In theSpirit

withAndrewNocum

McNeese State’sDiontaeSpencer

Rises to theChallenges

of Life

McNeese State’sDiontaeSpencer

Rises to theChallenges

of LifeDe Regresoa La Escuela:Preparandose

Ahora

SilviaStelly

VOLUME 1NUMBER 2

SEPTEMBER 2013

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PAGE 2

is published and distributedby TEAM PUBLICATIONS LLC.

4219 Worthy Drive, LakeCharles, LA. 70607.(337) 478-0471.

All materials contained in thepublication are copy-righted and maynot be reproduced or reprinted inpart or its entirety without theexpressed written permission ofThe Voice LLC. The views expressedin articles of The Voice, are notnecessarily the views of the owner-ship or sponsors in this publica-tion.

The Voice LLC, assumes noliability for errors or omissions.Every effort has been made to ensurethe accuracy of all content.

PublishersBrenda HillTracy Clark

Managing EditorScott Blanchard

Director of Marketing& OperationsZach Wyatt

Layout/GraphicsCarl HubertKyra Labrie

ConsultantsGene R. Hill, Sr.Reginald Clark

Contributing WritersKen AdamsAngie DilmoreLindsay ScottDuane BergeronDawn GuillorySean HagerMichele AbshireJason Dean PaigeFrancis Jeff PetersonMary LedetDr. Eric Snow

Photo CreditsLevert Blount, III

Pg. 4 Color PHor A CurePg. 5 One In A Million: Joel Belt UpdatePg. 6 Life, Liberty & The Protection

Of HappinessPg. 7 A True Cajun AmbassadorPg. 8 La Familia Resource Centerpg. 9 In The Spirit Of Things...

Pg. 10 What Are You In The Habit Of?pg. 11 McNeese State’s Diontae SpencerPg. 12 Roar Today: Overcoming Past HurtPg. 14 Arts & Culture: LincolnPg. 15 Snopespg. 16 Organically Grown HealthPg. 17 Is Your Body Toxic?

~ WHAT’S INSIDE ~

The Foundations of FamilyBy Sean Hager

For many there is great security knowing they areloved by family. This peace is their greatest blessing. Attimes we may take our family for granted and only reachout to each other for special occasions like birthdays,holidays, weddings or funerals. And while it is true wehaven’t the power or privilege to decide which familyname we are given, we all surely inherit the innate abilityto choose how far we will go in life. For some, their

surname can be a launch pad for their successes.You may be named after your father and known as

"Junior.” Some families pass on a name for generations.My Uncle Bill isWilliam the fourth, my Grandfather, thethird and my Great Grandfather wasWilliam, jr. Tracingyour family roots can instill tremendous strength andpride.With this pride comes a sense of strength and con-fidence to stretch our wings and soar to new heights.Howbeit, prudence suggests that when we must em-

bark on our own life's journey, we should carry with usthe foundation of our family. Remember, we launch fromour parent's shoulders, not ground level, so we have anadvantage IF we've listened and learned from the voiceof experience.

It's true that the best teacher is experience, but MarkTwain said “the best experience is someone else's.”At times it may be difficult to address the struggles

which come our way on our life's journeys, but knowingfamily is just a call away adds a sense of comfort muchlike having a safety net under us. Unfortunately too oftenwe forget to tell those who love us how much we lovethem. Sometimes we can be so determined to prove

our independence we can end up far from those wholaid the very foundation of our security. It is hard to imag-ine having a still mind without making peace with thosewho care for us so deeply. Perhaps it would be more pru-dent to be patient with those who have been patient withus and have been there in support during our life'sjourney.Not everyone has a family who laughs together,

works together, and plays together. So if you’re luckyenough to have a close family, cherish it. If not, reachout to family members today (and I mean today). Nomatter your age, re-establish family bonds and you'll livea happier life. For family can truly be your greatestblessing.

PAGE 3

THE STORY:Color PHor A Cure was founded by Josh & Lindsey Belt of Jennings, Louisiana. In January of 2013, Joel Belt (Josh & Lindsey's 2 yearold son) was diagnosed with severe primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH). After 42 days in 3 different hospitals, Joel was sent homewith very intensive medication with the hope to improve his quality of life. Since there is no cause found for why Joel has PPH, it alsomeans there is no cure. He currently has only two options at the moment: medicine for life or a double lung transplant.

