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![Living Light News - November/December 20152
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by Lailani Mendoza
Beneath the interior designer’s smart, confident
and polished exterior was a worn-out soul who
felt ashamed, disappointed and lost. With a failed
marriage, two young kids to support, and a past
she wasn’t proud of, Susan Jaramillo thought she
had long missed the boat.
“I became a master disguiser,” she tells Living
Light News. “I learned to put a smile on my face so
people didn’t know what was going on.”
Jaramillo grew up without a father, and this void
led her to look for love in the wrong places.
“I remember going to my mom from a young age
and asking her ‘Who is my dad? Where is he?’ ” she
recalls. “She would just get angry and tell me it was
none of my business. I never understood that.”
Wanting acceptance, Jaramillo said yes to things
she now regrets. She smoked her first cigarette in
fifth grade, got drunk on Jack and Coke in eighth
grade, and experimented with drugs in high school.
Her desire to find a father figure affected how
she handled relationships. “By the time I was
14, I gave myself sexually to someone not really
realizing the implications.”
When the relationship ended, she felt tarnished
and confused. Yet Jaramillo continued to give
herself away in subsequent relationships hoping
to find the one person who could love her
unconditionally.
But no matter how many partners she was with,
the emptiness and longing for acceptance remained.
In her junior year of college, she faced the inevitable.
“I was dating this guy, and I became pregnant.
I didn’t know what to do,” she says. “I had two
friends who had abortions, and so I automatically
thought abortion was the solution. I called an
abortion facility out of state. And they said ‘Oh
it’s not that big of a deal. You can just come here,
terminate your pregnancy and you can go back to
your life like nothing ever happened.’ ”
Believing this was her only choice, Jaramillo got an
abortion. Over four years, she had three abortions.
“I thought that would solve my ‘problem’ but
all it did was make more problems in my life,”
she explains. “It turned to more promiscuous
relationships. It turned to more drugs and alcohol
to try to soothe the pain because I didn’t want to
deal with reality.”
Still, she persevered. Jaramillo found a job before
graduation and set out to make a name for herself.
Her hard work paid off. She moved up the corporate
ladder, designing for wealthy clients and earning a
six-figure income. Yet something was lacking.
“Through my self-reliance, I had achieved so
much; but at the same time, it wasn’t enough to fill
the empty and broken places in my life.”
Finding herself pregnant again, she married the
child’s father. In 1998, she gave birth to a baby boy.
Two years later came a baby girl. While all she wanted
was the proverbial happy family with the white picket
fence, it didn’t go as planned. After five and a half
years, Jaramillo’s marriage ended in divorce.
This was how the 35-year-old found herself at a
mentoring conference in 2007. The speaker said
something that caught her attention.
“Where Satan has hit you hardest is your area of
ministry,” she said.
“Wow,” Jaramillo thought. “How will [God] ever
use me?” In time she would find out.
“I heard these women talk about this God who
was full of love and forgiveness, someone I’ve
never heard in that context before,” says Jaramillo,
who had the notion that God was “condemning
and full of rules.”
“I struggled in always feeling that I always
had to be perfect – and I could
never be perfect. I don’t think I
quite grasped the concept that
God is forgiving and loves me
unconditionally.”
This revelation motivated
her to know more about Him.
Jaramillo reached out to a
lady from the conference who
prayed for her. That day she
surrendered her life to Jesus
Christ.
“I said to the Lord ‘I give You
all of my life. I give You every
area that I struggle in.’ At that
moment God changed my life.
And I’ve never been the same since.”
Three years later, while
applying for a replacement
social security card, Jaramillo
received the information
she’d been seeking all
her life – her father’s
name. With the help
of friends, she traced
his home and met with
him, hoping to get
answers. Unfortunately,
he wasn’t willing to
divulge anything.
Dejected, Jaramillo
went to her mom who
revealed her secret: she
was conceived in rape.
“She had filled out
the paperwork for
adoption for me, but
when they came to
get me, she couldn’t
do it. She kept me.”
Jaramillo later
attended a nine-
week post-abortion Bible study through If Not For
Grace Ministries, which helped her forgive herself
and process the traumas of her past.
“It was through that Bible study that God had
a deeper healing for me,” she shares. “Now I take
others through that Bible study to encourage them
and show them God’s love and healing for them.”
“God forgives. Not that abortion is okay, because
it’s not, but through that healing, you receive the
truth and you’re set free from that place of guilt
and shame.”
Now at 43, Jaramillo is in full-time ministry
sharing her story while offering encouragement and
assistance to women who deal with the trauma of
abortion. After a trip to Uganda in 2012, Jaramillo
has become a board member of the pro-life youth
ministry called The Remnant Generation.
In 2014, she shared her experiences
in her book How God Rewrote My
Heart. Currently finishing her
Doctorate of Ministry, Jaramillo
is publishing her research study
on the effects of abortion.
She wants women to know
there is healing in Jesus
Christ – even after abortion.
“It wasn’t until God got
a hold of me and started
teaching me His word
and His love as a father
… that I would be
fulfilled in Him,” she
shares. “No person can
ever fill the void and
hole in your life. Only
God can do that.”
“You’re set free from
guilt and shame.”
photobyJillBruss,courtesyHighBridgeBooks
Abortions
ABortions
Led to Her Calling
How
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NewsbriefsNewsbriefs
Hat Trick And Humility Running Back’s Rock
BERKSHIRE, UK – The
Great British Bake Off’s
Martha Collison recently
baked up a storm to help
raise money for Tearfund’s
“No Child Taken” campaign.
Twenty-three delectable
recipes and 21 hours later,
the bakeathon wrapped up
with over £3,600 (or over
$5,500) raised on Oct.
18th, also known as Anti-
Slavery Day. The next day,
Collison tweeted to her over
40,000 Twitter followers a
photo of herself holding a
sign: “£7,250. 201 children
protected.” A year after
winning people’s hearts in
BBC’s hit reality cooking
show, the 18-year-old has
been maximizing her time
while finishing her A level
exams (British equivalent
to GED). In partnership
with Tearfund, a Christian
humanitarian organization,
the Berkshire baker travelled
to Cambodia and Thailand to
learn about the consequences
of sex trafficking and to lead
a workshop that teaches
girls how to bake to earn a
living. Collison also had the
rare opportunity of baking
with the Archbishop of
Canterbury, teaching him
how to make toffee pudding.
A devout Christian (“It’s
such a big part of my life
that I couldn’t hide it and I
wouldn’t want to”), Collison
is grateful that God has
given her a unique platform
to share her faith and is
enjoying opportunities
to help others. “I can’t
even describe my last 12
months. It’s just been so
unexpected and so exciting.
Every day I just wake up
and I think, I can’t believe
this is my life now … to be
given all this at this age.”
DENVER, CO – Spencer
Nee was raised in a loving
home, graduated from college
and even owned a business.
But when Nee’s business
venture failed, he turned
to alcohol to deal with his
issues. “I was self-medicating
a lot of holes in my life,” he
told Guideposts. “[Alcohol]
just slowly started to rule
my life.” His vice spiralled
out of control and he became
homeless. One morning, he
woke up beside a dumpster
with trash liquid dripping
onto his clothes. In this
moment of desperation, he
cried out to God, “If You’re
out there, I need some help.
I have nowhere else to turn.”
Reaching out to his estranged
parents, Nee was connected
with Providence Network,
a Denver-based Christian
organization, where his path
tosobrietybegan.“Ultimately,
it was my relationship with
Jesus Christ … and the Holy
Spirit’s guidance is really
what changed me and made
me go on to live seven years
and counting sober,” he
said. Now an ER nurse, Nee
recently completed a 4,000-
mile bike ride across America
raising a total of $55,000
for Providence Network’s
recovery home for homeless
youth. He also plans to
make a documentary of the
trip to share his personal
transformation. For details,
visit bridgetobridgeride.com.
Flying High With Faith
Hero Of The Homeless
Journey To Sobriety
TORONTO, ON – After
almost two decades of
playing in the Majors,
RA Dickey knows how
unpredictable a career in
baseball can be – not unlike
his signature knuckleball
pitch. Since being drafted
in 1996, the starting pitcher
for the Toronto Blue Jays
has experienced some
unbelievable highs in his
career (winning the Cy
Young Award in 2012 and
the AL Pitchers Gold Glove
Award in 2013) as well
as some devastating lows
(discovery of a missing a
ligament in his throwing
arm that led to a huge pay
cut from Texas Rangers). So
when his current team went
through the recent emotional
rollercoaster of almost
making it to the World Series,
Dickey may have been
disappointed, but he certainly
wasn’t fazed. Besides his
years of experience (at 40,
Dickey’s the oldest player
in MLB history to play in
the postseason), Dickey
has learned the best way to
deal with the pressure is to
rest in God. “At the end of
the day, whether in word or
deed, I’m working as if I’m
working unto the Lord,”
he told 100 Huntley Street.
“So ultimately, that’s who I
answer to.And if I can lay my
head on the pillow at night
knowing that I did that, then
I’llbeokay.Icankeepgoing.”
Baker’s Blessings
PITTSBURGH, PA – Dr.
Jim Withers used to rub dirt
in his hair and unwashed
jeans before heading out
at night into the streets of
Pittsburgh. His purpose? To
look for homeless people
needing medical care and
give them the help they need
right where they are. With
the aid of a former homeless
man, Withers learned street
etiquette and earned the trust
of his unlikely clientele over
the years. “Healthcare is
about wholeness and healing.
It’s ministry,” Withers tells
Presbyterian Today. “It’s a
way of connecting to other
people in the way that Jesus
did.” For 23 years, Withers
has been serving his homeless
patients right where they are
– making house calls under
bridges, in alleys, and along
riverbanks. In 1992, the
doctor’s outreach became
Operation Safety Net, the
first full-time, street-based
medical program in the
U.S. that connects homeless
individuals with resources
for ongoing medical care,
housing, legal services and
other social services. Since
1992, the organization
has assisted over 10,000
individuals and helped over
1,200 find housing. Withers
also trains medical interns
in street medicine, some of
whom have started their own
outreach for the homeless.
“My hope is that I am a
representative of Christ’s love
to the world,” he says. For
his tireless work in serving
the homeless, Dr. Withers is
nominated as one of the 2015
Top 10 finalists of CNN’s
Hero of theYear award.Voting
continues until Nov. 15th,
with a ceremony and tribute
to all finalists on Dec. 6th.
DUNCAN, SC – Marcus
Lattimore was a force to be
reckoned with. As a South
Carolina Gamecocks running
back, he was three-time
All-SEC selection in South
Carolina and helped lead
the team to their first SEC
championship game in 2010.
