Refreshed Twin Cities by Selah Media Group

REFRESHED | March-April 2015

An Evening of Music and Comedy with Mark

Lowry

Friday, April 17, 2015 7:30pm | Doors open at 6:45pm

New Hope Church 4225 Gettysburg Ave N, New Hope, MN 55428

with special guests:

The Martins & pianist Stan Whitmire

GENERAL ADMISSION $17.00 Groups (10+) | $23.00 General ($25 at door) $29.00 Artist Circle (Reserved - closest to stage | **Children 5 & under free - except in Artist Circle

Order tickets online at www.TrinityCommunications.org or call 260-484-1029

Tim Hawkins with special guest:

Jonnie W

E V I L

Friday, August 14, 2015 6:30pm | Doors open at 5:45pm

New Hope Church 4225 Gettysburg Ave N, New Hope, MN 55428

Order tickets online at www.TrinityCommunications.org or call 888-780-1116

GENERAL ADMISSION $20.00 Groups (10+) $22.00 Advance ($25 Day of) PREMIUM TICKETS* $30.00 Groups (10+) $32.00 Advance ($35 Day of) *Only 350 premium tickets will be sold

March-April 2015 | REFRESHED

L 15 W AL 20 NO E W N BL NE ITIO ILA ED AVA

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PUBLISHERS Lamar & Theresa Keener COPY EDITOR Lis Trouten CONTRIBUTORS Joanne Brokaw, Jim Jackson, Wendie Pett, Jason Sharp, Colette and Jonathan Stuart, Doug Trouten, Yia Vang Copyright © 2015 Selah Media Group Refreshed is an independent, faith-based magazine published monthly by Selah Media Group. It is distributed in bulk, free of charge, to hundreds of locations throughout the Twin Cities metro region. For a 1-year mail subscription, send $24.95 to the address below or visit refreshedtwincities.com. Refreshed welcomes story ideas. All unsolicited material is subject to approval of the publishers and is not returned. Viewpoints expressed in Refreshed are those of their respective writers, and are not necessarily held by the publishers. Reasonable effort is made to screen advertisers, but no endorsement of the publishers is implied or should be inferred. The publishers can accept no responsibility for the products or services offered through advertisements. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising. ADDRESS ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO: P. O. Box 2606 El Cajon, CA 92021 E - MAIL info@refreshedmag.com PHONE/FAX (763) 746-2468 ADVERTISING (763) 746-2468 x305

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REFRESHED | March-April 2015

contents FEATURES

6 From dope to hope Teen Challenge helps transform former inmate

10 Special deliveries Baby boxes save thousands of newborns worldwide

13 Not so Good Friday

Why was this Friday bad for many?

14 The assurance of Easter

Greg Laurie writes about the promises brought about by the resurrection

16-24 Christian Education Guide

Study confirms the importance of parents, Christian education in fostering kids’ adult faith

COLUMNS 32

Doug Trouten | plugged in

Colette & Jonathan Stuart | marriage matters

Wendie Pett | here’s to good health

Yia Vang | at the table

Jason Sharp | sharp focus

Jim Jackson | purposeful parenting

Joanne Brokaw | that’s life!

The technology of education

Finding intimacy in marriage

The key to success… PRACTICE! The world’s best coffee

Life is better with Jesus

It’s not always about the kids

Do you have a receipt for that?

DEPARTMENTS 25

Tunes

Outtakes

Community news

Events calendar

March-April 2015 | REFRESHED

FROM DOPE TO HOPE Teen Challenge helps transform former inmate by HANNAH J. GULLICKSON

here was little surprise that Terrence Gibbons would find himself isolated in a local jail. He had been there multiple times before. It’s a predictable path for someone who begins experimenting with pot by the age of 9, still too young to understand the ramifications of assaulting his still-growing lungs with tobacco and marijuana. Seven years later—at the age when his peers were getting their driver’s licenses—Gibbons was already behind bars for stealing someone else’s wheels. “I was sick of going to jail and living a hopeless dead-end life,” Gibbons said. “I did not want to live my life the way I was living anymore.” He was convinced he couldn’t get any lower. “I was in the jail cell and nobody

REFRESHED | March-April 2015

would bail me out,” he said. “I had nowhere to go, nobody to call except my co-workers.” That’s when he discovered sometimes you have to get to the lowest point to get to the highest point. So down he went to his knees on the jail cell floor and “asked the Lord to take my life and transform my life.” In captivity, he found freedom. “I had a true interaction with the Lord in my jail cell and God made it clear that He was with me and there for me,” Gibbons said. Perhaps for the same reason there are “no atheists in fox holes,” jailhouse conversions are often fleeting, but Gibbons was transformed. While awaiting his release he immersed himself in prayer and the Bible, the foundations of his re-

newed life. In his jail cell, he also read Steve Box’s “Meth Equals Sorcery: Know the Truth,” which describes the effects of methamphetamine on drug addicts and how the author had transformed his life from drug addiction. Recovering from his own substance abuse addictions, Gibbons related to Box’s story. As a child, Gibbons looked up to his older siblings and their friends, who “thought it was fun to get (him) drunk on alcohol.” Eventually, the more he tasted drugs and hung out with the same kind of people, the more blurred his boundaries became. “I started getting involved with the wrong crowd—and the law—at a very early age.” Gibbons’ family, meanwhile, was preoccupied with other matters.

Terrence Gibbons’ life was radically changed through an encounter with God while in a jail cell. After graduating from Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge, he came full circle by joining its staff and counseling others along the same path he had traveled. Terrence is now married. He and Nikki have two children. “My parents would go out to the bar most weekend nights, and that is when I would get drunk or use drugs,” he said. Although he was raised Catholic and acknowledged knowing God, Gibbons said he never really practiced his faith. Without any restraints, his adolescence grew worse. He was expelled his senior year of high school and was ordered to a workhouse for a year. By the age of 23, he had been in jail at least five times, admitting that he “had burned every single bridge possible.” He never dreamed his messy life could be redeemed and used to help others find their own freedom. “That’s when God made the decision to send me to Teen Challenge,” Gibbons said.

Diving in

Three days after he was released from jail, Gibbons was admitted into Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge’s Long-Term Adult Program for men. During his stay at the Portland Avenue campus, he surrounded himself with people in the faith and continued to read his Bible daily. “My life was completely, radically changed while I was there, and all

throughout that process I was constantly being changed by the Lord,” Gibbons said. Structured like an academy, the Teen Challenge program is rigorous. After an assessment of individual needs, students complete classes and attend counseling in both the short-term (7 to 90 days) or long-term (13 to 15 months) programs. Off campus, the students attend or lead events such as church services, fundraisers and the ministry’s choir concerts. “When I first got there, I just attended the classes and counseling. … You’re constantly doing workbooks and Scripture and you’re doing church services four times a week,” Gibbons said. The residential program used a combination of workbooks, lectures and community service projects to help underscore his new identity in Christ. After his year-long program, Gib-

bons attended and graduated Teen Challenge’s Leadership Institute, designed for graduates of its long-term programs. The ministry school expounded upon Gibbons’ earlier instruction, training him in spiritual and character development, conflict resolution, money management and job searching. In those years as a student, Gibbons gained both experience and enthusiasm for ministry leadership. “(I) really submitted to the program and to God and took everything seriously,” he said, adding that he was taught “how to be March-April 2015 | REFRESHED

“My life was completely, radically changed…”

a stronger biblical leader in society.” Gibbons’ first step after Teen Challenge was accepting the position of program manager on the Portland Avenue campus in Minneapolis. There, he would do for his clients what had been done for him, leading them into new lives of freedom and transformation.

The ripple effect

As a program manager, Gibbons supervised about 10 staff members and 60 clients. Many of his clients, like Gibbons, came from criminal backgrounds, having been to jail multiple times. All of them had gone through dark seasons, and Gib-

bons sometimes had to represent them in court. Even so, Gibbons recognized God’s work in them. “Every day was extraordinary,” he said, laughing. “The main thing was being (with) the toughest, the hardest criminals that you could ever imagine with tattoos all over their bodies… To see them accept the Lord and to receive guidance from somebody like me and to go through the program and change their lives… I mean, that right there is pretty amazing.” As part of their counseling and rehabilitation programs, Gibbons would meet with his clients one-on-one, helping

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REFRESHED | March-April 2015

them through their journeys. He would pray with them and fill out progress reports to keep tabs on how they were doing in their programs. Just as he had done as a Teen Challenge student, Gibbons’ clients clients would go off campus to do their community service projects. Not one of them, he said, would walk away from Teen Challenge the same person.

Modeling it at home

After serving as program manager for nine months, Gibbons earned his bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership from Bethel University in St. Paul. Now,

he is pursuing his M.B.A. at Bethel. Married for six years, Gibbons and his wife, Nikki, also a Teen Challenge graduate, have two young children. “Yeah I’m just living for the Lord…We love God and are all moving in the right direction.” He remains eternally grateful for his second chance. “My life has been completely transformed,” he said. “A year goes by so fast. I don’t even think about the addiction anymore. I’m going on 10 years completely sober. I haven’t had one sip of alcohol or a taste of drugs since I went into jail on that day when I turned my life over to God.” That conversion is made even sweeter when Gibbons see the ripple effect on others. “Society would think they would never ever make it,” Gibbons said, adding that every aspect of his journey, from finishing at Teen Challenge to leading ministry and counseling sessions with them, would culminate with others seizing their freedom. “It’s a miracle from God if you ask me.” ■ Hannah J. Gullickson is a senior English literature and writing major at the University of Northwestern - St. Paul.

About Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge Purpose

For teens and adults struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. Our mission is to assist people of all ages 13-70+ in gaining freedom from chemical addictions and other life-controlling problems by addressing their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

Programs

• Restoration Program for Adults (6-plus months) • Life Renewal Short-Term Residential Adult Program (7 to 90 days) • Long-Term Adult Program (clients 18 or older, 13-plus months) • Outpatient Program for Adults (meets three times a week for three months) • Long-Term Teen Program (9-plus months) • Life Renewal Short-Term Residential Teen Program (7 to 90 days) • Family Programming (meets monthly) • Know the Truth (a blog program designed for teens to share stories of their redemption from substance abuse), knowthetruthmn.org.

Services

• On-campus residential facilities • Licensed psychologists • Registered nurses • Individual counseling • Aftercare programs • Job assistance • Small groups for families, teens, adults and married couples • Collaboration with Minneapolis Public Schools (for long-term teen program) • Classes for spiritual, career and character development • Worksheets tailored to individual needs

Campuses

• Minneapolis - Men’s Center — 1619 Portland Ave S - Men’s Center — 3201 1st Ave S - Men’s/Teen Boy’s Center — 3231 1st Ave S - Women/Teen Girl’s Center —1717/1725 2nd Ave S, - Women’s Center — 1507 NE Lowry Ave • Rochester — 1530 Assisi Drive • Brainerd — 2424 Business 371 • Northland — 2 East 2nd St.

Four levels of restoration

Teen Challenge’s long-term adult and teen programs guide patients through four levels of restoration in an effort to develop their spirituality and character: • Level 1 — Recognition of destructive and habitual thoughts that lead to substance abuse. • Level 2 — Focus on healing the wounds of past failures and broken relationships. • Level 3 — Character development and spiritual growth with a discovery process identifying personal strengths and setting individual goals.” • Level 4 — Continuing care planning, including employment, education, housing, finances, relationship skills, support system evaluation, leadership skills and relapse prevention.

