LIVE Magazine March 2009 by Cheryl Pullins

PUBLISHER PULLINS MEDIA GROUP FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CHERYL A. PULLINS ASSOCIATE EDITOR & HR CONSULTANT LORRAINE A. ROSS DESIGN AND LAYOUT CHERYL A. PULLINS GRAPHIC DESIGNER S. H. THOMPSON

STAFF WRITERS BRIDGETTE COLLINS JULIANNA C. GRIFFIN VALERYE M. GRIFFIN STEPHANIE C. HARPER DR. DORA SANDERS HILL SHELBY HILL ZACHARY PULLINS, SR. RHONDA WHITE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DR. B. J. RELEFOURD

PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR LORRAINE WILLIAMS CREATIVE CONSULTANT LEA M. LUCAS MID-WEST REGION COORDINATOR TIFFANY EASLEY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER & ANALYST SEAN T. LUCAS ADVISORY BOARD JAMAR SUBER DR. ROBIN L. WRIGHT WEBSITE WWW.LIVEINVICTORY.ORG EDITORIAL ADDRESS 8923 EARLY APRIL WAY, Suite C COLUMBIA, MD 21046 ISSN: 1945-5178 LIVE Magazine is a monthly online publication, supported by our advertisers. For advertising information contact us at marketing@livmagazine.com. Permissions: LIVE Magazine requires written permission for use of any published article. Upon written approval “Used by permission of LIVE Magazine” must be used. Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.

From the Editor’s Lounge A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR’S LOUNGE Just think of all the people you have met in your lifetime. Friends, coworkers, ministry folks, the person you sat next to at the last conference, workshop or summit, maybe even a family reunion. The list of opportunities to meet new people can be endless. But the real focus is on the people with who you ultimately develop covenant relationships. Take a moment to look through your mind’s eye and think about the people in your life who you consider “friend”. A friend is the person you have chosen to allow access to your life. They are the ones in your sphere of influence. Some people refer to them as their “crew”, “my girls”, “possee” or maybe “road dawgs” (okay I am dating myself), but whatever label you decide to place on them, there are the people with which you have established covenant relationships. Whether you realize it or not, the people in your circle of influence impact your ability to grow, succeed or fail depending upon the type of people you allow into your circle of influence. As women of purpose we must be mindful of the friendships and relationships we have established. People of purpose should create covenant connections with like minded people or better yet, with people who are already where you are trying to get to. I know you have read things previously written by me which speaks of covenant connections and you will continue to hear me speak of covenant connections. These are the people who support your purpose. They may be in your life for a reason, a season or for a lifetime, but whatever the time there is purpose in covenant connections. When encountering new people in your life, be prayerful and mindful because they just may be the person to help propel you into purpose.

Cheryl A. Pullins

Cheryl A. Pullins Founder/Editor-in-Chief

Contents VOLUME ONE ISSUE 10 MARCH 2009

6 7 9 11

Spring Cleaning Tips

My Devotion One Thing is Needed Relationship Coaching Attracting the Right One Lesslie Clark The Biggest Giver

19 20 23 16

28 30

Feature Marshawn Evans Attorney ~ Entrepreneur ~ Author 5

LIVE Literature That Was Then, This Is Now by Paulette Harper His Point of View The Covenant Connection Road to Healthier Living with Coach Collins Lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Balancing Act

The Daily Ritual of An Overcomer Travel The Gift That Spans Generations

Quick & Easy Spring Cleaning Tips Annual spring cleaning doesn’t have to be a yearly, back-breaking cleaning marathon. Regular maintenance is easy with a few simple steps and will keep the dirt from piling up so you can skip the once a year event that everyone dreads.

fun games faster than your family can say “Mary Poppins.” Make your house do the work Does your home work for you or against you? If your air filtration system is truly efficient, there should be little dust to clean up. This is especially important in the spring when the world comes into bloom, which can lead to poor indoor air quality and aggravate allergies and asthma. American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning’s AccuClean wholehome air filtration system eliminates up to 99.98 percent of allergens, mold spores and other microscopic things from your home’s filtered air, allowing you to spend less time cleaning, all year long. New studies conducted by Environmental Health & Engineering and professors from the Harvard School of Public Health show that the installation of AccuClean reduces dust accumulation in the home by more than 50 percent -- so you can dust less and still have a healthier, cleaner home environment.

Hannah Keeley, lifestyle expert and host of the PBS program “Hannah, Help Me!”, offers quick and easy spring cleaning tips for the whole family to follow. Get a game plan Divide your home into four zones -- eating areas, living areas, sleeping areas, and bathrooms. Each week, focus on cleaning just one of the four zones. Spreading out the chores will mean a lighter effort throughout the year instead of a buildup of gunk waiting for a springtime scrub-down. Be sure to make note of the zones on your calendar so you don’t get swept up (no pun intended) and forget all about it. Get organized Cut the clutter. Stacks of papers, boxes and miscellaneous junk can be magnets for dust, dirt and more. Clutter takes up the majority of your housework, usually about 80 percent, so if you cut out the clutter, you’ll significantly cut your cleaning time. Find storage containers to organize and hold your family’s possessions. Even your kids can help out -- attach picture labels to storage bins so the little ones can easily identify where their belongings should go.

Keeley says she has tried the whole spring cleaning thing and found one thing to be true -- it gets messy all over again. The trick is not in cleaning your home, but in keeping your home clean. With regular maintenance and some smart steps, you’ll find plenty of time to get out and enjoy spring, rather than focus on one massive home clean-up.

Have fun Turn every day cleaning chores into fun, familyfriendly activities. Chase your kids around the room while vacuuming. Blast your family’s favorite playlist and invite the kids to dance around the house with you while dusting. Or, when washing dishes, use the soapy water to blow some bubbles with the kids. With a little creativity, seemingly boring household chores become

Courtesy of ARAContent

My Devotion

by Ruth Wood

artha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. (Luke 10:41) Were all Martha’s preparations wrong? After all, someone had to cook the meal. The Lord didn’t tell her to drop out of the kitchen, he addressed her attitude— overwhelmed by her tasks, she lost perspective.

One Thing Is Needed

I can picture Martha that morning before the guests arrived, having a PMS day and exasperated that Mary was daydreaming instead of helping. And I wonder what her initial reaction was when the Lord rebuked her in front of all her guests, regardless of his gentle tone. I think I would have felt stung that the Lord didn’t take my side and quickly retreated to the kitchen. Maybe I would have sulked for a while before “getting it.” Her tasks were “preparations that had to be made.” (Luke 10:40) The Lord didn’t dispute that. Nor did He say, “Why don’t you skip the gourmet lemon tart you plan to make from scratch.” He gently reminded Martha that their relationship was all that mattered. In the midst of her work, Martha could still enjoy “the one thing needed.” After all, the Messiah, the Prince of Peace, sat in her very own living room. Wouldn’t this be enough to make you dance about with the dust broom and forget your troubles? “Only one thing is needed…” With the wonder of the Lord’s presence in her heart, how would Martha’s perspective on her busyness have changed? How will yours and mine?

