LLN Nov-Dec 2015

Shoebox Love

He

Publication Mail Registration #40019361

Edmonton North Edition

16 Follow us! livinglightnews.com

Chronic

YEAR 21 ∙ ISSUE 3 ∙ $4 November / december 2015

2 Broken

to Blessed

12

Video

VIRTUOSO 0:02 / 0:06

sec

NFR’s most unlikely team

Tie-Down TANDEM

8

10

Ghetto

Chronic He l Spur? Ten is Elbow? Shoulder Pain? to Gridiron

Chron Chronic Heel Spur? Tennis Elbow? Shoulder Pain?

Radial Shock Wave Therapy (RSWT) is a new advanced treatment for fighting chronic pain.

Call Capilano Rehab at (780) 466-1104 for your FREE Initial Consultation.

Radial Shock Wave Therapy (RSWT)

CAPILANO REHAB CENTRE 5832 Terrace Road (780)466 -1104 www.radialshockwave.com

S Silver Sponsor

G Gold Sponsor

2

Living Light News - November/December 2015

s s n i o i on t r o o b A B Led to Her Calling A

How livinglightnews.com Return undeliverable copies to:

Living Light News #200, 5306-89 Street NW Edmonton, AB, Canada T6E 5P9 Telephone: 780-468-NEWS (6397) Fax: 780-468-6872 Email: shine@livinglightnews.com Publisher: Living Light Ministries Editor: Lailani Mendoza IT Manager: Kevin Schulthies Advertising Sales: Jeff Caporale Layout/Design: Inspired Creativity Layout/Design: Christian Kanku Layout/Design: Norma Mettry Layout/Design: Genevieve Ongaro Office Volunteer: Carlo van Berkel Office Volunteer: Eric Robert Office Volunteer: Lindsey Peng Design Volunteer: Tim Richer IT Volunteer: David Baudais Journalist Volunteer: Bona Zhang Photography Volunteer: Noel Granado Living Light News is published six times a year by Living Light Ministries, a non-profit corporation, on a bi-monthly basis. If you have interesting story ideas or helpful news or information which glorifies God, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us by telephone, mail, fax or email.

Viewpoints expressed in Living Light News do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the publisher or management.

Single and bulk subscriptions are available.

Single subscriptions are $16.95 & GST, for one year (six issues). Special two year rate is $26.95 & GST.

Publication Mail Registration Number: 40019361

Beneath the interior designer’s smart, confident and polished exterior was a worn-out soul who felt ashamed, disappointed and lost. With a failed marriage, two young kids to support, and a past she wasn’t proud of, Susan Jaramillo thought she had long missed the boat.

“I became a master disguiser,” she tells Living Light News. “I learned to put a smile on my face so people didn’t know what was going on.”

Jaramillo grew up without a father, and this void led her to look for love in the wrong places.

“I remember going to my mom from a young age and asking her ‘Who is my dad? Where is he?’ ” she recalls. “She would just get angry and tell me it was none of my business. I never understood that.”

Wanting acceptance, Jaramillo said yes to things she now regrets. She smoked her first cigarette in fifth grade, got drunk on Jack and Coke in eighth grade, and experimented with drugs in high school.

Her desire to find a father figure affected how she handled relationships. “By the time I was 14, I gave myself sexually to someone not really realizing the implications.”

When the relationship ended, she felt tarnished and confused. Yet Jaramillo continued to give herself away in subsequent relationships hoping to find the one person who could love her unconditionally.

But no matter how many partners she was with, the emptiness and longing for acceptance remained.

In her junior year of college, she faced the inevitable.

“I was dating this guy, and I became pregnant.

I didn’t know what to do,” she says. “I had two friends who had abortions, and so I automatically thought abortion was the solution. I called an abortion facility out of state. And they said ‘Oh it’s not that big of a deal. You can just come here, terminate your pregnancy and you can go back to your life like nothing ever happened.’ ” Believing this was her only choice, Jaramillo got an abortion. Over four years, she had three abortions.

“I thought that would solve my ‘problem’ but all it did was make more problems in my life,” she explains. “It turned to more promiscuous relationships. It turned to more drugs and alcohol to try to soothe the pain because I didn’t want to deal with reality.”

Still, she persevered. Jaramillo found a job before graduation and set out to make a name for herself.

Her hard work paid off. She moved up the corporate ladder, designing for wealthy clients and earning a six-figure income. Yet something was lacking.

“Through my self-reliance, I had achieved so much; but at the same time, it wasn’t enough to fill the empty and broken places in my life.”

Finding herself pregnant again, she married the child’s father. In 1998, she gave birth to a baby boy.

Two years later came a baby girl. While all she wanted was the proverbial happy family with the white picket fence, it didn’t go as planned. After five and a half

years, Jaramillo’s marriage ended in divorce.

This was how the 35-year-old found herself at a mentoring conference in 2007. The speaker said something that caught her attention.

“Where Satan has hit you hardest is your area of ministry,” she said.

“Wow,” Jaramillo thought. “How will [God] ever use me?” In time she would find out.

“I heard these women talk about this God who was full of love and forgiveness, someone I’ve never heard in that context before,” says Jaramillo, who had the notion that God was “condemning and full of rules.”

“I struggled in always feeling that I always

“You’re set free from guilt and shame.” had to be perfect – and I could never be perfect. I don’t think I quite grasped the concept that God is forgiving and loves me unconditionally.”

This revelation motivated her to know more about Him. Jaramillo reached out to a lady from the conference who prayed for her. That day she surrendered her life to Jesus Christ.

“I said to the Lord ‘I give You all of my life. I give You every area that I struggle in.’ At that moment God changed my life.

And I’ve never been the same since.”

Three years later, while applying for a replacement social security card, Jaramillo received the information she’d been seeking all her life – her father’s name. With the help of friends, she traced his home and met with him, hoping to get answers. Unfortunately, he wasn’t willing to divulge anything.

Dejected, Jaramillo went to her mom who revealed her secret: she was conceived in rape.

“She had filled out the paperwork for adoption for me, but when they came to get me, she couldn’t do it. She kept me.”

Jaramillo later attended a nine-

week post-abortion Bible study through If Not For Grace Ministries, which helped her forgive herself and process the traumas of her past.

“It was through that Bible study that God had a deeper healing for me,” she shares. “Now I take others through that Bible study to encourage them and show them God’s love and healing for them.”

“God forgives. Not that abortion is okay, because it’s not, but through that healing, you receive the truth and you’re set free from that place of guilt and shame.”

Now at 43, Jaramillo is in full-time ministry sharing her story while offering encouragement and assistance to women who deal with the trauma of abortion. After a trip to Uganda in 2012, Jaramillo has become a board member of the pro-life youth ministry called The Remnant Generation.

In 2014, she shared her experiences in her book How God Rewrote My Heart. Currently finishing her Doctorate of Ministry, Jaramillo is publishing her research study on the effects of abortion.

She wants women to know there is healing in Jesus Christ – even after abortion.

“It wasn’t until God got a hold of me and started teaching me His word and His love as a father … that I would be fulfilled in Him,” she shares. “No person can ever fill the void and hole in your life. Only God can do that.”

photo by Jill Bruss, courtesy High Bridge Books

While some effort is made to screen advertisers, no endorsement by Living Light News is implied nor should it be inferred. All advertising is subject to approval.

by Lailani Mendoza

artistryblinds.com 524 Riverbend Square Edmonton, AB 780-488-3456 12736 St. Albert Trail NW Edmonton, AB 780-454-2727

110, 8005 Emerald Drive Sherwood Park, AB 780-464-2366 G Gold Sponsor

Living Light News - November/December 2015

Newsbriefs Flying High With Faith TORONTO, ON – After almost two decades of playing in the Majors, RA Dickey knows how unpredictable a career in baseball can be – not unlike his signature knuckleball pitch. Since being drafted in 1996, the starting pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays has experienced some unbelievable highs in his career (winning the Cy Young Award in 2012 and the AL Pitchers Gold Glove Award in 2013) as well as some devastating lows (discovery of a missing a ligament in his throwing arm that led to a huge pay cut from Texas Rangers). So when his current team went

through the recent emotional rollercoaster of almost making it to the World Series, Dickey may have been disappointed, but he certainly wasn’t fazed. Besides his years of experience (at 40, Dickey’s the oldest player in MLB history to play in the postseason), Dickey has learned the best way to deal with the pressure is to rest in God. “At the end of the day, whether in word or deed, I’m working as if I’m working unto the Lord,” he told 100 Huntley Street.

“So ultimately, that’s who I answer to. And if I can lay my head on the pillow at night knowing that I did that, then I’ll be okay. I can keep going.”

Hat Trick And Humility LONDON, UK – South Africa’s Bryan Habana recently tied the All Time Rugby World Cup top tryscorer record, but there are no airs about him. Scoring 15 tries in the 2007, 2011 and 2015 World Cups, the South African winger equalled the legendary Jonah Lomu’s record. However, the humble Christian rejected comparisons between him and the All Black wunderkind. “I said in 2007, I don’t think I can ever be compared to Jonah,” Habana told ESPN UK. “The way he changed the game, you know he was a class act. He did it in two tournaments; it’s taken me three. He became the first

global superstar the game ever produced and I have an unbelievable amount of respect for him.” The 32year-old’s humility extends to his lifestyle. As part of Vuka Rugby, a program that mentors youth through sports, Habana visits Cape Town’s slums to play rugby with the youth. He considers his athletic status a blessing and hopes to make the most of it. “It’s so humbling I’ve been able to do something with my God-given talent, to do something I love and to do it with teammates you have formed a special bond with and to do it for a country where rugby gives us so much back, it is a massive privilege.”

Specializing in

PITTSBURGH, PA – Dr. Jim Withers used to rub dirt in his hair and unwashed jeans before heading out at night into the streets of Pittsburgh. His purpose? To look for homeless people needing medical care and give them the help they need right where they are. With the aid of a former homeless man, Withers learned street etiquette and earned the trust of his unlikely clientele over the years. “Healthcare is about wholeness and healing.

It’s ministry,” Withers tells Presbyterian Today. “It’s a way of connecting to other people in the way that Jesus did.” For 23 years, Withers has been serving his homeless patients right where they are – making house calls under bridges, in alleys, and along riverbanks. In 1992, the doctor’s outreach became

Operation Safety Net, the first full-time, street-based medical program in the U.S. that connects homeless individuals with resources for ongoing medical care, housing, legal services and other social services. Since 1992, the organization has assisted over 10,000 individuals and helped over 1,200 find housing. Withers also trains medical interns in street medicine, some of whom have started their own outreach for the homeless.

“My hope is that I am a representative of Christ’s love to the world,” he says. For his tireless work in serving the homeless, Dr. Withers is nominated as one of the 2015 Top 10 finalists of CNN’s Hero of the Year award. Voting continues until Nov. 15th, with a ceremony and tribute to all finalists on Dec. 6th.