Minnesota Teen Challenge Leadership Institute

• One- to two-year program • Aftercare for graduates of MnTC’s long-term program • On-campus residential facility • Access to an on-site registered nurse • Classes train students in following areas: - Money management - Maintaining healthy relationships and conflict resolution - Personal boundaries - Character development - Career development - Spiritual growth and discipleship • Assistance in housing, job searching, and transportation

Program results

Independent research by Wilder Research learned that of 154 former clients who graduated between 2007 and 2009: • 74 percent of adult program graduates reported no use in the previous six months • 58 percent had attended school since graduating • 77 percent were either working 30+ hours a week or were a full time student • 80+ percent rated the overall quality of MnTC as “outstanding” or “very good.” • When asked to name what helped most, the faithbased aspects of the program were mentioned most frequently. Learn more at www.mntc.org. March-April 2015 | REFRESHED

l a i c e Sp s e i r e v i l de Baby boxes save thousands of newborns worldwide by SOPHIA LEE

usarang Community Church is a timeworn building burrowed deep within twisting alleys up a hilly working-class district in Seoul. If not for the pastel rainbows and meadows painted on its walls, the church would blend inconspicuously into the residential neighborhood. Over the past several years, however, the church has become famous—and infamous—as home to Korea’s first “Baby Box.” It’s where desperate women from all over the country come to drop off their newborn babies. South Korea isn’t the only developed nation with foundlings. The archaic baby box concept has been spreading through independent entities in other postmodern nations like Germany, Austria, Poland, Switzerland, Czech Republic and Canada, many existing in legal limbo. Even in the United States, babies are still abandoned unsafely, and in extreme cases tossed down chutes, into toilets, out windows. Tim Jaccard wept over many such lifeless tiny bodies while working as a paramedic for the Nassau County Police Department in Long Island, New York. To give these babies proper burials, he founded the AMT—short for Ambulance Medical Technicians—Children of Hope Foundation in 1998. His mission has since evolved: pushing for state laws

REFRESHED | March-April 2015

allowing parents to give up a newborn child legally and anonymously to statedesignated “safe haven” locations such as police stations and hospitals—no questions asked, no legal repercussions. These “safe-haven” laws provide a streamlined process for babies to be safely relinquished. So long as the baby is unharmed and within a certain age (which varies by state from 72 hours to a year), the parent is free to leave immediately. Some parents linger to provide medical history, but that’s optional. Most state laws allow parents to recover the child within a specified period of time. In Minnesota, a mom, or someone acting on her explicit behalf, may leave the baby with an employee at any licensed hospital or urgent care center in Minnesota as long as the child is no more than 7 days old and is unharmed. The law also allows the mom to call 911 to hand the infant over to ambulance personnel. Originally enacted in 2000 to allow just a three-day window at hospitals only, the law was expanded in 2012 to give moms more options after an infant was found floating in a Minnesota river. Under state law, hospital officials are not allowed to call police or ask the identify of the mother or the person leaving the newborn. Hospital staff may ask about medical history of the child and mother, but the mom is under no obliga-

tion to provide such information. Under most safe-haven laws, a baby receives medical care, under full Medicaid coverage, within 24 hours. The state’s child welfare system then takes custody of the infant. It verifies that the baby is eligible for adoption by searching for matches in kidnapping cases and, in some instances, allowing fathers to claim custody. On average, the process between relinquishment to permanent placement into foster care or adoption takes six months. Texas enacted the first U.S. safe-haven law in 1999. Today, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have versions of the law. In the past 15 years, about 2,900 babies have been relinquished to safe-haven locations. Though no official record of abandoned babies exists, Jaccard’s organization documented 720 cases of illegal abandonments nationwide from 2003 to 2014—a “dramatic decrease” from previous years, he said.

Cultural fears

Back in Korea, the Jusarang Community Church’s Baby Box survives by slipping through a legal crack: Seoul has no outright ban against the operation, nor does it provide any financial support. Jusarang pastor Lee Jong-rak created the Baby Box in late 2009 after rescuing his third abandoned baby. The mother

Korean pastor Lee Jong-rak created the Baby Box by building a hatch into the wall of his church that opens a tiny incubated, blanket-lined box. A bell rings inside the church whenever someone opens and closes the door.

PHOTO BY DAVID KIM, COURTESY OF ‘THE DROP BOX’

had tucked her baby into a cardboard seafood box and left it by the church gate on a cold autumn night. By the time Lee picked up the baby, the body was stonecold and reeking of fish. From the corner of his eye, he spotted a cat slinking around. A chill ran down his spine. He thought, “What if the cat had attacked the baby? What if the baby had frozen to death? We need to build a safe place.” So Lee built into the wall of his church a hatch that opens a tiny incubated, blanket-lined box. He rigged it so that a bell rings inside the church whenever someone opens and closes the door. Then he waited.

In March 2010, the Baby Box bell rang for the first time. Though he knew what to expect, Lee was still shaken to discover a pink-faced boy wrapped in a mangy towel. Staff members burst into tears as he carried the child into the church. They named the boy Moses. In South Korea, babies like Moses create a tangle of social and political issues for policymakers. Baby dumping is punishable by law, but many mothers risk it because unwed and single mothers face a lifetime of shame and rejection, and only receive meager government support (about $48 per month). More many moms, the Baby Box seems like the only

way to escape a lifetime of discrimination and poverty.

A change in policy

In August 2012, though, the South Korean government revised the Special Adoption Law to ban the adoption of unregistered babies. The move was an attempt to make international adoptions more transparent and reduce the possibility of fraud. The changes require birth mothers to keep their newborns for at least seven days before placing them for adoption. It also mandates they register their babies in their documents until they are adopted. March-April 2015 | REFRESHED

PHOTO BY DAVID KIM, COURTESY OF ‘THE DROP BOX’

Learn more about Minnesota’s Safe Haven Law at www.safehaven.tv/states/minnesota.

Pastor Lee Jong-rak’s Jusarang Community Church provides care for the babies they have rescued until homes are found for them. Mothers who fear family and social repercussions do not want to risk keeping their babies for seven days—nor are the children ever likely to be adopted. That’s one key difference between South Korea and America: Nearly every baby relinquished through the American safehaven laws gets adopted, including those with significant disabilities, whereas most of Korea’s Baby Box infants end up in children’s homes. Domestic adoption is culturally unpopular in Korea. For babies with disabilities, the possibility of domestic adoption is even bleaker. Previously, when people did adopt, they almost always lied about the baby’s origins, registering the child as biological. The new adoption policy also outlaws that, prompting domestic adoption to drop 39 percent between 2012 and 2013.

Wave of abandonments

Almost immediately after the law went into effect, Lee and his staff saw an increase in baby abandonments. They had been accustomed to hearing the bell ring each month, but when the bell began ringing up to 25 times monthly, sometimes several times a day, Lee and his staff became overwhelmed, anxious and angry. Their small-scale, family-owned

REFRESHED | March-April 2015

operation can barely keep up with the number of babies who require 24/7 care. The numbers tell the story: In 2010, Jusarang Baby Box received four babies. The number increased to 37 in 2011, then 79 in 2012 as the operation drew nationwide media attention. But after the government’s policy revision in late 2012, the number of Baby Box babies swelled to 252 in 2013. Almost half the mothers left letters specifically blaming the new law as the main reason they turned to the Baby Box. According to government data, the number of abandoned infants more than doubled nationwide from 2012 to 2013. The Baby Box is not the end of the Jusarang story. The church provides outreach for birth parents, albeit informally. After depositing her baby, a mother sometimes loiters long enough for Lee to invite her in, offer comfort, and explain the gospel. Lee encourages the mother to come back for her baby, and 120 birth mothers have reclaimed their babies. Jusarang currently sends material support to 18 such mothers. Touched by Lee’s work, many volunteers have also professed Christ.

Other repercussions

Baby boxes and safe-haven laws have

their critics who contend that anonymous relinquishments only encourage parents to discard their newborns without consequence. United Nations officials say safe-haven laws violate a child’s right to know his identity. Critics also point out that safe-haven laws or baby boxes don’t solve all the underlying, everyday brokenness—poverty, substance abuse, domestic abuse, irresponsible sex, mental illness, and lack of support services—that can spiral into the bizarre act of baby dumping. As the debate continues, Lee battles to keep the Baby Box open. “I cannot stop this work,” he said. “God gave me this work to do. So I just need to stand right before Him, and He will provide all the things I need.” His ministry has inspired several pastors in other cities to start their own Baby Box, but at least one church in Busan has caved in to fierce opposition from the neighborhood and city authorities. Lee, however, refuses to buckle, getting by each month through the help of private donations and volunteers. “Why should I sit behind a desk, squabbling about consequences, when human lives are drowning?” Then he shook his head and sighed. “What a strange period we live in, where trying to save and protect lives is getting more difficult,” he said. A documentary, “The Drop Box,” made in partnership with Focus on the Family and Kindred Image, tells Lee’s story. The film explores the physical, emotional and financial toll associated with providing refuge to orphans that would otherwise be abandoned on the streets. Learn more at www.thedropboxfilm. com. ■ Sophia Lee writes for World News Service.

Not so

Good Friday by TIM WALKER

ood Friday. Actually most Fridays are good. But this one, well, it’s really not so good.

It was probably the worst Friday for a lot of people present. In the past, I’ve seen Good Friday as simply the day Jesus died. Almost with the same sentiment as Lincoln’s birthday. That doesn’t mean I’ve taken for granted the significance of the day. I attempt to live out a faith that is very much affected by the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But the actual day of remembrance hasn’t always been remembered. As I get older, especially this year, the emotional weight of the day is heavier. Not because of the brutal death, although it was horrific. Or the betrayals or denials. But because of the people. You see, Jesus knew what was going to happen. He knew how bad it was going to be. And He knew that the cross wasn’t the end. But the people who followed Him . . . Well, it sure felt like the end to them. And I think to appreciate how they felt, you’ve had to hope in something that seemed to end. Something that didn’t turn out the way you dreamed it would. Something that left you disillusioned. Maybe even a little bitter. And incredibly sad. A pregnancy that ended because of the absence of a heartbeat. A thriving career that abruptly stopped because of the decisions of others. Health that has faded, and so has your ability to engage in the things you love the most. Anything that once held great promise and fueled hope, but now has left you confused, discouraged and even a little abandoned.

It was a good Friday in the big picture, but the heartache of that day went so much deeper than seeing a friend executed. It was also about hopes and dreams being nailed to a cross. The hope for freedom for people who falsely believed Jesus would bring a new earthly kingdom. The hope for a different life for the disciples who gave up everything to follow Jesus. The hope to live in a new world where men and women, sick and healthy, poor and rich could all be united for one reason. God had been silent for 400 years before Jesus. Jesus came, lived, spoke, loved. Now God seemed silent again. And the silence was even more deafening this time. Because they knew God could speak. I’m not sure how to honor Good Friday. I know personally, there’s always been a heaviness, sadness I feel on this day. Almost the same way I remember my mom’s death every may, a lingering grief that I can’t always explain until I remember “oh yeah. It’s today.” And now, as I get older and have experienced various things in my life, I have a different perspective on the day. I can see how death was so pervasive the day—the physical death of Jesus. The death of hope. The death of perceived identity. The death of so many things. And while it felt so intense, so devastating. It was only temporary—even if it felt like the end. Tim Walker is a husband/father/writer who is navigating faith, marriage, parenthood and mid-life. Follow his blog at www.timswords. com.

