Beacon June 2016 by The Beacon

WAYSIDE CHAPEL

Adopts Local School for Positive Impact Page 4

Five Habits to Increase Your Net Worth Did your net worth go up? If you do not know, incorporate these ﬁve habits to eﬀectively measure and monitor your personal net worth. PG 11

15 Beautiful Quotes About Fathers PG 4 June 2016

Serving San Antonio and the Surrounding Communities Since 2001

VOL.16 — NO. 6

Fit Family Challenge Rewards Families San Antonio Sports

encourages faith communities to participate in this free event. PG 14

SOCIAL ISSUES

Project ONE: Are You One of 10,000? by AMY MORGAN, Beacon Content Director amy@saBeacon.com

A Letter to My 11 Year Old Daughter A young girl’s words

bolster her mother’s resolve to stand strong in the face of cultural messages about beauty. PG 6

Tips to Helping Kids Become Entrepreneurs What are

successful kid inventors and their parents doing that we’re not? What makes them diﬀerent? PG 7

Members of the San Antonio Mentoring Collaborative (SAMC) met with more than 100 San Antonio city leaders, including Mayor Ivy Taylor, May 19, to develop a framework to help connect San Antonians with others who need a mentor, according to Keith Leslie, Beacon owner, who attended the meeting in support of the endeavor and to better understand how to devote Beacon resources to its successful implementation. The group hopes to recruit 10,000 mentors from the city’s faith community. San Antonio Christian Leaders’ Forum (SACLF), founded under the umbrella of City Reachers, hosts a monthly meeting to bring together leaders in different areas around the city. Participants at the forum met to discuss how to engage volunteers from the Christian community with the San Antonio community. Out of their discussion, a plan called Project ONE was formed. Michael Payne, General Manager of Salem Communications KLUP/KSLR Radio,

has dedicated the communication services of his stations and website to connect those willing to mentor with people of all ages in need, not just schoolchildren, but anyone who would benefit from someone coming alongside in support. Project ONE has initially enlisted the following organizations to coordinate mentor matching: San Antonio Youth For Christ, Each One Teach One, San Antonio Marriage Initiative and Life Choices Medical Clinic. The partner list and links can be found at www.kslr.com/projectone. A potential mentor can visit the site, click on an area of Natalie Hardy, interest, and be condirector, City Reachers nected immediately to the organization doing good work, which will train them in everything they’ll need before matching with an individual.

“You don’t have to be degreed, don’t have to be a teacher, you just have to have a big heart.”

“We’re getting people to partner with organizations that are already working in the various areas: adults who need to learn to read, school children who need a friend and adult role model, women who find themselves in a crisis pregnancy,” said Natalie Hardy, Director of City Reachers. “What mentors do will be different at each organization. If you want to help adults who don’t know how to read, there’s a ministry called Each One Teach One. You’ll teach a person how to read one on one. You don’t have to be degreed, don’t have to be a teacher, you just have to have a big heart,” Hardy added. “The organization will put together the instruction and materials you need to show you how to do that. “I think this is going to have a positive impact in the city overall and individual lives of the mentor and the mentee. I’ve heard recently of a pastor whose church has started – he has been blown away about its impact on him. Whether mentor or mentee – we will all be blessed as we give ourselves away,” she added. Project ONE will “bring change and godly inﬂuence in the areas that sorely need it,” Hardy said.

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XY-Zoners Experience Growth, Adventure at HEB Camp Weekend by AMANDA GRAVES, Contributing Writer

For the past 15 years, Communities in Schools of San Antonio (CISSA) has been taking at-risk teenage boys from inner-city San Antonio high schools to spend three days at HEB Foundation Camp in the Hill Country. These young men are part of the XY Zone, a leadership and peer support initiative which, through the support of CISSA’s onsite social workers and mentors, encourages at-risk young men to stay in school. Camp is an extraordinary opportunity for these city kids to get up close and personal with Mother Nature. They hike, fish, play gaga ball, help in the kitchen, participate in an art project and share their stories around the campfire. By the end of the weekend, these strangers have become brothers. This April, a record 84 boys from 14 different schools were accompanied by some 50 teachers, mentors and CISSA social workers. Four kitchen volunteers prepared all meals and snacks, focusing on fresh fruits and vegetables prepared from scratch under the guidance of Marty, the camp nurse. The first night, the boys squirmed and laughed uncomfortably as bats swooped over their heads and impressively large centipedes appeared. Many had never been outside the city, so camp was quite an adjustment. As it happens, two of the hiking groups got horribly lost, but by working together, they were able to navigate back to

camp, and it turned out to be a wonderful, if inadvertent, bonding exercise! Particular emphasis is placed on the 5 R’s: Respect, Responsibility, Role Modeling, Relationships and Reaching out, which was reﬂected in this year’s art/craft project. The boys were encouraged to sort through piles of magazines and make “zines,” choosing pictures and articles that represent 5 R’s values in their lives. On the second night, motivational speaker Chris Fairbank to the group. He “I felt impor- spoke is with the SAPD, but tant when you in a former life he was a ballet dancer in New took some York City. He spoke integrity and time to talk to about putting others before me...I felt like oneself, illustrating his with some you actually speech tough choices he was cared about forced to make as an The boys everybody and adolescent. listened intently, and nobody felt after the speech many of them thanked him left out.” personally. Fairbank was so impressed with the program he plans to attend for the full three days in 2017. Many boys also wrote to thank program director Gustavo Gonzales. A few excerpts: “In only 3 days my love for the brotherhood grew out of this world.” “You have changed me not in a small way; you’ve helped me change in a big way. I’m not going to do what I said I planned to when I got older.” “This year’s camp was amazing and awesome…I realized that I wasn’t alone.

Four kitchen volunteers prepared all meals and snacks, focusing on fresh fruits and vegetables prepared from scratch under the guidance of Marty, the camp nurse. Photo Courtesy of Amanda Graves and XY Zone

“ You have changed me not in a small way; you’ve helped me change in a big way.” XY Zone Participant

Photo Courtesy of Amanda Graves and XY Zone

My family isn’t just limited to my mom and my brothers; it’s not just people that have the same blood running through their veins as I do.” “I really liked camp. It wasn’t like anything I have ever done before. I had so much fun. I built bonds with new people I didn’t even know. I felt important when you took some time to talk to me, I didn’t feel like I was just another person at camp. I felt like you actually cared about everybody and nobody felt left out.” The XY-Zone is a leadership development and peer support initiative that promotes productive life skills in at-risk adolescent males. The XY-Zone Facilitators are based directly on 82 San Antonio high school campuses in at least 12 districts where they target, engage and guide young men 13-18 to decrease school dropout and increase school success. Currently, the organization serves 800+ at-risk young men The XY-Zone meets the individual needs of teen males at each campus while ensuring that participants are part of a positive “frater-

nity,” which builds character and leadership skills. The project works by developing responsibility, creating community awareness, and serving as an outlet for positive relationships with parents, peers, adult mentors, and partners. Collectively, the XYZone facilitates group discussions around issues associated with adolescent risky behaviors and provides participants with job readiness services, 5 R’s support groups, mentors, service learning projects, college tours, and activism projects. Participation in the XY-Zone is an opportunity for young men to promote healthy development by improving skills and options, bolstering self-esteem, promoting a sense of hope in their future, as well as opportunities for growth and achievement. The non-profit group is funded by 2 private foundations and the city of San Antonio. Anyone interested in mentoring, volunteering or serving with the XY-Zone program, please contact Program Coordinator Gustavo Gonzales at 210-596-6095 or ggonzales@cissa.org.

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SOCIAL ISSUES

Church Adopts Local School – Impacts Community Through Mentoring, Support by AMY MORGAN, Beacon Content Director amy@saBeacon.com

In 2008, the leadership of Wayside Chapel, located in Castle Hills just north of 410, did some soul searching. They wanted to identify how to be a good neighbor to the people of their immediately surrounding community, said Rick Lowe, Wayside’s pastor of outreach and missions. Church leaders approached the principal of nearby Colonial Hills Elementary School and asked how they

PUBLISHER: Full Armor Media CONTENT DIRECTORS: Pam Leslie, Amy Morgan ADVERTISING COORDINATOR: Melody McCrea COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST: Todd Reid COMMUNITY MANAGER: Blake Clifton CIRCULATION: Greg Wharton CREATIVE/PRODUCTION: The Roberts Goup CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Amanda Graves, Jim Faulk, Kirk Freeman, Darryl Lyons, Lauren Robertson, Stephen Cervantes THE BEACON OFFICE: P.O. Box 591490 San Antonio, Texas 78259 PH: (210) 614-8884 FAX: (210) 614-8885 ONLINE: www.saBeacon.com MISSION STATEMENT To deliver hope, inspiration and change happening all around us through relevant articles from local and national writer, 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.

