austin faith & family- july 2011

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JuLY 2011

STRENGTH FOR THE FAMILY, HOPE FOR THE CITY

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FaithBody Life: Loving From the Head

Along the Way: When Prophets Rise

Head to Heart:Depression and the Church

FamilyPractical Parenting: it's YOUR Job!

A Few Good Men:Memories That Stick

Journey for Two:A Walk in the Park

LifeLadies Top 10: Staying Cool in Austin

Erin's Cooking: Pineapple Paradise

Life Changers: One Hard Hit

Spend Life Well: On the Move With Your Job?

HealthHealthy Indeed:Beating the Summer Heat

Diet & Nutrition: The Best Way to Ensure Good Skin

Special This MonthCover Story: Simple Wellness

RV Family Adventure

A Case for Smiles

Monthly FavoritesThe Source Directory

20 Words:It's Friday...and You Ain't Got No Job.

Austin Community Calendar

Rave Reviews

www.AustinFaithandFamily.com Strength for the Family, Hope for the City 5Faith&FamilyAUSTIN

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contents

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Spiritually LeadingYour Family

12

Remembering Keith Green10

Simple Wellness

with Dr. Mark Randall

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18

July 2011

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29

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Creating Lasting Memorieswith Your Kids14

Family-Friendly Places to Stay Cool in Austin23

Secrets for Healthy Skin28

PuBLISHER1633 Ministries 501 (c) (3)[email protected]

EDIToRMarcy [email protected]

ART DIRECToRAbby [email protected]

ADvERTISING SALESSusan Stern| [email protected]

Miranda Bradley | [email protected]

Rene Dorsey | [email protected]

CoNTRIBuTING WRITERSMarcy Lytle, Trent Peng, Kie Bowman, Ginny Hurley, Mark Trice, John Pound, Erin Osborn, Georganne Schuch, David & Lynn Cherry, Gary Sinclair, Rene Dorsey, Rachel James, Paul Tsui, Mike Giles, and Deborah Begley

CovER PHoToMallory Hamling

Austin Faith and Family is committed to encouraging individuals in their daily lives by presenting the faith stories of others and providing information that will point every person, at every stage of life, to a deeper, authentic, personal and life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ. Views expressed in Austin Faith & Family do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Every effort has been made by the Austin Faith & Family staff to ensure accuracy of the publication contents. However, we do not guarantee the accuracy of all information, nor the absences of errors and omissions; hence, no responsibility can be, or is assumed. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2010 by 1633 Ministries 501 (c) (3).

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Austin Faith & FamilyPO Box 2496Round Rock, TX 78680512.584.6888 (P)512.501.6760 (F)

Austin Faith & Family is published monthly and is available at high traffic locations throughout the metropolitan area. Copies are also available by subscription, $35 for one year. Single issues available for $3 an issue.

volume 3, Issue 2

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By now, we’re usually encountering the real summer heat; however, it came early this year. It’s hot, many are complaining, and dreams of cooler days fill our heads. I know many are praying for rain, and I believe it IS coming.

You might notice a bit of a change in our magazine, as we are going through some of that refining heat process ourselves. We’re modifying, regrouping, rethinking, and revamping our content, our look, and our future…all for the better. It will take a bit of time, but change is good, right? I once heard someone say that if we can’t accept change in life, we just won’t even be able to live! It’s so true; so I hope you welcome change and look for the positive when change occurs.

Our cover story itself is indicative of change. There are good things happening in the medical field in terms of detecting cancer and other diseases. It’s interesting that this change involves heat, and this heat is effective in helping our health! We have added a new column called “Healthy Indeed” and included this month are tips to beat the summer heat – common sense applications to keep us from succumbing to injury while outdoors. When the “heat is on” in our lives, many fall into depression, which is addressed in “Head to Heart” this month. And if the heat is rising in your marriage, check out “Journey for Two” and see why you might need to put on your tennis shoes and step outside early in the morning while it’s still relatively “cool.”

Whatever sort of heat is rising in your life at the moment, we hope you find some relief, a piece of advice, or an encouraging word as you thumb through the pages of our July issue. We all learned in school that heat causes things to expand, so we’re fully expecting to expand our realm of influence through our content, our advertising, and the prayers of our readers like you! While the heat is on, welcome the changes that expansion brings, and then sit back and wait…for the rain. It’s coming. And it’s going to be nice…

Editor, Austin Faith & [email protected]

Letters

Editor's Note The Heat is On

Join our growing online community at www.facebook.com/austinfaithandfamily


Marcy,Many people have complimented the magazine, even as far as Michigan! You are all doing a fantastic job so keep it up! Thanks again,

Vicki L.

Marcy,Your Helping Hands intro on page 25 and the Miracle Foundation article on page 32 (June issue) were beautifully written and brought tears to my eyes. And as always, I loved David & Lynn Cherry's "Journey for Two" article on marriage on page 19. It's deep thoughtful stuff, and very helpful for me as I navigate the adventure of marriage!

Susan S.

Marcy,I brought the latest issue of Austin Faith and Family with me (on my trip) and read through the whole thing on the flight. Really enjoyed the articles. You do a great job!!

Sylvia N.

Dear AFF,Hello! I’m a new Austinite and have found much comfort in your wonderful magazine Austin Faith And Family. Please add me to your list of subscribers for the Spiritual Coffee E-newsletter.

Alicia H.

Marcy,I love what you’ve done with the magazine. I pick up a copy each month. I love reading it and seeing some familiar names.

Wendi B.

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Faith Body LifeAlong the WayHead to Heart

91011

I guess I had it wrong. For years I admired the way my wife loved our kids. She had just the right blend of affection and discipline. She

really is gifted that way. So I thought, “Great! I’ll let her focus on that part of the family, and I’ll do the other stuff – go to work, pay the bills, maintain the house, etc.” After all, I am the “head” of our house and should be able to do what I want. If I did some of the loving along the way, that was a “bonus” for my family. That’s where I missed it. I know that being responsible with all the other stuff is a part of loving my wife and kids, but I discovered something else in the process. I began to look at this headship thing a little closer. Heads are everywhere! It seems every person and group is designed to need a head. The Bible handles the whole idea pretty seriously and I soon began to see why. I Corinthians 11 states that God is the head of Christ, and Christ is the head of man, and it continues to say that man is the head of woman. I assume we could go on to say that mom is the head of the kids and the kids get to be the heads of the family pet. (I really have no scriptural foundation for that, unless you use Genesis 1:26). Now in the Corinthian passage we see that headship clearly has to do with authority (all the men said, “Yes!”) However, there is something more. There is no doubt that Jesus looked to His Father for leadership. He said He only did what He saw His Father doing and He stayed perfectly under His Father’s authority. But He also looked to His

Father for something else – Love. In John 3:35, Jesus said it plainly, “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.” Love – in the family, in the church, even in business, government, or civic organizations – it’s not just for the wives and moms to do. It is the main job of the HEAD. God has designed His Kingdom as a place where love flows from the head. It flows from God to Christ. It flows from Christ to the Church (Jesus is the head of the Church – Colossians 1:18) and it is God’s plan for love to flow from husbands to wives, from mom and dad to the kids, and even from little Ralphy to Rover. Need more proof? How about that passage we use so often at weddings, Ephesians 5? “For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior…Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her…So husbands ought to also love their own wives as their own bodies, for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes it and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body.” (Verses 23, 25, 28-30) The Apostle Paul tells us that it is preposterous to think that a head won’t love its own body. And it’s that little phrase “just as” that makes this passage so powerful.

I sometimes see people and families as plants and flowers. And I can always tell how well a “head” loves his family; or the pastor his congregation; or

even a boss his business, by whether the plants are thriving and blooming, or all shriveled up. Love is the water and the nourishment that every person needs and it is the head’s job to supply it. You may feel deficient in this area - as I did. The good news is that God has more than enough love for you and your family. None of us has enough on our own, but as we sincerely call upon Him, He will open the floodgates and release a river into us with more than enough love for us to share!

