Fighting With Hope
SAGE NORTHCUTT P.22
Power of a Compliment
“WANNA RACE?” P.8
Dignity Through ‘Dos
STREET STYLEZ P.10
Faith&Friends I N S P I R AT I O N F O R L I V I N G
faithandfriends.ca
AUGUST 2018
Rock of Ages ALICE COOPER’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL ACT IS DEDICATING HIS LIFE TO GOD. P.16
Heart to Heart
Some people are afraid of praying, thinking it takes great skill or sophistication. Nothing can be further from the truth. Anyone from the youngest of children to the oldest of seniors can pray prayers as profound and as powerful as any theologian. The secret is to bare our soul, honestly and unflinchingly, to the God who receives our prayers and answers them—according to His perfect will. The words don’t have to be complicated, they just need to come from the heart.
Because, really, it’s all about the heart, about what we are expressing from deep within our being. If you are fortunate enough to belong to a faith community, then the art of prayer is about adding your own to those of others, making them personal and intimate—part of a magnificent tapestry presented to God. To learn how to pray, email us at faithandfriends@can.salvationarmy.org or visit your local Salvation Army church.
Beverly A. Ivany, Words of Life September-December 2016, London, England
“ Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” —Colossians 4:2
August 2018
VOLUME 21 NUMBER 8
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COMMON GROUND 5 Running for My Life
You can’t do anything about your heredity, but you can pursue a healthier lifestyle. SACRED SPACE 8 “Wanna Race?”
A smile, a conversation or a compliment can go a long way. SOMEONE CARES 10 Street Stylez
The Salvation Army is bringing dignity through ’dos. FEATURES
12
COVER STORY
16
Cover photo: Chris Young © The Canadian Press
22
26
Surviving Schizophrenia
With faith and professional help, Allan Jones is determined to help others fight for mental health.
Rock of Ages
Heavy metal legend Alice Cooper’s most controversial act is dedicating his life to God.
Fighting With Hope
There’s nothing lightweight about mixed martial artist Sage Northcutt’s faith. BETWEEN THE LINES 26 Kids Have Questions …
And Salvation Army member Myrna Ramsay answers them in her book, Story Time With Billy. LITE STUFF 28 Eating Healthy With Erin
Sudoku, Quick Quiz, Word Search. NIFTY THRIFTY 31 Vaselift
Jazz up a glass container in four steps. faithandfriends.ca I AUGUST 2018
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Faith&Friends
FROM THE EDITOR
Comings and Goings
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s the August issue of Faith & Friends went to press, it was announced that a new international leader had been chosen for The Salvation Army, and a Canadian, no less! Commissioner Brian Peddle was born in Newfoundland and Labrador and became a Salvation Army pastor in 1977. Over the years, he has served in Canada and around the world with his wife, Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, who now assumes the office of World President of Women’s Ministries. Most recently, the General was the Chief of the Staff to our former leader, General André Cox. We offer our heartfelt congratulations and sincere best wishes to the 21st leader of The Salvation Army. At this time, we also have to pen a fond farewell to Lt-Colonel Jim Champ, who is taking a welldeserved retirement after 43 years of service in Canada and the United Kingdom. Most recently, Lt-Colonel Jim was the secretary for communications for The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda and, prior to that, served as our editor-in-chief for five years. Replacing Lt-Colonel Jim is Lt-Colonel John Murray, who has served as communications secretary at the Army’s International Headquarters in London, England, and comes with a wealth of experience and a love of Starbucks coffee. Elsewhere in this issue, we look at two unconventional Christians, rocker Alice Cooper and MMA champion Sage Northcutt, people who are unafraid to declare their faith to the world on their respective stages, and we are grateful that they do. Ken Ramstead
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Mission Statement To show Christ at work in the lives of real people, and to provide spiritual resources for those who are new to the Christian faith.