Today, Joel is currently being seen by some of the greatest PH doctors at Texas Children’s Hospital. He is currently on a 24/7 IVmedication that is being infused directly into his heart as well as taking half a dozen other oralmedications. Unfortunately, at this time no PH medication given to children is FDA approved.Barring a miracle, this will be a life long journey for Joel and the Belt family. This is where youcan help! Joel needs your help in raising funds to find a cure in his lifetime.

Joel’s brothers being silly

The best, the biggest, and the brightest5k race is coming to Jennings, LA this October

called "Color PHor A Cure".The only question is “Are you ready for the

craziest, colorful, 5k of your life?”WWW.COLORPHORACURE.COM

THE COST:$30 before September 1$40 after September 1$50 day of RaceFree for Kids under 7$20 for PH warriorsand their caregivers

THE SCHEDULE:7:30 a.m. - Late Registrations8:45 a.m.-Opening Ceremonies9:00 a.m. - Race Starts

Color Countdown Finale

Joel at the Doctor

THE RACE:Color PHor A Cure 5k is a uniqueexperience focused less on speedand more on crazy color fun withfriends and family. Whether you area casual morning walker or anOlympic athlete, the 3 miles ofColor PHor A Cure course will bethe most memorable and colorfulrun of your life. You'll end up look-ing like a kindergarten art class gonewrong!

Racers will start at the JenningsElementary Football Field and run a5k through assigned color stationsdispersed through the course, end-ing back at the Jennings ElementaryFootball Field. You can walk, jog,run, crawl, skip, or dance the 5k.The race isn't timed so just comeready to have fun and get covered incolor. Just be warned you will becoated head to toe in color whenyou are finished.

THE CAUSE:100% of all the proceeds from the race will go to help raise awareness andresearch funds for Pulmonary Hypertension Association's Pediatric PHResearch & Mentoring Fund. A rare and often misdiagnosed disease,Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) causes high blood pressure in the lungs.Early diagnosis and treatment can improve a patient's quality of life, butthere is currently NO CURE for Pulmonary Hypertension.

You can learn more about PH at www.phassociation.org

THE WHEN & WHERE:October 12, 2013

Jennings Elementary Football Field620 Florence Street • Jennings, LA 70546

PAGE 4

By Scott Blanchard

The last few weeks have been trying for 3year old Joel Belt as he has gone throughextensive testing to become a double lungtransplant recipient. Father Josh Belt stillholds firm that a Miracle will take place,whether it be total healing, a successful trans-plant, or even a third option not seen at thepresent time. Joel has become a small towncelebrity that he knows little about. Thestreets of Jeff Davis Parish are filled withColor Phor Cure flyers and purple and gold“Prayers for Joel” bracelets that are beingworn around the parish, all because little Joelhas developed a rare “One in a Million” dis-ease called Pulmonary Hypertension. PHcauses high blood pressure in the arteries inthe lungs. This makes it harder for the bloodto flow through the lungs to pick up oxygenwhich often causes heart failure. So far therehas been no cure found. The Biggest andBrightest Race on October 12th is not onlyfor Joel, but for kids around the country thatare trying to survive this disease until a curecan be found. Your participation, sponsor-ship, and donation could help find that cure.“The research doctors that we have talked tobelieve a cure is probably within the nextfive years, but as of now no medicines areFDA approved for children. There are somefor adults! Color Phor Cure 5K is so

important to raise awareness forone, but two to give children likeJoel a chance to live a normallife. Being on the edge of a cure,these funds raised by the racecould be the final break throughthese doctors need to find a cure.”Josh explained. The Color Phor ACure team is expecting over 1,000 partici-pants and have already scheduled appear-ances on local news channels from LakeCharles to Lafayette to promote the event.

If you are wondering how you can help,Joel needs your prayers first and foremost.Secondly the race needs participants, so ifany part of a color run sounds intriguing pleasedo not hesitate to sign up. The Color PhorCure Team is still in need of corporate spon-sors as well.

For more information on how you can playapart in saving children’s lives, check out thearticle in this issue of the voice, and visitwww.colorphorcure.com.

