MORE SUPER SUMMER SENSATIONS!

 

SPICY SALSAS  

Chimichurri 

Ingredients:

1 cup of fresh Parsley, finely chopped

2 tablespoons of Oregano

4 cloves of Garlic

A pinch of Salt

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Crush parsley, oregano, and garlic with a mortar and pestle (like the one shown in the picture). Add salt and olive oil little-by-little removing crushed ingredients from the mortar and pestle. 

Chimichurri should be served in a small bowl, as it is the perfect accompaniment to grilled meats, used as a bread dip, or salad dressing .               

 CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THIS DELIGHTFUL ARTICLE!

FROM TWINAS LATINAS MAGAZINE, OF COURSE!

LAW IS LIFE, Part 1

I will never forget your commandments, for by them you give me life....Psalm 119:93

The purpose and intent of Law, any law, in its generic sense, is a body of rules of action or conduct prescribed by controlling authority, and having binding legal force (according to Black’s Law Dictionary, Sixth Edition, page 884). In plain English, the purpose of law is to maintain an orderly society.

Now, when one thinks of the word "Commandments" one thinks of a bunch of do's and do not's! The first thing that comes to mind of course, is the Ten Commandments. In Biblical terms - both Jew and Gentile Christians like us, call the Ten Commandments, the Law...or the Law of Moses.


A deeper look here on the Ten Commandments and its role in our lives is needed. Of late, the misconceptions over the Ten Commandments are astounding.  Some have made an icon and a Cause out of the stone tablets, while not obeying the ENTIRE word of the Lord. In light of the sad state of modern evangelism and preaching, we have professed Christians who think they are saved by "TRYING" to obey the Ten Commandments. Why people who go to church week after week would think that is a testimony to horrible church leadership who do not preach sin, repentance and Grace.

God's Law IS a big list of behavior we should never engage in, as a person or in wider society. What part of "Do not Steal" or "Do not Covet" or "Do not commit Adultery" or "Do not commit murder" is wrong? None of it. Those precepts, statutes or set of LAWS are meant not just to maintain order in our lives as citizens, but they are STOP SIGNS to protect us from ourselves! Yes, they are!


The Old Testament contains 613 laws, of which 603 were ceremonial laws. While those 603 do not apply to the Christian, if you read through them all, you would comprehend God's thinking behind them. For instance, the eating of things like shrimp etc is forbidden because shrimp has the most bad cholesterol of all seafood. That is just one example.


The Ten Commandments or the Moral Law is also given for our health and well-being. "Thou shalt not commit adultery" is a good example. It is not just morally wrong and a violation of one's wedding vows before God, but one can pick up diseases and the incidence of heart attacks among men who cheat on their wives with other women is higher than the average married man! 


"Thou shalt not commit murder"....a young woman who has an abortion and rids her body of a living baby in her is more likely to get breast cancer than the average woman who does not do this....and on and on.


God's Ways and His Thinking is beyond us. Let us trust Him, bow down to Him, obey Him and He will let us live! So the next time you and I come to a Stop Sign, whether it is a traffic sign or a limitation from the Bible, which we know in our spirit is from God - STOP! That Stop Sign, the Law, was put there to preserve our lives!

TOMORROW: THE FIRST COMMANDMENT

(images by google)

USE YOUR FAITH!

Do you ever wish you had more faith? I have good news for you. Your faith is beautiful. It is a gift from God. You don’t need more faith. What? That’s what Jesus said.

The apostles came up and said to the Master, “Give us more faith.” But the Master said, “You don’t need more faith. There is no ‘more’ or ‘less’ in faith. If you have a bare kernel of faith, say the size of a poppy seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, ‘Go jump in the lake,’ and it would do it. (Luke 17:5-6, MSG)

Faith is a gift from God.

There’s no ‘more’ or ‘less’ in faith.

Faith is faith.

What we need to do is to use our faith.

Believe, pray, trust.

Put it in practice.

What we need to do is to take care of our faith.
Nourish, water, tend.
Grow in grace.

What we need to do is to live out our faith.
Share, embrace, celebrate.
Live in grace. 