However, a series of injuries
– including a major knee
injury in 2012 – robbed him
of the ability to compete at
the pro level. Despite being
drafted by the San Francisco
49ers, Lattimore never fully
recovered from the injury and
retired after two seasons in
November 2014. “I have given
my heart and soul to the game
that I love,” said Lattimore,
“and it’s time for me to move
on to the next chapter of my
life and help others.” True to
his word, the 23-year-old is
reinventing himself a year
after retiring. He now runs
football camps and his own
foundation that helps high
school athletes gain access
to quality rehab for sports-
related injuries. He credits his
faith in God for this dramatic
recovery. “I grew up in church,
but I wasn’t a Christian until
I was about 19. And when
Jesus Christ came into my
life, it was the best thing that
ever happened to me because
I had a constant. I had a rock,
you know, that I could always
lean on,” he told WYFF News.
“When I retired from the NFL,
I knew He had a plan for me.”
LONDON, UK – South
Africa’s Bryan Habana
recently tied the All Time
Rugby World Cup top try-
scorer record, but there are
no airs about him. Scoring
15 tries in the 2007, 2011
and 2015 World Cups,
the South African winger
equalled the legendary Jonah
Lomu’s record. However, the
humble Christian rejected
comparisons between him and
the All Black wunderkind. “I
said in 2007, I don’t think
I can ever be compared to
Jonah,” Habana told ESPN
UK. “The way he changed
the game, you know he was
a class act. He did it in two
tournaments; it’s taken me
three. He became the first
global superstar the game
ever produced and I have
an unbelievable amount of
respect for him.” The 32-
year-old’s humility extends
to his lifestyle. As part of
Vuka Rugby, a program
that mentors youth through
sports, Habana visits Cape
Town’s slums to play rugby
with the youth. He considers
his athletic status a blessing
and hopes to make the most
of it. “It’s so humbling I’ve
been able to do something
with my God-given talent, to
do something I love and to do
it with teammates you have
formed a special bond with
andtodoitforacountrywhere
rugby gives us so much back,
it is a massive privilege.”](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/d7341517-695d-43de-91ea-eb1136aa6575-170110223242/85/LLN-NovDec-2015-3-320.jpg)
![Living Light News - November/December 20158
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by Crystal Kupper
Unlike his childhood, Jason Avant’s hands are sure and
steady.
No longer the abandoned little boy from Chicago’s rough
South Side, the 32-year-old darts downfield for the Kansas
City Chiefs, cradling the football gently. He knows if not for
his grandmother, those hands could just as easily be gripping
a gun.
“Growing up in Chicago was rough by nature,” Avant tells
Living Light News. “I’ve seen drive-by shootings, my cousins
pulled off the street and shot up. I’ve had cars chasing after
me, rival gangs running at my car.”
With a runaway mother and an in-and-out-of-jail father,
Avant seemed destined to repeat his family’s tragic history. By
sixth grade, he was selling drugs, even as he saw friends and
family members end up either in prison or the cemetery.
“I realize I shouldn’t be here,” the 6-0, 210-pound wide
receiver admits. “You don’t hear me complain much. [My
past] gives me a different grittiness on the inside.”
Avant’s only bright spot was his Grandma Lillie. Time with
her meant a hefty dose of love, kindness and Jesus, and
Avant, desperate for stability, soaked it up.
Then again, he immersed himself on the football field, too.
Buoyed by Lillie’s faith and ever-present love, Avant ranked
as one of Illinois’ best wideouts and played in the prestigious
Army All-American Bowl his senior year of high school.
From there, he headed to the University of Michigan, where
he caught 82 passes for more than 1,000 yards his final
collegiate season. Next came Philadelphia after the Eagles
chose him in the fourth round of the 2006 draft.
With Chicago still fresh in his mind, Avant put in the
work, increasing his receptions in each of his first seven NFL
seasons. Before signing with the Chiefs in 2014, he snagged
over 50 receptions between 2010 and 2012 for the Eagles.
And even though he’s not a rookie anymore, his coachable
attitude and work ethic still define him.
“He can be a blocker, pass-receiver and he gives us a
multitude of skills that we can take advantage of as an
offense,” says Chiefs’ offensive coordinator Doug Pederson.
Going the extra mile is how Avant wants to be known. If
the ghetto taught him anything, it was that life can be given
and taken away in a heartbeat, and the only thing people can
control is their response.
“I work really hard at what I do. Harder than most maybe,
and I’m not always rewarded for it,” he says. “That’s why I
constantly remember who I’m doing it for. My joy is not just
on the football field.”
Nope, it’s at home in Clemonton, N.J., with his wife
Stacy of six years, and daughters Jala and Amya. It’s most
importantly in a relationship that began 18 months before his
grandmother passed.
On May 4, 2003, Avant headed to church as usual, but
this Sunday morning was different. The college kid recalled
time after time when he should have been killed,
kicked out or discarded. Yet there he stood,
his entire future before him, and he
suddenly knew why: God had protected
and loved him, even when the
rest of the world hadn’t.
“The Bible says the goodness of the Lord leads to
repentance. Well, I found His goodness and mercy my entire
life,” Avant says.
“I remember my grandma praying over me at night that the
streets wouldn’t get me. I saw His hand of mercy; when I did
wrong, He would not condemn me or write me off. Finally I
said, I really surrender my life to You.”
Life both on and off the field hasn’t been the same since.
His personal relationship with Jesus isn’t just for Sundays,
either; Avant insists he “needs God’s covering to keep
[him] from danger and injury. The game of football is so
dangerous, it’s not something you want to do on your
own volition.”
The up-and-down Chiefs can attest to the parity in the
NFL. “Our goal is always to win the next game, to focus on
one day at a time,” he says. “And my number one goal is to
play as hard as I can for Jesus Christ.”
Avant is convinced God has blessed him to be able to play
10 seasons in the NFL.
But he sees it being about more than just football. Avant
asks what do touchdowns matter when you’re not treating
the stadium janitor just as well as you treat your coach?
“You’re not going to find a better, more tremendous,
humble person in the National Football League than Jason
Avant,” says Pederson.
“If I make the Pro Bowl, that will one day be forgotten,”
says Avant. “As a receiver, I want to be remembered as
someone who played his heart out.
“But I want to be a light and a witness for Christ more than
anything that happens on the football field. My goal is that
when someone mentions me, they mention God.”
photocourtesyKansasCityChiefs
Kansas City Chief’s versatile
wide receiver Jason Avant is
leaving a legacy that will
extend beyond football.
Sports
Ghettoto Gridiron
“I realize
I shouldn’t be here.”
An 11-year-old drug dealer
defies odds and becomes NFL star](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/d7341517-695d-43de-91ea-eb1136aa6575-170110223242/85/LLN-NovDec-2015-8-320.jpg)
LLN NovDec 2015
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- 2. Living Light News- November/December 20152 12736 St. Albert Trail NW Edmonton, AB 780-454-2727 524 Riverbend Square Edmonton, AB 780-488-3456 110, 8005 Emerald Drive Sherwood Park, AB 780-464-2366 G GoldSponsor a r t i s t r y b l i n d s . c o m by Lailani Mendoza Beneath the interior designer’s smart, confident and polished exterior was a worn-out soul who felt ashamed, disappointed and lost. With a failed marriage, two young kids to support, and a past she wasn’t proud of, Susan Jaramillo thought she had long missed the boat. “I became a master disguiser,” she tells Living Light News. “I learned to put a smile on my face so people didn’t know what was going on.” Jaramillo grew up without a father, and this void led her to look for love in the wrong places. “I remember going to my mom from a young age and asking her ‘Who is my dad? Where is he?’ ” she recalls. “She would just get angry and tell me it was none of my business. I never understood that.” Wanting acceptance, Jaramillo said yes to things she now regrets. She smoked her first cigarette in fifth grade, got drunk on Jack and Coke in eighth grade, and experimented with drugs in high school. Her desire to find a father figure affected how she handled relationships. “By the time I was 14, I gave myself sexually to someone not really realizing the implications.” When the relationship ended, she felt tarnished and confused. Yet Jaramillo continued to give herself away in subsequent relationships hoping to find the one person who could love her unconditionally. But no matter how many partners she was with, the emptiness and longing for acceptance remained. In her junior year of college, she faced the inevitable. “I was dating this guy, and I became pregnant. I didn’t know what to do,” she says. “I had two friends who had abortions, and so I automatically thought abortion was the solution. I called an abortion facility out of state. And they said ‘Oh it’s not that big of a deal. You can just come here, terminate your pregnancy and you can go back to your life like nothing ever happened.’ ” Believing this was her only choice, Jaramillo got an abortion. Over four years, she had three abortions. “I thought that would solve my ‘problem’ but all it did was make more problems in my life,” she explains. “It turned to more promiscuous relationships. It turned to more drugs and alcohol to try to soothe the pain because I didn’t want to deal with reality.” Still, she persevered. Jaramillo found a job before graduation and set out to make a name for herself. Her hard work paid off. She moved up the corporate ladder, designing for wealthy clients and earning a six-figure income. Yet something was lacking. “Through my self-reliance, I had achieved so much; but at the same time, it wasn’t enough to fill the empty and broken places in my life.” Finding herself pregnant again, she married the child’s father. In 1998, she gave birth to a baby boy. Two years later came a baby girl. While all she wanted was the proverbial happy family with the white picket fence, it didn’t go as planned. After five and a half years, Jaramillo’s marriage ended in divorce. This was how the 35-year-old found herself at a mentoring conference in 2007. The speaker said something that caught her attention. “Where Satan has hit you hardest is your area of ministry,” she said. “Wow,” Jaramillo thought. “How will [God] ever use me?” In time she would find out. “I heard these women talk about this God who was full of love and forgiveness, someone I’ve never heard in that context before,” says Jaramillo, who had the notion that God was “condemning and full of rules.” “I struggled in always feeling that I always had to be perfect – and I could never be perfect. I don’t think I quite grasped the concept that God is forgiving and loves me unconditionally.” This revelation motivated her to know more about Him. Jaramillo reached out to a lady from the conference who prayed for her. That day she surrendered her life to Jesus Christ. “I said to the Lord ‘I give You all of my life. I give You every area that I struggle in.’ At that moment God changed my life. And I’ve never been the same since.” Three years later, while applying for a replacement social security card, Jaramillo received the information she’d been seeking all her life – her father’s name. With the help of friends, she traced his home and met with him, hoping to get answers. Unfortunately, he wasn’t willing to divulge anything. Dejected, Jaramillo went to her mom who revealed her secret: she was conceived in rape. “She had filled out the paperwork for adoption for me, but when they came to get me, she couldn’t do it. She kept me.” Jaramillo later attended a nine- week post-abortion Bible study through If Not For Grace Ministries, which helped her forgive herself and process the traumas of her past. “It was through that Bible study that God had a deeper healing for me,” she shares. “Now I take others through that Bible study to encourage them and show them God’s love and healing for them.” “God forgives. Not that abortion is okay, because it’s not, but through that healing, you receive the truth and you’re set free from that place of guilt and shame.” Now at 43, Jaramillo is in full-time ministry sharing her story while offering encouragement and assistance to women who deal with the trauma of abortion. After a trip to Uganda in 2012, Jaramillo has become a board member of the pro-life youth ministry called The Remnant Generation. In 2014, she shared her experiences in her book How God Rewrote My Heart. Currently finishing her Doctorate of Ministry, Jaramillo is publishing her research study on the effects of abortion. She wants women to know there is healing in Jesus Christ – even after abortion. “It wasn’t until God got a hold of me and started teaching me His word and His love as a father … that I would be fulfilled in Him,” she shares. “No person can ever fill the void and hole in your life. Only God can do that.” “You’re set free from guilt and shame.” photobyJillBruss,courtesyHighBridgeBooks Abortions ABortions Led to Her Calling How livinglightnews.com Returnundeliverablecopiesto: Living Light News #200,5306-89StreetNW Edmonton,AB,Canada T6E5P9 Telephone:780-468-NEWS(6397) Fax:780-468-6872 Email:shine@livinglightnews.com Publisher:LivingLightMinistries Editor:LailaniMendoza ITManager:KevinSchulthies AdvertisingSales:JeffCaporale Layout/Design: Inspired Creativity Layout/Design: Christian Kanku Layout/Design: Norma Mettry Layout/Design: Genevieve Ongaro Office Volunteer:CarlovanBerkel Office Volunteer:EricRobert Office Volunteer:LindseyPeng DesignVolunteer:TimRicher ITVolunteer:DavidBaudais JournalistVolunteer:BonaZhang PhotographyVolunteer:NoelGranado Living Light News is published six times a year by Living Light Ministries, a non-profit corporation, on a bi-monthly basis. If you have interesting story ideas or helpful news or information which glorifies God, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us by telephone, mail, fax or email. Viewpoints expressed in Living Light News do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the publisher or management. Single and bulk subscriptions are available. Single subscriptions are $16.95 & GST, for one year (six issues). Special two year rate is $26.95 & GST. While some effort is made to screen advertisers, no endorsement by Living Light News is implied nor should it be inferred. All advertising is subject to approval. PublicationMailRegistration Number: 40019361
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Theune Accounting & Income Tax FORT SASKATCHEWAN, AB theunefinancial1@telus.net 780.998.2060 G Gold Sponsor Van Doesburg Law real estate small business law wills & estates JASON VAN DOESBURG BARRISTER & SOLICITOR 10060 - 164 STREET EDMONTON, ALBERTA PH: 780 • 451 • 2661 FAX: 780 • 452 • 1051 E-MAIL: jason@vandoesburglaw.com SSilverSponsor S Silver Sponsor Pam Tycholaz–Re/Max Fort Saskatchewan 780-998-2295 Buying or Selling? Choose Pam for Quality Personalized Service! NewsbriefsNewsbriefs Hat Trick And Humility Running Back’s Rock BERKSHIRE, UK – The Great British Bake Off’s Martha Collison recently baked up a storm to help raise money for Tearfund’s “No Child Taken” campaign. Twenty-three delectable recipes and 21 hours later, the bakeathon wrapped up with over £3,600 (or over $5,500) raised on Oct. 18th, also known as Anti- Slavery Day. The next day, Collison tweeted to her over 40,000 Twitter followers a photo of herself holding a sign: “£7,250. 201 children protected.” A year after winning people’s hearts in BBC’s hit reality cooking show, the 18-year-old has been maximizing her time while finishing her A level exams (British equivalent to GED). In partnership with Tearfund, a Christian humanitarian organization, the Berkshire baker travelled to Cambodia and Thailand to learn about the consequences of sex trafficking and to lead a workshop that teaches girls how to bake to earn a living. Collison also had the rare opportunity of baking with the Archbishop of Canterbury, teaching him how to make toffee pudding. A devout Christian (“It’s such a big part of my life that I couldn’t hide it and I wouldn’t want to”), Collison is grateful that God has given her a unique platform to share her faith and is enjoying opportunities to help others. “I can’t even describe my last 12 months. It’s just been so unexpected and so exciting. Every day I just wake up and I think, I can’t believe this is my life now … to be given all this at this age.” DENVER, CO – Spencer Nee was raised in a loving home, graduated from college and even owned a business. But when Nee’s business venture failed, he turned to alcohol to deal with his issues. “I was self-medicating a lot of holes in my life,” he told Guideposts. “[Alcohol] just slowly started to rule my life.” His vice spiralled out of control and he became homeless. One morning, he woke up beside a dumpster with trash liquid dripping onto his clothes. In this moment of desperation, he cried out to God, “If You’re out there, I need some help. I have nowhere else to turn.” Reaching out to his estranged parents, Nee was connected with Providence Network, a Denver-based Christian organization, where his path tosobrietybegan.“Ultimately, it was my relationship with Jesus Christ … and the Holy Spirit’s guidance is really what changed me and made me go on to live seven years and counting sober,” he said. Now an ER nurse, Nee recently completed a 4,000- mile bike ride across America raising a total of $55,000 for Providence Network’s recovery home for homeless youth. He also plans to make a documentary of the trip to share his personal transformation. For details, visit bridgetobridgeride.com. Flying High With Faith Hero Of The Homeless Journey To Sobriety TORONTO, ON – After almost two decades of playing in the Majors, RA Dickey knows how unpredictable a career in baseball can be – not unlike his signature knuckleball pitch. Since being drafted in 1996, the starting pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays has experienced some unbelievable highs in his career (winning the Cy Young Award in 2012 and the AL Pitchers Gold Glove Award in 2013) as well as some devastating lows (discovery of a missing a ligament in his throwing arm that led to a huge pay cut from Texas Rangers). So when his current team went through the recent emotional rollercoaster of almost making it to the World Series, Dickey may have been disappointed, but he certainly wasn’t fazed. Besides his years of experience (at 40, Dickey’s the oldest player in MLB history to play in the postseason), Dickey has learned the best way to deal with the pressure is to rest in God. “At the end of the day, whether in word or deed, I’m working as if I’m working unto the Lord,” he told 100 Huntley Street. “So ultimately, that’s who I answer to.And if I can lay my head on the pillow at night knowing that I did that, then I’llbeokay.Icankeepgoing.” Baker’s Blessings PITTSBURGH, PA – Dr. Jim Withers used to rub dirt in his hair and unwashed jeans before heading out at night into the streets of Pittsburgh. His purpose? To look for homeless people needing medical care and give them the help they need right where they are. With the aid of a former homeless man, Withers learned street etiquette and earned the trust of his unlikely clientele over the years. “Healthcare is about wholeness and healing. It’s ministry,” Withers tells Presbyterian Today. “It’s a way of connecting to other people in the way that Jesus did.” For 23 years, Withers has been serving his homeless patients right where they are – making house calls under bridges, in alleys, and along riverbanks. In 1992, the doctor’s outreach became Operation Safety Net, the first full-time, street-based medical program in the U.S. that connects homeless individuals with resources for ongoing medical care, housing, legal services and other social services. Since 1992, the organization has assisted over 10,000 individuals and helped over 1,200 find housing. Withers also trains medical interns in street medicine, some of whom have started their own outreach for the homeless. “My hope is that I am a representative of Christ’s love to the world,” he says. For his tireless work in serving the homeless, Dr. Withers is nominated as one of the 2015 Top 10 finalists of CNN’s Hero of theYear award.Voting continues until Nov. 15th, with a ceremony and tribute to all finalists on Dec. 6th. DUNCAN, SC – Marcus Lattimore was a force to be reckoned with. As a South Carolina Gamecocks running back, he was three-time All-SEC selection in South Carolina and helped lead the team to their first SEC championship game in 2010. However, a series of injuries – including a major knee injury in 2012 – robbed him of the ability to compete at the pro level. Despite being drafted by the San Francisco 49ers, Lattimore never fully recovered from the injury and retired after two seasons in November 2014. “I have given my heart and soul to the game that I love,” said Lattimore, “and it’s time for me to move on to the next chapter of my life and help others.” True to his word, the 23-year-old is reinventing himself a year after retiring. He now runs football camps and his own foundation that helps high school athletes gain access to quality rehab for sports- related injuries. He credits his faith in God for this dramatic recovery. “I grew up in church, but I wasn’t a Christian until I was about 19. And when Jesus Christ came into my life, it was the best thing that ever happened to me because I had a constant. I had a rock, you know, that I could always lean on,” he told WYFF News. “When I retired from the NFL, I knew He had a plan for me.” LONDON, UK – South Africa’s Bryan Habana recently tied the All Time Rugby World Cup top try- scorer record, but there are no airs about him. Scoring 15 tries in the 2007, 2011 and 2015 World Cups, the South African winger equalled the legendary Jonah Lomu’s record. However, the humble Christian rejected comparisons between him and the All Black wunderkind. “I said in 2007, I don’t think I can ever be compared to Jonah,” Habana told ESPN UK. “The way he changed the game, you know he was a class act. He did it in two tournaments; it’s taken me three. He became the first global superstar the game ever produced and I have an unbelievable amount of respect for him.” The 32- year-old’s humility extends to his lifestyle. As part of Vuka Rugby, a program that mentors youth through sports, Habana visits Cape Town’s slums to play rugby with the youth. He considers his athletic status a blessing and hopes to make the most of it. “It’s so humbling I’ve been able to do something with my God-given talent, to do something I love and to do it with teammates you have formed a special bond with andtodoitforacountrywhere rugby gives us so much back, it is a massive privilege.”
