Overflow 39 | June 2013 by Overflow Magazine

REAL PEOPLE. TRUE STORIES. IN YOUR BACKYARD.

IMPERFECT, FAITHFUL

FATHERS

IMPACT TEEN PURITY How IMPACT is teaching today's youth about Abstinence

look to jesus, not yourself

OVERFLOWMAG.COM | JUNE 2013

CONTENTS

16 MAKE AN IMPACT Angie and Bill Kagey tell the story of IMPACT's birth and how abstinence education is impacting the lives of teens across Hillsborough County in the classroom, through their parents, and through outreach opportunities.

FATHER KNOWS BEST

COMFORT IN HIS PRESENCE

William Morris desires to leave a legacy that motivates people. He candidly shares about his journey to find fulfillment, his career, some of his defining moments in life, and the lessons he learned.

There is great comfort in knowing that God won’t leave us every time we mess up. He is forever with us because we are eternally righteous through Jesus Christ.

A FATHER'S PRAYER

CHILDREN OF GOD

Father’s Day reminds us of how important fathers are in our lives and the many roles given to them by God. One of these important roles is prayer warrior; children need the prayers of their fathers.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus referred to His Father as “God” for the first time while He hung on the Cross? Brian Essary explains how this revealed the Father's plan to make us His children and how He will never leave us.

SALVATION

10 THINGS: PARENTING

6 FROM THE EDITOR 24 RESOURCES 30 LOCAL CHURCHES

EVENTS

MY ROCK

FROM FROM THE EDITOR EDITOR

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Dear Friends, It is time for summer fun! The kids are out of school, and families are ready for that long awaited summer vacation. I am looking forward to spending a week with all my family at the end of month. We all come together twice a year for a time of fun and fellowship. We get recharged while hanging out with our parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews. Our families are very important and spending time with them is too. Recently, the Lord has prompted me many times about keeping my priorities in order. Of course, God should be our first priority, but He was not reminding me of that. The Lord was reminding me that after Him, my family was my next priority. No job is more important than your family. When you set God and then your family as your top two priorities, He will honor that. If you take time off for Him or your family, He will take care of the rest (when you allow Him to do so). I think this is something most of us need to hear. We can get so wrapped up in our jobs that our families can get neglected. Parents give so much to raise their children, and it is important that we honor them. In Ephesians 6:2-3, God’s Word even promises long life when we honor our parents. Father’s Day is approaching so let’s remember to thank our daddies for all they have done. They are essential parts of our families. In Kerry Johnson’s article, “A Father’s Prayer,” she reminds us of the many God-given roles of fathers and how the prayers of fathers have a big impact on their children’s lives (see page 14). Fathers are the spiritual leaders of our homes. They also protect, love, and comfort their children. When we are scared or feel defeated, they

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are there to pick us up, hold us, encourage us, and stand us up again. When we look at this kind of earthly father, we are getting just a glimpse of our Heavenly Father. Our Father God is the greatest Protector and Comforter. In Chris Cherp’s article, “Comfort in His Presence,” we learn that God won’t leave us each time we mess up. He is always with us, ready to comfort us, because of what Jesus did for us at the Cross. Do you want to be a child of God? All you have to do is make Jesus your Lord and Savior. Please visit page 20 and choose to become part of God’s family today. Celebrate this Father’s Day as a child of God. This world is getting darker and darker, and children are being exposed to things at a younger age. It is vital to our children’s health to educate them before the world does. This is where a local nonprofit, IMPACT, plays an important role; they are making a positive difference in young people’s lives in the Tampa Bay area. On the cover this month is Angie and Bill Kagey of IMPACT, a ministry that “promotes healthy lifestyles and relationships to teens.” They accomplish this by providing abstinence education to teens, parents, teachers, and other youth leaders through their various programs. In Amanda Wright’s article, “Make an IMPACT,” learn more about how IMPACT is helping teens and how they are guiding today’s youth to make positive choices for their lives (on page 16). I believe the Kageys’ story will motivate parents, churches, and schools to consider educating their teens on this sensitive topic. Let’s switch to a lighter note. For anyone who has a child, you probably entered into parenthood and realized you really didn’t know what it would entail! There were many things that no one told you about. I encourage you to check out “Things You Didn’t Know Before Having Children” on page 26. This fun-loving piece will not only encourage you, but also make you laugh. Let us know on Facebook (facebook.com/overflowmagazine) what no one told you before you had your children. I hope you all have a blessed June. I want to thank our Heavenly Father for bringing us into His family and showing us His unconditional love. Happy Father’s Day to all the daddies, especially to my daddy! Comforted in His Loving Arms,

JUNE 2013, Issue 39 Editor | Amie Cherp amie@overflowmag.com Sales & Marketing | Chris Cherp chris@overflowmag.com Design | Brady Wright brady@overflowmag.com Creative & PR | Amanda Wright amanda@overflowmag.com Asst. Editor | Tommy Burrus Photography | Stephen T Photography stephen.theriault.photo@gmail.com

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best SUBMITTED BY WILLIAM MORRIS PHOTOGRAPHED BY STEPHEN T PHOTOGRAPHY

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2009, after sixty-five years and a lifetime of questions, I finally received some insight into what “life” was all about (at least for me). It took a lot of years and experiences, but for sure, I now know who I am and what I believe. I know what my life’s goal (legacy) is and how to use my beliefs, habits, strengths, and weaknesses to achieve all I desire during my short stay on earth. My main desire is to leave a legacy that will motivate others for generations to come. Life has always seemed so complicated, so challenging, and many times extremely cruel. While I have, by most people’s view, been successful in business, the rest of my life had always been out of balance and filled with questions about what real success was and what really makes people happy, satisfied, and rewarded. I was born in Atlanta, Georgia and lived a somewhat normal childhood. My father worked for the government and my mother was a stay-at-home mom. We were lower middle class at best, but my sister and I didn’t know the difference because everyone we knew was, too. I started working when I was twelve mowing yards. When I turned fifteen, I began working part-time and weekends sweeping the floor, cleaning bathrooms, and emptying ashtrays at a bowling center in the neighborhood. Life was basically the same every week: school, work, homework, eat, sleep, and church on Sunday. I graduated high school with fair grades (although I didn’t like school at all) and started working full-time at a bowling center while attending college part-time. It didn’t take long for me to become a full-fledged workaholic. Work was fun, exciting, challenging, and different every day. On the other hand, I thought college was boring and unfair, so I decided to forget about college and work, work, work. I worked fourteen to sixteen hour days, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty-five days a year. (Not a decision I would recommend today.)

So, while meeting the challenges of daily life—like buying a bowling center, my father committing suicide, a divorce, growing and expanding a business, periods of making a lot of money and periods of making no money, raising seven wonderful and now successful kids, and enjoying my twelve grandkids—my quest to make some sense of life continued. At this point, let me tell you a little about the spiritual side of my life. I grew up in church, but at eighteen years old, I gave up on it (not God, just organized religion). I had observed a lot of hypocrisy and didn’t want to be a part of it. In the summer of 1979, life by all measurements was good. Business was great, family was doing extremely well, and I was making lots of money. I worked very hard during the week and partied hard on the weekends. With all things so good, why was I so unfulfilled? What in life is supposed to make one happy? How come so many of my supposedly successful friends were struggling with drugs, alcoholism, getting divorced, etc.? I knew I was missing something. So, in June, literally on one day, I quit smoking, drinking, and cussing and decided I was going to take a look at life with a clear mind. By December, my wife and I decided that (for the kids’ sake of course) it might be a good time to try out church again. (I had accepted Christ at fourteen but never knew I could have a personal relationship with Him.) As a family, we started attending a nondenominational church in January of 1980. By the fourth week, I decided that I just couldn’t have some man (the pastor) tell me how I should live my life. I would sit and analyze his ability to sell, motivate, encourage, raise money, and create emotion. So my church experiment was over – except – I really felt there was something real going on. The people seemed so nice, so friendly, and so happy. Hmm! I had to know more. I met the pastor a few weeks later and wow he was so down to earth. He seemed so honest – he had the same feelings, challenges, stresses, and temptations that we all have. He just had the Bible and a personal relationship with God to guide him in all of his decisions. I thought maybe some of my answers to life were in the Bible. I made the decision to find out and that decision culminated in a comprehensive five-year study of the Bible, including going back to the original Greek and Hebrew. What I found was astonishing and my understanding is still increasing today. In summary, most people read the Bible and try to make it

spiritual. I found the Bible was spiritual; our responsibility was to make it practical in our daily lives. Let’s fast forward to 2002. I lost a half million dollars in the stock market when the tech bubble burst. During the same period, I started implementing my generation succession plan and turned the bowling centers over to my kids and retired in 2003. Because of no faith in the stock market, my wife and I decided to take all of our retirement funds and buy three acres of lakeside property and build a home in Florida. It took one year to build our new home, and it was time to enjoy doing very little. I sat out on the lanai overlooking our 3,500 gallon koi pond and enjoying the peace and serenity of our beautiful lake view for fourteen days. Then another life discovery: Retirement wasn’t fun at all for me. So, I formed WOW Consulting, Inc. Back to work, back to fun, and back to excitement. Things were going very well in 2007. My boys were doing an excellent job operating the bowling centers. The consulting business was as active as my partner and I wanted it to be. Family was all doing super (and of course, I’m still trying to figure life out). Then, my life changed again in December 2007 when my house burned to the ground. I remember as if it was yesterday. As I was standing there watching my new home burn down, I said to my pastor and six of my seven kids, “Wow, I guess I’m going to have to practice all this stuff I tell others to do.” One of my favorite Scriptures is Romans 8:28 (NIV), which says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Well, let’s see if He can work a fire into good…(He did). I can tell you without any hesitation that today, for me, I know God is real, His Word works, and He cares about us on a personal level. The fire, while tragic, has produced much more positive, with the only negative being the loss of personal non-replaceable items like pictures. Material possessions aren’t really that important after all. Life, family,

