September 2017
February 2016
COMPLIMENTARY
June 2015
COMPLIMENTARY
COMPLIMENTARY
WILLIAMSON EDITION
Summer Family Trip Ideas
GOD’S LOVE is Enough
Franklin Graham
HARRY CONNICK, JR.
A Family Legacy
Relies on Christ in Career & Life
Februaryy 2017
Julyy 2016
COMPLIMENTARY
Faith in the Workplace
Live in God’s Truth
Stress-free Valentine’s Day
COMPLIMENTARY
Wisdom at the Polls
Allyson Felix
Jesus Calling
Going for Gold
Author Sarah Young
March 2015
Celebrate Father’s Day
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August g 2016
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October 2015
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November 2016
COMPLIMENTARY
March 2016
COMPLIMENTARY
WILLIAMSON EDITION
Choosing Gratitude
FAMILIES
Family Bible Study Ideas
Better Together
Kay Arthur
Dabo Swinney Time to Spring Clean
Faith Trumps Adversity
June 2017 April p 2015
COMPLIMENTARY
COMPLIMENTARY
A Life Transformed Operation Christmas Child changes lives
July 2015
TIME with GOD
Golf Champ
Tom Lehman Who is Jesus? Preschoolers talk!
Hacksaw Ridge
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August 2015
Celebrate Dad
Matthew West
Hello, My Name Is _______
Powerful Parenting
The Importance of the Bible
DUCK DYNASTY’S Sadie Robertson
EASTER Prep
Mrs. America Madeline Gwin
COMPLIMENTARY
October 2016
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WILLIAMSON EDITION
Respecting
THE FLAG
Living the Great Commission
Keeping God’s Commandments
WILLIAMSON EDITION
WILLIAMSON EDITION
Parenting Tips
Giving Thanks
What the Bible Says about Creation
Pros of Reading to Your Child
KEVIN SORBO
God is NOT Dead
Zoro
the Drummer Helping others soar
Finding Balance
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OUR MISSION Publisher: Robert Stringfellow • 615-815-8765 publisher@christianfamilynashville.com Editor: Raymonda Jaggers Contributing Writers:
Linda Carlson Camille Smith-Platt Lindsey Castleman Ginny Priz Mariam Coaster Regina Prude Kingsley East Stephen Rowland Lou Feagles Kimberly Russell Kathey Grodi Mark Simpson Heather Hale Aron Strong Princess Jones Laurie Stroud Benjamin Lawson Ashton Tate Scott Lehman Jean Thomason Jason Lindsey Mike Towle Randy McBrayer Paula Wallace Eli Moses Production and Art Direction: Wendy Satterwhite Website Development, Digital Marketing & SEO Services: Anthology Creative Social Media: Kylie Odrobina Printer: Franklin Web Printing Sales & Marketing: Robert Stringfellow
Nashville Christian Family is published monthly by Clarion Concepts, P.O. Box 463, Spring Hill, TN 37174. The phone number is 615-815-8765. E-mail ncfpublication@gmail.com. Reproduction of any part of Nashville Christian Family without permission of the Publisher is prohibited. Distribution of this paper does not constitute and endorsement of information, products or services. Views expressed in Nashville Christian Family do not necessarily represent those of the Publisher. Every effort has been made by Nashville Christian Family staff to insure accuracy of the publication contents. However, we do not guarantee the accuracy of all information nor the absence of errors and omissions; hence, no responsibility can be or is assumed. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2017 by The Christian Family Publication, Inc. Unless otherwise noted, scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Use by permission of International Bible Society. Circulation and Distribution: Nashville Christian Family is free and available at targeted, high traffic locations throughout the Nashville Metro Area and surrounding counties, Williamson, Wilson, Sumner, Rutherford and Maury. 10,000 copies are printed each month. Copies are available by subscription, $25 for one year (12 issues). To subscribe, e-mail ncfpublication@gmail.com
– Nashville Christian Family is a part of The Christian Family Publication, Inc. celebrating 17 years of Good News! Visit www.ChristianFamilyNashville.com
Nashville Christian Family ® exists to provide Christians and the community at large with ways to strengthen and grow as a part of the Middle Tennessee Christian Family. This local monthly publication is designed to promote positive living by sharing with readers of all ages relevant and timely news and information related to health, faith, parenting, youth, finances, Christian entertainment, missions, church leaders, and much more.
FROM THE PUBLISHER Transitions “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” Genesis 1:31 (NKJV) “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.” Genesis 8:22 (NKJV) I look at September as a “transitional” month during the year. The kids are back in school, Labor Day signals the end of summer vacations, daylight is growing shorter, days and nights getting cooler and dryer, festivals and runs galore and football kicks off! Yes, autumn and fall are in the air and it is my wife’s and my favorite season. One reason that I love this time of year is the beautiful changing of colors of the leaves on trees that will begin toward the end of the month. To me, the seasons serve as a strong reminder and example of the awesome and incomprehensible power of God by His creation and the incredible order of the universe and the complexity of the planet that we inhabit. What a wonderful reminder of this was the Solar Eclipse in August. During fall and autumn I try to say a special thanks to God, not only for the literal beauty of the world we live in, but also for Him blessing me by allowing me to be a part of and enjoy His creation. Sometimes we take for granted the beauty of creation. During the next few weeks, please make a special effort for you and your family to simply slow down and take time to enjoy the “beauty of creation” and give thanks to God, the creator of it all. Also, read Psalm 104 and Genesis in its entirety. Enjoy and appreciate what the Lord has made. “O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions—“ Psalm 104:24 (NKJV)
Publisher, 615-815-8765 publisher@christianfamilynashville.com
September 2017
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September 2017
February 2016
COMPLIMENTARY
June 2015
COMPLIMENTARY
WILLIAMSON EDITION
Franklin Graham
HARRY CONNICK, JR.
Februaryy 2017
Julyy 2016
COMPLIMENTARY
Faith in the Workplace
Live in God’s Truth
Stress-free Valentine’s Day
Wisdom at the Polls
August g 2016
COMPLIMENTARY
October 2015
COMPLIMENTARY
November 2016
COMPLIMENTARY
March 2016
COMPLIMENTARY
WILLIAMSON EDITION
Choosing Gratitude
FAMILIES
Family Bible Study Ideas
Dabo Swinney Time to Spring Clean
DEPARTMENTS 3 From the Publisher 5 Youth News Top Three Reasons to Foster a Teen
Going for Gold
Author Sarah Young
COMPLIMENTARY
Volume 8, Number 11
COMPLIMENTARY
Allyson Felix
Jesus Calling
March 2015
Celebrate Father’s Day
A Family Legacy
Relies on Christ in Career & Life
CONTENTS
COMPLIMENTARY
Summer Family Trip Ideas
GOD’S LOVE is Enough
September 2017
Faith Trumps Adversity
Better Together
Kay Arthur
A Life Transformed Operation Christmas Child changes lives
Parenting Tips
Giving Thanks
Hacksaw Ridge
Living the Great Commission
Keeping God’s Commandments
ON THE COVER
6 Teachable Moments Active Listening
EASTER Prep
Mrs. America Madeline Gwin
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Nashville Christian Family magazine celebrates an anniversary! We look back at some of our best cover stories and look ahead to continuing to provide Good News for the Nashville area! See page 16.