could support the school. Out of that inquiry, a partnership was born that has positively impacted hundreds of students, teachers, families and church members. Key to the partnership, Lowe said, was that Wayside didn’t go in with an agenda. They asked then principal Diana Montemayor how they could best serve the school as a community partner. Her number one answer: mentoring – asking for volunteers to commit one hour a week to befriend and meet with a specific child on a consistent basis. She told him them their kids are in hard family situations. Colonial Hills faces diﬃculty in that there is a high level of change and turnover in the student population - kids come and go, which leads to instability. As a mentor, “you are trying to let the student know you care about them and they have value as a person. That one-on-one attention – they can’t do it in the classroom,” Lowe said. “The invitation is there: mentoring is making a difference. You don’t have to be specially trained – you just have to care. “Mentors get to know the student: ask them questions, talk about what they are doing, their family situation, draw out a child. Some mentors bring books to read or photos of their family,” he added. “It doesn’t have to be tutoring, but if a student is wres-

tling with a subject, they can work on homework.” Two volunteers, Ellen Hagen and Noemi Francis, former teachers, brought in educational games and interactive stories on their Ipads to introduce technology to the students they mentor. Joyce Velasquez heads the Colonial Hills Initiative for Wayside, as well as being on staff at One Way International, a ministry under Wayside’s mission umbrella. Through both ministries, she has done a great job building relationships and being available, Lowe said. Velasquez spearheads Wayside’s physical and material support to Colonial Hills: paper drives, prayer team, Snack Pack 4 kids, construction and clean up projects, volunteer classroom aides, planning and hosting career day, Kid’s Club weekly after school and teacher appreciation luncheons. At the May 7 luncheon, teachers shared the impact Wayside’s volunteers have made. Current principal Jana Mascorro expressed her gratitude for Wayside’s presence. She said she believes that God sent her to that school for a purpose. She stated she would continue to do everything in her power to keep the doors open for Wayside’s partnership to continue to be at Colonial Hills because of the positive impact it has on the staff, students, and families there. Mascorro shared her experience serving with her mom at an early age and what

A Wayside Chapel mentor enjoys reading with students in partnership with Colonial Hills Elementary School. Photo Courtesy of One Way International

an impact that made on her personal life. She said what makes a great volunteer is having a heart for what you are doing, and she so appreciates the heart of all those to come to the school. Administrative Assistant Valerie Rosalez said she didn’t know how they would get along without Wayside’s volunteers. She, along with others present, expressed their thankfulness for Wayside’s presence in the school. Volunteers love to hear from the teachers the difference they have made in the students’ lives. They challenge others to come, spend an hour with a child once a week. For more information about Wayside’s partnership with Colonial Hills or to sign up to mentor or volunteer, contact Laura Ayala at Waysidechapel.org or Velasquez at onewayinational@netscape.net.

FAMILY

15 Beautiful Quotes About Fathers 1. There is nothing that moves a loving father’s soul quite like his child’s cry. – Joni Eareckson Tada 2. Dads are most ordinary men turned by love into heroes, adventurers, story-tellers, singers of songs. – Pam Brown 3. One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters. – George Herbert 4. What a father says to his children is not heard by the world, but it will be heard by posterity. – Jean Paul Richter 5. I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren’t trying to teach us. We are formed by little scraps of wisdom. – Umberto Eco 6. The quality of a father can be seen in the goals, dreams and aspirations he sets not only for himself, but for his family. – Reed Markham 7. “I’d love to know how Dad saw me when

9. 10. 11. 12.

I was 6. I’d love to know a hundred things. When a parent dies, a filing cabinet full of all the fascinating stuff also ceases to exist. I never imagined how hungry I’d be one day to look inside it.” —David Mitchell, The Bone Clocks My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, “You’re tearing up the grass.” “We’re not raising grass,” Dad would reply. “We’re raising boys.” – Harmon Killebrew A girl’s first true love is her father. – Marisol Santiago Great fathers don’t find fault. Great fathers find solutions. – Reed Markham I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection. – Sigmund Freud He promised us that everything would be okay. I was a child, but I knew that

everything would not be okay. That did not make my father a liar. It made him my father. – Jonathan Safran Foer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close 13. A father is the driving force of the family who is always content to take a back seat. – Linda Poindexter 14. It is not ﬂesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons. – Johann Schiller 15. One night a father overheard his son pray: Dear God, Make me the kind of man my Daddy is. Later that night, the Father prayed, Dear God, Make me the kind of man my son wants me to be. – Unknown

Program Guide

WATCH FOR OUR SUMMER STAYCATION! This summer we are going to be giving away tons of tickets to local theme parks! Follow us on Facebook and subscribe to our newsletter to learn how you can win!

SATURDAY

Salem Meda Group San Antonio is deeply rooted in San Antonio. This summer we want to encourage you to explore your “backyard”. Take us with you and download our apps! Check out local events on our website and add your own! SEARCH KEYWORD “LOCAL”

MONDAY - FRIDAY

Christian Teaching & Talk Seven Days a Week

July A TODA VOZ th 13 Summer Tour

Movies By Moonlight Visit KSLR.com keyword “Movies” for more information

Listen to AM 630 KSLR Weekdays at 8:30am

June Ministry of the Month: Insight for Living With Chuck Swindoll

SUNDAY

Our sister station Radio Luz 1160 AM presents thier first Spanish concert tour! Visit LuzSanAntonio.com for more information.

6:00am 6:30am 7:00am 7:30am 8:00am 8:30am 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:15pm 1:30pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 6:15pm 6:30pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 10:30pm 11:00pm

Thru The Bible Renewing Your Mind 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 John Hagee Today Somebody Loves You Messianic Perspectives Key Life Real Life Radio Chris Brown’s True Stewardship Living God Ministries The Eric Metexas Show The Word to Stand of for Life Maranatha Bible Church Richard Ellis Talks Grace Revealed Hope For Life Calvary Current Focus On The Family The Word On Investing Bless Israel Pentecostes Sigue su Marcha Hope in the Night

J. Vernon McGee R.C. Sproul Alistair Begg Jim Daly Chuck Swindoll Michael Youssef Dennis Rainey John MacArthur David Jeremiah Robert Jeffress Jay Sekulow June Hunt John Hagee - Cornerstone Church Raul Ries Gary Hedrick Steve Brown Sean Azzaro - River City Chris Brown Aaron Budjen Eric Metaxas Ron Arbaugh - Calvary Chapel Rander Draper - Maranatha Bible Church Richard Ellis J.D. Link - Abundant Grace Steve Leavitt Bunjee Garrett- Calvary South Austin Jim Daly David Mitchell Yechiel Eckstein George Weber - Templo Pentecostal June Hunt

7:00am 7:30am 8:00am 8:30am 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 1:30pm 1:45pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:30pm 8:00pm 9:00pm 9:30pm

Jonathan Park Radio Adventures in Odyssey High Resolution Kathleen Whitten Ministries KSLR’s Church Of The Week Pray San Antonio Pathway To Victory The Cross At Kerrville Hill Country Institute Live Beacon Radio Digging Deeper Believers In Business Believing the Bible Real Life Radio The Word On Investing Discover Your Destiny Rehoboth Voice Prophetic Voice Of Our Time Living Your Best Life Focus On the Family Weekend Town Hall Weekend Journal Maranatha Bible Church Steve Brown ETC His Life Ministries Pray San Antonio

Jonathan Park Creation Adventures Focus On The Family Kurt Hudspeth Kathleen Whitten Baron Wiley Elieen Vincent - City Reachers Robert Jeffress Mac Greiner Larry Linenschmidt Steve Teel Gary Johnson KSLR Scott Lane & Terry Read Sean Azzaro - River City David Mitchell Philip Sundar Johnson Varkey Mike & Cris Sosso - Freedom Fellowship Les Hollon - Trinity Baptist John Fuller Hugh Hewitt Rander Draper - Maranatha Bible Church Steve Brown Todd Grainger Eileen Vincent & Natalie Hardy

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

Calvary Current Road To Reality Richard Ellis Talks Living Your Best Life Bible Baptist Hour Revival Ministry Grace To You - Weekend Kathleen Whitten Ministries High Resolution KSLR’s Church Of The Week Leading the Way - Weekend His Life Revealed

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

2:30pm

Digging Deeper

Gary Johnson

3:00pm

The Safe Money Retirement Show

Rudy Hernandez

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

The Word On Investing The Cross at Kerrville Phophetic Voice Of Our Time Abortion Hurts God Heals Pure Sex Radio Richard Ellis Talks

David Mitchell Max Greiner Mike & Cris Sosso - Freedom Fellowship Saundra Decker & Virginia Lange Jonathan, Stephen, & Lee Richard Ellis

9:00pm

The Bible Live Quiz Show

Soapy Dollar

10:30pm Pray San Antonio 11:00pm The Christian Outlook

Eileen Vincent - City Reachers Don Kroah

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WOMEN

HEALTH & WELLNESS

A Letter to My 11 Year Old Daughter

Texas Organ Sharing Alliance Honored by Mayor Ivy Taylor

BY MEGAN NILSEN

You got home from school the other day, pulled out your school photo (the one with the stock elephant gray background) and observed, “Oh! I look so pretty…” My head swiveled from whatever nonsense distracted me at that moment and I breathed in the air of self-confidence you had just deposited in the room. You actually used the word “pretty.” Not “weird” or “ugly” or “awkward” or even “okay,” but “pretty.” I mean, yes. I wondered Just yes! This is it. (Come on. There how I could must be an app for that!) Your youthful eyes are so freeze the clear and pure. You care moment and little for embellishments sear that like make-up or hairspray. The media’s porcasual, authentrayal of long-legged, tic, unabashed buxomy, perfectly symmetrical, photo-shopped self-confidence women as the standard for beauty has not infil- into your heart trated your belief sysand mind for tem. I pray it never does. However, chances are, if all time. you’re anything like me or so many other women in this world, a curtain of self-doubt will cloud your grown up eyes at some point. Smack in the middle of your 11th year of life, you straddle the fine line between being a child and becoming a young lady. You relentlessly beg me to let you read The Fault in Our Stars because “EVERYONE else has read it,” yet you are still able to spend hours dressing dolls with your little sister. You cuddle up on the couch with me while we watch TV, yet your stare can be cold as ice if you feel I’ve unfairly judged you in some way. I know some of those harder moments

are rites of passage into adolescence. I don’t love them, but I love you. Honestly, I remember reacting the same way to my mom back in the day. But even on my best day, I’m not sure I ever looked at a picture of myself and declared myself pretty. You could care less what boys think of you right now. And you don’t try to garner attention by becoming something you’re not. What can we do to preserve this wonderful outlook on life? As I age I can’t help but wonder where all these crows feet came from. I let out a heavy sigh of defeat when I can no longer button my “skinny jeans.” I’ve been known to drop a dollar (or fifty!) on the latest “lose weight fast” technique. I crop photos to sit at just the right angle. And, why do I do this? For whom do I do this? I honestly don’t know. I’m pretty sure my friends don’t care what my bathroom scale reads. Dad doesn’t seem to mind either. In fact, I’m fairly certain he thinks confidence is just about the sexiest thing I can put on! Thank you for that carefree response to your school picture. Those few words have bolstered my resolve to stand strong in the face of cultural messages about beauty. Perhaps that is one way we can tackle this counterfeit message together - head on. I am your mom, the one who is supposed to be modeling such things for you and yet, you, my dear, have inspired me.