March-April 2015 | REFRESHED

The assurance of

by GREG LAURIE

f you have ever lost someone you love unexpectedly, then you have an idea of how the disciples felt when Jesus was crucified. Without warning, someone they had just spoken with, someone they were so close to, was gone. It was traumatizing. It was earthshaking. It was life-altering. There was a deep ache and sorrow like they had never known before. The disciples were living the Easter story in real time. We know how the story ends. We have seen the big picture. But they couldn’t turn to the end of the Gospels and read about the resurrection of Jesus. And they had a different thought in mind. They thought Jesus had come to establish His kingdom on earth and that He was going to be their king. But then he was suddenly betrayed by one of their own, Judas Iscariot, and arrested. Simon Peter, their leader, denied three times that he knew Jesus. Everything was go-

REFRESHED | March-April 2015

ing wrong – or so it seemed. But it was all meant to be. Peter, who later preached on these events, said, “This Jesus, following the deliberate and well-thought-out plan of God, was betrayed by men who took the law into their own hands” (Acts 2:23 MSG). The crucifixion of Jesus was part of God’s “deliberate and well-thought-out plan.” The cross was the goal of Jesus from the very beginning. The reason for the incarnation was for the purpose of our atonement. He was born to die so that we might live. So when Jesus fulfilled his purpose, he summed it up in a word: “finished.” And then he died. Normally, when men were crucified, they died when the Romans wanted them to die. Crucifixion was not a quick form of execution. It was meant to prolong pain, designed to bring misery and to use the person as an example. It served as a warning not to rebel against

Rome. Death was hastened by crushing the kneecaps so a man could no longer support himself on the base of the cross and get air into his lungs. Death by crucifixion was essentially death by suffocation. But when the soldiers came to Jesus, they didn’t crush his bones, because he was gone. He came and left at will. As he said, “No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again” (John 10:18 NLT). The disciples took Jesus and laid him in the tomb provided by Joseph of Arimathea, and they never expected to see him again. Something went horribly wrong, and they were devastated. The story was over. That is until early Sunday morning. Man had done his worst, but God was not done. God will always have the last word. Jesus had now risen. He had talked about this all the time, but maybe the

Death died when Christ rose. This is the great promise of the resurrection. disciples thought he was speaking metaphorically or that he didn’t mean exactly what he said. But he meant what he said and he said what he meant. He had laid it out for them, essentially saying, “Guys, check this out. I am going to be betrayed. I am going to be crucified. I am going to rise again three days later.” He repeated it and repeated it. But somehow they missed the point. Regardless, Jesus was alive, and he made multiple appearances in his resurrected body. He appeared to Mary as she wept alone by the tomb, asking her who she was looking for. At first she thought it was the gardener she was speaking to. But it suddenly it dawned on her that he was not the gardener. This was Jesus, alive from the dead. Later he appeared to Peter, and he also appeared to the disciples twice as they were gathered behind locked doors in the Upper Room. Then he appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. He appeared to the disciples by the Sea of Galilee, and he even appeared to 500 people at once. Jesus had risen, and it forever changed their lives. Some people make their mark on history, but Jesus divided human time through his death and resurrection from the dead. But what does it mean today? The resurrection of Jesus Christ assures me that I am accepted by God. Because the Bible says, “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:25 NIV). Because of the resurrection of Jesus, I am justified before God. Jesus removed sin and the penalty that goes along with it. The resurrection of Jesus Christ also assures me that he is now interceding in heaven for me. Romans 8:34 says, “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (NIV). With the

PASSION WEEK READINGS

Journey to the Cross death and resurrection of Jesus and his payment on my behalf, as well as his intercession for me, I know that he has me covered. I know that he is with me and praying for me and pulling for me. The resurrection of Jesus Christ assures me that I have all the power I need to live the Christian life. Sometimes people say, “Well, I have tried Christianity, and it didn’t work for me.” Nonsense. Christianity is not a product that works for some, but not for others. Christianity, boiled down, is Christ himself. And Christ can change any life. He can change any person who genuinely comes to him on his terms. The problem is we don’t really commit ourselves to Christ as we ought to. We become CEO Christians – Christmas and Easter only. But when you have really committed yourself to him, you can be assured that you have the power to live this life. Lastly, the resurrection of Jesus assures me that I will live forever in heaven. The Bible says, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:20–22 NIV). All who are related to Christ are given a new life. Death comes. Life ceases. But because Jesus died, I will never die eternally. I will live forever in the presence of God, because of what Jesus did. Death died when Christ rose. This is the great promise of the resurrection. ■

This Easter follow the footsteps of Jesus in the week leading up to His death and resurrection and let His words penetrate your heart and mind. Vist www.refreshedtwincities.com/thejourney-to-the-cross for daily readings that will lead you through a chronology of the daily steps Jesus took on the road to the cross starting on Palm Sunday. The death and resurrection of Jesus is the very heart of Christianity and we would invite you to take some time to reflect on His journey to the cross while deepening your understanding of the events that led to Resurrection Sunday.

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Pastor and evangelist Greg Laurie is the founder of Harvest America, an annual live-streamed worldwide event. Learn more at harvestamerica.com. March-April 2015 | REFRESHED

Study confirms the importance of parents, Christian education in fostering kids’ adult faith ith by DANIEL JAMES DEVINE

or millennials who grew up attending church, having a strong Christian faith and practice today is linked to the quality of their relationship with their parents. That’s a conclusion from a new online survey of young adults between the ages of 18 and 38 who attended church as children or teenagers. The survey also found that frequent church attendance and homeschooling were linked to stronger Christian beliefs and behaviors as adults, including believing Jesus is divine and avoiding co-habitation. Young adults who said their fathers explained “biblical principles” to them on a daily or weekly basis growing up were significantly more likely to say they lived by typical Christian behavior as adults by praying, volunteering, reading the Bible, and attending church frequently and avoiding pornography, marijuana use, abortion, and co-habitation. “If you had to ask for a mixture of things that overall are correlated with strong Christian beliefs and strong Christian orthopraxy, you’d be looking at making sure mom and dad devel-

Be the one employers want to hire. The FOCUS adult degree program prepares you with knowledge, ethics and values—exactly what employers are looking for. UNWSP.EDU/FRESH2 | 651-631-5200

oped a relationship lationship with their teens… s… that they’re regular participants al church, in a local y pracand they metice homearbased, parisent-led discipleship,”” said y, the Brian Ray, researcherr behind y and the the survey president of the Name Education tional Home Research Institute in Salem, Ore. “I don’t want to pretend it’s a form just mula. I’m tatistisaying, statistire’s a cally, there’s pattern.” The survey f t to t shed h d light li ht on a major j problem bl i d by b was an effort recognized evangelicals in America: Many millennials aren’t staying in church. Americans aged 30 and under are less likely to value church attendance than previous generations, and 59 percent of millennials who grew up in church have dropped out at some point, according to Barna Group. (Other research has concluded many millennials have simply switched churches, and that only 18 percent drop out permanently.) The new survey results are preliminary and have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal. Ray presented the results at the Gen2 Conference, a Christian leadership summit in Petersburg, Ky., in late January. Advertised on Facebook, websites, blogs, a large Evangelical church, and a secular university, the survey gathered responses from 9,396 participants between 2013 and 2014. Only adults under the age of 39 who attended church growing up were allowed to participate. While this method of recruiting study participants is considered “nonrandom” and may be less accurate than making random phone calls, for example, researchers sometimes use the method to understand trends in smaller segments of a large population. Most churched millennials who participated in the survey identified the faith of their childhood as Protestant or Catholic, al-

Learn more at Information Night | April 20, 6 p.m.

Continued on page 24

REFRESHED | March-April 2015

YOU HAVE THE PASSION TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

WE’LL PREPARE YOU TO LEAD THE WAY. Earn a Doctoral or Master’s degree online from Bethel Seminary. Doctor of Ministry M.A. in Children’s and Family Ministry M.A. in Christian Thought M.A. in Ministry Practice M.A. in Transformational Leadership Master of Divinity

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Berean Education Center (Preschool) 309 East County Road 42 Burnsville, MN 55306 (952) 223-1814 www.bereaneducationcenter.com

Grades PK-12 â&#x2013; Providing academic excellence in an atmosphere of safety and love â&#x2013; Equipping and preparingĂ&#x160;Ă&#x192;VÂ&#x2026;Â&#x153;Â&#x153;Â?Â&#x2021;>}iĂ&#x160;VÂ&#x2026;Â&#x2C6;Â?`Ă&#x20AC;iÂ&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;vÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x160; purposes God has for them Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x201C;Ă¤ÂŁĂ&#x160;7iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;ÂŁĂ¤nĂ&#x152;Â&#x2026;Ă&#x160;-Ă&#x152;Ă&#x20AC;iiĂ&#x152;]Ă&#x160; Â?Â&#x153;Â&#x153;Â&#x201C;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x152;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;UĂ&#x160;Â&#x2122;xĂ&#x201C;Â&#x2021;nn{Â&#x2021;Ă&#x17D;ÂŁnÂŁ

Our Preschool Bible-based programs are dedicated to developing a loving environment where children can learn and grow through experiences and excellent instruction. We offer preschool programs, 2-4 days a week for 3-5 year olds. We also offer a Day Care program for children 33 months through 5 years old.

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Bethel Seminary

Training Students for more than 40 Years K4 through 12 grade Small class sizes & family-oriented environment Traditional classroom education Quality ďŹ ne arts education: choir, band, drama, individual music lessons taught at the school Athletic programs: soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball Affordable Christian education

3949 Bethel Drive St. Paul, MN 55112 (651) 638-6288 www.bethel.edu/seminary Bethel Seminary offers masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, doctoral, and certificate programs in a variety of fields at its campuses in St. Paul and San Diego as well as through various online programs. We prepare well-rounded ministry leaders with all our academic programs equally helping students acquire sound biblical/ theological foundation, leadership strength, and strong personal/spiritual character.

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Challenging. Supportive. Biblical. Serving the Twin Cities â&#x2013; Edina K-8 campus 4015 Inglewood Ave. S

Since 1961 Christian parents have partnered with outstanding teachers to provide excellent, God-honoring education at Calvin Christian. Explore the Calvin Christian difference for your children.

â&#x2013; Blaine K-8 campus 8966 Pierce St. NE

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REFRESHED | March-April 2015

Call today for more information and to schedule a visit!

952-927-5304 | www.calvinchristian.org

Calvin Christian School (K-12) Edina Campus (grades K-8) 4015 Inglewood Ave. S Blaine Campus (grades K-8) 8966 Pierce St. NE High School (grades 9-12) 755 73rd Ave NE, Fridley (952) 927-5304 www.calvinchristian.org Since 1961 Christian parents have partnered with outstanding teachers to provide God-honoring education at Calvin Christian School. Today, Calvin Christian serves more than 400 students with a comprehensive, proven curriculum that incorporates a rich, biblical worldview. Our Christ-centered environment is a great place for studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;from kindergartners to high school seniorsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;to grow academically, socially, and spiritually.

Concordia Academy (9-12) 2400 North Dale St. Roseville, MN 55113 (651) 484-8429 www.concordiaacademy.com Concordia Academy is a Christian, college prep high school that honors God through excellence in academics, arts, and athletics. CA is a Christcentered, loving, inspiring community that encourages each student to maximize his or her unique, God-given potential. Academic program highlights include over 90 on-campus college credits, an academic resource program, and the Vision4Life service learning experience.

March-April 2015 | REFRESHED

Crown College 8700 College View Drive St. Bonifacius, MN 55375 (952) 446-4100 www.crown.edu Crown College is an affordable, accredited private Christian college just west of Minneapolis, that prepares students—online and on-campus—to serve and influence the world by placing a high value on being Christ-centered, academically excellent and globally connected. Ranked among the Best Midwest Regional Colleges, Crown is also a member of the CCCU.

Hand In Hand Christian Montessori (PreK-8) 2129 Fairview Avenue North Roseville, MN 55113 (651) 784-7988 www.hihcm.org Teaching truth about God’s Word and God’s World since 1999, Hand In Hand Christian Montessori offers unique programs for infants through junior high, including a Private Academy, a Homeschool Supplement Program, Preschool and Family Education programs. We offer an invitational, constructivist, biblical education that fosters cooperation, community and commitment to Christ and one another. NAEYC Accredited, 1:10 ratio in every classroom.

REFRESHED | March-April 2015

King of Grace Lutheran School (PreK-8) 6000 Duluth St. Golden Valley, MN 55422 (763) 546-3131 www.kingofgraceschool.com King of Grace is a private, Christian school focused on academic excellence. We achieve this through a challenging curriculum, partnering with parents for success and anchoring our instruction with God’s Word. Offering PreK - 8th grade, summer programs and numerous extra-curricular activities for boys and girls. Awarded Best Private School, Best Teacher and Best Principal by area Sun Post readers.

Liberty Classical Academy (PreK-12) 3878 Highland Avenue White Bear Lake, MN 55110 (651) 772-2777 Libertyclassicalacademy.org Launched in 2003, Liberty Classical Academy is an independent collegepreparatory private Christian school in White Bear Lake, Minn., serving students Preschool – 12th grades. Liberty’s mission is to equip students of all backgrounds to grow in wisdom, excellence and purpose by offering an education based on the highest academic standards grounded in a strong classical tradition from a distinctively Christian worldview.

March-April 2015 | REFRESHED

Life Academy (PreK-12) 2201 West 108th Street Bloomington, MN 55431 (952) 884-3181 www.lifeacademymn.org Life Academy is a private, Christian school located on a beautiful, wooded campus. Our philosophy is to teach students to learn and develop as intellectuals while they increase in the knowledge and understanding of their Christian faith. Life Academy uses the most respected curricula on the market, instructed by some of the most gifted and creative teachers in Minnesota.

