Life in His Hands Here - Life in His Hands Christian Newspaper
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Life in His Hands Here - Life in His Hands Christian Newspaper
www.LifeinHisHands.org www.LifeinHisHands.org READ & LEARN la n Reading P Take the 30-Day Challenge to read your Bible, and learn the terms that have caused reading struggles for years. Page 4 TheChristian ChristianVoice Voiceof ofthe theInland InlandEmpire Empire The ASK YOUR MOM GO & DO Learn about the great Christian concerts and events coming to the Inland Empire this month on the Calender. Page 8 Sometimes mom just wants to talk. Hear what five moms have to say about their lives and working the most underpaid job of all time. Page 6 Issue 2VOLUME • May 2014 FREE 1 • April 2014 WIN TICKETS Faith and Family night with the 66ers is Friday, May 30 and you could win a family four-pack of tickets to the game. Page 2 Mothers of the Bible From the first mother on the face of the earth to the mother of our Savior, women throughout the Bible have a special place in bringing us the story of Jesus Christ. It is through these women that we all can learn many lessons from the way biblical mothers responded to the wishes of God, their earthly situations, and their human reactions to heavenly directions. SPECIAL AGENTS TO TAKE OVER LOCAL CHURCHES THIS SUMMER - JUST IN TIME FOR VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL This summer, churches all over the Inland Empire will be infiltrated by special agents. As they walk through the doors of a church, they may be wearing dark suits, dark sunglasses, and carrying a briefcase. Chances are they're showing up to investigate and may even ask to dive deep into the books at your church. They will be focusing on eyewitness reports, physical proof, and looking to uncover the real story. This is no ordinary investigation but rather one with the up-most importance with eternal life hanging in the balance. The search will lead detectives to the truth—the truth about who Jesus really is. Oh, and the book they’re diving into at your church, is the Bible. But don’t fret, these agents are coming to your church for training. They’re here to learn how to discover, decide, and defend the gospel of Christ. Stealth as they are while searching for clues, they mean no harm. These, ladies and gentlemen, are the special agents of Vacation Bible School. Simply say the term Vacation Bible School and many adults are going to take a mental jump back in their past and remember the exciting adventures of week-long programs during the summer at their own church. Although not all adults who attended Vacation Bible School in their youth are today regular attenders of church services, many of them undoubtedly feel safe enough with the program to send their own children. The annual event at churches nationwide is noted as being one of the best resources for evangelizing to neighborhood youth and families that don't currently participate in regular church functions. It's not uncommon for Vacation Bible School organizers to see parents send their children to more than one local church for VBS in a given summer. If the kids are having fun, and they tell their parents and friends, they are more apt to invite their neighbors and some of their friends from school who are also out for the summer. "Parents are busy. They know in their heart that their kids need to have some kind of knowledge about Jesus. Maybe they haven't committed to going to church or getting up every Sunday morning,” says Sue Carter, Children’s Ministry Director of Eagle Ridge Church in Menifee and VBS Director of the Inland Empire Southern Baptist Association (IESBA). “For some of these kids this is the first time that they've stepped foot inside a church, and during Vacation Bible School the church may be transformed into whatever the theme is, but it could be the first time that they are hearing about the Lord.” It's the theme of Vacation Bible School that is attracting more and more parents to bring their children out to VBS every year. Some themes revolve around pirates on the high seas, while others might put the children on an African safari, a space odyssey, or a trip to the Arctic. Whichever theme is chosen by a church to use for Vacation Bible School, there is no doubt that a vast amount of man-hours and volunteers are working behind-the-scenes, some as far as a year out, to make sure VBS 2014 is a huge success. “It’s pretty much over a month of their time because they have to prepare, plan, and attend training. All of the workers at my church can't wait for Vacation Bible School. They love it,” says Carter. Each year a different theme is presented by LifeWay Christian Stores that becomes the primary curriculum for many VBS programs nationwide. Past themes have focused on teaching kids about In biblical societies, stigmas against women often dealt with her ability to have children. To be a woman without children brought extreme public shame. Elizabeth lived with this public ridicule as she had been barren for years. Being well along in age, Elizabeth was made aware that she was going to become pregnant, and within the year praised God by saying, “In these days he has shown his favor by taking away my disgrace among the people” Luke 1:25. Elizabeth and her husband Zachariah As a young woman from Nazareth, Mary had a normal life growing up. She had just become engaged to a carpenter named Joseph, and she was expecting to be married soon. The ideas she may have had for her future life with her husband, all changed one day, by a visit from a very unexpected guest. An angel named Gabriel was sent from God to speak directly to