by Melody McCrea, Beacon Advertising Coordinator melody@saBeacon.com

At a recent community gathering, San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor issued a proclamation honoring the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance (TOSA) and Donate Life Texas for their work bringing awareness to the need for organ donors, and coordinating giving the gift of life. In 2015, TOSA supported 133 noble individuals and their families in offering 419 patients a second chance at life. TOSA the organ procurement organization serving Central and South Texas, provides organ donation and recovery services for families who wish to donate. Headquartered in San Antonio, TOSA in 2015 celebrated 40 years of facilitating organ donation services for families and thoughtful individuals like Justin Bateman of San Antonio. “The TOSA staff member was so pleasant and respectful,” said his mother Janice Huey. “She shared the opportunity that Justin could help people. We all just looked at each other and said this is a no brainer, this is something Justin would want to do. He always dropped everything just to help someone.” Currently more than 13,000 Texas men,

Mayor Ivy Taylor presenting her proclamation to Clarissa Thompson, senior community relations coordinator with Texas Organ Sharing Alliance. Photo Courtesy of Texas Organ Sharing Alliance

women and children await a life-saving organ transplant. More than half of those waiting are minorities. Astonishingly, a single organ donor can save up to eight lives and help more than a fifty through tissue donation. However, nine out of 10 people who support organ donation may fail to register as donors and share their decision with family members. Texans are encouraged to sign up and save lives on the oﬃcial state registry at www.DonateLifeTexas.org or when renewing their license or Texas vehicle registration. For more information on TOSA or the Donate Life Texas Registry, please contact: Clarissa Thompson, community relations coordinator, Texas Organ Sharing Alliance at (210) 614-7030 or cthompson@txorgansharing.org.

Megan Nilsen is the author of A Beautiful Exchange - Responding To God’s Invitation For More. Megan and her husband, Scott, have four children. They adopted their two youngest from Ethiopia three years ago. The Nilsens have served on Young Life staﬀ for almost 20 years and currently live in Colorado Springs, Colorado. You can follow Megan’s writings at http://www.writinginpencil.com.

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J U N E 2 0 1 6 — B E A CO N

EDUCATION

Tips to Helping Kids Become Entrepreneurs BY CINDY PERMAN

ritasontheriver.com • 210-227-7482

245 E. Commerce St. • River walk • San Antonio

210-293-6110 210-293-6113

WE DELIVER

When you hear about kids like Abbey Fleck, who helped her parents achieve their dream home, adopt a few more kids and put all five through college on her Makin’ Bacon money, it makes you wonder, how did she do it? We talked to several kid inventors and their parents about what makes them different from the rest of us. What are they doing that we’re not? 1. Get them started experimenting young. It’s not enough to just teach your kids: Eat your dinner, clean your room, do your homework, says Norm Goldstein, the CEO of By Kids for Kids and the dad of crayon holder inventor Cassidy Goldstein. Give them a lot of things to tinker with. Cassidy, for example, used to make animals out of pipe cleaners or clay while she was watching TV. Whatever it is, let them find out what they like and what they’re good at and, most important, give them the encouragement and confidence to take it to the next level. 2. Take your kids seriously. It’s easy to park them in front of the TV, say “Don’t touch that, I’ll do it,” or laugh off an idea they come up with as “Oh, those kids and their crazy ideas!” But one thing every kid and every parent said was that it’s so important to take your kids seriously. When a household problem arises, like

Cassidy and her broken crayons, ask them, “What do you think we should do?” 3. Plug them into networks for young inventors. There are tons of organizations offered right through school they can join to get hands-on experience in being an inventor and entrepreneur, including Odyssey of the Mind, First Robotics and Future Business Leaders of America. 4. There are tons of competitions they can enter that will give them a good starting point. Intel and Google each have a science competition. By Kids for Kids is basically a clearinghouse for all kinds of competitions sponsored by companies — not just math and science competitions, but in all different types of categories including arts and athletics. Even if they don’t go on to become an entrepreneur or kid millionaire, it will build valuable life and business skills. Plus, there’s usually a cash prize involved, which gives a nice boost to their piggy bank to help fund their invention, pay for college or help them get a jump-start on saving. From Cindy Perman’s article, Six tips to helping kids become entrepreneurs. She is a writer for CNBC.com and a guest blogger on EntrepreneurTheArts.com.

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BUSINESS

The C12 Group Board of Directors Appoints New CEO To Usher in Global Vision SUBMITTED BY THE C12 GROUP

The C12 Group, the largest and fastest growing Christian CEO and executive roundtable organization, announces the board of directors has unanimously appointed Mike Sharrow as chief executive oﬃcer and president. Don Barefoot, C12’s longtime CEO and figurehead, announced his desire to step down earlier this year after a decade of dedicated and distinguished service to the company. Sharrow assumed the title effective May 1st, 2016. “I am delighted with the selection of Mike Sharrow as the new CEO of the C12 Group. Mike will build upon the great work of Don Barefoot, and I am confident that his skills and missional passion will drive C12

Sharrow will be transitioning to C12’s top executive role from managing chair of one of the largest and most successful C12 regional groups in the San Antonio and Central Texas- area.

to new heights,” said Buck Jacobs, chairman of the board of directors and founder of the organization. Prior to joining C12, he worked as a consultant in healthcare strategy, as well as an executive pastor in local church ministry leadership. Sharrow brings a wide range of administrative experience in team

development, international missions, product development, and collaborative-value based networking to the global mission of The C12 Group. “Prior to joining The C12 Group as a member in 2010, I was skeptical that there truly could be a movement of leaders equally committed to work as worship (Biblical excellence in business stewardship) and business as ministry (eternal impact) in a real way,” says Sharrow of the inﬂuence C12 has among business owners and executives. “Joining and then leading others in C12 has been one of the most significant experiences of my life. I am incredibly humbled at the opportunity to lead such a league of extraordinary saints forward with

HURTS HABITS & HANGUPS

Earl Campbell Partners with Rise Recovery to Oﬀer Hope by Melody McCrea, Beacon Advertising Coordinator melody@saBeacon.com

May 2016 issue - PROOF 2 Heisman Trophy winning, University of

Texas alumni, and NFL MVP Earl Campbell

never set out to abuse drugs and alcohol. He made positive choices throughout his academic and NFL careers. However, injuries resulting from that amazing career landed him in need of painkillers for back problems. Almost a decade after he took his pre-

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scription pain medication, he found himself sitting in front of his sons, faced with the grim reality that he needed help for his addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs. Through the help of a recovery program, he was able to navigate to a place where he accepted he had a problem and asked God for help. And he has been committed to helping others with the same struggle ever since. This story made Earl Campbell the perfect keynote presenter for Rise Recovery’s 16th Annual Campaign Breakfast on May 19. Rise Recovery is a San Antonio-based nonprofit organization that helps teens, young adults and family members overcome the effects of drugs and alcohol, while assisting the community through partnerships in education, prevention and life-skills development. Built on the proven foundation of the Palmer Drug Abuse Program (PDAP), Rise Recovery offers an expanded suite of services to meet the needs of the entire community through four core programs that include PDAP, Rise Education and Prevention, Rise Early Intervention, and Rise Youth Leadership. Rise Recovery services are offered at no charge to participants eliminating cost as a barrier to accessing services. The organization is blazing new trails under the leadership of a new Executive Director Evita Morin, formerly of San Antonio’s Haven for Hope. A new youth center,

a vivid vision for seeing God’s Kingdom advance throughout the marketplace!” The C12 Group is the leading roundtable organization for Christian CEOs, business owners, and executives. Comprised of a national network of like-minded leaders, C12 oﬀers local monthly peer advisory board meetings and one-on-one counsel facilitated by full-time qualiﬁed Chairs. With over 1800 members in 90+ metro markets, C12 peer groups are incorporating Godly counsel in the marketplace impacting business, revealing ministry opportunities, and changing lives. Learn more at http://www.c12group.com.