Gracious God,

Thank you for the gift of faith!
Thank you that you’ve prepared everything for us.
Show us how to embrace faith for real.
Enable us to believe without hesitation.
Help us to take care of our faith.
Empower us to practice our faith
and live it it out loud.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Q4U: How do you grow in your faith?

Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you put your beautiful faith in practice!

Written by by Mari-Anna Stålnacke ( TWITTER - @flowingfaith)

Website: CLICK HERE

Image courtesy of Brandon Johnson.  Linking up today with Thought-Provoking Thursdays and  Faith Filled Friday.

GOING FOR THE GOLD!!!

Are you going for the gold....?

THE 2012 OLYMPICS BEGIN IN LONDON TODAY! IN HONOR THAT, OUR FAVORITE GREEK GIRL SINGER GIVES US A GREAT EXHORTATION FROM HER RICH FAMILY TRADITION!!! 

ALSO FREE SONG DOWNLOAD TO ALL READERS JUST CLICK HERE AND FIRE AWAY!

After much hullabaloo it seems the official start of the Olympics is finally "almost" upon us.  No one could be more excited then the Greek Blonde girl, I mean competition runs in my blood.  I'm GREEK, Hello we invented the Olympics.

Although I never really realized it until I was an adult that probably explains my love for all things athletic, and my love for sneakers of course.  I've always been super competitive, love the thrill of sports, and have always had the eye of the tiger when it comes to pushing myself past imaginary physical limits set in my mind.  The Olympics are so exciting for me, because you can literally see the incredible things the human body can do when a person sets his or her mind and most importantly their "will" to accomplish something.

 WRITER/SINGER/SONGWRITER/PATRIOT
VISIT HER WEBSITE HERE

All the way back from the original Olympic games in Athens, to Jesse Owens reigning at the top in Berlin in 1936, to the unbelievable Ethiopian Marathon runner who ran barefoot in 1960 in Rome, to the USA Basketball Dream Team in Barcelona in 1992, all the way up to Michael Phelps in 2004... the Summer Olympics are sure to produce moments that will live on forever.

It leads me to wonder though.  Sure athletes spend an entire lifetime working and training in order to go for the gold.  But what are we as everyday people working and striving towards?  Are we going for the gold, or are we just skating by?  I ask this only because it seems like in our society today many people are glorifying many things that I would not consider to be gold.

We as a society glorify mediocre pop stars, actors, movies full of negative themes, sensor almost everything to make sure it does not "offend" any one race, religion, or sexual orientation.  We have taken God out of our workplace, schools, and anyplace else it might be able to "offend" anyone.  It is clear to see the disastrous results doing so has done to our character.

Exactly what are we telling future generations and the Olympians of tomorrow?  What kind of message does it send?  Hard work?... Why work when you can have everything Now?  Everyone gets a prize for "participation".  There are no "losers" in life, right? Reality shows can make you famous for literally any reason at all except for actually having any talent whatsoever, and that hard work isn't necessary.  Just have a sad backstory, and dress as sexy as humanly possible no matter how young you are, and you can have and get whatever you want.  People, I gotta tell you, there are days anymore when I seriously want to grab my fur~babies and hide under the blankets.  The world is getting crazier and crazier by the day.

Personally I feel it's time for a cultural revolution.  I long for the days when people were actually going for the gold each and every day in their lives.  When people did the right thing even when no one was looking.  When people helped and lifted each other up regardless if there were a "benefit" in doing so.

With that being said, I'd like offer a challenge to my blog reader's.  To consider the coming Olympics a chance to take a stand against mediocrity.  Be a reminder to people around you that anything worth having takes hard work, that hard work is and should be rewarded.  That not everything in life is or should be instant.  To go for the gold each and every single day in our own lives.  To be the light and the difference in someone else's life, to do the right thing, and for goodness sake... keep your dang clothes on! ;)

Blessings, Love & Music ~

Ava :) xox

www.avaaston.com

Ava's music is available on iTunes and her videos on YouTube

Visit her website for more information on our great friend and sister here!