Who would havethought that someone so

small could inspiresomeone so big?

This is what this little boy and this big racehas done for me personally. As a former of-fensive lineman most of my life has beenlived weighing on the heavier side of 300pounds. Last week I began my journey withthe Color Phor Cure race by training to runthe entire 5K without stopping. I also re-ceived a word from God that I would helpraise $2,000 for the cause. If you are thatdonor look me up on Facebook, Haha!For some people this run isn’t far, but forsomeone weighing in the range I do, it willbe nothing short of a miracle.What I have re-alized in this first week of training is thatthere are just not enough things in our lifethat inspire us, only distract. If a three hun-dred twenty five pound football coach canrun 3.1 miles without stopping, anyone can

do anything. When it gets tough at the endof a workout and I want to start walking Ilook at my wrist and realize this is muchmore than another lap around the track. Thisis a matter of a young boy’s life.

So I ask...what inspires you?

“One in a Million”Joel Belt Update:

Mom & Joel aftera good report!

Joel & Momat the Movies

PAGE 5

By Paige Francis

It is no secret that “We the People” wereborn with a need for personal rights. Wehave a desire to make our own decisions, liveour own lives, and create our own destinies.This is who we are as a people, and our na-tion’s founders understood and related to thatnotion; thereby, creating a law that couldallow us to enjoy life, protect our liberty andpursue our happiness. With that law,Democracy was formed, a balance of powerbetween the government, state and peoplefashioned by The Constitution and, later, TheBill of Rights. They established clear bound-aries for the government, so precisely writtenthat there were no stones left unturned. Thesedocuments were inspired and processed, re-vised and rewritten until just right. They arethe foundation of The United States of Amer-ica. They are the cry of our souls penned andpronounced for government and people toabide in and protect.

Over the past few decades, many of ourrights and liberties documented in The Bill ofRights have been threatened. To clarify, be-cause of things like, “hate rallies”, and“school shootings, the “Right to Free Speech”and “The Right to Bear Arms” have been inquestion in the Supreme Court. These are justa few examples of government questioning

the right to revise our Rights. It is true thattragedy has struck our nation in the form ofviolence, hate language, and misuse of thejudicial system, but it is not the national gov-ernment’s obligation to try and control thesesituations. In doing so, laws that are createdwith good intentions can eventually be mis-used and abused, causing more issues thanare already present.

The people must not become lethargic indealing with these issues. We must not justhand them over to the national governmentand hope for the best. We must open oureyes to see that whether we are of any polit-ical party, of any age, of any race, of any re-ligion, we have to stay educated.We have tolook at the nations before and around us, andsee what made them rise, what made themfall, and what can make us grow and standtall. There is a great veil of confusion cover-ing the eyes of the people concerning thesematters. Because of the need for the peopleto be educated in these issues, Mr. HunterLundy, a well known Lake Charles based at-torney has made it his mission to “inform andeducate” the people. Nominated for theLouisiana Super Lawyers list, as well as theBest Lawyers in America five separate times,Lundy’s reputation reaches across the nation.In order to inform the people, he has createdThe Unity Summit. The Unity Summit is just

that. A summit to unite all people and all par-ties interested in understanding and protect-ing their inalienable rights as Americancitizens. From the Heart of SouthwestLouisiana to the Heart of America, thisinsightful lawman is creating a place for usto gather together and be educated. OnSeptember 9-11, 2013 in Branson, Missouri,some of the country’s most profound people’srights advocates will assemble in an effort toinform and educate those who have an earto hear. Some of the speakers that will be inattendance are Burton LeBlanc, President ofthe American Association of Justice; AmandaCollins, Fox News featured assault survivorand 2nd Amendment Advocate; LT. Col (Ret.)Nathan Sassaman of the US Army; andDr. Sam Kaunley, a renowned pastor in theBranson area.

Politicians and pastors, advocates andadvisors have united in a joint effort toenlighten people on the issues at hand. ThisSummit will discuss the 1st, 2nd and 7thAmendment.If you are interested in attending, you canregister at theunitysummit.com. You do notwant to miss this exciting and intriguingdiscussion of our “Right of Free Expressionand Worship”, “Right to Own and BearArms” and “Right to Trial by Jury”.