LEADING

Direct: 780-916-2333 780-962-9696 P Platinum Sponsor

www.arlie.ca

BERKSHIRE, UK – The Great British Bake Off’s Martha Collison recently baked up a storm to help raise money for Tearfund’s “No Child Taken” campaign.

Twenty-three delectable recipes and 21 hours later, the bakeathon wrapped up with over £3,600 (or over $5,500) raised on Oct. 18th, also known as AntiSlavery Day. The next day, Collison tweeted to her over 40,000 Twitter followers a photo of herself holding a sign: “£7,250. 201 children protected.” A year after winning people’s hearts in BBC’s hit reality cooking show, the 18-year-old has been maximizing her time while finishing her A level exams (British equivalent to GED). In partnership with Tearfund, a Christian humanitarian organization,

Running Back’s Rock DUNCAN, SC – Marcus Lattimore was a force to be reckoned with. As a South Carolina Gamecocks running back, he was three-time All-SEC selection in South Carolina and helped lead the team to their first SEC championship game in 2010.

However, a series of injuries – including a major knee injury in 2012 – robbed him of the ability to compete at the pro level. Despite being drafted by the San Francisco 49ers, Lattimore never fully recovered from the injury and retired after two seasons in November 2014. “I have given my heart and soul to the game that I love,” said Lattimore, “and it’s time for me to move

on to the next chapter of my life and help others.” True to his word, the 23-year-old is reinventing himself a year after retiring. He now runs football camps and his own foundation that helps high school athletes gain access to quality rehab for sportsrelated injuries. He credits his faith in God for this dramatic recovery. “I grew up in church, but I wasn’t a Christian until I was about 19. And when Jesus Christ came into my life, it was the best thing that ever happened to me because I had a constant. I had a rock, you know, that I could always lean on,” he told WYFF News.

“When I retired from the NFL, I knew He had a plan for me.”

Quality Service For Over 10 Years - Residential, Commercial & Emergencies

Journey To Sobriety DENVER, CO – Spencer Nee was raised in a loving home, graduated from college and even owned a business.

But when Nee’s business venture failed, he turned to alcohol to deal with his issues. “I was self-medicating a lot of holes in my life,” he told Guideposts. “[Alcohol] just slowly started to rule my life.” His vice spiralled out of control and he became homeless. One morning, he woke up beside a dumpster with trash liquid dripping onto his clothes. In this moment of desperation, he cried out to God, “If You’re out there, I need some help.

I have nowhere else to turn.”

Reaching out to his estranged

TRUCKLOAD CARRIER

55003 Range Rd. 230 Sturgeon County, AB T8L 5E5 P Platinum Sponsor

• Pilot Cars • Hot Shot Service • 24 hr. Dispatch

(780) 998-7511 • 1-800-661-5420 Email: i n f o @ a s h t o n t r a n s p o r t . c o m

Ft. Saskatchewan Edmonton 780-997-0996 780-483-0996 G Gold Sponsor

Sherwood Park 780-464-0995

Pam Tycholaz – Re/Max S Fort Saskatchewan

®

TM Registered trademark symbolTrademark symbol Trademarks of AIR MILES International Trading B.V. used under license by LoyaltyOne, Inc. and 912529 Alberta Ltd.

Silver Sponsor

FURNACES • PLUMBING• BOILERS • HOT WATER TANKS

NORTH STAR

3FTJEFOUJBM t $PNNFSDJBM t *OWFTUNFOU 1SPQFSUJFT

Thinking of Selling your Home?

Experience the advantages of working with an executive!

Call Dan Gitzel at 780-455-0777

780-998-2295

Henry J. Theune

Accounting & Income Tax

CERTIFIED GENERAL ACCOUNTANTS MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS GORDON C. FERGUSON, FCGA, CFP, CAFM Professional Corporation

405 - 6th Avenue SW, Slave Lake, AB T0G 2A4

Phone 780-849-4949

E-mail: gcfprofcorp@gmail.com • Toll Free: 1-888-849-8383 Independent member firm of EPR Canada Inc. Affiliated Worldwide.

P Platinum Sponsor

780.998.2060 FORT SASKATCHEWAN, AB theunefinancial1@telus.net

Van Doesburg Law S Silver 13202-118 Ave, Edmonton Sponsor 780-455-0777

parents, Nee was connected with Providence Network, a Denver-based Christian organization, where his path to sobriety began. “Ultimately, it was my relationship with Jesus Christ … and the Holy Spirit’s guidance is really what changed me and made me go on to live seven years and counting sober,” he said. Now an ER nurse, Nee recently completed a 4,000mile bike ride across America raising a total of $55,000 for Providence Network’s recovery home for homeless youth. He also plans to make a documentary of the trip to share his personal transformation. For details, visit bridgetobridgeride.com.

Buying or Selling?

EPR GORDON C. FERGUSON & Co. ASHTON TRANSPORT LTD. ACROSS CANADA

the Berkshire baker travelled to Cambodia and Thailand to learn about the consequences of sex trafficking and to lead a workshop that teaches girls how to bake to earn a living. Collison also had the rare opportunity of baking with the Archbishop of Canterbury, teaching him how to make toffee pudding.

A devout Christian (“It’s such a big part of my life that I couldn’t hide it and I wouldn’t want to”), Collison is grateful that God has given her a unique platform to share her faith and is enjoying opportunities to help others. “I can’t even describe my last 12 months. It’s just been so unexpected and so exciting.

Every day I just wake up and I think, I can’t believe this is my life now … to be given all this at this age.”

Choose Pam for Quality Personalized Service!

Acreage & Rural

ARLIE JESPERSEN

Baker’s Blessings

Hero Of The Homeless

Residential Properties

3

JASON VAN DOESBURG BARRISTER & SOLICITOR 10060 - 164 STREET EDMONTON, ALBERTA

PH: 780 • 451 • 2661

wills & estates

small business law

FAX: 780 • 452 • 1051 E-MAIL: jason@vandoesburglaw.com

S Silver Sponsor

ALL-LOCK-RESCUE

S Silver Sponsor

real estate

G Gold Sponsor

Door Hardware • Safes • Access Control FAST 24 HOUR SERVICE

11709-170 St., Edmonton

780-447-LOCK

www.All-Lock.ca

Since 1988

Security Professionals

4

Living Light News - November/December 2015

photo by Noel Granado

AfterMOVING IN

Janet Warren is helping women that recently relocated to Edmonton in their emotional transition through Just Moved, a 10-week class that runs Thursdays at West Edmonton Christian Assembly.

by Melanie F. Gibbs Have you ever packed your life in a box and moved to another city? Just Moved is for women who have done just that.

It doesn’t matter if the move occurred years ago; if you’re still mourning the place you left behind, this group is for you.

According to facilitator Janet Warren, when people join the 10-week class they will find other women in the same situation and gain support through the emotional transition of moving.

“We walk through the stages of letting go, starting over, and moving ahead,� she says.

Using the book After The Boxes Are Unpacked: Moving On After Moving In by Susan Miller, the class consists of a video component, discussion, and a Bible study.

One week centres on husbands, as the marriage relationship may take a beating during a move.

One week is spent on children, because a move might not have been their choice. One week is on how to make new friends.

Warren has moved nine times in her 26-year marriage – in and out of the country and across provinces. When she made the move from Toronto to Bermuda, a friend gave her the book. The mother of two lived in the idyllic yet isolated islands for six years and saw how women struggled. “You go through depression and cling to your old place. You need to learn how to cherish but not cling to the old place; instead, cling to the Lord,� Warren says, adding that after moving, women often find themselves feeling

disconnected. “We help them let go of where they came from and start over here.�

Heidi Jansen had relocated from South Africa to Canada when she participated in Warren’s first Just Moved class in Edmonton five years ago. The mother of two says she kept comparing her new situation with the things she missed. A meaningful lesson taught about cherishing those memories without wanting to go back. “I knew coming to Canada was God’s will for us,�

Jansen says.

She admits it can be scary to move away from everyone you know, going to a place you don’t know, and not having support, but “it is easier to do knowing that God is with you, protecting you, and He will provide.� Without that relationship with God, she maintains, “I don’t know that we could have done it.�

The distance of the move doesn’t matter. Regardless of the situation or age, women are going through the same thing together, Warren explains. “You lose your identity. Nobody knows your name; you have to start again.�

Warren recalls that her first move relocating from a small

town to Toronto – was really tough. “I was so lonely, I learned how to hold on to God in a new way,� she shares. “That relationship had always been communal, but I got to know Him one-on-one.�

She advises newcomers that finding a church is key, because there’s a community waiting for you. She acknowledges it can be intimidating to go to a new church, even if you’ve been going to church your whole life.

Participating in groups, like Just Moved, is a great way to get to know people and ease the transition.

Warren says a great truth for the class is the promise from Joshua 1:9: “The Lord is with you wherever you go.� “God didn’t bring you to the new city, drop you at the gate, and abandon you,� she declares. “He has a plan for you.�

Just Moved starts at 9:15 am every Thursday at West Edmonton Christian Assembly until Nov. 26, followed by a potluck brunch Dec. 3. Women are welcome to join at any point.

If you’re moving away from Edmonton, Just Moved classes are offered around the world. Learn more at www.weca.com or justmoved.org.

FOR ALL YOUR

HIGH SPEED PRINTING

PRINTING & PROMOTIONAL NEEDS!

ls lendars + Decals + Labe Brochures + Flyers + Ca s + Letterhead Tickets + Business Card s or Knockers + Postcard Offering Envelopes + Do ards + Water Bottles Pe Clothing + ns + Lany re!

Mo + s rd Ca g tin ee Gr gs + Bags Travel Mugs + Coffee Mu re!

Umbrellas + Flags + Mo

5531- 99 St NW G 780.434.7431 Gold Office Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 5:30 pm Sponsor After Hours, Weekends & Holidays by Appointment sales@highspeed.ca

Serving your BIBLE needs! t 4DSJQUVSFT JO MBOHVBHFT t 4DSJQUVSFT GPS NBTT EJTUSJCVUJPO t #JCMJDBMMZ CBTFE USBDUT BOE IBOEPVUT 56 Ave

54 Street & Yellowhead Trail

780-475-0552

Service You Can Trust

w All Makes & Models

w Heating & Air Conditioning w Tires

w Fuel Injection & Electrical

Factory Spec. Computer Diagnostics and Trouble Shooting using the Latest Equipment

53 Ave

51 Ave 50 Ave

S Silver Sponsor

Resource Centre 8749-53 Ave. NW, Edmonton 780-439-7729 or 1-877-439-7729 mbusenius@biblesociety.ca Order Online: biblescanada.com

w Diesel Performance & Engine

Commercial, Trucks, Bus & Out-of-Province Inspections S Silver Sponsor

Since 1967

Superior quality at competitive prices

Living Light News - November/December 2015

When

Love Came Down has to offer – the Good News of Jesus Christ.