June 2013 Love+Faith+Hope

friends, compassion, and caring about others are the invaluable things in life. After the fire in 2007, and the financial collapse of 2008/2009, business stabilized and life reached a new level of clarity for me. In August of 2009, the floodgates of understanding seemed to open wide after a local pastor made a very simple request. “I really want to help people help themselves; please help me to better understand how to do this.” Wow, my eyes of understanding were opened. Instead of trying to help people with their finances, their relationships, getting a better job, getting an education, buying a car, a house, etc., maybe we just needed to give people the ability to understand themselves and the tools to help them achieve success at all levels of their lives. From this revelation, I developed a new program called “I AM” for my clients. (The “I AM” Identity and Positive Choice Program helps our clients to discover who they are, what they really believe, what they desire to achieve, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and how to capitalize on both. We believe in helping our clients build a personal foundation for success that is strong enough to overcome life's many challenges. To learn more, visit wowconsulting.net.) The results of the program have exceeded my expectations at every level. The stories I hear daily about miraculous, life-changing experiences are amazing. They are confirmation that I am doing what the Lord has called me to do. I can say without any reservations that I am a totally different person today. With the Lord’s help, the program and the process have proven to be very effective for me—and many others. The key points that have been the most influential in creating the changes I have experienced are as follows: Firstly, all the reading, thinking, and working would be a complete waste of time without my accountability team, who support me and hold me accountable at every level. We use the Bible as our Operator’s Handbook. Secondly, I have discovered that one of the major challenges in life is balance. At the most foundational level, we are a spirit, with a soul (mind, will, and emotions), housed in a physical body. To maintain balance in our lives, we need to understand the function and purpose of each. Thirdly, the most fundamental reason for being motivated to live a better life is simply to be able to help others do the same. Fourthly, and most importantly to me personally, is the gift I have been able to give and continue to give to my kids and grandkids. “A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children…” (Proverbs 13:22, NIV). The inheritance that I have chosen to give is a deep understanding of the practical meaning of

Proverbs 18:21 (NIV): “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” I have a passion to make sure that my children and grandchildren understand that every word they speak conveys either life or death into themselves (because we hear every word we speak) and then into whomever hears our words (directly or indirectly). This simple concept will hopefully change how they choose to communicate for a lifetime. Lastly, life is, on the most foundational level, all about choice. And the most important choice in life is choosing to have

a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and sharing the experience with others. ■ William (“Bill”) Morris retired as the CEO and President of Pin Chasers, Inc. (a multi-million dollar bowling center chain) in 2003. The following year, he founded WOW Consulting, Inc. Today, he spends much of his time coaching people (on a professional and personal level) on how to lower stress, better communicate, and have a more positive attitude using his “I AM” Positive Choice Planning Program. To learn more, visit wowconsulting.net.

FEATURED

I can remember the first time I

Comfort in His Presence BY CHRIS CHERP

experienced the dark, jolting ride of Space Mountain at Disney World. My daddy and I stood in line for what seemed like hours just to get into a tiny spaceship with a single bench seat that we had to straddle to sit on. Fortunately, I was a little boy and my daddy and I could just fit in that spaceship. As we buckled ourselves in, my heart began beating faster and faster. I had no idea what to expect and fear was beginning to creep in. Moments before takeoff, my daddy gently wrapped his arms around me and whispered in my ear, “Don’t be afraid, I’m right here with you.” Needless to say, I survived. Though I screamed at the top of my lungs during the entire ride, I had the comfort of knowing my daddy was right there with me and he wouldn’t let anything bad happen to me. As I reflect back on most of my Christian walk, I can remember feeling afraid of being alone. I was taught that God was with us when we were good, but if or when we sinned, He would leave us. His presence would disappear. It didn’t take me long to realize that it wasn’t a matter of if I would sin; it was a matter of when I would sin. I was and still am far from perfect. Though I tried to be this perfect man before God, I kept failing and continued to fear Him leaving me alone in this dark, jolting ride we call life. After many failed attempts, I finally gave up. I used to

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think, “What’s the point?” I cannot live up to His standards, and I’m just living a lie if I continue to try. So, I finally came to terms with my fear of being alone and I stopped trying to be perfect. I even stopped going to church. As you can imagine, life for me was a blast—for a short season. Then, all hope began to fade. I started to realize I could not fill the emptiness or loneliness in my life. Though I longed for the comfort of having my Father God with me in my everyday affairs, I just didn’t understand how it could be possible, especially since He is perfectly holy and I am far from it (Psalm 99:9). Then one evening while washing the dishes, I heard some preacher on television say, “Look at my hands; there are no holes. Look at my back; there are no scars.” He went on to say that he is not our Savior but Jesus Christ is and He is our eternal righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). That statement got my attention. You see, I always believed that when I made Jesus my Lord and Savior, all my past sins were forgiven. I thought it was up to me to live a holy life from that point forward (to maintain my right standing

with God). I believed God would punish me for all my sins committed after that day. I even heard stories about how, the day I entered Heaven, God would play this movie of my life on a huge screen for all to see my past mistakes. How embarrassing. The more I listened to this preacher on television, the more I began to see that even my future sins were paid for at the Cross, too. God, who is not subject to time, took all the punishment of my sins and laid it on the body of Jesus at the Cross (1 Peter 2:24). This was all done almost two thousand years before I was even born. The moment I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior—many years ago now—was the moment ALL my sins were forgiven. I no longer had to go around feeling like a hypocrite, pretending to be perfect, and hiding all my mistakes and failures. I could begin to walk in the freedom of knowing Jesus was, and forever is, my righteousness and that my Father God views me through Jesus, not through my mistakes (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 8:12). The more I grew in this knowledge of being righteous through Jesus (and not by my own efforts), the more the fear of being alone in this life began to fade away. When I messed up or even got in a heated debate with my lovely wife, I would quietly remind myself that I was in right standing with God through Jesus and that His presence would not leave me (Hebrews 13:5). By doing this, I began to calm down and see things in a new perspective. It gave me the power to immediately go and make right what I did or said wrong. At the same time, it allowed me to believe that even though I may have messed up and sinned, that didn’t mean my day was going to fall apart with nothing good happening to me. On the contrary, I began to find that by reminding myself that I am forever righteous in God’s eyes because of Jesus, my day would actually improve. His grace was enough. His grace, or unmerited favor, would cause me to experience good things even in the midst of my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). I can tell you firsthand that when you believe God is always with you wherever and whenever, it will change your life forever and it will even empower you to live a better life. Fear leaves in the presence of a loving father. Picture an earthly father holding his child tightly and reminding him that he loves him. This is similar to experiencing the constant presence of our Loving Heavenly Father. His perfect love drives out all fear when we as children of God begin to realize that He is always with us, loving us unconditionally (1 John 4:18). If you’re feeling alone, longing for the comfort of His presence, then I encourage you to stop looking at yourself and begin looking at Jesus and what He did for you at the Cross. Understand that He is God and His work is far superior to any work of man. His work at the Cross was perfect and complete. There is nothing for us to do except believe and not forget all the benefits He has given to us (Psalm 103:2). We are righteous through Christ and as a result, our Father God will always be near us. If you have never invited Jesus into your heart or even if you have just walked away from your relationship with Him over the years, know that it’s not too late to form a healthy relationship with Him. He waits patiently for each one of us to come to the realization that we need Him, and once we call on Him, He will never leave us. This Father’s Day call out to Jesus and experience the benefits of having the best Father ever, our Heavenly Father, and watch Him move on your behalf. By doing that, I can assuredly say, you will be forever comforted in His presence. Happy Father’s Day. Glory! ■

"I can tell you firsthand that WHEN YOU believE God is always with you wherever and whenever, IT will change your life forever...."