Rise Recovery Board Member Maggie Odigie interviewing keynote speaker Earl Campbell Photo Courtesy of Rise Recovery

located at Asbury United Methodist Church near downtown, has recently opened, providing youth a safe place to come after school, staffed with 18- to 24-year-old peer recovery coaches. Even more impressively, Rise Recovery has partnered with Alamo Heights High School in a groundbreaking new approach. Staff member Liz Todd explained that Rise Recovery counselors meet with students weekly on campus, providing assistance and support. They have also trained and equipped peer support coaches to come alongside their classmates struggling with substance abuse. This approach, to forgo quick reactionary discipline for student offenders and instead offer them help and support, realizes that substance abuse is a symptom of underlying problems. Rise Recovery has also assisted the school with community events, called Breaking the Silence, which seek to promote awareness that substance abuse is a real problem with which many youth and adults struggle. In fact, 10% of the population struggles with addiction. And another 40% are negatively affected by that 10%. So, fully half of the people in our cities and workplaces and schools are affected somehow by addiction. For more information about Rise Recovery and the free services they oﬀer, visit their website at http://www.riserecovery.org/.

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Tune in Saturdays for Beacon Radio Tune in to the new Beacon Radio show Saturdays at noon on KSLR AM630. Steve Teel will host local and national difference makers who will share their stories and insights to give you hope, inspiration, and change. Steve is the pastor of Momentum Bible Church, author, and founder of Very Bold Ministries. Steve@saBeacon.com.

Host Steve Teel

Our Guest Lineup June 4

Josh Arrington Intentional Ministries

June 11

Greg Carnes, Live Show Ticketing

June 18

June 25

Adv Foster Kid Frank Tate Foster Kid

Cleto Rodriguez/Bob Smiley, Comics

4 Ways to Keep Comfortable this Summer

“ Joe Incardona Rosenberg Air

Springtime temperatures create built-in benefits for enjoying indoor comfort while conserving energy. Try these tips to make the most of lower energy costs:

”

Ad Ventilation. During moderate temperatures, natural ventilation is your best strategy for saving on energy, so fling open windows and use fans to move the air around.

2 3

Prepare Your Equipment. Service your AC system before summer. Proper maintenance will increase its life and preserve its efficiency. Watch Your Settings. DOE says you can save up to 1% for each degree you set the temperature back for 8 hours or longer. So, if you run your AC at 78° instead of 72°, you can save from 6-18% on your bill. Programmable thermostats will monitor settings for you.

your ductwork and attic insulation levels inspected especially if 4 Have you live in an older home. Many heating and cooling systems waste significant amounts of energy (and your money) leaking air into the attic space. What is the sense in paying for electricity if you are cooling your attic?

For expert service, call Rosenberg Indoor Comfort:

(210) 798-8000 www.Rosenberghvac.com

TACLA022493C

J U N E 2016 — B E A CO N

Area Churches A F R I C A N M E T H O D I S T E P I S C O PA L

Hodges Chapel A.M.E. 401 Gulf St, San Antonio 78202

(210) 224-0665

ANGLICAN

All Saints Anglican Church 11122 Link Dr., SA 78213 (210) 344-1920 www.allsaintanglican.net APOSTOLICPROPHETIC

Arise Family Church 4218 Thousand Oaks, SA 78217 (512) 451-8260 www.arisefamilychurch.com A S S E M B LY O F G O D

First Assembly of God 13435 West Ave., SA 78216 (210) 496-9977 Living Springs Assembly Of God 151 Purple Sage Rd, Bandera 78003 (830) 796-7932 Northwest Assembly of God 2714 Hunters Green, SA 78231 (210)492-5531 Victory Assembly Of God 1017 W Byrd Blvd, Universal City 78148 (210) 659-3251 BAPTIST

Calvary Baptist Church 6142 Fm 78, San Antonio 78244 (210) 222-1541 Castle Hills First Baptist Church 2220 NW Military Hwy, SA 78213 (210) 377-8485 Central Baptist Church 1226 S. Presa St., SA 78224 (210) 533-5882 www.freewebs.com/centralbaptistchruch Converse First Baptist Church 9162 FM 78, Converse 78109 (210) 658-2891 Elmendorf First Baptist Church 7795 FM 327, Elmendorf 78112 (210) 665-2113 www.efbconline.org First Baptist Church Universal City 1401 Pat Booker Rd., Universal City 78148 (210) 658-6394 Grace Point Church Medical Center 9650 Huebner Road, SA 78249 (210) 696-6093 www.gracepoint.org Grace Point Church- West Campus 8531 Leslie Rd SA 78254 (210) 363-8932 www.gracepoint.org Helotes Independent Baptist 15335 Orange Tower Dr, Helotes 78023 (210) 695-2321 Hondo First Baptist 2400 Ave P, Hondo 78661 (830) 426-4047 Iglesia Bautista Hispana 1226 E Borgfeld Dr, SA 78260 (830) 438-3081 Lytle First Baptist 16827 N Prairie St, Lytle 78052 (830) 709-2202 Resurrection Baptist Church 1002 E Live Oak Rd, Schertz 78154 (210) 658-0459 www.myrbconline.org/

w w w.saB eaco n.co m South San Filadelﬁa Baptist Church 2483 W. Southcross, SA 78211 (210) 225-7537 www.myssfc.org Southeast Baptist Church 2414 S WW White Rd, SA 78222 (210) 333-6304 Trinity Baptist Church San Antonio 3233 N Saint Marys St, SA 78212 (210) 736-0969 True Life Church 202 W Byrd Blvd, Universal City 78148 (210) 658-5945 www.livetruelife.church C AT H O L I C

St Gabriel Catholic Church 747 SW 39th St, SA 78237

(210) 433-3689

CHURCH OF CHRIST

Dellcrest Church of Christ 1550 S WW White Rd., SA 78220 Liberty View Church Of Christ 1719 Burleson, SA 78202 (210) 251-2325 Northside Church of Christ 19818 US Highway 281 N, SA 78258 (210) 494-1908 www.nscoc.org CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE

Dominion Church of God In Christ 3023 Martin Luther King Dr, San Antonio 78220 (210) 226-2932 CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST

Thompson Chapel C.O.G.I.C. 903 S Palmetto, SA 78210

(210) 533-7849

E VA N G E L I C A L F R E E

Northeast Bible Church 19185 FM 2252, Garden Ridge 78266 www.nebible.net FOURSQUARE

Lifehouse Church 20825 Wilderness Oak, San Antonio 78258 (210) 499-5775 www.lifehouseSA.com I N T E R  D E N O M I N AT I O N A L

Community Bible Church 2477 North Loop 1604 East, San Antonio 78232 (210) 496-5096 www.communitybible.com Community Bible Church Brooks 3005 Sidney Brooks St, SA 78235 (210) 534-1764 www.communitybible.com Community Bible Church Northwest 8118 Tezel Rd, San Antonio 78250 (210) 509-1800 www.communitybible.com Trinity Church 5415 N Loop 1604 E, San Antonio 78247 (210) 653-0003 www.trinitychurch.com LUTHERAN

Christ the King Lutheran 1129 Pat Booker Rd, SA 78148 (210) 658-2254 Good News Lutheran Church 11020 Old Corpus Christi Hwy, SA 78223 (210) 633-0551 LUTHERANMISSOURI SYNOD

Concordia Lutheran Church 16801 Huebner Rd, SA78258 (210) 479-1477 www.concordialutheranchurch.com

Mt Calvary Lutheran 308 Mt Calvary Dr, San Antonio 78209 (210) 824-8748 www.mtcsa.org N O N  D E N O M I N AT I O N A L

Abundant Life Church 5626 Randolph Blvd #1, San Antonio 78233 (210) 650-4816 www.abundantlifechurchsa.org Cornerstone Church 18755 Stone Oak Pkwy, SA 78258 (210) 490-1600 www.sacornerstone.org/ Crossbridge Community Church 25700 Overlook Pkwy, San Antonio 78260 (210) 496-0158 www.crossbridgecommunitychurch.com/ Destiny Church 8635 Callaghan, San Antonio 78230 (210) 349-2295 www.destinychurch.cc Faith Outreach Center International 3806 Sunshine Ranch Rd., San Antonio 78228 www.faith-outreach.org Grace Community Church Universal City 701 Kitty Hawk Rd, Universal City 78148 (210) 659-8200 www.grace-sa.org Harvest Fellowship Community Church 16111 San Pedro, SA 78232 www.harvestfellowship.org House Of Living Bread Church 18940 Redland Rd, SA 78259 (210) 402-6500 Oak Hills Church - Crownridge 19595 West Ih 10, San Antonio 78256 (210) 698-6868 www.oakhillschurch.com/crownridge Oak Hills Church - Journey Fellowship 16847 Interstate 35 N # 3, Selma 78154 (210) 651-1463 www.oakhillschurch.com/journeyfellowship Oak Hills Church - North Central 814 Arion Parkway, Suite 410, SA 78216 (210) 698-4689 www.oakhillschurch.com/northcentral Oak Hills Church - Westside 321 N General Mcmullen Dr, SA 78237 (210) 433-1484 www.oakhillschurch.com/westside Summit Christian Center 2575 Marshall Rd, SA 78259 (210) 402-0565 www.summitsa.com The Living Word of God Christian Church 608 Schertz Parkway, Schertz 78154 (210) 468-3609 Victory Outreach Church 851 Hammond Ave, SA 78210 (210) 533-7060 OTHER