Faith & Friends is published monthly by: The Salvation Army 2 Overlea Blvd, Toronto Ontario, M4H 1P4 International Headquarters 101 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4P 4EP, England William and Catherine Booth FOUNDERS
Brian Peddle, GENERAL Commissioner Susan McMillan TERRITORIAL COMMANDER
Lt-Colonel John Murray SECRETARY FOR COMMUNICATIONS Geoff Moulton, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ken Ramstead, EDITOR
Brandon Laird DESIGN AND MEDIA SPECIALIST
Timothy Cheng SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Pamela Richardson, COPY EDITOR, PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR
Ada Leung CIRCULATION CO-ORDINATOR
Kristin Ostensen STAFF WRITER, PROOFREADER
Giselle Randall STAFF WRITER Scripture Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are taken from New International Version Contact Us P. (416) 467-3188, F. (416) 422-6120 Websites faithandfriends.ca, salvationist.ca, salvationarmy.ca Email faithandfriends@can.salvationarmy.org Subscription for one year: Canada $17 (includes GST/HST); U.S. $22; foreign $24 P. (416) 422-6119 circulation@can.salvationarmy.org All articles are copyright The Salvation Army Canada & Bermuda and cannot be reproduced without permission. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40064794 ISSN 1702-0131
Faith&Friends
COMMON GROUND
Running for My Life You can’t do anything about your heredity, but you can pursue a healthier lifestyle. by Ron Knight
Photos: Courtesy of Ron Knight
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s a kid, I was often teased about being skinny. One friend said that if I turned sideways and stuck out my tongue, I’d look like a zipper. In adult life, I thought my inherited thinness made me healthier than most other people, even though I ate a lot of junk food and didn’t exercise regularly. Then, at age 50, I had a wake-up call: my father died of a massive stroke. His passing made me wonder if I had inherited some of his bad circulatory-system genes. Upon checking with various relatives, I learned that circulatory diseases were endemic on both sides of my family. That unwelcome news made me think that even though I couldn’t do anything about my heredity, I could pursue a healthier lifestyle. Hopefully, by changing my diet and
The Running Man For Ron Knight, running is one of the weapons he uses to meet the challenges of aging
making fitness a priority, my body would be able to survive a future heart attack or stroke. Three Motivators Motivation was a major problem, however. I had lots of feeble excuses for not exercising regularly: “I’m too tired after work; family and church responsibilities take up all my spare
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COMMON GROUND
“ Aging is inevitable; being old is a choice.” time; I get a pain in my side when I run.” What finally convinced me to adopt a healthy lifestyle? This Bible passage played a major role: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Those verses taught me that God cares about the condition of my body. He expects me to honour His temple by maintaining it to the best of my ability. A second motivator was a fitness trainer, who assured me that even people in their 70s and 80s can make dramatic improvements in strength, balance, flexibility and aerobic fitness. “It’s never too late to start,” she said. My third motivator was a wonderful book entitled Younger Next Year: A Guide to Living Like 50 Until You’re 80 and Beyond by Chris Crowley and Henry S. Lodge, M.D. That book gave me all the information I needed to develop a weekly fitness program, eat a healthier diet
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and adapt to the challenges of aging. Avoiding the Widow Maker So what does a healthy lifestyle look like at our house? Most mornings, my wife, Carla, and I do stretching, balancing and strength-building exercises together while we watch the news on TV. We always include squats and planks because we’ve learned that those are two of the most important strength-building exercises for seniors. After breakfast, I do either a 40-minute run, play singles tennis or ride my bike. Carla goes on long, fast walks. We give ourselves one day off per week. Our diet consists mostly of natural, unprocessed food with a big emphasis on fruits and vegetables. We’re very conscious of portion size and eat all our meals off side plates as opposed to larger dinner plates. Are the payoffs worth all the self-discipline and hard work? Absolutely! We both feel great most of the time and have no debilitating joint pain or stiffness. We are grateful that most things we did 20 years ago, we are still able to do today. Moreover, we feel blessed that in our
Active Grampa Ron boardsails and bikes with his granddaughter to keep fit
70s we can be “fun grandparents” who go swimming, biking and hiking with our grandchildren. For me, there was an even more important benefit of becoming fit. At 71, I had the heart attack I had predicted 20 years ago might happen because of my bad genes. It was caused by a 90-per cent blockage of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery (called the Widow Maker). However, the only symptom was nausea during exercise, and the main reason I visited the doctor after two weeks was that the nausea was interfering with my tennis game. A weekend in hospital and 20 min-
utes to have a stent inserted solved the problem. Within a month, I was back to five-kilometre runs and a resting heart rate of 50. The cardiologist credited my “minor cardiac episode” to regular aerobic exercise that had produced a strong heart. My son thinks I will live to be 100. I doubt that, but I’m confident that whatever additional years God grants me will be active, highquality ones as long as I “honour His temple.” To that end, I’m encouraged every day by this screen saver on my computer: “Aging is inevitable; being old is a choice.”
Ron Knight, here with Carla, his wife, is a retired band member and home group leader who attends The Salvation Army Cariboo Hill Temple in Burnaby, B.C.