LATE SUMMER TREAT - TROPIC COOLERS!

Family-Style Beverages

For summer coolers with healthy nutritional value try juicing fruits & vegetables, together or separately.  Drink cold, or freeze for naturally delicious popsicles! 

Juicing is easy with a juicer (appliance) which will instantaneously extract  juice, while removing smaller seeds & skin, with a minor amount of prep work, leaving nutrient-rich juices.  

Purchase an affordable juicer to start with and make sure to use it at least weekly for maximum health benefits & extra summertime hydration for your family.  Why not grow these fruits and vegetables in your own garden, to ensure toxic pesticides will NOT be ingested by your family?  

Watermelon 

A small or medium size watermelon can yield an entire gallon of 100 % pure juice, rich in heart-healthy immune-boosting anti-oxidents, naturally sweetened, at a fraction of store-bought prices. 
Be sure to select non-GMO or unaltered varieties of fruits and vegetables for your family. Grow your own garden using only  "Heirloom" seeds.  

Real watermelons and other plants are supposed to contain seeds as a natural phenomena, designed by our Creator for optimum health and nutrition. 
 
Begin by rinsing and drying the watermelon, cutting it in half and then in sections with a large knife.  Please take all safety precautions, as juicing can get messy and utensils can become slippery. 


CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THIS TASTY FUN SUMMER TREAT FROM TWINAS LATINAS MAGAZINE!!

THE DAY IRON FLOATED

 1 Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, "See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there." And he answered, "Go." 3 Then one of them said, "Be pleased to go with your servants." And he answered, "I will go." 4 So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. 5 But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, "Alas, my master! It was borrowed." 6 Then the man of God said, "Where did it fall?" When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float. 7 And he said, "Take it up." So he reached out his hand and took it. (2 Kings 6:1-7)

Elisha was quite the prophet and man of God. As the successor to the great Elijah, who was taken up to Heaven in Chariots of Fire, he appeared to do even more miracles than his master. The key was - he did it in the Power and Strength of the Lord.

Here we have the situation where the heavy piece of an ax made of iron (similar to the picture above) fell into the water and sank. But look at what Verse 6 says "THEN, the MAN OF GOD"....this is qualification. This is the day when iron floated to the top. This is the day when something impossible materialized.

In your life this morning...a life of which we are completely on borrowed time from the Keeper of Time - God the Father - do you have a sinking feeling of things just heading for the bottom? 

Do you have feeling of powerlessness as you watch it happen? 

Do you wish someone or "some thing" would just stir up the water enough so that you can at least - if not swim further down the road - that you would stay afloat?

Well all of this is possible, if the Spirit of God so indwells you that you can say "(where did it fall (verse 6)! If you are so walking in the Light of the Lord that He has top billing on your marquee, you too can cut off that stick, throw it into the water and make iron float! It is not going to be easy, but He really has given us that capacity! Yes, He did...and still does - if you and I seek His forgiveness, repent, turn away from our inner sinful self...and instead TURN TO HIM! If we accept, trust and recognize that He alone is Lord, we too can walk daily without that 'sinking feeling'. Listen to what the Scripture promises and says about us who are saved and being saved....and this is the thought to hang your hat on, in this day of Drought and Despair: 

"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name" (John 1:12 KJV)

AMERICA GONE WILD, PART 2

TROUBLE AFOOT...

Something is terribly wrong in this country. 

In the past five days, we have had the following:

- A tragic massacre at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado with 12 murdered by a sick young man (Thursday).
- A 24 year old Chicago woman, Tonya Reaves, died immediately after an abortion at Planned Parenthood in Chicago (Friday).
- Twenty one people at 'motivational' speaker Tony Robbins' UNLEASH THE POWER WITHIN weekend ended up with 2nd and 3rd Degree burns after walking on 12 lanes of hot coals, in a freakish event called "Firewalk Experience" (Thursday).
- There were more weekend fatal shootings in Chicago, the homicide capitol of the United States.
-  Fred Willard, a popular 72 year old TV favorite, was arrested inside of a California porno theater for immoral conduct.

