San Antonio Beacon June 2017

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Serving San Antonio and the Surrounding Communities Since 2001

SWhen we started out, we had a few ideas of what it meant to be a parent and raise children. Day. PG 3

Why Good Friends Make You Happy What ways might break through the dark night of hopelessness? Let’s jump in on this together.

PG 6

The Easter story is the most important story in the history of the world. And it does not belong only to Christians; it is for everyone.

Military Honor Run and Ride The Honor Run and Ride raises money to benefit wounded warriors and their spouses PG 10

Pets are Good for Child Health Pets aren’t appropriate for all kids.

But for many they’re fun to play with, interesting to observe, and a pleasure to have around.

PG 15

A N Y M P

June 2017

Steve Teel

SENIOR PASTOR, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST, AND BEACON

Interview Pg 2

O

40 Lessons for Our Children

Want to Beat the Heat?

Pg 16 VOL.17 — NO. 6

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ENTERTAINMENT

steve teel: senior pastor, radio talk show host, and community leader BEACON INTERVIEW

Steve Teel is the pastor of Momentum ketball team, and even a job I enjoyed and Bible Church, president of Very Bold Minisdid well. But late at night, alone with my tries, organizer of the Peanut Butter Bowl, own thoughts in bed, I would lay there and author of the Joe Angel Guardian Games get an overwhelming sense of emptiness. series and The Difference Maker, and is host Something was wrong. of our weekly radio show: Beacon Radio on KL: What was going on?

AM630 The Word and AM630theWord.com ST: That’s when I realized I knew about every Saturday noon to 1pm.

Jesus, but I didn’t know Jesus. That was the Keith Leslie is The Beacon publisher and problem. I did not have that personal relapresident of Full Armor Group. tionship with God. I cried at night, just cryKeith Leslie: Tell us about growing up. ing out to God to make Himself real to me.

How did your faith come to you?

“God, you made yourself real to Paul, just do Steve Teel: I grew up an Army brat. it now. Just show up!”

Lived in West Point, California, Kansas, KL: Did anything happen?

Georgia, and of course Oklahoma as you ST: No, not at first. It was just silence. know. Even graduated from high school in But after many nights, maybe even months, Frankfurt, Germany. But when my dad was of what I thought were unanswered prayers. stationed at the Pentagon in D.C., I was 16 God showed up. God showed off. I sat in years old and began to look at my life. I was church and God spoke to me and it was a good kid by most standards. My mom and real, it was powerful. Looking back, it was dad made sure we went to church wherever beautiful. That’s a story for another time, we lived. At 16 I had what looked like a but changed Proposed Advertisement forit completely September 2016my life. pretty decent life: loving family, a great KL: Did you feel a call to fulltime minisgroup of friends, some success on the bastry at that point?

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ST: Not right away. But I did feel an immediate just, burden, to share the power and love of Jesus Christ with other people.

And I just could not let go of it. Then you get to a point where you can’t let go of that feeling, that call, and then that call just won’t let go of you.

KL: Has ministry been what you expected then? Most 16 year-old kids probably aren’t thinking about fulltime ministry.

ST: Short answer is: No. Ministry isn’t what I expected. God calls. God gives dreams. God makes promises. But God’s timing is so different than I’d ever think.

And I think of Joseph in the Old Testament with God’s big dreams for his life and then the rollercoaster ride God takes Joseph on to get to there is a pretty crazy ride of ups and downs.

KL: You ever feel like getting off that ride?

ST: Oh yeah. But then you wait long enough, God just shows up again. God speaks. God whispers. God even shows off from time to time.

KL: And so you start a church?

ST: Something like that. We’ve been blessed to do a lot of different things over the years.

KL: Speaking of “we”. What did your bride, Kris, think about starting a church?

ST: My wife is what makes it all go.

Without her support of some of these crazy dreams and visions that I believe God puts on my heart... forget it. Game over. But when she knows God is giving the green light, she’s all in. She is amazing. It cracks me up because she’s so involved in our church start-up that she’s really more indispensable than I am. She’s making sure the nursery and pre-K is good to go, the hospitality, the set-up, the women’s Bible study, and I’m just preaching. She’s amazing.

KL: Has starting a church been what you expected?

ST: I would say it’s harder than I expected. But it’s also more fun than I expected. We just started from scratch. We just dove in. We didn’t have a church that was backing us, or a denominational grant, or a nest egg. We just said, “Okay, God. Let’s go. Let’s see what you got.” God has sent us an all-star team of difference makers to help

us get the church going. I could just list off all-star after all-star. Our worship leader, John David Cornwell, is second to none. He’s really unbelievable. It blows me away the leaders that are emerging at MBC across the board. That’s where it gets so fun to see who God is going to send and call to help us go and grow. We are always looking for more all-stars to come and do their thing. To be what God has called them to be.

KL: Anything else you would call fun about starting MBC? ST: Man, I love to teach God’s word. I love to preach it and share insights with my people. The last two years of starting the church I have personally been discovering so many great things in God’s word. God has just given me back a fresh hunger for His Word. It’s a blast.

KL: Do you still have time to do Very Bold Ministries with all the church start going on?

ST: Yes. We started Very Bold back in the late 90s. At the time I was on a church staff and God put on my heart to write books.

Then God put on my heart to hold a prayer rally for any and all in San Antonio.

KL: That was Pray Before You Play?

ST: Yep, you were there! People who’ve been around San Antonio for 20 years or so might remember it. We met at NEISD’s Comalander Stadium and had 500 the first year, 5,000 the next, and 6,000 the one after that. But at a certain point, we knew God had accomplished His purpose and we moved on to the next thing God was calling us to do. We went fulltime with Very Bold which was a big risk but a big adventure too. So these days, Very Bold Ministries still is about three things: Evangelizing, Encouraging, and Equipping. We’ve created a lot of resources over the years with my writing.

We did Sports Illustrating God devotionals reaching thousands across the world. We published some devotional books and then God put on my heart to write some fictional books too. But right at the moment we’ve just shifted part of my time to church starting and evangelizing, encouraging, equipping people through that. Very Bold contincontinued on page 14

A Busy Season

by KIRK FREEMAN, Pastor CrossBridge Community Church

Debbie and I have been in a busy season.

Two of our girls are graduating (Ellie from college and Mary Callen from high school), which means family in town and lots of end of school events and small celebrations. At the same time, we’re preparing to be part of an outreach, leaving for Costa Rica soon.