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SACRED SPACE
Photo: © filadendron/iStock.com
Faith&Friends
“Wanna Race?” A smile, a conversation or a compliment can go a long way. by Joyce Starr Macias
M
y friend, Pam, has a unique way of encouraging people who seem to need a lift. One time she was at a grocery store when she spotted a woman leaning heavily on a shopping cart, all bent over and looking as if she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. Sidling up next to her with her own cart, Pam waited silently until she got the woman’s attention. Then she hunched over until her head lined up evenly with the woman’s. With a big smile, Pam pointed to their shopping carts and asked, “Wanna race?” The woman’s face lit up. Her
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former gloom-and-doom expression disappeared, temporarily replaced by a smile. Pam’s unique approach had worked again. It usually does, and that makes Pam happy, too. “Who knows how long it’s been since that woman smiled?” she asked me. “Jesus tells us to let our light shine, and humour is one way to do it.” We may not all have the kind of personality to use Pam’s methods of encouragement. I know I don’t. I’m afraid if I tried it, I’d end up with somebody calling the police! But there are other things all of us can do. Especially if we’re
intentionally trying to brighten the lives of other human beings. Sharing a Smile A genuine smile is probably the easiest way. Most of the time, the recipient will smile back. And I think that makes both of us feel better. It seems especially important when I see someone who is different from me—whether by physical appearance, age, dress or culture. I hope my smile says, “You are special
nearby. She obviously needed a listening ear, and did she ever talk— about her health issues, her family members, her past. For at least a half hour! There were other things I could have been doing, but I sensed that her need to talk was more important than my daily schedule. An impromptu compliment also can lift spirits. We feel better about ourselves when we learn that someone else admires our taste in clothing or a purchase we’re about to
Mounting evidence in the medical community shows that laughter can benefit our emotional and physical health. JOYCE STARR MACIAS and you are welcome here.” If someone looks sad or overwhelmed by life’s problems, I smile in the hope of conveying that better days are coming. Since negativity is rampant in today’s society, we can try to counter that with a positive appearance which, of course, includes a smile. Sometimes a smile leads to a conversation. When I recently noticed that woman in a motorized chair was struggling to pick up a bottle of water she’d dropped, I bent down to get it for her. In the process, we nearly bumped heads and both of us giggled. That got the woman talking. She’d been a widow for two years and had no family living
make at a department store. Given the number of people who struggle with self-worth issues, a sincere compliment may be just what’s needed for an emotional boost. Helping someone see the sunny side of life can have more than a superficial effect. Mounting evidence in the medical community shows that laughter can benefit our emotional and physical health. No wonder the Bible tells us in Proverbs 17:22 that “a cheerful heart is good medicine.” So, even if we don’t “wanna race” with a downhearted person in the grocery store, we can always share a smile. And that can go a long way toward brightening someone’s day.
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Faith&Friends
SOMEONE CARES
Street Stylez The Salvation Army is bringing dignity through ’dos. by June Li
P
ay rent or buy groceries? Have your electricity turned off or go to sleep hungry? Sadly, these are the difficult decisions that thousands of Canadians living in poverty have to make every day. Unexpected illnesses or a change in income can often force individuals to re-evaluate their lifestyle. “When people struggle to get food on the table, things like personal care are let go,” says Abby Mills, director of The Salvation Army Belleville Ministries in Ontario. Standing Tall For Melissa Payton-VanNorman, this hits close to home. “I don’t come
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from money,” Melissa explains, “I never got to get a new haircut for back to school or a new outfit.” After volunteering to give free haircuts at a women’s shelter, Melissa, an experienced hair stylist, decided to start Street Stylez. In partnership with The Salvation Army Belleville Ministries, Street Stylez is a community event that provides free haircuts to those less fortunate. With eight experienced hair stylists and 30 volunteers, Street Stylez gave 108 haircuts at their latest event, totaling 560 free haircuts in the past two years. Melissa explains that for those experiencing financial hardship, it can
A haircut is a powerful thing and can inspire confidence for those down on their luck. be hard to ask for help. Street Stylez strives to ensure that every guest feels valued. Along with personalized haircuts, a free hot meal, snacks and goody bags filled with basic necessities, Street Stylez also provides backpacks filled with school supplies during the back-to-school season. Though the gesture of a haircut is simple, it is the kindness shown through these actions that helps people realize that they are loved. A haircut is a powerful thing and can inspire confidence for those down
on their luck. “It can have a lasting effect,” says Melissa. “A community worker contacted me and let me know that a woman she has been working with completely changed her demeanour after receiving her haircut. She began taking more pride in her appearance.” “The hairdressers treat everyone with such care and compassion and you can see the difference it makes to our guests,” says Abby. “People walk out of here standing taller with confidence in their steps.”
