Faith At WorkSend us an example of Christian love at work in

our community(400 words or less).

Photos welcome.

Music NotesSend us a story about your favorite local

singer/songwriter with an inspiring faith story.

(400 words or less). Photos welcome.

PotluckShare your favorite recipes!

Published a cookbook?

Let us feature it on ourPotluck page!

Cool Stuff With aMighty Message

Send us an idea of aninspirational gift or product.

(400 words or less). Photos welcome.

Eating OutDo you have a favorite local restaurant you would

like to see featured? What about a restaurant owner

who actively lives out his/her faith?

Email: coastalchristian@cox.net

We Welcome Your Submissions!

Coastal Christian Family22

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

1 Meigs Dr.Shalimar, FL

(850) 651-1022gslcshalimar.org

Sunday School for All ages 9:30

Nursery Available

Ray Angerman - PastorCurtis Wiese - Family Life Minister

8:00 AM - Traditional10:45 AM - Contemporary

ABOUT OUR ADVERTISERS

Burning Up the Beaches Car Show & Crusin’ Event-www.burningupthebeaches.com, 850-376-1037

Cold Stone Creamery –Destin Commons – (850) 837- 6838,Destin, Florida

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church-1 Meigs Drive, Shalimar,FL (850) 651-1022, www.gslcshalimar.org

Honky Tonkin Opry- Country Christian music, Santa RosaCounty Auditorium, htotickets.com (850) 313-5762

IPacket Networks-, Offering advanced network solutions tothe resort condo owner at a lower operating cost.IPacketnet.com (888) 821-6476

Ron, The Sign Man- Offering low prices for large volumes ofsigns, 10016 Navarre Parkway, Navarre, FL 32566

(800) 862-1229

Run the Race Wellness Coaching- Marilyn Smith

(961)271-0621

Wild Willy’s Adventure Zone –Coming Soon to OkaloosaIsland, Fort Walton Beach

CLASSIFIEDS

850-803-6005

Advertise What Your Business Has to Offer & Get Results

Call: 408-7150

Coming In JuneFather’s Day Gift Ideas

Advertise What Your Business Has to Offer & Get Results

Call: 850-803-6005

Coming In JuneFather’s Day Gift Ideas

21April 2013

If you have an event you would like listed in the CoastalChristian Family Community Calendar e-mail us the information.

Email to: CoastalChristian@cox.net Subject line- Calendar

List YourEvent!

April 65K Fun Run/Walk to benefit children in ourcommunity- Registration at 7:00 a.m. MaryEsther United Methodist Church, proceeds tomeet the needs of children in Mary Esther withministries such as “Backpack”, “Angel Tree”, and“Back to School”. The “Backpack” ministry isMary Esther UMC in conjunction with the BayArea Food Bank.

April 6Yard Sale and Bake Sale, supporting OASIS-7:00 a.m. till it’s gone, rain or shine, 4 JacksonStreet, N.E., Fort Walton Beach, FL. More infor-mation: Banu (850) 314-0950

April 13New Beginnings Ministries Women’sConference- 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. NavarreConference Center www.AFreshStartAtLife.com(612) 367-6398

April 19 and 20thExtraordinary Women Conference- Pensacola,FL, Friday night concert features Natalie Grant.To register go to www.ewomen.net

April 19 and 20thCinderella-Fort Walton Beach Civic Auditorium- 7 p.m.

Rocky Bayou Christian Fine Arts Departmentwill present Cinderella (Friday and Saturday)Tickets on sale at the school and at the door thenight of the show. For information contactRBCS Drama Director (850) 678-7358

April 19 – 21Musical Echoes- Fort Walton Beach Landing,Interact with Native American musicians, artistsand craftsmen, attend workshops and seminars,watch arts and crafts demonstrations, hearmusic and participate in TorchlightRemembrance Ceremony.

April 20Saturday in the Park-Perrine Park, Valparaiso,Florida 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Crafts, art, antiques,food, children’s activities, music.

April 20Big Yard Sale-Destin Women’s Club, to be heldat Grace Lutheran Church (indoors) 4325Commons Drive W. Destin, FL. There will benew clothes, slightly used clothes, rugs, furni-ture, antiques, collectibles, tools, sporting goods,toys, books, etc., something for everyone. Allproceeds to support the Destin Women’s ClubFamily Fund. Contact Dag at (850) 797-3721for further information.

April 20Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra-Mattie Kelly Arts Center, Brahms andBeethoven, 7:30 p.m. Tickets $22.50 for adults,$16 for active duty military and young 18 andyounger. 100 College Blvd., Niceville, FL

April 26Women of Destiny Present Lisa Osteen- 6:30p.m. at Destiny Worship Center, Destin, FL,destinyworshipcenter.com (850) 650-6800

April 27Daughters of God Women’s Retreat with SarahHart- 12:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Holy Name of

Jesus Catholic Church, Niceville, Florida, ticketsbefore April 13 - $30 each and after April 13th -$35 each. For more information www.holy-namechurch.org/daughtersofgod

April 29Soundsations Showchoir and Jazz EnsembleConcert-Mattie Kelly Arts Center, 7:30 p.m. Thisvariety show will include song, dance, and aline-up of jazz favorites. Tickets are $15 foradults and $10 for youth 18 and younger. 100College Blvd., Niceville, FL

APRIL 2013 CALENDAR ®

Bi-Polar, Depression Support Group-Tuesdays 7:00 p.m., St. Simon’s Church, Fort Walton Beach, FL

Peer to Peer Support Group-Wednesday 3:00 p.m. once a month. Call (850) 244-1040 for actual dates. Location:Mental Health Association Building, 571 Mooney Road, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547

Community Action Counsel-Wednesday 1:00 p.m. once a month. Call (850) 244-1040 for actual dates. Location: JobsPlus Conference Room, Fort Walton Beach, FL

Brain Injury-Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. Trinity United Methodist Church, 403 Racetrack Road, FortWalton Beach, FL (850) 862-4169

MOPS Groups-

Mary Esther MOPS-2nd and 4th Tuesday 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., 703 E. Miracle Strip Parkway, Mary Esther, FL(850) 243-7595

Cinco Baptist MOPS-1st Wednesday, 9:30 to 11:45 a.m., Cinco Baptist Church, 26 Yacht Club Drive, NE, FortWalton Beach, FL (850) 243-7656

Shalimar MOPS-2nd and 4th Thursday at 9:30 to 11:45 a.m., Shalimar United Methodist Church, 1 OldFerry Road, Shalimar, FL (850) 651-0721

First Baptist Navarre MOPS-2nd and 4th Thursday, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., 9302 Navarre Parkway, Navarre, FL (850) 939-5424

Destiny Worship Center MOPS-1st Saturdays, 6:30 p.m., 122 Poinciana Blvd., Miramar Beach, FL (850) 650-6800

GBUMC MOPS-1st and 3rd Thursdays, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., Gulf Breeze United Methodist Church, 4115Soundside Drive, Gulf Breeze, FL (850) 916-1660

First Baptist Church MOPS,2nd and 4th Fridays, 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. 622 Bayshore Drive, Niceville, FL (850)729-6913.

Celebrate Recovery- Fridays Niceville United Methodist Church, Niceville, Florida,Dinner 5:45 pm. Program 6:30 p.m. For information call (850) 678-4411, ext. 146

Celebrate Recovery- Tuesdays, Mary Esther United Methodist Church, Mary Esther, FL,5:45 Dinner, Program 6:30 p.m. For information call (850) 243-7595Divorce Care-Village Baptist Church, Destin, Florida, Wednesdays 6:00 p.m., Room 2209. Call (850)837-8107

Does your church or organization host a support group?Tell us so we can share with

Coastal Christian Family readers.