If you look the larger picture, it is obvious that our national soul is in need of rejuvenation and healing. While the secular press has given almost no play or indepth investigation to the death at Chicago's Planned Parenthood, by simply calling it an accident and leaving it at that, God is taking notes! There seems to be absolutely no concern by the elite media for the poor woman whose life, along with her baby, were lost in that place!

But what is really stupid is this "FIREWALK EXPERIENCE"! Where is this commanded by God? As He said in the Old Testament when criticizing and judging those who had pass their children through the fire, in worship to the pagan gods of Molech and Baal - "this (practice) never entered My Mind (Jeremiah 32:35). 

Robbins' website includes this madness in his latest speaking tour called "UNLEASH THE POWER WITHIN" - a four day weekend which costs between $995 and $2595 to attend! Like most fading celebrities, they always seem to have to come up with something more outrageous than the last time, in order to stay in the public eye.  The title alone should give us pause. Unlike Biblical Christianity, where we know our Power is not from inside our narcissist self, but from God Above, Robbins and his ilk - from Deepak Chopra to Joel Osteen - teach that all our success comes from primarily, looking inside of ourselves. 

You and I know that the heart is exceedingly sinful. I want nothing from what I think to define my success and happiness in life. I know the sin and potential to sin inside of me, and it is a scary thing when measured up against the Holiness and the Word of God! Even though I am signed, sealed and delivered for Heaven by the Holy Spirit Who I can testify to, as living in me, I am still a sinner saved by Grace. I must still wave my right to satisfy the flesh by pressing in through prayer, the Word and walking in the Light. I don't need some unsaved, unredeemed loudmouth speaker telling me that the answers to life is inside of me when Christ is the ONLY answer!

If you look at the majority or all of the people who endorse Tony Robbins, none of them are Bible believing teaching speakers or Christians. Click here to read. We don't need to expound on all of these events listed above to know how horrible they are. All we need to know, as secular lawyers start ramping up for those 21 people burned at the Tony Robbins Walk of Fire, is that there is a way for America (and ALL people worldwide) to avoid the fire that burns forever, in the next life - and that is TURN BACK TO GOD!!!

This is not the rantings of a crazy man, but the observance of one who can read the sign of the times and see what's coming down the pike. God has something better for us than walking on hot burning coals and ending up in the Emergency Room. He has something better for us than paying up to $3000 to "unleash the sinful power within us". He has something better for us than the emptiness of narcissism. He has Christ, His Son, Whom He gave for us. What about all of the above listed abominations? Well, God can forgive that too...He is waiting...Here is what He has said and it stands today:
Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:7 NASB)

(IMAGE by GOOGLE)

HOLLYWOOD'S/AMERICA'S CULTURE OF DEATH

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants (Deuteronomy 30:19 NASB)

For decades now, America (and most of the western world) have been in the icy-cold grip of the Curse. Ever since liberal secularist judges on the United States Supreme Court created a clause of whole cloth, from the "emanations of the penumbra" of the US Constitution (Roe vs Wade), the Soul of America was lost. Almost forty years of the devaluing of human life, through the abomination of Abortion, has wrought the bitter fruit we see time after time, such as what just happened in Aurora, Colorado.


We can trace the beginnings of the Decline of not just morality, but Spiritual decline, way back to the late 1800's when European socialist thinking crept into the mainline churches. We can trace it back to acceptance of Darwin's THEORY of evolution and the racist Margaret Sanger's creation called Planned Parenthood. But we can really trace its acceleration to as recently as the 1940's post-World War II America, when prosperity overwhelmed the Gospel of Christ in importance. 

As America became wealthier and left for the comfort of the suburbs, it left the fire in the belly for the Ways of the Lord to a few in the Bible Belt of America - the South. Still, men up north like the great Illinois preacher A.W. Tozer began to warn Christians of what was coming, and gave the prophetic clarion call to return to the Lord. The young Billy Graham was urging millions to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. But the seeds of destruction were already sown by men like Supreme Court Justices and former Ku Klux Klan turned liberal, Hugo Black and William O. Douglas - men who hated God with a passion and had the power to shut down His Church. These two justices and their colleagues to follow - Blackmun and Warren - removed prayer and Bible from American classrooms and society and put this culture on a slide directly into Hell. 