John PoundPastor, New Hope Community Church

Body Life:

Loving From the Head

When Keith Green was 11 years old, he signed a recording contract with Decca Records. His picture was splashed

across the teen magazines and he enjoyed minor success on the radio, but his childhood “stardom” was short lived. By the age of 14, he felt like a “has been” in Hollywood and left home at age 15 as a wandering counter-culture musician during the hippie movement in Southern California. That was 1968. The next few years were filled with drugs, failures in the music business, Eastern mysticism, the hippie lifestyle, and a growing interest in religion. Then, in the early 1970’s, Green, who was Jewish, and his new wife Melody, a Jewish girl from Hollywood, became followers of Christ. His songwriting reflected his new faith and Keith Green became a Christian music phenomenon. His songs were pointed, with a cutting and sometimes acerbic

bite in the lyrics. His “no holds barred” approach to Christian ministry led to the almost universally held belief among his fans that he was a modern day prophet. His lyrics were “fire and brimstone” in their denunciation of sin and suddenly tender and vulnerable in their praise to God. For instance, he wrote and sang, “The world is sleeping in the dark that the church just can’t fight ‘cause it’s asleep in the light. How can you be so dead, when you’ve been so well fed? Jesus rose from the grave, and you, you can’t even get out of bed!” Then after “lowering the boom” lyrically, he could write a love song to Jesus. “Oh Lord, you’re beautiful, your face is all I see - for when your eyes are on this child, your grace abounds to me.” Keith Green was a radical Christian who decided to give away his albums even though he was the

biggest s e l l i n g

artist with his record label. His

concerts swelled to thousands in attendance, but his home was open to street people who needed a place to stay. One night, the Christian music radio station I was listening to broke the news - Keith Green had been killed in a small plane crash. It was July 28, 1982. His public ministry had lasted only about five years. The rise of Keith Green seemed sudden and just as suddenly, he was gone. When he died he was only 28 years old. Today, it is difficult to imagine what the contemporary Christian music industry, which Green helped to shape, would look like if it had not been for the oversized imprint of Keith Green. His prophetic lyrics calling the church to wake up are as relevant on iTunes as they were on vinyl.

Dr. Kie BowmanPastor, Hyde Park Baptist Church

When Prophets Rise

Along the WayFaith


In this article I want to address the question of how the Church should view and respond to depression. By the term “depression” I

mean something far different from an occasional dark mood or a temporary case of the “blues.” For the purpose of this article I am using the term “depression” to refer to an emotional illness. Within the Body of Christ there has been a stigma attached to depression, which has hindered many Christians who are sufferers of this disease of the soul from being open about their condition and seeking the help they need. It is imperative that the stigma of depression be eradicated from the Church. How can that be done? Four things are necessary. The first requirement for overcoming the stigma of depression in the church is the dispelling of the myth that real Christians can’t be depressed. It is a perfectly possible to be a committed, Spirit-filled follower of Jesus and to suffer from depression. As Joyce Huggett, a prominent Christian counselor, has observed, “having a firm faith in God is not an insurance policy against this disease of the soul nor even an inoculation against it.” There are several stories in the Bible of great men of God, e.g. Job, Elijah, and Jeremiah, battling the darkness of depression. William Cowper, a gifted evangelical hymn writer of the 18th century, while in the throes of a major depression, wrote this self-description: “I am like a slug or a snail that has fallen into a deep well.” Charles Haddon

Spurgeon, known in the 19th century as “The Prince of Preachers,” experienced frequent bouts of depression and spoke of being moved to tears for no reason known to himself. Sheila Walsh, a well known Christian singer, author, and former co-host of The 700 Club, has told the story of her battle with depression in the early 1990’s. She writes, “One morning I was sitting on national television with my nice suit and inflatable hairdo and that night I was in the lock ward of a psychiatric hospital.” The second requirement for overcoming the stigma of depression in the church is the educating of Christians about the symptoms of depression. When a person is suffering from the mood disorder of depression, it is almost always the case that he or she is exhibiting four or more of the following nine symptoms: (1) loss of appetite or weight loss; (2) sleep difficulties (insomnia or oversleeping); (3) fatigue; (4) agitation or irritability; (5) listlessness; (6) loss of interest; (7) difficulty in concentration; (8) feelings of guilt; (9) a death wish or thoughts of suicide. If you asked someone who is deeply depressed how they feel they might say: sad, rejected, exhausted, paralyzed, ambivalent, empty, alone, hopeless, afraid, worthless. The third requirement for overcoming the stigma of depression in the church is the educating of Christians about the causes of depression. For some Christians, every problem and every solution is spiritual. They may respond to a depressed person by saying, “You must have an un-confessed sin that you need to repent of,” or, “You need to have faith and pray more,” or, “You are under demonic attack, and you need to do spiritual warfare.” Christians may indeed suffer from what is called “spiritual depression,” but it must be distinguished from clinical depression.

Clinical depression may be hereditary, or it may be congenital—the result of a chemical imbalance present from birth. Subconscious issues, such as deep, traumatic childhood wounds, when left unacknowledged and unprocessed, can produce depression. A very common cause of the emotional illness of depression is a chemical imbalance induced by periods of prolonged stress. Mary Southerland uses the analogy of a sinkhole to explain this cause of depression. A sinkhole occurs when the ground suddenly collapses—without warning and for no apparent reason. Actually, it is the culmination of a long process. Geologists say sinkholes occur when the underground resources dry up, casing the soil at the surface to lose its underlying support. Then, the ground simply caves in and an ugly pit is formed. “Depression and sinkholes have a lot in common. Depression seems to overwhelm with a vicious suddenness, when, in reality, it’s a subtle and gradual process. Inner resources are slowly depleted until one day, there’s no energy…of any kind…to maintain normal activities. The world caves in and our existence is swallowed up in the darkness of a black hole.” The fourth requirement for overcoming the stigma of depression is the church is the educating of Christians about how sufferers of it can experience healing. I will devote my next article to the question of how the church, in cooperation with the medical community, can effectively minister to its members who are afflicted with this mysterious disease of the soul.

Part 1

Jack HammansHead to Heart Ministries

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Head to Heart Faith

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Do you just want a job or do you really NEED a job? Before you answer, I want to point out that there is a major

difference. Although the words want and need are used interchangeably in your generation, they actually have two different meanings. A person who wants a job spends an hour a day filling out a couple of applications online and the rest of the day coming up with reasons why nobody is hiring. The truth is that they are hiring; they are just not hiring you. A person who needs a job, however, is motivated by their need to survive. There is no option to live at home or mooch off a family member. These folks seem to have jobs no matter what the economy looks like.

Being broke is like a cool lifestyle for your generation. People with jobs and ambition are the outsiders. For those of you that want a job, allow me to affirm your fears. The economy is really bad right now, and so it doesn’t make much sense to put a lot of effort into this. There are great welfare programs, and you can always apply for college loans and not use them for

school. You are on your way to making a huge indifference in this world.

If you really need a job however, then be determined to follow these steps:

Step 1: Do what others are not doing.

How many hours a week will you work? Whatever that number is, you have at least that much time to look for a job right now. Finding a job is a job, and if you are not treating it as one by laboring at it for hours each day, you are wasting your time.

Step 2: Network.

Make a list of everyone you know who has a job and ask them if they have any open positions at their work. Don’t just ask one or two people and wait for them to call you. That is what your friends who want jobs are doing. Ask EVERYONE and wait for NO ONE. The more places you are willing to look into and apply to, the faster

you will find multiple job opportunities. Once you get referred, go apply in person.

Step 3: Stop applying online for jobs!

Find out when the decision maker will be working and make it a point to meet them face to face. This will show that you possess two things that your peers lack: ambition and professionalism.

Step 4: Follow up.

If you don’t get to meet the hiring manager upon turning in your application and resume (always turn in a copy of your resume) then follow up immediately by phone AND email. Step 5: Organize your efforts.