Right now, everything is fast paced and a little crazy...and my bet is that you’re thinking, “Whew! I can relate to that!”

While it’s important that an overly busy season doesn’t inadvertently become an overly busy life (which it can, if we’re not careful), it’s also important to remember when we’re walking with Jesus, he’s walking with us. There’s no substitute for integrating a still, quiet time in your day to experience God through the Holy Spirit and the Word, but remember, God’s not shaking his head in disappointment with you because you didn’t read your Bible today. He’s not frustrated at you because you can’t get it together. He’s full of compassion for you...by the way, the prefix “com” means to be “with.”

Jesus said it this way: Whoever believes that through me they are right with God and whoever receives my loving authority in their life, that person is given the right to be a child of God. Given the what?--the right.

When we put our trust wholly in Jesus, we are given a right, not a privilege. This means that God willingly and joyfully obligates him to caring for you and loving you the way a good parent loves their child. You don’t have to earn or worry about learning it. You can rest in it, receive it and know that you know that it’s reality.

Remind yourself of this periodically by declaring out loud that, as a follower of Jesus, “I am a dearly loved child of Father God. Nothing can change his mind--he is full of love for me!” Don’t abandon the pursuit of a daily, quiet time with God, but at the same time, look for creative ways to renew your mind like in Romans 12. For instance, while you’re in your car, declare out loud what is true about Father God or what his Word says is true about you. Pick some scriptures from John, write them on cards and look at them at a stoplight instead of your iPhone (don’t tell me you don’t look at your phone). Listen to KLove or Air1. Listen to a podcast (how about mine?).

Most of all, remind yourself that God is for you. Jesus made a commitment to never leave you or abandon you.

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FAMILY

40 Lessons We Sought to Teach our Children

BY DENNIS AND BARBARA RAINEY

We will never forget that incredible moment when our daughter Ashley was born. The doctor cleaned her up and handed her to us. Dennis recalls that he wanted to blurt out, “Thanks for the gift, but where are the instructions?”

When we started out, we had a few ideas of what it meant to be a parent and raise children. Two years later we added a son and we realized that we had better become intentional about what we wanted to do as parents and teach our children.

As a result we began a list of 25 things we wanted to teach our children. Then it became 40, 50, and even more. (For your sake we’ve shortened the list back to the top 40.) Some of these lessons began during the first year for each of our six children, while

PUBLISHER: Full Armor Foundation CONTENT DIRECTORS: Pam Leslie COMMUNITY MANAGER: Blake Clifton CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Jim Faulk, Kirk Freeman, Darryl Lyons, Lauren Robertson PHOTOGRAPHY: Claire Leslie THE BEACON OFFICE: P.O. Box 591490 San Antonio, Texas 78259 PH: (210) 614-8884 x2001 FAX: (210) 614-8885 ONLINE: www.saBeacon.com PUBLISHED: Monthly MISSION STATEMENT To deliver hope, inspiration and change through relevant articles from local and national writers, news sources, and Beacon staff. We strive to be recognized as the forum for family-oriented community events and activities, directories for area churches, schools, charities, businesses, and camps.

others were emphasized later during childhood or adolescence. Today our children are adults and our role in their lives has changed. We have moved from being teachers to being cheerleaders and advisors, when asked.

Raising children requires huge chunks of time, prayer, discipline, involvement, and relationship-building. This list of values and traits has helped us focus on biblical priorities in raising children to become mature adults of faith and godly character.

• Above all, fear God. • Respect authority—trust and obey your parents.

• The importance of friendships.

• Be in love with Christ and focus on your relationship with Him, not just on doctrine or on biblical principles.

• Have compassion for the poor and orphans.

• Believe God for too much rather than too little.

• Real strength is found in serving, not in being served.

• The power of moral purity and a clean conscience.

• How to motivate people without manipulating them.

• How to handle failure.

• Keep your promises.

• The power of the tongue for good or evil.

• Give too much rather than too little.

• The importance of manners and

common courtesies.

• View life through God’s agenda—the Great Commission (Matthew 28:1620) and the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-38).

• Give thanks to God in all things.

• The importance of prayer.

• The art of asking good questions, carrying on good conversation.

• How to grow as a Christian.

• How to handle temptation.

• By faith, trust Christ as your Savior and Lord, and share with others how to become a Christian.

• Seeking wisdom—skill in everyday living. Knowing how to make good decisions.

• Gaining a sense of God’s direction and destiny for your life.

• Stay teachable and do not become cynical.

• Obtain godly counsel.

• The importance of flexibility and adaptability to cope in life.

• Truth is best passed on through relationships.

• Leave a legacy of holiness.

• Keep life manageable. Prioritize decisions.

• Tame selfishness—you can’t always get your way.

• Choices are yours to make and results are yours to experience.

• Respect the dignity of other people— all people.

• Be faithful in the little things.

• Character is the basis of all leadership.

• Life isn’t fair—don’t compare with or be jealous of others.

• Live by commitments, not by feelings.

• Express grace and forgiveness.

• A strong work ethic.

• Surrender to the authority of Christ.

• How to handle your finances.

We should mention that, after number one, the items on this list are not presented in any order or priority. We realize the list may appear long and daunting. But we suspect that if you began a list of your own, you’ll quickly find that it’s just as lengthy.

That’s because parenting is a long and challenging task. Fortunately we have a God who gives us the strength to accomplish the tasks He lays before us (Philippians 4:13). We encourage you to lean on Him. No, we didn’t perfectly teach each and every one of these 40 things, but it was a guide to remind us of what was important. We never stopped training, teaching, and cheering them on. As Galatians 6:9 tells us, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

Copyright 2013 by FamilyLife. All rights reserved.

TRY WEIGHT TRAINING FOR A HEALTHIER HEART, SUGGEST EXPERTS Weight training is a form of resistance exercise that helps in developing strength and skeletal muscles. It is also great to lose weight and get in shape, but the list of benefits don’t just end here. According to a new study, carried out by researchers from the University of Radboud University Medical Centre, weight training may help in reducing the risk of high blood pressure and diabetes and also keep your heart healthy. The study shows that just two 30-minute sessions of weight training in a week can have many healthy benefits and prevent you from developing metabolic syndrome.

Metabolism syndrome is a set of biochemical and physiological abnormalities such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, elevated blood sugar levels and excess weight that can lead to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. A lot of previous studies have shown that just 15-minutes of moderate intensity exercise may help lower

the risk of early death from heart disease.