Ruth Wood is the editor and director of www.Comfort-Cafe.net, an online magazine bringing hope, help and healing to women facing difficult life challenges. She is also a piano teacher, and loves to read, garden and exercise, but above all, adores going to coffee with a friend. She and her husband have been married over twenty-five years, have two grown sons, a delightful new daughter-in-law and one rambunctious grandcat. Contact her at ruthywood@gmail.com

ATTRACTING The Right One

by Shelby M. Hill, CEC 9

Do you want to attract the “right one” but you keep attracting the “wrong one” and getting the same results in your relationships? Are you looking for your “soul mate” but, it always turns out that the two of you are “soul mate” compatible for only a few months before you are left heartless? Do you believe you just flat out have bad luck when it comes to relationships? When you answer these questions, do you ever think about how you contribute to the relationship for it to be successful or a failure? Has it ever crossed your mind that it’s not the other person that needs to change but, maybe it’s you that needs to change…for the better?

A person must put in the work on herself first to attract more than just the right job. A person must work on herself first to be a better person to her. When the personal growth is developed and you are happy with you, all of you, only then can you be open to receiving happiness and fulfillment from the “right one”. You get better by learning from your experiences. When you take these experiences and review them as necessary you can’t help but learn more about yourself. When you are aware of yourself it’s easy to be yourself! And that’s what attracts the right person!

I know, it’s really hard to look in the mirror at You and see the work that needs to be done emotionally and at times psychologically to believe that you really deserve the right one. It’s unimaginable for You to think there’s a healthy relationship out there waiting just for you. It’s hard for anyone who has experienced volatile affairs of some sort. Habitually you believe that your actions are what’s right and this suffices as enough justification in your mind to not have to work any harder to really have what you truly yearn for-- a better you, a better companion, a better relationship.

Tips for Thought

Everyone wants the dream but not everyone is willing to work for it, or make adjustments for it and in some cases sacrifices. Listen, the truth is that you can attract the “right one” for the perfect you, but it all starts with you. What I mean is it’s very easy for anyone to wish and pray for the right love and the right person to come in to their lives so that true love will be shared for a lifetime. It’s also true that not much if anything is granted to anyone if they haven’t put in the work to deserve it. For example, Mr. Jennings wants to have a salary of $100,000 annually but, he doesn’t want to work to acquire the necessary skills ( i.e., school or training) it takes to earn that type of salary. Instead, Mr. Jennings, will spend much of his life complaining, blaming and working a bunch of dead end jobs to get no further than where he was when he started. He may take some shortcuts that may seem promising for the time being but, inevitably the bottom always falls out. He’s right back at square one. When Mr. Jennings finally says enough is enough and he exercises internal reflection on himself and all of his experiences that have left him broke, homeless, and sometimes in “the system” will he understand the work that he must do to acquire his dream of an annual salary of $100,000.

Love yourself- Loving yourself can be very difficult for some women because often women do not feel they are worthy of love at all. Due to abandonment by their father or abuse from previous relationships. Understanding that loving yourself is the most powerful thing a woman can do. By loving herself she gives no person power over her.

It’s okay to step away- What I mean by this is often when in a cycle of disappointing relationships sometimes you just have to step away from it all and regroup. It’s difficult to see clear when you’re under the quicksand. Don’t be afraid to be alone for awhile. Everything good will come from this quality time alone.

Always know you are blessed- When nothing else matters and when moments may seem hopeless and dark regarding your relationship or singlehood, trust and know that you are blessed no matter what. When you think about how blessed you are to be able to say “I will not settle because I’ve been working on me!”, He is bound to continue to bless you with the right person to share your life with.

Shelby Hill is a Relationship Empowerment Coach committed to helping women, men and professionals develop strong long term healthy connections within their personal lives and careers. Shelby M. Hill is married and lives in Florida with his wife British Hill. They are loving parents to their young adult son, Julian, who attends college in Chicago.

Relationships are very much the same. It’s easy for anyone to say what kind of man or woman they want but a person will often attract only what they’ve invested into themselves. You receive what you put out. If you’re putting out anger and detachment then this is what you will receive. When you’re seeking affection without direction then lost and alone emotionally is what you will ultimately have. Not until a person recognizes that she has had enough of this vicious cycle of emptiness, pain, usage and deceit that she’s continually experienced, will she not tolerate anymore.

www.shelbyhillcoaching.com

Lesslie Clark THE BIGGEST GIVER Winner of O Magazine’s Big Give

esslie Clark, a self-proclaimed “urban southern belle” born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, was one of the winners of the O Magazine version of Oprah’s Big Give. Lesslie is a woman with a strong legacy of civil rights, education and community involvement. Having grown up in the south during segregation, Lesslie understands living a life of empowerment. Her empowerment has allowed her to be a multifaceted woman of purpose. She is a mother, model, writer, entrepreneur and community activist. While preparing to transition her life from modeling she still maintains her true passion which is writing. Not only does she have a passion for writing, she is also an avid reader. “I read 5-6 books at a time and have about 2,000 books in my personal library”, says Clark. Lesslie is also the mother of her “fabulous” 17 year old son, Exavier, after which Lesslie has named her foundation. The Exavier Foundation which houses

Operation Backpack that was created to provide school supplies to children regardless of age and income. The school supplies program is not an income based non-profit. According to Ms. Clark “All children are dependent upon an adult to purchase their school supplies.” This is the program which got the attention of the editors of O Magazine. On a Wednesday night in the spring of 2008 Lesslie purchased a copy of O Magazine and at the very bottom of the page in about “4 point font” were the words “Did you miss the opportunity to be on The Big Give”?. The 150 words or less essay was due that Friday. Lesslie’s submission was completed at 11:45 PM. Fifteen minutes before the deadline. She submitted her entry and let it go. About two months later two editors from O Magazine phoned Lesslie at work, and because her friends knew that she had been decreeing and declaring that she would be a guest on Oprah’s talk show, she thought it was a prank. 11