Alamo City Christian Fellowship Church 6500 IH 35 North, SA 78218 www.alamocity.org Alamo Heights Christian Church 6435 N. New Braunfels Ave., SA 78209 (210) 828-5728 Church Alive 18850 Redland Road, San Antonio 78259 (210) 490-1770 www.sachurchalive.com/ Crossroads Community Church 5834 Ray Ellison, San Antonio 78242 (210) 623-4500 www.wherelifechanges.com/ Divine Fellowship 200 So Camp, Seguin 78155 (210) 632-4448 First Christian Church 201 Harriman Place, San Antonio 78204 (210) 226-8545 Friendship Center 217 Pleasanton, San Antonio 78214 (210) 367-6243 Grace Bible Church La Vernia 390 FM 1346 S, La Vernia 78121 (830) 779-5200 Grace Tabernacle Church 3630 SE Military Dr, SA 78223 (210) 534-7080 www.gracepraise.org/ Hope Fellowship Christian Church 4836 Rittiman Rd, SA 78218 (210) 370-3397 https://www.facebook.com/HopeFellowshipSA/ Iglesia Cristiana Oasis de Amor 11333 West Ave, SA 78213 (210) 653-9048 Iglesia de Hogar 1071 W Kirk Place, SA 78214 (210) 433-9993 Iglesia El Jordan 13003 SW Loop 410, SA 78224 (210) 628-4772 Iglesia Vision Y Restauracion 1845 Donaldson Ave, SA 78228 (210) 432-1265 International Bible Church 2369 Benrus Blvd, SA 78228 (210) 434-5541 www.church.ibctx.org/ Jesus’ Church 5726 Mobud St, San Antonio 78238 (210) 682-5224 JMB Outreach Ministries 9558 Cantura Crest, SA 78250 (210) 607-1537 Kingdom Life Christian Ministries Inc. 10635 IH 35 N, Suite 313, San Antonio 78233 (210) 650-5334 www.kingdomlifecm.org/ Kings Mission Fellowship 610 Moursund Blvd, SA 78221 (210) 922-5366 www.kingsmissionsa.com/

Living Faith Church 18850 Red Land Rd., SA 78259 www.livingfaithsa.org Living Water Faith Church 118 Fredericksburg Rd, SA 78201 (210) 733-1980 Living Word Christian Fellowship 4952 Windsor Hl # 103, Windcrest 78239 (210) 650-0712 Love Gospel Church 8102 Crosscreek, San Antonio 78218 (210) 650-3400 Mission of Mercy Ministry 502 E Southcross, SA 78214 (210) 425-3365 New Creations Christian Fellowship 8700 Fourwinds Dr, Windcrest 78239 (210) 646-7997 New Life Christian Center 6610 W US Highway 90, San Antonio 78227 (210) 679-6050 New Life Church 1503 Standish, Floresville 78114 (830) 216-1008 Nuevo Amanecer 502 E Southcross, San Antonio 78226 (830) 281-1162 Primera Iglesia 437 W Johnson, Pleasanton 78064 (830) 570-4999 Real Christ International Church 1136 W Woodlawn, San Antonio 78201 (210) 913-5435 Redeeming Grace AME Zion Chr 1690 Rigsby Ave, SA 78210 (210) 359-6240 Road To Damascus Church 2105 Pinn Rd, SA 78227 (210) 673-4924 Shalom Outreach Ministries 3107 Guadalupe, SA 78207 (210) 438-1257 Shekina Glory Church 614 Chalmers, SA 78214 (210) 577-8212 Souled Out - BFA 3439 Willowwod Blvd, SA 78219 (210) 862-5221 Souls for the Kingdom Ministries 3802 W Salinas, San Antonio 78207 (210) 534-8186 www.souls4.org/Home_Page.html Templo Amor Y Gracia 332 Wilcox Ave, SA 78211 (210) 923-1929 Templo Espiritu de Verdad 96 Ninth St. , Somerset 78069 (210) 639-5328 Thousand Oaks Christian Church 13007 Jones-Maltsberger, SA 78247 (210) 490-7729 Todo Esta Pagado Mission 8305 S Foster, SA 78222 (210) 413-6602 Tower City Church 11220 Perrin Beitel Rd, Suite 110, San Antonio 78217 www.towercitychurch.com/ True Christian Unity Church 10311 Lee Roy Lane, Adkins 78101 (210) 707-1837 Winds of Grace Church 1512 Bandera Rd, San Antonio 78228 (210) 954-2370 www.windsofgrace.org/ P E N T E C O S TA L

Harvest Time Fellowship Ministry 1815 S Ww White Rd, SA 78212 (210) 304-6000 www.htfm.org Iglesia Emanuel Pentecostal 2908 Mission Road, SA 78214 (210) 789-8340 Lively Stone International Christian Church 210 S Grimes St, Ste 103, San Antonio 78203 (210) 226-1234 Mission De La Fe Pentecostes Hwy 35, Derby 78061 (830) 317-6001 PRESBYTERIAN

Faith Presbyterian Church 1307 Blanco Woods, SA 78248 (210) 492-8038 First Presbyterian Church San Antonio 404 North Alamo Street, SA 78205 (210) 226-0215 www.fpcsanantonio.org/ Holy Trinity Presbyterian 16245 Nacogdoches, SA 78247 (210) 654-3411 Stone Oak Presbyterian Church 20024 Crescent Oaks, SA 78258 (210) 497-7974 S E V E N T H D AY A D V E N T I S T

Highland Lakes SDA Church 6642 West FM 1431, Granite Shoals 78654

512-755-4379

UNITED METHODIST

Asbury UMC 4601 San Pedro, San Antonio 78212 (210) 735-8115 Bulverde United Methodist Church 28300 Hwy. 281 North, SA 78260 www.bulverdeumc.org Coker UMC 231 E. North Loop Road, San Antonio 78216 (210) 494-3455 Colonial Hills UMC 5247 Vance Jackson, SA 78230 (210) 349-9583 Northern Hills UMC 3703 N Loop 1604 E, SA 78247 (210) 654-0881 www.nhumc.org/ University United Methodist Church 5084 De Zavala Rd., SA 78249 (210) 696-1033 www.uumcsatx.org Windcrest UMC 8101 Midcrown Dr, SA 78239 (210) 654-0404

It Takes Three E’s to be Excellent. New Braunfels Christian Academy instills its students with the skills necessary to excel as leaders among their peers and in their community. 830-629-6222 NBChristianAcademy.org

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REAL ESTATE

Yes, You Can Increase Your Likelihood of Success When Picking a Real Estate Agent BY ENERGIZED REAL ESTATE

What should a home seller or buyer do today when he wants to choose a real estate agent? Typically, he will talk to his family and friends to see whom they know and like, or he might look at signs in front yards or lists based on sales volume in local print publications. Or, the consumer can search social media sites to see what people are saying about an agent. The problem is that the opinions are completely subjective to the consumer who used that agent for their property in their area of town and in their price range. He can go to property search websites with sponsored agent ads but they don’t give you the full picture of the agent, despite their “amazing” 4-5 star rating. We believe that relationships, volume, internet ratings and subjective awards should no longer be the determining factor in choosing a real estate agent. The consumer is already scared about selling or buying one of his biggest assets, and these resources really don’t give the confidence he

needs. Instead, the consumer should look at an agent’s buying and selling success statistics in comparison to other agents in the area before making a decision. If he does, his confidence in the agent he chooses and success rate will increase dramatically. We are proving that if you really want to know who the right agent is, and how you can increase your likelihood of success, then you should analyze all the transactions the prospective agent has done over the last year. If you are selling you should verify they have experience listing homes in your area of town and price range. You should also see how well they are pricing homes. For example, are they changing the price of a lot of their listings? How much less, on a percentage basis, do they sell a home for than what

they originally priced the home when they put it in MLS? Next, a review of their photos from other listings should be considered heavily. Do they look professional and staged? iPhone photos are not good enough anymore! Finally, check their average days on market. Make sure they are consistently selling at or below the market average. Although someone with a lot of transactions will have a property or two that exceed the average, the prospective agent shouldn’t have a majority of transactions that exceed the days on market average. If you are buying a home, look at statistics that show the prospective agent is

working with a lot of clients in your desired area and price range. Also, look to see how well they are negotiating off the list price. Taking a more scientific or data driven approach to selecting an agent has proven very successful for our clients. If you want to improve your likelihood of success then you, too, should take a serious look at this approach, with or without us doing the heavy lifting for you. Energized Real Estate is a San Antonio real estate brokerage and advisory ﬁrm that matches you with proven successful real estate agents in San Antonio and advises you on improving your likelihood of success during your home selling and buying experience. Visit their site at energizedrealestate.com.