this young lady. The message was clear. Mary would become the mother of the Savior of the world. Mary, originally struck with fear by the presence of this angel, soon realized the extreme privilege that she had been given to carry, deliver, and mother the Messiah. Less than a year after this message from the Gabriel, Mary finds herself in the little town of Bethlehem. It is here that Jesus is born in the most unlikely of circumstances. Mary becomes the only person to ever live who was present when Jesus was born and also when he died. She knew her son was the Son of God before He was even born and knew her role as a faithful servant of God. Without hesitation, Mary submitted herself to God, when she was made aware that her life was about to change. She was willing to be used for God’s purpose. From the story of Mary we learn that anyone can be a servant of God, and we don’t have to be famous or trained in a special way. God uses every one of us for his purpose if we simply make ourselves available to Him. Hometown: Nazareth. Relatives: husband: Joseph, relatives: Zechariah and Elizabeth. Children: Jesus, James, Joseph, Judas, Simon, and daughters. Read about Mary in Matthew 1,2,13,27,28: Mark 15: Luke 1, 2: John 19: Acts 1. See VBS p3 both were upright in the sight of God. When the angel Gabriel, visited Zachariah to announce the birth of his son John, Gabriel told Zachariah that his prayers had been heard. After the angels prophecy, Mary took a 70-mile trip south from Nazareth to see her relative Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. These mothers of God’s greatest gifts, stood together, bound by the unique blessings that God had given them. Elizabeth knew that Mary’s child would be even greater than her own, as John was to become the messenger for Mary’s child. We learn from the story of Elizabeth that God does not forget people who are faithful to him. There is also an important lesson that God’s timetable does not fit our own worldly wants and needs. There is no doubt that Elizabeth would have preferred to have had children earlier in her life but God had a plan, and a reason to wait until the time was right to give Elizabeth the gift of a child. *Read the story of Elizabeth in Luke 1:5-80. See Mothers of the Bible p2 2 Life in His Hands Mothers of the Bible from p1 Eve Mother of Cain, Able & Seth The first woman on earth was named Eve, a companion and helper to Adam. She was also the first mother on earth, although very little is known about her. She was the creation of God that completed Adam, and has shown all of humankind the womanlike qualities of God, as she also was created in His image. Along with being a mother of human children, she was also a caretaker of all of the animals on earth as instructed by God. It is through her relationship with Adam, that we are taught about human relationships, and the importance of marriage in the way that God created between a man and a woman. It’s likely we have all been stricken by the same weakness that fell to Eve. She was tempted by the serpent to eat the only fruit in the Garden of Eden that God had forbidden Adam and Eve to eat. It was her selfish desires to share in God’s knowledge of good and evil that prompted her to eat of the forbidden fruit, and then to offer a bite to her husband. Read the story of Eve in Genesis 2:19—4:26. Sarah Mother of Isaac Sarah was the mother of Isaac, and the wife of Abraham. Her original name was Sarai, but God changed her name to Sarah, and her husband’s name was changed from Abram to Abraham. Sarah was a decade younger than Abraham and was also his half-sister; they had the same father but different mothers. God had promised Abraham that he would become the father of the chosen nation. His wife Sarah was barren and gave Abraham no children. Sarah assumed she can fix the problem on her own. She decided to give Abraham her maidservant named Hagar, whom Abraham could father a child with (a common practice in her day). He did so, and his son was named Ishmael. But this was not the way God had planned to bring His chosen nation into the world. Sarah would be 90-years-old when she was told she was going to give birth to a son. In the years to come she would live to regret the decision of trying to do God’s work for Him. Often, issues arose between Ishmael and Sarah’s son Isaac. Even though Sarah knew what God had promised, she had problems believing that God was going to fulfill his covenant. She made attempts to work out her troubles on her own without talking with God. She also tried to cover up her problems by blaming other people. We learn from Sarah that God responds to faith even in times where we feel we are failing. Again, God teaches us that his timetable and our timetable are vastly different. We can take an amazing lesson that God can do things that don’t seem possible in our small, finite, human minds, because He is so much bigger. Read the story of Sarah in Genesis 11—25. In 1986 it was a Black & Decker DustBuster. In 1989 it was the Flowbee revolutionary home haircutting system. In 1997 it was the ever-so popular George Forman Grill. These three items, although extremely exciting to me at the time, were Mother’s Day gifts that I thought would be perfect. Although my mother never came straight out and told me what these gifts said, I’ve learned over the years what these prized possessions of yesterday’s yard sales actually portrayed. A wireless vacuum hanging on the wall says, “mom, your house is dirty, and while y o u ’ r e cleaning, you can reach those hard to get to places in the car, too.” What a haircutting attachment that hooks onto a vacuum says is, “mom, can you