MissionShift Institute 1901 Portland Avenue S. Minneapolis, MN 55404 (952) 220-1315 www.missionshift.org Fun, experiential, visionary class that will change your life! “Teaching Christians to Build and Lead Cross-Cultural Ministries.” A college-level intro to reaching our new immigrants since 1995. One night per week during the school year. All adults welcome. Can be used for college credit. Internationally recognized, inexpensive, interactive — and Fun!

North Heights Christian Academy (K-8) 2701 North Rice St Roseville, MN 55113 (651) 797-7934 www.nhcaonline.org North Heights Christian Academy prepares students to stand firm and live victorious in Christ by building a foundation of faith, truth, knowledge and wisdom through Christ-centered education. Our program features an atmosphere which fosters, a curriculum which reflects, and faculty who embrace the living Word of God as the only infallible and authoritative guide for belief and conduct.

Southwest Christian High School (9-12) 1981 Bavaria Road Chaska, MN 55318 (952) 556-0040 www.swchs.org Southwest Christian is a grade 9-12, independent, interdenominational, college-prep high school. Utilizing a discipleship model of education, SWCHS helps students to think and act biblically in their worldview. Southwest offers AP and college-in-the school courses, superb music and fine arts, leadership opportunities, senior mission trip, discipleship groups, 20 varsity sports, a vibrant student life and more.

Trinity School at River Ridge (7-12) 601 River Ridge Parkway Eagan, MN 55121 (651) 789-2890 x220 www.tsrr.org Since 1987, Trinity School (grades 7-12) has been educating students to be of use to God in the wise care and governance of his creation. Featuring a classical curriculum in the Christian tradition, Trinity School is a community of learners characterized by the rigorous exploration of reality, the free and disciplined exchange of ideas, and active participation in the fine arts.

REFRESHED | March-April 2015

University of Northwestern – St. Paul 3003 Snelling Avenue N. Saint Paul, MN 55113 (651) 631-5100 www.unwsp.edu University of Northwestern – St. Paul is a Christian liberal arts university in suburban St. Paul, Minn. Providing an invaluable integration of faith and education, Northwestern offers 70+ areas of undergraduate study, six master’s degrees, PSEO and early college programs. Online options are available in all venues. Northwestern Media, a ministry of UNW, operates 15 Christian radio stations throughout the Midwest.

Woodcrest Baptist Academy (K-12) 6875 University Ave. NE Fridley, MN 55432 (763) 571-6410 www.woodcrestbaptistacademy.org For more than 40 years, Woodcrest Baptist Academy has been providing a well-rounded Christian education to students in the Northern suburbs. The teaching staff is comprised of Godly teachers, many of whom have 20-30 years of experience in Christian Education. Woodcrest offers a traditional curriculum from 4-year-old kindergarten through 12th grade.

Be the one with something extra. A master’s degree from Northwestern will prepare you to have the knowledge and heart of a servant-leader. UNWSP.EDU/FRESH1 | 651-631-5200

Learn more at Information Night | April 20, 6 p.m.

March-April 2015 | REFRESHED

The more years a person spent in public school, the more likely he or she was later in life to lack Christian faith and behaviorâ&#x20AC;Ś Continued from page 16 though 6 percent said they grew up as Mormons, Jehovahâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Witnesses, or something else. As adults, more than 8 percent now identify themselves as atheist or agnostic. A large number of former homeschool students answered the survey. About 43 percent of respondents said they had been home educated for seven years or more. Others had used public, Christian, secular private schools, or some combination of those. Ray used the results to compare differences based on educational background. For example, the more years a person spent in public school, the more likely he or she was later in life to lack Christian faith and behavior, to lack life satisfaction, and to disagree with parentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beliefs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And these are people who were churched while growing up,â&#x20AC;? Ray said. Compared with those who mainly at-

tended public school, Christian school students were 27 percent more likely to have strong Christian beliefs as adults. Homeschooled students were nearly three times more likely than public school students to have strong Christian beliefs. (For the purpose of the survey, Christian beliefs included agreeing the Bible is inspired, Jesus is divine, Jesus rose from the dead, moral absolutes exist, and God created biological life.) The survey revealed differing attitudes and behaviors regarding Christian sexual ethics. Among homeschoolers, 16 percent said they supported same-sex marriage, while 29 percent of those who attended Christian school and 33 percent of those who attended public school said they supported such marriages. Perhaps surprisingly, those who had attended secular private school were the most likely to support same-sex marriage; 46 percent did so.

Churched millennials who attended public school were the most likely to have cohabited with a sexual partner later in life (34 percent). Of others, 28 percent of private school students, 22 percent of Christian school students, and 9 percent of homeschool students said they had engaged in co-habitation. The online questionnaire also gathered information about an issue for which little data is available: Sexual abuse among homeschoolers. The survey asked, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Were you ever sexually abused before age 18?â&#x20AC;? Respondents who had spent the majority of their school years in a public school or Christian school were more than twice as likely to answer â&#x20AC;&#x153;yesâ&#x20AC;? than those who had been homeschooled seven years or more. â&#x2013; Daniel James Devine writes for World News Service.

Resurrection Power Church International (Miracle Center)

Passover Healing & Deliverance Crusade SPEAKERS Rev. Eddy N. Udeh Including other great ministers of God

MUSIC Resurrection Power Church International Praise & Worship Team Guest Performance The Fire Keepers Band

Guest Artist:

Life Voices

WHEN: Saturday, April 4, 6:00 pm Sunday, April 5, 10:00 am

WHERE: 5LFKĂ&#x20AC; HOG (GXFDWLRQ &HQWHU DXGLWRULXP

(OOLRW $YH 6 5LFKĂ&#x20AC; HOG

For more information, please call (952) 881-2405 www.resurrectionpowerchurch.org 24

REFRESHED | March-April 2015

Featuring Â&#x2021; 6DOYDWLRQ IRU 6LQQHUV Â&#x2021; 'HOLYHUDQFH IURP 6DWDQLF 2SSUHVVLRQ Â&#x2021; +HDOLQJ IURP DOO .LQGV RI 6LFNQHVV Â&#x2021; )LQDQFLDO %UHDNWKURXJK Â&#x2021; )UXLW RI WKH :RPE

Testimonies from previous programs: most of the people who attended the last program were visited by God and they were mightily blessed. The Lord also visited most of the women who were in need of the fruit of the womb and now they are mothers.

Sponsored by

Crouch service draws 600,000 online

Beloved Gospel artist Andraé Crouch, who died Jan. 8 from complications of a heart attack, was honored Jan. 21 in a lively memorial service that attracted more than 4,000 guests to West Angeles Church of God in Christ. An additional 600,000 people watched the services, which were live streamed on both the church and BET websites. Four hours in length, the service was part concert, part church service with performances by Stevie Wonder, CeCe Winans, BeBe Winans, Shirley Caesar, Ledisi, Yolanda Adams, Israel Houghton, Tommy Sims, Jonathan Butler, Donnie McClurkin and the original members of Andraé Crouch and the Disciples. Crouch, who served as co-pastor of New Christ Memorial with his twin sister, Sandra, was also honored during the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration and the recent Grammy and MovieGuide awards.

nization he co-founded. The group has undergone numerous changes since taking a hiatus in 2007 after Stuart was dealing with health issues. The reconstituted group came out of retirement in 2012 to raise awareness and money for the Hands & Feet Project. The new band features former Stellar Kart frontman Adam Agee, along with Dave Stovall, formerly of Wavorly; guitarist Brandon Bagby, whose touring credits include Plumb and Seventh Day Slumber; and drummer Jack Campbell.

Gokey is a busy dad

BMG recording artist Danny Gokey has shown he can deliver much more than hit music after he and his wife Leyicet welcomed their second child, Victoria Isabella, in late November. As the household, including big brother Daniel Emanuel, is adjusting to the new addition, Gokey is preparing

tunes

to hit the road with the Burn Bright tour with Natalie Grant, followed by The Bible Tour with Steven Curtis Chapman, Brandon Heath and Francesca Battistelli. The tour comes as fans embrace his latest single release “More Than You Think I Am” to radio, marking the second single from his No. 1 album Hope in Front of Me. “This song is very personal to me,” Gokey said. “ It reflects a time in my life where I encountered personal loss and heartbreak. I had a broken soul and didn’t know what to do with it. … I ran to God asking Him to reveal Himself to me. He began to knock down barriers I had put up and began revealing who He really is.”

Music for the Master presents…

Audio A mixes it up

Audio Adrenaline, on the verge of yet another transition, has released its new single “Love Was Stronger,” in advance of the May 5 release of the group’s Fair Trade Services sophomore album, Sound of the Saints. “Watching the guys practice for this upcoming tour and record has been such a joy,” said Audio Adrenaline founding member Mark Stuart. “Hearing the old classics with the new Audio A message makes me proud to be part of a legacy that continues to focus on the glory of Christ and the absolute joy of becoming His hands and feet.” The band, which is heading out on tour with the Newsboys’ “We Believe God’s Not Dead” 2015 Spring Tour, is doing so with some fresh faces as group co-founder and bassist Will McGinniss shifts from touring to an increased role with the Hands & Feet Project, an orga-

ers h t o r B h t o o B The Saturday, April 18, 6 p.m. Get your rafﬂe tickets! This one-of-akind Fender guitar, signed by every member of Jubilee, will be given away to the winner at the Booth Brothers’ concert! For rafﬂe info, visit our website or call 612-281-2849.

Cedar Valley Church 8600 Bloomington Ave. S., Bloomington (now with reserved seating!)

For tickets, call 651-638-6333 or visit www.musicforthemaster.com Artist’s Circle: $30 | Reserved Seating: $25 At-the-door: $30 | Groups of 10+: $20

Bring a can of food to donate to Manna Pantry, a local food shelf in the Twin Cities.

March-April 2015 | REFRESHED

outtakes

Sean Astin (‘The Goonies,’ ‘The Lord of the Rings’, ‘Rudy’) is one of several major Hollywood actors in ‘Do You Believe?’

‘God’s Not Dead’ makers release ‘Do You Believe?’ by MICHAEL FOUST What’s the best evangelistic movie ever? By that, I mean the best film that has, at its core, the Gospel—and one that makes the message of Christ the film’s theme. I have a new nomination, and it comes out in theaters March 20. The film is called “Do You Believe?” and it follows the lives of a dozen people as they face their own unique challenges in life and must decide what they believe about God— and then what they’re going to do about it. Written by the same team that wrote the 2014 surprise hit “God’s Not Dead,” it is also released by the same studio, Pure Flix. “Do You Believe?” is a dramatically different type of movie than “God’s Not Dead”—

different theme, different direction—but many moviegoers will walk away saying it’s a better movie. I know I did—so much so that I watched it twice. “The massive success of ‘God’s Not Dead’ proved that audiences want to rally together with their friends and family to see movies that will edify them on compelling issues,” said producer David A.R. White of Pure Flix. “With ‘Do You Believe?’ we wanted to create a film whose message will encourage, but at the same time convict, audiences concerning one of the most critical faith questions they will ever be asked.” It has a cast with several well-known actors and actresses, including Golden Globe winner Cybill Shepherd (“Moonlighting”) and Screen Actors Guild winner Sean Astin

(“The Lord of The Rings,” “Rudy”), along with former pro football player Brian Bosworth and Lee Majors (“The Six Million Dollar Man,” “The Fall Guy”). It’s fast-paced and well-produced, boasts solid acting and has an amazing musical score. The first third and final third of the movie are particularly impressive, with an ending that has enough surprises that you won’t be making any bathroom runs. It’s a movie made for non-Christians and Christians alike. It forces non-Christians to ask “Do I believe?” but also urges Christians to consider: You believe, but what will you now do? Like “God’s Not Dead,” it has a few of those “that-would-never-happen-in-reallife” moments, but it is, after all, a movie. “Do You Believe?” succeeds in part because we all can relate to at least some aspect of it. It follows a young couple struggling with infertility, an elderly couple coping with the loss of a child, a woman and her daughter who are homeless, a gang member who feels convicted about his actions, a soldier suffering from PTSD, a teen mom who has been abandoned, a middleaged man who is battling cancer, a young woman contemplating suicide, and a married physician and attorney who are both arrogant workaholics. Their lives intersect and they must all deal with the same question that a street preacher presents at the beginning: Do you believe? The majority of critics, no doubt, will trash it, partially because it is more overtly evangelistic than any successful faithbased theatrical movie in recent history. But I’m guessing moviegoers will like it. This is a movie the church should get behind. It’s inspiring, convicting and simply amazing. Circle March 20 on your calendar … and go see it. Learn more at DoYouBelieve.com. Michael Foust is an editor and writer who reviews films and blogs about parenting at MichaelFoust.com.