FEATURES 14
For Every Time There is a Season
22
The Three C’s of Spiritual Life
6 Hassle Free Zone How to Set a Boundary 7 Encouraging Word Gui-Dance 8 Parent With Purpose Planning for a Debt Free College Education 9 Money Matters How to Avoid Financial Ruin
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11 Kids Korner A Scary Cat Day 11 Mission Makers YOU Can Help 12 Faith Under Fire Kill the Chaos! 13 Healthy Living Maintenance Mindset 14 Business Today Getting Your Book Published is Just a Few Clicks Away
For More Good News, visit ChristianFamilyNashville.com
NEXT ISSUE Same Kind of Different as Me
19 Body & Soul The Right Way to Be Right 21 Kids Korner Holy Strength
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22 In His Grip Are You a Good “Ball Striker?” 24 Best Books Ditch the Drama: How to Access God’s Promises of Joy and Freedom (No Matter What the World Throws At You) 27 Tech Talk Multitasking Madness 29 Mighty Men Reshaping the World From Space 30 Calendar 30 About Our Advertisers
Money Management Tips And MUCH MORE! 4
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Y outh N ews They will teach you how to be more patient, understanding, kind and empathetic. You’ll be able to spend fewer hours on the phone with tech support because they can fix it for you! And finally, everyone needs someone to share their life, dreams, achievements and holidays with. These are just a few of the benefits of fostering a teen. Autum’s Story - Continued Autum, one of our former foster youth who is utilizing extended foster care services, has officially moved into her dorm room and has started her college career. We are so excited for Autum’s future and look forward to helping other teens find encouragement, stability and a future. You can make a difference for the teens in foster care! They just need someone to show them that they are worth it and for someone to offer them the love and support to make it. Please consider opening your heart and home to a teen in need of that support. Delila’s Story Delila is a teen currently in our program who is still seeking her forever family. Delila is 16 years old with a very bubbly personality who never meets a stranger. She is very friendly and loves to socialize with others. Delila enjoys many activities from yoga to music and the arts to reading and hanging out with her friends. She is a very talented young lady and has a passion for art and enjoys doing a little fashion designing in her spare time. Delila has said that her only two dislikes are turnip greens and the color pink. Delila is a good student and plans to go to college someday. Her future goal is to become a Private Detective. Delila needs a loving and supportive family to help guide her and encourage her to succeed. She would prefer to be placed
in a single, female parent home and would like to be the only child if possible; however, she isn’t completely opposed to siblings. Do you think you or someone you know may be a great forever family for Delila? We are actively recruiting for foster parents for all ages, but parents willing to foster teens are in short supply. We do have a few teens in our program that are searching for their forever families, but there are many Delila is a good student and has a passion more that need a temporary home until they can be reunited with their for art. birth families. Please take a look at our website at www.tiicares.com to learn more about becoming a foster parent. If you or someone you know are interested in learning more about how to become a foster parent, please contact our agency at 615-457-2334. We want to hear from you and answer your questions! — Kimberly Russell, QA Specialist, Therapeutic Interventions, Inc. & Melissa Culbertson, Foster Parent Recruiter & Trainer, Therapeutic Interventions, Inc.
We Pay Top Dollar to our Caregivers We are looking for the brightest and best Caregivers in the Nashville area who want to provide the highest level of care to the community.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the
GLORY OF THE LORD,
are being transformed into the same image from
GLORY TO GLORY, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18
Must be able to follow detailed written care plans based on clients individual needs.
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Should be current on TB test. Must have valid driver’s license, auto insurance, and be able to pass a background check. If you posses these valued skills we are looking for you! Flexibility & availability a plus! Must be willing to go into homes, hospitals, assisted living facilities etc. Experience a plus but training opportunities are available.
2201 Murphy Ave. Suite 303 Nashville, TN 37023 615.647.0700
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September 2017
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t eachable m om e Nts
Active Listening Have you ever had someone glance at their phone while you were talking to them, or constantly interrupt you or start giving you advice before you even finished a sentence? Or what if you find yourself thinking about what to say next without fully staying present in the conversation? That is not active listening. Active listening is a willingness to communicate with intentionality when you are in a conversation with another. Here are four markers of active listening: body posture, approachability, responsiveness and engagement. Let’s start with body posture. Does your general presence reflect care and attentiveness to the other person? Maintaining eye contact, leaning towards the other person, staying present mentally and emotionally so you are with them in the moment is very validating and affirming to the person who is talking to you. The next three markers, approachability, responsiveness and engagement, were coined by Dr. Sue Johnson, a psychologist who does research on emotional connectedness relationships. Ask yourself if you are approachable or accessible
to the other person – are you open, present and willing to hear what they have to say? You may find yourself sitting in silence as you wait for them to share the entirety of what is on their heart. Once you have heard them, what would it look like to respond to them? You can repeat back what they said in your own words (“so what I am hearing you say is…”), or validate an emotion that you hear or an intuitive sense regarding their situation (“It seems like this really upset or hurt you…”) or affirm a character trait you see in them (“I am proud of the way you handled it!”) or ask how you can be with them in the situation they are sharing about. The last marker is engagement – what does it look like to feel with that person and emotionally connect (saying things like, “I am so glad you shared that with me”, “I appreciate hearing about your life”, “you are important to me or you matter to me, thank you for sharing your heart with me”). The person being listened to would feel like you are for them and the conversation is about them.
The way you know that you have been actively listening is to gauge how you and the other person feel after the conversation. Do you get the sense that you are more connected with the other person and vice versa? Does the other person’s countenance reflect understanding and a sense that you “get them?” Active listening is easier said than done. There are always nuances to doing active listening because of the relational history you may have with the person and how previous conversations with them have transpired. After you have spent time listening, ask the other person what it was like to be heard. You’ll be amazed at how your intentionality touched the other person’s heart. — Mariam Coaster
h as s le F r e e Z oN e
How To Set a Boundary: Often, we find ourselves in relationships where we can feel resentful or taken advantage of. This feeling needs to alert us that it is time to draw a boundary in that relationship. But what is a boundary? Think of a boundary as a property line. For your house, you know exactly where your yard ends and your neighbor’s yard begins. The same principle applies when it comes to our own relational property. There is a line of where I end and you begin—and it is up to us to show others where that line is. Do we want a thick wall around ourselves to keep people out? No. Do we want an open yard where any one can walk on the grass or throw trash in our yard? No. We want a fence with a gate that gives us the ability to let people in and out as we determine. So how do we build that in ourselves? We set limits so people know what we will allow and what we won’t allow. And we try to move to a place where we can do this in love. There are three parts to setting a boundary: 1) Let them know you are for them: No one is a villain here. Many people
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have no idea they even crossed your boundary because you never let them know. Start your conversation from a place of compassion instead of anger. 2) State what happened and how it made you feel: This is not a time for blaming, attacking or accusing, instead we are to own what happened and our feelings in it. This helps the other listen to what you are saying without having to be defensive. 3) Help them understand what you want for your relationship in the future: This is where you will set the line so they now know what it is you desire in the relationship. For example: Your spouse is late for dinner and it is becoming consistent. Instead of arguing or accusing, sit them down and say “I love you and I know you have a great work ethic, and that work ethic is keeping you from being home for dinner. When that happens, I am afraid that you don’t want to be home with us for dinner and it hurts my feelings. In the future, I would like you to call me as soon as you know you will be staying later so I know you are thinking of us.” This keeps dialogue open and your needs known. — Lindsey Castleman, marriage and family counselor. Connect with her at Findyourpathway.com. Sign up for the next marriage event at 7ConversationsNashville.com
www.ChristianFamilyNashville.com
e Ncou r ag i Ng w or d
Do you need help writing a book and getting it published? Let Mike Towle, Win-Win Words LLC, work with you!
Menu of Services (Bundled discounts available.) Ghostwriting Copy editing Cover design ISBN/barcode E-book conversion Book proposal Basic marketing
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Testimonials: “I will guide you, with My eye upon you.” Psalm 32:8 The thing we need most in making wise decisions is the counsel and wisdom that comes only from the One who knows all and is perfectly just.
“I have had the pleasure of working with Mike when I was typesetting/formatting for my last three books and found him to be beyond professional, prompt, and a total pleasure to work with. I could not recommend anyone more highly.” -Jennifer O’Neill, model, actress, speaker, and philanthropist
In other words, we need His guidance. As I meditated on the word guidance, I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word. Is doing God's will a lot like dancing? Consider: In dancing, when two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. However, when one person realizes this, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow in unison with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another. It's as if two become one body, and eventually, you can observe them moving beautifully. The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person, and gentle guidance and skill from the other. From both, it takes experience. As I continued to go back to look at the word “guidance”, I saw "G," and I thought of God. This is followed by the letters "u" and "i." "God,” "u" and "i" . . . what do we do? Well, we learn to dance. This is what guidance means. As I lowered my head in submission and willingness to let Him be Lord and lead me, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life. “If there first be a willing mind, it is accepted.” (II Cor. 8:12) Once again, I became, and continue to remain, willing to let God lead. This month, August 2017, makes 44 years of walking with and trusting Jesus as my Lord. He has given great guidance!
“Mike Towle is incredible! He was on my team in getting my book into a readable, compelling form. I would have abandoned (regrettably) the book without him.” -Hal Hadden, founder of Christian Leadership Concepts (CLC) and author of Love Jesus.