please cut my hair, and my brothers, and my sisters.” And what a George Foreman Grill says is, “mom why don’t you try cooking with this instead.” Yes, all of these were gifts, but none really were given with mom in mind. I’ve certainly taken the rocky road to understanding that I am one of the world’s worst gift givers. Until I had children of my own, I never really understood why it wasn’t the gift from me that my mother looked forward to, but rather the card. To me the card was a piece of paper bent in the middle with a bunch of words, but to mom it was so much more. The card says that you stood in an isle at the store reading, putting back, reading, putting back, reading, and putting back until you found just the right one. The poem in a simple Mother’s Day card could bring a tear to About Us EDITOR’S NOTE A gift to Mom mom’s eye faster than any Shammies I could give. More than anything mom just wanted to hear the words, “I love you.” It seemed to be the time that we would spend with mom on Mother’s Day that was more important than anything else. Why, the older that we got the less important standing two hours in line to take her to a nice Mother’s Day lunch really seemed to be important. And it all came together when I realized, on my first Father’s Day, how much simple togetherness meant to mom on Mother’s Day. This year, Life in His Hands print ministry takes a new twist to Mother’s Day. We felt it only right to give mom an opportunity to stand and speak. We wanted to know little bit more about mom, maybe answers to questions that we never asked. We wanted to do something more than just give mom another bouquet of flowers, we wanted to actually let mom have the floor. You will find on page 6 and 7 mothers who give us a look inside their lives answering some questions we may not have ever known were even important. Spoiler alert, one of the mothers listed is my own, and I was happy to find that her greatest memories have nothing to do with cutting my hair. We would encourage you to take the questions listed and ask your mother, or a mother in your life. Give mom a chance to tell you about her, and what’s really important in her world. Maybe the best Mother’s Day gift is a simple card to say, “I love you,” and an open ear to listen to her wisdom. VBS from p1 being saved and teaching them about Jesus. This year, one of the themes for Vacation Bible School offered by LifeWay is called Agency D3. The program will place children in a special agent role and will bring to them opportunities to investigate the Bible to learn exactly who Christ is and how to defend their faith. Training for the men and women who will administer the VBS program at various churches is an important process in itself. Individual elements and parts of the program are discussed and learned; such as the songs, lessons, and even smaller details like snacks. Brenda Lackey, bookkeeper with IESBA says, “We actually hold training sessions that help to teach about the lessons, the music, and how to teach in the different age groups. A training session would Vacation Bible School Locations back and then they implement the program back into the church,” Carter continues. According to Lackey, about 80 percent of the churches that are represented by the IESBA will hold a Vacation Bible School in some capacity this summer. The size of the church and budget play an integral part in what size of program that each church can put on, and there are numerous options available at different price ranges. For those churches who may “The ultimate plan is kids salvation. The vehicle that we not have the capacity or use to get the kids there is important but it’s having them resources to launch and fund arrive at the gate, and opening the doors to salvation. That an entire week long Vacation is the goal,” says Carter. Bible School, a scaled down version called Backyard basically be the leaders of all the churches who want Bible Club might be a great option. This version of some extra help on how to teach the curriculum and curriculum is intended for backyard gatherings of maybe some extra attention to things like the games.” neighborhood youth. Although there are many other vacation On May 17, Susan Carter among others will Bible school theme programs on the market, the present a training seminar on the Agency D3 VBS Agency D3 program is the one that is being taught in program. The clinic is open to anyone and will take a training clinic this month. “As far as the training, place at Palm Baptist Church at 6807 Palm Ave. in anybody can come. The training is available to Riverside. anyone who would like to come and learn the Agency “The ultimate plan is kids salvation. The D3 curriculum, and it is available to anyone or any vehicle that we use to get the kids there is important church to purchase,” states Carter. The Agency D3 but it's having them arrive at the gate, and opening training session is designed to give the volunteers of the doors to salvation. That is the goal,” says Carter. church VBS programs a head start in learning Agency D3 Training the program before VBS Saturday May 17 begins.