REFRESHED | March-April 2015

community news

Fighting human trafficking

MOUNDS VIEW — Bethlehem Baptist Church and WAR International (Women at Risk) will host the seminar AntiTrafficking 101 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 21 at Bethlehem’s North campus. The seminar will explore local implications and how citizens can help combat the epidemic. Featured experts include officials with Homeland Security, police officers, human trafficking survivors, and the president of WAR. The $30 registration fee includes lunch and materials. The church is located at 5151 Program Ave. Learn more at www.warinternational. org or call (616) 855-0796.

See the ad on page 31 of this issue of Refreshed for information on how to order. For more information, call (763) 4733730 or (763) 231-2983. The Minnesota Prayer Breakfast will hold its 55th annual event from 7 to 8:30 a.m. May 14 at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Minneapolis. Workshops offered

following the breakfast will run from 9 to 10:15 a.m. Christian leaders from across the state are expected to attend this morning of prayer and fellowship. The cost is $300 for a table of 10. Learn more at www.minnesotaprayer. org.

Benefit breakfast for More Than Music

MINNEAPOLIS — More Than Music will present its Hope for the Hurting Breakfast Benefit on May 9. The ministry sponsors free concerts in correctional facilities, juvenile detention centers, and chemical dependency centers. More Than Music also hosts large-scale benefit concerts for partner nonprofits, raising thousands to further their work. Over the past five years, More Than Music has produced more than 75 free concerts, raising in excess of $110,000 for a variety of worthy causes. Learn more at www.morethanmusicinc.com or call (651) 226-8268.

Prayer breakfasts scheduled

MINNEAPOLIS — To commemorate the 64th annual National Day of Prayer on the first Thursday of May, two prayer breakfasts are scheduled for the Twin Cities. The West Metro National Day of Prayer Breakfast will be held on Thursday, May 7, at the Medina Entertainment Center. This 18th annual event will feature former U of M and NFL football player Ben Utecht whose inspiring story was told in a Refreshed magazine cover feature in August 2014. Utecht will also sing. Worship will be led by Tonia Hughes and Pastor Carol Skjegstad of Calvary Lutheran Church will be the emcee. Tickets are $20 ($25 after April 20). March-April 2015 | REFRESHED

community news

C.S. Lewis play gets 2-day run

MINNEAPOLIS — The Fellowship for the Performing Arts presents C.S. Lewis’ “The Great Divorce” for two shows only on April 24 and 25 at the Pantages Theatre. The production is traveling to several locations across the country, including Salt Lake City, Seattle, Chicago, Milwaukee and Grand Rapids. “‘Showcased in an imaginative stage design that transforms the world of the play from bleak and dark to lush and beautiful, ‘The Great Divorce’ takes audiences on a fabulous bus ride from a suburb in Hell to a celestial new world on the outskirts of Heaven,” the troupe’s website says. Based in New York, the Fellowship for the Performing Arts is known for its traveling production of C.S. Lewis’ “The Screwtape Letters.” Ticket prices range from $29 to $89.

Chancellors Quartet

The theater is located at 710 Hennepin Road. Learn more at www.greatdivorceonstage.com.

Student Day at the Capitol

ST. PAUL — Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life is hosting its Student Day at the Capitol beginning at 8:30 a.m. March 10. The event is designed to provide students in grades seven to 12 with unique pro-life experiences by meeting with state legislators. The event runs through 3 p.m. The cost is $10 and includes lunch. The contingent will meet at the Kelly Inn, 161 St. Anthony Ave. Learn more at www.mccl.org or call (612) 825-6831.

Radio station has new name

EAGAN — Long-time Christian radio station KKMS has changed its name to AM 980 The Mission. Station executives said the name change better reflects the station’s vision. The format—which features pastors, Bible teachers, family-focused ministries, and local programming—will remain the same. “By now identifying ourselves as AM 980 The Mission, our hope is to give our very loyal listeners a very clear understanding of what we are trying to accomplish as a radio station and for the body of Christ in the Twin Cities,” said Nic Anderson, general manager of Salem

Communications Twin Cities. The station does so, he said, by sharing the gospel, supporting local pastors and leaders and providing resources to the Christian community. “It’s our mission to find new and local Christian leaders to be the next generation voices in sharing the Good News onair,” he added. The name change came just a week before Love Worth Finding Ministries announced that AM 980 The Mission had received its Radio Station of the Year for 2014. The award was presented in late February at the annual National Religious Broadcasters Convention. Learn more at www.am980themission.com.

Easter Prayer Vigil set

ST. PAUL — Pro-Life Action Ministries will host a Good Friday Vigil from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 3 at St. Paul Health Center, a local Planned Parenthood clinic. Fifteen area pastors of various denominations will lead the reading of Scripture and prayers every half-hour throughout the day. There will be free parking off-site and free shuttle service provided. According to organizers, the vigil is the largest in the nation. The Vandalia Street clinic, they said, is the country’s third largest abortion provider. The clinic is located at 671 Vandalia St. Learn more at www.plam.org or call (651) 771-1500.

The Ophoven Family Saturday, April 11, 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Richﬁeld Middle School Auditorium 7461 Oliver Ave. S., Richﬁeld Also Sing-Alongs and Live Music from the Gospel Opry Band Free admission | Freewill offering

MinnesotaGospelOpry.com 612.361.9912 See website for more concerts

REFRESHED | March-April 2015

Master’s Voice in concert Sunday, April 26th – 10:00 a.m. & 3:00 p.m. Crowne Pointe Church 7121 Bloomington Ave. So. Richﬁeld, MN Email/Call for free tickets: nchallmissouri@aol.com, 952-431-1949 Dr. John B. Krans, Pastor – 952-334-0444

community news

Christian Arts Festival

EAGAN — The Trinity School at River Ridge Christian Arts Festival, themed In the Beginning: Reflections on Creation, will be held April 16-18. The three-day festival will include a juried Fine Art Exhibition Gallery featuring original artworks from Twin Cities professional, advanced, and college-level artists. Included also will be a series of public events, lectures and workshops for all ages at no charge. Greg Wolfe, publisher of Image Journal and author of Beauty Will Save the World, will serve as keynote speaker and as a judge for the Festival. Trinity School is located at 601 River Ridge Parkway. Learn more at www.tsrrarts.com.

Assessing missions in China

ARDEN HILLS — Transform Minnesota will hold the seminar “Christianity,

the Church and Missions in China” from noon to 1:30 p.m. March 10 at North Heights Lutheran Church. The session is designed to filter through all of the stories of great persecution while tempering it with signs of growth and openness. The discussion will cover the varied regions and people groups encompassed in this vast nation. Panelists will include Joann Pittman, senior associate with China Source, which engages the Christian community with critical knowledge for collaborating with and serving the Chinese church and society. The event is sponsored by TCAMP, a leadership network for pastors, field workers, agency leaders, donors and volunteers who have an interest in global and cross-cultural missions. The group meets every other month. The May 14 meeting at Cross of Glory

Church in Hopkins will explore what is happening in Europe. Learn more at transformmn.org and click on the programs link or send an email to tcamp@transformmn.org

Missions re-imagined

ROSEVILLE — One Hope and Substance Church will host the Reimagine Mission Workshop on March 17 at the church. The workshop, designed for church leadership, is meant to stimulate participants’ understanding of missions while presenting practical tools to re-imagine global and local mission programs. Facilitators aim to provide connecting opportunities with other leaders while helping to refine and sharpen vision and mission strategy. The church is located at 2776 Cleveland Ave N. For more information, call Substance Church at (651) 340-5511.

THE PRODUCERS OF THE HIT THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS PRESENT

with

Larry Randolph

Kris Vallotton

April 24-25, 2015

For Women Only Location: North Heights Church

2 SHOWS ONLY!

“RECOMMENDED!” WASHINGTON POST

“BEST BET!”

DALLAS MORNING NEWS

1700 Hwy 96 W • Arden Hills, MN 55112 Cost: Before April 10, $60/person After April 10, on-site registration only: $70/person Details and online registration:

Arise! Women • AriseWomen.org

A mesmerizing theatrical adaptation of the C. S. Lewis fantasy classic. APR 24-25 s Pantages Theatre, Minneapolis

800.982.2787 s CSLewisOnStage.com March-April 2015 | REFRESHED

events calendar

MAR 7 • SATURDAY

12007 Excelsior Blvd., Minnetonka • (612) 866-8970, (651) 649-4525

Cello & Piano Concert with Hong Wang & Herbert Johnson, 7:30pm. Benson Great hall, Bethel University, 3900 Bethel Drive, St. Paul. Free • (651) 638-6380, bethel.edu/events/arts/ music/2015/hong-wang-cello-herbert-johnson-piano

MAR 14 • SATURDAY Singles Prayer Brunch, 10:30am. Perkins. Free admission, meals extra. By International Healing & Restoration Ministries • (763) 742-7687, mmmgroup.org

MAR 8 • SUNDAY

MAR 17 • TUESDAY

Melange a Trois, 2pm. Professor of piano Stephen Self, hornist Melissa Morey & violinist Cara Wilson present a program of Brahms, Ewazen & others. Benson Great Hall, Bethel University, 3900 Bethel Drive, St. Paul • (651) 638-6380, bethel.edu/events

Reimagine Mission workshop, One Hope and Substance Church, 2776 Cleveland Ave. N., Roseville • (651) 340-5511

MAR 9 • MONDAY Supporting Russian-Speaking Women. Whether you are in need of support, encouragement for yourself or God is using you to reach into the life of another woman who is hurting. Come and learn what it means to be victorious in Jesus Christ. 6pm. 4741 Zealand Ave. N, New Hope. Free • (763) 971-5118 MCCL Student Day at the Capitol, 8:30am. Provide students in grades 7-12 with unique pro-life experience of the state government. Kelly Inn, 161 Saint Anthony Ave., St. Paul. $10 includes lunch. By Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life • (612) 825-6831, mccl.org/student-day-at-the-capitol.html

Celebrate Recovery, 6:30pm. Come be supported in your own recovery, and learn how to support others. Frontier East Side Equipping Center, 1139 Payne Ave., St. Paul. Free • (651) 2310286, celebraterecovery.com

MAR 18 • WEDNESDAY “How Do Photographs Form Us?” – Photography & Community Building (How to Build a Community with a Camera) Workshop. 1-3pm. The Intersection Art Studio, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. $10 • unitedseminary.edu/event/?eventid=124 Celebrate Recovery, 6:30pm. Come be supported in your own recovery, and learn how to support others. Frontier East Side Equipping Center, 1139 Payne Ave., St. Paul. Free • (651) 2310286, celebraterecovery.com

Pre-Marital Counseling, 6pm. Workshops: Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage & Singleness. 515 Farrington St., St. Paul. Free. By Int’l Healing & Restoration Ministries • (760) 544-7700

MAR 11 • WEDNESDAY Celebrate Recovery, 6:30pm. Come be supported in your own recovery, and learn how to support others. Frontier East Side Equipping Center, 1139 Payne Ave., St. Paul. Free • (651) 2310286, celebraterecovery.com “How Do Photographs Form Us?” – Visual Literacy (False Images: Engaging the Media) Workshop. 1-3pm. The Intersection Art Studio, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. $10 • unitedseminary.edu/event/?eventid=124

MARCH 13 • FRIDAY

Mission Possible, Friday 7-9pm, Worship Time/Preaching & Saturday 12noon-3pm, Teaching/Service/Community Outreach). Amazing Grace Assembly of God, 1237 Earl St., St. Paul • (651) 408-5124, (704) 493-4171

MAR 28 • SATURDAY Love Ran Red Tour with Chris Tomlin. Target Center, Mpls • (678) 366-9192, sixstepsrecords.com, targetcenter.com

MAR 31 • TUESDAY

Bethel Women’s Choral Concert, 7:30pm. Benson Great Hall, Bethel University, 3900 Bethel Drive, St. Paul. Free • (651) 638-6380, bethel.edu/events/arts/music/2015/bethel-womenschorale-home-concert

MAR 22 • SUNDAY

APR 1 • WEDNESDAY

Hope Sunday Evening Concert Series presents The Tune Jerks in concert, 5:15pm. Hope Christian Church, 4911 Hodgson Rd., Shoreview. $5-7 • (651) 486-6202, hopmn.com/Concert.htm

Supporting Russian-Speaking Women. Whether you are in need of

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Services every Saturday 10 AM to about 11:15 AM We meet at Emmaus Lutheran Church, 8443 2nd Ave. South, Bloomington, MN Call 952-432-7490 or visit our website for more information: graceseventhdaybaptist.org

Come celebrate Christ on Sabbath Grace is a branch church of Dodge Center 7th Day Baptist and the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference, Janesville, WI

REFRESHED | March-April 2015

MAR 27-28 • FRI-SAT

Anti-Trafficking 101 workshop, 9am-4:30pm, Bethlehem Baptist Church North Campus, 5151 Program Ave., Mounds View. $30. Hosted by WAR (Women at Risk) Int’l. • (616) 855-0796, warinternational.org

A Baptist Church with a Difference!