It is little comfort to the 55 million aborted babies that these men gave us, that they are now regretting every decision they made, having faced the Judgment and Wrath of the Holy God they hated and are now eternally condemned away from Him. But these men also are responsible for the cheapening of the Spiritual lives of untold millions who are now and will be, lost to eternity, because of what this society has become.


Hollywood is an extreme reflection of such a society. The post war, prosperous facade of Father Know's Best and Ozzie and Harriet gave us their godless baby boomer, pot-smoking 1960's children who turned to pagan eastern religions which offer no hope. Those baby boomers, now in charge of America, are the ones now responsible for the moral, cultural decline and corruption of every generation since.

HEATH LEDGER'S JOKER

Something like the Aurora, Colorado massacre does not happen in a vacuum because some sick young man bought weapons and went berserk. It happens time after time, not only because America's (current and past) political and social leaders are phony fake godless people with a christian mask, but because parents and church leaders have no Biblical compass themselves. There is no way some parents should have been allowing demonic trash like Twilight; Harry Potter and some of the Batman movies into their homes. By doing this (and they are just a few examples), America's parents have slowly allowed the home to be the feeding ground for ungodliness.

And it is not just Batman. Of the 30 Most Violent films listed here, most were made in the past 15 years! Of the films released so far this year (2012) the majority have been violent and rated over PG-13 to R. Nothing is sacred. You can see them all in one place if you go to your local video store. Try finding something appropriate for your family to watch! It would serve you better to turn the TV off and read or research something on Google than spend your hard-earned money making Hollywood perverts rich....the same people who tell you how to live your own lives- while their lives are falling apart or what dangerous greenie-weenie car to drive while jetting around to high-brow politically-liberal fundraisers and driving stretch limousines! 

We already know that MTV and the likes have destroyed a couple generations of youth. We already know that gangsta rap has led an entire people astray in the Inner City. We already know that more and more young people are searching for their life's meaning in technology and mysticism. We know all that and are almost powerless to affect it. The people of God used to be the ones to warn, comfort and disciple the youth to restoration. Instead, the most popular preacher in America - Joel Osteen - does not preach the true Gospel of Christ, but how to get rich and healthy. Others are corrupting the Bible into an Emergent Church...and on and on.


The answer to all of this: 

- Realize God will call you and I to account for all our actions....no matter what politicians and stupid church leaders will tell you.
- Realize that Stewardship as a Parent and responsible member of Society is a serious life-long calling.
- Realize that Stewardship involves being the best you and I can be and that means, following the Precepts and Statutes of God.
- Realize that the Word of God is sufficient for everyday living and we MUST live by it and teach it to our kids.
- Realize that you and I cannot depend on any church, no matter how much one may like a pastor or a leader, to teach our kids the Ways and Wonders of Christ.
- Realize that you and I still have the power of a parent, even if our kids are 30 and married, to teach, guide and direct away from the Hollywood and music culture of death.
- Realize that you and I still have the power to keep all that garbage, filth and degradation out of our homes...don't give them the satisfaction of buying or watching their stuff. Instead, turn back to goodness, holiness and the Truth that matters - Jesus Christ.
- Realize that God will call you and I to account for all of the above.


You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
(Deuteronomy 6:5-9 ESV)

(images courtesy google)

HELP PRE-TEENS BECOME DISCIPLES OF CHRIST

SATURDAY GUEST WRITER: GEORGE NIELSEN 

Being a Young Disciple of Jesus is presented as a goal and the goal is restated, almost every week, to the 5th graders that I teach on Sundays.

What am I actually expecting?   The list written below describes what I am trying to accomplish with my 5th grade students, over this next year.


Most people who set tangible goals know that the idea of goal-setting is to have goals that are meaningful, written, as specific as possible, and attainable.   The goals should motivate you or me, the goal setter, to work to achieve them, following action steps related to the goals.    My action step is primarily to carry out my teaching ministry on Sundays, which also includes prayer and encouragement for the kids, both inside and outside the classroom.