“The gospel is about the love of God, and the idea that God is offering what people need,” Archibald explains.

For one performer in particular, the love of Christ was exactly what she had been searching for.

The eldest daughter of a church leader, Liwa Agcaoili grew up in the Philippines surrounded by the church and the idea of God. But what she did not experience was the love of God. As a child, Agcaoili saw little of her mother, who had to

by Bona Zhang

5

work overseas, and suffered and endured physical and sexual abuse. As a young adult, she moved to Canada to practise nursing, and had hope for a better life.

“I fell in love with someone,” Agcaoili shares. “I had no one but him, so I did everything I could to keep him. I quit my job, and I sacrificed my friends.

photo by Noel Granado

The words “An Edmonton Christmas” can mean much more than snow tires and frigid river valley strolls. For one church in the city’s southside, it means the opportunity to make the spirit of Christmas accessible to all.

An Edmonton Christmas is the product of a vision at SPA for Life to connect with people and share Christmas with the city. The church’s musical, theatrical, and culinary talents combine to create an evening filled with music, celebration, and a free reception of homemade treats.

Running from Dec. 11-13 at 7 p.m., with a 3 p.m. matinee show on the Sunday, An Edmonton Christmas is a free event with a seven-year tradition of brightening the community.

Pastor Jason Archibald, SPA’s creative arts pastor who birthed the idea and oversees its production, sees the value of celebrating Christmas in this way. “We do this for the community because we think they’re worth it.”

Far from being theologically heavy, the concert welcomes people of all faiths and beliefs as Pastor Archibald and Jason Archibald, SPA’s creative arts pastor, along with choir his team strive member Liwa Agcaoili invite people to watch ‘When Love Came to share the best Down at Christmas,’ a musical celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. thing any church

Reliable Radiator Services Ltd.

Serving industry & the public since 1951

Repairs to All Types of Cars, Trucks, Tractors, Industrial Radiators, Gas Tanks, Heaters, AC Condensers We Sell New Rads, Heaters, Gas Tanks and Reconditioned Rads

And then he found another girl, and I was left with nothing again. I had nobody.”

After this heartbreak, Agcaoili reached her lowest point. Everyone she loved had given her nothing but pain and disappointment, and she contemplated suicide as she asked herself over and over, “Why? Why?” Her rhetorical question received an unexpected answer.

Agcaoili’s aunt and uncle invited her to a two-day Christian retreat, and she agreed, not knowing the extent to which her life would be changed because of it.

“I remember the first talk that was being given by the pastor,” Agcaoili recalls, “It was called, ‘When Life Sucks,’ and it was about how God never abandons us and is always with us.

It was amazing; it was like it was made for me.”

Coming home from the retreat, Agcaoili did not experience a dramatic, overnight epiphany. But she began to delve into the Bible to learn about the God she had grown up with but had never truly known.

She realized that the source of unconditional, all-satisfying love had been within her reach all along, and that the amazing love of Jesus Christ would never let her down.

Working closely with Archibald, Agcaoili is now a passionate choir member and soloist in her church’s music ministry.

“It was Pastor Jason who encouraged me to sing my first solo. I surprised myself, I didn’t know I could sing!” Agcaoili says with a laugh, revealing the joyful, spirit-filled woman God intends her to be.

Like Archibald, Agcaoili is excited to participate in An Edmonton Christmas and spread the love of Jesus with her community.

“My grandfather was a Christian,” she says, “He was bound to a wheelchair, and he prayed everyday. As a child, I laughed at him, saying, ‘If there is a God who listens to your prayers, why are you still in a wheelchair?’

“Now I realize he wasn’t praying for himself, he was praying for us – for his grandkids to become Christians. Before he died last year, he told me that he was so happy because God answered his prayers.”

826 Webber Greens Drive NW

Looking

780-468-3768 or 780-487-0999

for a

mover you can

trust?

• local/long distance • office/residential • moving supplies

Call today for a S

FREE estimate! Silver

12858 - 52 St., Edmonton

Sponsor

780-476-0895 S Silver Sponsor

780.998.2422

S Silver Sponsor

•TANNING • HAIR • ESTHETICS

APRIL GLASS & MIRROR LTD.

826 Webber Greens Drive NW 12774-115 St, Edmonton PH: 780-452-2124 FAX: 780-451-3609 A TEGG Ser vice Provider

• ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING • PROJECT MANAGEMENT • LIGHTING MAINTENANCE/RETROFIT

(780) 243-7000

(780) 465-0792

info@actionelectrical.net www.actionelectrical.net 7931 Coronet Rd., Edmonton, AB

*Based on Individual Rankings from Re/Max International.

S Silver Sponsor

COMMERCIAL WORK SPECIALISTS 24-Hour Emergency Service on Commercial Work

• Commercial Doors/Hardware • Aluminum Doors • Windows • Sealed Units • Screens • Replace/Repairs • Free Estimates

G Gold Sponsor

have a zeal for pastoral ministry?

Do you have an Ephesian 4:11 call of God upon your life? Are you looking for assistance to launch your new church plant in your city?

We will you assist with registration at the provincial level and at the federal level with the application for your non-profit & charitable status.

If you answer “yes” to any of these questions above, then this is your season to launch into the deep. A team of Apostolic Church planters will be in Edmonton on Nov. 13th - 14th (Friday & Saturday) and Dec. 11th – Dec. 12th (Fri. & Sat.) to start a conversation with potential candidates.

For more details, please call 1-403-453.0447 or Email: adodzroh@shaw.ca, or info@greater-works.org

To elevate the thermal performance of your process time and time again

Sales and Service Heat Exchanger Specialists

Edmonton (780) 992-8333 Calgary (403) 547-8333 www.ramex.ca

P Platinum Sponsor

6

Living Light News - November/December 2015

Wellness

by Dr. Cindy Maynard, PhD, RD Are you at risk for heart disease? Take this quiz to find out.

1. Are you over the age of 65?

2. Do you have diabetes?

3. Do you have a history of heart disease in your immediate family?

4. Do you smoke cigarettes?

5. Is your total cholesterol greater than 200mg/dL or higher?

6. Do you have a history of stroke, coronary artery disease or have had a heart attack?

7. Have you been told you have high blood pressure or take blood pressure medication?

8. Are you more than 20% overweight or have a Body Mass Index (BMI) score greater than 26?

9. Do you feel stressed most of the day?

10. Do you get less than 30 minutes of exercise per day or less than 3 hours per week?

How did you do? If you answered “Yes” to two or more questions, you could be at risk for heart disease which includes atherosclerosis, heart attack, coronary artery disease, and stroke. Read on to learn how you can lower your risk.

Heart disease is at the top of North America’s most serious health problem.

Fortunately, it is one of the most preventable diseases.

As you probably guessed by taking the quiz, some risk factors are under your control and others are not. For example, uncontrollable risk factors include being male, age, family history of heart disease,

and even race (African-Americans and Mexican Americans are more likely to have heart disease than Caucasians).

Controllable risk factors, however, include those relating to lifestyle, such as weight, exercise, smoking, and stress and anger.

Making changes in your lifestyle is the best way to lower your risk of heart disease. Here are some proven methods to help you lower your risk and improve your health.

1. Know your numbers

When you have too much fat (fatty plaque) in your blood, it can clog your arteries and put you at risk for heart disease. Here are four main lipids (fats) that circulate in our blood and their optimal numbers: Total Cholesterol: 200 mg/dL or less is optimal Triglycerides: 150 mg/dL or less is optimal HDL (considered “good” cholesterol, the higher number the better): Between 36-50 mg/dL is normal; above 50 mg/dL is optimal LDL: Less than 100 mg/dL is optimal

4. Lose excess weight

Even losing 10 percent of body weight can help unburden your heart. Increasing fibre and plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables are helpful with weight loss and lowering cholesterol.

Cutting down on processed foods that are high in saturated fats and sugar also go a long way in promoting a heart-healthy diet. Ask your provider to refer you to a dietitian.

5. Release the stress

Cindy Maynard PhD, RD, is a health psychologist, registered dietitian and a health and fitness writer. Dr. Maynard is passionate about health and wellness and motivating people towards better health.

Visit her website at drcindymaynard.net.

When stress becomes a normal part

3. Amp up the activity

Even moderate activity such as walking or gardening can

Life & Disability Insurance, Will & Estate Planning, RRSP’s, RRIF’s & RESP’s, Investments, Corporate Estate Planning, Charitable Gift Planning Ray Sader ray@saderfinancial.com

S Silver Sponsor

Helping people build better financial futures for themselves and their families.

Conquer winter!

ar-jay’s

Advertisers & Sponsors...

make Living Light News possible for you to enjoy. Please support them with your business!

lawn, garden & snow equipment 2000 12868 – 52 St., Edm. Service, Parts & Sales for all Consumer or Commercial Outdoor Power Equipment Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-5:30, Sat 9-3 Ph: 780-476-0448 or 1-877-476-0488

www.arjays.ab.ca

S Silver Sponsor

ALBERTA ROCK PRODUCTS LTD. Producers of Alberta Rainbow Rock • Decorative Rock • Road Gravel • Bark Chips • Fabric & Edging • Limestone • Washed Play Sand • Shale • Mulch • U-Pick Up or We Deliver “The Friendly Little Gravel Company”

15315-123 Ave. Edmonton S Silver Sponsor

of the day instead of a rare occurrence, it can affect behaviour that leads to heart disease such as overeating, smoking or high blood pressure.

Taking a 10-minute timeout, planning one pleasurable activity into the day, and expressing gratitude on a regular basis reduce stress and increase overall life enjoyment.

Living a healthy lifestyle starts in the mind long before it shows up in our behaviour. Break big goals into smaller, bite-size pieces for longterm success. Think of your changes as producing a new, better you.

Reward yourself for little successes.

And remember, health is wealth.

Smokers are at double the risk for heart attack than nonsmokers. There are several aids to help quit smoking, such as the National Lung Association or Smokers Anonymous.

FINANCIAL ADVISORS GROUP INC.

Bus: 780-420-6445

lower risk of heart disease. Start out small.

Group fitness classes, mall walks, work-out videos from the library, or community adult education classes can help you get started.

2. Snuff out smoking

SADER

Daryl Sader CA, CGA, CFP, CLU daryls@saderfinancial.com

Heart

780-451-2260 Family Owned

P Platinum Sponsor

• Life & disability insurance • RRSPs • Group insurance • Segregated funds • Estate & charitable gift planning Call Orest Kuchmak 10543 - 50 St., Edmonton

780.462.4606

S Silver Sponsor

Living Light News - November/December 2015

Healthy Living

7

For all your Healthcare needs...