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We will you assist with registration at the provincial level and at the federal level with the application for your non-profit & charitable status. If you answer “yes” to any of these questions above, then this is your season to launch into the deep. A team of Apostolic Church planters will be in Edmonton on Nov. 13th - 14th (Friday & Saturday) and Dec. 11th – Dec. 12th (Fri. & Sat.) to start a conversation with potential candidates. For more details, please call 1-403-453.0447 or Email: adodzroh@shaw.ca, or info@greater-works.org Do you have an Ephesian 4:11 call of God upon your life? Are you looking for assistance to launch your new church plant in your city? have a zeal for pastoral ministry? by Bona Zhang The words “An Edmonton Christmas” can mean much more than snow tires and frigid river valley strolls. For one church in the city’s southside, it means the opportunity to make the spirit of Christmas accessible to all. An Edmonton Christmas is the product of a vision at SPA for Life to connect with people and share Christmas with the city. The church’s musical, theatrical, and culinary talents combine to create an evening filled with music, celebration, and a free reception of homemade treats. Running from Dec. 11-13 at 7 p.m., with a 3 p.m. matinee show on the Sunday, An Edmonton Christmas is a free event with a seven-year tradition of brightening the community. Pastor Jason Archibald, SPA’s creative arts pastor who birthed the idea and oversees its production, sees the value of celebrating Christmas in this way. “We do this for the community because we think they’re worth it.” Far from being theologically heavy, the concert welcomes people of all faiths and beliefs as Pastor Archibald and his team strive to share the best thing any church has to offer – the Good News of Jesus Christ. “The gospel is about the love of God, and the idea that God is offering what people need,” Archibald explains. For one performer in particular, the love of Christ was exactly what she had been searching for. The eldest daughter of a church leader, Liwa Agcaoili grew up in the Philippines surrounded by the church and the idea of God. But what she did not experience was the love of God. As a child, Agcaoili saw little of her mother, who had to work overseas, and suffered and endured physical and sexual abuse. As a young adult, she moved to Canada to practise nursing, and had hope for a better life. “I fell in love with someone,” Agcaoili shares. “I had no one but him, so I did everything I could to keep him. I quit my job, and I sacrificed my friends. And then he found another girl, and I was left with nothing again. I had nobody.” After this heartbreak, Agcaoili reached her lowest point. Everyone she loved had given her nothing but pain and disappointment, and she contemplated suicide as she asked herself over and over, “Why? Why?” Her rhetorical question received an unexpected answer. Agcaoili’s aunt and uncle invited her to a two-day Christian retreat, and she agreed, not knowing the extent to which her life would be changed because of it. “I remember the first talk that was being given by the pastor,” Agcaoili recalls, “It was called, ‘When Life Sucks,’ and it was about how God never abandons us and is always with us. It was amazing; it was like it was made for me.” Coming home from the retreat, Agcaoili did not experience a dramatic, overnight epiphany. But she began to delve into the Bible to learn about the God she had grown up with but had never truly known. She realized that the source of unconditional, all-satisfying love had been within her reach all along, and that the amazing love of Jesus Christ would never let her down. Working closely with Archibald, Agcaoili is now a passionate choir member and soloist in her church’s music ministry. “It was Pastor Jason who encouraged me to sing my first solo. I surprised myself, I didn’t know I could sing!” Agcaoili says with a laugh, revealing the joyful, spirit-filled woman God intends her to be. Like Archibald, Agcaoili is excited to participate in An Edmonton Christmas and spread the love of Jesus with her community. “My grandfather was a Christian,” she says, “He was bound to a wheelchair, and he prayed everyday. As a child, I laughed at him, saying, ‘If there is a God who listens to your prayers, why are you still in a wheelchair?’ “Now I realize he wasn’t praying for himself, he was praying for us – for his grandkids to become Christians. Before he died last year, he told me that he was so happy because God answered his prayers.” Jason Archibald, SPA’s creative arts pastor, along with choir member Liwa Agcaoili invite people to watch ‘When Love Came Down at Christmas,’ a musical celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. WhenLove CameDownphotobyNoelGranado
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Do you smoke cigarettes? 5. Is your total cholesterol greater than 200mg/dL or higher? 6. Do you have a history of stroke, coronary artery disease or have had a heart attack? 7. Have you been told you have high blood pressure or take blood pressure medication? 8. Are you more than 20% overweight or have a Body Mass Index (BMI) score greater than 26? 9. Do you feel stressed most of the day? 10. Do you get less than 30 minutes of exercise per day or less than 3 hours per week? How did you do? If you answered“Yes” to two or more questions, you could be at risk for heart disease which includes atherosclerosis, heart attack, coronary artery disease, and stroke. Read on to learn how you can lower your risk. Heart disease is at the top of North America’s most serious health problem. Fortunately, it is one of the most preventable diseases. As you probably guessed by taking the quiz, some risk factors are under your control and others are not. For example, uncontrollable risk factors include being male, age, family history of heart disease, and even race (African-Americans and Mexican Americans are more likely to have heart disease than Caucasians). Controllable risk factors, however, include those relating to lifestyle, such as weight, exercise, smoking, and stress and anger. Making changes in your lifestyle is the best way to lower your risk of heart disease. Here are some proven methods to help you lower your risk and improve your health. 1. Know your numbers When you have too much fat (fatty plaque) in your blood, it can clog your arteries and put you at risk for heart disease. Here are four main lipids (fats) that circulate in our blood and their optimal numbers: Total Cholesterol: 200 mg/dL or less is optimal Triglycerides: 150 mg/dL or less is optimal HDL (considered“good”cholesterol, the higher number the better): Between 36-50 mg/dL is normal; above 50 mg/dL is optimal LDL: Less than 100 mg/dL is optimal 2. Snuff out smoking Smokers are at double the risk for heart attack than nonsmokers.There are several aids to help quit smoking, such as the National Lung Association or Smokers Anonymous. 3. Amp up the activity Even moderate activity such as walking or gardening can lower risk of heart disease. Start out small. Group fitness classes, mall walks, work-out videos from the library, or community adult education classes can help you get started. 4. Lose excess weight Even losing 10 percent of body weight can help unburden your heart. Increasing fibre and plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables are helpful with weight loss and lowering cholesterol. Cutting down on processed foods that are high in saturated fats and sugar also go a long way in promoting a heart-healthy diet. Ask your provider to refer you to a dietitian. 5. Release the stress When stress becomes a normal part of the day instead of a rare occurrence, it can affect behaviour that leads to heart disease such as overeating, smoking or high blood pressure. Taking a 10-minute timeout, planning one pleasurable activity into the day, and expressing gratitude on a regular basis reduce stress and increase overall life enjoyment. Living a healthy lifestyle starts in the mind long before it shows up in our behaviour. Break big goals into smaller, bite-size pieces for long- term success.Think of your changes as producing a new, better you. Reward yourself for little successes. And remember, health is wealth. Cindy Maynard PhD, RD, is a health psychologist, registered dietitian and a health and fitness writer. Dr. Maynard is passionate about health and wellness and motivating people towards better health. Visit her website at drcindymaynard.net. Heart Living Light News - November/December 20156
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- 8. Living Light News- November/December 20158 Since 1969 our family-owned business has built, installed, and customized beautiful countertops for Edmonton and area residents. Now offering sinks, faucets, plus plumbing services. Visit our website or spacious showroom today! 780-484-0831 • 10417 - 174 Street • www.pfcustomcountertops.com G GoldSponsor by Crystal Kupper Unlike his childhood, Jason Avant’s hands are sure and steady. No longer the abandoned little boy from Chicago’s rough South Side, the 32-year-old darts downfield for the Kansas City Chiefs, cradling the football gently. He knows if not for his grandmother, those hands could just as easily be gripping a gun. “Growing up in Chicago was rough by nature,” Avant tells Living Light News. “I’ve seen drive-by shootings, my cousins pulled off the street and shot up. I’ve had cars chasing after me, rival gangs running at my car.” With a runaway mother and an in-and-out-of-jail father, Avant seemed destined to repeat his family’s tragic history. By sixth grade, he was selling drugs, even as he saw friends and family members end up either in prison or the cemetery. “I realize I shouldn’t be here,” the 6-0, 210-pound wide receiver admits. “You don’t hear me complain much. [My past] gives me a different grittiness on the inside.” Avant’s only bright spot was his Grandma Lillie. Time with her meant a hefty dose of love, kindness and Jesus, and Avant, desperate for stability, soaked it up. Then again, he immersed himself on the football field, too. Buoyed by Lillie’s faith and ever-present love, Avant ranked as one of Illinois’ best wideouts and played in the prestigious Army All-American Bowl his senior year of high school. From there, he headed to the University of Michigan, where he caught 82 passes for more than 1,000 yards his final collegiate season. Next came Philadelphia after the Eagles chose him in the fourth round of the 2006 draft. With Chicago still fresh in his mind, Avant put in the work, increasing his receptions in each of his first seven NFL seasons. Before signing with the Chiefs in 2014, he snagged over 50 receptions between 2010 and 2012 for the Eagles. And even though he’s not a rookie anymore, his coachable attitude and work ethic still define him. “He can be a blocker, pass-receiver and he gives us a multitude of skills that we can take advantage of as an offense,” says Chiefs’ offensive coordinator Doug Pederson. Going the extra mile is how Avant wants to be known. If the ghetto taught him anything, it was that life can be given and taken away in a heartbeat, and the only thing people can control is their response. “I work really hard at what I do. Harder than most maybe, and I’m not always rewarded for it,” he says. “That’s why I constantly remember who I’m doing it for. My joy is not just on the football field.” Nope, it’s at home in Clemonton, N.J., with his wife Stacy of six years, and daughters Jala and Amya. It’s most importantly in a relationship that began 18 months before his grandmother passed. On May 4, 2003, Avant headed to church as usual, but this Sunday morning was different. The college kid recalled time after time when he should have been killed, kicked out or discarded. Yet there he stood, his entire future before him, and he suddenly knew why: God had protected and loved him, even when the rest of the world hadn’t. “The Bible says the goodness of the Lord leads to repentance. Well, I found His goodness and mercy my entire life,” Avant says. “I remember my grandma praying over me at night that the streets wouldn’t get me. I saw His hand of mercy; when I did wrong, He would not condemn me or write me off. Finally I said, I really surrender my life to You.” Life both on and off the field hasn’t been the same since. His personal relationship with Jesus isn’t just for Sundays, either; Avant insists he “needs God’s covering to keep [him] from danger and injury. The game of football is so dangerous, it’s not something you want to do on your own volition.” The up-and-down Chiefs can attest to the parity in the NFL. “Our goal is always to win the next game, to focus on one day at a time,” he says. “And my number one goal is to play as hard as I can for Jesus Christ.” Avant is convinced God has blessed him to be able to play 10 seasons in the NFL. But he sees it being about more than just football. Avant asks what do touchdowns matter when you’re not treating the stadium janitor just as well as you treat your coach? “You’re not going to find a better, more tremendous, humble person in the National Football League than Jason Avant,” says Pederson. “If I make the Pro Bowl, that will one day be forgotten,” says Avant. “As a receiver, I want to be remembered as someone who played his heart out. “But I want to be a light and a witness for Christ more than anything that happens on the football field. My goal is that when someone mentions me, they mention God.” photocourtesyKansasCityChiefs Kansas City Chief’s versatile wide receiver Jason Avant is leaving a legacy that will extend beyond football. Sports Ghettoto Gridiron “I realize I shouldn’t be here.” An 11-year-old drug dealer defies odds and becomes NFL star