Salvation Army Publications Win The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory’s magazines and website came away with 24 awards at the annual Canadian Church Press (CCP) ceremony in May, tying an all-time record set last year. The CCP includes representatives from 67 member publications, and the awards are judged by accomplished journalists and academics from the secular media. Faith & Friends received eight awards for articles published in 2017. Phil Callaway secured a first place in the humour category for Cowpocalypse Now in September, with Dennis Jones’ accompanying original artwork winning third. October’s front cover of aerialist and gymnast Jen Bricker merited second place. Lieutenant Kaitlin Adlam’s
fair-trade article in May, a profile of Mike “the Hammer” Carlos in August and Giselle Randall’s review of Kim’s Convenience in September all secured third-place awards. Finally, our magazine received third place in both the coveted general excellence category and edition layout and design. The French version of Faith & Friends, Foi & Vie, took first place in the humourcartoon category for Kevin Frank’s Heaven’s Love Thrift Shop and third place for the magazine’s coverage of the visit of General André Cox to Quebec. Our sister magazine, Salvationist, roped in 11 awards and our website three. You can look at our winning entries on Salvationist.ca.
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FEATURE
Surviving Schizophrenia WITH FAITH AND PROFESSIONAL HELP, ALLAN JONES IS DETERMINED TO HELP OTHERS FIGHT FOR MENTAL HEALTH. by Ken Ramstead
Survivor “Day in and day out, I count my blessings,” says Allan Jones. “And so far, my prayers have been answered”
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llan Jones is the first to admit that he did not do it by himself. “Every day is a struggle with my schizophrenia,” he says. “But I wouldn’t be where I am today without help—help from 12 • AUGUST 2018 I faithandfriends.ca
the medical community, fellow patients, friends and my church family. You can’t do it alone. I’m proof.” Not Giving Up Born in Sudbury, Ont., Allan
attended a Christian school, but a horrific event in his high school years scarred him for life. “I was sexually abused by an employer, who then tried to run me over in his car,” he explains. “I was hospitalized for six months.” Allan barely had time to work through that trauma when he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and auditory hallucinations. He was in and out of institutional care over the next decade as the doctors tried to wrestle with his illness.
better treated for his schizophrenia. “Despite taking medication, I still have auditory hallucinations. Fortunately, they fall to the wayside when I’m talking or someone’s talking to me,” Allan says. “I have to stay in control, but I am doing this, with help from the doctors and God.” Faced with numerous traumas, including psychotic episodes and delusional thinking, Allan weathered psychiatric hospital stays, forged a career as a diesel mechanic
“ Every day, I have to push myself to function and have as normal a life as possible.” ALLAN JONES “For many years, I stopped practising my faith,” he admits now. “I was drinking heavily and into drugs. I had unresolved anger issues that I didn’t know how to work through. I was a mess.” It was while he was serving a jail term for impaired driving that Allan, now married with two daughters, realized he needed to get clean, if only for his children. “It was a rough process but I got sober and stayed sober.” With the help of his father-in-law, Allan recovered the faith he had lost as a teen. It was then that he moved back to Sudbury, where he could be
and became a devoted father. Through all this, he recovered his self and his life. “Every day, I have to push myself to function and have as normal a life as possible,” Allan says. “I’ve learned so much from doctors, nurses and pastoral care. Life is too precious to give up.” Growing in Faith For more than five years, Allan has been attending The Salvation Army Community Church in Sudbury. Before he did, though, Allan already had some fond memories of The Salvation Army. As a teenager faithandfriends.ca I AUGUST 2018
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FEATURE
Seeing the Sign Allan attends the Salvation Army church in Sudbury, Ont.
hitchhiking through western Canada, a Salvation Army facility hosted him for a few nights and he never forgot their kindness. “I knew there was an Army church near my home,” he relates, “so one Sunday morning, I decided to see what it was all about. I’m so 14 • AUGUST 2018 I faithandfriends.ca
glad I did.” While he is not an official member, Allan attends regularly. “Allan was involved with our men’s fellowship,” confirms Marianneke Summerfield, the co-pastor at the time. “He was not an official greeter, but always took
analytical, taking in everything he heard and applied it as needed.” Helping Others Encouraged by the welcome he found with the Army, Allan determined to chronicle his journey through mental illness. He’s penned two books, The Book of Al and On Rock Bottom and Know Where to Turn, and he is in the process of writing a third. “I wanted to tell people how it feels to have schizophrenia, and how wonderful it can be when you have the support of friends, family and church,” he explains. “It’s a horrible disease but it does not have to be faced alone. If by telling my story, I can help just one person, that would be great. “I wanted to change my life around and help others,” Allan says, “and with The Salvation Army, I have done just that.”
© J.Sanko/C. Layton, 2018
OH MY WORD!
by John Sanko
time to interact with the church family on Sunday mornings.” Why does Allan keep coming back? “I love it!” he answers simply. “The congregation here is so great and so understanding. “They know I suffer from a mental illness and they haven’t banished me,” he laughs. He also appreciated his pastors at that time, Marianneke and Craig Summerfield. “They unpacked the Bible with elegant simplicity,” Allan says. “Since I have arrived here, I’ve purchased numerous Bible study materials, but the pastors knew how to make complicated theories and beliefs accessible to anyone.” “Allan has grown in his personal understanding of Jesus and The Salvation Army,” confirms Marianneke. “He wasn’t afraid to ask questions about church doctrine. He was thoughtful and
Nancy, I think you have a spelling error in your drawing where you wrote … The Spirit led Jesus into the ‘DESSERT’ to be tempted. faithandfriends.ca I AUGUST 2018
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COVER STORY
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Rock of Ages HEAVY METAL LEGEND ALICE COOPER’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL ACT IS DEDICATING HIS LIFE TO GOD.