CONTRIBUTOR

A Father's Prayer “The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him” (Proverbs 20:7, NKJV).

ecently, my husband and I rejoiced as our younger son gave his seven-yearold heart to Jesus. What a joy it was for us to rest in the knowledge that both of our sons have begun their faith journeys rooted in Jesus Christ. Even as children, they grasp their sinfulness and need for a Savior. Hearing our son ask Jesus into his heart and life was an answered prayer that blessed our hearts and reminded us that “every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17, NIV). After all, a child’s salvation tops the prayer list of Christfollowing parents. After salvation, our prayers for our children’s lives won’t cease or even lessen. Instead, they’ll change course slightly, focusing on training up our children in the Way they should go – following after Jesus’ heart. One of my favorite movie lines is from Gladiator, and it ties in with the powerful part that parents play in their children’s lives: “What you do in life echoes into eternity.” Parents lead by example, day by day, week by week, and year by year. Father’s Day reminds us of how important and necessary fathers and grandfathers are in our lives. The role God has given fathers is multifold, far-reaching, and vital to the health of the family. They are protectors,

providers, playmates, and – perhaps most importantly – prayer warriors. A father’s prayer, sent heavenward on behalf of their families, is a treasure beyond measure. After all, a father who spends time in prayer for his family invests not only in his personal relationship with the Lord, but also in the faith and spiritual welfare of generations to follow. God’s Word provides many examples of praying fathers as they fumble yet faithfully follow God’s heart. Noah’s steadfastness, Abraham’s faith, and David’s loyalty fill the Bible’s pages as reminders that God doesn’t need perfection. Instead, He is pleased with those whose hearts seek His. King David is perhaps the Bible’s greatest example of an imperfect father whose heart remained faithful to his Heavenly Father throughout his life. In 1 Chronicles, Ezra the priest retells the story of David’s life—his God-ordained rise to power, his life as a king and a parent, and his conquests on the battlefield—including the mistakes he made. Ezra was encouraging God’s people with the familial story of King David and his determination to build a temple to honor the Lord. But God told David that he would not build the temple; his son, Solomon,

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BY KERRY JOHNSON would build it. “When your days are over and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever” (1 Chronicles 17:11-12, NIV). David knew the daunting task that lay ahead for Solomon. Building the temple would be a long and tedious process for both Solomon and God’s people, and David recognized that it could only be accomplished with prayer and a heart kept humble and loyal before the Lord. As David blessed the Lord at the end of his life, he also prayed for Solomon and the task ahead: “And give my son Solomon a loyal heart to keep Your commandments and Your testimonies and Your statutes, to do all these things, and to build the temple for which I have made provision” (1 Chronicles 29:19, NKJV). Fathers, your strength, care, patience, love, provision, and protection are valued and appreciated by your family. Children look up to their daddies physically and spiritually. They need your attention, your time, and your affection; they also need your prayers. Even though your children aren’t building a temple to the Lord, your faith in Christ and your prayers will help them build a life that honors Him. “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you…” (1 Chronicles 28:9, NKJV). ■

FEATURED

MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT

Make an

I M P A C T

How One organization is empowering youth to make positive choices

“Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it” (Proverbs 22:6, NLT).

he birds and the bees. It’s a nice way to evade a candid conversation with young people about sex. But in reality, the fact that bees pollinate flowers and birds lay eggs is not enough of a relatable topic for teens today to learn about sex and pregnancy. Quite frankly, the subject is taboo in most churches. Youth pastors don’t want to give a sermon on it, parents don’t know how to broach the subject, and teachers feel out of place in covering the topic. So how do young people learn about sex and the consequences of participating in the activity? Conversely, who teaches them the benefits of abstaining and delaying sex until marriage? Proverbs 22:6 directs us to teach children to choose the right path so that as they grow older, they will continue to make the right choices. The Bible also talks a lot about

WRITTEN BY: AMANDA WRIGHT

DIVINE DIRECTION

PHOTOGRAPHED BY: STEPHEN T PHOTOGRAPHY

The IMPACT program is led by Executive Director Angie Kagey. IMPACT’s mission is close to her heart. She was raised in a loving, Christian home, but Angie experienced a pregnancy scare as a junior in high school. It turned out that she was not pregnant, but it wasn’t until her freshman year in college that she learned about abstinence. Angie attended Word of Life Bible Institute, and it was there that she was introduced to a message that changed her life. “I heard a speaker talking about holding off on sexual activity until you get married,” said Angie. At first, she felt as though the message had come to her too late and she wondered how it could benefit her. “The next statement out of [the speaker’s] mouth was, ‘Maybe you’re sitting there and wondering what good this does for you because you’ve already made those choices. I want you to know that God can look at you as if you’ve never even done it.’ I never heard anybody talk about that topic in church. No one ever really held me accountable to this,” Angie explained. She shared that she truly experienced God’s unconditional love at that very moment and made the decision to repent of her previous lifestyle and never turn back. “I knew that if I could do it, other students could too. That’s what really launched me to have a desire to work with students and to encourage them to not make the same choices that I had made,” Angie said. When Angie was 20 years old, she met her husband, Bill Kagey (who is the Director of Development for IMPACT). He was a 29-year-old graduate from Liberty University and traveled the country ministering to students. “It was so easy to know that God was putting us together because Bill had already been called to student ministry,” Angie explained. Bill was also raised in a good Christian environment, but was wayward until he met a fellow student in high school who was living out his faith. “Because of him, I ended up giving my life to Christ,” Bill said. He is living proof that students can impact the choices of their peers when they hold true to their convictions. Embraced with optimism and hearts for ministry, Bill and Angie started their first youth ministry in Arkansas after they were married. Then in 1997 the couple moved to the Brandon area, as Bill was on staff at a new church plant called Crosstown Church (n/k/a The Crossing Church), where he worked for five years. While there, Bill met the prevention services director for LifeCare of Brandon, the local crisis pregnancy center. She was interested in bringing the abstinence presentation to the church. Immediately, Bill knew he needed to connect her with Angie. Simultaneously, a friend of Angie’s approached her and said, “LifeCare of Brandon is offering training to become a speaker in the schools to talk about healthy relationships and abstinence.”

PREVENTION PARTNERSHIPS avoiding sexual immorality (see 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 and 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5) and teaches that a sexual relationship should be between a husband and wife (1 Corinthians 7:1-5, 7-9). The Word of God clearly encourages us to abstain from sex prior to marriage. Still, young people need direction. They need to be exposed to the Bible’s ideas of purity—even those who grow up in church. Some parents may be timid about bringing up the subject because they don’t feel comfortable. Teachers see what’s happening with pregnant teens, but may not be properly trained (or allowed) to discuss abstinence with their students. This is where IMPACT comes in, an organization that “promotes healthy living and relationships to teens through Teen Impact, to parents through Parent Power, and to teachers and other youth leaders through Classroom Education.”

For the next two years, Angie worked as a volunteer speaker for LifeCare of Brandon. Then the director of prevention services moved out of state and Angie was offered the job. It was her dream job, and she worked there for over 10 years. “God called us away at one point [during that time] to another youth ministry in Atlanta,” Angie explained. They were there for 10 months and then moved back to the Brandon area. Within a month, her job opened right back up. “It was like God put it on hold for me,” she said. While in Atlanta, Angie witnessed a very strong abstinence education program. “It burned a passion in my heart and a vision for what needed to happen in Hillsborough County,” Angie said. In 2005, another crisis pregnancy center in Tampa got in touch with LifeCare and asked if they wanted to apply for a community-based abstinence education grant together. Together, A Woman’s Place (a ministry of Life Impact Network), LifeCare of Brandon, and Pregnancy Care Center of

June 2013 Love+Faith+Hope

Plant City were awarded a three-year grant. The grant expanded the prevention services program of all three pregnancy care centers as they partnered together to impact Hillsborough County students. IMPACT received its name as a result of this collaboration. After the three-year grant term was over, Life Impact Network and LifeCare of Brandon unified again to apply for a second grant for five years. “We had that grant for two years and then the political climate changed and [the grant was cut],” Angie explained. Pregnancy Care Center of Plant City lost their grant money as well, so the three crisis pregnancy centers merged their prevention services once again under IMPACT, but this time, the collaboration became its own 501(c)(3) entity. IMPACT was forced to reduce their staff to volunteers until they could raise community support for the programs. Angie continued to lead IMPACT. She said, “For 18 months, I stepped out in faith and worked fulltime without any kind of pay.” Then Bill came on staff full-time as the director of development. “We became missionaries as a couple at the start of last year and God has provided our needs ever since,” Angie explained. They did not want to lose the footing they had gained (by God’s favor) in Hillsborough County since starting the IMPACT program. “It takes so long to establish those relationships with the teachers, administration, and school district,” Angie said. The pregnancy care centers blessed IMPACT with equipment and a godly

gentleman donated office space. God had blessed their path and He continues to do so. “We still don’t have full-time salaries yet, but that doesn’t matter; it’s about the program,” Angie commented. Her heart is in this ministry, and both her and Bill believe that the Lord will continue to increase the funding for the IMPACT programs.