Pastors & Church Leaders Forum: Addressing current trends in missions, 11am. Bethany Global University, 6820 Auto Club, Bloomington. $45 • bethanyinternational.org/events

MAR 21 • SATURDAY

Grace Seventh Day Baptist Church We are small but ready to grow UÊ/À>` Ì > ÊÜ ÀÃ «ÊÃiÀÛ ViÃ UÊ i ÜÃ «Ê i> Ê>vÌiÀÊi>V ÊÃiÀÛ Vi

MAR 26-27 • THU-FRI

Pre-Marital Counseling, 6pm. Workshops: Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage & Singleness. 515 Farrington St., St. Paul. Free. By Int’l Healing & Restoration Ministries • (760) 544-7700

MAR 23 • MONDAY

Single Christian Fellowship potluck (bring dish to share), volleyball, games, speaker. 6:30pm, Faith Presbyterian Church,

MAR 25 • WEDNESDAY

Mat Kearney with Parachute and Judah & the Lion, 7pm. State Theatre, Mpls. By First Avenue • (612) 339-7007, first-avenue. com/event/2015/03/matkearney

“That Wonder Boy,” The Music Box Theatre, 1407 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis • (612) 874-1100, musicboxmpls.com

Talk Tuesdays “Theatre & Social Change” with Sarah Bellamy speaking, 1-2:30pm. The Intersection Art Studio, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities • unitedseminary.edu

Pre-Marital Counseling, 6pm. Workshops: Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage & Singleness. 515 Farrington St., St. Paul. Free. By Int’l Healing & Restoration Ministries • (760) 544-7700 “How Do Photographs Form Us?” – Chalk Talk Workshop. 1-3pm. The Intersection Art Studio, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. $10 • unitedseminary.edu/event/?eventid=124

MAR 17-APR 5

“Christianity, the Church and Missions in China” seminar, 121:30pm, North Heights Lutheran Church, 1700 W. Hwy 96, Arden Hills. By Transform Minnesota • www.transformmn.org.

MAR 24 • TUESDAY

Pre-Marital Counseling, 6pm. Workshops: Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage & Singleness. 515 Farrington St., St. Paul. Free. By Int’l Healing & Restoration Ministries • (760) 544-7700

Twin Cities Creation Science Assoc. Seminar “Geologic Records: Do They Support the Bible” with David Mikkelson speaking, University of Northwestern, 3003 North Snelling, Roseville, MN Totino Fine Arts Center, Room F2128 • tccsa.tc

MAR 10 • TUESDAY

support, encouragement for yourself or God is using you to reach into the life of another woman who is hurting. Come and learn what it means to be victorious in Jesus Christ. 6pm. 4741 Zealand Ave. N, New Hope. Free • (763) 971-5118

APR 4 • SATURDAY Power Encounter with Jesus, a Passover Healing and Deliverance Crusade, 6pm, Richfield Education Center, 7001 Elliot Ave. S., Richfield. By Resurrection Power Church Int’l. • (952) 881-2405, resurrectionpowerchurch.org

APR 7 • TUESDAY Pre-Marital Counseling, 6pm. Workshops: Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage & Singleness. 515 Farrington St., St. Paul. Free. By Int’l Healing & Restoration Ministries • (760) 544-7700

APR 8 • WEDNESDAY Celebrate Recovery, 6:30pm. Come be supported in your own recovery, and learn how to support others. Frontier East Side Equipping Center, 1139 Payne Ave., St. Paul. Free • (651) 2310286, celebraterecovery.com

APR 11 • SATURDAY Singles Prayer Brunch, 10:30am. Perkins. Free admission, meals extra. By International Healing & Restoration Ministries • (763) 742-7687, mmmgroup.org

events calendar

MN Gospel Opry with Chancellors Quartet & the Ophoven Family, 7:30pm. Richfield Middle School Auditorium, 7461 Oliver Ave. S, Richfield. Free-will offering â&#x20AC;˘ (612) 361-9912, MinnesotaGospelOpry.com

APR 13 â&#x20AC;˘ MONDAY Supporting Russian-Speaking Women. Whether you are in need of support, encouragement for yourself or God is using you to reach into the life of another woman who is hurting. Come and learn what it means to be victorious in Jesus Christ. 6pm. 4741 Zealand Ave. N, New Hope. Free â&#x20AC;˘Â (763) 971-5118

APR 14 â&#x20AC;˘ TUESDAY Pre-Marital Counseling, 6pm. Workshops: Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage & Singleness. 515 Farrington St., St. Paul. Free. By Intâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;l Healing & Restoration Ministries â&#x20AC;˘ (760) 544-7700

APR 15 â&#x20AC;˘ WEDNESDAY Celebrate Recovery, 6:30pm. Come be supported in your own recovery, and learn how to support others. Frontier East Side Equipping Center, 1139 Payne Ave., St. Paul. Free â&#x20AC;˘ (651) 2310286, celebraterecovery.com

APR 16-18 â&#x20AC;˘ THU-SAT The Trinity School at River Ridge Christian Arts Festival with Greg Wolfe, exhibit juror & keynote speaker. The festival will open with an artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; reception & include a series of public events, lectures & workshops â&#x20AC;˘ tsrrarts.com

APR 17 â&#x20AC;˘ FRIDAY A night of music and comedy with Mark Lowry & The Martins with Stan Whitmire, 7:30pm. New Hope Church, 4225 Gettysburg Ave. N, New Hope â&#x20AC;˘ Tickets: www.trinitycommunications.org, (260) 484-1029

APR 18 â&#x20AC;˘ SATURDAY The Booth Brothers in concert, 6pm. Cedar Valley Church, 8600 Bloomington Ave. S, Bloomington. $20-$30, bring a can of food to donate to Manna Pantry â&#x20AC;˘ (651) 638-6333, musicforthemaster. com

Hwy 96, Arden Hills. $60. By Arise! Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ministry â&#x20AC;˘Â (763) 3233414, arisewomen.org Twin Cities Quartet Convention, featuring Chancellors Quartet, Sweetwater Revival, Living River Quartet, Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Voice, Still Water, 4 His Love, Higher Power Quartet, Shoal Creek Revival Quartet, Higher Call Quartet and the Garms Family, Discover Church, 14300 W. Burnsville Pkwy., Burnsville. $20-$35 â&#x20AC;˘ (952) 736-2500

APR 26 â&#x20AC;˘ SUNDAY Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Voice in concert, 3pm. Crowne Pointe Church, 7121 Bloomington Ave. S, Richfield. Free â&#x20AC;˘ (952) 431-1949, nchallmissouri@aol.com

0286, celebraterecovery.com

MAY 5 â&#x20AC;˘ TUESDAY Pre-Marital Counseling, 6pm. Workshops: Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage & Singleness. 515 Farrington St., St. Paul. Free. By Intâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;l Healing & Restoration Ministries â&#x20AC;˘ (760) 544-7700

MAY 6 â&#x20AC;˘ WEDNESDAY Celebrate Recovery, 6:30pm. Come be supported in your own recovery, and learn how to support others. Frontier East Side Equipping Center, 1139 Payne Ave., St. Paul. Free â&#x20AC;˘ (651) 2310286, celebraterecovery.com

MAY 7 â&#x20AC;˘ THURSDAY

APR 27 â&#x20AC;˘ MONDAY

National Day of Prayer

Supporting Russian-Speaking Women. Whether you are in need of support, encouragement for yourself or God is using you to reach into the life of another woman who is hurting. Come and learn what it means to be victorious in Jesus Christ. 6pm. 4741 Zealand Ave. N, New Hope. Free â&#x20AC;˘Â (763) 971-5118

West Metro National Day of Prayer Breakfast, 6-8am, Medina Entertainment Center, featuring Ben Utecht with music by Tonia Hughes. $20 ($25 after Apr 20) â&#x20AC;˘ (763) 473-3730, (763) 2312983, cskjegstad@calvary.org

APR 28 â&#x20AC;˘ TUESDAY

New LIfe Family Services presents its annual Birth Mother Dinner, 6pm. Calvary Church, Roseville â&#x20AC;˘Â nlfs.org

Pre-Marital Counseling, 6pm. Workshops: Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage & Singleness. 515 Farrington St., St. Paul. Free. By Intâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;l Healing & Restoration Ministries â&#x20AC;˘ (760) 544-7700

MAY 8 â&#x20AC;˘ FRIDAY

APR 29 â&#x20AC;˘ WEDNESDAY Celebrate Recovery, 6:30pm. Come be supported in your own recovery, and learn how to support others. Frontier East Side Equipping Center, 1139 Payne Ave., St. Paul. Free â&#x20AC;˘ (651) 231-

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER Join prayer warriors from the Twin Cities area for the 18th annual

West Metro National Day of Prayer Breakfast 6JWTUFC[ /C[ VJ r C O Keynote Speaker:

APR 21 â&#x20AC;˘ TUESDAY

former U of MN and NFL football player

Twin Cities Creation Science Assoc. Seminar â&#x20AC;&#x153;Khirbet Qeiyafaâ&#x20AC;? with Dr. Clyde Billington speaking, University of Northwestern, 3003 North Snelling, Roseville, MN Totino Fine Arts Center, Room F2128 â&#x20AC;˘ tccsa.tc

APR 22 â&#x20AC;˘ WEDNESDAY Celebrate Recovery, 6:30pm. Come be supported in your own recovery, and learn how to support others. Frontier East Side Equipping Center, 1139 Payne Ave., St. Paul. Free â&#x20AC;˘ (651) 2310286, celebraterecovery.com

APR 24-25 â&#x20AC;˘ FRI-SAT C.S. Lewisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; The Great Divorce, Fri., 8pm, Sat. 4pm, Pantages Theatre, 710 Hennepin Rd., Mpls â&#x20AC;˘ greatdivorceonstage.com Mission Possible, Friday 7-9pm, Worship Time/Preaching & Saturday 12noon-3pm, Teaching/Service/Community Outreach). Amazing Grace Assembly of God, 1237 Earl St., St. Paul â&#x20AC;˘Â (651) 408-5124, (704) 493-4171 â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Great Exchangeâ&#x20AC;? Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Conference with Larry Randolph & Kris Vallotton speaking, 2pm. North Heights Church, 1700 W

For more events and community news, please visit www.refreshedtwincities.com.