But those studies focused more on endurance training like brisk walking, running or cycling. Weight training has been associated with reduced risk of diabetes and improved bone health, but this is first study that looks at the benefits of this form of exercises in connection with metabolic syndrome.

For the study, researchers used data from 7,418 middle-aged men and women who participated in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study (ACLS) in the United States. The participants were asked to report about resistance exercises they did per week in terms of the amount of time spent and the amount of sessions performed.

All participants were healthy and without metabolic syndrome at the start of the study. The study was carried out between 1987 and 2006 and by the end of it, 15% of the participants developed metabolic syndrome. The results showed that those who

engaged in regular resistance training, including those who completed the recommended two or more sessions of training per week, had a 17% lower risk of developing metabolic syndrome compared to those who did no resistance exercise at all. Moreover, those who completed less than an hour of resistance exercise every week had a 29% lower risk. The study concludes that a small amount of weight training done just once or twice a week can help you remain fit and healthy.

If you’re a beginner, don’t fret. Start slow and never try to use excess weight that you may not be able to control. Get used to the smaller dumbbells and them move on to heavier weights. Squats and push-ups are also great for beginners and once you master them, you’ll feel at ease with your body and can advance to other weight training exercises like lunges and planks.

Program Guide MONDAY - FRIDAY

GodGodbless landthat thatI love I love bless America, America, land Stand beside her, and guide her StandThrough beside her guide theand night , her withThrough the lightthe from above night, with the light from above to the prairies From the mountains,

Thru The Bible Real Life Radio Truth For Life Focus On The Family Insight For Living Leading The Way Family Life Today Grace To You Turning Point Pathway To Victory Jay Sekulow Live Hope For The Heart Know The Truth Somebody Loves You Messianic Perspectives Key Life Real Life Radio Living God Ministries The Eric Metexas Show The Word to Stand of for Life Maranatha Bible Church John Haggee Today Grace Revealed Messianic Perspectives Calvary Current Focus On The Family The Word On Investing Turning Point Pentecostes Sigue su Marcha Hope in the Night

J. Vernon McGee Sean Azzaro, River City Community Church Alistair Begg Jim Daly Chuck Swindoll Michael Youssef Dennis Rainey John MacArthur David Jeremiah Robert Jeffress Jay Sekulow June Hunt Philip De Courcy Raul Ries Gary Hedrick Steve Brown Sean Azzaro - River City Aaron Budjen Eric Metaxas Ron Arbaugh - Calvary Chapel Rander Draper - Maranatha Bible Church John Haggee - Cornerstone Church J.D. Link - Abundant Grace Gary Hedrick Bunjee Garrett- Calvary South Austin Jim Daly David Mitchell David Jeremiah George Weber - Templo Pentecostal June Hunt

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Project One The Greatest Doctor Parenting Unchained Kathleen Whitten Ministries Learn to Buy and Sell Cars nextTalk The Cross At Kerrville Hill Country Institute Live Beacon Radio High Resolution Believers In Business Believing the Bible Real Life Radio The Word On Investing Church of the Week Rehoboth Voice Prophetic Voice Of Our Time RCCG Salvation Center Focus On the Family Weekend Parenting Unchained Maranatha Bible Church The Christian Outlook His Life Revealed

Jan Johnson - KSLR Dr. Josh Bonine Jim Dempsey Kathleen Whitten Randy Adams Mandy Majors & Kim Elerick Max Greiner Larry Linenschmidt Steve Teel Kurt Hudspeth KSLR Scott Lane & Terry Read Sean Azzaro - River City David Mitchell Baron Wiley Johnson Varkey Mike & Cris Sosso - Freedom Fellowship Koye Sanni - RCCG Salvation Center John Fuller Jim Dempsey Rander Draper - Maranatha Bible Church Don Kroah Todd Grainger - His Life Ministries

7:00am 7:30am 8:00am 8:30am 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:30pm 2:00pm

Calvary Current Road To Reality Peace By Believing Living Your Best Life Bible Baptist Hour Doctrinal Bible Studies Revival Ministry Grace To You - Weekend Kathleen Whitten Ministries High Resolution Church Of The Week Leading the Way - Weekend His Life Revealed

Bunjee Garrett - Calvary South Austin K.P. Yohannan Jon Redmond Les Hollon - Trinity Baptist Lasserre Bradley Jr. Pastor R.B. Thieme Jr. GD Coppedge John MacArthur Kathleen Whitten Kurt Hudspeth - Four Winds Baron Wiley - KSLR Michael Youssef Todd Grainger - His Life Ministries

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Hope for the Heart

June Hunt

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Turning Point Weekend

David Jeremiah

3:30pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 8:00pm

The Word On Investing The Cross at Kerrville Phophetic Voice Of Our Time RCCG Salvation Center Focus on the Family Abortion Hurts God Heals You Are A Dad

David Mitchell Max Greiner Mike & Cris Sosso - Freedom Fellowship Koye Sanni - RCCG Salvation Center John Fuller Saundra Decker & Virginia Lange Brad Cornell

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Why Good Friends Make You Happy

BY PHILIP MOELLER

The gravitational pull of individual friendships can have an enormous cumulative effect on the quality of our lives. With growing numbers of people living alone, either by choice or circumstance, friendships can occupy the emotional space that other people fill with spouses or significant others. Friends can link us to broader social networks and help enrich our lives. At the end of the day, a friend can be the emotional oasis that makes all the difference.

“Friends are what make us uniquely human,” says James Fowler, professor of medical genetics and political science at the University of California at San Diego. “There is no other species that interacts so widely with other members of their species. So right away, you know that when you’re studying these relationships with friends, what you’re really doing is studying what makes us unique.”

After a career studying different types of relationships and their impact on well-being

and health, Harvard relationship expert Lisa Berkman has developed a broad view of the relationships people need in order to thrive.

There is no optimal mix of friends and family, or of intimate and more casual friendships.

“You can substitute these things,” she says.

“People who have a lot of friends may not need a lot of family ties.” Religion and other group interests also can provide tremendous emotional support and human contact that fulfills our need for human companionship and reinforcement.

Solid friendships provide needed validation that a person is valuable and of interest to other people. “Relationships help people feel that they’re worthy, that they are capable, that they can set goals and accomplish them, and that they can control their life,” says Toni Antonucci, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan.