CLASSROOM IMPACT IMPACT is empowering teens and their families to make constructive decisions that positively affect their future. “We have a four-prong approach,” Angie explained. The four parts include spending time with students in the classroom, equipping parents through an educational presentation, connecting committed teens to their peers, and providing a faith-based youth group component. The Classroom Education portion of the IMPACT program is a sexual risk avoidance curriculum taught in the 9th grade HOPE (Health Opportunities through Physical Education) classes as well as the Family and Consumer Science classes. “[The curriculum] talks about healthy choices and healthy relationships,” Angie said. In addition, the four to five day program includes talking about refusal skills, which gives the students tools to be successful in choosing abstinence. The subject of “secondary virginity” is discussed. “[It’s] basically a chance to have a fresh start if they have been sexually active,” Angie explained. They also talk about setting boundaries in their dating relationships to avoid being placed in compromising situations. Angie went on to explain that the IMPACT leaders and the students will discuss the differences between love and infatuation as well as what the love languages are. Perhaps most importantly, IMPACT educates students on the physical and emotional consequences of sexual activity and the benefits of choosing to abstain until marriage. “It’s not just why not to; the program also provides the tools to be successful in accomplishing that,” Angie said. Then on the last day of the Classroom Education, the students are given the opportunity to make a commitment to abstain from sexual activity, drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. “Last year we spoke to 10,000 students and 5,000 of those students signed contracts,” Angie shared. With the controversy over whether to teach abstinence programs in the schools, Angie and Bill want parents to know a few things about the IMPACT program. First, IMPACT provides teachers with opt-out forms to send home to parents prior to IMPACT coming to the school. Second, “I want parents to realize that when we’re going in to talk about our program, we are promoting abstinence until a marriage relationship. We are also talking about healthy choices in regards to drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Lastly, the primary focus is on sexual risk avoidance,” Angie explained. The Classroom Education program is also offered to church groups and other organizations. This is wonderful news for the church, as it is a very hard topic to cover.

18 OverflowMag.com June 2013

Bill said, “We want to be able to help churches. For those that don’t feel comfortable [talking to teens about abstinence], bring us in and let us do the talking for you.” Just this year, The Crossing Church brought in IMPACT to partner with them on the “Silver Ring Thing” event where over 1,700 students attended. “That was an incredible experience,” Angie said. “Many students made decisions not only for abstinence, but also for Christ.”

POSITIVE PROGRAMS “We felt like it was important to provide support for the teenagers that made those commitments. They need to know that they are not alone,” Angie said. Teen IMPACT established clubs in some of the local schools that participated in the classroom program so the students can get plugged in. From those groups of students, IMPACT enlists students to apply for a summer staff program. The students chosen for the program “get trained on a skit-based presentation and go around to area Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCAs, and rec centers during the summer. They present to teens either younger than them or to teens their age,” Angie explained. The summer staff program is like a peer mentoring program, allowing students to make an impact on fellow young people. It also gives the students the opportunity to develop their own personal commitments of being drug-free, alcohol-free, tobaccofree, and abstinent. “I make sure that the commitment is true to their heart before I put them in front of other teens,” Angie said. During the summer, Teen IMPACT holds a summer camp at Camp Agape in Benton, Tennessee, for 6th to 12th grade students. This year it is being held on July 23-27 and the cost is $300. IMPACT provides the programs and food for all of the students during their stay. Bill said, “When kids come back, they say this is the best experience they have ever had because it forges relationships and it forces a lot of interaction.” (Register at www.whatisimpact.com.)

BILL & ANGIE KAGEY

In tandem with the teen programs, IMPACT also has Parent Power, “which helps to equip parents on how to talk about this topic with their teens,” Angie explained. Parent Power helps parents effectively communicate with their children about healthy lifestyle choices. They also educate them on current happenings of today’s youth. Teens face ever-changing risks, and IMPACT can convey these risks to the parents. Parent Power also teaches about the different conversations to have with your children as they grow up. If a child is asking questions, Angie explained, you don’t want to simply say, “You’re too young.” Laying the groundwork early is important because if you wait until they are teenagers to have a talk, it could be too late. Talks should be ongoing and age appropriate. For example, you can start young, but omit the full message until they’re old enough to understand. Angie said, “Use a lot of discernment and wisdom. If your child at five years old is saying, ‘How are babies made?’ they might be willing to accept, ‘From God.’ You can stay with that answer as long as you are allowing that openness where they can ask you those questions.” Another way to handle hard questions is to get clarification from your child prior to answering their questions. This avoids giving too much information if it isn’t necessary.

IMPACT OUTREACH When Bill came on board full-time with IMPACT, they were able to add the faith-based component to the program, IMPACT Outreach. “We feel strongly that students need to hear about Jesus, and even though we can’t say His Name on the public school campus, we can be Jesus by our actions and by our love and the way we treat them,” Angie shared. IMPACT Outreach allows them to have weekly youth meetings off the school campus where they can openly share about Jesus. “It’s like a youth group environment,” Bill said. One group meets in Brandon at The Palms (1310 E. Bloomingdale Ave.) on Monday nights. Another group meets in Pasco County at Keystone Community Church (21010 S.R. 54) in Lutz on Thursday nights. The group is appealing to churches that don’t have a youth program. Bill explained that churches can send a volunteer leader with a group of students to the meetings so that they can be a part of a larger group.

The goal of the night “is to provide an opportunity to connect and hear about Christ.” IMPACT Outreach will need volunteers and interns to help grow and develop the weekly youth group. IMPACT’s hope is to effectively communicate a clear message to all the students they encounter. They present the options and talk about the pros and cons. Most importantly, they make it known to the kids that at the end of the day, the choice is theirs. IMPACT is there to educate them, engage them, and to provide peer groups for support if they want it. “We are not a ‘Just Say No’ program. We empower and equip students with the tools so they can make healthy choices, but the decision is still up to them,” Angie said. Regardless of what future decisions the students make, IMPACT is a positive influence in these young lives. Angie and Bill know God has sent them to minister to young people. Angie shared, “We are not responsible for the harvest. We’re responsible for planting the seed. God will send somebody to water it and somebody else will benefit from the harvest. Ultimately, the outcome is God’s.” The truth will empower students to make wise choices. As a result, we will see a higher percentage of teens making healthy decisions about the way they lead their lives, and other students will be positively impacted by their choices. If the message penetrates one student’s heart, like it did Angie’s, it’s worth it all. Glory! If you would like to become a monthly partner to help further the IMPACT mission, please contact Bill or Angie Kagey at 813-264-9368 or e-mail akagey@whatisimpact.com. To learn more about IMPACT’s programs, visit www.whatisimpact.com. FOUNDER: DON CAMPBELL

June 2013 Love+Faith+Hope

SALVATION

Into His Arms "So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long distance away, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20, NLT)

SALVATION PRAYER Father God, I come before You in the Name of Jesus. Your Word says that “whoever calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21, NKJV) and “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9, NKJV).

you remember the story about the prodigal son? After reading the story in Luke 15, you will notice that the father ran to his son with open arms and never condemned or shamed him. You will also notice that he sent the servants to go and get everything they needed to clean him up. The father was not going to allow anyone to see his son looking like he had been living with the pigs – he didn’t want anyone to judge or condemn his son. The father protected his son from feeling the condemnation of the household. My friends, this is a perfect picture of who God is to us. He is our Father and He loves us unconditionally. No one needs to feel condemned, afraid, or shamed regardless of where you are or what you’re going through. Run to Him and allow our Heavenly Father to reveal to you how much He loves you and wants to bring you through and stand you back up. Do you want to become part of God’s family? He is waiting for you with His arms wide open. Come to Him as you are and ask Jesus into your heart today. Say this prayer (to the right) aloud:

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me. It is because of Your love that You don't want me to be condemned and punished for my sins. Thank You for sending Your beloved Son, Jesus, to die for me on the cross. Jesus took my sins, penalties, and all my curses and in return gave me His blessing, righteousness, and favor. He got what I deserved so I can receive what He deserves – all good things! Jesus' blood washes me clean from every sin (past, present, and future). On the third day, Jesus rose from the dead and conquered death. Father, I thank You that when You look at me, You choose to no longer remember my sins and that You see me in all the beauty and righteousness of Jesus. Holy Spirit, fill me to overflowing and lead me through this life – thank You, Father. In Jesus' Name, Amen!