CoastalChristian@cox.net

April 1310th Annual Resurrection Run 5KRun/Walk and 10K Run- VillageBaptist Church Annual event supportschurch mission projects with a focuson water wells in North Africa.Register now atwww.villagebaptist.org. T-Shirts andstuffed goodie bags for all registrants.Run/Walk starts at the church. 101Matthew Blvd, Destin, FL

SUPPORT GROUPS

April 26Women of Destiny Present LisaOsteen- 6:30 p.m. at Destiny WorshipCenter, Destin, FL, destinyworship-center.com (850) 650-6800

Coming InMAY

May 5 - 9Destin Week of Blessing- Activitiesthroughout the week, www.thehur-chofdestin.com for more information.

May 18Mud Run for Orphans- 7:30 a.m.Northwest Florida State College, forinformation www.emeraldcoastmu-drun.com

May 18Honky Tonkin Opry- CountryChristian music, Santa Rosa CountyAuditorium, 7 p.m. ticketswww.hto.com tickets (850) 313-5762

May 19Annie Moses Band- 6 p.m., VillageBaptist church, Destin, FL Information:(850) 837-8107, tickets,www.itickets.com

April 21Annual Earth Day Beach Cleanup-Fort Walton Beach Landing, 8 a.m. to10 p.m., volunteers of all agesencouraged to participate in annualevent. Free t-shirts, drinks andsnacks, while they last, are provided.(850) 651-7131

Coastal Christian Family20

COLORING PAGE

19April 2013

Getting Right With Food Given the current rate of rampant obesity in this country and the dire predictions ofmore, unhealthy weight gain has become the center of the national health discussion.Simplistically viewed as a matter of the will, healthcare professionals are stumped asto why weight loss programs do not actually foster sustained weight loss. The answeris that the lie of “comfort food” has millions of people turning to food instead ofGod for peace. The result is essentially an eating tsunami in this country. The similarself-destructive lie of “soul” food also points to where we went wrong. The truth isthat food is for the body; God feeds the soul.

From the vantage point of my personal weight peak of 300lbs. and having main-tained a 60-70 pound weight loss for 25+ years, I understand the struggle. I can sum-marize what works in one line. When I stopped going to food and began to go toGod for my comfort – my peace – my sense of wellbeing, then the weight progres-sively stayed off. The internal struggle against the desire to overeat lessened overtime.I became more aware when I eat beyond the need of my body and more able to stopeating to satisfy the needs of my soul.

At every meal we begin by satisfying the legitimate needs of our body for food, but tothe extent that we eat beyond the need of our body we accumulate excess energyreserves in the form of fat. Reserves are fine, but the excess leads to deterioration andeven devastation of our health, as increasing fat stores strain the body’s capacity tosustain life.

My breakthrough came on two levels. The first was when I responded to the encour-agement of a counselor to forgive the abusers of my past. I had been unwilling to

release these people, despite God’s very clear desire to pass on the forgiveness Hefreely made available to me. I had suffered under bitterness, anger, depression andother negative emotions that I regularly attempted to “manage” through my “faith” in food to escape these emotions.

Then I had to deal with the reality of my obsession with food. Constantly thinkingabout my next meal meant that food was “driving the boat”. Instead of being obedi-ent to God to forgive, which would have relieved me of negative emotions, I hadtaken the problem to food so many times it had officially become an idol in my life.Years after the breakthrough with forgiveness, I came under the conviction to repentof the idol of food. Each act of obedience brought a gradual lessening of my desirefor food.

Having had the weight off for many years now, it has become progressively natu-ral to maintain the loss. Now I am less likely to roar past the needs of my body ata meal because I am less dependent on food to comfort me or provide me with asense of wellbeing. Through God’s strength, I have been able to progressively dis-regard the things of the world to meet the needs of my heart. We are warned inscripture not to allow anything to usurp the place in our hearts that belongs toHim. Said another way, God’s creation sustains the body, while God alone per-fectly satisfies the heart of man.

— John R. Murphy, Founder of Rock House CenterJohn and his wife reside in Williamson County

www.rockhousecenter.com

Round-A-BoutI took my sons to the park a few days ago to enjoy a new playground installed by thecity fathers, apparently with the help of a team of safety experts and a host of litiga-tion-preventing-attorneys. There was no dirt, mud, or gravel. Gone was the sharp-edged chain link fence, traded in for a short polymer-slotted wall. Even the equip-ment had changed. There were no monkey bars; no metal slides; no rocket-shaped-climby-thing, not even a seesaw.

There was one piece of missing playground equipment that, for all my nostalgia,I’m glad was removed: The merry-go-round, or as some call them, the round-a-bout. I haven’t been on one of these things since I was ten-years-old and with goodreason. The game we played was simple. About a thousand pounds of elementary-

aged children wouldclimb aboard whilesomeone’s olderbrother started spin-ning the thing with theG-force of a fighter jet.This resulted in halfthe kids immediatelyflying off or gettingsucked beneath thething, breaking armsand noses.

Those who remained stuck to the handlebars usually began to spew their luncheslike shaken cola cans, and the one who didn’t get sick, suffer a compound fracture, orcould walk the straightest line when the spinning stopped was naturally the winner.

The truth is no one ever wins on the round-a-bout. The round-a-bout I amspeaking of is the always spinning cycle of human anger. The eye-for-an-eye, tit-for-tat rotation that leaves everyone flattened on the ground, barely holding on,or staggering about, dazed and broken. Is there a way to stay safe and “win” thisdangerous game?

Jesus says there is: Don’t play the game at all. He said, “If you remember that some-one has something against you, go settle your differences quickly.” The solution,according to Jesus, was not to assault your enemies with a preemptive strike or to digin further by strengthening your grip on the rails. The solution is early interventionby defusing anger and retaliation before it even gets started.

You see, before the first blow is ever struck, before a trigger is ever pulled, or beforethe revenge scheme is ever hatched, emotions have already been weaponized and theround-a-bout is already on its not-so-merry-go-round way. Jesus understood thatthe only way to stop accelerating anger was to graciously neutralize it as soon as pos-sible. That’s the only real way to stay in the game.

— Ronnie McBrayer Ronnie is a syndicated columnist, speaker, and author of multiple books. You can read

more and receive regular e-columns in your inbox at www.ronniemcbrayer.net.

BODY & SOUL

18 Coastal Christian Family www.ChristianFamilyPublications.com

The Cure For Information OverloadHere’s a golfer’s dream: You've crushed a drive on a par 5 so you decide to muscleup and go for the green in two. Bingo! The shot rolls to about 15 feet; putting foreagle. These opportunities don't come around that often so you are definitely tak-ing your time with this one.

You study the putt from every angle and takeinto consideration the location of the lake,the speed, direction of the grain, time of day,amount of moisture, and the amount ofwind. Time to step up and hit it, but you stilldon't have the foggiest idea which directionthe ball is going to roll. With no confidence -and trying to minimize the damage to atleast salvage a birdie attempt - you poke atthe ball like an old man playing shuffle-board. Yeah, good luck with that side-hillfour footer you have remaining.

Reading greens isn't the only place we can face information overload and still comeout clueless. Life is like that.

Have you noticed there is never a shortage of advice about how to live your life?You should marry her; you shouldn't marry her. You should confront your boss;you shouldn't confront your boss. You should invest in the stock market now; youshouldn't invest in the stock market now. It makes no difference what issue causesthe conundrum, ask enough people and you can generate enough advice to coverevery perspective and leave you totally paralyzed.