“We 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. do our best to train the Palm Baptist Church teachers, 6807 Palm Ave,. Riverside 92506 and they go For more information call (951) 784-2655 Life in His Hands Publisher: Chris Thompson Director of Fundraising: Kelly Thompson Social Media Manager: Victoria Jeffers Video/Photography Manager: Chris Jeffers Webmaster: Cory Jenkins Graphic Design: Greg Bell Editorial Contributors: Rick Roberts Andrew Mosqueda General Contact: Greg and his son Nathan. Greg is a Green Bay Packers fan and recently checked Fly in the Memphis Belle off his bucket list. Life in His Hands print ministry (951) 230-8551 Chris@LifeinHisHands.org To advertise in Life in His Hands please call Kelly @ (951) 638-9210. For copies of Life in His Hands to distribute at your location, call (951) 230-8551. Life in His Hands is a ministry focused on bringing the Gospel of Christ to the public. We are not associated with any one church, but rather with the greater body of Christ. We are supported by individual, church and business donations and sponsorships, who may receive announcements inside Life in His Hands. Individual support is appreciated and can be made by clicking on the donate tab at www.LifeinHisHands.org. Letters to the Editor can be sent to: Letters@LifeinHisHands.org Church and Nonprofit events can be sent to: Events@LifeinHisHands.org Photos can be sent to: Photos@LifeinHisHands.org Life in His Hands print ministry makes no promises that all events sent will be published in print. All content and advertising must meet strict standards in both faith and quality. Advertising in Life in His Hands does not imply endorsement. Win Tickets to the Game! Faith and Family night with the 66’ers 1) Visit LifeinHisHands.org 2) Click Contests 3) Fill out the entry form 4) Winner will be announced via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram on Friday, May 23. LifeinHisHands.org 3 Life in His Hands LifeinHisHands.org 11th St Baptist Church Upland Alta Loma Community Alta Loma Central BaptistInglewood Crosspointe Community Fontana Eagle Ridge Church Menifee Fellowship in the Pass Beaumont First Baptist Church Moreno Valley First Baptist Church San Bernardino First So Baptist Church Hemet First So Baptist Church Yucca Valley Greater Faith Grace Bible Rialto Hemet Valley BaptistHemet Immanuel Baptist Church Highland La Familia de Dios Ontario Lakeside Baptist Lake Elsinore Liberty BaptistMoreno Valley Magnolia Ave BaptistRiverside Mt View BaptistOntario Palm BaptistRiverside Point of Grace Christian Fellowship Rancho Cucamonga Riverside Mandarin Baptist Riverside Sierra Vista BaptistColton Sierra Vista BaptistRiverside Sierra Vista BautistaColton The Grove Community Church Riverside Temple Missionary Baptist San Bernardino Templo Bautista Monte Calvario Rialto The Branch Church San Bernardino The CrossingsEastvale Victory Life Christian Fellowship Temecula West Grand Baptist Corona White Ave BaptistPomona Wonder Valley Community Twentynine Palms If your church is holding Vacation Bible School and is not listed above, please let us know by e-mailing your VBS information to Kelly@LifeinHisHands.org. A larger full-color directory will be available in the June and July issues of Life in His Hands print ministry. G54a: NEEDS INSET. SEE G54B Gospel in a Small Corner order that read his work believe that Jesus is the- The Christ” and that G54b: INSET for those G54awho - The Gospel in “may a Small Corner they “may have life in His name” (20:31). Life in His Hands PalesTine 5 Life in His Hands Sidon Damascus Tyre Mediterranean Sea Caesarea Philippi Area Enlarged GALILEE Capernaum Cana Mediterranean Nazareth Tiberias Mt. Tabor Gadara? Sea Scythopolis Riv er Galilee (John 4:3) The most northern of the three provinces of Palestine in Jesus’ time. The city of Nazareth in Galilee, was the boyhood home of Jesus. All of the disciples, except for Judas Iscariot, came from Galilee. DECAPOLIS SAMARIA Samaria Sychar J o r da n 4 PEREA Bethel Jerusalem Ephraim Jericho Bethany ? Exact location questionable Bethlehem Samaria (John 4:4) The land in between Judea and Galilee. Due to Samaritan intermarriage to foreigners, strict Jewish leaders shunned the people of Samaria. Although travel through Samaria 342 was the shortest route between Judea and Galilee, the pure-blooded Jews despised the Samaritans so much that they would walk east, and detour around Samaria. Machaerus Gaza JUDEA N Dead Sea Beersheba Time to put off putting it off. It’s time to read your Bible. Life in His Hands print ministry presents the 30-Day Challenge, as we ask you to keep up with this Bible reading plan for 30-days in a row. Plus, we’re taking away all the excuses. We provide the daily readings, a check-box to mark off when you finish each day’s reading and even a free Bible if you don’t have one. All you have to do is make time. Ten to 15-minutes a day. We know it seems like an eternity, but this is actually about eternity. Yours. Let’s make the time together, right now. 0 0 Peter was told by Jesus that he would deny Christ three times before the rooster crows. Read this story on Day 18. 20 Mi. 20 Km. © Thomas Nelson, Inc. Route taken by Orthodox Jews to avoid Samaritans Route taken by Jesus to reach Samaritans Maps and Charts.indd 342 1/18/10 4:19:51 AM Judea (John 4:2) The southernmost of the three provinces of Palestine in the time of Christ. The cities of Bethlehem and Jerusalem were both in Judea. Denarii (John 6:4) The plural word for denarius. One denarius was equal to a day’s wage. Two hundred denarii would be equal to the money earned between January 1 and June 19. The 30 pieces of silver that Judas was paid to betray Jesus was roughly the price paid for one slave according to Exodus 21:32. This amount had been prophesied in Zechariah 11:11-12. For centuries, the Israelites had a compassion for those who were blind. In Deuteronomy 27:18, God placed a curse upon people who would allow the blind to wander out of their way. It was felt that blindness was a punishment for an evildoing, by either the blind person, or someone related to him. This is the reasoning behind the disciples asking Jesus whose sin led to this man’s blindness. Read