CONTRIBUTOR

BY BRIAN ESSARY

Children of God

ave you ever thought about the significance and power behind the words that Jesus uttered while hanging on the Cross? He said, “My God, My God why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46, NKJV). The gospels reveal to us that Jesus always referred to God as His Father when talking to Him or about Him. The first time Jesus does not refer to God as “Father” is within His last moments before His cruel death on the Cross. You would think this would be the time He would rely on His Father more than ever. So why does Jesus, in His darkest hour, refer to His Father as “God” for the first time? It is so you and I could say, “My Father, My Father, you will never leave me nor forsake me.” God turned His back on His Son while He hung on the Cross so that He would never have to turn His back on us. Scripture tells us, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13, NKJV). The reason why God will never leave us nor forsake us is because He already judged our sin through the finished work of Jesus two thousand years ago. As a result of our trust in that work, we are now children of God. We have become part of His family.

Jesus is “the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15, NKJV). God sent His Son to die on the Cross, to be buried, and then to raise Him from the dead all so He could establish a family. This is why Jesus uttered those words: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” It was to take on our deserved penalty of separation from God in order to give us the gift of never being separated from Him again. Jesus’ suffering on the Cross gave us the right to have God as our Father, just as much as He is Jesus’ Father. God wants us to know Him as our Father once and for all. When we begin to see God as our Father, we will see God in a different light than before. Consider how much an earthly father loves his children. Now, think about this: our Father God loves us even more than that. Romans 5:8 (NKJV) says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” How many of us would actually give up our only son to save another? His love for us is unconditional and limitless. Do you see it? If we really want to have a revelation of God’s love for us, we can ask God to reveal how much He loves Jesus. When we get a glimpse of the love He has for Jesus, we will begin to understand how much He loves us. We will see

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that God did not hold anything back but invested everything to make us His sons and daughters. Romans 8:32 (NKJV) says, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” As we allow the Holy Spirit to reveal God as our Father to our hearts, we will no longer fear Him but instead run to Him, knowing that He will always be there for us. When we realize we are completely loved, accepted, and forgiven by our Heavenly Father, our hearts will open to receive His love and to love Him in return. When we live in this realm of God’s acceptance and love, knowing we are His children, the fruit of that reality will be living our lives for Him and exuding His love to others. Do you really want to know how much our Father God loves you? Look at the suffering God allowed His Son to go through on the Cross so that you could be His child and so that you would never be forsaken. Our Father gave up His only Son to bring us into His family. We serve a good God and one that wants to reveal to you that He truly is your loving Father and that He will never leave you! ■ If you have never made Jesus your Savior and want to make God your Father, please visit the Salvation section on page 20.

RESOURCES FOR YOUR SPIRIT

LISTEN

Joshua 24:15 (NKJV)

"…But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." WATCH

PARENTING WITH GRACE Joseph Prince

THE AFTERS

■ Find it at: www.josephprince.com

Life is Beautiful www.theafters.com

1 DVD Album, Length: 1 hour, 12 minutes “Your family life can be like days of heaven on earth! Although parenting children, especially teens, can sometimes be challenging, this practical and timely message by Joseph Prince not only shows you grace-based principles for raising your children, but also reveals your heavenly Father’s heart of love for you. Catch a revelation of how much God loves you, and the lengths He went to in order to demonstrate it, and you will find yourself supernaturally able to parent your children in a similar manner — with grace. Then sit back and watch as God’s Spirit begins to work miracles in their lives!" Parenting is not an easy job. After watching this DVD, you will feel refreshed and filled with God’s love. Consequently, this love will overflow to your children and help you to parent with grace. As we begin to realize how gracious our Father God has been with us, we will become more gracious with our children.

AMY GRANT

How Mercy Looks From Here www.amygrant.com

READ

THE RESOLUTION FOR MEN By Stephen and Alex Kendrick

■ Find it at: www.courageousresources.com

“As vividly illustrated in COURAGEOUS, the impact of fathers in the lives of their children is immense. This powerful film is the starting point for a movement of fathers creating a legacy of Godly families. See the movie and then take the next step with the official resources that will serve you on your journey.”

CITIZEN WAY

Love is the Evidence www.citizenwaymusic.com

“Challenging men to be the bold and intentional leaders of their homes, marriages, and children as they strategically create a Godly legacy, The Resolution for Men is based on themes from COURAGEOUS and written by screenwriters Stephen and Alex Kendrick, the authors of The Love Dare.” This book will inspire men and fathers to engage their families and take responsibility for them by making a resolution that fits each man's individual family dynamic. You can also find several other resources throughout the website for men's study groups as well as fathering and other family resources. This will make a great Father's Day gift.

JOSH WILSON Carry Me

www.joshwilsonmusic.com

24 OverflowMag.com June 2013

Things You Didn't Know

Before Having Children

BY AMANDA WRIGHT

here seems to be this secret club that you don't really know exists until you have children. It's called parenthood, and there are so many things that your friends and family never told you about. Did you know what you signed up for? Newborns begin to haze their parents shortly after their arrival as the unsuspecting first-timers enter into this secret club, leaving them dazed, confused, and a little more than walking zombies. You've seen them aimlessly and listlessly staggering through Babies-R-Us with their little bundle of joy sleeping soundly at two in the afternoon, no doubt building up energy for another late night of cluster feedings. Once the hazing is complete (hopefully after three months), life gets back to normal, right? After all, that is the standard time when

women are supposed to return to work if they don't stay at home. Whoever came up with that rule never had children. The baby might be sleeping through the night, finally in the crib, but the parents are staring at the monitor, watching every breath. Both parents are still exhausted. However, new phases in this parenting club begin to happen all the time: rolling over, sitting up, crawling, first words, walking, hugging, kissing, and playing. Parents start to take on many more roles, not to mention their names have been officially changed to "Mama" and "Dada." Lines blur

26 OverflowMag.com June 2013

and they start referring to each other by these new names. As time goes on, the parental role keeps growing such as adding nurse, chef, and chauffeur to the numerous roles. On a serious note, parenting is the hardest job in the world, yet it is also the most rewarding. It's a club with endless support groups in which many parents are wondering why their kids did not come with instructions. There is good news; there is a perfect manual – the Bible. On those days when we, as parents, feel like we're overwhelmed and coming unglued, we can find refuge in God's Word. We weren't designed to do this job without God’s help. We aren't perfect, nor do we have to be in order to raise some pretty great kids. When we recognize that we are coming to the end of ourselves and our own efforts, we can ask God for help. We can ask for patience, peace, self-control, and words of wisdom. We can refill in the mornings or evenings with God's loving Word so it can flow through us, right to our children.

We thought it might be fun to poll our readers and get more viewpoints. We've shared ten perspectives below; we'd love to hear yours. Share it with us on Facebook (facebook.com/overflowmagazine).

Male Perspective 1

Sleeping in means 7:30 a.m.

Eight hours of uninterrupted sleep is a thing of the past – even for daddy. In this day and age, mom and dad are taking turns getting up with the kids. And even if they aren't, who can really sleep through preschoolers running around the house screaming and playing?

Dealing with dirty diapers.

When dealing with your own child's, the smelly expulsion is not as nasty as you once thought. The barf bag can be set aside. This is the truest expression of love from one human being to another. But don't leave that stinky diaper inside the house!

You become bilingual.

Parents speak and understand goobee goobee (official baby language). Even the macho man can find himself speaking in a soft, high-pitched voice to his little one. Don't judge – baby talk is a great form of communication and certainly doesn't violate the man-code.

Being a parent is about showing up and doing the best we can, letting our children know we are there for them, no matter what. There will be times when we mess up or miss the mark, but fortunately, children are resilient and inherit forgiveness and unconditional love from our Heavenly Father. Relish in that purity, and with God, you can reciprocate that to your kids as they grow older. Parenting is a challenge, but after some time has passed, we can reflect on the past and laugh, cry, and feel proud of the job we did, all with God's help and love to guide us. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control..." (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV).

Three major feeding milestones.

First, when you don't have to burp your baby during and after every meal; second, when your baby can hold the bottle by themselves (and folding a burp cloth under their chin doesn't count!); and third, when your baby can begin eating the same food that you eat at every meal.

Baby gates are AWESOME!

The kids can be blocked in every which way and the house is sealed up like a fortress. No more baby escape artists! Some people call it baby jail. It's true. The gates protect us from them.

feMale Perspective 1

Absence of privacy.