Antonucci has developed a structure of friendship represented by three concentric circles that she describes as very close, close, and not-

Given the ability of friends to make you happier or sadder, Fowler says, it might be tempting to cull your network of friends to eliminate those who have a negative influence on you. “You might say, well, ‘I’ll just get rid of all my friends who aren’t perfect,’ and that’s absolutely the wrong advice”

so-close but still meaningful personal ties. The rings can play different roles, with strong and emotional ties serving some functions and less-intimate friendships filling other needs.

A person’s inner circle usually includes close family members and friends who are thought of as family. Rosemary Blieszner, a specialist in aging and adult development at Virginia Tech, notes how common it is to hear someone say, for example, “My brother and I are so close, we are best friends,” or “My girlfriend and I are so close, we’re just like sisters.”

Close friendships display strong support and affection, Blieszner says. A close friend fills an invaluable role as a confidant, someone who listens and pays attention to you, is willing to help you, and has shared interests. There is give-and-take and often a balance that doesn’t put too much weight on one party.

Women, it turns out, are often better friends to other women and also to men.

Women also engage directly in shared activities and derive value by enjoying their friends’ experiences. Men, by comparison, do not interact as much and tend to base enjoyment of sporting events and other shared activities on their own experiences. “Men confide in women, and women confide in women,” Blieszner explains, “so I think women are perceived as better listeners.” She borrows an observation from Paul Wright, a retired psychologist at the University of North Dakota, to describe how friends of the same sex interact differently.

Given the ability of friends to make you happier or sadder, Fowler says, it might be tempting to cull your network of friends to eliminate those who have a negative influence on you. “You might say, well, ‘I’ll just get rid of all my friends who aren’t perfect,’ and that’s absolutely the wrong advice,” he says. According to his research, dropping a bad friend actually raises the risk that your happiness will decline.

“Every friend makes you healthier; every friend makes you happier,” Fowler says. “We’re not talking about your 500th friend on Face-

book. We’re talking about your dearest and closest friends, and these people are hard to find.”

Antonucci has a different view. Human relationships have negative as well as positive consequences, and a friendship that has turned toxic is not worth keeping. “Nobody can drive you quite so crazy as someone who is near and important to you,” she says. “One of the things people have to do is to learn when to give up on a relationship and how to do it.”

The good news about friendships is that they get better with age, says Karen Fingerman, professor of human development and family science at the University of Texas. “It almost doesn’t matter what relationship you’re talking about. They get better when you get older.”

Older people are generally more happy and forgiving and less judgmental than younger people. They also are less driven by emotions and hormones and do a better job of controlling their behaviors.

The number and diversity of friendships tend to naturally decline in later years, and can lead to isolation and adverse effects on health and happiness. Psychologist Laura Carstensen, who directs the Stanford Center on Longevity, says people should consider paying attention to the diversity and ages of people in their circle of friends. This can minimize the serious impact of having all your friends die off, she says.

Developing and maintaining friendships requires continuous attention. “Give-and-take is important,” Blieszner says. Other elements of solid friendships, she notes, include paying attention to what’s going on in a friend’s life, seeking out and participating in shared interests and activities, and being able to confide deeply to a friend.

“People should learn to value relationships,” Antonucci concludes. “They will make them happier. And with longer life expectancies, they really have to think about the kind of life they want to lead ... I think we underestimate how important it is in our lives to have relationships.”

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GOD’S FAVORITE NAME IS “FATHER”

BY MAX LUCADO

Of all his names, Father is God’s favorite.

We know he loves this name most because this is the one he used most. While on earth, Jesus called God “Father” over two hundred times. In his first recorded words Jesus explained, “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49). In his final triumphant prayer he proclaims, “Father, I give you my life” (Luke 23:46). In the Gospel of John alone, Jesus repeats this name 156 times. God loves to be called Father. After all, didn’t Jesus teach us to begin our prayer with the phrase, “Our Abba”?

Abba was an everyday word. It was a homely family-word. The equivalent would be Poppa, Daddy or Dad. It is right for you to call God your Creator, indeed He is. You speak truth when you call Him your Master, indeed he is. It is appropriate for you to call Him your King, Lord and Sovereign God. But if you want to touch his heart, call him by the name he loves to hear. Call Him Abba. Call him your Father.

Some time ago my daughter and I spent several days in the old city of Jerusalem. One afternoon, as were exiting the Jaffa gate, my daughter and I found ourselves in a throng of people. From somewhere in the crowd we heard the voice of a small child. “Abba!, Abba!”

We turned and looked. There was a young girl, perhaps four or five years of age. She had become separated from her family. As the people were rushing passed, she was stopped and afraid. “Abba! Abba!”

From out of nowhere, her father appeared.

By looking at his hair and clothing, I knew, he was a Hasidic Jew. When he heard his daughter cry Abba!, he had realized that she was separated from the family. I watched closely; I wanted to see what an abba would do.

He hurried over to her. Nothing was going to stop him from reaching his daughter. He immediately lowered himself to her level. He held her close. He then looked at her in the face and brushed away the tear. He gave her a firm word. He then stood and lifted her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and legs around his waist. He held her as they descended the ramp. When he stopped at a busy street, she stepped off the curb, so he pulled her back. When the signal changed, he led her and her sisters through the intersection. In the middle of the street, he reached down and swung her up in his arms and continued their journey.

That is what an abba does. Isn’t that what God has done for us? When we wandered away, he found us. When he found us, he lowered himself to our level. He brushed away our tears.

He gave us a word of correction. He picked us up and he is leading us home. You have an abba.

I know what some of you are thinking.

Yeah, God does that for some people. For good people. For strong people. Not me. I’m just ho-hum. I’m just average. I’m just mea-

sly old, little old, common, ordinary me.

Really? Because I read something else.

According to what I read in the Bible, you are anything but ordinary. I read that when you said “yes” to Jesus, he said “yes” to you, that when you gave him your heart he returned the favor and gave you his.

I read that your Abba “has blessed [you] with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).

That you are a “new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor. 5:17).

I read that you “have obtained an inheritance” (Eph. 1:11).

You are “…heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17).

I read that you are: “an ambassador of Christ…” (II Cor. 5:20) “…the fragrance of Christ…” (II Cor. 2:15) that you are being “…. transformed into the image of Christ” (Rom. 8:29).

I read that you have been “delivered . . . from the power of darkness and conveyed . . . into the kingdom of the Son” (Col. 1:13). I read that “…no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28).

Normal? I don’t think so. I read that if you “Ask, you shall receive, Seek and you will find.