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fter not answering the first time, the editors called, again with Lesslie totally losing her composure screaming in an office of about 30 people for five minutes. “I was honored to be a finalist.” says Lesslie. And this was only the interview call which lasted for about 30 minutes. Lesslie asked the editors a few questions. There were 3,100 entries for this contest. The call was ended by letting her know that they would inform her by Friday. After feeling like a lifetime, Friday comes. While Lesslie was at the bank chatting and sharing what had transpired with the branch manager and her high school principal, Mr. Hicks, who happened to be in the bank, her cell phone rings. This was the call!! Lesslie was informed that she had won the O Magazine Biggest Give contest. Her initial reaction was to scream which she stopped when she realized she was still in the bank. Lesslie was one of five winners selected, two of which were from Memphis. This contest was funded by the Target corporation who provided $5,000 to start Lesslie’s non-profit. Lesslie shared some statistics regarding teachers, saying that they spend 30% of their income for supplies for the classroom. “Change occurs one person at a time.” says Clark. “Having no supplies is a constant stress point for children”. Clark started her mission to help children with school supplies seven years ago. Instead of receiving gifts for special occasions she asked people to donate school supplies. Lesslie currently has a relationship with Gordon Elementary School which is in an impoverished neighborhood that has student and parental involvement along with fantastic test scores. Everyone at Gordon is very hands on and believe in what they are doing. Clark states that “there is a direct link between education, teachers and school staff to jail and crime.” She says that “prisons are built based on school dropout rates.” For the next one to three years Clark’s non-profit will provide school supplies to children who have need. Following that she plans to provide grants for schools, which is the ultimate goal. Clark says, “All of us are responsible for our children. It is our place to help them become a productive part of society. I can’t quit. I have come too far.”

For more information about Lesslie Clark Enterprises and Operation Backpack visit Lesslie at www.lessliegirl.com.

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EVANS

Marshawn by Cheryl A. Pullins

•

ATTORNEY . AUTHOR . ENTREPRENEUR 15

“How a woman sees herself influences her actions and the perception of self must be strong.”

ur conversation with author and entrepreneur, Marshawn Evans started off with Ms. Evans stating, “Bios are misleading. They do not share the challenges and obstacles an individual encounters. They only share what works.” What an impact statement to get the attention of the person interviewing you about your success and being recognized as an “expert” in the marketplace. Marshawn shared that her greatest moments is when young women as her to be their mentor or when people say that something she has said impacted their life. She states that “you have to be motivated by something other than what you have accomplished.”

point where she finally had to make an assessment to determine if she could do this on her own. After stepping out on her the one paying customer she had lost their fifty million dollar line of credit. So there she was out on her own with no steady income, but Evans says she is “a very faith driven person” and that she was supposed to make this transition. Evans shared that “this is a journey and it can be enjoyable if it is the journey you are supposed to be on.” For thirteen weeks Marshawn participated on the hit NBC show “THE APPRENTICE”, where she was handpicked. In the second week, Evans became the project manager for the all women’s team who created an upscale and innovative Lamborghini advertising campaign that was actually used. Marshawn says that this opportunity put her in a position of having to depend on lots of other people to determine the outcome and also exposure to the idea of creating and getting by in from others to support your vision. Interestingly enough the women had lost all of their team competitions except the Lamborghini campaign.

Marshawn Evans attorney, author, entrepreneur and performance strategist has emerged as one of the leading experts with a contemporary voice in the art of maximizing human potential. In addition to writing the book S. K. I. R. T. S. in the Boardroom: A Woman’s Survival Guide to Success in Business & Life, Marshawn was the winner of the Miss District of Columbia competition, served as a former U. S. ambassador to the International Summit of Achievement in Dublin, Ireland awarding her $200,000 in scholarships, and was a member of the cast of NBC’s hit show “THE APPRENTICE”.

As the author of S. K. I. R. T. S. in the Boardroom Marshawn says that the premise of her book is that women in business should use an internal approach before going external. “How a woman sees herself influences her actions and the perception of self must be strong.” She must realize that “he internal issues are important because you must be your best self” says Evans.

During our interview with Marshawn she shared much of her experience with competing in pageants. Her talent of choice was baton twirling and was told that she would never win a competition with baton twirling as her talent. She was runner-up in Miss Teen Texas four times. She then moved to Washington, DC and won Miss District of Columbia which included receiving $50,000 in scholarships.

S. K. I. R. T. S. shares principles for developing your personal brand, leadership style and communication. It also includes some of Marshawn’s personal experiences. Evans says she was initially “anti – just focusing on women”. She grew up with lots of males and never really had good girlfriend type relationships. S. K. I. R. T. S., which is an acronym for Sisterhood, Knowledge, Integrity, Respect, Tenacity and Substance, which caters to a new

Marshawn graduated law school and practiced as a commercial litigator and employment lawyer with one of Atlanta’s most prestigious law firms. During her time with the law firm Marshawn made connections with athletes and had established relationships to the

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generation of women. Marshawn shares that, “The enemy wanted to keep me away from the area of women.”

marketplace. Evans shares that balancing her faith is no different from balancing anything else in life. Of course she is in an industry that is not traditionally reception to “faith walkers”, but it has helped in terms of what people see that makes them want to work with Evans. “It is a disservice to hide your faith,” says Evans, “Faith is a big part of your brand. Your brand is your message and it helps with the development of relationships. There are times that business becomes a ministry opportunity. We don’t have to be soft spoken. We can be just as assertive and aggressive as Christ was in the marketplace. The integrity must be there.” Marshawn shares that you must have self-assurance and know who you are and what you were designed to do. She says that women can be multi-faceted and that women should focus on what they were called to do. Women need to know their “TAGS” which are their Talents, Abilities, Gifts and Skill. Evans says “it is critical to know who we are and to celebrate other women”.

Evans shares a quick glimpse into S. K. I. R. T. S. by sharing her concept called Habitude which is a combination of habits and attitude. Marshawn says that how you perceive yourself determines how you prepare and perform. Evans quips that “you must style yourself for a lifestyle.” You will have to purchase the book to find out the rest (www.skirtsintheboardroom.com). Evans is the President of EDGE 3M Sports & Entertainment, which is a full service brand agency responsible for raising the profile of elite entertainers and athletes, where she works with them to reach their maximum potential. Marshawn walks with them through how to get there – a peak performer. Everything Marshawn does she tries to align it with the purpose statement of EDGE 3M which includes that the most valuable asset is people. Evans says that if what she does is not in alignment with this purpose she has to question what she is doing. As an extension of EDGE Marshawn is the Founder and Executive Producer of The Caring EDGE Awards held annual in Atlanta, GA. The Caring EDGE Awards recognizes the philanthropic contributions of professional athletes and entertainers. This year Marshawn will be producing the 2nd annual Caring EDGE Awards in conjunction with Rolls Royce.