For more information: 615.293.5771 miketowle2013@gmail.com www.winwinwords.net Among the genres for which Mike is best suited: Christian Sports Self-Help Business
Inspirational Health and Fitness Memoir Political
My prayer for you today is that God's blessings and mercies be upon you and your family on this day and every day. May you abide in Him, as He abides in you. Dance together with God, trusting Him to lead and to guide you through each season of your life. — Mark Simpson
September 2017
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P ar e Nt w ith P u r Pos e Each year the College Board issues a Trend in College Pricing report. And as you can guess, each year the trend is upwards. So with the cost of a college education rising higher and higher each year, you may think that there are no options but to take out expensive college loans. After all, with deferred payments and attractive interest rates, they can seem like a good option. But with reports of students taking out in excess of $100,000 in loans, deferring first home purchase, marriage and children just to finance the high payments, student loans can become a huge ball and chain to graduates. So what are parents to do? Here are some tips to plan for a debt free college education: • Keep saving, early and often. As simple as that sounds, just a few dollars early and on a regular basis can make a big difference. Whether it’s in a dedicated college savings program or just savings you are doing on your own, every dollar makes a difference. • Just say no to loans. Just because a school offers loans, does not mean that you have to accept them. It may force your family to become smart shoppers and seek out colleges that offer quality education at an affordable price. Look for “best value” schools and make sure you know the total costs associated with the school. • Start the scholarship search early. The freshman year of high school is not too early to start thinking about your student’s strengths – academics, athletics, arts – and try to pinpoint scholarships and requirements that may be a good fit for your child.
• Obtain college credits cheaply. Many high schools offer free college credits through direct partnerships with higher education institutions or advanced placement classes. Colleges vary as to the types of credits they accept, so make sure these credits will apply to your choice school. • Start at a community college and then transfer. Many four year colleges accept full credit from two year institutions. With a Tennessee Promise Scholarship, this may mean two free years of a college education. • Be on the lookout for free offers. Many college have recently had large benefactors step up to the plate with unique offers of a free education. For example, a $100 million donation to the Yale School of Music has made advanced music education free. Keep your eye out for these opportunities. Remember, college loans, while they can appear attractive on the surface, payments on the back end may cause your child to give up certain life goals and dreams. To find out what college planning strategies look like for your family, access your FREE college funding report at: www.PeakCollegePlanningReport.com — Heather Hale, CFP® is owner at Peak Financial Planning, LLC, a TN Registered Investment Advisor. She specializes in college planning and college funding strategies. For more information visit www.PeakPlanningTN.com or call her at 615-485-2280.
Medicare Open Enrollment October 15th through December 7th (Effective coverage date 1-1-18)
“Get the answers to questions you don’t even know to ask.” Ben Davis, CSA Director of Outreach 615-584-4946 cell 615-617-9953 office ben.davis@selectpointe.com 8
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m oN eY m at te r s How to Avoid Financial Ruin
Survey says: 63 percent of Americans have no emergency savings for things like a $500 car repair. This statistic surfaced in a Bankrate. com Money Pulse survey. It means that most people live paycheck to paycheck. If you’re one of them, you know the angst that comes from worrying what will happen if you’re suddenly hit with an unexpected big expense.
What are the possible consequences of facing such an expense without savings? 4 in 10 respondents said they or an immediate family member faced one during 2015. Only 57 percent of them, just over half, ended the year financially unscathed. The practical, biblical way to protect your family against this kind of calamity is to save regularly. But saving is not a popular discipline. Only 25 percent of working Americans save 10 percent of their income, while 21 percent don’t save at all. This means millions of families, including Christian ones, are flirting with financial ruin. The good news is that if you’re among these statistics, you can begin now to build a financial safety net. Here’s how to get started. Build a Cash Cushion While regular expenses are often cited as a reason for not saving, you can still take steps to start building a safety net. Here are some to consider: • Track your daily, weekly, monthly and yearly spending. • Look for ways to reduce spending; remember that little things add up. • Create a budget after assessing your true needs; think of your budget as your guidepost. • Tithe first; this nurtures the connection between your faith and your finances. • Even if you start with a small amount, budget for monthly savings and deposit regularly to make it happen. • Deposit savings before paying expenses. • Consider consolidating loans to reduce interest costs. • Include debt repayment in your monthly budget. • Pay off credit cards monthly. Protect and Build Your Savings As you curb your spending habits and start saving, you’re beginning to build your safety net. Protect it by refusing to use it on impulse purchases. You can do this by keeping it in a separate savings account. And build it by slowly increasing the amount you regularly deposit. Another way to build it is by choosing the right account. Evangelical Christian Credit Union (ECCU) offers members a range of options: • Just beginning to save? A basic Savings account is probably all you need. It’s free with a $100 minimum balance. • As your savings grow, a Money Market Savings account offers more interest. • When you’re well on your way to investing in your safety net, a Promotional Certificate could give you even higher returns. • When you’re ready to save for retirement, consider tax-deferred Traditional and Roth Individual Retirement accounts Besides the peace of mind that a safety net brings, saving with ECCU means your money also helps provide loans to churches and low-cost banking services to missionaries and Christian organizations worldwide.
FORGIVENESS NASHVILLE: AN EVENING AT “THE SHACK”
SPECIAL GUESTS
WM. PAUL YOUNG AUTHOR OF “THE SHACK”
Ceco winans grammy award winning artist
dave ramsey radio personality and financial expert
OCTOBER 12
FORGIVENESSNASHVILLE.COM
— Linda Carlson AVP, Strategic Partner Relationship Manager at ECCU
September 2017
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Fed up with fake Christians? Tired of sweeping your brokenness under the rug? Then our Bloom Today TV show is for you.
We discuss taboo subjects. We talk about our pain and the path we took to healing so you can
use the fertilizer of your past to
Guest: Nicole C. Mullen
Bloom Today! WHTN/Christian Television Network As seen on the cover of Nashville Christian Family Magazine!
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Comcast: Channel 21 or 1021, Dish & Antenna: Channel 39 Charter Spectrum: Channel 10, Online: ctntv.org/livestream
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k i ds k or N e r
m i s s ioN m ake r s
YOU Can Help It was nearly noon and the trip to the grocery store had taken longer than I wanted. All three of us were cranky. I finally checked out, wrestled them into the car, and drove toward home. “Mommy, I’m hungry. I‘m thirsty too. How long till we get home? Will it rain today? What color is the moon? Do fish have teeth? Christopher won’t be quiet!” Even getting out of the car is a chore! My 10 month-old son was fussing loudly and was heavy on my right arm in the car carrier while my other arm was loaded with grocery bags. “Go straight into the house please,” I instructed 27 month- old Marilyn who slowly walked up the front porch stairs in front of me. I felt like a shepherd, herding her toward the door…time for lunch and naps. “Please hurry! Mommy is TIRED”. She suddenly stopped, screamed, and ran to the other end of our wide front porch. There was a kitty near our front door. Not our kitty – a strange kitty– a big, hairy CAT. She was terrified! Speaking soothing words to Marilyn, I walked calmly past the cat to the door. It looked at me – I looked at it – it didn’t move. I unlocked the front door being careful not to drop bags or baby. “Come on sweetie, mommy sees the cat. The cat won’t get you.” I shooed the cat. It lazily walked a few feet from the door. Marilyn was not moving. “Honey, I wont let the cat hurt you.” “The CAT, THE CAT!” she wailed. Holding the door open I said, “The kitty will not hurt you, just please run on into the house.” “NO, NO, it’s a BIG CAT!” she whined. Frustrated, I said, “Marilyn, look at me. Don’t look at the cat. Walk to ME and come in the house.” She didn’t move. (Arms are aching now). “Please honey – don’t look at the cat. I will not let the cat hurt you. Look at me.” I was begging…rather LOUDLY now – the baby was crying and I said, “SWEETIE! If that cat comes anywhere near you, I will KICK IT AWAY!” Finally! She took a tentative step, looked at me, then the cat, then me, the cat, me, cat, and RAN past me into the house. WHEW! I turned to the cat, stomped my foot and said, “SCAT”! The strange cat flew off our porch – we never saw it again. Thinking about it later, I had an “AHA” moment. (I hope you have those occasionally). How like our Father to show me something profound in a typical “mothering” day. A silly cat moment became this lesson: I am that scared little girl – afraid of the “cats” in my life. The Father is urging me, “Look at ME – not the cats. Keep your eyes on me – I will not let the ‘cats’ hurt you. Walk the way I will show you. I am a good shepherd, herding you to a safe place. I have set before you an open door. Trust ME, rely on ME”. WOW - I have found ‘mothering’ to be the place where I learn the most about God’s ‘Fathering’. Today, in your parenting or teaching, ask the Father to show you how your actions can reflect His parenting. He is able to SCAT THE CAT! “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing… He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of “CATS” I will fear no evil, for He is with me….” Psalm 23:3NIV — Jean Thomason is the live embodiment of the joyful children’s character, “Miss PattyCake”. Her book, “Sharing God’s BIG LOVE with Little Lives” is available wherever books are sold.