Knock and the door will be opened to you” (Mt. 7:7). “Whatever you ask in the name of your Father that will be given unto you” (Jn. 16:23).

I even read this: “Greater is He who is in you than He who is in the world” (I Jn. 4:4).

You used to be normal, ho-hum, and average. No longer. You are not who you used to be!

You are: God’s child (John 1:12) Christ’s friend (John 15:15) a member of Christ’s body (1 Cor. 12:27) a saint (Eph. 1:1) redeemed and forgiven of all your sins (Col. 1:14) complete in Christ, lacking in nothing (Col. 2:10) free from condemnation (Rom. 8:1–2) God’s coworker (2 Cor. 6:1) seated with Christ in the heavenly realm (Eph. 2:6) God’s workmanship (Eph. 2:10) a citizen of heaven (Phil. 3:20) adopted into God’s family (Eph. 1:5) born of God, and the evil one cannot touch you (1 John 5:18) You have been bought with a price… you belong to God (I Cor. 6:20) You cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom. 8:35) It seems to me that your Abba has high affection for you! If you have taken on the name of Christ, then you have clout. When you speak, God listens. When you pray, heaven takes note. What you bind on earth is bound in heaven. What you loose on earth is loosed in heaven. Your prayer impacts the actions of God. Why? Because you are a child of God. And you have a good father…a good, good father. © Max Lucado, July 2016

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Student Writers Program The Beacon has an exciting new program to watch out for… Our Student Writers Initiative. The young people in the community are getting out in the community and sharing their stories of service, as well as spotlighting different ministries and organizations in San Antonio and the surrounding areas.

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Your Believing Affects Your Receiving

BY KENNETH E. HAGIN

In Mark 9:23, Jesus said, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” According to this and other verses in the Bible, what you believe determines what you receive from the Lord. In other words, your believing affects your receiving.

Notice I said that your believing affects your receiving. Your receiving isn’t based on another person’s faith; it’s based on your faith.

And just hearing someone else preach the Word won’t give you faith to receive unless you get into the Word for yourself.

Years ago, I preached at a small Full Gospel church in Kansas. The pastor told me that more than half of his congregation had not received the baptism in the Holy Ghost. They were good Christian people, but they hadn’t received this Bible experience. So at the pastor’s request, I spent several evenings teaching on the baptism in the Holy Ghost and how to be filled with the Spirit. Each night, I encouraged the people to bring their own Bible to the services so they could read along with me and not just take my word for what I was teaching.

You see, I wanted them to see it in the Word for themselves.

One of the members of the church was a leading businessman in the city. Unfortunately, this gentleman came to church straight from work each evening, and he never brought his Bible. He came every night to hear me preach, but he never read the scriptures for himself.

As we neared the end of the meetings, everyone in the church except this businessman, had received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Although he’d heard the same teaching everyone else heard, he still hadn’t received.

I finally said to the man personally, “Bring your Bible to church,” and the man brought his Bible with him to the next service. He sat there and followed along with me, reading for himself what the Bible said on the subject of being filled with the Holy Ghost.

As I was nearing the end of the service, this man stood up, closed his Bible, and said, “I can’t wait! I can’t wait! Lay hands on me right now. I’ll be filled now!” By the time he got down to the altar and I barely touched his forehead, he had both hands up and was talking in tongues fluently!

Now why didn’t he get filled previously?

Hadn’t I preached the same message? Hadn’t I used the same scriptures? Yes! But he didn’t have faith for himself all those other nights. He heard my faith, but he couldn’t see it for himself. And without light—without seeing it for himself and having revelation and understanding on the subject—he had no faith to receive.

But when the light came, and faith rose up in his own heart, he received!

Afterward, this man told me he’d been brought up in a Full Gospel church and had been a member for more than 30 years. He said, “I can see why you wanted me to bring my

Bible and read for myself. You quoted those scriptures in the previous services, but when you read them then, I interpreted them according to what I already thought they said. I’ve been in Sunday school and church all my life, so I assumed I already knew what those verses meant.

“But when I had my Bible right there in front of me, and as I read those scriptures, I began to see that they didn’t say what I thought they said. You weren’t even finished with your lesson when—suddenly—it registered! Faith rose up in me, and I just couldn’t wait. I had to be filled immediately! And I was!”

This man finally had faith because he had light. He saw the truth of God’s Word for himself, and when it registered on the inside of him, faith came. And his faith enabled him to receive what he desired. He didn’t have to wait.

He received immediately!

Some people quote the same scriptures they’ve heard a preacher quote and wonder why they don’t get results. They’ll say, “I’m standing in faith that it will happen sometime.”

But they never receive. Why? Because if light hasn’t come—if the truth hasn’t dawned on their heart—faith is not there. But when the light comes, faith is present! And when faith is there, people aren’t waiting for “sometime.”

They believe they receive right now (Mark 11:24)!

I received the New Birth by faith. And I was healed, raised up from the deathbed, by faith.

I also received the baptism in the Holy Spirit and spoke with other tongues by faith.

Where did I get the faith to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit? From reading the Word of God. Speaking of the gift of the Holy Spirit, Peter said in Acts 2:39, “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.’’ That includes me!

Acts 2:4 says, “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” I received the same New Birth they did in the Book of Acts. So I expected to receive the same enduement of power they received. The light of God’s Word on the subject had come, so by faith, I received the Holy Ghost and spoke with other tongues.

I had read all those verses from Acts chapter 2 before, and I had quoted them. But the light didn’t come the first time I read them.

That’s why you need to get in the Word for yourself and stay in the Word—so the light of the truth of the Word can dawn on your spirit.