Dr. Emad Morris, DDS

FAMILY DENTIST

G U I D E

Tel: 780-433-0222 Full dental services #205 2ND Floor New patients welcome All insurance 9562 82 AVENUE plans accepted EDMONTON, AB

GREAT RESOURCES FOR VIBRANT HEALTH!

• Lift Chairs • Mastectomy Supplies & Fitting • Maternity • Ostomy Supplies • Scooters / Wheelchairs • Walkers & Crutches

S Silver Sponsor

Call 780.472.9929 A Smile ...for a Lifetime!

Pat Hayes, D.D.

Flu shots/Injections Free city wide prescription delivery Blister packing Blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes management

“I pray that you would prosper and be in good health�

HOURS: Monday - Friday: 9am - 5pm

• Aids to Daily Living • Braces / Soft Supports • Compression Therapy • Incontinence Supplies

S Silver Sponsor Three locations to serve you: 11C St Anne St., St. Albert, 780-458-5349

- 3 John 1:2

Ph: 780-960-0227 S 3A - 20 McLeod Ave. Silver Spruce Grove, AB Sponsor

11315 Kingsway Ave., Edmonton 780-452-4386

Rosemary Sibanda Pharmacist

G Gold Sponsor

11044-82 Ave. Garneau Professional Centre, Edmonton 780-439-6367

14020 127 St NW Edmonton, AB ms0345@store.medicineshoppe.ca

Is someone you know

hurting?

PSYCHOLOGISTS & FAMILY EXPERTS

Trauma and Abuse Grief and Loss Emotional Distress Play Therapy Learning Assessments Relationships S Silver Sponsor

780-430-GROW

Separation & Divorce Parent Coaching Family Counselling Eating Issues Teen ~ Parent Conflict Life Coaching

www.kellscounselling.ca

Dr. Dr. Peter Yoo Yoo DDS Dr. Peter YooDDS DDS Dr. Dr.Peter Peter Peter Yoo Yoo DDS DDS

GBNJMZ EFOUJTUSZ t PrBM TVSHFSZ t Jnvisalign GBNJMZ EFOUJTUSZ t PrBM TVSHFSZ t Jnvisalign GBNJMZ EFOUJTUSZ t PrBM TVSHFSZ t Jnvisalign GBNJMZ EFOUJTUSZ t PrBM TVSHFSZ t Jnvisalign

TOFIELD, AB 5111 50 St DDS 780.662.3553

EDMONTON, AB 9939 75 St NW 780.75.TOOTH

DDS

Dr. Peter Yoo

GBNJMZ EFOUJTUSZ t PrBM TVSHFSZ t Jnvisalign

Dr. Peter Yoo

GBNJMZ EFOUJTUSZ t PrBM TVSHFSZ t Jnvisalign P Platinum Sponsor

Call 780.75. tooth

family dentistry PSBM TVSHFSZ t JOWJTBMJHO

Call Call 780.75. tooth Call Call780.75.

780.75.

780.75. tooth tooth tooth

ABSOLUTE CHIROPRACTIC KEEPING YOU WELL ALIGNED

Need Advice about.... t /FDL 1BJO t 4QPSU *OKVSJFT t "VUP "DDJEFOUT t -PXFS #BDL 1BJO t 1PTUVSF $PSSFDUJPOT

.BTTBHF 5IFSBQZ BWBJMBCMF

3JWFSCFOE 4RVBSF 1IBTF ** -PDBUFE CFIJOE 4FDPOE $VQ

Call 780.75. tooth

Hearing Tests Ple Free nty of Hearing Aids Park ing!

Ear Protection Repairs and Batteries S Silver Third Party Billing

Sponsor

#226 Meadowlark Mall 156 Street & 87 Avenue

Ask about gift certificates

780-438-2229

• • • • •

(159 St. Exit from Whitemud Fwy)

780-409-9585 #202, 505 Queen St. Spruce Grove

S Silver Sponsor

780-948-0304 ihearunicare.com

8

Living Light News - November/December 2015

Sports

Ghetto to Gridiron

An 11-year-old drug dealer defies odds and becomes NFL star

by Crystal Kupper Unlike his childhood, Jason Avant’s hands are sure and steady.

No longer the abandoned little boy from Chicago’s rough South Side, the 32-year-old darts downfield for the Kansas City Chiefs, cradling the football gently. He knows if not for his grandmother, those hands could just as easily be gripping a gun.

“Growing up in Chicago was rough by nature,” Avant tells Living Light News. “I’ve seen drive-by shootings, my cousins pulled off the street and shot up. I’ve had cars chasing after me, rival gangs running at my car.”

“I realize I shouldn’t be here.”

photo courtesy Kansas City Chiefs

With a runaway mother and an in-and-out-of-jail father, Avant seemed destined to repeat his family’s tragic history. By sixth grade, he was selling drugs, even as he saw friends and family members end up either in prison or the cemetery.

“I realize I shouldn’t be here,” the 6-0, 210-pound wide receiver admits. “You don’t hear me complain much. [My past] gives me a different grittiness on the inside.”

Avant’s only bright spot was his Grandma Lillie. Time with her meant a hefty dose of love, kindness and Jesus, and Avant, desperate for stability, soaked it up.

Then again, he immersed himself on the football field, too.

Buoyed by Lillie’s faith and ever-present love, Avant ranked as one of Illinois’ best wideouts and played in the prestigious Army All-American Bowl his senior year of high school.

From there, he headed to the University of Michigan, where he caught 82 passes for more than 1,000 yards his final collegiate season. Next came Philadelphia after the Eagles chose him in the fourth round of the 2006 draft.

With Chicago still fresh in his mind, Avant put in the work, increasing his receptions in each of his first seven NFL seasons. Before signing with the Chiefs in 2014, he snagged over 50 receptions between 2010 and 2012 for the Eagles.

And even though he’s not a rookie anymore, his coachable attitude and work ethic still define him.

“He can be a blocker, pass-receiver and he gives us a multitude of skills that we can take advantage of as an offense,” says Chiefs’ offensive coordinator Doug Pederson.

Going the extra mile is how Avant wants to be known. If the ghetto taught him anything, it was that life can be given and taken away in a heartbeat, and the only thing people can control is their response.

“I work really hard at what I do. Harder than most maybe, and I’m not always rewarded for it,” he says. “That’s why I constantly remember who I’m doing it for. My joy is not just on the football field.”

Nope, it’s at home in Clemonton, N.J., with his wife Stacy of six years, and daughters Jala and Amya. It’s most importantly in a relationship that began 18 months before his grandmother passed.

On May 4, 2003, Avant headed to church as usual, but this Sunday morning was different. The college kid recalled time after time when he should have been killed, kicked out or discarded. Yet there he stood, his entire future before him, and he suddenly knew why: God had protected and loved him, even when the rest of the world hadn’t.

Kansas City Chief ’s versatile wide receiver Jason Avant is leaving a legacy that will extend beyond football.

Since 1969 our family-owned business has built, installed, and customized beautiful countertops for Edmonton and area residents.

Now offering sinks, faucets, plus plumbing services.

Visit our website or spacious showroom today!

G Gold Sponsor

780-484-0831 • 10417 - 174 Street • www.pfcustomcountertops.com

“The Bible says the goodness of the Lord leads to repentance. Well, I found His goodness and mercy my entire life,” Avant says.

“I remember my grandma praying over me at night that the streets wouldn’t get me. I saw His hand of mercy; when I did wrong, He would not condemn me or write me off. Finally I said, I really surrender my life to You.” Life both on and off the field hasn’t been the same since.

His personal relationship with Jesus isn’t just for Sundays, either; Avant insists he “needs God’s covering to keep [him] from danger and injury. The game of football is so dangerous, it’s not something you want to do on your own volition.”

The up-and-down Chiefs can attest to the parity in the NFL. “Our goal is always to win the next game, to focus on one day at a time,” he says. “And my number one goal is to play as hard as I can for Jesus Christ.”

Avant is convinced God has blessed him to be able to play 10 seasons in the NFL. But he sees it being about more than just football. Avant asks what do touchdowns matter when you’re not treating the stadium janitor just as well as you treat your coach?

“You’re not going to find a better, more tremendous, humble person in the National Football League than Jason Avant,” says Pederson.

“If I make the Pro Bowl, that will one day be forgotten,” says Avant. “As a receiver, I want to be remembered as someone who played his heart out.

“But I want to be a light and a witness for Christ more than anything that happens on the football field. My goal is that when someone mentions me, they mention God.”

Living Light News - November/December 2015

9

Is Your Faith Like

Donald Trump’s

B

There’s only one thing you can do in order to make it to Heaven – receive God’s forgiveness while you’re alive. In order to be forgiven, you need to admit that you’ve done some wrong things.

The Bible says “If we claim we have not sinned, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9) Trying to do better and trying to make things right are commendable, but these actions do nothing to erase our sin from God’s point of view. Only asking for forgiveness and accepting what Jesus did on your behalf will.

A shallow belief in God – the type that acknowledges God’s existence with the head but doesn’t involve the heart – does not allow a person to experience God’s transforming love nor earn anyone a place in heaven.

Salvation is about surrendering your life to Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, accepting His forgiveness, and living a life that is pleasing to Him. Have you done this? Do you know where you’ll go when you die? Take a moment to examine yourself honestly because it’s the biggest decision you’ll ever make. Maybe you go to church, read the Bible and believe in God but have always kept Him at arm’s length, or maybe you haven’t considered God before.

The good news is that if you’re reading this, it’s not too late.

Jesus welcomes anyone with open arms – Donald Trump included – into a personal relationship with Him. And life with Jesus Christ is the best experience you’ll ever have – even better than being elected president.

If you’re ready to start this amazing journey with God, pray this prayer from your heart: Dear God, I have heard about You all my life but I feel like I don’t really know You. Please forgive me for my sins and for going my own way. I need You. Please come into my life and change me. Thank You for giving Your Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for my sins. I ask for Your divine guidance and strength as I journey through this life with You from this day forward.

In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

GoodNews!

photo by Gage Skidmore/CC BY-SA

illionaire, reality TV star, and presidential candidate Donald Trump said that he goes to church and believes in the Bible – but is he a Christian?

“People are so shocked when they find … out I am Protestant. I am a Presbyterian. And I go to church and I love God and I love my church,” said the Republican candidate.

Millions of people around the world share Trump’s beliefs.

You’ll find them in churches every Sunday, and when asked if they believe in God, they won’t hesitate to say yes.

At the Family Leadership Summit in Ames, Iowa, Trump’s faith was put into question. When moderator Frank Luntz asked him if he has ever asked God for forgiveness for his actions, Trump replied, “I am not sure I have. I just go on and try to do a better job from there.

“I think if I do something wrong, I think, I just try and make it right. I don’t bring God into that picture.”

Unfortunately, he is not alone. There are many people who have never asked God for forgiveness for various reasons.