- 9. Living Light News- November/December 2015 9 AlllistingsareinEdmontonunlessotherwiseindicated. The following organizations and individuals are sponsoring copies of this newspaper on behalf of residents in their community! We encourage you to support these organizations with your business and prayers. 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Sharing the Keepforreference! B illionaire, reality TV star, and presidential candidate Donald Trump said that he goes to church and believes in the Bible – but is he a Christian? “People are so shocked when they find … out I am Protestant. I am a Presbyterian. And I go to church and I love God and I love my church,” said the Republican candidate. Millions of people around the world share Trump’s beliefs. You’ll find them in churches every Sunday, and when asked if they believe in God, they won’t hesitate to say yes. At the Family Leadership Summit in Ames, Iowa, Trump’s faith was put into question. When moderator Frank Luntz asked him if he has ever asked God for forgiveness for his actions, Trump replied, “I am not sure I have. I just go on and try to do a better job from there. “I think if I do something wrong, I think, I just try and make it right. I don’t bring God into that picture.” Unfortunately, he is not alone. There are many people who have never asked God for forgiveness for various reasons. Some dismiss it out of arrogance; others believe they don’t need it because they’re a “good person,” or perhaps they just believe they’re beyond forgiveness. People simply don’t realize why asking forgiveness from God is crucial. The Bible says everyone has fallen below God’s standards and missed the mark. It’s called sin – and sin separates us from a holy God in this life and the life to come. Every time you tell a lie, talk behind someone’s back, look at someone lustfully, disrespect your parents – and the list goes on – you are sinning against God. And sin doesn’t just distance you from God, it ultimately leads to death. But there is hope! The Bible tells us that out of His great love, Jesus Christ made a way for people to be forgiven of their sins. He – God Almighty – who was sinless, came to earth and became human to die on the cross and pay the penalty for our sins – past, present and future. On the third day, He conquered death and rose again to reconcile us to God and prepare a place for His followers in Heaven. If you are trying to live a good life, hoping one day that your good works will outweigh your bad and earn your entry to Heaven, you will be in for a big surprise. There’s only one thing you can do in order to make it to Heaven – receive God’s forgiveness while you’re alive. In order to be forgiven, you need to admit that you’ve done some wrong things. The Bible says “If we claim we have not sinned, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9) Trying to do better and trying to make things right are commendable, but these actions do nothing to erase our sin from God’s point of view. Only asking for forgiveness and accepting what Jesus did on your behalf will. A shallow belief in God – the type that acknowledges God’s existence with the head but doesn’t involve the heart – does not allow a person to experience God’s transforming love nor earn anyone a place in heaven. Salvation is about surrendering your life to Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, accepting His forgiveness, and living a life that is pleasing to Him. Have you done this? Do you know where you’ll go when you die? Take a moment to examine yourself honestly because it’s the biggest decision you’ll ever make. Maybe you go to church, read the Bible and believe in God but have always kept Him at arm’s length, or maybe you haven’t considered God before. The good news is that if you’re reading this, it’s not too late. Jesus welcomes anyone with open arms – Donald Trump included – into a personal relationship with Him. And life with Jesus Christ is the best experience you’ll ever have – even better than being elected president. If you’re ready to start this amazing journey with God, pray this prayer from your heart: Dear God, I have heard about You all my life but I feel like I don’t really know You. Please forgive me for my sins and for going my own way. I need You. Please come into my life and change me. Thank You for giving Your Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for my sins. I ask for Your divine guidance and strength as I journey through this life with You from this day forward. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. photobyGageSkidmore/CCBY-SA “If I do something wrong … I just try and make it right. I don’t bring God into that picture.” Is Your Faith Like Donald Trump’s
- 12. Living Light News- November/December 201512 by Elisabeth Handley Lightsaber-fighting kittens, getting sucked through a vacuum and sneezing candy out his nose – all in a day’s work for YouTuber and Vine virtuoso Zach King. But what can you expect from a guy who got his first video camera at age seven? While at Biola University in 2011, King and a friend were sitting around, watching Star Wars, and playing with the friend’s two new kittens. “We started talking about how funny it would be if the kittens were fighting with lightsabers, but figured a video had already been done,” King tells Living Light News. When nothing came up after a Google search, the two started filming right away and had “Jedi Kittens” up on YouTube by the next morning. “We went to class and when we came back, we had a million views,” he says. “We got caught up in the excitement and started learning about what makes videos go viral.” In 2013, King discovered Vine and was intrigued by how to tell a story with a beginning, middle and end in just six seconds. He found special effects were the secret to his success, and discovered yet another fascinating creative outlet. He challenged himself to make one Vine video a day for a month and never looked back. They say the rest is history, but King’s career is just beginning. His social media successes have already led to working with hip-hop star Macklemore, an appearance on the Oscars’ red carpet and the Ellen show, and over 3.2 million followers. And where does he get all his crazy ideas? Everything is based on collaboration with his seven-person crew. Some ideas are spur of the moment, while others take months to plan out and film. All videos start out as storyboards so everyone is on the same page, and which simplifies post-production. “Generally we can make a Vine in a day or two, but sometime it takes several weeks, depending on the complexity,” King says. “The ones that are most popular seem to be the ones we did run-and-gun, you know, make and post right now. Those tend to get shared the most.” Believe it or not, six-second videos can make a person a nice living. It’s all about sponsorships. King has worked with Best Buy, many of the snack food brands you see in his videos like Pringles, and even has a Red Bull line of Vine videos. And that’s good for the newlywed, who has been married for just 10 months to Rachel, now his company’s CFO. They met while students at Biola. “We met at a dance class, but neither of us was interested in a relationship, so we ignored the sparks we were both feeling,” he says. “My sister had different ideas, so she set us up.” The couple is currently filming in London, so they will miss the Streamys event, at which they have been nominated for a Visual and Special Effects award, a momentous achievement for a company that started with two buddies and two duelling kittens. Growing up, King says his parents gave him a home video camera to keep him out of trouble, and his three younger sisters were his actresses. Without editing software, he was making the cuts himself, but evolved to more professional gear and editing software by age 14. And yes, he really did choose a computer over a car. King’s parents are both Christ-followers, and King made the choice to follow Jesus himself at age seven, though he admits to mostly wanting the colouring book offered at Sunday School that was given to new Christians. “When I went home I talked to my Mom and Dad about what it really meant,” he says. Following Jesus can be tough in the film industry, but King says he was advised to write his values down as a college freshman and that has undeniably helped guide him. “I try to stay really strong to those values. No nudity, foul language or adult content,” he says. “We have a very young audience so we are mindful of what we create.” King’s entire crew all believe in Jesus and feel like their work is both a calling and a mission field. “My biggest advice to Christians that feel somehow guilty that they’re not living in a hut doing missions work is to live your everyday life with the realization that you are a missionary in your neighbourhood, your job or your school,” he says. “That’s your mission field – where you are now. We often overlook the neighbour right next to us.” While his videos aren’t focused on featuring Christian themes, King says the credibility he has created online has provided even more opportunities to tell people about his faith in person at speaking engagements. “Everyone wants to know where I get my creativity,” he says. “I tell them I’m inspired by Jesus, the ultimate Creator.” Sights&Sounds “We went to class and when we came back, we had a million views.” FruitOf The Vine virtuouso Zach King shares the secret to his viral six-second videos Vine photobyTheZachKingTeamandStarMaxInc. YouTube