It is absolutely vital that the parents be involved in this, building on my one-hour-per-week of teaching.    All of the parents in this year’s class have been mailed a copy of the 5th Grade Learning Objectives.  Parents should realize that their input into their children’s spiritual development is essential; telling them to “go to church” isn’t enough to meet our objectives.

GEORGE NIELSEN
Rochester Christian Church, Il

Helping children be young disciples of Jesus involves the following: 
- Increasing a student’s knowledge of God and the Christian story a student’s willingness to internalize or “own” their faith; we present this to the kids as “choosing to live their lives ‘On the Right Path’” (it is developmentally appropriate to give 5th graders this freedom to choose, while still teaching them to make the right choice – “I Serve Jesus”)  
- Teaching a set of beliefs by which students interact with their world and make sense of things (developing a “Biblical Christian worldview”) starting the process of acceptance into and participation with their faith community...in other words:
- Starting to get them outside the “bubble” of kids’ programming in the church
- Connecting with ‘big people’ 
- Serving others through service projects (participating in the Impact discipleship group) the work of God’s Spirit, which may be mysterious, both to kids and to parents. But in spite of its newness to them, we still plant and water the seed, namely that they are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, can be filled with the Holy Spirit, and that they have been and will continue to be imparted by the Spirit with special gifts. Sometimes the gifts are only understandable through hindsight or reflection. 

I have said this several times, and wrote about it often – that in 5th grade, we teach the children that Christianity is “a Way of life.” Young disciples of Jesus need to learn the more-Christ-like way of living.   This is a process that must ultimately be internally motivated, not dictated by a parent, teacher or youth worker (but we are important, as mentors!).   The result is not just Christian behavior.   It is following Christ out of their deepest, most thought-out convictions.    This does take time.  But we start the process in 5th grade, by building on the nurturing in the faith from the student’s earlier years.  The key element is not the knowledge we present to the kids, as much as it is to develop their internal motivation.


One hazard to avoid is to attempt to reduce discipleship down to a simplistic monitoring of the children’s behavior. As a teacher, I try to build a relationship, make and maintain a connection with the children.  Parents already have the relationship, but should really strive to build their connection with their children. When you are connected, you are in a position to influence, not just to lecture. The saying is true that “rules without relationship leads to rebellion.”   When parents keep-up a strong relational connection with their kids, they won’t have to lose their influence and surrender to the peer group or the Disney/MTV-driven social pressures their pre-teens will experience.


RECOMMENDED:
To see the 5th Grade Learning Objectives - click HERE .
Bio:

George Nielsen is an ordained Christian minister, ordained in the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ. He is a graduate of Lincoln Christian Seminary at Lincoln Christian University, with an M.A in Ministry majoring in Urban Missions.  George's teaching ministry in the Church is in the Children's Christian Education ministry at Rochester Christian Church.  As a writer, he has been concentrating on writing curriculum for teaching children and youth. George also writes teaching essays for adults, directed primarily toward parents, that are related to the curriculum he write for children.  At this time, he is also considering writing devotional books.
GEORGE'S BLOG

(Credit: Google Images)

SONSHINE MINISTRIES SENIOR OUTREACH

SONSHINE MINISTRIES IS A SENIOR OUTREACH MINISTRY UNDER WHICH THE LUTCHMAN FAMILY MINISTERS WITH FOUNDERS JOYCE AND VERLIN MANCKE OF PAWNEE, ILLINOIS (MY WIFE'S PARENTS. OUR PIANIST IS OUR NEPHEW - BRIAN MORGAN)

THE ORIGINAL WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS SONSHINE MINISTRIES HOMES ARE STILL BEING MINISTERED TO. THEY ARE LISTED AT THE END OF THIS ARTICLE.