If you put five hours a day into this for two weeks, then you can easily put in five applications a day. Once you have 10 applications in, start following up via phone, email and in person. If you earnestly labor at this for two weeks and do not skip any of the steps, you will get multiple job offers in any economy.

The key principle here is to do what others are not willing to do. Enjoy the struggle of finding employment. It’s building character within you that will later be used to make a legitimate difference in this world.

Joe ElliotYouth & Young Adult Minister

Northwest Fellowship

20 Words has a dual meaning--it speaks to an audience in their 20s while highlighting 20 words that send a message.

...and you ain'tgot no job.

20 Words:

IT'S FRIDAY!

It's YOUR Job



Good kids don't turn out good on accident. They need help to turn into good kids, and thus good adults. I know some silly

psycho-something might think babies are born perfect and learn bad habits as they grow. After five babies, I can tell you with an air of authority that babies know how to be bad from the minute they take their first breath. Therefore, it's a parent's job to teach them how to be good, not how to be bad. If you proceed from the supposition that children are born knowing how to be bad, how do you teach them to be good? There are as many theories on that as grains of sand at the seashore, and I don't pretend to have all the answers. However, if I may be so bold as to make a suggestion, use common sense. For example, if you let them jump on the furniture, swing from the ceiling fans, and break glass with high pitched screams at home, it stands to reason they will do it

other places. Call me unfriendly, but children who act like that in my presence are not invited back to my house. Of course, one child has enough energy to power a nuclear plant. Young children should burn off their energy with running and jumping and screaming and swinging...outside. You cannot drive a mile in any direction in this city without passing a playground. So, make regular play dates at a playground. Again, using common sense, slather every exposed piece of skin with sunscreen and take a gallon of water per child. For older children, harness their energy into productive activities. Get a job. Lots of people need an extra hand during the summer to help with projects, and they might even pay an enterprising young person. Get a hobby. Playing video games is not a hobby. Try planting a garden. Learning how to take care of something and then getting to eat what you grow is a major confidence boost. Get moving. Watching an entire season of The Biggest Loser cannot be considered exercise. The YMCA offers classes for teens to learn how to safely use weights and other equipment. It teaches healthy lifestyle habits. Get chores. Funny how the bed needs to be made every single day, and the bathroom never cleans itself. Learning how to do chores early is like basic training for life. After some of that excess energy is burned off, children have more clarity and can receive discipline better. Discipline is not just about correction, it's about training and development. The dictionary defines discipline as training to act in accordance with rules (such as no swinging

from the ceiling fan), and an activity, exercise, or regimen that develops or improves skill. Teaching a young child how to act appropriately is discipline. Manners are a large part of my family's discipline program. We practice before we encounter situations in which manners should be used. How do you greet adults who speak to you? What do you say when someone asks you a question? When should you speak and when should you not? How do you act in waiting rooms? Unless blatant disobedience is exhibited during a real life encounter, I correct my children through suggestions about how to improve, and we practice more. While they are far from perfect, we have never garnered the worst kid award in any waiting room...yet. Another area of discipline is character development. Character qualities are not inherited. They are taught and caught. In other words, a child has to know what the truth is in order to know when he is not telling it. Then, he also has to see people he respects and loves tell the truth at all times in order to emulate them. The character qualities in which I want to discipline, or train, my children are the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, self-control, and faithfulness. We start, even with my littlest ones, teaching what each fruit, or character quality, means using Bible verses, songs, and stories. Then, I find real life ways for my kids to see me implementing a character quality in my life so they can “catch” it. One idea is to find someone who needs help. I take a meal, maybe, to someone with a new baby or a friend recovering from a surgery. Babies are precious little bundles of innocence, but they are not instinctively good. A baby depends on her parents to feed her, love her, protect her, and teach her. Begin early to train or discipline in areas like manners and character. She will grow to be a young child people enjoy being around, a teen who is thoughtful, and an adult who is responsible. You might not get it all right, but, as the parent, you will have done more than babysat for 18 years.

Georganne Schuchwww.blog.coffeedogz.net

Practical Parenting:

FamilyPractical ParentingA Few Good Men

Journey for Two

131415


Family A Few Good Men

Why do we remember some things and not others? What jokes, messages from your pastor, commercials, and

life moments stay with you for a long time while others are gone in a heartbeat? Interestingly, significant research has been conducted concerning the events and media messages we remember best and why some of them are seared into our minds and hearts, while the rest just vanish. Not long ago, I read a popular book on marketing called Made to Stick, which chronicled a recent study done by two brothers, Chip and Dan Heath. They found there were six characteristics of an event, ad, or message that added to the possibility that people would actually remember it. And what I’ve found as a pastor, communicator and, yes, as a man in general is that those qualities matter when it comes to being married and raising our kids. If we males want to communicate well with those we love, then we would be wise to think about how to incorporate these concepts into our leadership and lives overall. So here we go. The first component in memorable communication is simple. So often when we’re trying to get something across we drift toward long lectures, myriad details, and complicated analysis. Whether we’re talking to our wives, our kids or a friend, let’s just stay with the basics. It’s

not that they are dumb. It’s that people can only remember and comprehend so much at once. And often we add to the problem when we revert to talking about the past or future rather than what’s going on right now. “You never listen to me . . .” is much more involved (and unhelpful) than, “A minute ago I felt like I wasn’t being heard.” Second, use the unexpected. Surprise those you love with a special note, gift or little excursion outside the norm. Say something to affirm them that they don’t expect. This is a great time to be creative and yet have a lot of fun. Once we got our kids out of bed in the middle of the night to watch the space shuttle fly over. We all laid down, out on the front lawn in our pajamas, and waited together.

The only problem was that the shuttle was diverted that night due to weather and went another direction. But they remember this surprise, and we still talk about it. Third, what we say has to be credible. We often nudge the truth when we want to make our point. We make ourselves look a little better, or others appear worse, with over-generalizations and exaggerations. Sometimes we men would rather have a root canal than look weak. We need to learn to be more authentic and admit to others that we have struggles, mess up, or even doubt.

Fourth, it has to be concrete. In our homes and daily communications we need to avoid a lot of subjective and abstract discussions, and be clear and concise. When our wives have a question about money we don’t need to start a discussion about the tax code. When our kids require direction about what is expected of them, we need to give them easy to follow directions, not a generic directive. Fifth, our communication needs to touch the emotions. Again, we men generally don’t easily respond on an emotional level, but it’s time to learn to go there. Our teenagers need to have us wonder with them about their hurts. “So it sounds like you’re pretty scared right now about heading off to college next year.” Or, “I was really proud of how you responded to that party situation last night.” Our wives need to hear words of thanks, see expressions of love, and notice us bragging on them in front of others. They’ll remember those moments for a long time. And finally, we need to tell stories. Jesus often spoke in parables because He knew the power of a story. Have your kids or your spouse ever heard your stories about your past, your passions, your broken dreams, and bucket list? Do you have time with your family to tell stories about what’s going on in their world? Do you laugh, cry, and celebrate over the narratives that happen in one another’s world all the time? And when you’re trying to get a point across, especially to a child or teen, the best way is to use a story or example from their world. Stories work and people remember them. So, what are the people in your world remembering that you say? Is it just blah, blah, blah or are they still thinking about it weeks later? Keep it simple, unexpected, credible, concrete, emotional and story-focused. I’m pretty sure you’ll notice the difference.

Gary Sinclairhttp://www.keepclimbing.net

Memories That Stick


We celebrate our 20th anniversary this month. In our years together, we’ve shared some incredible moments and

some monumental challenges. I don’t think either one of us would refer to our marriage as “a walk in the park.” That is…until…we got up early one day and went for an actual walk in Wells Branch Park. It was a cool morning but the sun was shining, and I was eager to get going. I put on my tennis shoes and grabbed a sweatshirt. David was moving a little slower but he got his tennis shoes on too, and we headed out. When we got to the park, David said he had a headache. “Do you want to skip the walk?” I asked. “No, I’ll make it,” he replied. We stretched our legs and hit the trail. Squirrels were playing tag in the trees. The park was green and growing. We enjoyed saying “good morning” to fellow walkers we met along the way. We were not familiar with the trail and stopped to look at a map. Since there was no indication of the length of the trail and no scale to help us judge the length, we just kept walking.