- 13. Living Light News- November/December 2015 13 JORDAN FELIZ Beloved EP jordanfeliz.com Review by Lindsay Williams Jordan Feliz comes out of the gate with a serious dose of experience under his belt. The California-native garnered a loyal West Coast fanbase as part of a mainstream rock band. The singer decided to strike out on his own to Nashville, where he now resides with his wife and newborn daughter. His first EP, Beloved, introduces Feliz as a straightforward faith-based pop artist with production so smooth, one wonders why Feliz’s mainstream tenure went relatively unnoticed. Lead single “The River” outdoes the average pop anthem with its sparkling intensity and pulsating beats. Meanwhile, the passionate pleas of the title track are dedicated to his daughter, reminding her she is unconditionally loved. “Satisfied” slows things down to reveal the calibre of Feliz’s flawless tenor. Although Beloved is technically an EP, it serves up 10 cuts, including four bonus “Song Sessions.” Stripped down versions of the title track and “The River” round out the set, but it’s covers of Ed Sheeran’s “Photograph” and NEEDTOBREATHE’s “Brother,” reimagined as a soulful ballad, that steal the show. BIG DADDY WEAVE Beautiful Offerings bigdaddyweave.com Review by Josh McConnell Big Daddy Weave is one Christian music's biggest groups. Their last album, Love Come To Life, yielded four consecutive No. 1 singles, plus a Dove Award and Billboard Music nominations for “Redeemed,” the band’s bestselling track to date. Their latest release, Beautiful Offerings, feels like a natural progression for the five-man band. While their last album conveyed the forgiveness and redemption found in Jesus Christ, lead vocalist Mike Weaver says this album is about focusing on what we’ve been redeemed for. “It’s a message of hope that calls us out of where we used to be into a new place.” “I Belong To God,” inspired by a young man they met in Cambodia, shows the group’s southern roots. The bright techno beats of “Glory Unspeakable” echo the track’s uplifting message, while the funky beats and guitar-driven melody in “Praise You” encourages believers to worship God in every circumstance. Fans who enjoyed Big Daddy’s past releases will find the same passion behind the lyrics and music in Beautiful Offerings. It’s a tried, tested and true formula, something that many will enjoy. RYAN STEVENSON Fresh Start ryanstevensonmusic.com Review by Lindsay Williams New artist Ryan Stevenson already has an advantage on debut Fresh Start, thanks to a No. 1 single (“Not Forgotten”) ahead of its release and a smash hit recorded by TobyMac (“Speak Life”) – his ace in the hole. In fact, “Speak Life” essentially jumpstarted the former paramedic’s career. He co-wrote the single with the Grammy winner, and that relationship led to a label deal with Toby’s own Gotee Records. On Fresh Start, Toby’s fingerprints are felt on nearly every track, including “Not Forgotten” on which he guests. Funky grooves, pulsating beats and even spoken-word rhymes permeate Stevenson’s debut for a 10-track effort that helps define hip-pop, a sub-genre that Toby’s pioneered. The bright title track sets the tone for the cohesive album with a chorus that feels ready-made for swift choreography. Meanwhile, “From the Ground Up (Bonanza)” pays homage to Stevenson’s small town roots and reveals his prowess as a storyteller. Fans of TobyMac, Mat Kearney and Lecrae should have no trouble seamlessly adding Stevens onto their electronic playlists. TIM TIMMONS Awake Our Souls timtimmonsmusic.com Review by Lindsay Williams Every day is a gift for singer/songwriter/worship leader Tim Timmons, who lives with cancer that remains incurable apart “from the healing hand of God.” On his sophomore offering, Awake Our Souls, Timmons relies on his unique life- and-death perspective and pop/folk melodies to invite listeners into an adventure as he expounds on the abundant joy and grace found in the Kingdom of God. While the record leans more pop than Americana, there are some country-tinged tracks. Foot-stomper “Everywhere I Go” will get stuck in your head for days, while the sassy “Like I’ve Been Changed” takes a retro turn. The depth of the album’s lyrics reveal Timmons’ heart, as evidenced by pop-centric “Spring Up,” with a bridge that shouts, “If I believe it, am I living it out?” Closer “All I Really Want” is enthrallingly poignant, stripped of shiny production and giving Timmons’ low register centerstage. Timmons offers a satisfying set of songs that challenges all to dig deeper into what they believe and why. TREE63 Land tree63.com Review by Josh McConnell Kickstarter is definitely a game-changer for musicians, whether in helping start their career or connecting them with financial resources for a successful indie comeback – as in the case of South African band Tree63. Previously signed with InPop, the band enjoyed success in the North American market before disappearing from the public eye. With more than 300 backers raising just over $20,000, Tree63 effectively funded their return on the music scene through the popular crowdfunding website. Titled Land, the 12-track effort feels like the band has been bottling up new music for some time – seven years to be exact. The first half of the disc comes out swinging with darker, alternative rock influences comparable to the band Muse (“Alive”, “A Whisper”). Meanwhile “Standing On It” has a strong southern twang to it, while “Ship” exhibits a bit of The Police’s musical influence. Although, the final few tracks peter out a little, Land is a welcomed return for Tree63, with a new take on their sound and a ton of potential. JukeBox Providing both Residential and Commercial Service and Renovations in your area with over 30yrs Experience. 780-432-3947www.butlerplumbing.ca Call for a QUOTE today! Providing Reliable, Honest, High Quality Service waterheaterrepair/replacement•plumbingrepairs/ renovations•draincleaning•furnace/boilerrepair G Gold Sponsor
- 14. Living Light News- November/December 201514 by Sarah Chestnutt Summer starting to feel like a distant memory? Trying to remember what it’s like to go outside without bundling up? Dodge the snow and head to the rainforest! Board a plane destined for the Juan Santamaría Airport, centrally located near San José, the capital city of Costa Rica. Instead of feeling like you should keep an eye out for polar bears, you’ll be scanning the canopy for toucans, howler monkeys, and sloths. November is the beginning of the driest and warmest season, so booking early is a good idea. Immerse yourself in the Costa Rican culture in San José with museums, theatres, art, and more. Don’t let the imposing architecture of the National Theater put you off – the shows playing within are must sees. The Bellavista Fortress was used as military barracks in the 1948 Costa Rican Civil War, but now houses history as the National Museum. In fact, visitors can still see bullet holes in the walls. If you’re in town the last week of December, you’ll be in the right spot for Festejos Populares. Carnival rides, games, and food fill the Zapote district – topped off by bullfights. Similar to a rodeo, bulls are not killed in these fights and spectators even jump into the ring occasionally. Convert your dollars into colón and head to Galeria Namu for one-of-a- kind, fair trade handicrafts that make perfect souvenirs. Looking for something more traditional to take home? Swing by the National Artisans Market, a long covered alley filled with the more typical T-shirts and mugs. There’s more than just city living in Costa Rica. Public transport may be the cheapest way to get around, but it can take over twice as long to reach your destination as private transportation. San José has several rental companies and it’s just $40-$100 to rent the recommended 4x4. Worried about getting lost? Take a shuttle run by Gray Line or Interbus. With the city in your taillights, head out towards volcanoes, white and black sand beaches, rainforests, and waterfalls. Arenal National Park is 2.5 hours from San José and the home of Arenal Volcano. One of the most active volcanoes in the area, you’ll likely see smoke and ash rising above the rim (not to worry – its last major eruption was in 1968). The easy to navigate trails in the park roam over former lava fields and are great for kids or those with limited mobility. The 70 foot La Fortuna Waterfall ($10US/person) will take your breath away. Fifteen minutes hiking down steep stairs (or by horseback if you’re still trying to catch your breath) leads to a picture perfect place to take a swim. The rainforest canopy is filled with birds and wildlife you can’t see from the ground. At Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park, get up to their level on the 16 bridges hanging up in the trees, from eight to 98 feet long. While you’re in the area, stop for a bite. Restaurants such as Soda Viquez offer local classics like gallo pinto (a breakfast dish of rice and beans with eggs) or casados (chicken, beef, or fish with side salads or plantains). Budget hotels Hotel Monte Real and Hotel Cerro Azul (run by a local family) are great places to rest up before heading out the next day for more adventure. Looking for more of a thrill? Costa Rica is great for adventures with sport fishing, river rafting, ziplines out of the canopy, cave tours, and more! Travel agents or local tour guides can help get thrill seekers set up. What’s a tropical vacation without bumming around a beach? Manuel Antonio National Park ($16 US/person) is the place to go. Playa Manuel Antonio, named the second best beach in Central America by TripAdvisor 2015, is a stunning cove with white sand beaches and crystal clear water. While in the Park, keep an eye out for wildlife easy to spot from the road, or explore with a guide to make sure you don’t miss what’s hidden just behind those incredible plants. Hotel Vela Bar (just a short walk from the beach Playa Espadilla) and Hotel Verde Mar are great choices for rooms that won’t break the bank before you get home. Weekly farmer’s markets (Quespos Feria) are filled with fresh pineapple, avocados, papayas, mangoes – and plenty of fruits and vegetables you’ve probably never seen before. Ask the Costa Ricans, or Ticos as they prefer to call themselves, for tips on what to eat and how to cook it. With the sound of howler monkeys in your ears, the taste of fresh fruit on your tongue, a camera full of waterfalls and toucans, and memories you won’t be able to stop talking about, winter will be the last thing on your mind when you’re in tropical Costa Rica. At least, until it’s time to board the plane back home. If Getaways photoscourtesyCostaRicaTourism,CostaRicaGuide.com,GuillermoA.Duran/CCNC-ND2.0 AnywhereCostaRica 310-853-1167 anywherecostarica.com ArenalNationalPark 888-456-3212 arenal.net CostaRicaTourism (506)2299-5800 visitcostarica.com LonelyPlanet lonelyplanet.com/costa-rica ManuelAntonioParkInfoCenter (506)2777-2100 manuelantoniopark.com CCO�FERE�CEO�FERE�CE AACTIVITIESCTIVITIES I�CLUDEI�CLUDE:: PrayerRoom;Children'sMinistry; YouthandYoungAdultRally&Activities; Re:surgence;PanelDiscussion;GeneralAssemblies; Worship: Traditional&Contemporary; Seminars; MFALuncheon**;Prayingforthe�ations; ExhibitHall: local,national&internationalmission organizations,camps,Biblecolleges,universities, andfeaturearea,MissionsSearchCentre, BookSales,CD/DVD Sales&MFAStore; IntensiveTrainingDays**: GreatCommissionCoaching, ConnectionsforWomen&MenonaMission; Varietyofethnicmusic,drama&danceonthe FestivalStageandatSingtothe�ations;andmuchmore. MFA Mission Statement: “FIND YOUR PURPOSE, MAKE A DIFFERENCE” 780-451-0080 www.mfest.ab.ca **Tickets & Pre-Registration required only for noted**Tickets & Pre-Registration required only for noted activities, details will be posted on our webstie.activities, details will be posted on our webstie. NNEWEW VVENUEENUE:: West Edmonton Christian AssemblyWest Edmonton Christian Assembly - Edmonton- Edmonton “ The ROAD to the WHOLE WORLD”“ The ROAD to the WHOLE WORLD” LLORENOREN CCUNNINGHAMUNNINGHAM Youth With A Mission SSTEVETEVE HHAWKINSAWKINS Operation Mobilization RRUSSELLUSSELL SSTENDALTENDAL Colombia para Cristo KKIDSIDS TTRAVELRAVEL CCOMPANYOMPANY MMISSIONSISSIONS FFESTEST AALBERTALBERTA 20162016 - F- FAMILYAMILY CCONFERENCEONFERENCE - N- NOO GGENERALENERAL RREGISTRATIONEGISTRATION - F- FREEREE GGENERALENERAL AADMISSIONDMISSION - F- FREEREE-W-WILLILL OOFFERINGSFFERINGS February 19February 19 -- 2121
- 15. Living Light News- November/December 2015 15 G U I D E EATING OUT • GETTING AWAY • RECREATION Going Places Plan a fall, winter or spring retreat at Sunnyside — a relaxing getaway! Located 17 km W. of Red Deer at 202 Birchcliff Rd., Sylvan Lake, AB www.sunnysidecamp.org sunny@rttinc.com( 4 0 3 ) 7 4 8 - 2 1 9 7 •One on One/Couples/Group Training •Family Friendly Bootcamps •Pre & Post Natal Classes •Baby-wearing •Running, Retreats, Socials & Events 780-298-5888 hotmamafit.com/edmonton/southeast Join our Group: Hot Mama Fit - Edmonton SE First Class is + mention this ad for more savings SSilverSponsor tickets $20 available at: NEW BEGINNINGS BOOKSTORE 780-483-0234 TICKETS ONLINE OR TOLL FREE: www.stevebell.com | 1-800-854-3499 Dec. 6th - Edmonton Beulah Alliance Church Authentic Vietnamese Food Hours: Mon - Sat 10:30 am to 9 pm SSilverSponsor