JUNE/JULY 2012 SPRINGFIELD MINISTRY REPORT 

*Villa East, Sherman            *Villa West Assisted Living, Sherman

*RegencyAssisted Living, Springfield

*Mary Bryant House of the Blind, Springfield

*SPRINGFIELD SUPPORTIVE LIVING

Be still, and know that I am God:  I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth!  The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge.  Psalm 46:10-11

Thank you, Thank you Jesus for the peace of knowing you are always with us and you promise to never ever leave us.  What an awesome God we serve.  There is no other name like the name of Jesus, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name;   That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father".  Philippians 2:9-11

What a joy and a privilege to tell others about Jesus! PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW! We have received so many Blessings in the Nursing Home Ministry the past few months. The residents look so forward to our coming and many of their relatives are now coming to the homes to attend our services.  Last month at Villa East, we had almost 50 in attendance.  We were having about 8 to 10 on Saturday mornings at Regency and the past 3 months, attendance has increased to 25 to 30.  Villa West has always had great attendance and great participation.  This home is an "assisted living" and they are more active and they love to sing.  They really get involved with us.  The residents at the Mary Bryant House of the Blind are very active as well.  We go there every 3 to 4 months because they can get out and go to church.  One of the residents actually plays the piano at a church he belongs to, so they do not need us as often.

 SOUTHERN GOSPEL @ VILLA EAST

One of the favorite songs for all the homes are "I'll fly away". Lots of raising their hands and praising Jesus when we sing the old time Southern Gospel music.   Since they love that type of music so much, we are now singing songs like "Just a little talk with Jesus",  "Where the Soul of Man Never Dies",  "Where could I go but to the Lord", and "Mansion over the Hilltop"  along with the old time hymns that we always sang.  Amazing Grace, What a Friend, and In the Garden are still at the top of the list, as well as, I'd Rather Have Jesus and many more.  It’s just such a Blessing to bring a church service to all the residents, knowing how much they all enjoy it and yet they can't get out and go.   They are so thankful and happy that we come and another Blessing is all the Activity Directors get involved with us.  Some of them sing with our Worship team.

JOYFUL, JOYFUL WE ADORE THEE!
MARY BRYANT HOME FOR THE BLIND

On Sunday, when we finished the service at Villa East, Roberta, one of the residents called Bernie over to talk with him and she had tears in her eyes as she told him she wanted three of the last four songs that we sang, to be sung at her funeral.  They were Glory to His Name; This World is not my Home and I'll Fly Away.  She was very serious and Bernie got the staff at the Nursing Home involved and it became a very special time.  They copied the songs and made notes and recorded them in her records.  It was one of her last wishes as she is preparing to leave this earth and what a joy to be in the presence of the saints when one is preparing for Glory, by selecting wonderful Worshipful Gospel music, which will illustrate to those left behind, that she knows she is going to be with Jesus. 

SPRINGFIELD SUPPORTIVE LIVING

LaMotte Brindley, one of our faithful members at our services, went home to be with the Lord last week.  He was a very special man who loved the Lord and taught Bible studies for over 60 years.  His son, Scott, is a close friend of Bernie's and oversees the work at the Washington Street Mission in Springfield.  Scott said when his dad died; he raised his arms up to heaven as if Jesus and His Angels were bringing him home.  The family said LaMotte could not wait until we came each month and if he happens to be on the phone when we came, he would immediately say, "I have to hang up, Bernie and the singers are here" and he would tell them every song we sang.  He will be missed, we loved him dearly.

Mary is one of my favorites, she just celebrated her 99th birthday and she always has a big smile on her face and she loves the singing.  She is so sweet and pleasant to be around.

Another resident had to tell me her life story on Sunday.  She was raised in the Assembly of God Church and loves gospel music.  She is in her 90's and she talks about her mom a lot and how she would play piano in church and how much she loved the Lord.  In her younger days, she waited on tables for over 60 years at a big restaurant in California and one of her favorite customers was Jimmy Swaggart.  She is so proud of her friendship with him.   

Praying for salvation for another resident who is not sure she's going to Heaven.  Please pray with us for these residents.  We really want to lead them to Jesus that is our heartbeat.