PAGE 6

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Mike’s Mic

A Story of A True CajunAmbassador, written bya True CajunBy Helena Charbonneau

Our Cajun culture is famous world-wide for some amazing things. The deepheritage and hospitality led by the foodand then followed up by the music, the“unofficial” Festival Capital of America.

Everyone from Louisiana is an “unoffi-cial” ambassador for the culture we loveso much.You represent this state either inyour friendly smile, or cooking somejambalaya for visiting Yankees who livenorth of interstate ten.One such ambassador is Mike Soileau.

The first thing you must know about Mikeis that he is a little OCD about LSU. Hehas the perfect man cave and his officebasically bleeds purple and gold. Seriouspassion is defined by bragging about azip lock baggie full of grass from the LSUfootball field.

Mike is also passionate about his cul-ture (his Cajun heritage traced to the set-tlements in Ville Platte and GrandPrairie). Mike feels Cajuns don't know astranger, only a friend they haven't metyet. Not many are shy, they are first witha smile and handshake. It was just a partof growing up in the South. Mike hasmany cherished memories of growing updown South. Some favorites are sitting inthe studio while his father introducedFrench music on the radio. What couldbe better than doing something you loveand call it work? His love for the music

was inherited from his father (Dave, whoalso received an award from the CajunMusic Association). Then when Mike was17 his father became ill and Mike had tostep up to the mic. It turned out to be astep he has never regretted. Mike is ableto attend concerts state-wide as he con-tinues to take the music out to the festi-vals. His passion is the music and thepeople of Cajun country. He has reallylearned to know these musicians and thestories behind the music old and new.He refuses to name a favorite. “They areall my favorite!”

When you think of the name“Louisiana" what comes to mind? Is it thevision of a moss draped cypress tree onthe murky bayou? Or do you see a platterof red steaming crawfish? Can you hearthe bow pulled across the fiddle? Eitherway you can smile because you get tocall it home.

Should you be inspired to tap yourfingers or toes you can listen in

any time @1470am,@cajunradio.com(live),

@radiopup(free mobile app)@facebook.com/cajunradio.

PAGE 7

Education is a vital entity inhelping to build our commu-nities. This is why at La FamiliaResource Center (LFRC) weare committed to workingwith families and referringthem to resources within ourcommunity.

From assisting with schoolregistration to interpreting atschool conferences, we arehere to help. There are manythings parents can begindoing even now to preparetheir child for a successfulschool year.

Studies have shown thatchildren can experience sig-nificant learning loss over thethree month long summer va-cation. In order to combat thisloss and to prepare for thenew school year, familiesshould begin reviewing last

year’s concepts with theirchildren.

Families also need to up-date their child’s immuniza-tion records and to ensure thatstudents are well-equippedwith supplies and uniforms.School supply lists are sortedby school and grade and canbe found at Walmart, Target,or by contacting the child’sschool.

Informational back toschool sessions for familiesnew to the area will be held atLFRC in August.

For more information, pleasecall 337-312-2906 or visit

our Facebook page.

La Educación es una en-tidad vital para ayudar a con-struir nuestras comunidades.Es por esto que en La FamiliaCentro de Recursos (LFRC) es-tamos comprometidos a traba-jar con las familias y referirlasa los recursos dentro de nues-tra comunidad.

Desde asistir con regis-trarse en la escuela hastainterpretar en conferenciasescolares, nosotros estamosaquí para ayudar. Hay muchascosas que los padres podríanestar haciendo en este mo-mento para preparar a suhijo(a) para un año escolar ex-itoso.

Estudios han demostradoque los niños experimentansignificamente pérdida delaprendizaje durante los tresmeses de vacaciones de ve-rano. Para combatir esta pér-dida y prepararlos para elnuevo año escolar, las familias

deberían repasar los concep-tos del último año con susniños.

Las familias también nece-sitan actualizar el registro deinmunizaciones de sus niñosy asegurarse que los estudi-antes estén bien equipadoscon los materiale escolares yuniformes. La lista de materi-ales escolares están clasifica-dos por escuela y grados ypueden ser encontrados enWalmart, Target ó contac-tando a la escuela del niño(a).