Some dismiss it out of arrogance; others believe they don’t need it because they’re a “good person,” or perhaps they just believe they’re beyond forgiveness.

People simply don’t realize why asking forgiveness from God is crucial.

The Bible says everyone has fallen below God’s standards and missed the mark. It’s called sin – and sin separates us from a holy God in this life and the life to come.

Every time you tell a lie, talk behind someone’s back, look at someone lustfully, disrespect your parents – and the list goes on – you are sinning against God. And sin doesn’t just distance you from God, it ultimately leads to death.

But there is hope!

The Bible tells us that out of His great love, Jesus Christ made a way for people to be forgiven of their sins. He – God Almighty – who was sinless, came to earth and became human to die on the cross and pay the penalty for our sins – past, present and future. On the third day, He conquered death and rose again to reconcile us to God and prepare a place for His followers in Heaven.

If you are trying to live a good life, hoping one day that your good works will outweigh your bad and earn your entry to Heaven, you will be in for a big surprise.

do something wrong …

I just try and make it right.

I don’t bring God into that “If I

picture.”

Keep for reference!

Sharing the

D = Diamond

= Emerald

Accounting & Finance EPR Gordon C. Ferguson & Co., Slave Lake (1-888-849-8383) P H & R Block, Stony Plain (780-963-3066) P Harland Hendrickson (780-466-2629) G Henry J. Theune, Accountant, Fort Sask. (780-998-2060) G Orest Kuchmak - Financial Advisor (780-462-4606) S Vision Accounting (780-643-8698) S

Auto Sales & Services Bert’s Auto & Tires (780-484-1034) S Crackmasters (780-482-2725) S Crosstown Auto Centre (780-488-4881) G Reliable Radiator Services (780-476-0895) S Valk’s Auto Centre (780-475-0552) S

Commercial Sales & Services Albos Developments (780-922-2366) G All-Lock-Rescue (780-447-5625) S Ashton Transport (780-998-7511) P High Speed Printing & Promotional Products (780-434-7431) G Soft Effects Computer Services (780-963-3623) S Trimtech Industries (780-455-9643) G

Consumer Services Fort Moving (780-998-2422) S Modigliani Hair (780-486-3768) S

Education Edmonton Society for Christian Education (780-408-7933) S

= Sapphire

P= Platinum

The following organizations and individuals are sponsoring copies of this newspaper on behalf of residents in their community! We encourage you to support these organizations with your business and prayers.

G = Gold

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

Home Improvement & Decor Alberta Rock Products (780-451-2260) G April Glass & Mirror (780-452-2124) G Canfab Products (780-451-4341) S Canuck Plumbing (780-997-0996) G PF Custom Countertops (780-484-0831) G The Flooring People / Artistry Blinds (780-454-2727) G The Kitchen Studio & Wallbeds - Etc. (780-468-7088) P

Industrial Sales & Services CCD Energy Services (780-406-2901) G East Gap Oilfield, Slave Lake (780-649-5370) S Ramex Heat Exchangers (780-992-8333) P Whitemud Iron Works Group (780-701-3295)S

Nonprofit / Ministry Canadian Bible Society, Edmonton (780-439-7729) S

S= Silver Professional Services Kevin Koleba - State Farm Insurance (780-435-7817) S Cornerstone Counselling (780-482-6215) S Park Veterinary Centre, Sherwood Park (780-417-1119) S Snyder & Associates LLP (780-426-4133) S Van Doesburg Law (780-451-2661) S

Real Estate Angus MacInnes Appraisals (780-499-5657) S Arlie Jesperson - Realty Executives Leading (780-916-2333) P Canyon Springs Master Builder (780-487-3021) G Dan Gitzel - Realty Executives North Star (780-455-0777) S Eagle Acres Properties (780-916-4968) G Fernwood Developments (780-430-1375) P Guy Pelletier - Century 21 Reward Realty (780-473-2589) S Kellington Real Estate Group (780-288-9011) G Pam Tycholaz - Remax Real Estate, Fort Sask. (780-777-0202) S Sabo Bros. Enterprises (780-466-3104) D

Restaurants & Food Services NHA Trang Vietnamese Restaurant (780-479-4649) S Steve Schattle (Tim Hortons) P

Retail Sales & Services Ar-Jay’s (780-476-0448) S Christian Book & Record (780-478-2798) S Massey’s Sewing Machines (780-454-6869) S

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

12

Living Light News - November/December 2015

Sights&Sounds

FruitOf The Vine virtuouso Zach King shares the secret to his viral six-second videos

by Elisabeth Handley

am and Star Max Inc.

one Vine video a day for a month and never looked back.

They say the rest is history, but King’s career is just beginning. His social media successes have already led to working with hip-hop star Macklemore, an appearance on the Oscars’ red carpet and the Ellen show,

and over 3.2 million followers.

And where does he get all his crazy ideas?

Everything is based on collaboration with his seven-person crew. Some ideas are spur of the moment, while others take months to plan out and film. All videos start out as storyboards so everyone is on the same page, and which simplifies post-production.

“Generally we can make a Vine in a day or two, but sometime it takes several weeks, depending on the complexity,” King says.

“The ones that are most popular seem to be the ones we did run-and-gun, you know, make and post right now. Those tend to get shared the most.”

Believe it or not, six-second videos can make a person a nice living. It’s all about sponsorships. King has worked with Best Buy, many of the snack food brands you see in his videos like Pringles, and even has a Red Bull line of Vine videos.

And that’s good for the newlywed, who has been married for just 10 months to Rachel, now his company’s CFO. They met while students at Biola.

“We met at a dance class, but neither of us was interested in a relationship, so we ignored the sparks we were both feeling,” he says. “My sister had different ideas, so she set us up.”

The couple is currently filming in London, so they will miss the Streamys event, at which they have been nominated for e ub YouT a Visual and Special Effects award, a momentous achievement for a company that started with two buddies and two duelling kittens.

Growing up, King says his parents gave him a home video camera to keep him out of trouble, and his three younger sisters were his actresses. Without editing software, he was making the cuts himself, but evolved to more professional gear and editing software by age 14.

And yes, he really did choose a computer over a car.

King’s parents are both Christ-followers,

photo b y The Z ach King Te

Lightsaber-fighting kittens, getting sucked through a vacuum and sneezing candy out his nose – all in a day’s work for YouTuber and Vine virtuoso Zach King.

But what can you expect from a guy who got his first video camera at age seven?

While at Biola University in 2011, King and a friend were sitting around, watching Star Wars, and playing with the friend’s two new kittens.

“We started talking about how funny it would be if the kittens were fighting with lightsabers, but figured a video had already been done,” King tells Living Light News.

When nothing came up after a Google search, the two started filming right away and had “Jedi Kittens” up on YouTube by the next morning.

“We went to class and when we came back, we had a million views,” he says. “We got caught up in the excitement and started learning about what makes videos go viral.”

In 2013, King discovered Vine and was intrigued by how to tell a story with a beginning, middle and end in just six seconds. He found special effects were the secret to his success, and discovered yet another fascinating creative outlet. He challenged himself to make

e n i V

and King made the choice to follow Jesus himself at age seven, though he admits to mostly wanting the colouring book offered at Sunday School that was given to new Christians. “When I went home I talked to my Mom and Dad about what it really meant,” he says.

Following Jesus can be tough in the film industry, but King says he was advised to write his values down as a college freshman and that has undeniably helped guide him.

“I try to stay really strong to those values.

hut doing missions work is to live your everyday life with the realization that you are a missionary in your neighbourhood, your job or your school,” he says. “That’s your mission field – where you are now. We often overlook the neighbour right next to us.”

While his videos aren’t focused on featuring Christian themes, King says

“We went to class and when we came back, we had a million views.”

No nudity, foul language or adult content,” he says. “We have a very young audience so we are mindful of what we create.”

King’s entire crew all believe in Jesus and feel like their work is both a calling and a mission field.

“My biggest advice to Christians that feel somehow guilty that they’re not living in a

the credibility he has created online has provided even more opportunities to tell people about his faith in person at speaking engagements.

“Everyone wants to know where I get my creativity,” he says. “I tell them I’m inspired

by Jesus, the ultimate Creator.”

Living Light News - November/December 2015 JORDAN FELIZ Beloved EP jordanfeliz.com Review by Lindsay Williams Jordan Feliz comes out of the gate with a serious dose of experience under his belt.

The California-native garnered a loyal West Coast fanbase as part of a mainstream rock band. The singer decided to strike out on his own to Nashville, where he now resides with his wife and newborn daughter.

His first EP, Beloved, introduces Feliz as a straightforward faith-based pop artist with production so smooth, one wonders why Feliz’s mainstream tenure went relatively unnoticed.

Lead single “The River” outdoes the average pop anthem with its sparkling intensity and pulsating beats. Meanwhile, the passionate pleas of the title track are dedicated to his daughter, reminding her she is unconditionally loved. “Satisfied” slows things down to reveal the calibre of Feliz’s flawless tenor.

Although Beloved is technically an EP, it serves up 10 cuts, including four bonus “Song Sessions.” Stripped down versions of the title track and “The River” round out the set, but it’s covers of Ed Sheeran’s “Photograph” and NEEDTOBREATHE’s “Brother,” reimagined as a soulful ballad, that steal the show.

BIG DADDY WEAVE Beautiful Offerings bigdaddyweave.com Review by Josh McConnell Big Daddy Weave is one Christian music's biggest groups. Their last album, Love Come To Life, yielded four consecutive No. 1 singles, plus a Dove Award and Billboard Music nominations for “Redeemed,” the band’s bestselling track to date.

Their latest release, Beautiful Offerings, feels like a natural progression for the five-man band. While their last album conveyed the forgiveness and redemption found in Jesus Christ, lead vocalist Mike Weaver says this album is about focusing on what we’ve been redeemed for. “It’s a message of hope that calls us out of where we used to be into a new place.”

“I Belong To God,” inspired by a young man they met in Cambodia, shows the group’s southern roots. The bright

JukeBox techno beats of “Glory Unspeakable” echo the track’s uplifting message, while the funky beats and guitar-driven melody in “Praise You” encourages believers to worship God in every circumstance.

Fans who enjoyed Big Daddy’s past releases will find the same passion behind the lyrics and music in Beautiful Offerings.

It’s a tried, tested and true formula, something that many will enjoy.

RYAN STEVENSON Fresh Start ryanstevensonmusic.com Review by Lindsay Williams New artist Ryan Stevenson already has an advantage on debut Fresh Start, thanks to a No. 1 single (“Not Forgotten”) ahead of its release and a smash hit recorded by TobyMac (“Speak Life”) – his ace in the hole.

In fact, “Speak Life” essentially jumpstarted the former paramedic’s career. He co-wrote the single with the Grammy winner, and that relationship led to a label deal with Toby’s own Gotee Records.