this story on Day 9. Definitions of Biblical Terms in your 30-Day Challenge Reading Plan Pharisees (John 1:24) A religious and political party often unfriendly to Jesus due to the disparity between Jesus’ claims about Himself and His disregard for observances of the law. The Pharisees followed the customs and ceremonies of the written law and lived on the authority of their own oral traditions. Jacob’s Well (John 4:6) Property originally owned by Jacob (Gen. 33:18-19). Wells were almost always outside the city. Women would draw water in the morning and evening. Rabbi (John 4:31) A title of honor and respect given by the Jews to a teacher of the Law. Dads and Grads Sabbath (John 5:9) One day out of seven which is taken for rest. Introduced in the creation story, and reiterated in the Ten commandments, Jewish leaders added many details to the rules of the Sabbath. Thus, work such as carrying ones bed on the Sabbath was forbidden by Jewish law. A Biblical look at Dads and Grads. Learn about great dad’s in Scripture, those who graduated into new positions, and meet some of the Inland Empire’s top men who inspire and aspire. Graduate Congratulations announcements reservation deadline 5/16 Call (951) 638-9210 for more information. Passover (John 2:13) This was a week-long festival — The Passover was one day, and the Festival of Unleavened Bread lasted the rest of the week. The celebration commemorated the freeing of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. Manna (John 6:49) A food given by God to the Hebrews for 40 years while in the wilderness during their Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 16:15). Manna appeared with the morning dew and could be baked, boiled, ground, beaten, cooked in pans and made into cakes. Manna was a visual reminder of the care that God took of His chosen people. Synagogue (John 6:59) A place where Jews would congregate in cities and villages for prayer and reading and explanation of Jewish sacred Scriptures. In New Testament times Synagogues became community centers and might house schools, social activities and courts. Not to be confused with tabernacle or the temples. The Law (John 1:17) The rules God gave to Israel through Moses on Mt Sinai. This system, or way of life, for Israel contained requirements, blessings, & cursings. There are a total of 613 laws found throughout the Pentateuch, or the first 5 books of the Old Testament. Soloman’s Porch (John 10:23) A portion of the temple in Jerusalem. An exterior structure forming a covered walking passage leading to an entrance of a building. Sabbaths Day Journey (Acts 1:12) The distance a Jew could walk on the Sabbath day without breaking the Law. The distance is about a thousand yards, or about a half mile. LifeinHisHands.org LifeinHisHands.org The Jewish leaders were not allowed to carry out the death penalty, so they had to convince the Roman leaders to do so on their behalf. Pontus Pilot was the governer of Judea and Samaria, and being that Jesus was captured in Jerusalem (within Judea) He was taken to Pilot. Read this story on Day 19. 6 Life in His Hands THIS MOTHER’S DAY . . . IT’S MOTHER’S SAY It’s likely there is not enough space in a thousand papers to list the names of all the mothers who deserve ten times their due simply for being mom. Every year we try to show mom how much we care by the giving her a card, maybe a touching gift, taking mom to a nice lunch. Of course there is nothing wrong with these touches of love, but this year Life in His Hands print ministry is giving mom something she may have wanted all these years-someone to listen. We asked mom the questions that we never knew the answers to, and learn even more reasons why mom is so deserving of our love. Pamela McBride Mother to Kelly Dear Mom, What role has faith played in your life? God has always been my inspiration to do right by all living things. Did you have any dreams for me? My main dream was for you to get an education, and that you have done. I’m so proud of your degree. What would you tell me about raising my own kids? That the time goes by so very fast. If there was anything you missed with your children when they were young, then it’s often too late. Enjoy the precious time you have with them because it will be gone in a flash. What was something I made for you that meant a lot? A lovely Santa Boot that you made and glazed with help of your teacher. I bring it out every Christmas! What was the hardest part about raising us? Being an only child, I didn’t have a clue what to do with boys. What do you want us to know about raising our own kids? Have patience, not too lenient, not too strict, lots of love. Most important, both parents need to be in agreement on the methods used. Stephanie Scofield Mother to Josh & Jeremy What was something I did for you or made for you that meant a lot that maybe I forgot about? My oldest used to help with the crossword puzzles. My youngest made a clay turkey one Thanksgiving and when he gave it to me, one of the tail pieces broke and his heart broke, too. It’s still on my kitchen shelf - 22 years later. If you had it to do over again, what would you change about the way you raised us? Less TV and video games, and no TV in bedroom. I’d add more home Bible studies. What’s your life philosophy? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. What’s your favorite song of all time? That changes all the time but right now it is, “This is Amazing Grace” by Phil Wickham. Jeannette Mosqueda Mother to Bree and AJ Dear Mom, Dear Mom, What’s your life philosophy? Work hard for what you want in life: don’t be lazy. If you don’t like it change it. Stay strong, you will face many challenges in life, some will make you cry and bring you down. Get back up. Always be on time. Be careful what you wish for, and lastly if you mess with the bull you’re going to get the horns. What is one thing you would want us to know about raising our own children? Having children is not an easy task. You will have days where you want to scream but more days that are memorable. Be patient and encouraging. Take tons of pictures, your little ones will soon be grown up. Play, laugh and have fun. Don’t sweat the small stuff; you will have bigger things to worry about. Do you have any dreams for me? Aside from, “my kids will grow up to being pro athletes or world renowned neurosurgeons and take care of me in my old age,” I dream my kids will have jobs they’re passionate about and marry someone they can build a family with. What do you want us to know about raising our own children? Have a sense of humor. Laugh with your kids. There are usually second and third chances, so when something fails, laugh and learn and move on. Focus on the moments. If you had it to do over again, what would you change about the way you raised us? I wouldn’t change a thing. You learn from your mistakes and fix them. I’ve raised you to be responsible, caring open-minded children. Who was your favorite singer in high school? Madonna. The first time my then 12-year-old heard me singing to Madonna, she and her cheerleader friends squealed, “OMG, old school music”. I immediately changed the station. If you had it to do over again, what would you change about the way you raised us? Spend more time enjoying the small moments. Now as a 38-year-old mom to a 6-year-old, we take the time to enjoy the small stuff. A pool day and BBQ, a day at the batting range, and playing Mario Kart on the Wii. What were you unprepared for as a new mom? Lack of sleep. What three words best describe you? Trustworthy, steadfast, loyal. What were you unprepared for as a new mom? No sleep. Do you wish you had more children? Simply put NO. But I would love to foster children at some point. What’s your least favorite household chore? Dusting. What were your favorite musical acts when you were in High School? Chicago and M.C. Hammer. What’s your favorite song of all time? Take the long way home- Roger Hudson. Is there something you wish you were better at doing? I wish I was less critical of myself. What were you unprepared for as a new mom? The bond between me and my firstborn wasn’t instant. Is there anything you regret not having asked your parents? I wish I had talked to my dad about his faith while he was alive. Who was your favorite musical act in your youth? Roy Orbison, the Righteous Brothers and of course the early Beatles. What’s your favorite song of all time? Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers. Do you wish you had more children? Sometimes. What’s your favorite movies of all time? Brave Heart, Ghost, and Meet Joe Black. In what ways do you think I’m like you? And not like you? Neither are like me in keeping records or math or English; we all tend to procrastinate. The older one, like me, tends to take responsibilities more seriously. The younger one takes betrayal very personally and holds on to it as I do. We feel things very deeply & keep a lot to ourselves. The oldest seems to be taking an interest in his maternal heritage. What’s your least favorite household chore? Mopping. The whole house is tile so I really don’t like mopping! Is there anything you regret not having asked your parents? Yes. Lots. www.LifeinHisHands.org VOLUME 1 • January, 2014 Thank you for your readership, What was the hardest part about raising us? My hardest thing was not knowing where you were when you got your license to drive. I always prayed that the Lord would surround you with his angels. What is one thing you would want us to know about raising our own children? Do not yell and scream to them. Nothing is gained by causing your children to fear you. That doesn’t mean to not discipline them. Don’t loose your temper toward them. Talk to them a lot so they really know you instead of fearing you. Susan Close Mother to Chris, Jeff and Amy Kelly Thompson Mother to Victoria, Christopher, Samantha and Max What three words best describe you? Strong-willed, Peace-maker, loving. Is there something you wish you were better at doing? Just about everything domestic. What role has faith played in your life? It has kept me grounded; it has helped me see others from the inside out. What were you unprepared for as a new mom? Lost sleep and how much I loved this tiny human. 7 Life in His Hands What was something I did for you or made for you that meant a lot that maybe I forgot about? I always loved cards you made yourself. I loved you playing bass guitar in the youth praise team. You were a good little boy and I loved everything about you, and still do. I forget to say that I was so proud of you when you were a DJ. I loved to hear you on the radio. Who is your favorite band? For gospel music I love the Gaither’s and in secular music I love Alabama. What’s your life philosophy? To try to serve the Lord and to pass that desire on to my children. What were you unprepared for as a new mom? I wasn’t prepared for night shift. I had two little kids, 16- months apart, so double duty was something I probably wasn’t prepared for. What role has faith played in your life? I was literally in church all my life, but I prayed the sinners prayer when I was 12-years-old, and have been with Christ every day since I was saved. Although I didn’t always honor the Lord, He never left me, and His spirit has dwelt inside, convicting me from the day I asked Him into