Wouldn't it be great if you just knew what to do. Better yet, wouldn't it be great ifGod just bent down and whispered in your ear what He considered the bestoption. Well, in some respects He has. He speaks through His Word, the Bible. Takea look at Proverbs 4:5-7.

"Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them.Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch overyou.The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it costs all you have, getunderstanding."

Don't blow past this because it sounds so obvious, like, "The beginning of hittingrange balls is to go get range balls." Put this verse back in the context of this chapterand the chapter back into the context of the first nine chapters of Proverbs andyou’ll find God is saying, “Pay attention to my instruction and you’ll have the wis-dom you need to navigate life.”

I challenge you; read a chapter of Proverbs a day this year and actively apply it toyour life. It is the remedy for information overload.

— Scott LehmanPresident of www.inhisgripgolf.com and contributor to

the Golfer's Bible (B&H Publishing). You can follow Scotton twitter at www.twitter.com/inhisgripgolf orFacebook at www.facebook.com/inhisgripgolf

IN HIS GRIP®

What defines a suc-cessful single parent?Is it money and dresssize, cars, houses andmuscles or is it muchdeeper than that?Having been a singlemom for nine years, Ibelieve being healthyminded and stable aremost important. Iknow the familiarache inside of sittingin church on a Sundaymorning and feelinglike I was the only one there without a spouse’s arm around me, or that I was theodd one out in the Sunday School classes. Being single is hard and it requires extraordinary faith and courage! There is a boldness and braveness to single parentingthat no one understands unless you have been there, walking in the same shoes andfeeling the same awkwardness at times.

One of the best things I heard, early in my single parent journey, was the phrase“Get on with your stability!” I was not just getting on with my life, but I was build-ing stability and foundation for my daughter and I. I made it a point to get outside,take walks and play in the yard with my daughter. I knew that I did not want mydaughter to be responsible for my happiness or ever feel like I could not make itwithout her, so I intentionally sought out activities and decided to create my ownfun when she was away with her dad. Sometimes that “fun” was a women’s Biblestudy or a book club or maybe it was serving the homeless under the bridge down-town. We rotate the major holidays, so sometimes being healthy minded was open-ing my home to others on a Christmas Day or Thanksgiving when I knew I wouldbe alone and creating a large potluck event with others. Once, I even did theunthinkable – I went to a movie all by myself! Whatever the activity, I alwaysremembered that I was never truly alone – Christ was there with me, in themoment, sitting in the chair at Starbucks or in the seat next to me in the theater.

I also seek to keep “family” at the center of every day – single parents families arestill families and it is important to facilitate activities that create a loving familyenvironment. I always made a point to sit at the table with Angelia and have dinnertogether instead of in front of the television. I usually light a candle and put on softbackground music to create a relaxing and enjoyable experience. The other impor-tant part of being family is that we create traditions and we take vacations. We takepictures and print them and post them all over the fridge. Single parent familieshave an important legacy and can create positive memories together. And, don’tforget to laugh – your kids need to see you smile and hear the sound of your laugh-ter – this is a priceless gift to give them!

—Tammy Daughtry, MMFTTammy is the Founder of Co-Parenting International. Tammy was a single mom foreight years and is now a remarried mom for the past three years. She is the author of

“Co-parenting Works! Helping Your Children Thrive After Divorce” and has many freeresources for single parents and step parents at her website:

www.CoparentingInternational.com.

Get on with your Stability!THE SINGLE LIFE

17April 2013

Military Veterans Receive EntrepreneurialBoost with Operation American DreamMilitary veterans with entrepreneurialdreams will have the chance to win start-up money to open their own businessthrough Signal 88 Security’s new con-test, Operation American Dream: FromBattlefield to Boss.

According to a May 2011 study from theSmall Business Association Office ofAdvocacy, veterans are at least 45 per-cent more likely to take the plungeinto entrepreneurship than peo-ple with no active-duty militaryexperience.

Through Operation AmericanDream, Signal 88 Security is providing veterans with the opportunityfor success. Here’s how the contest works: From now through May2013, veterans can submit a 500-word essay on why they want to opentheir own business. Submissions will be acceptedvia www.signal88.com/OperationAmericanDream.

At the end of each month, representatives from Signal 88 Security willselect three monthly finalists. The public will vote among those final-ists for one monthly winner, who will receive a $500 semi-finalist prizeand become eligible for the Grand Prize: $5,000 in start-up money tostart their business. The prize money doubles to $10,000 if the win-ning veteran chooses to open a Signal 88 Security franchise.

The first deadline for submitting an essay and video to be consideredamong the first round of monthly winners is January 15, 2013.Subsequent deadlines are on the 15th of each month, with the finaldeadline on May 15, 2013.

“Signal 88 Security is a top employer of military veterans,” said ReedNyffeler, CEO and co-founder of Signal 88 Security. “We were namedon the G.I. Jobs list in 2012 among the top 10 percent of the nation’sfranchises that are doing the most to recruit military veterans.” Signal88 Security has a franchise office located in Nashville.

In 2007 data from the U.S. Census Bureau – the most recent statisticsavailable on the subject – veterans owned 2.4 million businesses, or 9percent of all businesses nationwide, generating $1.2 trillion in receiptsand employing nearly 5.8 million people.

“Veterans possess many of the traits needed in entrepreneurism,” saidNyffeler. “Their leadership, teamwork and problem-solving skills aresecond-to-none, in my experience.”

To learn more about Operation American Dream: From Battlefield toBoss, visit www.signal88.com/OperationAmericanDream.

CHRISTIAN SOLDIER

Window We Get Started?Don’t waste money on window and mirror cleaningproducts, which are mostly water. Make your ownsuper cleaner by mixing in a clean spray bottle onecup of each: water, rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol andlemon scented ammonia. The lemon scent gives yourcleaner a nice fresh smell and the cleaning power will absolutely amaze you.Make sure you label the bottle.

And instead of using paper towels or cloths to clean and dry your windows &mirrors, use newspaper. As incredible as that sounds, it's the best product for thejob. Wear gloves because the newspaper print will get on your hands, but it won'tget on the mirror or glass. Newspaper will give you a streak-free finish and,unlike paper towels or cloths, it won't leave behind any lint or fuzz.

Awesome Easy Asparagus CasseroleThis is so tasty & so simple! Here’s what you’ll need: (A) 2 cans (15 oz. each) ofasparagus pieces, drained - keep 1/2 cup of the liquid; (B) 1/8 tsp. pepper; (C) 1½ cups of saltine crackers, crushed; (D) 1 can of cream of mushroom soup; (E) 1½ cups of shredded cheddar cheese & (F) 1/4 cup of margarine, melted.

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 2-qt. casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Setaside 1/2 cup of cracker crumbs. Mix together theremaining ingredients, gently blending in asparagus last.Spread mixture into casserole dish; sprinkleremaining crackers on top. Drizzle melted butterover the crackers. Bake uncovered at 350 forabout 30 minutes or until the crackers look lightgolden brown.

Mold and Mildew RemedyMold and mildew can be easily cleaned away with plain ol’ undiluted vinegar.Wear latex gloves and it’s a good idea to also wear eye protection and a breathingmask. Mold and mildew put out microscopic spores that flutter about in the airand these can cause some nasty respiratory problems. You don’t want to end upwith any of these, so eliminate the mold and mildew around your home and besafe while you’re doing it.

Both mold and mildew thrive on moisture. If there’s a particular spot where youtend to see either of these, check for water leaks if there are water pipes or otherwater sources (icemaker water line, hot water heater, etc.) nearby. Then invest in agood dehumidifier. A one-room unit costs around $50 and most can absorb upto a cup of moisture a day..

Closing Thoughts“Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 144:15, NIV). As Christ’srepresentatives, it's critical that we learn to wisely use His blessings. May we allcommit to being better stewards of the time and money He has so temporarilyentrusted to us.