You need to keep meditating on the Word concerning healing or the baptism in the Holy Ghost—or whatever it is you need to receive from God. Sooner or later, if you’ll continue to meditate on it and speak it, the truth will register in your spirit. The light will be there, and continued on page 11 you will receive

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ENTERTAINMENT

military honor run and ride BEACON RADIO INTERVIEW EXCERPTS The Honor Run and Ride to honor and celebrate our military is being held Saturday, July 8, at Traders Village. This event Host Steve Teel includes a 5K Run/ Steve@saBeacon.com Walk, Car Show, Motorcycle Run and Rally, a performance by comic Cleto Rodriguez, live music, a military honor ceremony and even the possibility to win major cash and raffle prizes. The Honor Run and Ride also raises money to benefit wounded warriors and their spouses by paying their airfare to and from Anchorage, Alaska, to attend a retreat with their spouse at Heroes Village. Beacon Radio had the opportunity to sit down with St. 1st Class Gabriel Monreal and ask him about his service and experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan (where he caught shrapnel and lost his lower leg beneath his knee), his faith, and the benefits to him and his wife who recently spent a week at Heroes Village. Beacon Radio is 1/4 pagemore ad interviews on the Honor scheduling Run and Ride event to air Saturday, July 1,

Noon to 1pm on AM630 and AM630theWord. com Here are a few edited excerpts as Sgt. Monreal describes what happened in Afghanistan. You can hear the entire interview on HonorRunAndRide.com SGT. MONREAL: I knew right away that I was going to lose the leg. This was my third combat duty deployment. I had seen wounds before so I knew I was going to lose part of the leg. But to be honest I wasn’t really worried about that because I was alive. I had seen way less wounds and the soldier didn’t live through it. I knew I was okay. So I was alright with that.

STEVE TEEL: Right now, as you’re describing this, you seem like a very calm person. Did you feel that sense of calm then?

SGT. MONREAL: I did. I did. I think a lot of it has to do with training. One of the biggest things that helped me out was my beliefs in God. Another thing I just accepted the reality that this is what I’ve chosen to do and sometimes things just happen. At that point in time there was really no sense in freaking out or going crazy. What I needed to do was find cover and stop the bleeding. It becomes

mental muscle memory and physical muscle memory. I was pretty calm. I was really concerned about some of my men. I was in charge of 37 men. A bulk of my platoon was between the ages of 18 and 22 and it was their first deployment and a couple of weeks prior to getting wounded we had lost some of the other guys in the platoon so morale was a little down in that aspect. I was really scared more of finding out that one of those guys was wounded if that makes sense.

ST: It does make sense but it’s incredible to me your leadership. I know so much of our military that you’re thinking about your brothers more than yourself. It’s an incredible

example to us.

Sgt. Monreal then shared additional dramatic details of being evacuated and his perspective as he waited in the hospital and how it quickly changed. We then asked Sgt. Monreal about he and his wife’s experience getting to go to Heroes Village.

SGT. MONREAL: My wife and I, Rachel, got to go recently. We went up there to Alaska and what I really like about their intent is that it’s marriage based. There are a lot of other opportunities out there for the soldier, for the airman, for the marine, for the sailor, but there’s not that many opportunities out there for the spouse. With being

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deployed it’s not just the individual, it involves the whole family. Being wounded or injured it’s not just the individual, it affects the whole family. It’s a process and I know for me I wasn’t as strong physically, emotionally, and mentally strong and it was my wife who stepped in and became for lack of a better term: my left leg. She helped stabilize me physically, emotionally, and mentally.

ST: God bless you, Rachel, and God bless our military wives and spouses. The sacrifice.

Being so strong.

SGT. MONREAL: Yes. So this organization, Heroes Village, goes and does this for the spouses, and for the soldier, airman, sailor, marine. Basically getting them away from whatever environment they’re in. The home environment, doing stuff for the kiddos, school, and the daily stuff that consumes our lives. We love to do it because it’s family stuff, but you can get engulfed in it as a husband and wife instead of a husband and wife being with each other. So getting these spouses out there in that environment where the whole intent is to be with themselves, by themselves, without having to make dinner, or help the kids with math homework.

ST: You were up at Heroes Village for how long?

SGT. MONREAL: We were up there for a week.

ST: I want to ask you what was your

favorite memory?

SGT. MONREAL: My favorite memory had to be four-wheeling. So I was on the four-wheeler and my wife was in the back so I got to do my hot dogging stuff, impressing her. It was really neat going on these trails going up these mountains, down these mountains and of course the scenery is just beautiful. As far as you could see there’s mountain ranges you’re crossing natural rivers and natural streams that you would only see in the movies. Absolutely gorgeous.

ST: We’re talking about the impact this will have on soldiers and their spouses so let me ask you what you think Rachel’s favorite memory was?

SGT. MONREAL: I think probably when she had her arms wrapped around me as we were on the four-wheeler. I’m thinking that’s what it was. (Laughing) Probably not. I would say that we got to travel around Alaska and we got to stop at a whole bunch of coffee shops off of piers and these gorgeous mountain ranges, seeing these clouds roll over these ridge tops , and the fog against the sunrise. Just absolutely beautiful, I know that had to be for her the best thing.

ST: Thank you. Sgt. Monreal. Again it’s HonorRunAndRide.com. What an opportunity on July 8 for the entire family to have great fun and to support warriors and their spouses.

Your Believing Affects Your Receiving whatever it is you want or need from God. Just as the New Birth is not a mental experience or a physical experience, healing and the baptism in the Holy Spirit are not mental or physical experiences (although it is manifested on the outside, divine healing is spiritual—it starts on the inside, in your spirit). You receive healing or the baptism in the Holy Spirit the same way you receive the New Birth. You receive revelation and understanding in your spirit first. And just as sure as you receive it in your spirit, it won’t be long before what you are believing shows up on the outside. But the manifestation doesn’t always show up instantly.

Sometimes people have to contend—stand their ground—in faith until the manifestation comes, especially in the area of healing. But I think we often make a mistake by talking so much about standing and not as much about receiving. For example, it would sound ridiculous to hear someone say, “I went to the altar and asked Jesus to come into my heart. I cried and prayed, asking God to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Now I’m waiting for the manifestation of my salvation.

I’m just standing in faith for the answer.” No, Jesus died for your salvation. He bought it and paid for it in full. You can receive it now!

I want you to understand this: Salvation, healing, and the baptism in the Holy Ghost are all gifts that you receive now! And you receive salvation, healing, and the baptism in the Holy Ghost in your spirit, or your heart. The Bible

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continued from page 9

says, “With the heart man believes” (Rom. 10:10).

Faith is of the heart. How does faith come?

By hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). So when ministering on the baptism in the Holy Spirit, for example, I show people what the Word of God says about the experience.

From Acts chapter 2 through Acts chapter 19, almost every time it is recorded that folks received the Holy Ghost, it says or infers that they spoke with tongues (Acts 2:1–4; Acts 8:14–18; Acts 10:44–46; Acts 19:1–6). So when I minister to people, I make sure they expect to receive the baptism in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues. I say, “I’m going to lay my hands on you. The Holy Ghost will come upon you. Your tongue will want to say something that isn’t English; just speak it out.”