Photo: Julien Zannoni © The Canadian Press
by David Goodwin
Music Man Alice Cooper in concert at the Salle Pleyel in Lyon, France, this past December
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COVER STORY
Photo: Igor Vidyashev © The Canadian Press
Faith&Friends
WHEN ALICE COOPER COMES to town, it’s not just a concert—it’s a full-on theatrical production. The Man Behind the Show The man known as “The Godfather of Shock Rock” is famous for his elaborately staged—and often shocking—onstage theatrics. Playing on imagery taken straight from 18 • AUGUST 2018 I faithandfriends.ca
horror movies, his shows are a spectacle in their own right, featuring guillotines and electric chairs, fake blood and real snakes. Even casual fans would recognize his distinctive look anywhere, with his long, dark hair, Gothic makeup and costume motif that can only be described as magnificently sinister. For those who see heavy metal as
Welcome to His Nightmare (left) From the persona he projects on stage to some of the sensational stories of his heavy metal exploits, Alice Cooper is the poster child for shock-rock edginess
“ I grew up in a Christian house. My dad was a pastor, he was an evangelist for 25 years, and I used to do missionary work with him in Arizona.” ALICE COOPER a malignant influence that corrupts youth, or standing for immorality and debauchery, he represents their worst nightmares. From the persona he projects on stage to some of the sensational stories of his heavy metal exploits—including the mistaken claim that he bit the head off a chicken during a live show!—he is the poster child for shock-rock edginess. He has been so successful at building this persona that people believe the act and think they are seeing the real Alice Cooper. But the man behind the show—born Vincent Damon Furnier—is first to stress that there is much more to him than people think. Change of Direction In an interview with The Independent, Alice tried to explain his relationship with his alter ego, saying, “I treat Alice in the third person, because I can’t take him anywhere. He belongs on stage. But there was a grey area for a long time when I didn’t know where I began
and where Alice ended.” This grey area included a time in his life where Alice struggled to deal with some of the excesses of the rock star lifestyle. “When I was 30, I was a mess. I was drinking a bottle of whisky a day. I did shows that weren’t anywhere near as good as the shows I do now.” In another interview, with dw.com, he says that he recognized the dangers of buying into his own publicity. “Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain died because they wanted to embody their stage presence at all times. They drank and took drugs to do so,” he said. “When I stopped drinking, I made a decision. I wanted to co-exist as a person alongside the stage figure Alice Cooper. But I didn’t want to be that figure all the time.” Fortunately for Alice, and for music, he was able to avoid sharing their fate, returning to the foundation his upbringing had given faithandfriends.ca I AUGUST 2018
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him and finding a power that could change his direction. Decision Time “I grew up in a Christian house,” Alice told HM Magazine. “My dad was a pastor, he was an evangelist for 25 years, and I used to do missionary work with him in Arizona. My grandfather was a pastor for 75 years. And the father of my wife, Sheryl, is a Baptist pastor.”
and strengthening their faith. And in an effort to follow God’s will in his life, Cooper adjusted his act. He no longer performs some of his older songs that promote promiscuity and alcohol. And nowadays, he writes songs that are thoughtful and reflect his faith. Myth Buster Unlike his stage presence, Alice’s deep faith is neither an act nor
It was this faith that ended up not only saving their marriage but also his life, when his drinking got to the point where he says it would have killed him. At one stage, he even “started throwing up blood in the morning,” leading Sheryl to file for divorce. “I finally realized I had to go one side or the other,” said Alice. “The Lord said, ‘Look, it’s time to make a decision here.’ ” When God delivered him from alcohol, he told writer Hasset Anteneh, he went back to his faith. Alice and Sheryl now attend Camelback Bible Church in Paradise Valley, Arizona, to focus on growing 20 • AUGUST 2018 I faithandfriends.ca
something he takes lightly. Many who line up to buy his CDs would be surprised to learn that Alice Cooper occasionally teaches Sunday school at his local church. Although Alice is a man transformed, he hasn’t stopped making great music or lost that heavy metal edge. In fact, he thinks this change has made him both a better performer and a better person. While he is happy to share his faith, he doesn’t believe in “celebrity Christianity.” “It’s easy to focus on Alice Cooper and not on God,” he believes. “I’m a rock singer, nothing more. I’m not a philosopher. I consider myself low
Reprinted from The War Cry (Australia), February 24, 2018.
