Some friends introduced me to this short tune by Wendy Francisco that millions of others have already heard. Already a book and a bazillion other things are being produced with this logo on it [click pic for more info]. As well they should be. Because these lyrics remind us that God [and often our dogs] love us like crazy!!! Here's some pics of Barkley [because I thought he would bark a lot!!! He actually doesn't] as a puppy. Click triangular play button below to enjoy!!!
Author and Dr. Sandra Wilson says hurt people hurt others because they themselves have been hurt in large or small ways. But God can help us break that cycle of hurt by offering us His healing and hope. On Wednesday, September 8 @ 6:30pm, we begin our fall Community Book Discussion and YOU are invited! The class is free but books cost $10. Bring some soup for Soup for You @ 6pm followed by discussion of this book [click pic for more info]. Get help for healing your own hurts from friends and spouses, leaders, followers, worshipers, parents, and forgivers. Everyone whether you're Christian or not believes in some kind of life after death. Come learn how to have a relationally healthy and abundant life before as well!!!
Recently in church I shared how the New Testament book of Acts teaches us that the Holy Spirit comes when we pray [Acts 1:14], when we start using our spiritual gifts [Acts 2:5], when we listen for God [Acts 8:26-29], share more about Jesus [Acts 8:35], and treat where we are as the mission field [Acts 8:36-40]. Click pic to watch / read / listen to me make those points or click the triangular play button below to laugh with J. John, a Canon in the Church of England, describing the first point about prayer. He is LOL funny!!! The audio is perfect, but the video isn't always. Enjoy anyway!!!
Our son is turning 11 years old in a few days. He "borrowed" my deodorant the other day because he said "his pits stink." I mock-thanked him for sharing [TMI!!!] and seriously-thanked him later for taking more responsibility of his life [now, if he would only take as much interest in cleaning his room before I make him on Fridays!!!]. I share this [with his permission BTW; BIG thanks and WTG to Josh for letting me blog this!!!] because he has become increasingly aware of who he is as a pre-teen recently thanks to an audio book by Dr. James Dobson entitled Preparing for Adolescence [click pic to buy your own].
Dobson suggests listening to this content on a long road trip over one weekend culminating in a father / son [mother / daughter] fun day s/he picks. We're still going to do that "just us" weekend, but what we're doing before then is listening to 15 minute segments of each CD at night before Josh goes to sleep. We turn all the lights out and lay on his bed and listen, pausing when necessary, to laugh, talk, or wonder about what was just said. The number of questions and honest reactions to the content I thought too complicated for him to understand has staggered me. It has not only given Josh a clearer understanding of what is happening now, it has diminished some of the fears I didn't even know he already had about the future! And it has drawn us closer together. Lydia doesn't know what adolescence is all about yet, but she's already looking forward to it [!!!] so she can go on her "mother / daughter" weekend as soon as she and Jackie finishes the CDs too!!! [PS - This material has been re-packaged and updated recently. The new pic looks like the smaller one above]
During the early morning hours of June 6, 2010, NW Ohio was hit by the one of the most devastating tornadoes in years. Immediately, organizations and churches kicked into gear to help including ours who raised nearly $1,200 on Father's Day weekend. Since then, the tornado and its aftermath has ceased to be front page news, but the ongoing need for help remains. Which is why my pastor friend Roy Nelson and his friends at Adventist Community Services [click graphic above for more info] secured a warehousing location in Wood County to continue to help victims of the tornado.
Samir Selmanovic, pastor and author of "It's Really All About God" [click pic for more info], grew up in a culturally Muslim family in Croatia. He converted to Christianity as a soldier in the then Yugoslavian army, and went on to become an Adventist pastor at a growing young congregation called Cross Walk in southern California. 
But a few years ago, he left that congregation [but not Adventist Christianity] to start a "community of communities" in NYC [called Faith House, click logo for more info] to show the world that we can live together on this fragile earth as authentic believers in our own religions without becoming isolated, incoherent, or hostile toward others who do not believe the same way. We can learn to love well [like crazy]!!!
Samir will be coming to Toledo AUG 27-29, 2010. He will be signing copies of his book at the Family Christian Bookstore [4015 Secor Road] @ 7pm on August 27 and will be making presentations August 28 in the Toledo First Church at 11am and 5pm. In addition, he will also be speaking at the Washington Church [3925 West Central Avenue] on August 29 @ 9:30am. You will not want to miss this!!!