64th OBSERVANCE

Compassion Intâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;l presents â&#x20AC;&#x153;You Amaze Usâ&#x20AC;? Tour with Selah & Point of Grace in concert, 7pm. Hmong American Alliance Church, 2515 Maplewood Dr., Maplewood â&#x20AC;˘ (651) 270-3492, www. facebook.com/musicchanginglivesministry Pre-Marital Counseling, 6pm. Workshops: Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage & Singleness. 515 Farrington St., St. Paul. Free. By Intâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;l Healing & Restoration Ministries â&#x20AC;˘ (760) 544-7700

EVENTS ONLINE

Medina Entertainment Center

Ben Utecht

Worship Music:

Tonia Hughes & Friends

Ben was a star player at the U of MN and a tight end for the 2006 Super Bowlwinning Indianapolis Colts. Today, Utecht Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x192; > ÂŤĂ&#x20AC;Â&#x153;Â?Â&#x2C6;w V Ă&#x192;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}iĂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x2030;Ă&#x192;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x152;iĂ&#x20AC; >Â&#x2DC;` > leader in advancing public understanding of neurologic disease. Come and hear his amazing story of perseverance and faith.

Emcee: Pastor Carol Skjegstad

Individual Tickets $20 ($25 after April 20th or at the door) RESERVATIONS APPRECIATED

At the 2014 gathering, we had 40 West Metro churches in attendance. If you or your church would like more information or to reserve a table, please download a registration form from www.calvary.org/ndop. Tables of 8 or 14 available for assigned seating. Full payment and all names must be mailed in one envelope. Tickets WILL NOT be mailed. Receive table assignments the morning of the breakfast.

Send names and checks payable to: Calvary Lutheran Church Attn: Pastor Carol, West Metro NDOP 7520 Golden Valley Road, Golden Valley, MN 55427

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plugged in DOUG TROUTEN

Jesus could have come during the digital age and asked his disciples to “follow” him on Twitter.

The technology of education Isaac Asimov’s short story “The Fun They Had” imagines a future where children are surprised to learn that classes were once taught by humans, rather than by computers. Technology hasn’t yet succeeded in replacing the human teacher, but it isn’t for lack of trying. Thomas Edison believed his film projectors would make schools “so attractive that a big army with swords and guns couldn’t keep boys and girls out of it. You’ll have to lick ‘em to keep ‘em away.” Edison’s views on corporal punishment of students notwithstanding, his optimism has proven unfounded. Edison wasn’t alone in believing that new communication technology would elevate the masses. A surprising number of technological breakthroughs have been heralded as the dawn of a new golden age of education. As early as 1855 education reformers were gushing over the potential of a new device which “appeals at once to the eye and ear and naturally forms the habit of attention, which is so difficult to form by the study of books.” The tech in question was a blackboard and chalk. The dawn of the radio age featured such programs as “School of the Air” and “College of the Air.” Advocates for educational radio promised it would “help students to be intelligent about important events ... it will ultimately be used as a substitute for certain teacher instruction.” Similarly, early television advocates were convinced that it would “not be simply a luxury entertainment service. Its educational potential is unlimited. It will be the most powerful communication tools of them all.” Broadcasting was seen as the key to elevating the masses by bringing culture into the living room. Of course, it turned out that what the masses really wanted in their living room was car chases and

REFRESHED | March-April 2015

gunfights. It turns out that you can lead a horse to culture, but you can’t make it think. Today, we believe the computer will revolutionize education. Computing pioneer Seymour Papert predicted that computer technology “will enable us to so modify the learning environment outside the classrooms that much if not all the knowledge schools presently try to teach with such pain and expense and such limited success will be learned, as the child d learns to talk, painlessly, successfully, and without organized instruction.” We haven’t reached Papert’s dream eam of an effortless learnning environment that surrounds us each day. But computers are boosting education in a variety of ways. Today’s online tools supplement the traditional classroom, offering opportunities for instruction and interaction between scheduled meetings. Computers in classrooms make it easy for students to take notes and work on assignments (when they can tear themselves away from Facebook). For some, face-to-face classes are being replaced with online classes, and while this is often done for reasons that center on convenience and cost, research suggests that online learning can be just as effective for motivated students. Of course, online learning comes in many flavors, and the most effective online education still includes plenty of individual interaction with a teacher. Sure, some schools are experimenting with “Massive Open Online Courses” which let students take a course with no

cost – and no teacher interaction. But so far the results are not encouraging. (For starters, about 90 percent of students who sign up for a MOOC never finish it.) The first truly powerful educational technology may have been Gutenberg’s printing press, which led to rising literacy, educational reform and widespread sharing of knowledge, eventually fueling the Renaissance and Reformation. And I suppose the last powerful educational technology would theoretically involve neuroscientists realizing the scifi dream of hacking the brain, and learning a language or skill becomes as easy as downloading a file. Until then, effective learning is likely to involve a h human teacher. Perhaps that’s how we’re designed. After all, God could have sent his son during the golden age of broadcasting. Christ’s message could have been shared over radio and television. Or Jesus could have come during the digital age and asked his disciples to “follow” him on Twitter. But the teacher who brought us the most important lessons of all did it in an age of speaking, reading and writing. All the technology in the world can’t replace the power of a human teacher investing in the lives of students. Dr. Doug Trouten teaches in the communication department at the University of Northwestern – St. Paul.

marriage matters COLETTE & JONATHAN STUART

Finding intimacy in marriage I have a confession to make. I watch reality television. You might also find it interesting that I watch it with my husband. This weekly ritual is not because we want to keep up with people whose last name begins with a “K” or because we fancy “C” list celebrities. The reality television show that has captured our attention for an hour a week is a show about non-celebrity status individuals who willingly want to surrender their single status to six experts to select a compatible spouse for them. These volunteer applicants decide to trust their spousal match to relationship professionals and psychological assessments, and viewers watch as their marriage unfolds. At the end of the season, as statistics predict, not all the couples make it. Out of thousands of applicants, six people are chosen and the first time the paired couples meet is at the altar with loved ones present to witness. The show, “Married at First Sight” has provided some interesting and strange entry points for us to have conversation about. We cringe,

easy. The journey deeper with your spouse is important because it builds intimacy. And intimacy in marriage is vital for growth and for creating a more satisfying and lasting marriage relationship. Intimacy is such an integral part of a healthy relationship. For some, the immediate association of intimacy is sex. Once, while leading a marriage workshop, we asked people to respond to a statement about intimacy and realized that there were two distinct and different interpretations of the word. It seemed that half the group thought “sex” (we’ll let you wonder what gender that half was), while the other half thought “emotional connection.” Intimacy is complex. In part, it is the physical, but it is also (and some might argue, more) about the emotional, spiritual connection. This past year, I realized that part of the connection I was missing was spiritual. If I’m not “feeling it” emotionally, mentally and spiritually, our marriage is not “feeling it” physically. Last year, I needed to figure out new ways of being deliberate about my soul care. “Above all, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:3). I wanted something different. I did not have the time or energy for a book club, and desired something more than a traditional Bible study. I was seeking a new and different entry point into nurturing my spirit and I was longing for a refreshed and deeper connection with my spouse. Both my mother-in-law and a close friend had studied spiritual direction and I became curious about it. This past year, Jonathan and I have been deliberate about scheduling time on our calendar to tend to this part of our personal

The journey deeper with your spouse is important because it builds intimacy. laugh and sometimes even cry (disclaimer - only I cry) as we watch these couples navigate newlywed life together. Issues of communication differences and conflict have provided openings for us to talk about “us.” It has never been easy for us to, out of the blue, sit down and engage in deep couple talk: “So how do you think we’re doing?” For us, these conversations don’t typically happen unless things are not going well. And the conversation might begin with less of a question and more of a statement of what the other perceives as “not so useful or helpful behavior” with a slight hint of accusation. Eventually we get there, but it’s not always smooth or

lives, individually and sometimes together. In order for us to dream together, we need to be present and attend to our spiritual development and what it means for us as individuals as well as in our marriage. There is so much noise in my life, and creating space to be, to listen and to tend to my soul care has made a difference in my ability to be intimate with my spouse. Are you satisfied with your level of intimacy in your marriage? Do you need a new entry point to reconnect with your spouse?

Resources

• www.theurbanretreat.info/Marriage Retreats — The Urban Retreat provides retreat experiences that foster personal and spiritual development in individuals and teams. • For more information about spiritual direction contact: Susan Stuart, Spiritual Director email: st.stuart@ comcast.net • www.sweetencouragement.com — The world needs more encouragement. Send greetings, with a side of chocolate.

Correction

In last month’s article, the authorship of the book, “The Five Love Languages,” should have been credited to Gary D. Chapman.

Jonathan Stuart, Ph.D., is a faculty member in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system. He specializes in training and mediation services. Colette Campbell, M.A., is an adjunct faculty member, speaker/consultant and coach. She offers workshops on connecting to your calling, working with differences, and workingbetter2gether. Learn more at www.workingbetter2gether.com. March-April 2015 | REFRESHED

here’s to good health WENDIE PETT

The key to success…PRACTICE! Whether it’s losing weight, running a marathon or a 10K, or keeping fit, some of us won’t complete our resolutions. Statistics show that many fail within the first month. So what happens to us that we get so frustrated and just want to give up? Why does the New Year’s Day motivation run out of steam? What gets us to the point of thinking everything is futile? First comes shame, then guilt, which results in auto-pilot eating or grazing, which paralyzes our drive, which leads to inaction. Misery loves company—and sometimes a doughnut. Before you know it, more time has crept by and another broken promise and poor choice has stolen your hope of accomplishing the resolution you were longing to achieve. People tend to give into failure. The problem is often that the expectations were too high. The approach was not sustainable. We can’t get where we want to go from where we are; we have to go somewhere else first. Also, resolutions tend to be fly-bynight. More intentional planning turns the fantasy (better health and mobility, more stamina, increased enjoyment of life)into reality. Plans to reach a goal are laid out in phases, or one small goal at a time. It’s intentional daily action that gets you to your destination. No one loses 20 pounds overnight or runs a marathon after one day of training. You have to give yourself a chance to succeed. You have to give yourself a reason to make those intentional action steps over and over and over. You must dig deep and know why you must reach your goal.

up in the process! Instead of saying you want to lose 20 pounds, what if you just decided to “exercise every day, no matter what”? Even if it’s only for 10-15 minutes. You might not shed a ton of weight at once, but if you kept up the habit, you’d start seeing the results you desired—eventually. Or instead of weighing every day and letting your self-esteem rise and fall with the numbers, just put it aside for now and pay attention to how your jeans fit will better and your muffin top will soon disappear—eventually. Focus on how your body feels and what your measurements are, rather than on the number you see on the scale. To help your frame of mind and change your focus, go through your closet and purge those clothes that continually tease you saying, “You will never wear me again.” Honestly, when you get down to that size again should you be wearing that miniskirt? You keep it because it seems like an incentive, but perhaps you should tell yourself that when you return to that size you’ve earned some new clothes. It’s nice to have incentive, but make it realistic-and age-appropriate. There are two operative words here: Practice and eventually. The typical goal-setting mindset tends to focus on the outcome with little to no regard for the process of getting there. It’s like saying that you want to run the Boston Marathon but you forget the months of the agonizing training and trials that you have to complete. Long-term commitment will bring the results you want to see. I promise!

Practice daily disciplines

The 20-Mile March

Practice what works for you and don’t compare the outcome to others. Measure the process, not the outcome. The cure to any unhealthy habit shows

REFRESHED | March-April 2015

In his book “Great by Choice,” author Jim Collins tells the stories of two explorers wanting to be the first to visit the South Pole. One plans on everything

going more or less according to his expectations, and when things don’t, it sets him back. The other, however, decides to march 20 miles every day, no matter what. The first explorer blames everything but himself (including the weather) for his failure. He and his team do, in fact, reach the South Pole, but sadly they all die on the return voyage home. The second explorer not only succeeds in reaching Antarctica first, but he lives to tell the tale. There’s a lot to be learned from this regarding our approach to achieving our goals. Don’t set over-ambitious goals or choose unrealistic targets. Instead, map out what you want to accomplish and what it will take to get there. Add consistency to your schedule and practice what works. Again…what matters is the process, the practice and the hope of getting to your goal — eventually.