- 16. Living Light News- November/December 201516 by Melissa Yue-Wallace In a small Kitchener, Ont. basement, an artist carefully decorates a canvas using paper napkins, applying a technique called decoupage. Damaris Vezentan sells one-of-a-kind canvases, candles and coasters through Love Gives 3:16, and uses a portion of the proceeds to fill shoeboxes with gifts for children in need. Last year, this busy, homeschooling mother-of-three led a group of 85 volunteers in packing 858 shoeboxes sent to developing countries through Operation Christmas Child (OCC). She makes the effort because she knows what they mean to children. After all, she received a box when she was nine. In 1989, Vezentan, along with her brother, sister and parents were living in Lupeni, a small city in the mountains of Romania. Communism was coming to an end and the president at the time, Nicolae Ceausescu, was executed on national television. “As happy as my parents were that the Communist regime would end, they had no idea what it would mean,” Vezentan recalls. “The whole country was in turmoil, fear and confusion.” Vezentan was only in Grade Two and shared how sadness and uncertainty were reflected by students and teachers at school. Her father, who often helped out at the local church, was told that there would be a delivery of gifts for children. “My parents were Christians but I didn’t want to be known as one because, during Communist times, Christians were persecuted, some lost their jobs and kids were made fun of at school. “We only went to church because my parents told us to. I decided Christianity wasn’t what I wanted.” Vezentan found it hard to believe that there would be gifts for kids at church as this was unheard of. But sure enough, the shoeboxes arrived and she was struck by the atmosphere of joy. “For us, receiving a shoebox let us know that we weren’t forgotten and that someone was thinking of us, which was amazing,” she says. “Every child got a gift. I was so used to sharing with my little brother and sister that I didn’t expect to get a gift that would be just mine.” Vezentan was so touched by the fact that she received a shoebox that she didn’t look inside of it for several days. Instead, she would repeatedly open the lid of the golden patterned box and close it again. When she finally did pour out its contents, she felt that the box was truly meant for her. It contained a porcelain doll, soap, coloured pencils and crayons, “girly things,” and her most prized possession, a journal. Vezentan’s father had searched several stores for a journal for the budding writer’s birthday, but had been unable to find one. At the bottom of the box was a picture of the family who had packed it. On the back of the photo, they had written a Bible verse John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” “I had a Romanian Bible and wanted to memorize the verse so I could feel closer to the family, but it was hard for me to memorize it in English. All I could remember was, ‘God loved, God gave.’ ” Eventually, she realized that love gives. She began sharing the items in her shoebox with others. “It’s amazing how God found me,” she says. “He wanted to show me that He cares even though I wanted nothing to do with Him. “God changed me through that shoebox and it rocked my world.” In 1996, Vezentan’s family moved to Canada and decided to reside in Kitchener to be closer to her father’s brothers. Shortly after moving, Vezentan was at a gospel concert with her mother when an OCC commercial came on. “We both started crying and I said, ‘Mom this is them! These are the people who sent me the shoebox!’” Vezentan’s family began packing shoeboxes for other families from then on. After getting married in 2000, Vezentan began volunteering to pack shoeboxes for the organization, which has a warehouse in Kitchener. Vezentan is now an OCC ambassador, speaking at churches about the difference a shoebox can make. In 2013, she and a team delivered shoeboxes to children in Senegal. “I got to live that verse when Jesus said, ‘It is better to give than to receive,’ ” she says. “When you keep giving, it seems God multiplies and becomes a little bigger in your heart.” On returning home from that trip, Vezentan was so impassioned that she wanted to do more. Love Gives 3:16 was born out of that passion. Vezentan had an extensive collection of paper napkins (more than 10,000) and wanted to do something with them using her arts and crafts skills. She began teaching herself how to decoupage napkins on canvas and found that people loved her finished products. Her items range from $5 to $50, with a portion of proceeds going to purchase items for OCC shoeboxes. Her children are also involved with packing shoeboxes and Vezentan hopes they will learn to live a life of giving. “I want them to place someone else’s needs before their own,” she says. “You’re never more like God than when you give because that is what He has done for us. “By giving us Jesus, God gave His best.” To pack a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child, visit packabox.ca or donate at samaritanspurse.ca/occ. To support Vezentan’s efforts, visit lovegives316.com. photoscourtesyDamarisVezentan Lifestyles “It’s amazing how God found me.” Love Gives DamarisVezentan’s business Love Gives 3:16 is helping to raise money to buy Christmas gifts for underprivileged children around the world. Celebrate the Season! 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- 17. Living Light News- November/December 2015 17 by Dr. Charles F. Stanley Christmas ramps up earlier each year and often overshadows Thanksgiving. Instead of being a special day to express our gratitude to God for all His care and blessings, it has become the kickoff of the demanding holiday season. This is the perfect time to consider how we can maintain a lifestyle free of anxiety during the coming weeks. I’m not saying we’ll never feel pressure, but God doesn’t want stress to be our constant companion. We need to learn how to overcome worry in the moment and prevent it from becoming a way of life. The most capable teacher for this lesson is the apostle Paul. While confined in a Roman prison, he wrote these words: “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am” (Phil. 4:11). In fact, he was more than just content; he was rejoicing in the Lord greatly (v. 10). What was his secret? Pray Rightly Paul begins by saying, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (v. 6). The Lord’s remedy for stress is prayer – bringing every concern to Him, no matter how big or small. In one short sentence, Paul gives us a pattern for peace with three simple words: prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving. The word prayer is a general expression for talking to the Father. However, it doesn’t mean merely informing Him of our needs. God wants to answer our petitions, but His greater desire is to build an intimate relationship with each of us. So instead of immediately listing our requests, we should spend time praising God, acknowledging our need of Him, rejoicing in His unconditional love, and loving Him in return. The next word Paul uses is supplication. Sharing our feelings with the Lord is essential if we’re to develop a loving, intimate relationship that reaches beyond head knowledge to encompass our hearts. He’s a tender Father who sympathizes with our pain, confusion, fear, and frustration. Finally, Paul advises us to pray with thanksgiving. Gratitude has a way of redirecting our minds. Instead of dwelling on our difficulties and wondering when God is going to answer our prayers, we’ll be reminded of His past faithfulness and care. Then we’ll be encouraged to trust Him for our current needs. Think Rightly As we have learned, prayer should be our immediate response to anxiety, but maintaining a peaceful spirit also requires right thinking. That’s why Paul says our minds should dwell on whatever is true, honourable, right, pure, lovely, good, excellent, and praiseworthy (v. 8). What occupies your mind most of the time? How can you begin thinking more about what’s true, right, and good? Since it is God who personifies all these qualities, one way to reshape our thinking is to see everyday activities through Christ’s example. If you foresee a difficult situation, ask the Lord to show you how to respond. If worry creeps in or your temper flares, pray immediately, asking God to help you behave in a way that honours Him. Having a God-centered perspective is the key to maintaining a calm spirit both in the midst of daily stress and in times of crisis. When we keep our focus on Him, the promise of Isaiah 26:3 becomes ours: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (NKJV). Live Rightly Paul closes his instructions for maintaining inner peace by telling believers the way to put it into practice (Phil. 4:9). How do we do it? We live in obedience to God. Now, this doesn’t mean we are going to be perfect. But when we stumble, we should quickly turn back to the Lord in confession and repentance and realign our lives according to His will. Then, Paul says, “the God of peace will be with you” (v. 9). I not only know this to be Biblical truth; I’ve also experienced it. Once, after a very disturbing phone conversation, I remember saying to God, “You have been in charge of my life all these years, and I know that even now You are greater than this frightening circumstance.” I should have been churning with anxiety, but the Lord clothed me with His awesome, incomprehensible peace because I was submitted to Him. Even though the situation was still tumultuous, my heart was calm in the midst of the storm. Choose Peace I know it can sometimes seem as if we are victims of our highly stressful world, but if we have Christ, we can choose to live in peace rather than under a burden of anxiety. If we let apprehension rule our hearts, it will interfere with sleep, disrupt concentration, hinder productivity, steal joy, and even cause health problems. However, when Christ, the Prince of Peace, has full authority over our lives, He guards our hearts and minds by building a wall of protection against worry (v. 7). Stress may pull us apart mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually, but God’s peace will always bind us back together so we can be whole again. Dr. Charles F. Stanley is the pastor of First Baptist Church of Atlanta, GA and founder of In Touch Ministries. In Touch programming is available in Canada on television and radio. For broadcast details, visit intouchcanada.org. s Dr. Charles F. Stanley Gratitude has a way of redirecting our minds. What Mom Knows Mom knew to put relationships above rules. s Phil Callaway by Phil Callaway Mothers are amazing. My wife grew up in a home of mostly girls, so when our two boys came along, she was unprepared for two little orangutans streaking about the house wearing little more than smiles. They put jello in the toaster, mud in their diapers, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the VCR. Still she loved them. Along the way she learned valuable lessons. Here are 12 things every mother knows but wishes she didn’t: 1. A three-year-old can outscream 200 adults in a crowded restaurant. 2. Kids should not throw baseballs upwards when the ceiling fan is on. 3. A single-pane window will not stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan. 4. An eight-ounce glass of milk spilt on the back floor of the car without being reported can stink up an entire vehicle for two summers. 5. Peas are easily removed from a two-year-old’s nose; beans require more work. 6. When you hear a flushing sound followed by the words “Uh-oh,” it’s rarely a good sign. 7. Garbage bags are very useful, but not as parachutes. 