FINANCES

Five Habits to Increase Your Net Worth BY: DARRYL LYONS

According to the Federal Reserve, the net worth of households and nonprofits rose to $86.8 trillion during the fourth quarter of 2015. Did your net worth go up as well? If you don’t know the answer, then you can incorporate these five habits to effectively measure and monitor your personal net worth. 1. Do the math. Your net worth is defined as assets minus liabilities. The back of a napkin is suﬃcient enough to calculate everything you own (assets) and subtract everything you owe (liabilities). However, it would be “cleaner” to use excel to ensure your math is more accurate. An extra zero could yield overconfidence or despair. 2. Monitor. There are plenty of resources for you to monitor your net worth. Mint. com is a resource commonly used. If you would like help, many accountants and advisors also have tools to help you manage your net worth. As net worth planning becomes more and more popular, you will start to see many more helpful resources come into the marketplace over the next few years. 3. Pay down debt. You can easily increase your net worth by aggressively paying down debt. Remember, debt and liabilities are synonymous. Call it what you want, they both reduce your net worth. If you ignore the debt problem, the penalty is not only accrued interest but also a low net

worth statement. “…the naïve proceed and pay the penalty.” Proverbs 27:12 4. Save More. You can save $25 per month and you know it. If you have above average income, you know you could save more as well. This is not about math. This is about discipline. Take the time and find a way to carve out 10 to 15 percent of your gross income and apply towards saving. 5. Start a business. One of the most effective ways to increase your net worth is by starting a business. This includes buying real estate. Know, however, there is risk involved. If you have done your homework, are willing to pay the price, and have sought the wisdom in the counsel of advisors (see Proverbs 15:22), then go for it! Ok, so after implementing the five habits, time will reward your diligence and discipline. But to what end? To get richer? Of course not! Selfish ambitious is a futile journey. The purpose of building wealth in the context of God’s calling for you can have various outcomes. In next month’s issue, I will share with you the potential outcomes of building your net worth statement as a Christian. Continue to Rest at High Rate of Speed! Darryl W Lyons, author of Small Business Big Pressure: A Faith-based Approach to guide the Ambitious Entrepreneur. www.smallbusinessbigpressure.com. Darryl is also the co-founder of PAX Financial Group, LLC. He can be reached at 210-881-5703 or darryl@smallbusinessbigpressure.com.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

BY MONICA ALLISON, OD

The Answer to Worry by KIRK FREEMAN, Pastor CrossBridge Community Church

Introducing: Our General Manager, Samira Jimenez decided to move to San Antonio, she knew her heart and passion remained in helping people with their eye-care needs. She started working as an optician at Stone Oak Vision Source in 2012 and shortly became the practice manager at our satellite location. She became the general manager at Stone Oak Vision Source in 2014. Sam is focused on providing every patient of Stone Oak Vision Source an outstanding experience, and above all, the best quality in eyecare devices. When she’s not in the oﬃce, Sam loves to spend time with her husband, her 5-yearold son and her newest addition, her 5-month-old daughter. She enjoys watching all kinds of sports but primarily is always rooting for her San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bears and her Chicago White Sox. If you are experiencing any eye concerns, or just want to stop in and meet our team, we are currently located at 19202 Stone Oak Parkway Ste 106. Please visit our web site www.visionsource-stoneoak.com or call 495-9020 to schedule your appointment today.

Ever struggle with worry? Of course you have--everyone has. Whether the issue is our children, our job, our relationships, our health--you fill in the blank--we’ve all struggled with worry at one time or another. Sometimes the worry is ﬂeeting, but other times it can be paralyzing. At the root of worry is our very natural desire to be in control. The reality, though, is that there’s a gap between the little that we actually control and all that we wished we controlled. That gap is the Worry Gap. God knows we struggle with the Worry Gap. That’s kind of cool think about. Our struggle with worry doesn’t surprise him, nor does it cause him to shake his head in disappointment with us--he gets us. In fact, he gets us so much that Jesus tackles the Worry Gap in his very first public speaking opportunity. Again, he gets us. So what’s Jesus’ answer for our worry? Interestingly, he doesn’t give a bunch of “how to” advice. Instead, he reminds us of something vastly more important, “Father God is faithful and you matter to him.” Jesus points us to a parent/child relationship with God. Have you ever noticed our children don’t generally worry about what they’re going to eat or wear? Why is that? Because they

YOUNG ADULTS

Looking Beyond Traditional Love BY LAUREN ROBERTSON

Love. Very few words possess the variety of connotations as the word love. Love can ignite emotions that are pure, blissful, lustful, erotic, tender, compassionate, sincere, scary, giddy, and joyous. With such a diverse palette to describe one word, the definition becomes lost in translation. In my observation of how the word is applied in modern settings, two thoughts arise. One, we no longer realize the underlying commitment attached with loving. Two, only God exemplifies the purest, most selﬂess form of love. The Greek language has six different words for love- rightly so- to differentiate between the many levels and kinds of love. They include: Philia (brotherly love), Eros (sexual passion), Ludus (playful, child-like love), Agape (selﬂess love), Pragma (mature, enduring love), and Philautia (love of one-

HURTS HABITS HANGUPS

ALL ABOUT EYES

With all the excitement of our new building coming this fall, I want to continue to introduce our staff. Our new space at 810 Knights Cross will complete our goal of having a larger oﬃce that will better accommodate all of our dream team. The space will also allow all of our doctors to be present at the same time. This month I am introducing our fabulous general manager to the community. Samira, who goes by Sam, moved to San Antonio in 2011. A Chicago native, Sam has been in the optometry and optical business for 15 years. She has attended numerous courses in optical, management, personal, and financial training, including the Essilor Dispensary Manager’s Program in Dallas, which she completed in 2013. She is ﬂuent in English and Spanish. Sam will take her ABO certification exam in August 2016 to improve her skills to provide quality care to all her patients. She is also currently working on her BA in business administration and management. In Chicago, Sam managed a private Vision Source practice near the famous Pilsen area. When she and her family

J U N E 2 0 1 6 — B E A CO N

self). Love, in each of its respective categories, expresses the very core of our purpose. God is love. Because we are made in God’s image, our beings yearn to love and be loved. Romans 8:37-39 proclaims, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (ESV) This passage displays how God embodies the purest form of love. His love is everlasting (Pragma) and unselfishly bountiful to all his creation (Agape). C.S. Lewis labels God’s Agape love as a “gift love” because it is entirely unselfish and undeserved by us sinners. We do not deserve God’s love, but he readily gives it

out. God looks on us with mercy and compassion. In comparison to the way God exemplifies love, our usage and application of the word appears vain. We claim to love sports teams, food, and other material things; but God does not use the term love so lightly. God is love. To express love of worldly things so freely falls utterly short of the fear and respect we ought to show God. Just as God has committed unselfishly to loving us, we should commit ourselves to

know have a parent, and that they’ll be provided for. That’s what Jesus is telling us, “Don’t worry. You have a Father who loves you, and he’s a very good Father. He’s going to take care of you.” God has his hands on the steering wheel--he’s in control. He has made a promise to you, and he never breaks his promises. You can trust him. So, what’s our part of the bargain? Well, just like a child with their parent, we need to stick close to Jesus. When a child runs away, it’s hard for a parent to take care of them. Likewise, we won’t feel the presence of God in our lives when we wander away from him. In Matthew 6:33, Jesus sums up how we can make sure we’re staying in step with God when he says, “Make it your priority to pursue the Father’s will and Father’s ways; then you’ll see and feel the Father’s presence in your life.” Tell him you trust his decisions and wisdom. Give him permission to step in and act. When you do, the Worry Gap begins to shrink. Kirk Freeman loves being a husband, daddy and serving as the lead pastor of CrossBridge Community Church in San Antonio, Texas.

loving others- especially those who are hardest to love. Erich Fromm, a psychoanalyst, claims people expend too much energy on “falling in love” rather than “standing in love.” Beyond the charm and youthfulness of pursuing love, it is critical to recognize love entails commitment. Cultural thinker Roman Krznaric notes in his work Sojourner, “Pragma is precisely about standing in love—making an effort to give love rather than just receive it. With about a third of first marriages in the U.S. ending through divorce or separation in the first 10 years, the Greeks would surely think we should bring a serious dose of pragma into our relationships.” Society does not lack love, but rather suffers from severely misinterpreting and degrading love’s meaning. Often I find myself mislead by social media and ads on TV telling me a clearer complexion, thinner body, or more materialism will bring me joy. They advertise “love;” however love cannot continued on page 19

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Fit Family Challenge Rewards Families

Photos courtesy of Fit Family Challenge

very summer since 2010, San Antonio families have come together to play, exercise and develop healthy habits through San Antonio Sports’ Fit Family Challenge presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. This year, San Antonio Sports is making a special effort to encourage faith communities to participate in this free program that rewards families for being active, eating more healthfully and having fun together. What is Fit Family Challenge? San Antonio Sports’ Fit Family Challenge, presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, includes events and resources to help families be more physically active and learn about good nutrition. There are free weekly workouts at seven sites and every three weeks, a family-friendly Big Event is held on a Saturday where a $1,000 cash prize is given away. PLUS, prizes will be given away throughout the summer to participants who earn points on their tracking log! Points can be earned by taking part in weekly fitness classes, receiving a health screening, and coming to the Big Events. If more than 400 points are earned, participants will be entered to win one of the 2016 Fit Family Challenge grand prizes.