You will never go to the bathroom alone again. They just seem to follow you in there or you have to bring the little ones in to keep an eye on them; either way, nature doesn't wait! How many times have you gone with a baby on your lap or sitting on the floor staring at you?

Showering is optional.

Your personal hygiene standards are severely lowered (at least for the first 3 months). This is a hard one to admit, but let's be frank – sleeping takes precedence over washing, then comes eating. Showering seems to be at the end of the priority list.

Food challenges.

Since you have become a chef, you've probably had more food thrown in your face and on your floor than has gone in the kid's mouth. Toddlers change their minds almost every day about what they like to eat. Then, when you're trying to feed them at the table, they become Olympic sprinters and you find yourself chasing them around with a fork full of food.

Bedtime.

Why is it that at bedtime (aka mommy and daddy alone time) kids constantly have to pee, need a drink of water, need that special teddy that is shoved behind the seat in the car, need another bedtime story, need a hug, need a kiss, need to pee again, and on and on we go? When does the day end?

3-Minute Rule.

Toddlers need attention every three minutes. Are you trying to get some chores or work done at home? Ha! Good luck with that. They need to be entertained every waking moment.

June 2013 Love+Faith+Hope

EVENTS JUNE/JULY

JUNE 1

Education Enhancement Golf Tournament

Hosted by Bible-based Fellowship Church

Westchase Golf Club 11602 Westchase Golf Dr., Tampa www.bbftt.org 7am-12pm, $90

1, 15

7, 28

Singles Christian Dance

Rhapsody Ballroom 12101 56th St., N., Tampa 727-348-7532 www.goodtimesdancesandparties.com 7pm-11pm, $10

Christian Business Men's Connection

RedRock Leadership 8184 Woodland Center Blvd., Tampa More Info: 813-885-5097 or dshock@redrockleadership.com 12pm-1pm, Weekly on Mondays

Living Word - Women's Bible Study

7-9

Christian Business Connections New Tampa

14, 28

Adoption from China & Haiti 5814 Old Pasco Rd., Wesley Chapel RSVP: ccaifl2@ccaifamily.org or 813-994-1000 1pm-2:30pm

Fountain of Faithfulness: A Women's Conference

New Tampa Women's Prayer Connection

Discipleship Training Institute Classes

Youth Weekend 2013

New Life Tabernacle UPC

Internship Opportunities COMING SOON!

RedRock Leadership 8184 Woodland Center Blvd., Tampa More Info: 813-885-5097 or dshock@redrockleadership.com 12pm-1pm, Weekly on Mondays

Presented by Revival Worship Church 9270 Bay Plaza Blvd., #600, Tampa 813-621-8886, www.revivalworshipchurch.com 10:30am, Weekly on Tuesdays

6, 20

Singles Christian Dance

Christian Chamber of Commerce

La Teresita 3248 Columbus Drive, Tampa 727-424-3429, www.C3TB.org Cost: $25 for first time attendees & members 12pm-1:30pm, third Thursday

21-23 Deliverance Christian Connection Ministry 3rd Anniversary Celebration Embassy Suites

10220 Palm River Rd., Tampa 813-305-9713, www.dccministry.org Youth Praise Service featuring The 13th Disciple (Fri.), Dinner and Praise Service (Sat.)

7pm-10pm (Fri.), 6pm-11pm (Sat.), &

10am-12:30pm (Sun.), $35

The Joy FM Summer Cruise 8 LIVE Show Featuring For King & Country

Organic Life Coffeehouse & Bakery 1900 Oak Grove Blvd., Lutz www.thejoyfm.com Early AM

Benefiting Trinity Cafe (food for the homeless) First United Methodist Church 960 Lutz Lake Rd., Lutz 813-382-4398, www.leonardovillanueva.com 7pm-9pm

JULY

Living Word - Women's Bible Study

New Tampa Women's Connection Luncheon Tampa Palms Country Club 5811 Tampa Palms Blvd., Tampa RSVP: 352-458-3267 or beckyburgue@yahoo.com 11am-1pm, $17

Leonardo Villanueva in Concert

STAY TUNED AT OVERFLOWMAG.COM

ADD YOUR EVENT

6:30pm-8:30pm (Sun.), FREE

Christian Business Men's Connection

Southeastern University 1000 Longfellow Blvd., Lakeland www.campelectric.com Five-day camp

Introduction to Ballroom Dance Class & Practice Party Presented by Theresa Moore Unity of Tampa Church Fellowship Hall 3302 W. Horatio St., Tampa RSVP: 813-417-3722 or martreel@aol.com 6:30pm-9:30pm, $5

6912 Williams Rd., Seffner 813-740-1868, www.yournlt.com 7pm-9pm (Fri.), 4pm-6pm (Sat.), &

16-20 Camp Electric: A Worship and Rock & Roll Music Camp with a Disciple Concert

CCAI Adoption Services Information Meeting

Meeting at Bob Evans 16314 North Dale Mabry, Tampa Contact: Becky for more info 813-961-2810 9am-10am

St. Andrew Presbyterian 5338 Primrose Lake Circle, Tampa For more info: shawn@tpaccorp.com 7:45am-9am, Weekly on Thursdays

Perfected Love International 10960 N. 56th St., Temple Terrace 813-315-8925, www.perfectedlove.org 7pm, Weekly on Thursdays, FREE

Pebble Creek Country Club 10550 Regents Park Drive, Tampa www.women-n-charge.com 11:30am, $18

Cypress Point Community Church 15820 Morris Bridge Rd., Tampa www.cpcconline.com 9:30am-4pm, $25

Presented by Revival Worship Church 9270 Bay Plaza Blvd., #600, Tampa 813-621-8886, www.revivalworshipchurch.com 10:30am, Weekly on Tuesdays

Women-N-Charge Networking Meeting

Rhapsody Ballroom 12101 56th St., N., Tampa 727-348-7532 www.goodtimesdancesandparties.com 7pm-11pm, $10

28 OverflowMag.com June 2013

Christian Business Connections New Tampa St. Andrew Presbyterian 5338 Primrose Lake Circle, Tampa For more info: shawn@tpaccorp.com 7:45am-9am, Weekly on Thursdays

Discipleship Training Institute Classes

If you would like to add an upcoming event to our calendar, please visit: overflowmag.com/submissions/ submit-your-event Space is limited and deadlines are the 15th of the month prior to print. Reoccurring events need to be resubmitted every two months.

15-19 Kingdom Rock Vacation Bible School Ages: 5 -11 Heritage Church 1854 Oak Grove Blvd., Lutz 813-909-4080 Register at: www.yesheritage.com 9am-12pm, $5

Perfected Love International 10960 N. 56th St., Temple Terrace 813-315-8925, www.perfectedlove.org 7pm, Weekly on Thursdays, FREE

CCAI Adoption Services Information Meeting

Adoption from China & Haiti 5814 Old Pasco Rd., Wesley Chapel RSVP: ccaifl2@ccaifamily.org or 813-994-1000 1pm-2:30pm

Christian Chamber of Commerce

La Teresita 3248 Columbus Drive, Tampa 727-424-3429, www.C3TB.org Cost: $25 for first time attendees & members 12pm-1:30pm, third Thursday

MY ROCK

SCRIPTURES I STAND ON

John 10:10 (AMP)

“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” This Scripture came alive to me at a time when I needed to clearly know the intentions of not just the enemy of my soul, but also the lover of my soul. Understanding this has changed my life forever. I learned that a thief is someone who selfishly takes something that doesn't belong to him. However, the whole intention of our Savior was to come to bring us life and a life to enjoy to the fullest. John 10:10 reveals the selfless love of my Savior.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY CARSON DAVIS

Have a favorite Scripture that you stand on? We are always looking for new people to share what God’s Word means to them. Let us know and we’ll photograph you! contact@overflowmag.com

LOCAL CHURCH SERVICES Agape Faith Fellowship Church

6805 U.S. Hwy 301 S., Riverview, 33578 813-571-9314, www.agapefaithfc.org Sun., 10:30am

Alafia Baptist Church

222 Alafia Baptist Church Rd., Lithia, 33547 813-634-8845 Sun., 9:45am, 11am, & 6pm, Wed., 7pm

Anointed Word Church

1709 St. Joseph St., Tampa, 33607 813-254-5271, www.anointedwordchurch.com Sun., 10:30am, Wed., 7pm

Atonement Lutheran Church

29617 SR 54, Wesley Chapel, 33543 813-973-2211, www.be-at-1.org Sun., 10am

Bay Chapel

9020 Imperial Oak Blvd., Tampa 33647 813-406-0367, www.baychapel.com Sun., 10:30am

Bell Shoals Baptist Church

2102 Bell Shoals Rd., Brandon, 33511 813-689-4229, www.bellshoals.com Sun., 9:15am & 11am, Wed., 7pm

Bethel Church

1510 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, 33603 813-238-2348, www.betheltampa.org Sun., 10:10am, Wed., 7pm