SOME OF OUR FAVORITE ATTENDEES
VILLA EAST, SHERMAN, ILLINOIS

Then there are so many others with burdens that are too heavy to carry and without Jesus, there is no peace.  I saw one of the residents sitting in the back of the crowd at Regency, a couple weeks ago, and she was very frail, couldn't breathe without oxygen, very sad and lonely with tears running down her face.  I walked over to her chair and said "do you need a hug today".  She started crying harder and shook her head, yes.  I stood beside her for a long time with my arm around her and told her how much Jesus cares and how much He loves her.  My heart breaks for them when they are hurting and they feel so alone.

PREACHING THE GOOD NEWS
 MARY BRYANT HOME FOR THE BLIND

We are adding another home to our calendar.  Our first service is on the 22nd of July.  The activity director called and asks us to come and I ask her how she heard about us and what she wanted us to do.  Her answer was "I heard about you from Kathy, an activity director from another home and I want you to do whatever you do at those other homes because I am hearing great things and we want you here".   So exciting to see God opening new doors.

Please pray for the Ministry and for all the Team as they go into various homes to share the gospel.  We appreciate so very much, all our prayer warriors; you are a very important part of the Ministry. 

                                                                

This is not my Ministry, its God's and my hearts desire is to see people come to a saving knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and to be used of God to be a Blessing to others.

Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.

Respectfully submitted by Joyce Mancke   815-351-7659   or   jmancke@yahoo.com

WILL COUNTY SONSHINE MINISTRIES - SERVED SENIOR HOMES:

*Lakewood Nursing Home *Salem Village Nursing Home *Rosewood Care Center  *Sunny Hill Nursing Home *Paradise Park Assisted Living *Senior Star @ Weber Rd.*Heritage Woods,  Bolingbrook *Weber Place

GUEST WRITER THURSDAY - CHERI MAJORS!

REMARKABLE BENEFITS OF EATING SEAFOOD

Years ago I learned about the benefits of good oils, necessary for the prevention and cure of childhood seizure disorders, as my son suffered with absence and febrile seizures. Good oils such as olive oil, nuts, avocado, and fish helped rebuild the myelin sheath, surrounding nerve fibers, insulating receptors from interrupted signals, which causes seizure activity, more details are in "Childhood Neurological Disorders Can Have Unexpected Natural Cures". 

With the myelin sheath repaired, the brain can once again send smooth, uninterrupted transmissions throughout the body, without the use of harmful seizure-suppressant drugs. As exciting as the seizure-free discovery was, new studies now show that good oils are heart-strengtheners, and that fish oils can also combat and cure leukemia!

Curative fish oils, used to combat the blood-cancer disease leukemia, are scientifically explained in the Newsmax article "Can Fish Oil Cure Leukemia?" However the benefits of eating fish and/or taking fish-oil supplements are not confined to helping cure heart disease and leukemia, when used along with other good-oil sources listed above, also help fight acne and psoriasis!

Seafood Offering the Most Benefits:

According to the book "Feed Your Skin, Starve Your Wrinkles" by Allison Tannis, M.S., R.H.N. (Tannis, 2009) the healthiest fish to eat are "sardines, anchovies, salmon, and mackerel which are higher in the omega-3 fatty acids called EPA and DHA." Also declaring "the higher levels of mercury found in fresh tuna, swordfish, shark, grouper, orange roughy, and bluefish are negligible and not a concern."

CLICK HERE TO READ THE COMPLETE ESSAY ON SEAFOOD

Cheri Majors is a former model/actress who changed careers and college degrees to care for more than 70 special-needs foster children, while earning a Master s degree in Human Sciences & Early Childhood Education. Authored A Case for Prayer in Public Schools honest American history, ABC s of Nutritious Cooking , How to Grow an EMERGENCY Garden , and Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Life-Affirming Scriptures. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT CHERI'S BOOKS.

IF YOU LOVE SEAFOOD, YOU WILL LOVE THE TASTE OF THE TROPIC FROM TWINAS LATINAS MAGAZINE CO-FOUNDER , CHERI MAJORS: What could be healthier or tastier than tropical fruits sliced up into a colorful appetizer tray?  Packed with nutritional value, many containing wholesome vitamin C, we all need to be eating more of them, and serving it to our families!