Rewards Program: Move to Win! Earn points by attending weekly events, participating in a health screening and attending Big Events. The more you move, the more chances there are to win. Here’s how it works: Weekly fitness class = 10 points Health screening = 20 points Big Event attendance = 50 points Each three week session (example of how to earn 100 points): • Attend at least three weekly fitness events each session (30 points) • Take a health screening (20 points) • Attend a Big Event (50 points) • Must have completed the pre-program survey (sessions 1-3) and post-program survey (session 4) If participants have 100 points within a three-week session, they will be entered to win the $1,000 prize. Must be 18 years of age to be eligible to win the $1,000. Weekly Fitness Activities May 16-Aug. 13 Each weekly fitness class offers one hour of Zumba and 15 minutes of nutrition education. A Kid Fit class is offered for children ages 4-12. Plus there will be drawing for door prizes EVERY WEEK! Evaluating participants’ health is an important part of Fit Family Challenge. Health screenings for weight, BMI and blood

pressure will be available by visiting a Higi Stayhealthy kiosk located in participating H-E-B pharmacies. Participants track their family’s daily activity and healthy eating on a Fit Family Challenge tracking log. If they bring their tracking log, stamped from at least three Fit Family Challenge weekday events and one health screening to a Big Event, they’ll be eligible to win $1,000 (must be 18 or older)! Visit FitFamilyChallenge. com to learn more. San Antonio Sports is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to transform our community through the power of sport. San Antonio Sports bids on and hosts premier sporting events such as NCAA® championships, which have generated a local economic impact of more than $525 million. San Antonio Sports’ kids programs, including i play! afterschool, University Health System Go!Kids Challenge™ and Kids Rock marathon training program, annually touch the lives of more than 150,000 children in San Antonio. Additionally, San Antonio Sports serves as a catalyst for the development of quality recreational and athletic facilities in our community, including SPARKs. Fit Family Challenge is a program conducted by San Antonio Sports, with funding from the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation, Baptist Health Foundation, United Way, BBVA Compass Foundation, and Medtronic Foundation and participation from sponsors, area school districts and volunteers.

Visit: FitFamilyChallenge.com to learn more.

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PETS

SOCIAL ISSUES

Interview with Streets of Love

A Pet’s 10 Commandments BY DR. SHAWN MESSONNIER

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful. 2. Give me time to understand what you want of me. 3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being. 4. Don’t be angry with me for long, and don’t lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you. 5. Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me. 6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it. 7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you. 8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I’m not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak. 9. Please take care of me when I grow old. 1/4You page too, ad will grow old.

by Todd Reid, Beacon Communications Specialist, Todd@saBeacon.com with Andrew Aramouni and Chris Grubb

10. On the ultimate diﬃcult journey, go with me please. Never say you can’t bear to watch. Don’t make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so. Take a moment today to thank God for your pets. Enjoy and take good care of them. Life would be a much duller, less joyful experience without God’s critters. Now please pass this on to other pet owners. We do not have to wait for Heaven, to be surrounded by hope, love, and joyfulness. It is here on earth and has four legs! Dr. Shawn Messonnier, a 1987 graduate of Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine, is a well-known speaker and author. Dr. Shawn is a member of several healthcare organizations, including the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, and Texas Veterinary Medical Association. He is the author of several books, including The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats and Unexpected Miracles: Hope and Holistic Healing for Pets.

Feel Better Live Better

In our effort to highlight organizations and individuals who are bringing hope, inspiration and change to the San Antonio region and beyond, we had the chance to visit with the founders of Streets of Love, a local ministry to the homeless population. It’s a vision that began a few years ago in the hearts of two students at San Antonio Christian School, Andrew Aramouni and Chris Grubb. Their ministry has evolved into a team of volunteers who focus on developing relationships with the homeless population, in addition to the basic supplies they collect and give to the needy. Aramouni (20) is on staff with Fellowship Bible Church in New Braunfels and was recently accepted to the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Grubb (19) is a Radio-Television-Film major at UT Austin.

their physical needs to then be able to provide for their spiritual needs through the Gospel and to open the eyes of society to this hard-to-reach population by means of training, activities, and volunteering.’”

1. What is the mission of Streets of Love? “Our mission has never really been the same. Since we’ve changed very drastically as a ministry in a relatively short period of time without really trying, the learning curve is very steep, which caused us to rethink things multiple times. At the beginning, our mission was just to get out and help a couple homeless people. After doing that, we saw the potential of helping a pretty large number of people, and that became our mission. Now, we see an even bigger picture. Our current mission is ‘To build relationships with the homeless population of San Antonio through providing for

2. What is unique about the way your organization approaches the glaring need to support San Antonio’s homeless population? “Our uniqueness really stems from our relational approach. These people are practically outcasts to society, they feel wary eyes on them as they are simply taking a stroll, and they are mistreated by many. We have found ways to encounter the same homeless individuals over and over again which allows for the potential of long-term relationships. We focus on the names and stories of the people we encounter instead of the numbers.” continued on page 18

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MEN

HAPPENINGS

Searching For Knowledge

What is Before You? COURTESY OF GRACE POINT CHURCH

BY ZAN HOOD

I was at a little coffee place I frequent in the mornings today. Every Monday through Friday a group of retired gentleman gather there to talk about just about everything. One man in particular, who is in his 80’s, is becoming quite an interesting man in conversation. He is always asking me what I am typing on my laptop, and no matter what I say, he seems to know about it. In fact, he said he had thought awhile about getting on Facebook, but he realized most of his friends were dead. I laughed at his joke, but realized, he wasn’t kidding. He is as alive and interesting as any man I have met. Well, we were talking about Teddy Roosevelt today, and he said, “You know he is a progressive right?” “Well, kind of,” I said. And he went on to tell me about the movement, and Woodrow Wilson, and FDR. I was kind of interested in learning about it and I said, “I need to look more of that up.” And he just stared at me and said, “Well, I lived through it.” And it just kind of hit me staring at him.

That I hadn’t even thought of saying, “Tell me more.” Or “what was that like?” Or did I even connect that there are people alive, and men alive sitting at coffee shops right next to me that know these stories of the past. I was going to Google it. He was it. I love technology. I really would love one of those iPads. But I wonder how many screens we are getting our information from, instead of seeing who is right before us, or who we could talk to. I need to practice the art of asking and listening, and sitting, versus all the knowledge at my fingertips, getting the quick facts and gathering life. I am sitting on my laptop in a coffee shop full of Googles with real stories within them. Xan Hood is an author, speaker and the co-director of Training Ground, an experiential discipleship program for young men. He is also the founder of the clothing startup, Buﬀalo Jackson Trading Co. He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and three daughters.

The 2016 election season is rolling on. In this age of 24-hour news, you can hear about the election any time of the day or night, along with the latest pundits’ worrisome predictions, of course. What should our response be to all of this? Should we be worried, concerned, or even afraid? If you’ve got a few minutes, read through Psalm 16 (it’s 11 verses). It’s a Psalm written by David, the well-known king/songwriter/ shepherd from Israel’s history. He speaks of God being his refuge, a normal theme for David, and in verse 8 he shares this powerful truth:

“I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

not fixing his eyes on the things around him or on the people who want to cause him to fear. He has set the Lord before him—and it’s the comfort and strength he gains from God’s presence that keeps him on solid ground. When you feel worried or concerned about the election, it’s probably because you have set the wrong things before you— news channels, social media rants…you name it. Choose to fix your eyes on God, remind yourself that He is faith. family. community. right here beside you. You have nothing to fear.

David makes a consistent decision, in the middle of whatever struggle or challenge he is facing, to fix his eyes on God.

David tells that Designs he will not Proposed 1/4us page forbe March 2016 Grace Point Church exists to lead common people into uncommon shaken… and it’s for a specific reason. It’s life in Jesus. For more information about Grace Point and their locabecause he has set the Lord before him. He’s tions and service times visit www.gracepoint.org.

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Summer Activities for Kids Are you looking for summer activities where your child can make friends in a fun, safe environment? Or does your teen or pre-teen need a place to volunteer? Many churches offer VBS throughout the summer, where kids of all ages spend time in games, songs, drama, crafts and other activities, supervised by a cadre of volunteer adults.

Check out the events page on our website for a location and time that suits your family’s schedule. Churches: The Beacon wants to help you get the word out about your VBS, camp or summer activity schedules. Please visit our website to list the details on our events page: www.saBeacon.com/upcoming-events.

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SENIORS

Teddy Nails It BY BOB LOWRY

One of this country’s more colorful figures, Teddy Roosevelt, summed up the difference between a talker and a doer very well. In a speech in France in April of 1910, he said, The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievements, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place will never be with those timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.” Today, our culture tends to listen more intently to the critic, the person who says something or someone else is wrong and ﬂawed. We delight in stories about people failing and falling from great heights. While we have a celebrity-worshipping mindset, we can’t wait for that celebrity to stumble. I could argue that the critic versus doer is

as good a description as any of the fight each of us has in crafting a satisfying retirement journey. Our internal critic says we should do something, or we can’t do something else. We build our own box around our dreams, looking for reasons to not move forward. A spouse, partner, or friend may say something that makes us doubt our ability to accomplish what we dream of. Even louder, is the voice in our head that says, “No, don’t risk it.” “It is not the This is a short post, but one I hope will cause you critic who counts; not the (and me) to stop and think for just a moment. Do we man who play the critic with ourpoints out how selves and others, or are the strong man we a doer, or supporter of one? Does a friend want stumbled or our unqualified backing, where the doer or our unending cautions? of deeds could Which would we want? Pick carefully. Your have done choice has amazing them better.” power. Bob Lowry is the author of the deﬁnitive retirement guides: Living A Satisfying Retirement and Building A Satisfying Retirement. Bob has been proﬁled in Money Magazine & CNN Money as well as Ad Age Insight White Papers. He is a featured author in nationally released book, 65 Things To Do When You Retire and 65 Things To Do When You Retire - Travel and 70 Things To Do When You Turn 70.