A few ‘must haves’ for success…

Right attitude: “I am doing something positive for myself today.” Right process (for you): “Here’s what I will do every day.” Scheduled time: Eventually you will achieve your goals if you stick with it! Make YOU an important appointment on your calendar daily. NO EXCUSES! Don’t forget to celebrate small victories along the way, even if it’s only one pound or one-fourth of a mile. Each step forward is progress! Celebrate the journey. Wendie Pett is a nationally-renowned fitness expert and coach, mother, TV host, speaker, author and creator of the Visibly Fit™ exercise program. Learn more at

www.wendiepett.com.

at the table YIA VANG

The world’s best coffee We’ve all been to coffee shops with the sign that says “World’s Best Coffee.” How can a place claim that title? What makes it the best? It has to be the coffee beans. To find the world’s best coffee, you have to travel to Indonesia. There is a coffee bean there called Kopi Luwak. These coffee beans can retail up to $700 per kilogram (about 2.2 lbs). True coffee connoisseurs would say this coffee has a deep rich taste that cannot be imitated. The smooth, dark roast is unlike nlike any other. But what makes these coffee offee beans so special that it would cost about bout a weeks’ salary for a kilogram? It’s the he way the beans are processed. In the jungles of Indonesia, there is a cat-like animal called the Asian palm civet, also called the toddy cat. These civets eat coffee berries as partt of their diet, and as the berries travel through their system, their intestines free the amino acids in the beans. The civet expels the beans in the natural order of things, and and then harvesters collect them from the feces, clean roast them, and package them.

The harvester

The job of the harvester is to trek through the jungle, find the droppings of the toddy cat and pick the beans out of it. The beans are cleaned off, dried and then roasted. The harvester must literally go into the dirt and wade through the fecal matter to extract the beans. This job is not easy but it has to be done, because the value of the beans is so prized. Similarly, I think of the Great Harvester who came down as a man and rubbed shoulders with sinners and “dirty” people. To show his love for his

people, he died for them. “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you are saved” (Ephesians 2:4).

The process

Many coffee drinkers who have tried Kopi Luwak coffee say that the taste is like no other coffee. Some consider this

coffee the purest and the truest coffee taste. For some coffee drinkers, though, they can’t get the image of where the coffee bean comes from out of their minds. But to make this great cup of coffee, the beans must go through a process. It starts with the harvesting of the beans from the fecal matter of a wild cat and goes on to their cleaning and roasting. If we do an introspective look at ourselves, we find that we come from a similar place. It was in sin that we lived, and it was God in his great love that came and rescued us. Through Jesus’ death on the cross we were saved, and because of this salvation we continue to go through a sanctification process.

Love like no other

“Among whom we ALL lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the

desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath” (Eph 2:3). We have ALL lived in the passions of our flesh. We have all sinned and fallen. It doesn’t matter how “good” we think we are. Because of our sins, to God we are no better than the fecal matter that comes out of the wild cats. The main words that shake up everything is “but God.” This small phrase has changed the destiny of mankind. Because we “were by nature children of wrath….” That means that because of our sins, we were doomed to death. Then like a tiny dim light in the vast darkness or like a small whisper in the midst of a loud clamor comes this phrase “but God.” This phrase is just the beginning and then eventually the floodgates open like the flash of an atomic bomb. “Being rich in mercy,” “because of the great love,” “made us alive,” “by grace you ARE saved.” These words ring loud as the anthem of our salvation. Because of his grace we’ve been saved from being “children of wrath.” Romans 8:1 states it clearly: “There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Because of Christ’s action, and through him, we are free from death. We no longer live under the curse of death. We’re renewed and changed. The love that He has for us is like no other. Yia Vang graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with a BS in Communication Studies. Shortly after, he went on staff with Cru. He is currently the Lead Kitchen Ministry Coordinator for Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. March-April 2015 | REFRESHED

sharp focus JASON SHARP

Life is better with Jesus As the station manager of KTIS, I often have a front row seat to view the work of God in the lives of those who listen. I received one email recently from Linda who told me about their family emergency. Her husband of 35 years was rushed to the hospital for triple bypass surgery. She called it the “most difficult time she has ever had in her life” yet she continued to cry out to Jesus for healing and support. I recall another impactful letter from Ben who shared that God had called his daughter home just a few days after she was born. As you can imagine, their family was devastated and wondered why God would “take our child so quickly.” As time

REFRESHED | March-April 2015

goes on, and they adjust to their new normal, Ben shared that the Lord continues to work in their lives providing them the assurance that they will indeed see their little girl again. He also reminds them that they are not alone and that He is with them. And there was Jennifer, a 15-year cancer survivor. Imagine her trepidation when her doctor confirmed that he had found a new lump. After mammograms, ultrasounds, and biopsies, she shared the great news, “I don’t have cancer!” Jennifer walked through the situation with confidence that God was with her every step of the way. Life is not easier with Jesus. It’s also not more convenient, pain free, happy, financially rewarding, perfect, comfortable, or 75 and sunny. But, living your life with Jesus is better. I have passion for basketball so I’ve been coaching my son’s 7th grade team this year. I find great joy and satisfaction (and sometimes frustration!) in developing boys as they learn the basics and fundamentals of the sport. When my son hits a three-pointer as the buzzer sounds for halftime, he runs over to me sitting on the bench and gives me a fist bump as we quietly celebrate. (It’s apparently “not cool” to embrace your dad on the sidelines). Carson knows and understands that I will feel his joy for a job well done. In the good times, Dad smiles and says, “Enjoy the moment, my son.” Then, when the game is on the line and my son turns the ball over or misses a free throw, he looks my way, wondering how I will respond. I don’t do him any favors by being disappointed. Instead, a quick handclap and words of encouragement are all that he needs. He knows the circumstances, as do I, and my son is aware that his father is on the sidelines saying, “Hang in there, Bud, we’ll get through this.” God is the same way with you. But He loves you more (times infinity) than any

earthly father could. If you are going through a difficult time today, know that you are not alone! The Bible is full of encouragement for you: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4). “But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many” (2 Corinthians 1: 9-11). “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Please never forget that your Father, your heavenly Father, is not only on the sidelines giving you the necessary coaching that you need through His word, He’s also available to come in the game with you – if you ask. If you’d like to find out more about what it means to begin a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, please call me directly at 651-631-5045 or email me at jason@myktis.com. Life is better with Jesus. Jason Sharp is station manager of 98.5 KTIS in the Twin Cities. Follow him on Twitter @ KTISjason.

It’s taken much reflection, confession, determination, and unlearning of old habits.

purposeful parenting JIM JACKSON

It’s not always about the kids Me: “Nate, thank you for telling me all this information, but what you told me doesn’t help Ethan understand that you feel wronged. Nate, look at Ethan (he was still playing football with another friend) and tell me — who has the problem?” Nate: “I do. I have the problem and I am mad… and Ethan… he is having fun outside.” (That made Nate even more upset!) Me: “I agree. Then tell Ethan the problem.” Nate: “See! You don’t care!” Me: “Oh no, I do care very much, but I don’t have the problem with you and you don’t have the problem with me.” Nate: “Ethan won’t care.” Me: (Smiling) “I bet you a chocolate that Ethan will care.” Nate: “Okay.” Nate got Ethan’s attention and they walked away to talk privately. Three minutes later I went out and found the boys smiling, arm in arm. Even though I won the bet I tossed Nate a chocolate to emphasize the “win” in this for everyone. Me: “Looks like I owe you a chocolate.”

“Knock it off! Stop it! Get over here, NOW!” These are familiar phrases for most parents. When kids act up we get frustrated. We get demanding and even disrespectful. Kids may comply with our demands in the short run, but over the long haul they learn from our example to be frustrated, demanding, and disrespectful when they’re not getting their way. Dustin was becoming this kind of parent. He saw where it was leading and knew he wanted to walk a different road. Determined to become a different kind of dad, he immersed himself in a new way of thinking. Where once his primary goal was quick fixes and parental control, he developed the new primary goal to come alongside his kids as a model of God’s grace and guidance. It’s been hard work and it’s far from finished. But this recent report from Dustin shows the results: My two elementary school-aged boys, Nate and Ethan,* were playing football in the backyard. Nate got mad at Ethan and came to me to tell about it in great detail. Here’s the conversation that followed:

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Nate tossed back the chocolate with a HUGE grin. Nate: “No you don’t!” I threw the chocolate back anyway as if to say, “Way to work things out on your own!” Me: “Enjoy the chocolate, boys.” I walked back inside, and the boys ended up having a great day playing together. At face value this result may seem overly simple or too good to be true. You might think, “That would never happen with my kids.” A year ago Dustin would have said the same thing! Only recently has he fairly consistently seen his kids more respectfully manage their own relationships and responsibilities. However, the biggest change so far is Dustin. He’s a new dad. It’s taken much reflection, confession, determination, and unlearning of old habits. But he knew that with a vision for being a coach, not a controller, he could slowly disciple his kids toward maturity. His newfound skills are evident in his report. If you want results like Dustin’s, it takes the same depth of commitment that he made. This is not about “fixing” our kids, it’s about becoming the parent you want to be. Of course the irony is that as you become this new parent, your kids will slowly change too. Parents who tenaciously focus on their own growth gain deep respect from their kids and increased influence in their kids’ lives. *names changed Jim Jackson is the cofounder of Connected Families, author, speaker and parent mentor. Learn more at www. connectedfamilies.org. March-April 2015 | REFRESHED

that’s life! JOANNE BROKAW

Do you have a receipt for that? I know that receipt is around here someplace. When we left the furniture store, darling husband told me to put it someplace safe, which I did. Except now I can’t remember where that safe place is. The receipt is for six bookshelves purchased when we cleaned and reorganized my office last summer (“cleaned and reorganized” being a euphemism for “moved everything around so that now I can’t find anything.”) It’s time to do our taxes, and the IRS says that in order to write off the shelves as an office expense I need to provide proof of the purchase. Well, duh. The shelves are right there in the office. I can even take a picture and submit it with my tax return, if they’d like. And while I can’t prove exactly how much I paid for them, I’m

REFRESHED | March-April 2015

pretty sure each shelf was $45, because frankly they’re not worth any more than that. Does the IRS really think I’m going to try and take a deduction for something I can’t prove I actually bought, or claim to have overpaid for some cheap furniture? I’m not a liar, and I take offense to that challenge of my skills as a female American shopper. And while we’re at it, why do I need to prove that I purchased shelves that I can see and touch, but I don’t have to prove things like mileage? Sure, I keep a record of where I went and how many miles I drove, but that doesn’t actually prove, for example, that six times last year I met my editor for lunch, or that we talked about anything work-related. I mean, I did meet my editor for lunch and we did talk about work, but I don’t have to provide a dated note from the barista or a transcript of the conversation, right? I just add up all the miles I drove and give Joe the Accountant the figure. He taps his adding machine and comes up with a deduction amount. He doesn’t ask me where I went or what I did while I was there or if anyone can prove my whereabouts on the afternoon of Oct. 15, 2014. (Although, maybe in the event of an audit, the FBI will be called in and I’ll be forced to back up my story with evidence. Note to self: Have barista sign my mileage report.) And you’re not even allowed to write off important things. If I ran the IRS, I’d allow writers to take deductions for any mood enhancing products used to treat writers’ block. Things like coffee or tea, chocolate, ice cream, anything

with whipped cream, red toenail polish, and sessions in the tanning booth. I have to keep track of receipts and papers for both my writing expenses and our personal household expenses, and that can be overwhelming. Fortunately, I have help from darling husband. One year, when he asked what he could do to help, I handed him a folder and said, “Can you make sure everything we need for our tax appointment is there?” A few minutes later, he handed me back the folder and said, “I don’t know how to do this, so I did the best I could.” When we got to our appointment, I opened the folder and found envelopes from the bank and mortgage company, along with random pieces of what turned out to be junk mail. I don’t blame him. Half the time, I don’t even know what we need in order to do our taxes. I just hand over any mail we’ve gotten in the last few months marked “Important Tax Information” and cross my fingers that it’s what the accountant needs. If I want to get my taxes done on time this year, I really need to find that stupid receipt for the shelves. The good news is that, thanks to my obsession with all things paper, it’s probably still around here. Although I wonder if the IRS would believe me if I said the cat ate it. I can offer a hairball as proof. Award-winning freelance writer Joanne Brokaw spends her days dreaming of things she’d like to do but probably never will— like swimming with dolphins, cleaning the attic and someday overcoming the trauma of elementary school picture day. She lives with two dogs, a cat, six chickens and one very patient husband. Learn more at www.joannebrokaw.com.

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March-April 2015 | REFRESHED

REFRESHED | March-April 2015