When I lay hands on people who are in faith, expecting to receive, they instantly start speaking with tongues. How do they get that kind of faith? By hearing the Word of God concerning the baptism in the Holy Spirit—by believing and accepting the Word of God for themselves. Their believing affects their receiving.

You can receive from the Lord in the same way! Whether you need salvation, healing, the baptism in the Holy Ghost, or some other gift God has provided, you can receive by faith in God’s Word. Your believing affects your receiving!

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ENTERTAINMENT

chef shayne the train

BEACON RADIO INTERVIEW EXCERPTS

Host Steve Teel Steve@saBeacon.com

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Chef Shayne The Train made it all the way to the final four of the Fox hit TV show, MasterChef Junior this season. The Texan teen (14 now, 13 when the season was filmed) not only amazed with his recipes and creations, Shayne was just as impressive as he handled famous Chef Gordon Ramsay’s yelling and critical evaluations.

This young man was calm, cool, collective all the way. His bigger than life personality and enthusiasm caught my attention but then as cameras rolled, Shayne The Train said if he wasn’t a chef, he’d be a preacher.

Right then I knew I’d want to get to know Shayne and share his story with our Beacon readers and Beacon Radio listeners. Tune in Saturday, June 24, Noon to 1pm on AM630 or AM630theWord.com for our interview.

For now, here are some of Shayne’s thoughts

to a few of my questions. we always thank God for another day and STEVE TEEL: What was the coolest for the blessings in our life! part of MasterChef Junior?

STEVE: It seemed like many of the SHAYNE THE TRAIN WELLS: I think young contestants encouraged one another. the coolest part as far as challenges was How did that go for you? being able to learn and how to make Sushi SHAYNE: I loved being able to work because I never with kids it was so would have been able fun. I think playing to otherwise. One of football and team the best things that sports really helped happened is all the me in the team chalnew friends I made lenges. I understand on the show. I got to that everyone has a be friends with kids I part to play on the would have known team and every part otherwise. We still stay in touch and have matters. Just like in football, the quarterbeen able to see each other since the show. back many times gets all the glory but that That’s been really cool! guy is nothing without his O-line. His sucSTEVE: It seemed like you handled the cess is dependent on the team. If I can’t pressure and stress better than most adults make my block he can’t make his play. It I know would, including me! How’d you stay takes the whole team doing their part to so calm and cool? win a game. The same thing is true in a proSHAYNE: Before every challenge I fessional kitchen. No one person makes it prayed. Not to win but that God would help all happen. You can’t serve the food without me to stay calm and to be able to focus so the waiters, you got to have clean dishes, so that I could do my very best no matter what the bus boy and dishwasher matters came my way. I also prayed during the chal- because you can’t prepare the entire meal lenges! That’s how we do things in our for every customer by yourself. You need a house. We pray every morning on our way team. Life is pretty much a team sport and Advertisement forwant August to school. We prayProposed for our teachers, for our if you to be 2016 successful you better learn friends and family and for each other and how to be a team player!

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SPONSORED CONTENT

HEALTH & WELLNESS

ALL ABOUT EYES

by MONICA ALLISON, OD

Ortho-k Screening Day - July 12 Surgery free vision correction

STEVE: What about working with Gordon Ramsay and Christina Tosi?

SHAYNE: As far as working with Gordon and Christina, they had high expectations for us. Thousands of kids tried out for this show. If you made it, that means they saw something in you and expected a lot from you. They wanted your best. They also encouraged us and made sure we had a lot of fun along the way.

STEVE: Tell us about your faith and about how you said on the show you’d be a preacher if not a chef.

SHAYNE: My faith is what makes me who I am. I grew up going to church ever since I was a baby and I just really loved it! I love the Lord and have accepted him in my heart. I knew I would love to be preacher since day 1 because I loved how and what the preachers did! I have served in children’s ministry as a group leader with the younger kids, I have worked at summer camp with my mom and have had the opportunity to share my faith with others.

My parents have told me for a long time that you are never too young to serve the Lord.

STEVE: Any advice for other kids thinking about trying out for MasterChef Junior?

SHAYNE: I would tell other kids to go for it. I ended up trying out for the show because I didn’t make the basketball team last year. I was pretty down about that.

Then my mom told me about the open call here in Houston so we went with my friend Zoey just to go have some fun and lift my spirits. I had no idea it would really lead to being on the show. If that door hadn’t

closed I would have never went to the open call and ended up on the show. So I would really say to other kids, whatever it is you want to do, go for it. Try your best. If it doesn’t work out, learn from it. Keep trying, follow your dreams and don’t let fear of failing stop you. Everyone fails. It’s part of life.

Failing is never easy or fun. Trust me, I failed on national television and it wasn’t fun but I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything!

STEVE: Did this intense experience make your desire to be a chef stronger or less?

SHAYNE: Yes I still want to be a chef after working with Gordon! I want to keep learning and getting better. I don’t know exactly what I want to do but I do know I want to do something that involves food.

Maybe a food truck, a restaurant, a cooking school, maybe even my own cooking show.

I could be the next Gordon Ramsay, you never know! Of course, I could also be preacher who cooks! I could lead you to Jesus over a really good meal!

We have a verse written on message board in our kitchen. It is Philippians 4:13.

It says I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. My mom wrote it to be her reminder as she works on finishing her degree to be a teacher. It is also a reminder for all of us. With God all things are possible. I thank God for this opportunity. I give Him the glory in all things. I know we aren’t guaranteed an easy life because of our faith but our faith is what gets us through this life.

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ence life free from glasses or contacts during the day and this provides greater freedom when participating in sports, especially those that can be dusty like baseball or softball or while swimming.

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STEVE TEEL continued from page 2

Please visit us at: sachristian.org

ues on and we are grateful for our generous team of monthly faith support. God does not seem to be done with me writing more books too. So it’s always exciting. And then a year ago, God put on my heart to start the Peanut Butter Bowl and collect jars of creamy peanut butter for chronically hungry kids through Snack Pak 4 Kids.

KL: That’s a high school football game, right?

ST: Between the Johnson Jaguars and Brandeis Broncos and that’s a story for another time too.

KL: Talk to us about Beacon Radio and the people you’re interviewing.

ST: Keith, I have to thank you and the Beacon for letting me talk to difference makers and hear their stories and share them with our listeners in San Antonio, Austin, and all south Texas. I even heard the show in Houston when I was visiting recently.

KL: In Houston?