As I sat down to write this article I had one phrase that insistently bounced around my mind. Volunteers are the lifeblood… It was such a pervasive thought that I decided to research this sentence fragment. As I hit the enter key, I discovered that these 4 words when strung together in this order appear almost 124,000 times. As I strolled through the search results, non-profit after non-profit all described their force of volunteers as the lifeblood of all the efforts undertaken by the respective organizations. To say the phrase is overused would be putting it mildly. Why are volunteers so valuable? This is a question that I would expect all 124,000 mentions to try to explore in some manner of fashion. Alas, I must confess, my motivation is no different. I believe I would sum up the answer to this question with one short statement. The volunteer has chosen to help.The power that can be amassed is never more evident than when one looks at the United States Military. In my opinion, the US has the strongest military in the world for one reason. The US military is an all-volunteer force. They have all chosen to serve. Mighty is the army whose soldiers are serving not out of obligation but rather because of a passionate love for the country they call home. At Rescue 1 Global, the non-profit I work for, we meet every Friday morning to discuss the week that has passed and plan for the weeks, months and years that are to come. Without a shadow of a doubt the need for volunteers is great and to say they are the lifeblood of what we do is genuinely the most accurate way to describe the contributions they make. Yet, with each day that passes, the need for a teacher, a counselor, a driver, a conversationalist… a friend, remains constant. Consider this quote: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?” Martin Luther King, Jr. Here in Middle Tennessee, Rescue 1 Global operates the only safe home for girls ages 12-17 who have been rescued from sex trafficking. In the past week alone, I have heard our restoration staff talk about needing drivers, teachers, counselors, we even had one of our staff members mention that we simply needed some people who were willing to sit and hang out with the young ladies of our safe home. Elizabeth Andrew said, “Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.” That’s it! That’s the key. A heart whose chambers have felt the reverberation of a need so great they were not just moved, they were compelled to action. And with at I leave you with this challenge: Be a volunteer. In this little Hamlet on the shores of the Cumberland we all call home the need is so great. We all have the capacity to do great things. I dare say though, the greatest activity we will ever undertake, will be the one that touches a life, not just for a moment, but rather and eternity. — Ben Lawson is the husband to Serena. A dad of 5 girls and the Vice President of Business Operations for Rescue 1 Global. For a list of ways, you can volunteer with Rescue 1 Global go to their website at Rescue1global.org.
September 2017
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F aith u N de r F i r e
Chaos is disorder, confusion, and turmoil. Sometimes we cause our own chaos. Sometimes we are thrust—reluctantly and unexpectedly—into chaotic storms created by others. Chaos blocks everyday spiritual growth! On our spiritual pathway towards peace, we must consciously resist chaos, refusing to allow it to invade our space. And, when we are protective of those we care about, we refuse to allow chaos to engulf their lives. Today, I lift you up in finding and sharing this solitude of the soul! Come, step into the rhythm and quietness of that peculiar peace which only God offers. As we seek to kill chaos, I invite you to look at the world through what Dr. Gardner Taylor called “God-colored glasses.” Chaos evaporates when it encounters the “God’s climate.” I was privileged to hear Dr. Taylor deliver many sermons in person. Newsweek and Time named one of the greatest preachers in the world. The New York Times called him the “lion of the pulpit.” He was unparalleled in delivering the Gospel, the Good News, the evangelion.
One day, several years ago, I got the idea of calling Concord Baptist Church in Brooklyn to ask about a particular sermon. I assumed the church had archived audiotapes of his messages. Dialing the number, I expected to reach a receptionist or answering device. Suddenly, on the other end of the phone, I heard that deep, booming, recognizable voice: “Concord, Taylor speaking!” What?! Dr. Taylor? Answering the telephone? Too stunned to speak, confusion and utter shock set in. I hang up. Yes, I hung up on Gardner Calvin Taylor! Despite the lingering embarrassment, I still find encouragement in Dr. Taylor’s works. He wrote: “Knowing God means, at least in part, seeing things as God sees them. Our lives must be grounded in an eternal purpose that even the fitful moods of earth otherwise cannot alter.”
That light of God’s love kills the chaos that brings ”a midnight” to our hearts. Dr. Taylor wrote: when “life is dark, murky, and foggy…This is not to say that God does not allow us our hot, fretful moods, when we pound the table before His presence, angry, feeling wronged… Our Calvary may be painful and lonely, our course rough and cruel, but God can and will heal our hurts and soothe our sorrows and turn our grief into glad hosannas.” I have pounded the table some recently. When chaos comes sailing into your life out of some dark whirlwind, the response that kills chaos is Hope. Hope is a weapon of the soul. If chaos is a fire, Hope is the water hose. Slay it! — Regina M. Prude is an inspirational speaker, SiriusXM radio host, syndicated columnist and author. E-mail comments to regina@reginaprude.com. Follow her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/reginaprude) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/rprude)
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h ealthY l iVi Ng Do you ever find yourself in that terrible cycle of ups and downs in your fitness level? Why is it that we have such a hard time with consistency? We are not created to live in an inconsistent cycle of highs and lows all of our life. Not to say that there are not things that we go through in life that may have us in a hard season at times, but it is in overcoming those times that we get better. God wants us to grow exponentially in every single thing in our lives, all of our lives. That’s the Glory to Glory way of living. Just like every car… everything needs a fuel source. Without that fuel source, the car cannot operate in the way that it was intended to run. If we do not have the right fuel source, then we will never be able to operate in the way that we were made to. We must have our primary fuel source from the Lord. If we are honoring the Lord by staying fit and stewarding our bodies, then He will become our fuel source and lead us in maintaining as we bring him the Glory. In 1 Corinthians 6:19 Paul says “do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and are you not your own?” Many people quote this as an excuse to make fitness an idol. The issue Paul is talking about is primarily an issue of the heart, as is the issue of maintaining for all of your life. For those of us who are saved in Christ, we have the Holy Spirit on the inside of us and that spirit should be the source of everything we do. We must let the Lord work on our hearts and bring in fresh perspective and as a result of
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that our physical bodies will reflect the work he is doing inside of us. Think about the temples that were built in the old testament and how beautiful and wondrous they were, our bodies house the Spirit of the living God, so shouldn’t our bodies be treated with the same care that those temples were? God wants to fuel and fill us for the things that He is calling us to do. If we let Him do a work on the inside, then naturally our bodies will mirror that as we go from Glory to Glory all of our lives. — Ashton Tate is a Personal Trainer in Franklin, Tenn. glorytogloryfitness.com • glorytogloryfitness@gmail.com
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September 2017
13
b u s i N e s s t odaY
s P ecial F eatu r e
Getting Your Book Published Is Just a Few Clicks Away For Every TIME, There is a season Way back in the good ol’ days of book publishing, say, around 1997, anyone who had written a book that read well and had a nifty marketing angle to it had a better than decent shot at getting their book published by a traditional publisher. Maybe not by one of the big New York houses – some things never change, but perhaps by one of the hundreds of small to mid-sized publishing houses that dot the American landscape. My, how time flies, and how things have changed over the last 20 years. First the bad news: in that time, the odds of getting your now-submitted book approved and bought for publication by a reputable, traditional publisher – at least one that offers ANY advance on royalties – has gone from long to steep to astronomical in less time than it takes a moviegoer to get through the concession line at the local theater. Here’s what has happened (and you need to know this so you can properly calibrate your expectations when shopping your book or book proposal) . . . it is a ridiculously crowded marketplace out there for wannabe authors. More than a handful of traditional publishers have gone out of business; those still in business are publishing fewer books; and we now have a mind-boggling number of wannabes swamping the in-boxes of literary agents and acquisition editors with unpolished manuscripts or proposals, or both. Rough guess, the number of folks pitching their books to (or at) agents and publishers has increased tenfold, maybe a hundredfold, over the last two decades. It’s a numbers game, and no doubt many good writers/authors are getting swept away in the flood, unable to keep their proposals above water long enough to get rescued by a publisher. Sure, you can go online, search Google for publishers and find many all too happy to publish your book provided you sign over all publishing rights to them and pay them a sizable chunk of change upfront, often disguised as a guarantee buy of books hot off the press – all with no assurance they will lift a finger to distribute (i.e., sell) or market your book. Be wary of this. Now the good news: the same factors that are driving this run on the banks, er, publishers– e.g., the affordability of laptops, access to the Internet and search engines, cost-effective on-demand printers, and an exploding social media culture giving rise to a new Information Age on steroids – has made publishing your own book (let alone researching and writing it) that much easier and more accessible. Almost anyone who passed high school English and has WIFI access can peck away on a keyboard, write and publish their own book, and do it well – with some outside assistance. You don’t have to wait a near-eternity for a publishing house to turn you down – assuming they even send a rejection to you. It’s full speed ahead in getting your book published and out to market, and on YOUR terms. Whatever your purpose, a brand-new world of publishing awaits you. — Mike Towle, a Middle Tennessee resident, is the published author or ghostwriter of more than 25 books and founder of Win-Win Words LLC, through which he offers writing, editing, consulting and other book-publishing services. Contact him at 615-293-5771 or miketowle2013@gmail.com.