On Fresh Start, Toby’s fingerprints are felt on nearly every track, including “Not Forgotten” on which he guests. Funky grooves, pulsating beats and even spoken-word rhymes permeate Stevenson’s debut for a 10-track effort that helps define hip-pop, a sub-genre that Toby’s pioneered. The bright title track sets the tone for the cohesive album with a chorus that feels ready-made for swift choreography. Meanwhile, “From the Ground Up (Bonanza)” pays homage to Stevenson’s small town roots and reveals his prowess as a storyteller.

Fans of TobyMac, Mat Kearney and Lecrae should have no trouble seamlessly adding Stevens onto their electronic playlists.

TIM TIMMONS Awake Our Souls timtimmonsmusic.com Review by Lindsay Williams Every day is a gift for singer/songwriter/worship leader Tim Timmons, who lives with cancer that remains incurable apart “from the healing hand of God.”

13

On his sophomore offering, Awake Our Souls, Timmons relies on his unique lifeand-death perspective and pop/folk melodies to invite listeners into an adventure as he expounds on the abundant joy and grace found in the Kingdom of God. While the record leans more pop than Americana, there are some country-tinged tracks.

Foot-stomper “Everywhere I Go” will get stuck in your head for days, while the sassy “Like I’ve Been Changed” takes a retro turn.

The depth of the album’s lyrics reveal Timmons’ heart, as evidenced by pop-centric “Spring Up,” with a bridge that shouts, “If I believe it, am I living it out?” Closer “All I Really Want” is enthrallingly poignant, stripped of shiny production and giving Timmons’ low register centerstage.

Timmons offers a satisfying set of songs that challenges all to dig deeper into what they believe and why.

TREE63 Land tree63.com Review by Josh McConnell Kickstarter is definitely a game-changer for musicians, whether in helping start their career or connecting them with financial resources for a successful indie comeback – as in the case of South African band Tree63.

Previously signed with InPop, the band enjoyed success in the North American market before disappearing from the public eye.

With more than 300 backers raising just over $20,000, Tree63 effectively funded their return on the music scene through the popular crowdfunding website.

Titled Land, the 12-track effort feels like the band has been bottling up new music for some time – seven years to be exact.

The first half of the disc comes out swinging with darker, alternative rock influences comparable to the band Muse (“Alive”, “A Whisper”). Meanwhile “Standing On It” has a strong southern twang to it, while “Ship” exhibits a bit of The Police’s musical influence.

Although, the final few tracks peter out a little, Land is a welcomed return for Tree63, with a new take on their sound and a ton of potential.

Providing Reliable, Honest, High Quality Service

water heater repair/replacement • plumbing repairs/ renovations • drain cleaning • furnace/boiler repair Providing both Residential and Commercial Service and Renovations in your area with over 30yrs Experience.

Call for a QUOTE today!

780-432-3947 www.butlerplumbing.ca

G Gold Sponsor

14

Living Light News - November/December 2015 photos courtesy Costa Rica Tourism, CostaRicaGuide.com, Guillermo A. Duran / CC NC-ND 2.0

Getaways

by Sarah Chestnutt Summer starting to feel like a distant memory? Trying to remember what it’s like to go outside without bundling up? Dodge the snow and head to the rainforest!

Board a plane destined for the Juan Santamaría Airport, centrally located near San José, the capital city of Costa Rica.

Instead of feeling like you should keep an eye out for polar bears, you’ll be scanning the canopy for toucans, howler monkeys, and sloths. November is the beginning of the driest and warmest season, so booking early is a good idea.

Immerse yourself in the Costa Rican culture in San José with museums, theatres, art, and more.

Don’t let the imposing architecture of the National Theater put you off – the shows playing within are must sees. The Bellavista Fortress was used as military barracks in the 1948 Costa Rican Civil War, but now houses history as the National Museum. In fact, visitors can still see bullet holes in the walls.

If you’re in town the last week of December, you’ll be in the right spot for Festejos Populares. Carnival rides, games, and food fill the Zapote district – topped off by bullfights. Similar to a rodeo, bulls are not killed in these fights and spectators even jump into the ring occasionally.

Convert your dollars into colón and head to Galeria Namu for one-of-akind, fair trade handicrafts that make perfect souvenirs. Looking for something more traditional to take home? Swing by the National Artisans Market, a long covered alley filled with the more typical T-shirts and mugs.

There’s more than just city living in Costa Rica. Public transport may be the cheapest way to get around, but it can

take over twice as long to reach your destination as private transportation. San José has several rental companies and it’s just $40-$100 to rent the recommended 4x4. Worried about getting lost? Take a shuttle run by Gray Line or Interbus.

With the city in your taillights, head out towards volcanoes, white and black sand beaches, rainforests, and waterfalls.

Arenal National Park is 2.5 hours from San José and the home of Arenal Volcano. One of the most active volcanoes in the area, you’ll likely see smoke and ash rising above the rim (not to worry – its last major eruption was in 1968). The easy to navigate trails in the park roam over former lava fields and are great for kids or those with limited mobility.

The 70 foot La Fortuna Waterfall ($10US/person) will take your breath away. Fifteen minutes hiking down steep stairs (or by horseback if you’re still trying to catch your breath) leads to a picture perfect place to take a swim.

The rainforest canopy is filled with birds and wildlife you can’t see from the ground. At Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park, get up to their level on the 16 bridges hanging up in the trees, from eight to 98 feet long.

While you’re in the area, stop for a bite.

Restaurants such as Soda Viquez offer local classics like gallo pinto (a breakfast dish of rice and beans with eggs) or casados (chicken, beef, or fish with side salads or plantains).

Budget hotels Hotel Monte Real and Hotel Cerro Azul (run by a local family) are great places to rest up before heading out the next day for more adventure.

Looking for more of a thrill? Costa Rica is great for adventures with sport fishing, river rafting, ziplines out of the canopy, cave tours, and more! Travel agents or local tour guides can help get thrill seekers set up.

What’s a tropical vacation without

bumming around a beach? Manuel Antonio National Park ($16 US/person) is the place to go.

Playa Manuel Antonio, named the second best beach in Central America

by TripAdvisor 2015, is a stunning cove with white sand beaches and crystal clear water.

While in the Park, keep an eye out for wildlife easy to spot from the road, or explore with a guide to make sure you don’t miss what’s hidden just behind those incredible plants. Hotel Vela Bar (just a short walk from the beach Playa Espadilla) and Hotel Verde Mar are great choices for rooms that won’t break the bank before you get home.

Weekly farmer’s markets (Quespos Feria) are filled with fresh pineapple, avocados, papayas, mangoes – and plenty of fruits and vegetables you’ve probably never seen before. Ask the Costa Ricans, or Ticos as they prefer to call themselves, for tips on what to eat and how to cook it.

With the sound of howler monkeys in your ears, the taste of fresh fruit on your tongue, a camera full of waterfalls and toucans, and memories you won’t be able to stop talking about, winter will be the last thing on your mind when you’re in tropical Costa Rica. At least, until it’s time to board the plane back home.

If

Anywhere Costa Rica 310-853-1167 anywherecostarica.com Arenal National Park 888-456-3212 arenal.net

Costa Rica Tourism (506) 2299-5800 visitcostarica.com

Manuel Antonio Park Info Center (506) 2777-2100 manuelantoniopark.com

Lonely Planet lonelyplanet.com/costa-rica

M ISSIONS F EST A LBERTA 2016 February 19 - 21 N EW V ENUE :

West Edmonton Christian Assembly - Edmonton

The ROAD to the WHOLE WORLD”

““

C O�FERE�CE A CTIVITIES

I�CLUDE : Prayer Room; Children's Ministry; Youth and Young Adult Rally & Activities; Re:surgence; Panel Discussion; General Assemblies; Worship: Traditional & Contemporary; Seminars; MFA Luncheon**; Praying for the �ations; Exhibit Hall: local, national & international mission organizations, camps, Bible colleges, universities, and feature area, Missions Search Centre, Book Sales, CD/DVD Sales & MFA Store; Intensive Training Days**: Great Commission Coaching, Connections for Women & Men on a Mission; Variety of ethnic music, drama & dance on the Festival Stage and at Sing to the �ations; and much more. **Tickets & Pre-Registration required only for noted activities, details will be posted on our webstie.

MFA Mission Statement:

L OREN C UNNINGHAM

Youth With A Mission

S TEVE H AWKINS

Operation Mobilization

R USSELL S TENDAL

Colombia para Cristo

K IDS T RAVEL C OMPANY

- FAMILY C ONFERENCE - N O G ENERAL R EGISTRATION - F REE G ENERAL A DMISSION - F REE -W ILL O FFERINGS

“FIND YOUR PURPOSE, MAKE A DIFFERENCE”

780-451-0080

www.mfest.ab.ca

Living Light News - November/December 2015

Going Places

15

Authentic Vietnamese Food

G U I D E

EATING OUT • GETTING AWAY • RECREATION

•One on One/Couples/Group Training •Family Friendly Bootcamps •Pre & Post Natal Classes •Baby-wearing •Running, Retreats, Socials & Events

First Class is

+ mention this ad for more savings Join our

Group:

Hot Mama Fit - Edmonton SE

S Silver Sponsor

780-298-5888

hotmamafit.com/edmonton/southeast

Hours: Mon - Sat 10:30 am to 9 pm

Plan a fall, winter or spring retreat at Sunnyside — a relaxing getaway!

Located 17 km W. of Red Deer at 202 Birchcliff Rd., Sylvan Lake, AB

(403)748-2197

www.sunnysidecamp.org sunny@rttinc.com

S Silver Sponsor

Dec. 6th - Edmonton Beulah Alliance Church tickets $20 available at: NEW BEGINNINGS BOOKSTORE

780-483-0234 TICKETS ONLINE OR TOLL FREE:

www.stevebell.com | 1-800-854-3499

16

Living Light News - November/December 2015

s e v i G e v o L Lifestyles

In a small Kitchener, Ont. basement, an artist carefully decorates a canvas using paper napkins, applying a technique called decoupage.

Damaris Vezentan sells one-of-a-kind canvases, candles and coasters through Love Gives 3:16, and uses a portion of the proceeds to fill shoeboxes with gifts for children in need.

Last year, this busy, homeschooling mother-of-three led a group of 85 volunteers in packing 858 shoeboxes sent to

“It’s amazing how God found me.” developing countries through Operation Christmas Child (OCC). She makes the effort because she knows what they mean to children.

After all, she received a box when she was nine.

In 1989, Vezentan, along with her brother, sister and parents were living in Lupeni, a small city in the mountains of Romania.

Communism was coming to an end and the president at the time, Nicolae Ceausescu, was executed on national television.

“As happy as my parents were that the Communist regime would end, they had no idea what it would mean,” Vezentan recalls. “The whole country was in turmoil, fear and confusion.”