Bible-Based Fellowship Church of Temple Terrace

8718 N. 46th St., Tampa, 33617 813-980-0559, www.bbftt.org Sun., 7:30am & 11am, Wed., 9am & 7pm (Bible Study)

Boyette Springs Church of God

12114 Boyette Rd., Riverview, 33569 813-671-0086, www.boyettespringschurch.org Sun., 10:30am & 6pm, Wed., 7pm

Branch of Christ Ministries

23604 SR 54, Lutz, 33559 813-435-1469, www.branchofchrist.com Sun., 10am

Bridgeway Church

30660 Wells Rd., Wesley Chapel, 33545 813-907-1313, www.bridgeway.tv Sun., 9am & 11am

Calvary Chapel Worship Center

6825 Trouble Creek Rd., New Port Richey, 34653 727-376-7733, www.ccwc.org Sun., 8:10am, 9:45am & 11:20am

Candlewood Community Church

21418 Carson Dr., Land O' Lakes, 34639 813-956-1541, www.candlewoodfl.org Sun., 10:30am

Centerpointe Community Church

8610 Temple Terrace Hwy, Tampa, 33637 813-988-3557, www.centerpointecommunity.com Sun., 10am

Christ Apostolic Church Tampa

10620 Henderson Rd., Tampa, 33625 813-899-2464, www.cactampa.org Sun., 9am & 10am

Christ CP Church

19501 Holly Lane, Lutz, 33548 813-909-9789, www.christchurchlutz.org Sun., 10:30am

Christian Family Church

3457 W. Kenyon Ave., Tampa, 33614 813-802-8736, www.cfctampa.org Sun., 9am & 11am

Church of the Lakes

2530 Wilson Rd., Land O’ Lakes, 34638 813-948-4358, www.churchofthelakesepc.org Sun., 9:15am & 10:30am

Cornerstone Presbyterian Church

Gateway Christian Center Assembly of God

Countryside Baptist Church

Grace Family Church

17520 Marsh Road, Lutz, 33558 813-962-3584, www.cpclutz.org Sun., 9:30am & 11am, Wed., 7pm

13422 Sydney Road, Dover, 33527 813-571-8200, www.countrysidebaptistchurch.net Sun., 9:30am, 10:45am & 6pm, Wed., 7pm

Crosslight Church

38621 Calvin Ave., Zephyrhills, 33542 813-469-8744, www.crosslightonline.com Sat., 6pm, Sun., 10:30am & 6pm, Wed., 7pm

CrossRoads Community United Methodist Church 26211 County Line Rd., Wesley Chapel, 33544 813-907-5815, www.crossroadsum.com Sun., 9am & 10:30am

Deliverance Christian Connection Ministry

2130 W. Brandon Blvd., Ste. 203, Brandon, 33511 813-401-7223, www.dccministry.org Sun., 10am, Wed., 7pm, Sat., 9am

Dwelling Place

410 County Line Rd. W., Lutz, 33548 813-949-1912, www.thedwellingplace.us Sun., 10:30am & 2pm (Spanish), Wed., 7pm

Epistle of Christ Ministries

610 W. Waters Ave., Tampa, 33604 813-785-4519, www.epistleofchrist.org Sun., 9:45am, Thurs., 7pm

Extraordinary Life Church

5808 Lynn Rd., Tampa, 33624 813-908-0893 www.myextraordinarylifechurch.com Sun., 9:45am, 12:30pm (Spanish)

Faith Family Worship Center

14514 Del Valle Rd., Tampa, 33625 813-920-3685, www.ffwc.org Sun., 10:30am & 6pm, Wed., 7pm

Faith Life Church

4902 East Busch Blvd., Tampa, 33617 813-910-7336, www.flctampa.org Sun., 9:30 & 11am, Wed. & Thurs., 7pm

Family Harvest Worship Church

Meeting at Benito Middle School 10101 Cross Creek Blvd., Tampa, 33647 813-973-FHWC, www.fhwc.net Sun., 10am

First Baptist Church NPR

6800 Trouble Creek Rd., New Port Richey, 34653 727-849-4210, www.fbcnpr.com Sun., 9am, 10:30am, & 6pm, Wed., 6pm

First Baptist Church of College Hill 3838 North 29th St., Tampa, 33610 813-248-6600, www.fbcch.org Sun., 7:30am, 10am, & 12pm

First Baptist Church of Midway

2902 Midway Road, Plant City, 33565 813-752-7209, www.fbcmidway.org Sun., 10:30am

First Baptist of New Tampa

28125 County Line Rd., Wesley Chapel, 33543 813-907-1685, www.fbcnewtampa.org Sun., 9:15am, 10:30am, & 6pm

First Reformed Church of Tampa

8283 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, 33615 813-886-6210, www.frctampa.org Sun., 9:30am & 11am

First Thonotosassa Missionary Baptist Church 10650 McIntosh Rd., Thonotosassa, 33592 813-986-4756, www.thonotosassabaptist.org Sun., 9:45 am, 11am & 6pm, Wed., 7pm

Floodgates Community Church

24152 SR 54, Lutz, 33549 813-389-0238, www.floodgateschurch.org Sun., 10:30am

30 OverflowMag.com June 2013

14200 North Central Ave., Tampa, 33613 813-961-4692, www.gatewaytampa.net Sun., 9:45am, 10:45am & 6pm, Wed., 7pm

5101 Van Dyke Rd., Lutz, 33558 813-265-4151, www.GFConline.com Sat., 5 & 7pm, Sun., 8:45am, 10:30am & 12:15pm

Grace Life Church

1930 Land O' Lakes Blvd., Lutz, 33549 813-393-0514, www.gracelifetampa.com Sun., 10am, Wed., 7pm (Service & Youth)

Grow Life Church

Meeting at Veterans Elementary School 26940 Progress Pkwy., Wesley Chapel, 33544 813-406-8963, www.growlifechurch.com Sun., 9:30am & 11:15am

Heritage Church

1854 Oak Grove Blvd., Lutz, 33559 813-909-4080, www.yesheritage.com Sun., 9:30am & 11am, Wed., 7pm

House of Prayer Church

6305 E. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, 33610 813-994-5694, www.houseofprayerchurch.org Sun., 10:30am, Wed., 7pm

Iglesia El Sembrador Wesleyano

300 S. Hillcrest Ave., Clearwater, 33756 727-481-0256, www.miiglesiaelsembrador.com Sun., 10:45am, Wed., 7pm

Iglesia La Casa De Dios

Land O’ Lakes Community Center 5401 Land O’Lakes Blvd., Land O’Lakes, 34639 727-481-0256, www.miiglesialacasadedios.com Sun., 4:30pm

Iglesia Renacer

17505 Shady Hills Rd., Spring Hill, 34610 352-346-3965, www.miiglesiarenacer.com Sun., 10:45am, Thurs., 7pm

Joining Hands Mission Church

3214 US Highway 19, Holiday, 34691 727-264-1288, www.jhmissionchurch.org Sun., 10am

Kaleomark Church

Meeting at Seven Oaks Clubhouse 2910 Sports Core Circle, Wesley Chapel, 33544 813-310-8794, www.kaleomark.org Sun., 10:15am

Keystone Community Church

21010 State Road 54, Lutz, 33558 813-962-4522, www.keystonecommunity.org Sun., 10:30am

Kingdom Life Church

39348 US Highway 19, Tarpon Springs, 34689 727-373-8718, www.kingdomlifechurchfl.com Sun., 10:30am, Wed., 6:30pm

Lake Carroll Baptist Church

12012 N. Rome Ave., Tampa, 33612 813-933-5683, www.lakecarrollbaptist.org Sun., 9:30am & 10:50am, Wed., 6:30pm

Legacy Church

2702 Causeway Center Dr., Tampa, 33619 813-770-LIFE, www.legacyfam.com Sat., 6pm

Life Changing International Church

2106 Lithia Pinecrest Rd., Valrico, 33594 813-653-9358, www.lifechangingintlministry.com Sun., 1:45pm, Mon., Wed. & Fri., 7:30pm

Light Christian Ministries

730 W. Robertson St., Brandon, 33511 813-458-6252, www.lightcm.org Sun., 10am, Tues.& Wed., 7pm

Light of the World Ministries

1109 W. Waters Ave., Suite B, Tampa, 33604 813-409-0005, www.lightinc.org Sun., 10:45am, Mon., 7pm

Manhattan Baptist Church

4300 S. Manhattan Ave., Tampa, 33611 813-831-1951, www.manhattanbaptist.org Sun., 9:30am, 10:45am, Wed., 6:30pm Spanish Service - Sun., 9:30am