At one point I was thinking about how far we had come and suggested we turn around and head back. David didn’t want to. We’d be going right back through parts we’ve already seen, so what’s the fun in that? There was unexplored trail in front of us and he was up for the adventure. About halfway through our walk, the path began to climb. I started to fade. I thought, “What is so terribly wrong with turning around and back tracking over parts we had seen before?” I wanted to quit, sit on a park bench, and let David explore that fresh new trail back to the van alone while I waited for him to come pick me up. But instead of giving up, I reached for his hand. He slowed his pace and we continued to walk together hand in hand. We laughed as we confessed how David didn’t want to go on the walk at all, and how I wanted to quit when things got hard. These are familiar themes on our journey. Years ago when our

marriage was in crisis, I was the one who made the initial call and scheduled our first appointment with a counselor. When things got hard and those sessions became gut-wrenching for me, David grabbed my hand and dragged me along. I got things started, but his strength and resolve helped us finish the course. Our differences can become a source of conflict in marriage. I get grumpy when I am ready to start something and David isn’t on board. He gets frustrated when I don’t follow through. When I reflect on our walk in the park, I am grateful for the way our strengths and weaknesses compensate for each other. We wonder where you are on the journey. Are you just getting started? Are you feeling stuck somewhere? Are you ready to quit? I remember when God gently called me with this passage from Isaiah 43 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned...” It was like He said, “Just keep walkin’ baby. Keep walking and I promise you will make it through.” I love that word through. We want to encourage YOU to keep walking! Relish the times that feel like a scenic stroll in the cool of the evening. But don’t give up when the trail starts to climb, know that God is walking right alongside you, and He promised you will make it through! Try this: Grab your tennis shoes and take a walk in the park. Visit www.austinexplorer.com for information on local trails. Read Romans 15:1-2 in The Message. How do you see God using your unique strengths to serve your spouse? How does your spouse help you when you falter? Your differences can cause irritation. Think about how those same things enrich your life together.

David & Lynn CherryStaff, Shoreline Church

A Walk in the ParkFamilyJourney for Two

Submit calendar entries to [email protected] by the 15th of the preceding month.

July 1Film, Food & Fun Fridays at The Lakeway Church. K- 5th grade. Drop the kids off or join them as they watch age-appropriate movies each Friday from 9:30am – 12:30 pm. There will also be games, crafts and snacks. A $5 donation is requested for each child.

Music under the Stars - Families are invited to come out to the Bob Bullock Museum 6-9pm. Bring chairs and blankets to place on the Lone Star Plaza under the 35-foot-tall bronze star and listen to local artists perform live music.

July 2July 4th Family Fest @ Shenandoah Baptist Church at 3003 Blue Ridge Drive in Cedar Park, Texas, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, 512-258-6909. Inflatable Water Slide, Slip-n-Slide, Moonwalk, Family Obstacle Course, Everyone Welcome, Everything FREE - www.shenandoahbaptist.com.

Pflugerville Pfirecracker Pfestival – 10am - at Lake Pflugerville - Family Festival - Food, Kids Activities, Swimming, Fishing, Kayaks, Music! Austin Civic Wind Ensemble and Two Tons of Steel after the fireworks! Shuttle Ride - Free! Make it a family tradition!

July 4Frontier Days Celebration and Parade - 10:00a to 11:00p at Old Settlers Park, Round Rock, TX FREE

July 5Movies with a Message – Family movie time with popcorn and a devotional – 2:30-4:30pm – Manchaca United Methodist, 1011 FM 1626, Manchaca, TX – www.manchacaumc.org. This week: Ratatouille.

July 6Extreme Wednesdays at The Lakeway Church. K- 5th grade. There will be games, crafts, slime time and water fun! A $5 donation is requested for each child.



Toons and Tunes Summer Series - 8:00pm - at Buda City Park, Buda, TX - Free - Enjoy concerts under the pavilion or watch family-friendly movies under the stars. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, and snacks for comfort. Concessions will be available. Free admission.

July 10Pajama Party at Kaleidoscope Toy in Round Rock - Come in your pj's! Story time 2-4pm, cookies, milk, crafts, and 10% of all Sunday July sales go to The Pajama Program. Contact 512-562-8931 FMI.

July 11Preschool Story time at Manchaca United Methodist Church – 1011 FM 1626 – 10-11a.m. – Contact [email protected] FMI. (siblings are welcome)

July 12Movies with a Message – Family movie time with popcorn and a devotional – 2:30-4:30pm – Manchaca United Methodist, 1011 FM 1626, Manchaca, TX – www.manchacaumc.org. This week: Pocahontas.

July 13Extreme Wednesdays at The Lakeway Church. K- 5th grade. There will be games, crafts, slime time and water fun! A $5 donation is requested for each child.




July 16Caleb 5K Run -to honor the life of Caleb Sterling Koke and to remember the lives of others who were tragically cut short. 8am-12noon - Shoreline Church 15201 Burnet Road. Visit http://www.caleb5k.com/ to register.


SUNSET SOCIAL - Ladies, Join the Women of Austin Christian Fellowship at the Beautiful Oasis 6:30 p.m. Women of all ages are invited to fellowship with old and new friends. www.acfwomen.com.

July 19Movies with a Message – Family movie time with popcorn and a devotional – 2:30-4:30pm – Manchaca United Methodist, 1011 FM 1626, Manchaca, TX – www.manchacaumc.org. This week: Mulan.

July 20Extreme Wednesdays at The Lakeway Church. K- 5th grade. There will be games, crafts, slime time and water fun! A $5 donation is requested for each child. Dr. Marta Katalenas is offering free newborn and prenatal class for new and expectant parents. 6:00 pm to 7:00pm at the Pediatric Center in Round Rock, Texas, 7700 Cat Hollow Dr., #104, phone number is 512-733-5437.





July 26Movies with a Message – Family movie time with popcorn and a devotional – 2:30-4:30pm – Manchaca United Methodist, 1011 FM 1626, Manchaca, TX – www.manchacaumc.org. This week: Beauty & the Beast.

July 27 Extreme Wednesdays at The Lakeway Church. K- 5th grade. There will be games, crafts, slime time and water fun! A $5 donation is requested for each child.

July 29Music under the Stars - Families are invited to come out to the Bob Bullock Museum 6-9pm. Bring chairs and blankets to place on the Lone Star Plaza under the 35-foot-tall bronze star and listen to local artists perform live music.


Susan is Austin Faith & Family's advertising guru. Her expertise runs deep, with a degree in advertising from UT and 13 years of experience working at ad agencies and radio and TV stations in Dallas and Austin. In her current role at AFF, Susan feels blessed to be able to use her

advertising experience to help faith and family friendly businesses reach a quality audience while supporting the Christ-centered mission of the magazine. She lives in East Austin with her husband Todd, daughter Salem, their yellow lab Bentley, and big orange cat Monty.

If you'd like to find out more about advertising your business in AFF, send Susan an email and she'll be glad to help you!

Susan Stern

Meet AFF's sALes ReP!