—Judy Woodward Bates is a speaker, TV personality, columnist forwww.Examiner.com and www.TravelinTales.com and author of

Bargainomics: Money Managementby the Book.

BARGAINOMIC$

16 Coastal Christian Family

Trust GodWe cannot always choose the situation we are in, but we can always trust thatGod will guide us through anything.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYSIsaiah 43:10 You are my witnesses, declares the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, sothat you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me nogod was formed, nor will there be one after me.

HANDS-ON EXPERIMENTNewton’s TableclothYou will need:Several Heavy Glass DishesTablecloth without a HemSquare Table with anEdge

Instructions:STEP 1: Place thetablecloth on the tableand then arrange theglass dishes on thetablecloth. STEP 2: Grab theedges of the tablecloth

and pull down toward the floor quickly.

EXPLANATIONThe dishes stayed as you quickly removed the tablecloth because of inertia.Inertia describes how an object will either keep moving or stay still unless anoutside force acts on the object. The heavier an object is the more inertia ithas. This is the reason why plastic or paper dishes will not work for this exper-iment. They do not have enough inertia.

BIBLE CONNECTIONThis experiment took a lot of trust. Trusting that you could pull the tableclothout from underneath the dishes without the dishes breaking. In life, we can’talways choose the situation we are in, but we can always trust that God willguide us through anything.

SCIENCE TERMInertia - Inertia describes how an object will either keep moving or stay stillunless an outside force acts on the object.

SCIENCE QUIZDefine Inertia.Why did the dishes stay on the table as you quickly removed the tablecloth?

— Jason LindseyGo to www.hookedonscience.org for

Beyond the Science Lab videosegments and more hands-on experiments.

KIDS KORNER

TEACHABLE MOMENTS

Encourage one another and build each other up. 1Thessalonians 5:11

After 30 years of marriage his wife was ready to throw in the towel. “I have had it,living with you. You never tell me you love me anymore.” The husband replied, “Itold you I loved you when we got married …if I change my mind, I’ll let you know.”Too many leaders expect their followers to run on autopilot, like the hard – headedhusband. They don’t understand that people thrive on appreciation. Paul writes, “Encourage one another and build each other up.”

I don’t know about other women, but I am an encourager by nature and find greatjoy in lifting people up. I experienced that growing up from my parents, teachersand mentors. From an early age, I loved to compliment people and watch themflourish. It’s amazing what sensitive awareness of someone’s work, generosity, talents,creativity or ideas can do for their self esteem and confidence. Some people don’treally need encouragement. They are so strong and busy that attempts at praisingthem would go unnoticed. There are also people who view praise with suspicionbecause others have taken advantage of them. With them, all we need to do is culti-vate kindness.

Too many of us get caught up in the everyday expectations and we forget to appre-ciate, cherish and treasure the people we love the most and work with everyday. Ibelieve people will never disappoint you if they feel they are truly valued. Most of usdo need encouragement and lots of it. Phillis Theroux writes: “One of the com-modities in life that people cannot get enough of is compliments. The ego is neverso intact that one can’t find a hole in which to plug in a little praise. Complimentsby their very nature are highly biodegradable and tend to dissolve hours or days afterwe receive them…which is why we can always use another.”

We all want to matter to others. Often in the past and sometimes in thepresent, our behavior has screamed for the attention we need from others.Perhaps instead of trying to get attention, we ought to give it! Wisdom dic-tates that in life there are no accidents. Those people close to us and justpassing through our lives have a reason to be there. Giving attention toanother’s humanity is our calling. I read a quote that said “The greatest giftwe can give another is rapt attention to their existence.” It’s magic!

— Barbara RuckerBarbara’s acting career covers three decades of show business success in every form of

media from television spokesperson to movies, soap operas, radio, sit-coms, theatre,modeling and talk show host. Today with her own Mary Kay business, Barbara is on

her way to Future Cadillac driving Sales Director.

Appreciation Awards

15April 2013

1 on 1 with Jason S. Greene:Why Should I Work Out?Ever have one of those days when you just don't feel like exercising? We all have timeswhen we just feel like throwing in the towel. This article came on one of those rainy,dreary, winter days. It was the kind of day that can take the wind out of your sailsbefore you ever leave the dock. I don't have many of those days, but when I do I needan article just like this. Yep, it is one of those easy to read list kind of articles, the kindyou put on the fridge to help you stay motivated.

According to the covers of most national magazines there is really only a couple of rea-sons to workout. Number one is to be able to eat more without blowing up like a bal-loon. Number two is to keep the opposite sex from being repulsed by you. Below isjust a partial list, but it gives you a whole lot more reasons to get to the gym than justthe desire for bad food and good relationships.

1. Healthy Heart: This is probably one of the most obvious, but cannot be overstated.Exercise gets your heart pumping and your heart is the most important muscle in yourbody. Heart disease is the number one killer in America. If more people exercised ona regular basis we could change that!

2. Increased Bone Density: If you make strength training a part of you workout younot only improve your muscles, but your bones as well.

3. Improved Job Performance: Lots of studies have show that regular exerciseincreases work productivity and let’s face it, in this economy; you need every advantageyou can get when it comes to keeping your job.

4. Sleep Better: Lots and lots of research on the fact that exercise improves sleep. Didwe really need studies to tell us that? Exercise more + sleep better = better everything!

5. Fewer Sick Days: Back to that keeping your job thing. People who exercise on aregular basis miss fewer days at work. Exercise increases your immune system.

6. Increased Energy: Most people tell me they do not have the energy to workout. Hereis a promise I will make you. You will get back 2-minutes worth of energy for everyminute you exercise. It may take a few weeks before it kicks in, but trust me it works.

7. Clearer Skin: Surprised this one is on my list? Well it’s true. Exercise increases cir-culation and helps to open your pores, both help to improve your complexion.

8. Happy You: Ever heard of “Runners High”? Well it is a real thing and it is not run-ning exclusive. It comes from any form of exercise where you exert yourself and breaka good sweat. It comes from the release of endorphins in the human body and canimprove your mood for hours. Exercise is the greatest positive addiction on the planetand it beats anti-depressants every time!

9. Sex: Notice how I just put the word sex and got your attention? That’s how impor-tant it is to all of us. Exercise not only gives you more energy for sex, but as youimprove your appearance your desire for intimacy will also increase. We call this awin, win!

—Jason S. GreeneFitness Expert

Jason’s Fitness/Southfit.com

Disclaimer: One on One with Jason aims to provide general fitness and exercise information.Advice offered may not be applicable to all individuals and does not constitute medical, health or scientific fitnessadvice. People have different needs, abilities and levels of health. It is recommended that all readers consult a med-ical professional before beginning any form of exercise, participate in any physical fitness or sports training programor undertake any form of health plan, nutrition program, or weight loss diet---especially if you have been inactivemost of your life, suffer from obesity, or have any health problems.

HEALTHY LIVING

www.ChristianFamilyPublications.com14 Coastal Christian Family

CHURCH LEADERS

Hope CorralFor a worship experience that’s in line with the country way of life,where people love the outdoors, trucks, horses, hunting and fishing,Hope Corral of Milton fills the bill. Brian Graves, pastor of HopeCorral serves along side his wife, Christy. Pastor Brian grew up inMinot, North Dakota and his young years were filled with horsesand cowboys. Through his love of the western culture he bringsthat way of life and good old-fashioned values to his ministry.