Myrtle Lake Baptist Church

2017 Reigler Rd., Land O’ Lakes, 34639 813-949-5516, www.myrtlelake.org Sun., 10:30am & 6pm

New Birth of Faith Fellowship Church

1725 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, 33612 813-972-0101, www.newbirthoffaith.org Sun., 10am, Thurs., 7pm

New Life Church

1611 E. Bougainvillea, Tampa, 33612 813-971-6961 Sun., 9am, 11am, & 6:30pm, Wed., 6:30pm

New Millennium Community Church

4810 E. Busch Blvd., Suite I, Tampa, 33617 813-381-5463, www.newmillenniumchurch.org Sun., 8:30am & 11am, Wed., 7:30pm

New Walk Church

5238 Mile Stretch Dr., Holiday, 34690 727-938-2955, www.mynewwalk.com Sun., 10am & 11:15am

New Wine Outreach Ministry

6213 E. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, 33610 813-443-4503 Sun., 11am, Wed., 7:30pm, 2nd & 4th Fri., 7pm

NorthBridge Church

Meeting at John Long Middle School 2025 Mansfield Blvd., Wesley Chapel, 33543 813-319-4588, www.nbcwc.info Sun., 10am

North Pointe Church

2427 Old Cypress Creek Rd., Land O' Lakes, 34639 813-545-9420, www.thenpc.org Sun., 9:15 am & 11am

Northwest Tampa Church of Christ

7259 Sheldon Rd., Tampa, 33615 813-886-3946, www.tampachurch.org Sun., 9am & 5pm, Wed., 7pm

Northwest Tampa Church of God

5131 Gunn Highway, Tampa, 33624 813-961-7278, www.nwtcog.cc Sun., 10:30am, Wed., 7pm

Oak Grove United Methodist Church

2707 West Waters Ave., Tampa, 33614 813-935-4471 www.gbgm-umc.org/oakgroveumc Sun., 9:30am

Oakwood Community Church

11209 Casey Rd., Tampa, 33618 813-969-2303, www.oakwoodfl.org Sun., 10:30am

Oasis World Outreach

35636 SR 54 West, Zephyrhills, 33541 813-782-2888, www.oasisworldoutreach.org Sun., 10am, Wed., 7pm

Open Arms Church of Ybor City

1314 E. 18th Ave., Tampa, 33605 813-248-2595, www.openarmschurch.org Sun., 10:30am, Wed., 7pm

Palma Ceia United Methodist Church

3723 W. Bay to Bay Blvd., Tampa, 33629 813-837-1541, www.palmaceiaumc.org Sun., 8:30am, 9:40am, & 11am

Path of Holiness Christian Church

The Daily Word

Perfected Love International Fellowship

The Gathering

Real Life Church

The Salvation Army Worship Center

21307 Paoli Dr., Land O' Lakes, 34639 813-991-0192, www.pathofholinesschristianchurch.com Sun., 1pm, Tues., 7pm, Thurs., 7pm

10960 N. 56th Street, Temple Terrace, 33617 813-443-5107, www.perfectedlove.org Sun., 11am, Wed., 7pm 6821 W. Waters Ave., Tampa, 33634 813-243-2333, www.thereallifechurch.com Sun., 8:30am & 10am

Reality Church Tampa

1000 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, 33602 813-228-8700, www.realitychurchtampa.com Sun., 10am

Remix Family Church

Meeting at Campo Family YMCA 3414 Culbreath Rd., Valrico, 33596 813-661-2273, www.remixfamilychurch.com Sun., 10am

Revival Worship Church

9270 Bay Plaza Blvd., Suite 600, Tampa, 33619 813-621-8886, www.revivalworshipchurch.com Sun., 10:30am, Wed., 7pm, Fri., 7pm

River of Life

410 Chapman Rd. East, Lutz, 33549 813-949-9931, www.riveroflife-lutz.org Sun., 10:30am, Wed., 7pm

River of Praise

5320 Palmetto Rd., New Port Richey, 34652 727-849-2762, www.thegateofpraise.com Sun., 10am, Wed., 7pm

Riverside Baptist Church

6219 River Rd., New Port Richey, 34652 727-842-1611, www.riversideloves.com Sun., 10:45am, Wed., 6:30pm (Youth Group)

Shepherd's Community United Methodist Church 2165 Shepherd Road, Lakeland, 33811 863-701-7171, www.scumc.net Sun., 10am

Shoresh David Messianic Synagogues 813-831-5673, www.shoreshdavid.org Tampa: 4320 Bay to Bay Blvd., 33269 Fri., 7:30pm, Sat., 11am, Tues., 6pm Wesley Chapel: 33425 SR 54, 33543 Fri., 7:30pm Brandon: 4929 Bell Shoals Rd., 33596 Fri., 7:30pm

St. James House of Prayer Episcopal Church 2708 N. Central Ave., Tampa, 33602 813-223-6090, www.sjhoptpa.org Sun., 9am & 11:30am

St. James Methodist Church

16202 Bruce B Downs Blvd., Tampa, 33647 813-971-4790, www.stjamestampa.org Sun., 9:30am, 11am & 12:30pm

Tampa Covenant Church

13320 Lake Magdalene Blvd., Tampa, 33618 813-968-2979, www.tampacovenantchurch.org Sun., 9:30am, Wed., 7pm

Terrace Palms Community Church

9620 Davis Rd., Tampa, 33637 813-985-9279, www.terracepalms.org Sun., 9am & 10:30am, Wed., 7pm

The Bridge of the Bay Community Church Meeting at YMCA Camp Cristina 9840 Balm Riverview Rd., Riverview, 33569 813-621-3191, www.bridgeofthebay.com Sun., 10:30am

The Crossing Church

10130 Tuscany Ridge Dr., Tampa, 33619 813-626-0783, www.crossingonline.org Sun., 9am, 11am, 1:30pm (Spanish), & 5pm

5221 8th St., Zephyrhills, 33542 813-782-9673, www.jtbministries.com Sun., 11am & 6pm, Tues., 7pm 39348 US Hwy 19 N., Tarpon Springs, 34689 727-942-3832, www.wearethegathering.com Sat., 6:30pm 1100 W. Sligh Ave., Tampa, 33604 813-549-5285, www.salvationarmytampa.org Sun., 11am

Tims Church

601 Sunset Lane, Lutz, 33549 813-949-1239, www.timschurch.org Sun., 9:15am & 11:30am

Torre Fuerte Tampa

Meeting at Tampa Bay Presbyterian Church 19911 Bruce B Downs Blvd., Tampa, 33647 813-410-7220, Spanish Services Sat., 7pm

Trinity Church of Wesley Chapel

33425 SR 54, Wesley Chapel, 33543 813-788-2898, www.trinitychurchnow.com Sun., 10:15am

Trinity Presbyterian Church

14925 North Boulevard, Tampa, 33616 813-961-5836, www.trinitytampa.com Sun., 9:30am, 11am & 6pm, Wed., 6:15pm

Van Dyke Church

17030 Lakeshore Rd., Lutz, 33558 813-968-3983, www.vandyke.org Sat., 6pm, Sun., 9:30am & 11am

Victorious Life Church

6224 Old Pasco Rd., Wesley Chapel, 33544 813-973-2230, www.victoriouslifechurch.com Sun., 9am, 10:40am & 6pm, Wed., 7pm

Vida Citrus Park Community Church

4202 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa, 33624 813-962-3136, www.vidacitruspark.com Sun., 10:30am

Vida Community Church

Meeting at The Dwelling Place 410 W. County Line Rd., Lutz, 33558 813-810-0863, www.vidacommunitychurch.org Bilingual-Spanish Services Sun., 2pm, Thurs., 7pm

Water’s Edge Church

30200 Overpass Rd., Wesley Chapel, 33545 813-994-5000, www.connectingfaith.com Sun., 11am, Wed., Kids 6:30pm, Adults 7pm

Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church 6100 Memorial Highway, Tampa, 33615 813-886-2536, www.wesleymemorial.net Sun., 9am & 11:15am, Wed., 6:30pm

Without Walls Intl. Church

3860 W. Columbus Dr., Tampa, 33607 813-879-4673, www.withoutwalls.org Sun., 9am & 11am, Thurs., 7pm

Zephyrhills First Assembly

36322 SR 54, Zephyrhills, 33541 813-788-3490, www.zephyrhillsfirst.com Sun., 10am, Wed., 7pm

ADD YOUR CHURCH If you would like to learn more, please visit overflowmag.com/submissions/submit-your-church.

June 2013 Love+Faith+Hope