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Nashville Christian Family
After thirty years living in a rural setting in Nashville, We find ourselves in an apartment downtown. The noises we were accustomed to, owls, mourning doves and coyotes have been replaced by a whole different “chorus”. From our deck on the eighth floor we can see the rooftops of three different hospitals, Vanderbilt, Centennial and St. Thomas Midtown. Each of those hospitals have helicopter landing pads. Between the three institutions, it seems helicopters are landing every few minutes. Life Flight helicopters often mean a life is in danger. Death may have been imminent if extra transport time was needed in an ambulance. Possibly the passenger is a premature newborn fighting for life, a car accident victim plucked from the highways or maybe an elderly person with a failing heart. Expert staffs rush to meet the patients and the medical care that was started in route is continued and possibly accelerated. The helicopters come and go with the sounds of the blades cutting through the air. For each patient delivered many families and friends are concerned, frightened and possibly experiencing the “worst” day of their lives. At the same time I hear helicopters, laughter floats up from the streets below. Out of restaurants, happy people are spilling onto the streets. They may be celebrating birthdays, graduations, engagements, or just joyful people sharing each other’s company. Some may be having the “best” day in their lives to date. The whirl of the blades contrasting with the laughter below is a poignant reminder of how fragile life is and how it can instantly change for any of us. It is a snapshot of life. At any moment someone is euphoric and another has paralyzing grief. Ecclesiastes 3: 1-4 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under Heaven: A time to be born and a time to die, A time to plant and a time to uproot, A time to kill and a time to heal, A time to tear down and a time to build, A time to mourn and a time to dance. Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear….Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no store room or barn; yet god feeds them. and how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? - Luke 12:22-25 — Lou Feagles, President/CEO of Simple Solutions for Home Care, LLC, 2201 Murphy Ave. Suite 303, Nashville, TN 37203, Phone 615-647-0700, Fax 615647-0701 www.ss4hc.com
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COMPLIMENTARY
Wisdom at the Polls
Faith in the Workplace
Allyson Felix Going for Gold
Allyson Felix (July 2016)
Allyson Felix has won more medals than any other track and field athlete in the last three Olympic Games. She has four golds and two silvers, plus six wins in the U.S. Track and Field Outdoor Championships. Her best event is the 200-meter sprint. Humble and soft-spoken, the runner is considered a favorite for the summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janerio, Brazil, next month and says her speed is a gift from God.
While athletic in her youth—she always liked basketball and gymnastics—Felix did not start running until her freshman year at Los Angeles Baptist High School in California. “I was always super competitive, so the idea of getting to line up and right away know who’s the fastest was just super cool to me,” she says. “It hasn’t really stopped since then.” As a teen, Felix made history in Mexico City in 2003 when she ran the 200-meter in 22.11 seconds, the fastest ever by a woman under age 20. That same year (ITALIC)Track and Field News named her the female “High School Athlete of the Year.” When it comes to matters of faith, Felix is well known for her Christian upbringing. As a child, her father was a pastor, and she attended Christian schools. Both parents have been influential in her continued growth in the faith. “My mom—whenever I would travel or go anywhere or be on my own—would tell me ‘remember who you are.’ For me that really just meant remember the things that you believe, remember your faith, and carry those things along because people are always watching. They are always looking at you, and that’s the best way to share your testimony.” Felix’s father teaches New Testament Greek at the Master’s Seminary in Sun Valley, Calif., and has returned to a pastoring position where Felix attends worship. She finds it special to attend church with her family and see her father’s work firsthand. Felix is quick to call her speed a blessing from God and a talent that she can use to bring Him glory. “I feel like I have been blessed with this amazing gift…. And I am able to be on a platform, to show my lifestyle and show this gift that He has given me. It’s a really awesome opportunity.” When she sees other athletes credit God for their talent—like the NBA’s Steph Curry, who led the Golden State Warriors to a record 73 wins in the last regular season— she is inspired to continue demonstrating her faith on and off the track. Curry is known for pointing a single index finger upward after making a jump shot, a subtle credit to God for his success. “Whenever I get to see an athlete in that moment, it’s completely inspiring,” she says. — Camile Platt August g 2016
COMPLIMENTARY
Choosing Gratitude
Family Bible Study Ideas
Dabo Swinney
Faith Trumps Adversity
Faith Trumps Adversity – Coach Dabo Swinney (August 2016)
Peace for Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney doesn’t come from a scoreboard, a bank account or any guarantee that all his hardships are behind him. Peace comes from knowing Christ. “You will never know the purpose of your life until you know the Creator of your life,” he says. “His plan is always bigger and better than what my plan is, and He has taught me that time and time again.”