“ Be careful! Satan is not a myth. Don’t sit around pretending Satan is just a joke. My job is to warn about Satan.” ALICE COOPER
Photo: Chris Young © The Canadian Press
on the totem pole of knowledgeable Christians. So, don’t look for answers from me.” He does, however, use his position as an elder statesman of rock to try to make a positive difference. When he saw that alcohol and drugs were becoming a problem for members of one of the biggest heavy metal bands in the world, Megadeth, Alice offered his support. It was a gesture their front man and co-founder, Dave Mustaine, appreciated so much he calls Alice his “godfather.” “I’ve made myself available to friends of mine,” Alice told Billboard magazine after he received the Stevie
Ray Vaughan Award as an acknowledgment of the work he has done in supporting those struggling with addiction. “They’re people who would call me late at night and say, ‘Between you and me, I’ve got a problem.’ ” But, as Alice explained to HuffPost, some people may find it hard to look beyond the stage show, seeing a contradiction between rock icon and man of faith. “But I’m dead serious about it. I can still be Alice Cooper, and be a Christian. “Be careful! Satan is not a myth,” he concludes. “Don’t sit around pretending Satan is just a joke. My job is to warn about Satan.”
Wearing His Faith For Alice Cooper, the cross is not just a fashion accessory faithandfriends.ca I AUGUST 2018
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FEATURE
Fighting With Hope THERE’S NOTHING LIGHTWEIGHT ABOUT MIXED MARTIAL ARTIST SAGE NORTHCUTT’S FAITH.
Photo: Courtesy of Sage Northcutt
by Jayne Thurber-Smith
Ultimate Fighter: Sage Northcutt was four when he started training in martial arts
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o celebrate his win in Norfolk, Virginia, last November, then 21-year-old “Super” Sage Northcutt treated a raucous 22 • AUGUST 2018 I faithandfriends.ca
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) crowd to a sermon that Saturday night. Immediately after winning
Sharing the Message “Sage brings a different element to the UFC,” Brett Robinson, Sage’s longtime private wrestling coach, told Bleacher Report last year. “You see a lot of bad-boy types who feed off the negative stuff. Sage is the opposite.” Sage is one of the youngest members of the UFC, a North America-based mixed martial arts (MMA) organization, and has high hopes of becoming the youngest UFC champion. He may be classified a lightweight as a mixed martial artist but there’s nothing lightweight about his work ethic, or his faith. On his UFC profile page, he answers the question “Do you have any heroes?” with “Jesus Christ.” “I come from a Christian family,”
Sage says. “We keep God and the Bible first in our lives. He helps me put things in proper perspective.” His father, Mark, says God’s power has been evident in Sage’s life numerous times throughout his young career, including broken bones healed through prayer. Early on, the Northcutts were given firsthand confirmation that God had big plans for Sage. “When Sage was 14, a minister friend invited us to an evangelical crusade,” Mark recalls. “We were sitting in an audience of more than a thousand people. Suddenly the evangelist stopped talking and came down the aisle. He pointed at Sage and said, ‘Young man, stand up!’ So he did. Then the evangelist said, ‘This young man will reach millions with the gospel.’ ” Afterward, the minister sitting
Photo: MMA Junkie
the fight, he commandeered the announcer’s microphone to give a message of hope. “Whatever kind of problems you might be going through, any troubles, if you’re having a hard time at work, maybe having a hard time with your family, whatever it might be, you can overcome that,” he stated. “You have to keep your hopes up. It says in Jeremiah 29:11 that God has plans to prosper you, and to give you hope and a future. He’s not there to harm you. So be keeping the hope up, and look forward to the future!” As he exited with a corkscrew backflip, the crowd roared its appreciation.