Of course having discussing all of the “heavy stuff” we wanted to know what Marshawn likes to do during her down time and because I am a self proclaimed shopaholic I wanted to know her favorite places to shop. Marshawn shared that she doesn’t like malls. She prefers upscale re-sale shops and boutiques. Marshawn’s down time is shared with her recent fiancé and children, where she enjoys eating out – especially trying new food. She is currently taking up cooking, doesn’t like the sun too much because she worries about her hair and loves all things seafood!

With Marshawn being involved in many activities which include high profile athletes and entertainers wanted to know how she balances her faith in the

www.skirtsintheboardroom www.marshawnevans.com

CLICK HERE

Are you still wondering if you have a purpose? Are you asking God why things turned out the way they did? Are you ready to discover who you really are? If so, That Was Then, This Is Now will help you understand the real reasons for trials and test. That Was Then, This Is Now will take you on a spiritual journey from beginning to end with the stages in which God allowed Paulette Harper to take while going through her painful experience with divorce. As you read Pauletteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story you will receive compelling insights on how she wanted to end her own life but finding God to be true to His word. You will be thoroughly convinced that God can turn a mess into a message. By sharing her struggles with transparency, she illustrates how a heart attitude of surrender allows God to use a broken vessel for His ultimate plans of glory. It is truly a power packed book full of personal anecdotes with supporting scriptures to help any one beak free from the past, their current situation and even things that are on the horizon. That Was Then, This Is Now, ministers to hurting hearts in every season of life, reminding them that God restores shattered lives, intent on using them for His sovereign purposes.

Book is available on line at: www.bvministry.org or amazon.com, barnes & nobles.com 19

If You Work It, It Will Work The Covenant Connection by Zachary Pullins, Sr.

hat does Covenant mean to you? Are you a covenant or a non-covenant Christian, when it comes to the covenant promises of Jehovah? What is your covenant doing for you? Allow me to introduce this topic to some and expand upon the knowledge of many others concerning the covenant. I would like to spend a little time expounding upon the magnificence of your covenant between you and God established through Christ. Daniel Webster defines a covenant as : “a written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action”. Jehovah is a covenant keeping God and still supports the everlasting covenants made between himself and mankind, therefore you can still benefit from all the provisions of the biblical covenants between God and man if you know the principles and abide within the confines of God’s will and way of sovereign reign and rule. Be mindful that Old Testament means old covenant and New Testament means new covenant.

The next covenant is also in Genesis chapter twelve where God calls Abram and instructs him to leave his kindred and country and go to a place where He will guide him. God promises Abram that he will make him a great nation, bless him and make his name great. God promises Abram that the land he is showing him is a promise to him and his seed. God is promising to become the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, even before Isaac is conceived. We see with this covenant as with the last, there are promises as well as mighty signs and wonders. One primary symbolic promise of the Abrahamic covenant is the birth of a child to a barren Sarah; fathered by an elderly Abraham. Abraham became very, very wealthy through his covenant relationship with God and inherited Canaan for his seed after him. God also tells Abraham that his seed will be in bondage in the land that is not theirs for over four hundred years as slaves. The promise goes on to say that God will judge the land of their captivity and free them in due season. Abraham was blessed to be a blessing to the entire earth and to all those who are of the family of faith. The Abrahamic covenant is about God’s promised blessings being imparted through generations and families.

The first mention of covenant in the Bible is in Genesis chapter six when God speaks to Noah and invites him into covenant relationship which saves Noah’s family from the devastation of the flood. God’s says to Noah that He will establish His covenant and shall bring his family into the Ark. The covenant is to Noah, his wife, his son’s and the wives of his son’s. Noah’s responsibility in the covenant was to build the Ark and gather seven pairs of clean animals, seven pairs of fowl and two sets of the unclean animals into the ark of covenant. The difference between Noah’s family and the rest of the families on the earth was Noah had a covenant relationship with God. Being in covenant with God means that you agree to live by His statues, judgments and ordnances. In exchange God guarantees to keep all the promises he established in His Word concerning you. Every time you gaze upon a Rainbow it’s a remembrance of God’s covenant promise to Noah and all mankind that the earth would never again be destroyed by water. The first covenant was to save mankind and the planet.

The Mosaic covenant found in Exodus chapters nineteen through twenty-four guide us through the next step in the evolution of God’s plan for His people of divine purpose. This covenant produced the Ten Commandments as well as the Torah system designed for the children of Israel to survive in the wilderness and come into their promised possession the Land of Canaan. This covenant established Israel as a Holy people unto God and delivered them into the Promised Land. This covenant established a friendship between God and

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oses, set up the order of the Priesthood and the framework for the temple of God. The called out tribe and kingdom of Israel spent untold years in the wilderness because of their failure to grasp the covenant promises of God. Only the true covenant keepers were able to go into the land of promise because only Joshua and Caleb believed the report of the Lord. Moses was only permitted to see the land and not allowed to cross over because he failed to obey God’s instruction in which he was told to speak to the rock in order to deliver water to the children of Israel. Keeping covenant with God always means continued practice and observance of the statues, judgments and commandments of the Lord. The Mosaic covenant provided closure to the Abrahamic covenant concluding with the establishment of a Kingdom in Canaan. The next covenant we will examine is the Davidic covenant between God and King David. It is found in II Samuel chapter seven where God promises David that a member of his lineage would sit on the throne of Israel forever, and David’s throne and authority would be eternal. David’s part was to keep the statues, judgments and commandments of God. David despite his short comings is called a Man after God’s own heart because he literally chased after the heart of God. David had an outstanding understanding of the covenant promises of God and demonstrated them when he accepted the challenge of the Philistine champion Goliath. David referred to him an uncovenanted individual; because David flowed in the power of his covenant with God. David’s belief in God’s covenant aided in his defeating Goliath on the battlefield that day just as your belief in God’s covenant will produce certain victory in your life today. David was not without sin in his life; David knew how to repent and move into right standing with God. You must endeavor to keep your portion of God’s covenant as it pertains to your life. This covenant established God’s Kingdom and God’s rule on the earth through the model of King David and the Kingdom of Israel. The last covenant we will cover is essentially the most important one in that is it the more excellent one. It offers better benefits and will never cease to exist as Jesus the Christ is our High Priest forever. All of the covenants referenced above ended when the New Testament was established. In Jeremiah God announces the foundations of the new covenant He will establish with mankind. The Old Testament covenants were often more difficult to benefit from as Israel spent more time under the curses of disobedience rather than enjoying the blessings of obedience. Provisions of the New Covenant are: Regeneration and the giving of a new heart; Forgiveness of sin (Jer 31:34; Ezek. 36:26); Indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Ezek 36:27); Universal knowledge of God among the people of Israel (Jer 31:34) That Israel would obey God and have a right attitude toward Him forever (Jer 32:39-40; Ezek. 36:27; 37:23-24); National blessings to the people of Israel.