ST: There was static, Keith. But it was Beacon Radio. It is so cool to do these interviews and meet these incredible people. We cover such a wide variety of difference makers. We talk to people in music, sports, film, ministry, authors. For music we’ve talked to so many incredible musicians I lose track.

KL: Which ones come to your mind?

ST: I’ll forget someone but there’s Matthew West, Kari Jobe, Mark Hall of Casting Crowns, Big Daddy Weave, for KING & COUNTRY, Phil Wickham, Switchfoot, the list just goes on and on. We talk to national authors like Wm. Paul Young who wrote The Shack, and J. Warner Wallace who wrote one of my favorites of all time: Cold Case Christianity. We interviewed Sadie Robertson of Duck Dynasty too. I love young people who are making a difference like Sadie or Shayne The Train Wells from MasterChef Junior. Even interviewed your kids Grant and Claire about the music that they are creating and singing. We talk to comics and entertainers like Bob Smiley, Cleto, and Anjelah Johnson of Bon Qui Qui fame.

KL: You’re talking with local people too?

ST: For sure and that has been eyeopening to see the impact people are making in SA. I didn’t even know about Daily Bread Ministries or Last Chance Ministries until I got to interview them. And then we get local writer Candice Curry who wrote The Con Man’s Daughter and is also national. But then we talk marriage relationships and ministries too whether Carl Caton, Patricia Adams, Greg and Julie Alexander, and Jon Anderson and others. We

talk with other ministries like FCA and Youth For Christ and I’m a sports guy too, so we talk with San Antonio Christian athletes from the Rampage, SAFC, the Missions, UTSA, UIW, Trinity and even with high school athletes and coaches for the Peanut Butter Bowl.

KL: What do you see these interviews accomplishing for the kingdom?

ST: Oh man, so much, Keith. I love people’s stories. Every person has a story and I love to discover God inside those stories and as people share their hearts--we are encouraged. We are reminded of how God is a brilliant storyteller and that Jesus is the author of our salvation and of our stories. I see Beacon Radio as an encouragement. I always, always, always come away encouraged. And Keith, it’s cool because part of my goal is to encourage the people we interview.

KL: How do you that?

ST: I always ask if I can pray with them before we go on air. You’d be amazed at the power of God I sometimes experience as I pray with them. Sometimes the Holy Spirit is just like, as you might say, “BLAM! I’m here! I’m in this.” But it’s also part of my DNA to encourage. A good part of the way God designed me is I really love to get to know people. That’s just who God made me.

Throughout my life people will tell me that I ask great questions or am a really good listener. That’s really who I am and I love to hear their stories and then I love to affirm what God is doing through them, in them, and for the kingdom.

KL: Anything you’re excited about coming up for Beacon Radio?

ST: Always, Keith. I’m telling you, I’m just excited to know more difference makers and to share their stories and give our listeners and readers hope, inspiration, and change. I’d like to say too, working with the AM630 The Word team has been amazing.

Roland Ruiz produces and puts the show together and he goes the extra mile every time to make our show great. But there’s a whole team of people there that make me feel like we really are a part of the same purpose and they all help make it happen. On top of that, we’ve got more exciting interviews coming up and I’m already reaching out to make it happen. It’s going to be great. And I’m open to our listeners and readers’ ideas too.

KL: What’s the best way they can reach you?

ST: Steve@saBeacon.com Send me an email! Seek God and be a blessing!

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J U N E 2 0 1 7 — B E A CO N

Pets are Good for Child Health

BY PF LOUIS

The New York Times came up with an article recently entitled “Can Fido and Whiskers Enrich Children’s Lives?” Different medical researchers and scientists were consulted for this article, which begs the question: Does research money really need to be spent on this type of question?

It’s one thing to write an essay on the topic, especially one coming from real experience. But asking scientists and medical professionals, who are doing research on child and pet relationships, for their opinion as if the facts aren’t entirely visible to anyone who bothers to look is rather far-fetched.

Here’s a real life anecdote illustrating that absurdity. A young family residing in a large college town had a pre-teen daughter, a dog, and two cats. The father was a college professor while the mother ran a small political fund raising operation out of their home. The daughter asked, “Mom, do animals have feelings?” After a short pause, the mother answered, “I don’t know dear, science hasn’t figured that out yet.”

Relying on science or any authority to determine what should be observable or perceived through experience is indicative of our cultural dysfunction.

Help an animal survive well and that animal can help you emotionally This is one good reason among others that children should have a pet or pets. Animals, especially dogs, actually bond with human family members. Children can not only learn caretaking responsibility but compassion, as they perceive that indeed, dogs (and yes even cats) have feelings.

One of the doctors consulted in the above-mentioned article did comment that having a pet offers emotional support to children. When children come home from school or play, the dog is there to happily greet them. This is observed as a real event by anyone who has a dog that is treated decently, especially one rescued from an animal shelter or the mean streets.

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However, this doctor couched such behavior cynically with the implication that the pet is happy because you may have a food treat for it. That’s just not usually true.

This author has dealt with different animals from horses to parakeets, and dogs and cats.

They do show gratitude for help given and good company shared. They do not “mimic” body language, as most “experts” claim, solely for expected favors.

Of course, some dogs and cats can be a little out of sorts, just like humans. Allowing vets to drug or vaccinate them to the fullest extent can exacerbate such behavior and worsen your pet’s health. Dogs especially need to exercise or they’ll get grumpy.

It takes a calm, even-tempered effort to channel pets into agreeable habits or coax them out of any bad ones. Allowing a child to be involved with caring for and training of the family pet can help that child develop character by practicing kindness and patience with appropriate firmness.

Many scientists who research animals and sometimes even animal trainers assume other living non-human creatures are out of touch with real emotions or feelings because they’re out of touch themselves. It’s their own closed hearts that influence animals in their charge to clam up.

Animals can often sense where humans are coming from emotionally even as they deceive fellow humans. Children can develop a finer sense of empathy by showing their open hearts to directly bond with a pet dog, cat, or other animal. Pets sometimes attempt to comfort humans who are sad or upset.

Children can use that break from stress when they’re having issues with other humans.

Pets aren’t appropriate for all kids. But for many they’re fun to play with, interesting to observe, and a pleasure to have around.

That’s healthy, and you don’t need a research team to figure that out.

Now there’s an easy online solution to help keep your pet safe and healthy $10 off Annual Membership for Beacon Readers: Discount Code SABEAC10

www.GreenPawUp.com

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