[email protected]

July 2011



Just what is “simple wellness?” That’s what we wanted to know. The title sounds great, doesn’t it? Being rid of disease in an

uncomplicated, pain-free manner, is what comes to my mind. But what makes this doctor’s offering so easily attainable and “simple?” Founder Mark Randall, N.D., states that “simple wellness” is what he calls “obedience to God’s natural laws,” and Mark’s clinic (Wellness Medical Imaging) offers Thermography, which involves no contact, radiation-free breast health screenings and whole body screenings that scan for more insight into your health. Many clients choose this tool to minimize their exposure to radiation. Thermography identifies the heat signature of developing or active cancer, not the anatomy of that cancer. Randall states, “Thermography is the only non-invasive study which has the potential to identify the inflammatory changes that take place during the development of breast disease.” Among the many tests out there, Randall calls thermal imaging the physiological “piece of the puzzle,” because many tests are anatomical, showing inside structure (size/shape/density). However, thermal imaging reveals what the sympathetic nervous system is telling us

about function, thus great for early detection of wellness imbalances. Thermographic (“Thermal Gradient”) studies of the breasts can identify changes that can lead to detection of early stage breast disease. This test is particularly useful for women under 50 where mammography is less effective. The breast screening takes only 15-20 minutes of your time. And a full body screening only takes about 30-40 minutes! As their website reads, that 20 minutes “could save your life!” Mark opened his office in Austin just last month; however, in April 2009 he started his clinic in the Houston area. At the time, Randall states he was a “Certified Wellness Facilitator” (natural health coach), completing his N.D. (Doctorate of Naturopathy – education-based traditional natural health.) Randall saw thermal imaging as a “noninvasive, safe, and effective tool for early detection of developing or existing imbalances.” This new business has a “mission” and that is “to empower folks to live up to their full health potential; true wellness, through prevention, therapy-monitoring, and optimization of health.” Randall hopes to educate people about the holistic (whole-istic) nature of man and obedience to God’s laws. He states, “People need not live and care for their health (in this present ‘sick-care’ system) with fear, unnecessary stress, and harmful, outside-in approaches which only suppress or mask symptoms while first doing harm.” He states that caring for man as a trichotomy is what is needed; we are mental, physical, and spiritual. He further contends that to only attend to the physical man leaves two-thirds of our health unattended.

There are current violations of God’s laws, according to Randall, which have resulted in

devastating effects on the health of too many people. These laws include eating whole (real) foods, drinking pure water (and enough of it!), getting plenty of sunshine and fresh air, exercising regularly, resting, having a positive mindset, and worshiping God. Randall says “As violating man’s law leads to a loss of freedom, violating God’s law causes a loss of wellness.

He says the human body is designed to heal, regenerate, and maintain “true health,” and the way we participate in this design is by “getting out of the way,” and by “assisting” when needed. So how do we get out of the way? The answer is found by not introducing toxic drugs and unnecessary elective surgeries into our lives (outside of acute trauma, “save my life for today” situations), as well as extra radiation (which we are already exposed to in our everyday “modern living.”) We can also remove interferences – both physical and chemical. Misalignments choke nerves and cut off life-giving information from the brain to the organs, tissues, and cells. This is known by D.C.’s and their patients as spinal subluxation, and is one example of physical interference. This interference can be removed through corrective care chiropractic adjustments. Then toxicity is a chemical interference that interrupts hormone activity, and this can be removed by obeying God’s natural laws, resulting in detoxification. Mark graduated from Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri about 14 years ago with a B.A. in Bible and Church Administration. He

Simple Wellness: Removing the Fear

Mark Randall, N.D. and Lona Head, CCT

was also a 4th degree Black Belt and owned and operated a Taekwondo school, as a part-time passion. Later, through Zoe Institute for Health & Wellness, he became a certified wellness facilitator and Christian counselor through Messiah Method Ministries, “due to the importance of the spiritual/emotional aspect to health.” After giving up on their “doctor trail” (which did not result in wellness), he and his wife began researching for solutions to their own personal health issues. This led to Mark Randall graduating in February 2011 with a Doctorate of Naturopathy.

As a Doctor of Naturopathy, Mark states he recently joined the PMA (Pastoral Medical Association) and is in the process of being licensed by them. He believes more people should know about this ecclesiastical organization, and encourages all doctors who are offering, or who are interested in, alternative medical treatments to check it out. One statement about the PMA listed on their website is worth printing here, “We do not support monopoly in health

care,or in other words,

we do not support secular efforts to displace access

to God's health care system.”

“Wellness Medical Imaging offers DITI (Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging), or

Clinical Thermography, as an adjunctive screening and therapy monitoring

service,” says Randall. These images, or “thermograms,” are sent to a

certified thermologist (MD) who then interprets

them visually and with software showing

temperature in hundredths

of a degree Celsius. These

doctors are looking for asymmetries,

inflammatory conditions, and abnormal

vascular development. (Randall states the latter

could even be the “feeding system” for a

tumor that is not

even present yet!) It can take years for a tumor to grow, thus the earliest possible indication of abnormality is needed to allow for the earliest possible intervention. Through using the software, statistical analysis is performed and breast

physiology may be rated within normal limits, low, moderate, or high risk, upon completion of baseline (2 visits 90 days apart). Other insights can be gained concerning lymphatic, circulation, auto-immune issues, and fibrocystic changes. Even thyroid, digestive, and nerve damage issues, as well as injuries, unexplained pain, etc. can be investigated.

Randall states that thermography is the ONLY test that will detect early inflammatory breast disease before there are clinical indications such as pain and skin surface changes. What this clinic offers is simple, quick, and radiation free!

Faith is VERY important to Mark, and he loves what he does. “I believe in the absolute sovereignty of God and His providence in all things. At the same time I believe in the responsibility of man to teach, to learn about, and to be good stewards of this magnificent machine He’s given us called the human body. My calling is a specialized form of ministry that the church of today has abandoned.” He states that one of the biggest obstacles he

faces is getting the word out about thermography in such a strongly allopathic (conventional medicine) world. However, Randall states that ever since he first trusted Christ as his Lord and Savior at the early age of 11, he’s always loved to

play a part in “disseminating the truth.” It’s just a part of his personality, given to him in his spirit. At first it was doctrinal truth, then character development through mental attitude and perseverance, and on to loving to see people “discover the truth and finally experience true wellness from the application of it.” Mark states, “A specific example of this is when folks use thermal imaging to monitor alternative therapies or when they experience greater mental and emotional health from removal of the unnecessary stress of so much fear-based medicine out there.” Too often we run only to medical clinics searching for answers to our pain, hoping doctors can fix what hurts us, answer all our questions, and send us out the door completely well. Even more often, this search ends in frustration and on to more searching. Although practicing “simple wellness” does not provide ALL of the answers, Randall does claim to offer an alternative, one that is grounded and founded on truth from the Word about being good stewards of our bodies, these expressions of our spirits – and for believers – temples of His Holy Spirit. And

it brings this doctor and his staff great joy when they are able to gain insight to the source of pain, and offer solutions (referral or education) that don’t further harm the body. Mark Randall’s office is located at 2720 Bee Caves (upstairs) in Westlake Hills, TX 78746. They provide free educational materials and prevention-based natural health talks. Referrals are available for chiropractic or acupuncture treatment, Biblical counseling, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), massage, and more. FMI visit www.wellnessmedicalimaging.com.

Marcy Lytle

Simple Wellness: Removing the Fear



Sometimes life requires us to take a leap of faith…and that is what our journey has been. In 2009 we began to become discontent with

our pursuit of the American Dream. We decided we didn’t want to settle for things that a middle-aged family with four kids is expected to have (cookie cutter house, time consuming job, security, money, cars, etc). We wanted more. We were tired of having too much to do in life instead of focusing on the things that are really important, loving God and loving others. This became our prayer, to live a life of priorities. Out of this desire came the idea to sell all of our belongings and buy an RV to explore God’s beautiful world and seek Him daily as a family.

To signify to God that we were willing to take this leap of faith, we felt like we were supposed to do something symbolic. We took the whole family to Inks Lake State Park and jumped off the cliffs that tower above the lake, a real leap of faith! We were in! The Lord also wanted us to trust him completely with our finances. He asked us to give our suburban away, free and clear. It didn’t make sense to give something away when we were about to quit our job, had debt, and had little to no reserves. But we obeyed, and the results were amazing. The following week our three oldest children asked Jesus to be in their hearts, the

best gift a parent could ask for! Once on the market, our house sold in seven days during a time when “nothing was selling.” We received several anonymous gifts totaling over $13,000. Jeremy (my husband) quit his job; we gave away 90% of our belongings, and moved into a 25ft RV.