How does the New Testament Church fit into the New Covenant? The New Covenant is superior to any of the old covenants for three reasons:

1. It provides a better priesthood The Mosaic Covenant priests were sinful and imperfect men whereas the Priest of the New Covenant is Christ (compare Lev 16:6 with Hebrews 7:26-28). The mediation is far better than that provided by the priests of the old covenants. Christ is infallible and perfectly sinless. Christ is a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek High Priest of Salem --without beginning or end.

2. It provides a better sacrifice The Mosaic Covenant introduced burnt offerings, meal offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, trespass offerings, etc. but compare Hebrews 9:11-14. The blood of sacrifices could never remove sin, only cover it up whereas the blood of Jesus the Christ is offered once for all and provides for all our sin.

3. It provides a better foundation Hebrews 8:6 tells us "But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.” God is still a covenant keeping God to those who understand the covenant and are willing to abide by the statues, judgments and commandments of God. Deuteronomy chapter 28 still applies in that it says if you are obedient God will bless you in the city and bless you in the field, in your rising up and in your laying down, going in and coming out. Likewise the second half of the verse applies in that if you are disobedient; cursed you will be in the city, cursed in the field, you will come against your enemy one way and flee from him seven ways. Jesus is still looking for covenant Christians, will you be one? Can you stand the blessing of the God of the Universe? Living in the covenant means living in the blessings as well as living life more abundantly. Let’s live the Zoe life here on earth. Let us seek first the Kingdom of God and all His righteousness and have all the things the world seeks after added unto us. Until next month dear hearts, friends and loved ones; keep it real and keep it Christ.

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Work Personal Life

WORK . FAMILY . PERSONAL LIFE

Trying to balance your work and family or personal life can be tough. That’s why a continual pursuit of a healthy lifestyle is vital to handling the demands of daily life. But what does a healthy lifestyle really mean? A healthy lifestyle includes, but is not limited to, eating a variety of healthy foods most of the time, engaging in regular exercise, finding time to relax, and getting adequate sleep to give your body time to recover and rejuvenate. It means you must love yourself enough to develop your strategic plan to remove unhealthy habits and implement healthy ones.

“Tell her about the extra things you’ve committed to at church,” Maya said, anxiously. “She’s already an usher and she sings in the choir.”

Coach Collins, a renowned fitness consultant, offers her observations and insights into the plight to implement and sustain healthier lifestyle habits. An excerpt of a dialogue between Coach Collins and two of her clients, Natalie and Maya who are sisters, will help you relate to and understand those common struggles shared to live healthier.

Natalie nodded to acknowledge Maya’s interruption and continued. “My sister is not as active as I am at church. Anyway, the time away from work because of the funeral has placed me behind on all of my projects causing much stress as I try to play catch up. Aside from all of that the president of our women’s ministry asked me to coordinate a job fair in April and our women’s conference in June. Needless to say, I’m the one having to find the employers to attend the job fair and the speakers for our conference. Because of the extra commitments, I have to stay up late until the wee hours to send and respond to emails. My goal to exercise and get at least seven hours of sleep has gone out the window.”

“Hi Coach,” Natalie and Maya said, exiting their cars at Memorial Park.

stated.

“You have quite a bit going on,” Coach Collins

“Hi ladies. It’s good to see you. Before we get started with our walk/run session, let’s sit and visit for a moment.” Coach Collins and the ladies sat down at a nearby park bench. “So, how’s everything going? How are your health and fitness goals progressing?”

“I was doing really well when I last spoke with you. I’d get up at six o’clock in the morning, feed my dog, and have a bowl of cereal, a piece of fresh fruit, and a glass of water for breakfast. At work I’d eat a half peanut butter/ jelly sandwich and a glass of water for my morning snack; and baked chicken, brown rice, and mix greens with an orange for lunch. I’d walk with my co-workers during the second half of our lunch hour. I’d have a container of lowfat yogurt with wheat germ for an afternoon snack. After work I’d drive home or attend a ministry meeting. I’d eat a piece of fish and steamed broccoli for dinner. For those days I had something scheduled after work, I’d try to arrive home no later than 8:30pm. I’d shower, watch a little television, read my bible or Sunday school lesson, then, I’d go to bed around 10:00 pm.”

Natalie started off talking about an extra project her boss had asked her to spearhead at work. The project required her to travel and work longer hours. “Coach, it’s been a struggle the past few weeks. I’ve been traveling quite a bit and life on the road has brought on some temptations. I’m unable to eat on schedule because I’m in and out of meetings from the time my day starts and ends. When the time does arrive to eat, I have to eat with folks who want soul food which makes it harder for me to eat right. Prior to my new assignment I was exercising five days a week. Now I’m unable to do so at all. Nor do I get to eat breakfast most mornings,” Natalie stated. “Also, last week I had to travel back home for our grandmother’s funeral.”

“The stress she was under at work had diminished also,” Maya said, proudly.

Continued from previous page

“Absolutely. I had a long over due discussion with my boss about conflicting job expectations, too much responsibility, and too many "hats to wear.” And we were able to mitigate my concerns. Better organizational skills helped me to handle the demands of work and as a consequence my stress was under control. My mood and sleep disturbances, upset stomach and headaches… had subsided,” Natalie admitted. “Then, things went crazy.”

“I’m not saying you’re not going to ever have some setbacks. But, once things change and existing or new challenges invade your life, you should conduct a selfexamination and develop your strategy for navigating through the situation,” Coach Collins confirmed. “Now that you’re traveling, you need to set some goals to eat a wholesome breakfast each morning. That may require you to stock your hotel room with fresh fruit, packaged oatmeal that you can prepare yourself, bottled water, etc. You may need to wake up a little earlier to workout in the hotel’s fitness center. If your hotel doesn’t have one – plan to take a fitness DVD on the road with you.”

“During our initial meeting you and your sister conducted a self examination of the things preventing you from living healthier. I remembered you stating that you had faced some uncomfortable truths about your lifestyle habits; habits you had come to rely on to get you through the day; habits that you knew over time would significantly impact your life,” Coach Collins recapped.

“Coach, the one word my sister needs to activate is “No”, Maya shouted out. “Her primary problem is that she doesn’t know how to say no. She accepts everything someone asks her to do. She’s always the one to volunteer to help.”

“You’re right, Coach. And I set some goals to address them…” Natalie paused. “For a while I was achieving my goals.”