Born just south of Birmingham, Ala., in 1969, Swinney spent Sundays during football season watching “The Bear Bryant Show” with his father, Ervil, and two older brothers. His mother, Carol, was a substitute teacher at area
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Nashville Christian Family
schools. Swinney was named center on his flag football team in the second grade and played three different sports in the small town of Pelham in his youth. By the mid-1980s, however, trouble hit the Swinney family in more than one way. 16-year-old Tripp Swinney was thrown through a car windshield in an accident, and his head injuries resulted in memory loss that took time to restore. The once fun-loving Ervil struggled with finances and alcohol abuse, which made him violent. “Life comes at you really fast sometimes, and sometimes young people deal with a lot of adversity,” Swinney says. “But we’re all going to deal with lots of adversity at some point. For me, I had some difficult experiences as a young person. I saw things that I probably shouldn’t have seen, but as I matured and grew into my life—or in particular as I became a Christian—God over time revealed His plan for me.” “I’ve learned patience and appreciation and just lots of things through the lessons that Christ has taught me using life. Without that spiritual foundation, you miss that. That’s one of the problems of the world—people don’t have that anchor, so when those storms of life come, they turn to other things, and those other things never can bring the peace. Never. They just leave you empty and lead to more problems.” — Camile Platt February 2016
COMPLIMENTARY
Harry Connick, Jr. (February 2016)
After his mother died following a three-year battle with ovarian cancer, Harry Connick Jr. found GOD’S LOVE comfort in his father’s Catholic faith. Home from is Enough the hospital for her final days, 13 year old Connick didn’t quite understand that his mother’s life was coming to a close. As she sat in a recliner to rest, he played a Mozart Concerto for her on his HARRY CONNICK, JR. Yamaha Grand Piano, running to her after each Relies on Christ in Career & Life performance to ask what she thought. e day she died, he heard the news during an intermission of one of his recitals. Surrounded by his father’s extended family, all dedicated Catholics, he found himself deeply in influenced by their beliefs. “I don’t think it’s any coincidence that I joined the Catholic faith about a year a after my mother died, because she was no longer there and the only thing I had le was my father and his faith, which proved to be very comforting and important to him,” Connick remembers. “I desperately wanted to be a part of that.” While he keeps the details of his personal faith practices of prayer, worship and charity work private, Connick says for him his faith is always on his mind and always evolving. “As things happen in my personal life and things happen on the news, it raises a lot of questions I am sure for everyone. I think it’s rare to find somebody who is never questioning any aspect of [his or her] faith. It’s a constant evolution. It waxes and wanes throughout people’s lives, and I think ultimately all of us want to be at peace and understand our faith intimately. I’m one of those people who’s on a constant journey to learn and figure out as much as I can.” Raised in New Orleans, Connick says his parents, both prominent lawyers, encouraged his love for music at a very young age. “My parents loved music and would take me and my sister to hear live music quite o en, so we were in the French quarter listening to bands and there was always music around,” remembers Connick, who by age 9 had recorded multiple albums at home and in high school took classes under pianist Ellis Marsalis at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts. Connick moved to New York City at age 19 and was dubbed “the next Frank Sinatra” a er Tony Bennett heard him play at the
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Algonquin Hotel. His big break followed in 1989 when he was hired to record the soundtrack for “When Harry Met Sally.” — Camile Platt October 2016
The Heart Behind the Drum (October 2016)
COMPLIMENTARY
We often wonder how folks get from there to here regardless of where there and here is. World renowned drummer, Zoro, is a prime example— that’s Zoro with a single “r” rather than double Finding Balance “rr” superhero Zorro. The following narrative stems from a most delightful interview with the Zoro the Drummer master drummer himself. Speaking of people Helping others soar who “water his soul,” Zero unfolds his story: My greatest early influence was Mom because of everything I saw in her life. Without her and my older sister Patricia, I could not have climbed mountains or soared beyond circumstances. When I received the Lord Jesus as my savior as an 11-year-old boy at a Baptist summer church camp, God became chief influencer. I vividly remember that encounter with God and the song “Just as I Am” of Billy Graham Crusade fame. Adding Reneé—my wife of 22 years—brought an incredible set of three influential women working with God in my life. I saw my mother’s faith lived out as she stood up against every form of discouragement and disappointment. I saw people trying to take advantage of a Hispanic single mom with seven children. However, she was a high-hopes tough cookie who defended us with her life. We lived in abject poverty, but we were never without hope. Growing up in that fatherless home spawned my heart’s desire to become a great dad. People in Nashville watered me, too: Zoro International Ministries began during my full-time teaching at Belmont University. Through mentoring hundreds of young adults, the Lord showed me I was to build up the 18-29 year-old generation that may have fathers but maybe not fathers who could speak in ways their kids could hear. Plus, they liked the music. I poured my heart and soul into those students for nine years, and when we had nine days to move back to CA, 21 students worked around the clock: they were recipro-
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cating—a bit like the movie It’s a Wonderful Life when the townspeople came together to support George Bailey. The Lord definitely orchestrated nine years in Nashville through people who helped me know ministry infrastructure. Otherwise, there would be no ZIM, no Soar, and no Big Gig. That fruitful God-season birthed a new season—maybe to impact people in Hollywood who normally would never go to church or be seen with anyone who looks “churchy.” So, having given us life-long friends and ministry vision, God sent us back to California to another divine appointment. One message for every audience, even a segment of the Nashville Christian Family who may have never heard of Zoro, is that God puts each of us on earth for specific reasons. Ask Him, “Why have You created me? Show me what that is for this season of my life.” Make that your heart’s cry. He knows you; He likes you. — Sheila Moss Publisher’s Note: THANK YOU! We are very grateful as we are well into the eighth year of publication. Through you our readers and through our many faithful advertisers, some since day one, the Lord has blessed Nashville Christian Family magazine since the first issue was published in May, 2010. The publication has grown steadily in all aspects; advertisers, writers, readership, distribution and coverage area and through our on line web presence and social media. With God’s blessing and your continued support and encouragement, we will move forward issue by issue, bringing Good News to the Christian families and business communities in Middle Tennessee and throughout the country with spiritual, inspirational, uplifting and informative content. THANK YOU also to Wendy Satterwhite, our graphic designer, who does a tremendous job of providing the outstanding layout, image selection and design of each issue. Her untiring effort to put together a very high quality magazine each month has contributed greatly to our success. To read the entire stories shown in capsule here, visit www.christianfamilynashville.com. — Robert Stringfield, publisher
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b odY & s ou l I like being right. I tend to know just enough information about most things to be dangerous. And that’s when it happens. In the blink of an eye, right in the middle of a conversation, I can suddenly be more interested in making people care about how much I know instead of actually caring about them. I think I’m better now than when I was younger, but it still lives in me. That temptation to make myself feel big, smart, proud, and better than others. Maybe you struggle like me. “Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. “ Romans 14:1 It’s one thing to be lifted up by people because they see your value. It’s another to make yourself bigger than others because you broke their legs with your words and left them broken and bleeding on the floor. But we do it all the time. We stand on our personal beliefs, political stances, and denominational principles. We don’t have the inner strength to take a humble stance, even though we demand others take one with us. It is impossible to love someone when you tear them down. It’s not for their good, it’s for ours. In that instant, our sin is greater than any misbelief or radical position they take. Like the original sin, we make ourselves like God, judging them based on our self-justified belief of what’s right and wrong. So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God… Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall. (Romans 14:10, 12-13)
People give you the authority to speak into their lives because they know you will use that authority to benefit them, not harm them. When we assert any kind of authority over someone who hasn’t asked for it, it’s presumptive. It’s abusive. We are exerting power and control over someone who didn’t ask for it. That’s evil. Committing evil in the name of Jesus is just about the worst sin I can imagine. It’s not our job to make people right. That’s God’s job. Our job is to love people. Loving people doesn’t mean we have to agree with them. Loving people doesn’t mean that everything people believe or do is right. It means we can see them for more than their beliefs and actions. It means we see them through Jesus’ eyes, who loved them enough to give his life for them. Humility is not patronizing, nor is it being weak or helpless. It is being confident in what we know without having to flaunt it. It is being strong enough to put our knowledge and power aside for the sake of another. That’s what Jesus did on the cross. That’s what Jesus asks us to do too. Are we willing to follow his example or will we continue to expect everyone else to follow ours? — Aron Strong, LMFT, was a pastor for more than a decade before transitioning to professional counseling. He is the director of Pathways Counseling in Murfreesboro and writes daily devotionals at www.biblebreakfast.club. He has been married for nearly 20 years, has a young son, two dogs and two cats.
m u s ic N ote s
There are many songs surrounding the story of “It Is Finished” in the Bible. Two of my favorite songs happen to be polar opposite songs. You have the Gaither Vocal Band tune, It Is Finished, in which is about the end of the ages more than the happenings surrounding the old rugged cross. Then there’s the praise and worship tune from the Canadian worship leading team, Bryan & Katie Torwalt. It Was Finished is centered around the crucifixion as well as the day of Pentecost. We know that songs are written based on phrases and stories in the Bible, but do we always know where?
been unmistakable that Jesus died to pay for their sins.
In John 19:30, we experience the phrase, "It is finished." The Greek word for this phrase is "tetelestai." The word is a past perfect tense which means it is "a perfective tense used to express action completed in the past."
The factual side of this Bible story completely changed my perspective in worship with these songs. Not only am I singing about the final breath of Jesus Christ, but I’m singing “it is finished” over the things in my life that are out of order, where I need Him to move and situations that aren’t of Him!