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FEATURE
On his UFC profile page, Sage answers the question “Do you have any heroes?” with “Jesus Christ.” with them said, “Mark, you’ve told me your kids are big into karate, and kids come from all over to stay with you to study karate. Have you shared your faith with them?” Mark said that they hadn’t. “The gospel isn’t to keep to yourself,” the minister said. “It’s to share with others.” “From then on, everywhere we go, Sage talks to everyone about his faith,” says Mark. From Karate to MMA Sage prays before every fight, that God would help him with whatever he has been training on. “I always like to quote Bible verses when I pray,” Sage comments, “because the Bible says when you pray God’s Word, He can’t deny it. He doesn’t lie.” He admits that being so vocal about his beliefs on such a public platform as UFC sometimes might make him a target for ridicule, but he’s OK with that. “How we walk and show ourselves as God’s children might be the only Bible someone gets to see,” says Sage. “If people haven’t been brought up in a Christian home, sometimes 24 • AUGUST 2018 I faithandfriends.ca
they need us to show them Jesus. I want to share the gospel through my sport. I want others to know that God has all these blessings for us we don’t even know about, until we study His Word and see what He has in store for us.” Besides introducing him to Jesus at an early age, Mark and his wife, Becky, also introduced a young Sage to karate. He was four when he started watching his older sister Colbey’s karate classes. He begged his mom to let him participate, even though everyone else was three years older. She let him, and he loved it. Two years later, he and Colbey began travelling the world, participating in various karate events. His dedication resulted in a record 77 world titles by the end of his amateur career. He turned pro after high school, signing a contract with Legacy Mixed Martial Arts, and then in the fall of 2015 he signed with UFC. Forward to the Future Besides being teased for his outspoken faith, he also gets ribbed for his model good looks in a sport where his opponent often has a nose that’s
2015’s Creed, produced by Sylvester Stallone. “My agent has sent an audition tape of me as Drago’s son to Stallone,” he smiles. “We’re just waiting to see what happens.” Sage ended his Saturday-night sermonette in Norfolk by letting the crowd absorb all he had said and then concluded with, “I’m looking forward to the future!”
Winning at Life “I’ve never really looked at the fighting I do as anything other than a sport,” says Sage, hand raised after another successful bout. “I always try to be an example not only to those watching in person or on TV but to other fighters in the sport as well. My goal is to be a light to those who are watching”
Photo: Courtesy of Sage Northcutt
been broken in one or two places. “I try my best to keep my head out of the way of contact,” Sage laughs. “I also have a different kind of movement thanks to my karate background, which helps me avoid getting punched in the face.” Sage was the youngest person ever to be on the cover of Sport Karate Magazine at the age of nine. He told them at that time he had two goals in life. The first was to one day fight in the UFC, which he’s already accomplished. The second was to star in an action movie, which he is now working on. He recently changed up his hairstyle to more closely resemble actor Dolph Lundgren, who played Ivan Drago in Rocky IV and will be making a reappearance in the sequel to
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Faith&Friends
BETWEEN THE LINES
Kids Have Questions … And Salvation Army member Myrna Ramsay answers them in her book, Story Time With Billy. by Ken Ramstead
Dream Come True Writing Story Time With Billy was a labour of love for Salvation Army member Myrna Ramsay
“W
hy?” Anyone who has ever been around children for any length of time inevitably encounters this question, in some way, shape or form. Some are easier to answer than others, however, and the most difficult ones usually revolve around moral issues. Peer pressure, stealing and honesty were issues that Myrna Ramsay dealt with in the 11 years she worked in Salvation Army chil-
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dren’s ministry in Prince Edward Island. Some questions were easy to field but others were a little more complicated: “Why do we have to go to church? Why do we have to learn about Jesus? Why do we need to pray?” These questions became the inspiration for her children’s book, Story Time With Billy. Youthful Inspiration Born in West Point, P.E.I., a friend
“ Even the very young look for answers. Their questions were my inspiration for this book.” MYRNA RAMSAY introduced Myrna to the Salvation Army church in Summerside, P.E.I. “I fell in love with the people, the pastors and, of course, the music,” she smiles. “Everyone was so friendly and welcoming.” She soon became an official member of The Salvation Army, and began helping out with the church’s Sunday school classes. “The questions children have asked me over the years were never frivolous, and it was important to get the answers right, otherwise it would leave them in even more doubt and uncertainty about their faith and beliefs,” Myrna says. “Even the very young look for answers. Their questions were my inspiration.” Answered Questions In Story Time With Billy, the reader follows Billy as he wanders about his neighbourhood in search of adven-
ture. Along the way, he wrestles with questions about honesty, peer pressure and good deeds. In one story, Billy’s Sunday school teacher asks the class to “put a smile on God’s face.” “But how? I’m just a kid, Billy thought. What can I do to put a smile on God’s face?” As in the rest of the book, Billy’s friends, parents and neighbours help him find the answer as he bicycles through his town. At the end of each story are Bible verses and study questions that will hopefully provoke much interesting discussion among children and adults alike, as well as unpack the themes in each story. “Over the years, I think I got it right more often than when I didn’t, and my experience is reflected in Story Time With Billy,” says Myrna. “I hope I’ve answered their questions with this book.”
Story Time With Billy can be purchased directly from the author at myrnaramsay@hotmail.com.