“I can’t help it. I’d feel guilty if I say no,” Natalie responded quickly.

Maya quickly interrupted to defend her sister. “Coach, we’re working to get her back on track. Once her special project is over, as well as the job fair and women’s conference at church, she’ll have time to focus on her health and fitness, again.”

“Natalie it’s really okay to respectfully say no. When you quit doing the things you only do out of guilt or a false sense of obligation, you'll make more room in your life for the activities that are essential to living healthier. You can only manage and balance so much. Between work, family, church, household tasks, and personal obligations you must include nurturing yourself and attending to your health and fitness requirements. The consequences of not doing so can be devastating.”

“Commitments, obligations, pursuits and unforeseen events will always be a continual part of our lives. Things will always be changing. You never know what’s going to crop up next. That’s life,” Coach Collins reiterated. “The first of the year I had both of you to address three important tasks related to living healthier: (1) conduct a selfexamination of those things that challenge you everyday, (2) develop a plan for how you’re going to align living healthier with your pursuits and challenges, and (3) implement your plan that will help to alleviate a continuum of poor lifestyle choices. It’s not a one-time exercise. Those tasks require continuous review and refining.”

“Coach, I’ll go back to the table to rethink my priorities and re-evaluate my plan.” “Great,” Coach Collins said, sounding pleased. She then directed her attention to Maya. “Maya looks like we’ve only addressed your sister’s concerns today.” “It’s okay. I’ve been doing really well. Especially since I’ve gotten my husband and kids to eat some of the healthier dishes I’ve been preparing like the Eggplant with Sweet Onions and Tomatoes and Baked Zucchini and Tomatoes. I’m also doing much better with controlling my diabetes.”

Sounding frustrated, Natalie responded, “Coach, I conducted the self-examination of the thoughts, feeling and actions I had allowed to distract me from loving myself enough to change unhealthy habits. The problems at work were number one on my list. Then there were issues with my finances, and even some ill feelings I’d been harboring from past relationships. I came to the conclusion that I wasn’t going to continue the path I was traveling. I recognized how the stress of it all was impacting my life. So, I addressed the things I identified without hesitation, and pursued and implemented resolutions for change. Then, I set my goals to exercise, reduce my daily intake of soda, increase my hours of sleep time, expand my intake of vegetables, and minimize the stress in my life. I was doing well with all of them. But…”

“I’m glad to hear that. Next time we meet be sure to bring me the recipes for those two dishes. They sound delicious,” Coach Collins stated. “Next month I’m going to have you all do a self-evaluation of your progress. The exercise will provide a clear picture of how well you have done thus far with achieving your specific goals. Mastering the art of living healthier is not an easy task when it comes to figuring out how you’re going to negotiate your way through the challenges, but, that’s where prayer and unyielding faith steps in.”

THE RIGHT

EQUATION

Omar Tyree with

This month’s “Business Question of The Month” comes from Naila Chauncey, Columbus, OH:

And the artists and athletes who do tend to get too involved in the business side, can generally come off as unfocused, greedy, selfish, and money-driven which ends up hurting their business when people can’t connect to the Love of the art. Nevertheless, both of these departments of innovation (Art) and sales (Support) are needed to make economic gain. And the Business people have to understand that. It’s ALL A PART OF THE BUSINESS!

Question - Why do you think that those with careers in the arts are not given credibility as business people? Omar Tyree Answers: To make a long story short here, people who have careers in the arts have a blessing and a curse dilemma. Even though the business salesman, marketers, company men, and investment people can’t sell anything without creative products to sell, they typically don’t want the artistic opinions or emotions in the way when they’re trying to push the dollars and cents game. And artists typically have more of an invested interest in what they’re trying to create than just pure dollars and cents. Artists typically have quality control goals, just like salespeople have numbers goals. But typically, many business people have learned to disrespect the artists who create and innovate the product because they are not driven by the utilitarian purpose of a buck for the sake of a buck. Artists want to earn that money with their quality control in check.

So no matter how many times you hear the creative Art people complaining about the sales and Support people, and vice versa, they both need each other to survive. Humans who are never inspired by the Love of entertainment, performance, or new innovation will not have the daily energy to work. PERIOD! So the companies who are able to better balance those two entities of innovation and sales, are usually the ones that are more successful. Because if you disrespect your creative artists, and they start leaving your company to join someone else, and your team can no longer win because of it, then your business model has failed. And if you have artists who don’t understand the importance of the business model and sales force, then you need to sit them down and explain it to them, or give them The Equation to read (smile).

But do you really want your innovative artists spending time calling up Tom, Dick, and Harry to sell the product instead of creating the product anyway? Then they’ll have the valid excuse that they didn’t have enough time to create or perform well to make the product valuable enough to sell. So you have to look at the priorities of the business model and say, “Look, we need folks to be able to focus on creating the best product that we can get.” And that is their JOB, and that is BUSINESS whether the rest of us understand that or not! But if you start having every artist or innovator or athlete for that matter, trying to do everything, and their premiere product begins to suffer because of it, then we ALL suffer.

And The Equation to this answer is this; IT’S A TEAMWORK GAME, SO LEARN TO RESPECT EVERY PART OF THE TEAM! Just ask the Pittsburgh Steelers! It’s offense AND defense that wins the game! But when you do find those artists who can also do the Support that is needed for the Business, or a salesperson who can comprehend the excellence and execution of the Art, the synergy becomes a beautiful thing to witness.

Omar Tyree, a New York Times best-selling author, a 2001 NAACP Image Award recipient for Outstanding Literature in Fiction, and a 2006 Phillis Wheatley Literary Award winner for Body of Work in Urban Fiction, has published 18 books with nearly 2 million copies sold worldwide. Publishing his first business book, The Equation: Applying the 4 Indisputable Components of Business Success, at the end of last year, Tyree has been recognized as one of the most renowned contemporary writers in the African-American community. For more information on his work and titles, please view his web site @ (www.OmarTyree.com).

LIVE in the FastLane

Hyundai Genesis 2009 North America Car of the Year 25

Hyundai Genesis, initially introduced as a concept car in 2007 at the New York International Auto Show. The Hyundai Genesis was first introduced as a rear wheel drive full size sedan, however, a coupe version was introduced to the market in 2008. The Hyundai Genesis is offered with V6 and V8 liter engines. The Hyundai Genesis has been considered a luxury sedan without the price point of the traditional luxury brand models. In January 2009 the Hyundai Genesis was named the 2009 North American Car of the Year beating out the Ford Flex and the Volkswagen TDI.