"It is finished" proclaims that Jesus had completed all the work the Father sent Him to accomplish. The word was also an accounting term that was written on bills which meant "paid in full" - the debtee no longer owed anything. The Bible is clear that Christ's death on the cross was the full payment of a sin debt we owe. The connection between bills and what Christ accomplished would have been clear to John's Greek speaking readership; it would have
It’s amazing how simple knowledge about one verse can completely change the way you respond to a song, isn’t it? — Amber Smith Dash
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Pop a Balloon Inside a Balloon INGREDIENTS • Magnifying Glass • Black Balloon • Clear Balloon INSTRUCTIONS STEP 1: Push the black balloon inside the clear balloon. Inflate the black balloon. Tie the black balloon. STEP 2: Inflate the clear balloon, so the black balloon can move freely inside the clear balloon. Tie the clear balloon. STEP 3: Using the magnifying glass, focus the sun’s rays through the clear balloon, to the black balloon, and observe. Describe what happens when you place the clear balloon in the path of the rays of sunlight. Provide evidence that energy was transferred to the black balloon by the rays of sunlight. EXPLANATION The black balloon quickly pops. The magnifying glass allows you to concentrate the sun’s rays through the transparent balloon to one spot on the opaque or black balloon, which eventually weakens the rubber, causing the balloon to pop. The black balloon pops while the transparent balloon stays inflated. The black balloon absorbs the sun’s rays causing the balloon to heat up faster. BIBLE CONNECTION God is more powerful than the magnifying glass and when we absorb his power, just like the black balloon absorbs the energy from the sun, anything is possible. — Jason Lindsey - Executive Director/Founder/K-12 Science Educator Hooked on Science – www.hookedonscience.org jlindsey@hookedonscience.org
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s P ecial F eatu r e
The Three C’s of Spiritual Life Most commutes home from Moody Radio for me are routine and forgettable, but I distinctly remember this one. After being drawn once again to the life of Stephen in Acts 6 and 7, in the quietness of my heart I asked the Lord a question with some hesitation as to what I might find out. What can be said of my character, my competency, and my commitment? In times of great need, great men and women of God are needed. Stephen was such a man for such a time. Along with you, we at Moody Radio are witnessing a massive culture shift in our nation, marked by the Church’s voice at times being marginalized, and in some cases, silenced. While we do not know what the future holds, we do know men and women like Stephen are needed. Stephen was a man “full of the Spirit and wisdom,” as well as “grace and power.” He was a man of godly character, reflecting the heart and actions of the Savior, even at the hour of his death.
Stephen was a man of unique competence in the Word of God. A guiding verse for Moody Radio over the years has been 2 Timothy 2:15, which is the Christian’s call to study and rightly handle God’s precious Word. In stunning detail, Stephen in chapter 7 recounts the history of Israel and points his accusers and soon-to-be killers to Jesus Christ. As King Solomon lovingly exhorts his beloved in Song of Solomon 2:15, our Bridegroom tells us as His beloved to catch the little foxes in our life that robs us of our time with Him. Competency requires time. Stephen was a man of commitment. The depth to which we go in our relationship with Christ
largely determines the depth to which we go in our commitment. Stephen “took up his cross” and he entered into his reward. Yes, the world and culture are changing, but they are not the enemy. We are called to love and share the good news. At Moody Radio, our mission is to come alongside you and be a voice of encouragement and equip you in your walk with Jesus so that you grow in your character, competency and commitment. — Moody Radio Nashville
iN his griP
Are You a Good “Ball Striker?” There is an expression in golf that’s used to describe players who cleanly hit the ball nearly every time. That player is a good, “ball striker.”
1. Picture it. Visualize in your mind what the Scripture is communicating. 2. Pronounce it. Say the verse aloud, each time emphasizing a different word. 3. Paraphrase it. Rewrite the verse in your own words. 4. Personalize it. Replace the pronouns or people in the verse with your own name. 5. Pray it. Turn the verse into a prayer and say it back to God. 6. Probe it. Ask questions about what it means in your life today and determine how you are going to apply it.
There is a lot that goes into becoming a good ball striker. Obviously there is a lot of practice, but it isn’t just practice. It is practice with a purpose. People can stand on a driving range and whack at balls all day, but it doesn’t mean they are getting any better at becoming good “ball strikers.” Ball strikers concentrate on developing consistency with the mechanics of their swings. As they develop a consistency in their swings they then work on developing consistency using each club in their bag. Think about that. Here is my 87 year old mentor, Mr. Countryman There are 14 clubs in a bag and it isn’t good enough putting time in on the range. to be good with just one club. A golfer needs to beNo one just walks on to a golf course and should come a good ball striker with every club. When they realistically expect to become a pro golfer. It takes do that, they become a good ball striker. an investment over time in the attention to detail and thoughtful consistency in practice to become a skilled player. The Becoming a good “ball striker” in your Christian life requires that you Christian life is the same. We must pay attention to the details of what God develop a consistency in your walk with the Lord. Last month we looked is teaching us, and we must systematically think through how those truths at the importance of prayer in the development of the Christian life, but apply to our lives. That’s discipleship. Take a look at how another “fundamental” you need to master in becoming a mature Christian you’re practicing the Christian life. Are you a good ball is meditating on God’s Word, the Bible. Consistent meditation (combined striker? with prayer) is where the tenets of Scripture become the godly habits of daily living. Here are six key steps in mediation that will help you become a con— Scott Lehman sistent “ball striker.”
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Ditch the Drama: How to Access God's Promises of Joy
MEET US BEFORE WE MEET YOU!
and Freedom (No Matter What the World Throws At You)
Why is life so hard? Why do relationships hurt so much? Will I ever be good enough? These are big questions. Important questions. In fact, we can all have questions that torment us and drive us crazy. But they are the wrong questions. What are the right questions to ask? The questions that lead to peace and joy? The questions that lead to healing and healthy relationships? The questions that help us break out of cycles of drama?
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Ginny Priz takes us on her journey of learning to stop dysfunctional drama and start the journey to peace and joy. It all starts by understanding God’s character. She says: Like a parent, God doesn’t care what I’ve done or will do – He loves me still. He never stops for lunch. He doesn’t get distracted by war or politics or TV or family. He will reach out to me personally always. Whether I am willing to receive it or not, He continues to send His love to this unworthy human. And that truth brings me to my knees in tears of gratitude.
Ginny Priz
you." Ginny says.
"Eventually, I grew determined to ditch the drama in my head and in my relationships. I became tireless in my applying the Serenity Prayer to all situations, people, and emotions in my life. The effect has been astounding for me (and many others). I believe it will be just as transformational for
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Ginny walks us through the Serenity Prayer in a practical and impacting way. Her "Daily Serenity Worksheet" helps us ask the right questions. Her direct, honest style helps us cut through the drama to see what really matters. Then, we can apply truth to our lives in ways that will change us from the inside. Instead of just trying to pretend we're healthy, we can become healthy and whole regardless of our circumstances. As Ginny states in the dedication: "This book is dedicated to the woman striving to be more, do more, and feel less pain. There is hope." If you've always thought your life was crazy while others always had it easy, read Ditch the Drama. Do the exercises. Apply the truths. Begin to feel the serenity you've longed for. Even when your world is filled with drama. Be at peace. Born with her right arm growing just below the elbow, Ginny Priz is known as The Single-Handed Serenity Coach. She anchors the Christian talk show Bloom Today, which airs in over 150 countries. Her online coaching programs teach women how to apply God’s truth to improve their relationships, ditch fear, and embrace God’s calling on their life. She serves on the board of the international charity, Bloom In The Dark, and volunteers as teacher and sponsor at Celebrate Recovery. Her book, Ditch The Drama, can be purchased at www.DitchTheDrama.net.
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t ech t alk
Multitasking Madness
Beware of the multitasker. He or she isn’t being honest, for anyone who claims the ability to talk on the phone, surf the web, cook dinner, send a text message, balance the checkbook, and fly a crop duster all at the same time is terribly misguided. Neuroscientist Earl Miller says, “People can't multitask very well, and when people say they can, they're deluding themselves.” What we humans can do, according to Miller, is shift our focus from one thing to the next with astonishing speed. So when we think we are paying careful and skillful attention to everything around us, but this is a trick of the brain. The stupefying effect of multitasking may have been first observed in felines, not humans. Many years ago it was observed that cats could not focus on more than one target at a time. But scientists did not make this breakthrough. Lion tamers did. Thankfully, the lion taming business has fallen on hard times in recent years. After all, such magnificent creatures were never meant to be caged. But some of us still remember the sensational lion tamers of the great circuses who would strut into the steel cage with little more than a cracking whip in one hand and a chair in the other. Of course, these big cat masters knew that a dining chair wouldn’t keep the lions from devouring them (nor would the whip). What they knew was that the chair would confuse the lion. The four points of the chair’s legs, bobbing about as they were, tangled the lion’s mind just enough so that the animal could not act on his carnivorous intentions.