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Faith&Friends
LITE STUFF
Eating Healthy With Erin ZESTY CHICKEN FAJITAS TIME 25 min MAKES 4 servings SERVE WITH salsa and sour cream
125 ml (½ cup) canola oil 30 ml (2 tbsp) lime juice 2 ml (½ tsp) paprika 2 ml (½ tsp) red pepper flakes 2 ml (½ tsp) garlic powder 2 ml (½ tsp) cumin pinch of salt pinch of black pepper 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts 2 red bell peppers 1 large onion 125 ml (½ cup) mushrooms 1 avocado 60 ml (¼ cup) shredded cheddar
1. Combine canola oil (less one tablespoon), lime juice, paprika, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, cumin, salt and black pepper in a bowl. Cut chicken in strips and add to mixture. 2. Heat one tablespoon of canola oil in large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes, stirring once every minute. Remove chicken and set aside. 3. Slice bell peppers, mushrooms and onion and add to frying pan. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Return chicken to frying pan and cook together for an additional 2-4 minutes. 4. Mash one avocado and season to taste. Distribute evenly and place under the fajita mixture on your tortilla. 5. Top with shredded cheese.
PAPRIKA GRILLED PORK CHOPS 4 25-mm (1-in.) thick pork chops, approximately 500 g (1 lb) 2 ml (½ tsp) coarse salt 2 ml (½ tsp) black pepper 15 ml (1 tbsp) paprika 5 ml (1 tsp) vegetable seasoning (optional) 5 ml (1 tsp) garlic powder 15 ml (1 tbsp) apple cider vinegar
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1. Preheat grill to high. 2. In a bowl, mix together all ingredients except pork chops. Rub mixture well on both sides of chops. 3. Sear pork chops for 1 minute each side, reduce heat to medium and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes or until meat near the bone is no longer pink. 4. Place pork chops in shallow baking dish and cover for 5 minutes to further tenderize meat.
Recipe photos: Erin Stanley/veganvirgin.ca
TIME 25 min MAKES 4 servings SERVE WITH potato salad
More Than a Meal
FOOD & FRIENDS P.5
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PAWS OF LOVE P.15
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NIFTY THRIFTY P.23
Faith&Friends I N S P I R AT I O N F O R L I V I N G
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SUMMER 2018
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Sudoku Puzzle
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3 × 3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.
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© www.kevinfrank.net
HEAVEN’S LOVE THRIFT SHOP by Kevin Frank
Answers on next page.
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QUICK QUIZ 1. Wascana Lake is situated in what provincial capital? 2. Who is English musician Declan Patrick MacManus better known as? 3. Pi = 3.14. What are the next two digits in the number?
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Faith&Friends
LITE STUFF
Word Search Bodies of Water W M X L S I H S R A M C I P Q A K C F L H K R T A P E D H N O S R C R K W Y V Y R H R S H A N K M U F M I O Q E R I T G C A N A L O S J H I U U Z S F N O I R N I S A B P T S B D X C Q O Y A B E O O T R T E O R T N T N H G U O L S B K O M F L U G Z I F J G M U N A E C O H G X M E I B P P R N R O E D R K G L T A R I D A W S X S P G S T V N A B N Y L R K D K Z I P M R T L O C H L D D O C S B Q H Y R A T U B I R T L C J V S G V P A W I W E A E R E M L F K Q A K I Q D C N S L R I V E R P G I R X K Q K W N G L N Y O T K A L P L O B L Y C P M I X I C E W L B C F I Z T I Z B K B P N W E G D M C E G M F U W T H A A Y C Y T U V E A B V Z H L P H U W ARM BASIN BAY BIGHT BILLABONG BROOK CANAL CHANNEL COVE CREEK DELTA ESTUARY
FIRTH FJORD GLACIER GULF HARBOUR INLET LAGOON LAKE LOCH MARSH MERE MOAT
OCEAN POND RESERVOIR RIVER SEA SLOUGH SOUND SPRING STRAIT SWAMP TRIBUTARY WADI
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Quick Quiz Answers: 1. Regina; 2. Elvis Costello; 3. 1 and 5 (3.14159). 6
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Faith&Friends
NIFTY THRIFTY
Vaselift! Jazz up a glass container in four steps. Restyling an old glass vase or container is simple. With a few tricks, a thrift store vase can look better than new.
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Step 1 Score a vase or glass container from your local Salvation Army thrift store. Step 2 Pick up stencils, oil-based permanent markers and adhesive for glass (optional) at a craft store.
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Step 3 Tape a stencil to the vase. Colour in the stencil using the markers. Step 4 Add some bling to your vase using adhesive for glass. Once dry, your updated vase is ready to use. Note: Do not wash your vase in the dishwasher. The design and embellishments will stay on the glass with gentle washing.
(left) Denise Corcoran (a.k.a. Thrifty By Design) is an author, upcycler, community builder and workshop facilitator based in North Vancouver. She shares her enthusiasm for crafting and upcycling by facilitating “Crafternoons” throughout Vancouver. She is also a creative expert for The Salvation Army’s thrift stores. Find a thrift store near you at thriftstore.ca.
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