Pastor Brian is the son of a Baptist preacher and he has served hiscountry through the military and his community by being a deputysheriff, 911 dispatcher, a volunteer firefighter and medical firstresponder. He has served as a minister of music, a traveling preach-er and singer. He has taught Bible studies, financial courses, hasserved as a counselor and mentor for a court ordered rehabilitationprogram, and has served as a Christian artist and ventriloquist actfor children’s ministries. Christy has served as director of a singleministries group and a facilitator in a divorce recovery program.Sunday services at Hope Corral are located at the Santa RosaBaptist Association Building, 6820 Highway 87 North, Milton,Florida at 11:00 a.m.

They are sponsoring The Honky Tonkin Opry to be held May 18,2013 at 7:00 p.m. at the Santa Rosa County Auditorium. Artistsappearing are Jayc Harold, The Southern Boys, Brad Allen and TimMiller. This concert is billed to be a lot of fun as well as an evangel-istic outreach. HTO LIVE is a radio station that will be syndicatednationwide and will record during this event. Also, HLERadio.com,a Christian Country radio station will be on site to broadcast thisevent. Sponsors for the event to date include Hope Corral CowboyChurch, Relevant Life Church, Porky’s Pizza, Santa Rosa BaptistAssociation and Santa Rosa Baptist Evangelistic Association.

Tickets are $15 and can be bought at htotickets.com or go to HTOFacebook page and like and share for a chance to win two free

tickets to the event. For more information contact Brian Graves at brian@hopecorralcc.org or their website www.hopecorralcc.org.

—Joanna Amunds

to write what she calls “life changing fiction.” Karen explains,“Because my world view is so faith based…I tell a story that has aphysical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual element because that’spart of the story. I don’t cut out the spiritual element. I feel othersmay tell a good story but not a complete story because theyrefuse to involve the reality of God.”

The Kingsbury’s love for the Lord also gave them a passion forGod’s children. Karen and Don are the parents of six children, theyoungest three adopted from Haiti 12 years ago. Internationaladoption required a mountain of paperwork, but they took it onestep at a time driven by their love for the children they werecalled to adopt from pictures on a ministry website. “The statisticson homeless children in our world remain daunting,” Karen saysadding, “But our family has seen this truth at work: adoptionmakes a difference.”

—Gwen Sisson, Laurie Stroud—Learn more about and connect with

Karen Kingsbury on her Facebook page.

Karen and Don Kingsbury with their children Kelsey (23), Tyler (20),Sean (18), Josh (18), EJ (16), Austin (15) and son in law Christian record-ing artist Kyle Kupecky. The family moved from the pacific northwest toNashville in August 2011.

Love for God’s Children

aren ingsbury has seen her last seven novels at thetop of the New York Times best-seller list. She has been

dubbed by Time magazine as the “queen” of Christianfiction. She attributes her writing success to a God given

gift fueled by the words of her favorite book, the Bible.

In the late 1980s, Karen Kingsbury met a man with a passion for theBible. Kingsbury’s now husband Don, brought the Bible with him to read

on their first date. Karen had never met anyone quite like this guy and want-ed to know more. There was a lot of lively discussion and debate over spiritual

matters. Karen had grown up in a loving home and taught to love Jesus Christ, but shehad never really read the Bible for herself. Spiritual conversation and debate were never an

important part of her life. “There were times when I was so sick of talking about the Bible,” remembers Karen of those first dates. “I under-stand now that God was convicting me, trying to open my ears to the importance of His truth. But at the time it felt only like conflict. We werein our mid-20s; it was summer in Southern California and I wanted to go to the beach; Don wanted to go to the Bible.”

The traditions and ideas Kingsbury had grown up with were a big part of her life and Don challenged her to find the Scriptural basis forthose traditions and ideas. One day, she had had enough. She took his Bible and slammed it to the ground. The binding broke. Without say-ing a word, Don picked up the pieces of his Bible and left. She felt terrible. Within 48 hours she found herself at a Christian bookstore pur-chasing a Bible, a modern translation that she could read and understand. She also purchased a Bible concordance and was intent onlooking up the key words to her traditions and ideas. She didn’t find them. “In the quite of my room, I looked up key words that representedmy traditions. It took about five minutes to figure out that those words weren’t even in the Bible! I felt God saying, ‘You can fall away withthese man-made beliefs or you can grab onto my Word and never let go!’ I grabbed as hard as I could. I fell in love with God’s Word andI’ve felt that way ever since.”

Don and Karen reconnected and began attending a non-denominational church just a few miles from her apartment. They were baptizedat the same church on December 13, 1987. In the months that followed, Karen found in God’s Word direction forevery aspect of her life and a faith worth defending in everything she did. Eventually her love of Scripture led her

KarenKingsbury’sLOVE Story

First Love…Best selling author Karen Kingsbury will be

speaking at the Extraordinary Women’s Event inPensacola April 19-20, www.ewomen.net.

K K

Kingsbury’s latest book The Chance is a love story set in theSouth and rooted in absolute forgiveness. The book thatmeans the most to Kingsbury is the Bible her husband Donhad when they were dating- split down the binding. Proof thatGod takes what is broken and makes it beautiful again.

11April 2013

Burlap Beauty When Glory Haus artist Amy Griffith bought a few yards of burlap to make some curtainsfor her living room a few years ago, she had no idea that the purchase wouldturn into an art phenomenon that is now sold in stores all around the country.Her “Burlees” are a great gift for mom to use to brighten any room in thehome. The owl design door hanger is the best-selling item in the Burlee homedécor line. There are also inspirational Burlees that proclaim a Christian mes-sage. Check out Burlees and other Glory Haus gifts on our website atwww.gloryhaus.com.

Give mom a 100% original gift from Christian Chick. The on-line company’s shirts and accessories are beautifullydesigned with crosses, rhinestones, and inspiring messaging. Rooted in the principles of strongfaith, inspirational messaging, and 100% original design, Christian Chick gives believers a way to“tell the world where they wear their heart.” Check outwww.christianchickapparel.com.

COOL STUFF WITH A MIGHTY MESSAGE

Artist Amy Griffith withthe best selling owl burlee.

Bracelet

SPECIAL FEATURE

New Beginnings Women’s Conference

The New Beginnings Conference is April 13, 2013 from 9 A.M. until 3P.M. at the Navarre Conference Center with on-site registration

beginning at 8:30. This all day Saturday event includeslunch and if you pre-register online before April 9th for

$29 you will receive a free gift. They offer a group dis-count for 10 or more.

The conference will include worship, speakers, testi-monies, prayer, and fellowship with other women and

lunch. This conference is open to women of alldenominations, all ages, and all backgrounds and in every

season in life. The theme of this conference is, “God wantsto Refresh, Restore and Revive your relationship with Him”.

Christina Harty, President of New Beginnings Ministry, tellsher story of losing her husband at the young age of 28 andbeing left with three daughters under the age of four. Christinahas a passion to help broken women and give them inspiration

to move forward through the power andgrace of our Savior.

Chrystal Hansen, speaker and co-pastor of achurch near Chicago, speaks of her severedepression and how God healed her. She tellshow God can help you through brokennessinto a relationship with Christ.

Rachel Ridge is a licensed social worker, certifieddrug and alcohol counselor and certified grief recov-ery specialist. She will share, through her own infer-tility struggles, how to trust God with your pain, prob-lems and dreams.

The worship leaders for the conference are Jamie andAlisha Anderson. They currently serve as worship pastors atLiberty Church, Gulf Breeze/Navarre campus.

For more information: info@AFreshStartAtLife.com or callNew Beginnings Ministries at 612-367-newu (6398).

10 Coastal Christian Family www.ChristianFamilyPublications.com

Reduce Emotional, Inherited or Gift ClutterHave you ever inherited or been gifted with stuff you can’t use? Have youhung onto items because of emotional attachments? How do you decidewhat to do with inherited things, well-intentioned gifts, items you are hang-ing onto for someone else, or things you keep because of a memory or feel-ing? Try these fresh approaches.