P l aN
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s alVatioN
What an apropos parallel for those of us living in a world gone mad with multifarious activity – so appropriate it barely deserves comment. Our energy is so entirely defused and our attention so thoroughly diverted, that we are essentially incapacitated. We would do well to hear the words of Jesus for ourselves as he gently but categorically rebuked a dear friend by saying, “You are so worried and distracted by many things, when only a few things are needed.” We aren’t super-sized computers built and equipped with central processing units. We are human beings, born to laugh and to love; born to take life slowly and deeply as it comes to us; and we are born to be uncaged, set free from the madness of multitasking. — Ronnie McBrayer 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.me.
Has something in the magazine or something you have discussed with someone or some thoughts that you have had or something that you have heard, brought you to a point of realizing that you want and need to know Christ in the truest and personal sense?
If so, below is a simple outline for someone of any age who is not a Believer to act on their desire to accept Jesus Christ into their heart as their Savior. God’s Plan of Salvation God created us to honor and serve Him Revelation 4:11: “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power;For You created all things, And by Your will they exist[b] and were created Each of us has sinned against God Romans 3:10: As it is written, “There is none righteous, no, not one” Romans3:23: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Jesus Christ died on the cross in our place, paying the penalty for our sin Romans 5:8: But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We each must accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior Romans 10:9: that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:13: For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
The penalty for sin is eternal separation from God and Heaven Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Good works cannot ever earn God’s forgiveness and Salvation Titus 3:5: not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us. God loves each of us John 3:16: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
To accept Christ into your heart and life, pray a simple prayer along these lines - “Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and I am sorry for my sins. I know that Jesus died for my sins and the sins of the world. Right now, I ask Jesus into my heart and receive Him as my personal Savior. Forgive me of my sins, thank you for saving me through the blood of Jesus. Please Lord, help me live for you. In Jesus name, amen.” All scriptures are taken from The New King James Version of the Holy Bible.
September 2017
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m ig ht Y m e N “We can all help one another, one step at Chuck volunteers out of a passion for the space a time,” says this month’s honored volunprogram and children’s education. He hopes future teer, Chuck Schlemm, who is dedicated to generations will begin producing around one milmaking the world a better place through lion engineers and scientists to work in high techspace education programs. Growing up, nology fields each year. Additionally, he wants to see he was fascinated by space voyage and continued progress towards the world becoming a collected models and newspaper clippings spacefaring civilization. A big part of this would ento follow along with the new discoveries tail using solar powered satellites around the earth to and his growing passion for math, science generate an unlimited amount of electricity, which and space. Now, Chuck has worked as an could be used to desalinate water and increase food engineer for forty years and astronomer supplies, thereby improving the human condition. for twenty; however, astronauts are still Chuck Schlemm at Collectors Day at Adventure Science his greatest heroes because they put their Chuck believes that keeping students enthused Center. lives on the line for others and for the about knowledge and the potential progress they bigger picture of science. can be a part of is one of the best ways to create a better future for humanity. For Chuck, space exploration programs offer a multitude of resources and For decades, Chuck has served the local community by volunteering with technologies that can sustain the world for many generations to come and he various space programs, such as the Middle Tennessee Space Society, Vancan’t help but share his passion with others. Chuck encourages everyone with derbilt University’s Dyer Observatory and the Adventure Science Center. His a passion for knowledge or specific career field to share that with the public, work with these groups mainly includes exhibiting solar system and spaceespecially children because they are who shape the future of the world. craft models, along with teaching astronomy to children and their families. The most rewarding part of his volunteer work, Chuck says, is talking to chil- Nashville’s Volunteer of the Month is a program of Doing Good, a 501(c)3, nondren and seeing their passion for a specific area of math or science. “I volunprofit organization which educates and inspires people by celebrating the real teer to help inspire students to pursue science and technology interests which stories of real people who volunteer. For additional information about Chuck, will improve their lives and our culture, and to educate the public about space Doing Good, or other volunteers, visit the website www.DoingGood.tv or @ science and space exploration and the excitement of new possibilities,” he DoingGoodTV on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, or YouTube. explains. — Kingsley East
September 2017
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September 2017 Calendar List Your Event!
If you have an event you would like listed in the Nashville Christian Family Community Calendar e-mail us at: NCFPublication@gmail.com subject line - Calendar September 17 Open Auditions For “The Boy Friend” - The Williamson County Parks and Recreation Department’s award-winning children’s theatre group, the Star Bright Players, present open auditions for “The Boy Friend” on Sunday, September 17 at Freedom Middle School Theatre, 750 Highway 96 West. Auditions for new particand younger admitted free) or use any monthly, annual or seasonal pass ipants in Star Bright will be from for admission. For more information 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., followed by about the Franklin Recreation Com- returning Star Bright Player auditions from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. For this plex Splash Park at 1120 Hillsboro musical production, all children must Rd., call (615) 790-5719, ext. 2026. be age 7 through high school seniors at the time of the audition. For more September 15-17
Goodwill Will Pickup Your Donation “If you can’t get it to us, we’ll come get it from you.” That’s the gist of Goodwill’s new Home Donation Pickup Program, which in just a few months has grown to serve communities in more than 16 Middle Tennessee Middle and West Tennessee counties (Davidson, Montgomery, Robertson, Sumner, Wilson, Rutherford, Dickson, Cheatham, Maury, Dekalb, Bedford and Perry, Madison, Henderson, Gibson and Decatur). www.giveit2goodwill. org/pickups Register Now For Tiny Tots Soccer Clinics - The Athletics Division of the Williamson County Parks and Recreation Department is now accepting registration for two Tiny Tots soccer clinics (ages 3 to 6) to be held on Wednesdays, September 6-October 11 at the Indoor Arena at Crockett Park, 1485 Volunteer Pkwy. in Brentwood. Registration is on-line only at www.wcparksandrec.com. For more information, contact Daniele at (615) 377-6530, ext. 2 or DanieleS@ williamson-tn.org. Through Sept. 30 - Splash Park Open, Franklin Recreation Complex It’s still hot out there, so we are keeping the Franklin Splash Park open through the month of September! Enjoy playing in the Splash Park Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. through September 30th. Pay at the front desk, ($4 ages 18 to 54; $2 for kids 4 to 17 and seniors; kids 3
Deer Run’s Mother-Daughter Weekend - A weekend of memories and growing together as we “Be Still — Get Real!” Lots of opportunities for you to have fun, laugh, talk, and build a closer relationship with each other. Glow-night dance party, Western night with square dance, movies, relay games, archery & BB guns, 45-ft climbing tower, giant swing, stargazing on blankets, nighttime wagon ride, creative crafts, and mom and daughter sessions. Your choice of additional recreation: Pedal Karts and Zip Line Adventures. Call 615.794.2918. More info and registration: http://deerrun.camp//events.
a bout o u r a dVe rti s e r s
ONGOING Last Tuesday of every month except December Tennessee Christian Chamber of Commerce – Monthly Luncheon EGroups - Networking/Leads For meeting locations, times and dates or for more information about the Chamber and events, visit www.tnchristianchamber.org or email rstringfellow@yahoo.com.
OCTOBER
October 28 – Pumpkinfest
Downtown Franklin, 10 am – 6 pm Pumpkinfest is Middle Tennessee’s largest family fall festival that will return in it’s 34th year on October 28, 2017! With over 65,000 people in attendance, the festival stretches along Main Street in downtown Franklin, and its avenues, and offers tons of festive fun for families!
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MEET ANNA AND ADAM
AS MISSIONARIES AND PARENTS, THEY ARE NOT ONLY COMMITTED TO TRAINING PASTORS IN THE PHILIPPINES BUT ALSO RAISING A WORLD CHANGER AND A FINANCIALLY SMART CHILD. SO WHILE THEIR SON IS LEARNING MORE ABOUT JESUS, HE IS ALSO PRACTICING GOOD STEWARDSHIP AND GENEROSITY. NOW THAT’S A WINNING MISSION.
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Listening to you helps us see your whole picture.
To get great care for your everyday life, you need more than an everyday doctor. Saint Thomas Medical Partners care teams, a part of Ascension,ÂŽ take the time to listen so we can understand all aspects of you and your life.
Convenient locations and online scheduling available. Find a doctor who is right for you at saintthomasdoctors.com or 615.988.6251.
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Nashville Christian Family
www.ChristianFamilyNashville.com