We left Austin on June 2nd 2010. Our journey has taken us to NM, CO, WY, MT, SD, ND, ID, WA, OR, CA, NV, AZ, and Canada. We began to hear God’s voice and see Him through His creation. We heard Him in rafting the white waters in Colorado, we saw Him in Yosemite National Park, we touched Him as we played in the snow, we felt Him as we walked across river rapids on a swinging bridge, we felt His courage as we came face to face on a hiking trail with a buffalo, we smelled Him in the ocean breeze, and we tasted him in fresh fish tacos along the seaboard of San Francisco. This adventure has been life-changing. God has been building a foundation in us of complete trust in His heart. Our love for God has reached depths we have never seen.

People who have heard our story have made comments how this must be the greatest life of adventure. And don’t get me wrong, the places we have traveled and explored are amazing, but the real

adventure we were all created to explore is discovering who our Creator is and this love he has for us. Learning to hear the voice of God and then choosing to obey has been the greatest adventure we have ever taken. This has been an opportunity to live a life of priorities and demonstrate to others, that in their own way they can allow God to be the priority in their lives, too.

We are currently heading to California and Washington for the summer months and then we will be back in Texas for the fall. You can keep up with our story on our family blog at www.inaweadventures.com.

Rachel Nichols James


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Bridge Called Hopeby Kim Meeder

Bridge Called Hope is the story of how Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch became a reality. When founders Troy and Kim Meeder's dream of rescuing neglected and violently abused horses began, they didn't realize that the scope of God's plan would involve the broken lives of children and families. Working day and night to restore nine acres of abandoned land in central Oregon, the Meeders discovered that God's healing love reveals itself in the most incredible ways.

When Kim was nine years old, she experienced the murder-suicide of her parents. On the day of her parents’ funeral, she had her first ride on a little mare that brought healing and hope to her devastated life. With a love for horses and hope for new beginnings, Kim now shares her faith and love for horses with children who have been abused or ill, emotionally disturbed, neglected, or just plain lost.

The forward of the book begins, "Hope is like a sky full of stars...whether we see them or not doesn't change the fact that they are always there. Truly, it is not until the night is at its very darkest...that we see them shine the most clearly."

Ginny Hurley

Our Savior's life was rooted in the Jewish culture of the time. His Bible was the Torah. His days were filled with study of the Law and observance of the Feasts. There is much we can learn about Jesus by learning more about this Jewish culture, and a great beginning would be reading Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus.

I discovered that women were encouraged to study the Torah and could sit in on the teachings at the Temple. It wasn't until much later in history that the separation of the men and women became the norm. I re-read Deuteronomy with the perspective that Jesus quoted this book and Isaiah more than any other. I understand now that Torah means "Law," but the word also means "Teaching," and both of those words come across differently in our culture today. The book doesn't read like a textbook, but the insights are many and deep. It’s like sitting down for coffee with two wise women who love Jesus and know Him really, really well.

Deborah BegleyLifeWay Christian Stores

Staying Cool in Austin

As I listened to Peter Furler’s On Fire, a recurring thought kept coming to mind: this is what the latest Newsboys album should have sounded like. No offense to Michael Tait, but Furler was the heart, soul and voice of the Newsboys for almost

20 years, and their first album since he left just seemed to miss a lot of that magic.

When Furler retired in 2009 and appointed former DC Talk vocalist Tait as his replacement, it was a big shock. The grind of the road, combined with a longing to spend more time with his family led Furler to just walk away. Many thought this would be the last we would ever hear from him, musically anyway.

After a year away, he’s back with his debut album. Kicking things off with “I’m Alive,” Furler gives us some insight into the fire for God that’s still inside him. Every song is outstanding, but I must call out “Never Ending Love Song” and “Faster and Louder,” two songs that remind us how great he was with the Newsboys, but also give us a good idea where he may go as a solo artist.

Mike Giles

Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesusby by Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg

On Fireby Peter Furler

1Arbor Theater. Sure, you can go see all the “first runs” at the big theaters around town, but have you thought of seeing a documentary? Does just

the word “documentary” put you to sleep? Honestly, some of the best movies are real stories, or true accounts, shown in this cool theater.

2Strut Clothing. There are three locations in Austin, and I find that not many women know about them. The AC works well, and you can browse

for hours among the colorful array of unique tops, dresses, shoes, and accessories. And the coolest thing about Strut? The first Thursday of each month – the entire store is 40% off!

3Deep Eddy Pool. Talk about cool – the water here is cold! And family movies are shown here in the summer, while everyone relaxes in the water in this

huge pool with shade trees all around. This place is an Austin classic!

4Halcyon Coffee Bar. Tableside s’mores are offered at this place – how cool is that? This place gets crowded late at night, so go early, get a table

and make your own stack of chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers…and enjoy!

5Nau’s Enfield Drugs. Yes, this is a drugstore. But there’s an old-fashioned diner in the back with hamburgers and shakes to die for!

After you’ve eaten, browse the merchandise – you might find something really “cool” and retro to take home with you.

6The Long Center lawn. Every Sunday night in the summer, the Austin Symphony plays a free concert on the green in front of The Long Center.

People come from all over town with their picnic supper, lay out a blanket, visit, and enjoy the music. We’ve met many “cool” people at this event, even though the temperature is hot. And…there’s always a breeze, as the sun sets on our beautiful downtown Austin!

7 Southwestern University Golf Course (in Georgetown). This is a very “cool” place to play golf, as it’s extremely affordable for a cart and play, it’s

only six holes, and if you go early or late in the day, the ride in the golf cart will cool you off between shots! If you’ve never golfed before…now’s the time to start! They even rent clubs!

8The Dollar Tree. Are you planning a large BBQ or dinner soon? How about serving each one their meal in a basket, or a bucket? Need some decorations

for your outdoor table? What about reading glasses? Stock up on several. Duck in this store, out of the heat, put on your creative cap and load up that basket!

91886 Café & Bakery. This eatery is located in the Driskill Hotel downtown. It’s fun to order dessert, then take it to the lobby of the hotel and sit at the

huge round tables with friends, play cards, and people watch. How cool is that?

10 The Paramount Theater. Nothing beats the old classic movies in an old classic theater, where it’s so cold you need a sweater,

even in July, and a huge bucket of popcorn. This just might be the coolest spot to be!

No matter where you live, take a drive to one of these places in the Greater Austin area this summer, invite a friend to join you, and ask HIM to bless you as you visit these cool spots, and enjoy the life you’ve been given!

BY MARCY LYTLE

Ladies Top 10:

Staying Cool in Austin A

ir-conditioning is one of those basic necessities here in Central Texas, when the heat comes on strong. It’s right up there on the list with food and water. But keeping it “cool” can be achieved in so many ways in this wonderful city of ours!

We can stay in the comfort of our homes and watch DVD’s or read books, and stay cool. But why not get out and find another “cool” spot, someplace new and fun, and shake things up a little? After all, while we’re out and about, we just might make a new friend, have an opportunity to show kindness to a stranger, or even pray for someone in need. Here are my top ten “cool” spots for summer visits:

Miranda Bradley is the author of Blessed Are the Jesus Chicks (Smyth & Helwys), a practical guide for the working Christian mom. She also owns BCreative, a communications consulting

firm focused on marketing for nonprofits and small businesses. She lives in Georgetown with her husband and two (stinky but sweet) boys.

If you'd like to find out more about advertising your business in AFF, send Miranda an email and she'll be glad to help you!

Miranda Bradley

Meet AFF's sALes ReP!