my heart. So, faith in Jesus has been a major part of my heart for a very long time. Say Happy Father’s Day! OF L STORY THE REA ARK NOAH’S preschool, and ON SERMON S U N DAY EASTER IDOUX M T. R U B , Christian school study oldes t school One of the of the vacation Bible ted, the story and one Once illustra animals, a stories ever told,in the Bible, is plan. of wonderful first recorded screen attracting is full rous storm, ship, a thunde o f t h e now on the big e a u d i e n c e . giant ewing id a n d a r e n it has been a a worldw presents the If s tion. Picture l popula read the Paramount starring Russel since you last story of Noah, other while Noah straight from the with every story of yet to read Crowe. As movie that has or if you have print Christian themed screen, this Bible, Hands in His graced the silver draw its fair it, Life presents the actual ry ure of the minist one will no doubt versy due to for-wo rd script share of contro s taken in the wordpage 7. on Ark that to Noah's artistic libertie This is a feature of tion. It is fair issue movies produc ood has more every in find say that Hollywfinancial aspect you will H i s H a n d s p r i n t in a Biblical interest in the rather than a L i f e y. Along with of the movie This ministr assignment (page 4), correct story. reading re of theologically there are many you will also find scriptu6. Of fact of side, d the on page applau story who Easter the that this Christians ood stating the areas over the efforts of Hollyw s certain ly all of tion may grow we will movie the publica that these please be assured l stories in to bring biblica open years, print scripture in every world and f o r always pop-culture that you find ortunities issue. We hope tional and many opp stories inspira nship to discussion. Noah's these relatio of closer a story find The will reading. ark of every through your ed on page 6 Ark is a benchm h, Sunda y Christ Continu churc childr en's ting with otherh e enjoy connec r fait leaders o second messag nity. I outreach. The o p e t h a t t h e f a i t h dition pants in the commu he h The tra , a b o u t t brings will be from particiRiverside, because there’s , Easter Sunday think resurrection continues on faith communities pbell from The annual arles Cam . so many we stick the ones April 20, 2014. Mount C h elistic Center mes atop Evang e ia someti Koinon ically most sunrise servic ge of the that we are theologgroup really front of the Serra final messa this Rubidoux in d for The g about the joy of our but to, attende similar cross has been making this mornin disciples of Christ is r such a diverse as brings togethe over 100 years, st runnin g calling Wright from Madison group of faiths.” longe page 3 of from Jeff event the . Continued on service west Street Church nonEaster sunrise . The first This e will the Missi ssippie on Moun t inational servicpeopl e ER sunris e servic held in 1909, denom IOUX EAST includ e many MT. RUBID ICE Rubidoux was date forward, also reflections, g prayers, SUNR ISE SERV and from that peopl e from leadin re in both - 7 AM" of reading Scriptu Last year, AM and 6 20 thousa nds have h. April inations • Sunday, h and Spanis multiple denom ute-trek to the Englis translating was a person language, made the 45-min Rubidoux to there in sign hike d. top of Mount resurrection of the service not planne 45 minutes to s a plan w h c the i Please wh that the • . celebrate Rubidoux. " Easter Sunday zers are hoping the top of Mt. Jesus Christ on Sunda y Organi who provided signing to The Easter person this year to this year will attend again sunrise service and will last for would translation. is located at begin at 6 AM ip and music assist withR e v e r e n d H a n n a h • Mt. Rubidoux Dr, Worsh as at er hour. Andre an porary and 4600 San Associate Minist Church with both contem nce will Burke, influe Congregational erson of Riverside." tradit ional ges First three messa rs Riverside, and Chairp for accom pany ing committee three speake LifeinHisHands.org ! ! ! Did you know? You can now run announcements inside Life in His Hands print ministry? From Congratulations to Graduations, you can place that hart-warming message inside a local monthly newspaper without hurting your wallet. For more information call Kelly at (951) 638-9210. 100% This monthly publication is designed with the entire body of Christ in mind, and strives to bring you relevant information and Biblical training every month; both in print and online. As important as this task is, we can’t do it alone. It is your donations that make Life in His Hands print ministry possible. 90% 80% Along with being your local Christian newspaper, Life in His Hands also purchases Bibles to give to people in need, while we attend events throughout the Inland Empire. 70% 60% We are 100 percent funded by individual, church, and business donations, combined with faith-based printed sponsorships. 50% The mission of Life in His Hands is to be an umbrella source for the Christian community in the Inland Empire, to bring Christ-centered content to the masses, while providing scripture, and definitions of terms, in an easy-to-read training format. 40% 30% We distribute Life in His Hands print ministry at many church and faith-based locations, combined with various methods that deliver this paper outside the “Christian Camp,” in order to reach all of His lambs. You, your church, or your business can donate at LifeinHisHands.org. Simply click the donate tab and use the Paypal links. One-time and monthly recurring options are available. You can also donate by phone by calling (951) 230-8551. 