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MARRIAGE

Communication Matters in a Relationship STEPHEN L. CERVANTES LPC, LMFT

The goal of this column is to help grow great marriages, which reﬂect the church as places of joy, love, forgiveness and growth. The following letter is a compilation of comments made by different wives: It does not reﬂect a specific person or relationship. Dear Husband, I want to talk to you. Talking and working together are important to me and have always been my best tool for connecting. Talking and feeling heard make me feel loved. In my logical place, I know you love me; you are a good provider. But I want sweet, connecting dialogue. Talking does not work in this marriage. No talking means I don’t feel loved. Something is badly broken. I feel stuck, trapped and tied to a non-talking husband for what I fear is the rest of my life. Engaging others has been a strength of mine. Many have told me I am charming. However, in my marriage, I don’t feel like

that; I feel like I am just here. Marriage is supposed to be a safe, sacred place. When I mention my concerns, you don’t take me seriously. My thoughts are minimized, you are distracted, and you show no interest. At times you fall asleep when I’m hurting. The conclusion is obvious: life is better with little or no talking. My dear husband, please know I want the best for us. However, I see a pattern developing. I approach you with a topic. You are busy and don’t want to be bothered, My feelings get hurt. So, I talk less. I try to stay positive and up. To distract myself, I invest in the kids, work and tasks. Over time I find myself trying to talk to you less and less. My spirit is closing. It seems like you don’t want to talk, so to protect myself, I just stop talking. Can’t you understand the value of talking to me - the back and forth discussing and exploring of issues? Working through our differences? Talking is such a sweetly satisfying activity. Talking makes me feel loved. I want your help working through life’s challenging issues - especially in

Interview with Streets of Love continued from page 15

3. How can people get involved and what kind of support do you need? “Our main outreach events are how most people decide to get involved. We have one of these every quarter throughout the year. Our next one is June 18. Other than these quarterly events, Andrew goes downtown weekly to meet with and minister to the homeless he knows. He loves to take 1-2 people with him and introduce them to his homeless friends. As for support, food, clothing, blankets, Bibles, toiletries, and financial donations are always welcomed and needed. We have several specific individuals who have very targeted and particular needs. We desire to have a working list of people willing to ‘adopt’ a homeless person and build relationships with them. Above all else, prayer. We don’t say this lightly or just to say it. We truly need prayer for wisdom in handling our ministry and finances, in patience with the homeless, in humility in leading, and in openness and breakthroughs with those we minister to. We have a long list of names and specific prayer requests of the individuals we encounter.”

4. How do interested volunteers get in touch with you? “We have several ways of connecting with people: through our Facebook Page (Streets of Love), email (streetsoﬂovesa@ gmail.com), and through calling/texting (210) 912-0920.”

Thank you for talking…

these three areas: I need to explore my fears. I need to talk for encouragement and strength to fight them. Next, I need to talk about my disappointments to help me walk through them. And I want to share seasons of grief with you. Grieving is an important part of life and healing. Husband, please know I do not talk just to ramble. I am not complaining. I am in search of life’s solutions. Talking helps me heal, brings clarity and lightens life’s heavy loads. Can you please help me? This letter makes me sad. I am writing it out of love. I am writing in the hope it stirs you to revisit the idea of improving our talking. I want to talk to you. Signed, your loving wife.

June 2016 Issue Homework: Wives, share this for discussion purposes with your husband. My

Thank you for listening

hope is it will give a voice to those who do not feel heard. Pray and ask for wisdom as you proceed forward in love. Husbands, pray daily for wisdom and a heart to hear your wife. Go on a mission of emotional growth and make it an offering to your heavenly Father. Stephen L. Cervantes is a Licensed Marriage Therapist and expert in relationship love. He has 28 years of experience. He specializes in helping successful men who struggle in relationships. 210-4909062. HopeCounseling.com (Stone Oak area).

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SPORTS

Running to Win by JIM FAULK, Area Director-FCA

In Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth he states, “Do you not know that those who run in a race, all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way so as to get the prize!” I Cor. 9:24. For the past 27 years of my life, I had been a recreational, health-and-wellness jogger, right up to my 60th birthday. At that juncture of my life, I decided it was time to add a half marathon (13.1 miles) to my accomplishments. I have now finished NINE of them – all in the last 2 ½ years. That achievement not being enough for me, at 62 ½, I registered for the competitive 5K (3.1 mi.) and 10K (6.2 mi.) in the Texas Senior Games last month. Wow, was I in for a shock! When you run in a qualifying event, and you don’t place in the top 3, you learn very quickly that you don’t get a medal, or a trophy, or even a pat on the back! Now, that’s a totally different experience than the other races in which I’ve participated, where there are professional photographers on the course snapping pictures of my running physique, water and snack stations every 2 to 3 miles to keep us nourished and hydrated, and at the finish line, medals for all finishers, chocolate milk, tacos, donuts, and t-shirts. The goal of all that folderol? To make each one who finishes feel like a winner! In the Senior Games qualifier races last month, the prizes only went to the winners – the ones who ran first and crossed the finish line first…no shirts, no finisher’s medals, not even chocolate milk. I have to admit, after running my absolute best times ever and finding myself completely gassed out crossing the finish line, I found these races to be much more like real life – with clear winners and losers. I represented the latter well. May I be so brazen as to suggest that I’m fearful that we, the church (and making a generalization, of course), treat our faith more like a half marathon with a participation/finisher medal at the end, rather than a race to run so as to win the prize? I’m fearful that we’re so satisfied with just the “golden ticket” into heaven that we’re just barely more than spectators in a race that the Apostle Paul admonishes us to go all in! Why run this race with all you’ve got? Is it not to win the prize of becoming like the Savior, becoming the person God created

SINGLES you to be, and hearing those awesome words from the One who was all in for you, “Well done, good and faithful servant?” Honestly, I believe the greatest disappointment we will have when we’re translated into the presence of the Almighty is that our faith was just so-so.. We will grasp that we could have been so much more; not only were we called to win the race of faith, to fight and finish, but to encourage all those around us to likewise run and finish this awesome race heavenward. So the question we all must ask in our faith walk is, do we want to just finish, or do we want to win the prize of the upward call of our Lord Jesus? Check out our Facebook, Twitter, Alamo FCA’s Website, and Instagram accounts. Originally from Ft. Worth, Jim Faulk has lived in SATX since high school. A MacArthur HS and UTSA graduate, he coached brieﬂy in the Judson School District. Jim recently celebrated his 30th anniversary as the Alamo Area Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He and Sandi, his wife of over 40 years, have a son, a triathlete and pastor, a marathoner daughterin-law, and two darling (really!) granddaughters. Jim and Sandi have taught the Scriptures and served through First Baptist Church of San Antonio for almost 35 years. Jim is a very competitive distance runner – look for him in area half-marathons!

Looking Beyond Traditional Love continued from page 13

be bought. Through personal experience I have come to realize how empty these objects can leave you. Our society desperately needs better definitions and examples of love. The Greek language gives a clearer view of how people may feel and express love, but only God serves as the immutable, pure form of love that man should aim to mimic. Lauren Robertson is a recent graduate of San Antonio Christian Schools. She served as Editor-in-Chief of her school’s magazine, the Revelation. She will be attending Baylor University this fall where she will continue her passion for medicine, business, and writing.

Living a Single Life on Purpose BY ELIZABETH GELSINGER

I was on my seventh personal retreat when God asked me a question. He wanted to know what I was doing with my life as a single person that I couldn’t do if I was like my friends with kids, a family, a husband. Hm... I sure wanted to know the answer to that question too. If I was sacrificing the joys of having children and the blessings of marriage, than I had better be making it worth it for the kingdom, by golly. Have you had similar thoughts? Or maybe you come to singleness as I used to - with a disgruntled - “I guess this is my fate until real life begins” attitude. Maybe you’re trying to escape it because that’s what others expect of you. Maybe you are content, but tired of pressure that says you need a spouse and are wasting your life living a single life. My calling to a life of singleness only started a month ago. I had had an inkling for awhile that God was calling me to accept the “gift,” but had been conveniently not hearing him. He made it loud and clear for me, as that’s one of the best ways he communicates, and I was in shock. I was at a youth retreat worshiping, when God asked me if I’d given him my life - my all. It went something like this... “Of course I have God,” I responded. “No you haven’t - I want the thing you hold most closely.” “You want me to give up what I hold most dear? Really, God? I’ve given you everything else - I left behind my family in America. I’ve moved across the world to serve you in China. What else could you want?” But he wanted it - the very last treasure in my tight fist, the very last thing that kept me from full and complete surrender. My desire for a husband. So I sacrificed it on the altar and felt very much like Abraham

must’ve felt on the way to Mt. Moriah - this is all I’ve ever hoped for, what can you be wanting to do now God? For years I’d convinced myself, as maybe you have, that if God gave me a desire for a husband, than by golly he’d fulfill it. Doesn’t Psalms 37:4 say, “Delight in the Lord, I was one of and he’ll give you the those girls who desires of your heart.” For so long I faithfully talked about her delighted in the Lord, him, all the wedding with loving while holding out on friends growing the thing I wanted the most above all, a up, played family to call my own. house, whose I knew it was ficbut my prince only genre of tional, charming was going movie is chick to be pretty darn close. If I was close flick and whose enough to Jesus, he’d to be too, and only books have have we’d have a pretty the guy and girl great life. the fateful always ending dayUntil when God said up in happily “Do you love me more than these? Are you ever after. really willing to give up EVERYTHING that you hold dear for my kingdom?” My aﬃrmative answer began the journey I’m still trodding today and encourage you in as well. Welcome to this journey - welcome to see where this decision has brought me and the amazing lessons God has taught me along the way. Welcome to the ramblings of this single heart. Elizabeth Gelsinger is a teacher at the SMIC Private School in Shanghai, China. She is a graduate of George Fox University in Oregon.

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