[email protected]

Deep Eddy Pool

Paramount Theateron Congress

Life Ladies Top 10Erin's CookingLife Changers

Spend Life Well

23242526




Now is the time I wish I could vacation on a deserted island for a couple weeks. I’ve spent most of my summer up ‘til now at the lake and now I think it is time to upgrade, beach-side: white sand, clear blue water and a hammock staked between two palm trees. You can imagine what kind of “cookware” I would bring with me. Being a Texas girl, I don’t usually cook with exotic or tropical ingredients. My usual repertoire makes for good comfort food. So, let’s explore this imaginary, yet realistically, existing island. If pineapple there is like cattle here, I’m in good shape! Fresh pineapple at an arm’s length, Ahh! Pineapple is one of the more versatile fruits for cooking. It is soft & succulent but sturdy enough to withstand a grill. I recently attended a luncheon, and on the menu were four different kinds of sandwich wraps. The recipe below is my take on their chicken salad wrap. I have had chicken salad with red grapes, but I had never seen chicken salad with pineapple! Any combination of sweet and savory is my favorite. As I got revved up on this pineapple kick, I remembered my mom once made orange sherbet with crushed pineapple mixed in. It only takes three ingredients and an ice cream machine. I’m sure it’s not a completely revolutionary recipe because I have seen it in recipe archives, but I’m all about switching up those ingredients. The original recipe calls for orange soda, condensed milk and crushed pineapple. So I thought, “Let’s turn it inside out using pineapple soda, mandarin orange slices, and coconut milk instead of condensed milk.” Instead of a creamy sherbet, it turned out more like a smooth snow cone. I call it Pineapple Flurry! Although I’m not sure an ice cream machine would be a helpful cooking tool to bring on my vacation island, this Pineapple Flurry should do well to tide me over until I get there.

Pineapple ParadiseErin's CookingLife

Erin OsbornCooking Enthusiast

Lemon Pepper Rotisserie Chicken, shredded1 oz. Slivered Almonds, chopped3 Tbsp. Mayonnaise5 oz. Crushed Pineapple, drainedHandful of dried Cranberries, chopped, reconstitutedSalt and Pepper to taste

Directions: Mix ingredients together. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to allow ingredients to marry together. Serve wrapped in a wheat, spinach or tomato tortilla with mixed greens and tomatoes. Chef’s Note: To reconstitute dried cranberries; soak in warm water until slightly plump. Drain excess water.

Chicken Salad Wrapwith Crushed Pineapple


Life Changers Life

All of us have a responsibility to take care of our bodies; after all, scripture tells us they are the temples of the Holy Spirit. Although I have

fallen short of this many times, I do make sure I have my yearly check-ups. Since moving to Austin, I have been amazed at how health conscious this wonderful city is, which has encouraged me to look into alternate forms of testing that do not involve radiation. This thought process brought to my mind a sweet friend of mine, a cancer survivor. She is not just any friend – she is an amazing example of strength and faith. She remembers the day she felt a lump through her routine self-examination and went to the doctor for a mammogram. The mammogram showed nothing, so she went on for another year, untreated. Toward the end of that year, she was experiencing pain in the affected area (I had always heard if it was painful, it was probably just fibrocystic.) It’s scary what we are told, and what we believe.

My friend then had an ultrasound, and at that time a pretty good size mass was detected. Next, she had a biopsy and was called in to get her results. She and her husband waited until the last patient left, and then the doctor gave her the news that she had Stage One Cancer. She remembers when her doctor told her the news, she just asked him, “What are we going to do

about it?” She felt a peace at that time until he told her that she would need a mastectomy, at which time she fell apart. It wasn’t fear she felt; rather, just a moment when reality hit her hard, like a huge speed bump one encounters when driving fast. My friend ended up having a lumpectomy and six months of chemo, followed by radiation. During her experience, she remembers losing her beautiful red curly hair in clumps and wanting to cry out. But being the precious mother and wife, she would wait until she was alone. She wanted to keep the lives of those in her family as normal as possible. She was always thinking about her four children and her husband. She also resolved that this was a road she would have to travel, so she took the opportunity to encourage the other patients that were going through the same thing and share her faith when there was an open door - with the hospital staff and patients - anyone God sent her way. This difficult road took her to her own “mission field.” I asked this wonderful lady if there was that one moment in the whole experience that stood out the most. She shared with me that during the end of her treatments she ran a fever and was rushed to the emergency room. Her husband needed to take care of their children and be at work, so there were a few days she was alone. She was pretty sick those few days

and had a hard time reading anything that would encourage her, so she prayed a lot. During those conversations with God, she told Him how alone she felt. One night she woke up and felt like someone was in the room with her. However, she looked around and the room was empty. This happened three times through the long night. The next morning she woke up refreshed, and at that moment realized that although people were not able to be with her, what she had felt was God’s presence that evening; and she, in fact, was not alone. For nearly 10 years now, my friend has been cancer free; however, her testimony and her sweet example will live on forever. I know this is just one story of one person who took her own personal hardship and devastation, and used it to understand and share God’s faithfulness with others on the same bumpy road. I am so thankful for friends who pray and see God, even in a hospital room when they feel alone and afraid, and bless others with what they see. These people are Life Changers!

Rene Dorsey

One Hard Hit


The other day I heard a familiar saying on the radio…Those lazy, hazy days of summer. Lazy? I don’t know about your family, but our

household gets even busier during the summer. In fact, it can be quite hectic. The months of June and July are the busiest months of the year for movers, realtors, and families changing jobs or careers. When changing jobs, make sure you don’t forget about your 401(k) or other employer retirement plan. Financial industry professionals call the process of moving your 401(k) money out of your employer plan into an IRA (Individual Retirement Arrangement) a “Rollover.” The IRS allows you one rollover per calendar year. According to the Wall Street Journal and Financial Research Corp., over $350 billion will be rolled over into an IRA. Now that I have armed you with enough conversation factoids to easily impress your friends at a summer picnic or two, lets take a look at what you can do with your 401(k). Know your optionsDespite all the marketing and sales pitches some financial firms use to persuade you to rollover your 401(k), know that you do not necessarily have to take your money with you when you leave your old job. That might be a good thing if you are pleased with the performance of your investments. Depending on the size of the company of your previous employer, you may also find that the fees with operating the plan could be cheaper than your new IRA. Fees affect the performance of any investment over time and should be monitored carefully.

There are potentially a number of good reasons to roll your 401(k) money into a new IRA. The biggest advantage is often the number of investment choices available to you in an IRA. There are several thousand mutual funds, stocks, and bonds available

to investors in an IRA account. Often, many employer plans are limited to 10 or so choices. Depending on your employer and the financial prowess of the human resources staff, those 10 choices may, in fact, not be very good choices at all. In an IRA account you may have lots of choices. Some IRA custodians will even allow the purchase of real estate as part of your investment portfolio. Perhaps you did not leave your past employer on such a good note. Rolling over your 401(k) money allows you to make a clean break from that company. Many of you have held a number of jobs over the course of your working lives. What if your old employer goes out of business? Federal law protects most workplace retirement plans from bankruptcy so you will not lose your money. Yet, having worked with employees of now defunct companies, it is a lot easier to get access to your money when the

company is still in business. Consolidating those old 401(k) plans can save you a lot of headaches at retirement by cutting down on paperwork and saving you from sorting through multiple statements.

Watch out for your moneyUnless you are a financial wizard and have the time to manage your investments, you will probably want to seek the advice of a financial professional. Be careful about who you ask for advice. It is anticipated that more $1 trillion could be rolled over from 401(k) plans in the next few years. There are more than a few in the financial industry that will see $$$ signs instead of your face when you mention a rollover. The majority of financial professionals out there are sales representatives and brokers that may or may not have your best interest at heart. They may receive commissions or bonuses for rolling over your 401(k) money. Seek out a Registered Investment Advisor who legally must act as a “fiduciary” or someone giving you advice that is in your best interest. A sales representative may only have to prove that something was “suitable,” meaning you could possibly end up investing in something that is less than ideal for your investment objectives. Seek out an advisor that truly has your best interest at heart - not the size of the commission. Ask any advisor you work with to carefully explain all costs associated with the investment. And, do not be afraid to walk away if you do not fully understand in what you are investing. A reputable advisor will be more than happy to explain the ins and outs of any investment vehicle. Don’t have a lot of money to rollover from your 401(k)? Make sure your financial advisor works with investors in your situation. You do not want to be the small fish in a pond of big investors…you will not get the attention you deserve. Just because you are not a millionaire does not mean you should not have access to quality financial advice. As with any financial decision, prayer for direction and wisdom will go a long way. There is a reason there are more than 2000 scriptures in the Bible dealing with wealth….God thinks it’s important and wants to guide us. Make sure that you seek that direction through reading of the Bible, prayer, and the guidance of a Christian financial advisor.