20% 12% 10% We are currently 12% funded for the 2014/2015 print calendar. If now is not the right time, we simply ask for your prayers. God Bless. For more information about our Statement of Faith, please visit LifeinHisHands.org LifeinHisHands.org 8 Life in His Hands Christian Community Concert Calendar and Events FRIDAY • MAY • 2 Red: Recalibrated Tour Don’t miss this show featuring Red, Disciple, Spoken, Benjah, A Life Set Apart The Packinghouse Church 27165 San Bernardino Ave. Redlands 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. $15-$30 (909) 793-8744 SUNDAY • MAY • 18 The Afters Harvest Christian Fellowship 6115 Arlington Avenue Riverside 7 p.m. (951) 687-6902 THUR-SAT MAY 29-31 Christian Home Educators Convention Disneyland Hotel & Convention Center 1150 Magic Way, Anaheim Keynote Speaker: Kirk Cameron More than 70 workshops. www.CheaofCa.org FRIDAY • MAY • 30 Faith & Family night Inland Empire 66’ers vs. San Jose Giants Fifty Cent Hot Dogs, Bread sticks, and $2.50 Sodas & Lawn Admission. San Manuel Stadium 280 South E Street San Bernardino (909) 888-9922 7:05 p.m. Red SPIRIT WEST COAST – SoCal Mercy Me, Tenth Avenue North, Sanctus Real, Kutless, Colton Dixon, Plumb and Jonathan Thulin Citizens Business Bank Arena 4000 E Ontario Center Parkway Doors open at 3, show starts at 4 p.m. Tickets start at $12.50 To charge by phone: 1.888.929.7849 SUNDAY • MAY • 4 Redeemed 4 Rialto Church of the Nazarene 1435 N. Willow Ave. Rialto 10:45 a.m. (909) 874-2034 TUESDAY • MAY • 6 Rivers in the Wasteland Tour featuring Needtobreathe The Wiltern 3790 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. $20-$32.50 SUNDAY • MAY • 11 Mother’s Day Flowers for Mom today Solid Ground SUNDAY • MAY • 18 Bluegrass Brethren Glen Avon Community Church 9020 Hastings Blvd. Riverside 11 a.m. -12 p.m. SUNDAY • MAY • 18 Freedom Up Spring Fest 2014 The Packinghouse & 89.7 KSGN present SkyPilot The Packinghouse Church 27165 San Bernardino Ave., Redlands 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. FREE (909) 793-8744 Bring a beach chair or blanket $5 taco plates, skate ramps, child care available. FRIDAY • MAY • 23 Black Out Circuit Tour Featuring Flame, V. Rose, KB Ecclesia Christian Fellowship 1314 E Date Street, San Bernardino 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. $15-$20 (909) 881-5551 SATURDAY • MAY • 31 Come see Cedric Brown, Dean Mills, Felix De la Cruz, Faithful 1 & Quiet Storm, Anthony Watts and Aaron Fuller. Gospel Explosion Outreach Ministry 7:00 – 9:30 PM Imani Temple of Temecula 34590 Calle Arnaz Road Temecula, 92592 (951) 302-1225 Cedric Brown SATURDAY • MAY • 17 25th Annual Spring Sing Featuring California Melody Boys Solid Ground The Chordsmen Chosen Vision The Curtsingers Evidence Herb Henry Family Johnson Family Quartet Mike & Darla Cornell Trio Reliance Revised Standard Version Songfellows Quartet First Southern Baptist Church 840 N. Shattuck, Orange 12 p.m. - 6 p.m. Advance tickets $13, $16 at the door, Children under 12 free (714) 693-7684. SUNDAY • JUNE • 1 Freedom Up Spring Fest 2014 The Packinghouse & 89.7 KSGN present AJ Degrasse The Packinghouse Church 27165 San Bernardino Ave., Redlands 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. FREE (909) 793-8744 Bring a beach chair or blanket $5 taco plates, skate ramps, child care available. Flame SUNDAY • MAY • 25 Freedom Up Spring Fest 2014 The Packinghouse & 89.7 KSGN present Hilary & Kate The Packinghouse Church 27165 San Bernardino Ave., Redlands 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. FREE (909) 793-8744 Bring a beach chair or blanket $5 taco plates, skate ramps, child care available. Revised Standard Version Planning VBS? Let us know. Life in His Hands will print VBS announcement ads in June, July and August. Plus, your VBS can be listed on this calendar. E-mail Chris@LifeinHIsHands.org. FRIDAY • JUNE • 6, 13, 20, 27 Outdoor Film Fest Lutheran Church of Our Savior 5050 N. Sierra Way, San Bernardino 8:00 p.m. - 10:15 p.m. Free 909-882-5013 The movies being shown are: June 6 Goonies June 13 Despicable Me II June 20 Heavyweights June 27 Frozen SUNDAY • JUNE • 8 Golden State Quartet First Church of the Nazarene 1435 N. Willow Ave, Rialto 10:45 a.m. SATURDAY • MAY • 17 Vacation Bible School Clinic Church leaders to learn to administer LifeWay’s Agency D3 VBS program. Palm Baptist Church 6807 Palm Ave. Riverside 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Free FRIDAY • JUNE • 20 SUNDAY • JUNE • 15 MONDAY • MAY • 26 Memorial Day Picnic 12 noon-4 p.m. East Hills Community Church 20660 Orange Terrace Parkway, Riverside Freedom Up Spring Fest 2014 The Packinghouse & 89.7 KSGN present Brenden McPeek & Soul Reformation The Packinghouse Church 27165 San Bernardino Ave., Redlands 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. FREE (909) 793-8744 Bring a beach chair or blanket $5 taco plates, skate ramps, child care available. LifeinHisHands.org Life in His Hands print ministry takes pride in publishing local church and Christian events throughout the Inland Empire, and nearby areas. Event listings can also be found on our website at LifeinHisHands.org. If you have an event you would like us to consider for publishing, please send all the information to Events@LifeinHisHands.org. Due to space limitations, we cannot guarantee that every event will make it to the print edition. However, we always place relevant events in our online calendar. Life in His Hands print ministry also offers advertising opportunities so you can guarantee placement to spread the word about your upcoming concert or event. For more information please call Kelly at (951) 638-9210. We hope you have a chance to enjoy some of the shows and events listed. God Bless.