Luxury features

V6 Liter

High-tech equipment includes: electronic stability control, XM NavTraffic, adaptive headlights, radar-based active cruise control, a 500-watt 17-speaker Lexicon audio system, and electronic active head restraints.

MSRP:

$32,250

Drivetrain:

Rear wheel drive

City MPG:

Highway MPG: 27

A leather-wrapped dash, door panels, and console lid surround the driver, while heated and cooled seats provide added comfort. The steering wheel is wrapped in engineered ultraviolet reflective leather to remain cool to the touch in extreme sunlight.

V8 Liter

Genesis has a total of 8 ultrasonic sensors located on the front and rear bumpers to help park in tight spaces. The car also offers a power rear sunshade, automatic electronic parking brake, proximity key and push button starter.

MSRP:

$37,250

Drivetrain:

Rear wheel drive

City MPG:

Highway MPG: 25

The car's eight airbags include dual front airbags, front and rear seat-mounted sideimpact airbags, and roof-mounted side curtain airbags.

Have you ever wondered what it is that causes some people to be at peace, to be able to overcome anything, to acquire great success and be able to arise as a true over comer? What is it that makes the difference? It’s in their daily routine. There are some daily habits that you can learn from others and then begin to implement in your life as part of your daily routine that will make you a true over comer! After surveying a number of successful over comers, I found the following similarities in their daily routine. If you will begin to restructure your life around these life principles, you too will become a true over comer. These are the 7 keys that I believe will start you on the way to becoming a TRUE OVER COMER! 1. Pray - Begin each day with prayer. God wants us to pray. Prayer is how we communicate with Him. James 5:16 says, “the effectual and fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Prayer is our way of expressing our thanks, supplications, our adoration, and our confession to God. When we sincerely pray, bodies are healed, walls are torn down, people are lifted up and we get direction for our lives. God wants us to be in constant communication with him. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, “pray without ceasing”. God wants us to pray. God wants people to seek HIM for direction for life. God wants total commitment! God wants to lead the path of the people so they will go the right way and receive the blessings HE has for us. Matthew 6:33 tells us to “seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Yes, the things that you tried to attain but couldn’t; was God sought first? The decisions that were made but turned out to be the wrong one; was God sought first? We often “have not” because we “ask not” or we ask amiss. We should ask God to give us the plans as we begin each day.

The Daily Ritual of An Over Comer

2. Meditate To mediate means to engage in mental exercise (as concentration on one's breathing or repetition) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness. So, meditation is necessary for us to become more spiritually attuned. Jesus said that we are not to "live by bread alone, but by EVERY Word of God". (Lk.4:4). He was teaching by illustration. How often do we eat each day? We eat in the day, and we eat at night, which is WHY God's Word admonishes us to MEDITATE (chew your food, the Word of God, slowly) upon His Word day and night. (Ps.1:1-3; Joshua 1:8). We must learn to sit still and think on the Word! Mediation allows you to get focused and organized.

by Pastor Renee Hornbuckle

3. Learn to Hear from God – get your daily orders Hearing is the ability to perceive or apprehend by the ear: to gain knowledge of by hearing: to listen to with attention. God is clear on his instruction on how we should hear and he warns and encourages us as well: Luke 8:18 So be sure to pay attention to what you hear. To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But to those who are not listening, even what they think they have will be taken away from them." NLT Rev 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says. How we listen and what we do with what we hear determines what we receive. Proverbs 8:34-36 34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. 35 For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD. 36 But whoever fails to find me harms himself; NIV God speaks daily into our lives; the voice of God is always speaking to us and always trying to get our attention. We miss what God is saying because we expect fire, lightning and thunder to appear, not recognizing that oftentimes God’s voice is a “small, still voice. Even in church, most people are more interested in entertaining speakers than they are the content of the message, so they hear sounds, but really don’t listen to what they need to give consideration to for their lives. We often miss what God is saying…we hear a sound, but we are not really listening, so we miss what God is speaking into our situation. God speaks daily into our “routines” of life. We must learn to hear his voice. How can we follow him if we don’t recognize his voice? So, learn to hear what HE is saying daily!

4. Give God all your cares 1 Peter 5:7 tell us to …Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you. TLB In times of trouble, cast your cares upon the Lord. Even if you are not troubled give your cares to God – He’s the most qualified to handle them. Then choose to trust HIM! He cares for you and He will work it out for your good.

5. Count your blessings and be thankful for what you have No matter what problems you have or how bad things may seem, there is always something to be thankful about. The Bible tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 No matter what happens always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Don't dwell on the negative and certainly stop the complaining. Think of the good things you have, and the problems and challenges will soon diminish or even disappear. Learn to appreciate where you are and to give thanks for ALL things. 28

6. Live each day as a true over comer Live life to the fullest! Begin to act and feel like you can achieve anything. You deserve it! You can be an over comer in anything you do, but you must master some basic life principles. Be Disciplined You must establish some disciplines in your life. Evaluate every area of your life and determine where you need to become more disciplined. Set some goals, and develop the steps you need to take for you to achieve them. Set some boundaries. Be healthy Take care of yourself. Strive to be physically, mentally and spiritually healthy. You feel good when you're healthy. Be knowledgeable Always seek to learn, so that you'll be skilled in what you want to do. You feel sure when you're knowledgeable. Be excellent Strive to achieve your goals, do a good job and have confidence and self-esteem. Always made certain that you give it your absolute best in everything you do! God’s starting point is EXCELLENCE! Get rid of your mediocre thinking, and stop just being average. If you are going to be the best, then that’s what you have to give! God gave us HIS BEST! Be valuable You have value! And you must be confident in your value! In all that we do and even in any type of relationship (family, business, community, etc.) we should bring value to it. Seek to find your value. Strong relationships can be a valuable commodity. When each person brings value, there is a positive exchange. People reciprocate your actions by providing something valuable to you. Be honorable Proverbs 11:3 the integrity of the upright guides them NIV Your honor and integrity is what will guide you to do the right things. Try to always be honest, courageous and reliable. Try to be a person of good character. Others will respect you for your integrity. Be a servant! Commit to a life of service. We are called to a life of service and if we develop a servant’s attitude it will promote you to greatness. Eph 4:12-13 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. NIV We must serve others until we all reach unity!

7. Finally, ENJOY your life and learn to help others enjoy theirs!

A major part of enjoying your life is to help others enjoy their lives. Help people succeed. That is what it is all about. That is your purpose.

Make it a point everyday to celebrate life. Celebrate your achievements. Use your set-backs as opportunities to learn how to overcome. Everything that we go through in life is an opportunity for us to learn.