Vezentan was only in Grade Two and shared how sadness and uncertainty were reflected by students and teachers at school.

Her father, who often helped out at the local church, was told that there would be a delivery of gifts for children. “My parents were Christians but I didn’t want to be known as one because, during Communist times, Christians were persecuted, some lost their jobs and kids were made fun of at school.

“We only went to church because my parents told us to. I decided Christianity wasn’t what I wanted.”

Vezentan found it hard to believe that there would be gifts for kids at church as this was unheard of. But sure enough, the shoeboxes arrived and she was struck by the atmosphere of joy.

“For us, receiving a shoebox let us know that we weren’t forgotten and that someone was thinking of us, which was amazing,” she says. “Every child got a gift. I was so used to sharing with my little brother and sister that I didn’t expect to get a gift that would be just mine.”

Vezentan was so touched by the fact that she received a

photos courtesy Damaris Vezentan

by Melissa Yue-Wallace

shoebox that she didn’t look inside of it for several days. Instead, she would repeatedly “When you keep giving, it seems God open the lid of the golden patterned box and multiplies and becomes a little bigger in close it again. your heart.”

When she finally did pour out its contents, she felt that On returning home from that trip, Vezentan the box was truly meant for her. It contained a porcelain doll, was so impassioned that she wanted to do more. soap, coloured pencils and crayons, “girly things,” and her Love Gives 3:16 was born out of that passion. most prized possession, a journal.

Vezentan had an extensive collection of paper napkins Vezentan’s father had searched several stores for a journal for (more than 10,000) and wanted to do something with them the budding writer’s birthday, but had been unable to find one. using her arts and crafts skills. She began teaching herself At the bottom of the box was a picture of the family who had how to decoupage napkins on canvas and found that people packed it. On the back of the photo, they had written a Bible loved her finished products. Her items range from $5 to $50, verse John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave with a portion of proceeds going to purchase items for OCC His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not shoeboxes. perish but have eternal life.”

Her children are also involved with packing shoeboxes and “I had a Romanian Bible and wanted to memorize the verse Vezentan hopes they will learn to live a life of giving. so I could feel closer to the family, but it was hard “I want them to place someone else’s needs before their own,” for me to memorize it in English. All I could she says. “You’re never more like God than when you give remember was, ‘God loved, God gave.’ ” because that is what He has done for us.

Eventually, she realized that love gives. She “By giving us Jesus, God gave His best.” began sharing the items in her shoebox with others.

To pack a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child, visit “It’s amazing how God found me,” she says. packabox.ca or donate at “He wanted to show me that He cares even samaritanspurse.ca/occ. To though I wanted nothing to do with Him. support Vezentan’s efforts, “God changed me through that visit lovegives316.com. shoebox and it rocked my world.”

In 1996, Vezentan’s family moved to Canada and decided to reside in Kitchener to be closer to her father’s brothers.

Shortly after moving, Vezentan was at a gospel concert with her mother when an OCC commercial came on.

“We both started crying and I said, ‘Mom this is them! These are the people who sent me the shoebox!’”

Vezentan’s family began packing shoeboxes for other families from then on.

After getting married in 2000, Vezentan began volunteering to pack shoeboxes for the organization, which has a warehouse in Kitchener.

Vezentan is now an OCC ambassador, speaking at churches about the difference a shoebox can make. In 2013, she and a team delivered shoeboxes to children in Senegal.

“I got to live that verse when Damaris Vezentan’s business Love Gives 3:16 is helping to raise money Jesus said, ‘It is better to give to buy Christmas gifts for underprivileged children around the world. than to receive,’ ” she says.

h t e e t S a eason! r b e l e C With These New Releases . . .

Wow Hits 2016

orship Hillsong W/ River Wild”

“Deluxe Edition”

aven “Open He O

PE

OUS N H

E SALE NOVEMBER

Get up to

27-

20% Off!

EN

TIRE

REGULAR PRICED PURCHAS

E

*Contact us for details. Some restrictions apply.

*

28

Paul Baloche

“Christmas Worship”

Chris Tomlin

“Christmas Songs of Worship”

Christian Book & Record 12 - 8103 127 Avenue (Plaza 82)

780-478-2798 • christbr@telusplanet.net

Holiday Hours: December 14-23, Mon-Fri 9:30am-9pm and Saturday 9:30am-5:30pm.

Dec 24th, 9:30am-4:30pm. Closed Dec 25th & 26th

Casting C

row

ns “A Live W ors Experiencehip ”

Check out our flyer for more great deals! christianbookandrecord.ca

S Silver Sponsor

Living Light News - November/December 2015

17

© Randy Glasbergen glasbergen.com

What Mom Knows

by Phil Callaway Mothers are amazing.

My wife grew up in a home of mostly girls, so when our two boys came along, she was unprepared for two little orangutans streaking about the house wearing little more than smiles.

They put jello in the s Phil Callaway toaster, mud in their diapers, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the VCR. Still she loved them.

Along the way she learned valuable lessons. Here are 12 things every mother knows but wishes she didn’t: 1. A three-year-old can outscream 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.

2. Kids should not throw baseballs upwards when the ceiling fan is on.

3. A single-pane window will not stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan.

4. An eight-ounce glass of milk spilt on the back floor of the car without being reported can stink up an entire vehicle for two summers.

5. Peas are easily removed from a two-year-old’s nose; beans require more work.

6. When you hear a flushing sound followed by the words “Uh-oh,” it’s rarely a good sign.

7. Garbage bags are very useful, but not as parachutes.

8. There are some odours you don’t want to know

Mom knew to put relationships above rules. the source of.

9. Always look in the oven before you turn it on.

10. The fire department in our town has a nineminute response time.

11. Legos will pass through the digestive tract of a four-year-old. Dollies will not.

My own mom knew some things. She raised five little hooligans living under the poverty line. Mom knew that the kids were organized and unionized but they weren’t in charge – she was. Mom knew to never utter a threat without backing it up with action. She knew to let us kids make mistakes – that failure is a great teacher. Mom knew to put relationships above rules.

She loved my Dad through thick and thin. Mostly he was thin, but there were some thick years too.

She knew to get on her knees and pray every day for her kids and grandkids. She knew that money was a lousy substitute for being there, that words were no substitute for a faithful life. Mom knew that kids spell “love” T-I-M-E, that 30 years later they won’t remember how clean the kitchen was but they will remember Bible stories at bedtime.

She knew Jesus as her Lord and Saviour. She took God very seriously. Herself – not so much. She read the Bible each day and as much as possible did what it said. She loved Psalm 78:4, “We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done.”

She knew enough to love us through the runny nose and full diaper stage. She endured loud noises and late nights. She loved us when we didn’t return that love. She never stopped believing the prodigal would come home. She knew motherhood was far from glamorous, but there’s nothing more important.

I’m so thankful for the things Mom knew.

And if it wasn’t for the things my wife knows, our kids would be in trouble. She knows that if you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42-pound boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman cape.

But it will rotate a birthday cake fast enough to leave icing on all four walls.

Phil Callaway is a speaker, bestselling author of ‘Tricks My Dog Taught Me’ and host of Laugh Again Radio.

Check it out at philcallaway.org.

The Pattern Of Peace

by Dr. Charles F. Stanley Christmas ramps up earlier each year and often overshadows Thanksgiving.

Instead of being a special day to express our gratitude to God for all His care and blessings, it has become the kickoff of the demanding holiday season.

This is the perfect time to consider how we can maintain a lifestyle free of anxiety during the coming weeks. I’m not saying we’ll never feel pressure, but God doesn’t want stress to be our constant companion. We need to learn how to overcome worry in the moment and prevent it from becoming a way of life.

The most capable teacher for this lesson is the apostle Paul. While confined in a Roman prison, he wrote these words: “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am” (Phil.

4:11). In fact, he was more than just content; he was rejoicing in the Lord greatly (v. 10). What was his secret?

Pray Rightly Paul begins by saying, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (v. 6). The Lord’s remedy for stress is prayer – bringing every concern to Him, no matter how big or small. In one short sentence, Paul gives us a pattern for peace with three simple words: prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving.

The word prayer is a general expression for talking to the Father.

However, it doesn’t mean merely informing Him of our needs. God wants to answer our petitions, but His greater desire is to build an intimate relationship with

s Dr. Charles F. Stanley each of us. So instead of immediately listing our requests, we should spend time praising God, acknowledging our need of Him, rejoicing in His unconditional love, and loving Him in return.

The next word Paul uses is supplication. Sharing our feelings with the Lord is essential if we’re to develop a loving, intimate

also requires right thinking.

That’s why Paul says our minds should dwell on whatever is true, honourable, right, pure, lovely, good, excellent, and praiseworthy (v. 8). What occupies your mind most of the time? How can you begin thinking more about what’s true, right, and good?

Since it is God who personifies all these qualities, one way to reshape our thinking is to see everyday activities through Christ’s example. If you foresee a difficult situation, ask the Lord to show you how to respond. If worry creeps in or your temper flares, pray immediately, asking God to help you behave in a way that honours Him. Having a God-centered perspective is the key to maintaining a calm spirit both in the midst of daily

Gratitude has a way of redirecting our minds. relationship that reaches beyond head knowledge to encompass our hearts. He’s a tender Father who sympathizes with our pain, confusion, fear, and frustration.

Finally, Paul advises us to pray with thanksgiving.

Gratitude has a way of redirecting our minds.

Instead of dwelling on our difficulties and wondering when God is going to answer our prayers, we’ll be reminded of His past faithfulness and care. Then we’ll be encouraged to trust Him for our current needs.

Think Rightly As we have learned, prayer should be our immediate response to anxiety, but maintaining a peaceful spirit

stress and in times of crisis.

When we keep our focus on Him, the promise of Isaiah 26:3 becomes ours: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (NKJV).

Live Rightly Paul closes his instructions for maintaining inner peace by telling believers the way to put it into practice (Phil.

4:9). How do we do it? We live in obedience to God. Now, this doesn’t mean we are going to be perfect. But when we stumble, we should quickly turn back to the Lord in confession and repentance and realign our lives according to His will.

Then, Paul says, “the God of peace will be with you”

(v. 9).

I not only know this to be Biblical truth; I’ve also experienced it. Once, after a very disturbing phone conversation, I remember saying to God, “You have been in charge of my life all these years, and I know that even now You are greater than this frightening circumstance.”

I should have been churning with anxiety, but the Lord clothed me with His awesome, incomprehensible peace because I was submitted to Him. Even though the situation was still tumultuous, my heart was calm in the midst of the storm.

Choose Peace I know it can sometimes seem as if we are victims of our highly stressful world, but if we have Christ, we can choose to live in peace rather than under a burden of anxiety. If we let apprehension rule our hearts, it will interfere with sleep, disrupt concentration, hinder productivity, steal joy, and even cause health problems.