Mark Trice

Spend Life WellLife On the Move With Your Job?

Don’t Forget About Your 401(K)


Summer has arrived a little early this year. I am not a weatherman, but something tells me this summer’s dry heat is going to be

intense in Central Texas. Have you ever noticed that summer heat can slow down your metabolism, make you feel sluggish, decrease your appetite, or even worse, make you easily irritable at times? I know it does this to me! Summer heat not only puts stress on your physical bodies but on your emotions as well. Most of us don’t like to sweat, but sweating can be good for your health. Sweating is a natural process where your body responds to summer heat to keep your body cool and eliminate toxins. Of course, excessive sweating without replenishing the body with healthy water, electrolytes and nutrients can be a bad thing. However, not sweating at all can even be worse. So, don’t just sit in an air-conditioned environment all summer. Go outdoors and enjoy the activities you love, but try to stay away from direct sun and overheat exposure.

Here are a few simple natural guidelines to staying cool this summer: Drink Plenty of Fluids – particularly water. You should drink at least half of your weight in ounces of pure water every day. Avoid drinks containing alcohol and caffeine because they are dehydrating. To minimize your body shock or brain freeze, try room temperature or slightly cooled drinks such as lemon water, Liquid Chlorophyll, or barley tea, instead of extremely ice cold drinks. Eat More Vegetables and Fruits – such as watermelon, cantaloupe, mango, cucumber, guava, tomatoes, papaya, and apricots. These and other seasonal fruits are all “cooling agents” packed with antioxidants. Notice how many of these are tropical fruits? God has placed cooling vegetables and fruits in the tropics to help us naturally stay cool. Oxidative stress causes free radical damages which can lead to inflammatory “fires” in the body. Antioxidant-rich fruits keep our body’s cooling system working properly. Try Thai-Go, a juice blend of the top 13 botanical fruits with the highest antioxidant properties. Avoid Sunburn & Care for your Skin – Sunburn isn’t just painful, it is damaging to the skin. To prevent sunburn, a safe and effective sunscreen lotion is recommended. The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a public watchdog on product safety, recommends avoiding sunscreen containing oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate. To see which products are safe to use, visit http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2011sunscreen/all-sunscreens/. Take one or two cool showers daily and wear light and loose-fitting cotton clothes that breathe. When you get a little too much summer sun, hydrate yourself quickly and apply

Aloe Vera Gel to cool irritated skin. Apply Lavender oil directly to the skin to speed up the healing process. Observe Heat & Emotions – Heat and dehydration may affect your nervous system, increasing your level of anxiety and irritability. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes liver to be the center of our emotions. The liver acts as a central hub in the body, managing many important functions such as cleansing the blood, maintaining proper hormone levels, controlling body temperature, as well as cholesterol and fat levels. Keeping your liver “happy” at all times is important and even more so during the summer time. To maintain a healthy liver, detox your liver once a year to be relieved of its possible congested state by using Tiao-He Cleanse (TCM formulation). I love another excellent TCM product called Mood Elevator which regulates and untraps the “fire” chi to enhance the overall positive mood. Avoid Summer Colds – Believe it or not, summer colds are common. They can be caused by airplane travel or air conditioners because of decreased humidity in the air. Dry nasal passages are conducive for viruses to flourish. Frequent extreme temperature changes between indoor and outdoor can further stress our immune system. To prevent summer colds, take at least 1,000 mg of Vitamin C daily. Time-released tablets are more effective due to their slow release rate. Elderberry, turmeric, garlic, ginger are all great natural anti-viral herbs and can be used either as prevention or intervention. To keep your nasal and throat passages moist and disinfected, gargle or irrigate these areas regularly using Ionic Silver solution or a simple salt and water mixture. “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” 3 John 1:2 (NIV)

Beating the Summer HeatHealthy Indeed:

Paul Tsui, N.D.Natural Wellness Round Rock and Cedar Park

[email protected]

This article is written for information and education purposes only. It is not to be used as diagnosis, treatment or prescription. The products and information described herein are natural foods which are NOT meant to treat, cure, diagnose, or prevent any disease. Please seek for medical help immediately for any health concerns.

Health Healthy IndeedDiet & Nutrition

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Diet & NutritionYou

Recently some patients, especially women, have asked me what products are good for a younger, wrinkle-free skin. Although not a

super-expert in this particular field, I can offer some suggestions and tips on natural ways to protect and enhance your skin while dispelling some common misconceptions. First of all, I want to emphasize that applying beauty products topically to enhance your skin is NOT the optimal way to do it. I am not saying that these products will not work, as I have witnessed many women that defy age with topical products. However, you should orally intake foods and nutrients that metabolically affect your complexion, in addition to the topical products. Many products claim to contain beneficial nutrients, but those products also contain fillers, artificial chemicals, and

the nutrients might not absorb well through skin. When nutrients are coming in both inside and out, optimal results can be obtained. There is a lot of talk recently about collagen. Collagen is a fibrous protein that occurs in many tissues, but particularly connective tissues. It does work with the elastin in the skin to ensure strength and flexibility in the skin. What I want to emphasize is that collagen is a PROTEIN. Therefore, the most important idea to ensure good skin is a good DIET. The American diet contains food with sufficient calories but not in the right proportion. The over-abundance of carbohydrates in the American diet is obvious, and can result in many chronic health problems, including skin issues. The proper ratio of carbohydrates to protein to fats should be 40:30:30. That means one-third of your plate every

meal should contain proteins. This is the long-term health and skin enhancement idea that should be implemented TODAY. We cannot forget about Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an essential component in every step of collagen synthesis. We learned about vitamin C from sailors with bleeding gums - a connective tissue breakdown - who were deficient in Vitamin C in their diet. We all should add vegetables to our diet or take oral collagen-vitamin C supplements to enhance our skin. Finally, another essential nutrient for good skin is vitamin E. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that, working alongside Vitamin C, protects the skin from the harmful effects of UV rays. Texans are too frequently exposed to the sun, so this is a must. Natural forms of Vitamin E supplements should be used instead of artificial ones that contain only a fraction of the Vitamin E complex. One of the richest sources of biologically active Vitamin E is wheat germ oil. Preserving our skin is commendable, but as Proverbs 31 says, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” Inside beauty does wonders for the outside appearance!

Dr. Trent PengChiropractor & Nutritionist



Cindy Kerr started making pillowcases to brighten up her son’s hospital room several years ago, as he was diagnosed with cancer.

This pillowcase project, A Case for Smiles, has now provided almost 400,000 pillowcases (made by volunteers of all ages across North America and South Africa.) There’s even a new program where

fabric and sewing machines are being taken to hospitals to sew with the patients and their families.

Chronically ill children, and their parents, need a reason, or a “case” to smile and that is the goal with the pillowcases that are lovingly made for these kids. In just over three years, ConKerr Cancer has established 125 chapters serving children in 225 hospitals and pediatric hospices throughout the U.S., Canada, South Africa, and Israel. They’ve even been recognized nationally by Martha Stewart, TEVA Pharmaceuticals, The Philadelphia Eagles, Omni Media, Talbots, Bank of America, Pfaff, and Loreal.

There is a coordinator in each region who can answer any questions about ConKerr, and work with your group in collecting and delivering pillowcases to the hospital. To find a program in the Austin area, visit http://conkerrcancer.org/regionaldirectory.html#Texas. Or contact Jennifer Jones, [email protected].

"A Case for Smiles - Helping children feel special while battling life changing illnesses."

C o n K e r r C a n C e rA Case for Smiles

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