So, remember God has put you in this earth to make a difference! He wants you to be an OVER COMER! If you commit to trying these keys for at least 21 one days (it takes 21 days to develop a habit), you will find yourself on the way to becoming a true over comer!!!

Pastor Renee Hornbuckle is a woman of influence. A wife, mother, pastor, author and entrepreneur, Renee understands the demands and pressures of the 21 Century life. Consequently, she challenges and inspires people everywhere to maximize their potential and realize their God-appointed destiny. Renee motivates average people to become extraordinary people of distinction and worth. Visit her at www..reneehornbuckleministries.org.

TRAVEL:

A Gift That Spans Generations

Have you ever returned from a trip anxious to share your stories and pictures with family members, only to be disappointed as you’re going through them? It’s a common occurrence; photos don’t always capture the true essence of your experience.

moments as you experience unique places and people away from the day-to-day routine of home.” Lund couldn’t agree more. “Traveling with my grandchildren has given us a gift – a special bond of memories that only we share, no one else.” Lund has started a family tradition with her grandchildren. When they reach 10 years of age, she takes them on a unique trip that helps broaden their world view. To date, she’s shared the Galapagos Islands with her granddaughter Laurie and Peru with granddaughter Libby.

So what’s the best way to truly share your travel excursions with family? Take them with you! In fact, intergenerational travel (grandparents taking their children and grandchildren on trips) has increased in recent years. More than 30 percent of grandmas have taken at least one trip with a grandchild, according to the Travel Industry Association of America. And those numbers are expected to climb, with a large increase coming from international travel.

Both Wyer and Lund sought guidance from Travel Beyond, a 30-year-old international travel consultancy in Wayzata, Minn., to design their trips. The consultancy has invested more than 25,000 hours personally visiting and pre-screening destinations around the world. This first-hand knowledge was a big comfort to Wyer and Lund.

Joan Wyer and Sherry Lund, both from Minnesota, are two such grandparents. They’ve taken family members to domestic and international destinations alike and say it’s a wonderful, fun and enlightening way to build relationships. “I could travel alone or with friends,” says Wyer. “But I’d much rather share these memories with my family.” Wyer has taken her family of 18 (four children, their spouses and nine grandchildren) on three excursions in the last several years including Alaska, the Sea of Cortez (Mexico) and the Galapagos Islands.

“Many of today’s baby boomers want an experience that doesn’t involve a tour bus and hoards of people,” says Craig Beal, chief executive officer of Travel Beyond. “They want to get out and explore new destinations in a way that’s unique to them. That’s why we agonize over the details and customize every aspect of their travel.”

“There is no better way to build deep relationships than by traveling together,” says Wyer. “There are definitely bonding

According to Beal, several international destinations have emerged as excellent options for intergenerational travel. Three to 10 Day Tours – Experience the Uniqueness of Canada

New Music Crystal Aikin Winner of “Sunday Best” Self-titled debut Release

* Observe the polar bears in Churchill * Ride through the Canadian Rockies on the Rocky Mountaineer * Visit the 400-year-old city of Old Quebec

Five to 15 Day Tours – Enjoy the Diversity of South America * Explore the ancient Incan ruins of Machu Picchu, Peru * Visit the Galapagos Islands, known for its impact on Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection * Star gaze through a private observatory in the Atacama Desert of Chile * Experience ‘March of the Penguins’ in real life in Antarctica

10 to 20 Day Tours – Discover the Wild Side of Africa * Interact with one of Africa's oldest tribes (Himba) and see the largest collection of ship wrecks in the world in Namibia * Seek out the “Big Five” (lions, leopards, elephants, cape buffalo, rhinos) on a safari through Botswana * View the impressive Victoria Falls in Zambia, one of the seven Natural Wonders of the World “Many of the trips I’ve taken through Travel Beyond are experiences of a lifetime,” continues Lund. “I’m fortunate to give those experiences to my grandchildren as a special gift. Walking among the iguanas, seeing birds and animals that are unique to that location and exposing them to parts of the world they’ve never heard of before. Those are cherished gifts any grandparent would love to give.” To learn more about intergenerational travel or general travel to the destinations mentioned above or many other locations, contact Travel Beyond at (800) 876-3131 or visit www.travelbeyond.com. 31

Dr. Creflo Dollar Presents HEART OF GOD Available in stores March 24th

FOR ART’S SAKE

by Lea M. Lucas

The World of

This month we are traveling back in time to visit the gravel pits and rock quarries of the Ancient world to investigate a metamorphic rock called " marble".

This is when art started moving away from the Egyptian flat face stone cutting with fully clothed carvings representing the royals, to the Greek sculptors which focused on the natural male anatomy.

Marble is a non-foliated metamorphic rock resulting from a metamorphism of Limestone.

There is a great deal of history to be learned in dealing with sculpture and marble, each period are similar but different, the Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods influenced and advanced sculpture to where it is today. We see each style in our everyday lives from our churches, banks, and buildings of higher education.

The word "marble" is a colloquialism used to refer to many other stones that are capable of taking a high polish. Marble is extensively used for sculpture, as a building material and in many other applications. The word " marble" derives from the Greek meaning " Crystalline rock" Shining stone" or to Flash, Sparkle or Gleam. I am thinking that you may have no idea where "marble" is harvested from other then Italy; well that's not the only place. Marble comes from numerous locations and in a variety of colors. It comes from China, Spain, Poland, Ireland, Pakistan, Croatia, Mexico, Norway, India, Greece, Turkey, Belgium, Russia, Vietnam, and the most famous place of all is Carrara, Italy. In my research I found that we also have marble here in the United States in places such as Vermont, Central Texas and Colorado.

Many well known artists used "marble" for many important pieces of sculpture we see today, such as Donatello and Michelangelo. Both men had a vision for a “David”. The two sculptures are different, but equally beautiful. If you want to see a marble sculpture at its best traveling to Europe and visiting St. Peters Bascilica in Rome, Italy would give you the best glimpse of marble as art. There you will see marble come to life in " The Pieta", which is Michelangelo's depiction of the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother Mary.

The different colors of marble are white, black, green, brown, pink, red and the most famous color of blue gray which is found in Carrara, Italy. Carrara is where Michelangelo found the marble for his famous statue “David”. When Michelangelo saw the slab of marble he said " I just knocked away the pieces and David stepped out".

The next time you look at a piece of marble try to figure out where it came from and hey, if you can't figure it out oh well, just look at the beauty in the stone and think of the history it as a piece of work or should I say a piece of marble. We will keep sailing on our cruise " For Art Sake" until next time when we reach another port of call, where that will be who knows.

Marble, was used in what was called the Classical style by the Greeks and Romans from about 500 BCE to 476 AD.

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