in Jesus” and to “live the Jesus life.”

8505 - 142 Street, Edmonton, Alberta 780•483•5366 info@lhbc.ca www.lhbc.ca

Welcomes you to visit our Spirit led, Bible based and family oriented congregation.

Mid-week: Connection Groups, Youth Activities

We meet weekly to worship on Sundays at 9:30, and we meet weekly to serve on Wednesdays at 5:30

Beit Mashiach 12404 - 140 Avenue

We are a Torah observant community endeavouring to walk in the fullness of the Jewish roots and heritage of our biblical faith.

Shabbat Service

Saturday 10:30 am

Yeshiva (Bible Study) Wednesday 7:00 pm Messianic Pastor: Andrew Ketel 780-901-5859

www.beitmashiach.com

Global

FORT SASKATCHEWAN

We are a family of God, multiplying disciples of Jesus, and we joyfully choose to put relationships of love ahead of every other consideration.

Congregation

A Church with a Heart - In the Heart of the City

Connections

Church

Pastors Steve & Carmen Lynne

Family Service: - Sundays at 9:30 a.m. / 11:00 a.m. at 205 Main Street, Spruce Grove - Sunday Evening Service at 6 p.m.

Youth, women, married couples, single moms, groups meeting during the week.

780-478-8697

Fully accredited Bible college

Call 780-960-9077 for more info www.gcccanada.com

IT’S A PLACE FOR YOU!

Sunday Worship at 10:00 am Sunday Children Education (Pre-K to Grade 6) 10:15 am

W O R S H I P W I T H U S AT

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

Edmonton Family Worship Centre

• Parenting Class • International Friendship Club • Divorce Care

Sunday Worship

Contemporary, Charismatic, Caring

10605-96 St. Sundays 10:00 am

9:45am - Coffee & Conversation 10:30 - Contemporary Worship

780-424-6422 www.efwc.org

5940-159 Ave, Edmonton 780-454-1936 info@centrepointechurch.ca www.centrepointechurch.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

( North Edmont

“Where you can Begin, Believe and Belong!”

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First Christian Church (Disciples) 13407-97 St. Edmonton

Grace

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CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

A Grace Communion International Congregation

Come Celebrate Christ!

Worship Service Saturday, 11:00 am

780-905-1124 http://edmonton.wcgweb.org

Calvary

Baptist Church “A Caring Community”

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

Pastor Bob Millman

( North Edmonton ) A Bible-based, spiritually vibrant, multi-racial, multi-cultural church The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Psalm 121:8

Worship & Prayer Gathering

The Lord will watch over your coming P.M.and going At 4:00

forevermore. both now andService: Sunday 4pm Sunday , August 16, 2009 Psalm 121:8

Meeting at Castledowns Worship & Prayer Gathering Baptist Church At 4:00 P.M. 11250 - 153 Ave. 11250 - 153 Avenue

Edmonton, Alberta T5X 5H2

Bible Study: 10am Worship: 11am Sunday School:11:15am

Sunday , August 16, 2009

Contact: Bill 11250 - 153 Pastor Avenue 780-473-3633

Castledowns Baptist Church Building

10162 152nd Street

Edmonton, Alberta T5X 5H2

The Lord will watch over your com

Sunday Service @ 10:15am

Lutheran Church Sunday Service: 10:00 a.m.

Sunday School & Bible Study 11:30 a.m.

Pastor Forrest Stroup 4638 - 117 Ave. 780-477-2894

( North Edmonton ) [North Edmonton]

Castledowns Baptist Church Building

Sunday Services

780-476-5238

the with Christ Journey Church

“Where you can feel at home and cared for, living in His Presence.”

10405 - 142 St. 780-454-3463 * We invite you to join us! * Morning Worship@ 10:45 * www.faithcom.ca

passionate, generational, God - centered worship and preaching

Fort Saskatchewan Life Church #111, 10421-99 Ave Fort Saskatchewan 780-992-9673 www.fslifechurch.ca

DIVERSITY WITH ONE HEART, ONE VOICE, ONE PASSION

both now and forevermo

Meeting: Sat. @ 6pm 10105 - 153 St Pastors:

Walk in Victory!

Promised Land 121:8 Psalm Ministries

Mark & Sherry Adams Gord & Dawn Hancock

780-483-2665 www.fusionfellowship.ca

Deliverance & Healing Centre

12145-67 St. NW Edmonton, AB

780-944-0526 www.jesusdelivers.com

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