The Story of Andrea and Marty, Part 1
THE STORY OF ANDREA AND MARTY How do I begin to tell the story of Andrea and Marty? I wish I had kept a journal,...
The Story of Andrea and Marty, Part 1
Wisdom
Andrea and Marty, Part 2
Andrea and Marty, Part 2
I, Loretta Newton, introduced you to Andrea, a single mom and her son Marty, and how I had been on a 4 year roller...
The Caregiver’s Prayer
The Caregiver’s Prayer
(Submitted by Ann Anderson of Holland, MI)
Compassionate and healing God,
Help us to see Your face
In the faces of our sisters and brothers
Who are sick or injured.
Guide us to reach out to them
With hearts of compassion
Substance Abuse
Substance Abuse
Guilt but Never Despair What did we do wrong? How could we have averted this problem? These and many other...
I Did It! I Walked 60 Miles in 3 Days!!!!
I Did It! I Walked 60 Miles in 3 Days!!!!
Dear Friends: Wish you could have seen the impact of 2,100 walkers the 300 support persons the hundreds of people...
Elvis and Wing-Tip Shoes
Elvis and Wing-Tip Shoes
This is Elvis Evans. I am a former student of yours from way back in the days of 1977-78.
I do not think I ever had an opportunity to thank you. You were instrumental in the successes I have enjoyed in my life. In 1977, I was a lost kid looking for someone to understand me. I wore a hearing aide, which was an anomaly back then. I was also epileptic and wore orthopedic shoes, which back then only came in one style; wing tip.
Trauma: Helping Children Cope
Trauma: Helping Children Cope
After any disaster, (school violence, hurricane, floods, fire, earthquakes, acts of terrorism, physical or sexual violence, and so on) children are afraid that the event will happen again, that they or someone they love will be hurt or killed, that they may be separated from those they love and be left alone. Following are ways that you can help children cope with trauma. Most of these suggestions come from the children's book Jenny is Scared: When Sad Things Happen in the World by Carol Shuman (Washington, DC: Magination Press, 2003).
Burnout (Of Pastors, Other Leaders, and their Spouses)
Burnout (Of Pastors, Other Leaders, and their Spouses)
During my early years as a pastor, I had a hard time balancing the demands of my job with the needs of my wife and family. Putting in long hours, struggling to get organized, and trying to figure out if I was up to this, I considered leaving the ministry. Eventually, the stress contributed to a divorce from my first wife.
During the difficult time when I was going through my divorce there was only one person from the church who called me daily, took me out for coffee to listen to me, and invited me to dinner. He did not lecture, did not pry, and did not try to get my wife and me back together. He was simply, steadfastly there for me. I will never forget the strength that man gave me.