MemoriesFirst, keep the memory of a person alive in your heart, not in the boxes oftheir stuff that are sitting in your basement or attic. Consider keeping acouple representative pieces rather than whole collections. You can alsotake photos and journal rather than keeping excess.

TellDon’t store memories, but do keep the stories alive. Don’t keep historicalitems in boxes in the basement or attic where they can get wrecked. Displaythem! Frame Grandma’s hand crocheted doily or collector plate and hang itin a place of honor. Write the person’s name and story on the backside of it.When someone notices the item, tell your children, guests, and anyone elsewho will listen about the person.

Don’t Keep MiseryRemember that people give each other things as acts of kindness. No oneintends to add to someone else’s clutter misery. Appreciate the intent of giftsand inherited items but feel free to sell, donate, or re-gift items to otherswho might have more appreciation for them. If you have any items thatmake you feel bad, let them go!

Items can be given away on freecycle.org, or sold in the newspaper, on theInternet at craigslist.org or ebay.com, or taken by local estate sale or auctioncompanies who will buy stuff outright or accept things on consignment.Look for similar items on eBay to see what prices people are getting foritems similar to yours.

Other People’s ClutterClutter boundaries:Don’t let anyone else’sclutter drag you down. Ifpeople try to get you tostore their stuff, it is fineto be generous with yourspace on a short-termbasis. Establish a specificdeadline for them toretrieve the item.Remind them once. And,finally, feel free to dis-pose of this stuff as yousee fit after the deadlinehas come and gone.

What am I saying here?Parents, you are notresponsible for indefi-nitely storing stuff foryour grown children. It

isn’t fair or respectful to you. Further more, do not “gift” stuff to your grownchildren with strings attached. It isn’t really a gift when you are basically ask-ing for free storage under the loving guise of “keeping it in the family!”

Give RespectfullyWe can give generously to get rid of clutter. It allows us to get rid of extraphysical stuff, as well as the emotional, and spiritual baggage that clings toour possessions. Give respectfully, however, by giving to those who cantruly use what they receive. Do not dump on a fellow clutter bug becauseyou know they too have a weakness for stuff.

If you are passing items down in your family, remember to pass down thestories too. Write down why these items have monetary or sentimentalvalue. If you don’t, the treasures may get tossed with the trash.

Wait!Getting rid of clutter is not about getting rid of everything. The generalrules are to keep what is beautiful, useful, and sentimental, or go with yourgut response to it before your well-intentioned rationalizations kick in—youknow, “It was a gift,” or “It was Grandma’s,” or “I paid good money for it…”If your gut just doesn’t like it, get rid of it! Life brings us enough stress with-out hanging onto items that increase stress. Period.

—Barbara Tako is the author of Clutter Clearing Choices:Clear Clutter, Organize Your Home, & Reclaim Your Life.Visit www.clutterclearingchoices.com for more information

HASSLE FREE ZONE

9April 2013

Giving is GoldenAbout a year and a half ago, I started doingwhat I call: “Reading the Bible Again for theFirst Time.” I mentally threw away all that Ihad heard and all that I had been taughtand started studying the Bible afresh.Beginning with Jesus’ Sermon on theMount, I just let God speak to me in what-ever way he wanted without being hin-dered by the past.

If you’re looking for a great way to start off the New Year, I highly recommend tryingthis. I promise you will see Jesus and the Father in surprising new ways you’ve notexperienced. For example, recently, I began reading Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:7-11:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and thedoor will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one whoseeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

I had heard that this passage was about persistent prayer…As if you need to keep ask-ing God over and over for something before eventually he’ll get tired of hearing itand answer your prayer. There are other verses in the Bible that seem to implysomething similar, so if you take this verse by itself, that seems to make sense.However, the next verses (Matthew 7:9-11) change what Jesus is telling us: “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he

asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, knowhow to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father inheaven give good gifts to those who ask him?”

Jesus is telling us that when we need something, God does not plays games or hold outon us…If we as imperfect parents know how to give our children good and essentialgifts, wouldn’t our perfect Father even do much more for those that ask him? Aswith our children asking us, we should come closer to Father and just ask him (thusthe seeking and knocking part) to help us understand what we really need. That iswhat he wants so much to give us! Great news, but it even gets more interesting inthe next verse:

”Therefore, in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

Jesus is saying there is more to the Golden Rule that we’ve heard all theseyears…With the “therefore” Jesus is “connecting the dots” between the pre-vious verses and this verse. So, in context, in this passage he is telling us:“Because the Father gives you these good gifts, you should be generous toothers, treating them as you wish to be treated. Because I take care of you,take care of them.”

— David PridmoreHusband, father & recovering hypocrite

www.sharinglifenow.com

MISSION MAKERS

POTLUCK

INGREDIENTSHalf a red bell pepper2 cups frozen chopped broccoli,thawed2 8-oz. containers Ranch dip½ cup grated Parmesan cheese2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

EQUIPMENTKitchen shears2-qt. slow cookerLarge wooden spoon

DIRECTIONSSpray the inside of your slow cooker with cooking spray.

Using a kitchen shears, carefully chop the red bell pepper into enough lit-tle chunks to fill ¼ cup. Place the pieces in your slow cooker.Add all of the other ingredients to the red bell pepper in the slow cooker. Mix the Dip together with a large wooden spoon.Cover. Cook the dip on Low for 1 hour.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with pita chips, veggie chips, or raw, cut-up veg-etables. You may use Swiss cheese, or any other cheese that you like,instead of the cheddar cheese.

Makes 24 servings, Prep time: 20 minutes, Cooking Time: 1 hour

Broccoli and cheese are always a good combo. Enjoy thissnack any time of the year.

— Reprinted from Fix-It and Forget-It Kids’ Cookbook ©by Good Books (www.GoodBooks.com).

Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Cheesey Broccoli Dip

Coastal Christian Family8 www.ChristianFamilyPublications.com

Wonderstruck It is elusive, yet everywhere. Itcomes to us in the most unexpect-ed ways, sometimes shocking us asit blazes a swath across our heart. Itcannot be tamed or generated orcontrived. It has been called manythings, but words can never fullycapture it. Some call it transcen-dence. Others call it a thin place.C.S. Lewis called it sehnsucht. Mostof us simply call it the glory of God.It is that elegantly overpoweringmoment in which the nearness ofGod and His Kingdom overlap withour world. We’ve all had thesemoments, when truth and beauty and love and God Himself press intous, becoming more real than the tangible world which consumes so muchof our attention. It is joy unspeakable, the abundant life, the weight ofglory. It is Jacob’s ladder, a still small voice, and tongues of fire. It’s a Jesusmoment - for God is with us.

Margaret Fienberg’s new book, Wonderstruck:Awaken to the Nearness of God (Worthy Publishing,$14.99) is an impassioned appeal for God’s people tolive in the joyful expectation that God may burstthrough the mundane at any moment. If the wholeearth is full of His glory, then creation itself may bethe next stage upon which the glory of God dances.Heaven and nature really do sing, just as the carolproclaims. When events both large and small seem to

erode our childlike faith and awe of God, Fienberg encourages us to seekGod’s face. If we search for Him, we will find Him. He has promised asmuch. As we engage in prayer, friendship, forgiveness and gratitude,God’s presence becomes more discernible and we become more attunedto the Kingdom of heaven.