However, when Christ, the Prince of Peace, has full authority over our lives, He guards our hearts and minds by building a wall of protection against worry (v. 7).

Stress may pull us apart mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually, but God’s peace will always bind us back together so we can be whole again.

Dr. Charles F. Stanley is the pastor of First Baptist Church of Atlanta, GA and founder of In Touch Ministries. In Touch programming is available in Canada on television and radio. For broadcast details, visit intouchcanada.org.

18

Living Light News - November/December 2015

EventsCalendar Special Events Family Fun Night Nov. 13, 7-8:30 p.m., Spruce Grove Alliance Church main campus south atrium, 1011 Cloverbar Rd. Meet others in a relaxed, casual setting. A gathering of about 50 people.

For information, call 780-9624700.

100 Huntley St. Celebration Nov. 19, 1:30-4:30 p.m., West Edm. Christian Assembly, 6315199 St., Edm. 100 Huntley St. will be celebrating the broadcast of their 10,000th episode. No charge. To reserve seating, call Shel at 780-433-3118.

North Pointe Trade Show Nov. 21, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., North Pointe Comm. Church, 14120167 Ave., Edm. Vendors will be on hand for your Christmas shopping pleasure. For info, call 780-235-3646.

Christmas Craft Sale Nov. 28, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Centrepointe Church, 5940159 Ave., Edm. About 100 local crafters in one location with the finest handcrafted products. For info, call 780-722-5693.

Winter Ignite Dec. 11-13, Brightwood Youth Ranch (1 hr. W. of Edm.) Opportunity for youth to enjoy crafts, ice fishing, sledding, skating and videography. Cost: $80-$93.

Visit calvarycommunity.ca/youth.

Regular Events Drop-In Sports Nights Mondays, 7 p.m. - Basketball (ages 14+), Wednesdays, 7 p.m. - Floor Hockey (ages 18+, Beverly Alliance Church, 1223550 St., Edm. Visit bac.ca.

Babes with Babes Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m., Beverly Alliance Church, 12235-50 St., Edm. Come out and meet other

moms and their little ones. Call Carrie at 780-474-0476.

life. Visit us to find out how. Visit jesusdelivers.com.

Victory Tips Program Thursday nights, 7 p.m., The River Community Church, 11520 Ellerslie Rd., Edm. This is a Bible-based recovery program on anxiety and depression.

For info and to download a program workbook, visit victorytipsprogram.com, or call 780-800-1109.

Conversation Cafe Saturdays, 10-11:30 a.m., Millbourne Community Life Centre, 2101 Millbourne Rd. W., Edm. This is a safe place to practice everyday English skills for free. Call Pat at 780-8932120 or Matthew at 780-4622575 or email conversationcafe. mw@gmail.com

Ball Hockey Thursdays, 8:30 p.m., Northpointe Comm. Church, 14025-167 Ave., Edm. Drop-in ball hockey night for adults. No charge.

Men’s Breakfast Nov. 21, 8:30-10:30 a.m., Beulah Alliance Church, 17504-98A Ave., Edm. Special guest speaker: Ryan Walter. Topic: Phil. 4:8 Principle: Think on these things.

Cost: $15. Online registration available at beulah.ca.

International Students Fridays, 6:30 p.m – dinner, 7 p.m.-Bible study, McKernan Baptist Church, 11103-76 Ave., Edm. Join international students for a free dinner & Bible study.

Call 780-465-5991, or email got@telusplanet.net.

Deliverance Ministry Fridays, 7 p.m., Promised Land Ministries, 12145-67 St., Edmonton. Deliverance through Jesus Christ can transform your

Seniors Fellowship Luncheon Nov. 24, 11 a.m.-1:15 p.m., Beulah Alliance Church, conference rooms, 17504-98A Ave., Edm. Rev. Ron Brown will challenge us to share the gospel with the nations that have come to us. Tickets: $11/door.

Seniors Supper Nov. 30, 6 p.m., Sherwood Park

Alliance Church, South Gym, 1011 Cloverbar Rd.. Features a musician and speaker designed to encourage and enlighten.

Tickets: $15/person. For info, call Cathy at 780-467-8404, ext. 322.

Music & Drama MercyMe with the ESO Nov. 28-29, 7:30 p.m., Jubilee Auditorium, 11455-87 Ave., Edm. This Grammy-nominated Christian group will perform with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. Tickets: $50-$95, available at ticketmaster.ca.

Handel’s Messiah Dec. 4 and 5, 7:30 p.m., Winspear Centre, 9720-102 Ave., Edm. British conductor Christopher Warren-Green makes his ESO debut leading a Canadian quartet and the Richard Eaton Singers in presenting Handel’s oratorio. Tickets: $30-$75, edmontonsymphony.com.

Steve Bell Christmas Trio Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m., Beulah Alliance Church, 17504-98A Ave., Edm. An evening with the Steve

Bell Trio highlighting his 25th anniversary album, Pilgrimage.

Tickets are $21 available at stevebell.com,

Soweto Gospel Choir Dec. 14, 8 p.m., Winspear Centre, 9720-102 Ave., Edm. Celebrate the inspirational power of African Gospel music.

Visit sowetogospelchoir.com.

Tickets: $41-$51, available at winspearcentre.com.

Classes/Seminars Alpha Tuesday evenings, 6:30 p.m., starting Oct. 13, Mosaic House, Blue Quill Comm. League, 11304-25 Ave. Edm. Each evening includes a meal, a short talk, and discussion. Call 780850-6672.

Conferences/ Retreats Thriving Marriages Conference Nov. 12-14, Southside Pentecostal Church, 2821-109 St., Edm. Featuring speakers Arnold and Gwen Tackett, and Vince and Cindy D’Acchioli.

Tickets: $165, namecanada.net.

Exceptional Quality, Value & Experience.

ExceptionalQuality, Quality, Value &&Experience.

Experience.

Exceptional Quality, Value & Exceptional Value Experience.

ExceptionalQuality, Quality, Value Exceptional Value&&Experience.

Experience.

EXPERT LEGAL COUNSEL CONSTANTLY WORKING FOR YOU

S

nyder & Associates is a long-established, mid-size law firm located on the 25th floor of Sun Life Place in the heart of downtown Edmonton.

Our firm provides high quality results-oriented legal services and our lawyers take pride in helping our clients find effective solutions to their legal problems.

1 4 4 44214 our CallBG usLifetime about Call us about BG 1 1 our our BG Lifetime Lifetime 4

bertauto@telus.net

bertauto@telus.net bertauto@telus.net bertauto@telus.net

1

bertauto@telus.net bertauto@telus.net

4

S Silver Sponsor

Call us about our BG Lifetime Call us about Call us Protection Plan Call us about about

Protection Plan our BG Lifetime our BG Lifetime Protection Plan Protection Plan Protection Plan Protection Plan

Cal usabout ourBGLifetime ProtectionPlan

Christmas is Coming and so are your guests!

where will they sleep?

bertauto@telus.net

Christmas is coming!

Where will your company sleep?

Now you see it

yfie Ma

103 Ave.

ld 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

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

Now you don’t!

NOW YOU DON'T

780-468-7088 10414 - 172 St.

780-468-7088

Edmonton, Alberta Call Orwww.wallbeds-etc.com visit www.wallbeds-etc.com

P Platinum Sponsor

8/16/2011 2:08:25 PM

For a free consultation,

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.

please call 780-426-4133.

WILLS

SNYDER

& ASSOCIATES LLP Barristers & Solicitors

ESTATES

REAL

ESTATE

PROVERBS 3:5–6

#2500 Sun Life Place 10123 - 99 Street, Edmonton, AB T5J 3H1 Tel. 780·426·4133 Fax 780·424·1588 www.snyder.ca

S Silver Sponsor

IMMIGRATION

CORPORATE

Living Light News - November/December 2015

19

Sunday Service @ 10:15am

CHURCH NEIGHBOURS... ...Invite you to them this week end!

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

passionate, generational, God - centered worship and preaching

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

EMMAUS WAY EMMAUS LUTHERAN CHURCH Welcomes you to visit our Spirit led, Bible based and family oriented congregation.

5015-144 Ave., Edmonton

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

780-478-8697

Pastor Glen Carlson

IT’S A PLACE FOR YOU!

FORT SASKATCHEWAN

Lutheran Church Weekend Services Saturdays - 6:15 pm Sundays - 9:15 & 11:15 am Children’s Ministry for Nursery to Grade 6 available at all services unless otherwise noted on website.

The Gate Community Saturdays at 6:15 pm (Grade 7-9)

& 7:30 pm (Grade 10-12 & Recent Grads) heartlandalliance.ca 780-467-7005 • general@heartlandalliance.ca

53105 Highway 21, Sherwood Park AB (NE Corner HWY 21 & Lakeland Dr)

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

Sunday Worship

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

Mid-week: Connection Groups, Youth Activities

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

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

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

Global

DIVERSITY WITH ONE HEART, ONE VOICE, ONE PASSION

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.

Meeting: Sat. @ 6pm 10105 - 153 St

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

Pastors: Mark & Sherry Adams Gord & Dawn Hancock

Fully accredited Bible college

Call 780-960-9077 for more info

780-483-2665 www.fusionfellowship.ca

www.gcccanada.com

Sunday Worship at 10:00 am Sunday Children Education (Pre-K to Grade 6) 10:15 am Wednesday 6:45pm - Children and Youth Worship and Teaching • Parenting Class • International Friendship Club • Divorce Care

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

Sunday Service: 10:00 a.m.

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

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

Congregation

Beit Mashiach 9125-50 St NW

(The King’s University) 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 Pastor: Andrew Ketel 780-901-5859 beitmashiach.com

Walk in Victory!

Promised Land Ministries Deliverance & Healing Centre

12145-67 St. NW Edmonton, AB

780-944-0526 www.jesusdelivers.com

Grace

CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

A Grace Communion International Congregation

Come Celebrate Christ!

Worship Service Saturday, 11:00 am

780-905-1124 http://edmonton.wcgweb.org B A P T I S T

Pastor Bob Millman

C H U R C H

Sunday Services

9333-199 St. • Edmonton • 780-451-3881 www.westmeadows.org Pastor Kevin Schular

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

“Where you can Begin, Believe and Belong!”

780-476-5238

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

10162 152nd Street

A Church with a Heart - In the Heart of the City W O R S H I P W I T H U S AT

Calvary

Baptist Church “A Caring Community”

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

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

We meet weekly to worship on Sundays at 9:30, and we meet weekly to serve on Wednesdays at 5:30 8505 - 142 Street, Edmonton, Alberta 780•483•5366 info@lhbc.ca www.lhbc.ca

“ I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows me… will have the light of life.”

-Jesus (John 8:12)

Edmonton Family Worship Centre Contemporary, Charismatic, Caring

10605-96 St. Sundays 10:00 am

780-424-6422 www.efwc.org

20

G Gold Sponsor