8. There are some odours you don’t want to know the source of. 9. Always look in the oven before you turn it on. 10. The fire department in our town has a nine- minute response time. 11. Legos will pass through the digestive tract of a four-year-old. Dollies will not. My own mom knew some things. She raised five little hooligans living under the poverty line. Mom knew that the kids were organized and unionized but they weren’t in charge – she was. Mom knew to never utter a threat without backing it up with action. She knew to let us kids make mistakes – that failure is a great teacher. Mom knew to put relationships above rules. She loved my Dad through thick and thin. Mostly he was thin, but there were some thick years too. She knew to get on her knees and pray every day for her kids and grandkids. She knew that money was a lousy substitute for being there, that words were no substitute for a faithful life. Mom knew that kids spell “love” T-I-M-E, that 30 years later they won’t remember how clean the kitchen was but they will remember Bible stories at bedtime. She knew Jesus as her Lord and Saviour. She took God very seriously. Herself – not so much. She read the Bible each day and as much as possible did what it said. She loved Psalm 78:4, “We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done.” She knew enough to love us through the runny nose and full diaper stage. She endured loud noises and late nights. She loved us when we didn’t return that love. She never stopped believing the prodigal would come home. She knew motherhood was far from glamorous, but there’s nothing more important. I’m so thankful for the things Mom knew. And if it wasn’t for the things my wife knows, our kids would be in trouble. She knows that if you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42-pound boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman cape. But it will rotate a birthday cake fast enough to leave icing on all four walls. Phil Callaway is a speaker, bestselling author of ‘Tricks My Dog Taught Me’ and host of Laugh Again Radio. Check it out at philcallaway.org. The Pattern Of Peace ©RandyGlasbergenglasbergen.com
- 18. Living Light News- November/December 201518 Special Events Family Fun Night Nov. 13, 7-8:30 p.m., Spruce Grove Alliance Church main campus south atrium, 1011 Cloverbar Rd. Meet others in a relaxed, casual setting. A gathering of about 50 people. For information, call 780-962- 4700. 100 Huntley St. Celebration Nov. 19, 1:30-4:30 p.m.,West Edm. Christian Assembly, 6315- 199 St., Edm. 100 Huntley St. will be celebrating the broadcast of their 10,000th episode. No charge.To reserve seating, call Shel at 780-433-3118. North PointeTrade Show Nov. 21, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., North Pointe Comm. Church, 14120- 167 Ave., Edm.Vendors will be on hand for your Christmas shopping pleasure. For info, call 780-235-3646. Christmas Craft Sale Nov. 28, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Centrepointe Church, 5940- 159 Ave., Edm. About 100 local crafters in one location with the finest handcrafted products. For info, call 780-722-5693. Winter Ignite Dec. 11-13, Brightwood Youth Ranch (1 hr.W. of Edm.) Opportunity for youth to enjoy crafts, ice fishing, sledding, skating and videography. Cost: $80-$93. Visit calvarycommunity.ca/youth. Regular Events Drop-In Sports Nights Mondays, 7 p.m. - Basketball (ages 14+),Wednesdays, 7 p.m. - Floor Hockey (ages 18+, Beverly Alliance Church, 12235- 50 St., Edm.Visit bac.ca. Babes with Babes Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m., Beverly Alliance Church, 12235-50 St., Edm. Come out and meet other moms and their little ones. Call Carrie at 780-474-0476. VictoryTips Program Thursday nights, 7 p.m.,The River Community Church, 11520 Ellerslie Rd., Edm.This is a Bible-based recovery program on anxiety and depression. For info and to download a program workbook, visit victorytipsprogram.com, or call 780-800-1109. Ball Hockey Thursdays, 8:30 p.m., Northpointe Comm. Church, 14025-167 Ave., Edm. Drop-in ball hockey night for adults. No charge. International Students Fridays, 6:30 p.m – dinner, 7 p.m.-Bible study, McKernan Baptist Church, 11103-76 Ave., Edm. Join international students for a free dinner & Bible study. Call 780-465-5991, or email got@telusplanet.net. Deliverance Ministry Fridays, 7 p.m., Promised Land Ministries, 12145-67 St., Edmonton. Deliverance through Jesus Christ can transform your life.Visit us to find out how.Visit jesusdelivers.com. Conversation Cafe Saturdays, 10-11:30 a.m., Millbourne Community Life Centre, 2101 Millbourne Rd. W., Edm.This is a safe place to practice everyday English skills for free. Call Pat at 780-893- 2120 or Matthew at 780-462- 2575 or email conversationcafe. mw@gmail.com Men’s Breakfast Nov. 21, 8:30-10:30 a.m., Beulah Alliance Church, 17504-98A Ave., Edm. Special guest speaker: Ryan Walter.Topic: Phil. 4:8 Principle:Think on these things. Cost: $15. Online registration available at beulah.ca. Seniors Fellowship Luncheon Nov. 24, 11 a.m.-1:15 p.m., Beulah Alliance Church, conference rooms, 17504-98A Ave., Edm. Rev. Ron Brown will challenge us to share the gospel with the nations that have come to us.Tickets: $11/door. Seniors Supper Nov. 30, 6 p.m., Sherwood Park Alliance Church, South Gym, 1011 Cloverbar Rd.. Features a musician and speaker designed to encourage and enlighten. Tickets: $15/person. For info, call Cathy at 780-467-8404, ext. 322. Music & Drama MercyMe with the ESO Nov. 28-29, 7:30 p.m., Jubilee Auditorium, 11455-87 Ave., Edm.This Grammy-nominated Christian group will perform with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.Tickets: $50-$95, available at ticketmaster.ca. Handel’s Messiah Dec. 4 and 5, 7:30 p.m., Winspear Centre, 9720-102 Ave., Edm. British conductor Christopher Warren-Green makes his ESO debut leading a Canadian quartet and the Richard Eaton Singers in presenting Handel’s oratorio.Tickets: $30-$75, edmontonsymphony.com. Steve Bell ChristmasTrio Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m., Beulah Alliance Church, 17504-98A Ave., Edm. An evening with the Steve Bell Trio highlighting his 25th anniversary album, Pilgrimage. Tickets are $21 available at stevebell.com, Soweto Gospel Choir Dec. 14, 8 p.m.,Winspear Centre, 9720-102 Ave., Edm. Celebrate the inspirational power of African Gospel music. Visit sowetogospelchoir.com. Tickets: $41-$51, available at winspearcentre.com. Classes/Seminars Alpha Tuesday evenings, 6:30 p.m., starting Oct. 13, Mosaic House, Blue Quill Comm. League, 11304-25 Ave. Edm. Each evening includes a meal, a short talk, and discussion. Call 780- 850-6672. Conferences/ Retreats Thriving Marriages Conference Nov. 12-14, Southside Pentecostal Church, 2821-109 St., Edm. Featuring speakers Arnold and Gwen Tackett, and Vince and Cindy D’Acchioli. Tickets: $165, namecanada.net. EventsCalendar 41bertauto@telus.net ExceptionalQuality,Value&Experience. Callusabout ourBGLifetime ProtectionPlan 41bertauto@telus.net ExceptionalQuality,Value&Experience. 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P Platinum Sponsor Snyder & Associates is a long-established, mid-size law firm located on the 25th floor of Sun Life Place in the heart of downtown Edmonton. Our firm provides high quality results-oriented legal services and our lawyers take pride in helping our clients find effective solutions to their legal problems. Please feel free to explore our web site, learn more about our firm, and discover how Snyder & Associates can help you. For a free consultation, please call 780-426-4133. W I L L S E S T A T E S R E A L E S T A T E I M M I G R A T I O N C O R P O R A T E E X P E R T L E G A L C O U N S E L C O N S T A N T L Y W O R K I N G F O R Y O U SN Y D E R & ASSOCIATES LLP Barristers & Solicitors #2500 Sun Life Place 10123 - 99 Street, Edmonton, AB T5J 3H1 Tel. 780·426·4133 Fax 780·424·1588 www.snyder.ca Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. PROVERBS 3:5–6 SSilverSponsor
- 19. Living Light News- November/December 2015 19 Meeting: Sat. @ 6pm 10105 - 153 St Pastors: Mark & SherryAdams Gord & Dawn Hancock 780-483-2665 www.fusionfellowship.ca DIVERSITY WITH ONE HEART, ONE VOICE, ONE PASSION First Christian Church (Disciples) 13407-97 St. Edmonton 780-476-5238 Sunday Services Bible Study: 10am Worship: 11am Sunday School:11:15am Pastors Steve & Carmen Lynne Family Service: - Sundays at 9:30 a.m. / 11:00 a.m. at 205 Main Street, Spruce Grove - Sunday Evening Service at 6 p.m. Youth, women, married couples, single moms, groups meeting during the week. Connections Global Church Fully accredited Bible college Call 780-960-9077 for more info www.gcccanada.com Promised Land Ministries 12145-67 St. NW Edmonton, AB 780-944-0526 www.jesusdelivers.com Walk in Victory! Deliverance & Healing Centre Sunday Service: 10:00 a.m. Sunday School & Bible Study 11:30 a.m. Pastor Forrest Stroup 4638 - 117 Ave. 780-477-2894 Lutheran Church EMMAUSWAY EMMAUS LUTHERAN CHURCH Welcomes you to visit our Spirit led, Bible based and family oriented congregation. 5015-144 Ave., Edmonton Contemporary Worship, Sunday School,Youth Corner Sundays at 11:00 AM 780-478-8697 Pastor Glen Carlson IT’S A PLACE FOR YOU! Worship Service Saturday, 11:00 am 780-905-1124 http://edmonton.wcgweb.org Come Celebrate Christ! 10162 152nd Street Pastor Bob Millman CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP A Grace Communion International Congregation Grace Service – Sunday @ 10am Children’s Ministry – 2-12 yrs (supervised nursery) Mid-week: Connection Groups, Youth Activities 9004-153 Ave. Edmonton 780-456-7890 www.necf.ca • necf@necf.ca Learning together to “live life in Jesus” and to “live the Jesus life.” “Where you can Begin, Believe and Belong!” Sunday Worship at 10:00 am Sunday Children Education (Pre-K to Grade 6) 10:15 am Wednesday 6:45pm - Children and Youth Worship and Teaching • Parenting Class • International Friendship Club • Divorce Care 9333-199 St. • Edmonton • 780-451-3881 www.westmeadows.org Pastor Kevin Schular B A P T I S T C H U R C H 10405 - 142 St. 780-454-3463 * We invite you to join us! * Morning Worship@ 10:45 * www.faithcom.ca Fort Saskatchewan Life Church #111, 10421-99 Ave Fort Saskatchewan 780-992-9673 www.fslifechurch.ca passionate, generational, God - centered worship and preaching “Where you can feel at home and cared for, living in His Presence.” Sunday Service @ 10:15am WeareafamilyofGod,multiplyingdisciplesof Jesus,andwejoyfullychoosetoputrelationshipsof loveaheadofeveryotherconsideration. Wemeetweeklytoworshipon Sundaysat9:30,andwemeetweeklyto serveonWednesdaysat5:30 8505 - 142 Street, Edmonton, Alberta 780•483•5366 info@lhbc.ca www.lhbc.ca Sunday Worship 9:45am - Coffee & Conversation 10:30 - Contemporary Worship 5940-159 Ave, Edmonton 780-454-1936 info@centrepointechurch.ca www.centrepointechurch.ca Calvar y Baptist Church “A Caring Community” 7215 - 97 St. Edmonton, AB Sunday 9 am & 11am FORT SASKATCHEWAN “ I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me… will have the light of life.” -Jesus (John 8:12) ... end! NEIGHBOURS ...Invite you to CHURCH them this week WORSHIP WITH US AT Edmonton Family Worship Centre 10605-96 St. Sundays 10:00 am 780-424-6422 www.efwc.org A Church with a Heart - In the Heart of the City Contemporary, Charismatic, Caring Children’s Ministry for Nursery to Grade 6 available at all services unless otherwise noted on website. The Gate Community Saturdays at 6:15 pm (Grade 7-9) & 7:30 pm (Grade 10-12 & Recent Grads) heartlandalliance.ca 780-467-7005 • general@heartlandalliance.ca 53105 Highway 21, Sherwood Park AB (NE Corner HWY 21 & Lakeland Dr) Weekend Services Saturdays - 6:15 pm Sundays - 9:15 & 11:15 am Congregation Beit Mashiach 9125-50 St NW (The King’s University) We are a Torah observant community endeavouring to walk in the fullness of the Jewish roots and heritage of our biblical faith. Shabbat Service Saturday 10:30 am Pastor: Andrew Ketel 780-901-5859 beitmashiach.com
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