My own encounters with the glory of God have been far less dramaticthan those who, like Paul, were smitten by the risen Lord. I have neverheard the voice of God, seen an angel, nor told a lame man to rise in thename of Jesus. But I have had beautiful and wondrous moments whichmade me want to reach out my hands and bless the whole world. Iremember the night I asked Lesia to marry me. God was there. He wasalso with me the night I told my dying father goodbye. Recently, I heldmy newborn grandchild in my arms and looked down at her sweet andlovely face. It was as if I was looking at the face of Jesus. These are sacredmoments, sacraments of time and space and full of glory.

If you have become detached from any sense of the sacred in your life,perhaps Wonderstruck can reignite your faith and generate a lifestyle ofholy anticipation. May we have eyes to see. May we have ears to hear.

BEST BOOKS

GABRIELLE DOUGLAS:The Glory Goes Up to Him...The Blessings Fall Down on HerGabrielle Douglas’ mother almost died the day Gabriellewas born. Thus began a journey originating in sickness,obscurity and financial difficulty. Seventeen years later,Gabby Douglas became a household name as she wontwo gold medals for her performances in gymnastics during the 2012summer Olympics. This young girl whose life had started in desperatecircumstances was simply amazing as she vaulted, danced and soaredthrough one exercise after another. There were moments in which herbody seemed to do the impossible.

In Grace, Gold and Glory (Zondervan,$24.99), Douglas shares her story of faith andperseverance. The journey wasn’t easy andthere were many obstacles along the way. Asa child, she had a serious disease whichthreatened her health. Funding her pursuitwas a constant problem as her family strug-gled to support her. Loneliness, injuries andan absent father were constant problems inher path. Gabrielle, however, was excep-tional not only in her talent but also in herbelief that God had a purpose and wouldgive her the strength she needed.Gabrielle’s story is laced with Scripturesthat sustained her and her family.Whenever things got tough, an encouraging word from the Bibleprovided the extra strength to keep moving. “I can do all things through

Christ who strengthens me… By Hisstripes we are healed…No weaponformed against you will prosper…”Over and over again, these versesreminded her of God’s favor and pres-ence. When all the work and sacrificespaid off last summer in an Olympicvictory, Gabrielle remembered thatGod’s grace had been with her on thelong road to London. I rememberwatching her walk up to the first jour-nalist stationed off the exercise floor,look into the camera and say with con-fidence that the glory goes up to Himand the blessings fall down on her.

—Darrel Holcombe

April 2013 7

Advertise What Your Business Has to Offer & Get Results

Call: 850-803-6005

Coming In MayMother’s Day Gift Ideas

SPECIAL FEATURE

There is a group of ladies in Niceville, Florida that comestogether twice a month to worship, learn, fellowship and praytogether under the organization LeadHer. LeadHer, growingwomen God’s way spiritually, practically and relationally, is anational and international organization.

Dianne Guthmuller and Monica Atkinson are the local coordinators for LeadHer.Dianne has a passion to see women become godly leaders in the home, workplace,community, and world. Monica greatest desire is to develop women to be leadersfor Christ by tapping into their strengths and encouraging them to use their gifts tobring him glory. The local chapter of LeadHer has grown to an average of 35 to 40women. These women are diverse in every way. They range from young, singlewomen to older grandmothers. They are stay-at-home moms, students, retirees,and working women. They are all denominations such as Assembly of God,Methodist, Baptist and Catholic.

Christie Love is the founder and executive director of LeadHer. There are16 chapters nationwide and LeadHer ministers internationally in five differ-ent countries. Believing every woman is a leader, the goal of LeadHer is tohelp women see themselves through this truth, equip them based onBiblical teaching, and encourage each woman to put hands and feet to herfaith and impact the world around her for Christ.

LeadHer Connect has all the makings of an overnight women’s retreat in a two and ahalf hour time span: Great fellowship, new friendships, yummy food, lots of laugh-

ter, inspirational speakers, and a challenge toconnect with God on a deeper level.

The Niceville meeting takes place atNiceville Assembly of God Church the 1stand 3rd Tuesdays of each month at 6:30p.m. 108 Highway 85 North, Niceville,Florida.May 10, 2013 – LeadHer Connect withChristie Love 6:30 – 9 p.m. Niceville Assembly nursery, from birth to 5th grade willbe available ($5 one child; $10 two or more children and scholarships are available.Registration is required.)

May 12, 2013 – Mother’s Day, Christie Love will be speaking at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.at Niceville Assembly.

August 23-24, 2013 - LeadHer Live Conference in Opelika, Alabama. Leadher.org/2013/01/19/leadher-live-opelika. Free of charge. Held at: Connect Church, 2900 Waverly Parkway, Opelika, AL

The Niceville Chapter offers childcare at their regular meetings. Please register forchildcare by noon on the Monday before the meeting atleadhernicevillefl@gmail.com. For more information contact Dianne Guthmuller(850) 685-4959 or Monica Atkinson (850) 525-5811. Check out the national web-site for LeadHer at www.Leadher.org.

Coastal Christian Family6 www.ChristianFamilyPublications.com

The Joy of the Lord is my

STRENGTHMy grandma, who I always called “Momo”, was a big influence on my life.When I was with my Momo she always was full of a joy. She had been awidow since before I was born and lived out in the country in Opp,Alabama. She never had a lot of material things, but she never wanted foranything. Momo would always greet you with a hug and you couldn’t leaveher house empty-handed. She would insist of giving you either an apple, a“hunk” of cake, homemade jelly, pickles or pickled peaches, just whatever

she had handy. Sometimes she would givemy boys a dollar and say, “It isn’t much butit’s given with a lot of love.”

She made quilts for every important occa-sion. When you graduated high school, gotmarried or had a baby, you’d get a quilt.She’d always remind you that every stitchwas made with love and for her it really waslove; for in her later years Rheumatoidarthritis had crippled her hands. She had alot of pain but even through the pain shealways seemed joyful. I never in my lifeheard her say that she wanted anything. She

never complained about what shedidn’t have and accepted everyonelovingly. She was content in herlife. When she passed away all Icould think about was now she’s ina mansion in glory and finally hadthe beautiful things she deserved.What a lady! She was a livingexample of Philippians 4:11-13:

“I am not saying this because I amin need, for I have learned to becontent whatever the circum-stances. I know what it is to be inneed, and I know what it is to haveplenty. I have learned the secret ofbeing content in any and every sit-uation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. Ican do everything through him who gives me strength.”

It is my prayer that my heart will be as filled with the joy of the Lord andnot the things of the world and that everyone I touch each day will see thatjoy and know that we have a loving God who gives us all we need.

—Joanna Amunds

AN ENCOURAGING WORD

Having Arthritis is OptionalArthritic pain might ‘set in’ in your mid-nineties, but at a younger age, it is trulyoption. Arthritis is inflammation of your joints, specifically the ligaments, tendons,sinews along with synovial tissue and bursa sacs, in laymen terms goo, which helpconnect your bone to your muscles. With every birthday, these bone connecting tis-sues comprising our joints get brittle and weak. And we have no notice until thejoints ‘go’, in other words when the pain sets in and the tissue and supporting ‘goo’dries out. It is painful to get up, to reach, to turn. While moving your legs, theknees make crunching sounds bone on bone. It hurts to walk, you are insecurewith the pain, you fall down, you break a hip. You know the rest of that story.

So stop the aging, stop the pain, stop the arthritis. Here’s how. Studies from JohnHopkins University combined with analysis from our residents here at Brooksideunder arthritic physical therapy complete with my own personal experience saysthat the reason people have arthritic pain is because they do not exercise, specifically,they do not lift weights.

Lifting weights every third or fourth day stops or offsets bone loss. And over time,we are talking months, lifting weights strengthens your tendons and ligaments andbuilds up the gooey tissues surrounding your joints, preventing them from dryingout. Thus you are fighting and preventing permanent inflammation. Any exercisewill build muscle at any age and fast. Know that building or restoring joints takesmuch much longer. It may not seem like it, but lifting weights is like learning a newsport. It is not as complex as golf or tennis but lifting weights takes thought andstrategy. To get started, hire a physical therapist or weight trainer. I see the dollarsigns popping up in your head. They did in mine too when I started. Based onyour arthritic condition, your doctor could prescribe physical therapy for training

where your insurance could cover the cost. How about thinking ofthe money for a one time trainer as insurance money.

I inventoried my ‘buff’ friends, not many I assure you, found one andlearned what he did to get started. Joint conditioning is gender neu-tral. You can hit the internet for research too.

Using free weights is the best for weight lifting as theyinvolve balancing and slight corrections from side to sidewhich helps strengthen your neurotransmission or braincell communication, great for memory retention!, andstrengthen your proprioception or snap judgment skills. Inthe beginning, lift light weights with high reps. Only liftweights that are as heavy as you can lift with no pain or dis-comfort. Once comfortable, increase your ‘feather weights’incrementally until comfort sets in again; try a half pound or more pending yourarthritic condition, muscle strength and pain toleration. Eventually your goal isheavy weights with low reps. Remember the saying, ‘no pain, no gain’?

Strength training can make your life worthwhile. It will keep your joints from dry-ing out and hurting with every step you take. It will keep your skeleton from turn-ing to dust. Do be warned: part of your arthritic aches will come back as youapproach the top of your life but not for quite awhile and not nearly as bad.

I’ll take that, will you? May I suggest your new moral (one I currently abide by) andscientific fact: weight training is serious therapy to halt or reverse the destruction ofaging. Lift weights for the rest of your life!

— Janet Rich Pittman

SENIOR SCENE

5April 2013

Volume 13, Number 4CONTENTSApril 2013

DEPARTMENTS3 From the Editor

6 An Encouraging Word• The Joy of the Lord is my Strength

16 Senior Scene • Having Arthritis is Optional

8 Best Books• Wonderstruck

• Gabrelle Douglas: The Glory Goes Up to Him…

The Blessings Fall Down on Her

9 Mission Makers• Giving is Golden

9 Mission Makers• Giving is Golden

10 Hassle Free Zone• Reduce Emotional, Inherited or Gift Clutter

11 Cool Stuff with A Mighty Message• Gifts for Mom

• Christian Chick

14 Church Leaders• Hope Corral

15 Healthy Living• Why Should I Work Out?

16 Kids Korner• Trust God

16 Teachable Moments• His Love Endures Forever

17 Christian Soldier• Military Veterans Receive Entrepreneurial Boost

with Operation American Dream

17 Barganomics• Awesome Tips to Save Time & Money

18 In His Grip• Does Your Life Need a Mulligan?

18 The Single Life • Get on with your Stability!

18 Body & Soul• Getting Right With Food

• Round-A-Bout

20 Coloring Page

21 Calendar

22 Advertising Directory

FEATURES7 LeadHer

11 New Beginnings

PLUSMUCH MORE!

NEXT ISSUETuskegee Airman

WALTER RICHARDSON,

MAN OF GOD

Karen Kingsbury’s last seven novelshave topped the New York Timesbest seller list. She visits the coastthis month to share how her faithhas directly impacted her careers.See page 12.

ON THE COVER

11

8

15

15 Staying Alive

Would you like copies ofCoastal Christian Familyto distribute at your churchor upcoming event?

wordspreadthe

Call 850-803-6005

Call for extra copies for your church conference.

3April 2013

Publisher: Coastal Faith Productions, LLC

Editor: Joanna Amundscoastalchristian@cox.net

Contributing Writers:

Art Direction: Anna Wheeler, Hbc Designs

Cover Photo: Dan Davis Photography

Sales: Joanna Amunds, 850-803-6005, coastalchristian@cox.net

Distribution: Info Depot, In Touch Media

Coastal Christian Family® is published monthly inOkaloosa, Walton, Santa Rosa and Escambia

Counties by Coastal Faith Productions, LLC, 167Shoreline Drive, Mary Esther, FL 32569. The

phone number is 850-803-6005. Reproduction of any partof Coastal Christian Family® without permission of thepublisher is prohibited. Distribution of this magazine doesnot constitute an endorsement of information, productsor services. Views expressed in Coastal Christian Family®do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Everyeffort has been made by Coastal Christian Family® staff toinsure accuracy of the publication contents. However, wedo not guarantee the accuracy of all information nor theabsence of errors and omissions; hence, no responsibilitycan be or is assumed. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2013by Coastal Faith Productions, LLC.

Unless otherwise noted scripture taken from the HolyBible New International Version, copyright 1973, 1978,1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission ofInternational Bible Society.

Circulation & Distribution: 10,000 copies of CoastalChristian Family® are printed each month. CoastalChristian Family® is free and available at targeted high traf-fic locations in Okaloosa, Walton, Santa Rosa andEscambia Counties. Copies are also available by subscrip-tion, $25 for one year.

POSTMASTER: Send change of address to CoastalChristian Family® 167 Shoreline Drive, Mary Esther, FL 32569

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Joanna AmundsJason S. GreeneJanet Rich PittmanRonnie McBrayerDavid PridmoreTammy DaughtryDarrel Holcombe

Jason LindseyBarbara TakoJohn R. MurphyScott LehmanGwen Sisson Laurie Stroud

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In association with

Joanna Amunds, owner of CoastalFaith Productions, LLC resides inMary Esther, Florida. She is the editorand is publishing Coastal ChristianFamily. She has been married foralmost 23 years to her husband Donand has two sons, Scott and Robbie.Recently retiring from the State ofFlorida, Joanna was able to begin liv-ing her dream publishing CoastalChristian Family.

Joanna grew up in Dothan, Alabamaand spent many vacation weeks on theEmerald Coast before moving here in1985. She worships at Navarre UnitedMethodist Church and is very involvedin the Blue Lake Emmaus Community.

For more information on CoastalChristian Family, contact Joanna at(850) 803-6005 orcoastalchristian@cox.net.

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GIVEAWAYSjust for our Facebook fans.

God is good all the time! All the time God is good! The month of Aprilhere on the Emerald Coast certainly makes me feel that way! We are soblessed to have one of the most beautiful places in the world to live.Spring on the Emerald Coast reminds me of all of God’s blessings.

So many times in the news we hear nothing but negative stories aboutthe worst of mankind. When we really look, though, there are all kindsof positive stories out there. We have organizations such as Horizons,Catholic Charities, Fisher House, Children in Crisis, Children’s AdvocacyCenter, Opportunity, Inc., Caring and Sharing, Habitat for Humanityand cold night shelters. I could fill a page of all the helpful organizationswe have here. We also have one of the strongest economic areas in theState of Florida plus beautiful beaches, strong schools, active churches, and amazing fishing among otherthings.

Next time you are watching the news and start hearing all the negative things, let’s think on these things:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whateveris lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.Philippians 4:8

Have a wonderful April!Joanna Amunds

Coastal Faith Productions, LLCEditor, Coastal Christian Family

coastalchristian@cox.net

OUR MISSIONCoastal Christian Family® exists to provide Christians and the community at largewith ways to grow and develop as a part of the Panhandle’s Christian Family. The localpublication is designed to promote positive living by sharing with readers the latest newson entertainment, healthy living, parenting and inspirational literature as well as whatindividuals and organizations are doing to try to address the needs of the family.

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ABOUT THE PUBLISHER

FROM THE EDITOR

Coastal Christian Family2 www.ChristianFamilyPublications.com