Sesionesinformativas sobreel regreso a la escuela parafamilias nuevas en el áreaserán dadas en La FamiliaCentro de Recursos en Agosto.

Para más información, porfavor llamar al 337-312-

2906 o visitar nuestra páginade Facebook.

Back to School:Preparing Now

De Regreso a La Escuela:Preparándose Ahora

114 W. Clarence St.Lake Charles, LA 70601

Silvia Stelly

PAGE 8

By Ken Adams

Too many area teens growup these days without a father.The family dynamic not only inSouthwest Louisiana but in all ofthe United State is broken.Mothers are trying to play bothparental roles with little supportor no support at all. Over sixtypercent of our area school agechildren live in a one parenthome according to recent

studies. Growing up without afather is nothing new for youngpeople. Youth Pastor AndrewNocum is a new breed of youthmentors that are spending everylast waking moment pouringinto other people, so they don'thave to experience the isolation-ism he faced as a high schoolteen. Although his vision tobuild up area students and givethem the father figure a youngperson needs is one like many

youth leaders, his origin is quitedifferent.

Andrew, originally from Jer-sey City, New Jersey spends atleast some part of everydayInvesting in someone else's life.Sunday’s service time aside,Monday starts with small groupbible study and ends with acollege age bible discussionnight. Every other Tuesday is aLeadership Development meet-ing followed by Wednesday'sYouth group night labeled Fuel.Thursday he meets with leader-ship from the Fuel group on asmall one on one basis and fol-lows that up on Friday and Satur-day with individual counselingsessions or meeting a need offellow church members, such asmowing, helping someonemove, or helping raise funds forthe next youth event. "We aretold to be the hands and feet ofChrist, and you can’t do thatwithout serving and loving peo-ple. I teach the youth that samemessage, you have to treat otherpeople with love. The goldenrule is to treat others how youwould be treated but God's ruleis to treat others more than your-self. Christ went way beyond thegolden rule."

When asked why he be-lieved this area is struggling withmissing fathers and prematurepregnancy, two major issues thatkids struggle with today, Andrewoffered this gem, “The bottomline is the lack of relational par-ents in today’s youth. If they aremissing a parent they search for

thatmissing structure of a relation-ship with others. Today kids aretraining for divorce, they dateand break up, date and breakup. They aren’t courting to finda wife, to learn to respect anddevelop into “becoming one” soto speak. So when kids that dateget in arguments or other ado-lescent drama what happens?They go and find someone elseand continue the cycle. The lackof a father figure contributes tothis issue because they don’t seethe correct way to treat the op-posite sex. This is one of manyareas of our culture today thatmanufactures broken relation-ships.”

Andrew is one of many peo-ple that spend their lives in serv-ice of others whether it’s helpingyouth, elderly, or single momsand widows. If you have some-one you think you would like tonominate for "In the Spirit ofThings" column please messageus on our Facebook page atwww.facebook.com/ voiceswla.For more information on An-drew's story please visitwww.oscjennings.com and clickon "stories."

PAGE 9

with Andrew Nocum

PAGE 10

Our Success is determinedby the habits we form. Howmany times have you said,”Things aren’t going well. Thingsaren’t working out. Nothingseems to go right. What can Ido?” I would answer that ques-tion with a simple question,

“What are you in thehabit of?”

We are a product of what wedo every day. If our lives are notworking out the way we wantthen we must first look at whatwe are doing and not doing.

“First you form your habits

then your habits form you!”We are all in the habit of doingthings. What we must do is tolook at each of our habits anddetermine if these habits are:1- Adding to our lives.2- Subtracting from our lives.David Bach who wrote “The Au-tomatic Millionaire” says the wayto financial success is to buildyour savings automatically byhaving it automatically takenfrom your check and put intoyour savings account. We mustset our auto pilot to the thingsthat will make us successful. Ifyou look at a person who intendson running in the BostonMarathon you will quickly seethat this individual has certainthings that he or she does everyday. Come rain, snow, or sun

they are up and training. Theyknow that in order to run in theMarathon they must do certainthings… automatically! They settheir auto pilot and day by daythey get closer to success. Checkyour Auto Pilot!We all have some good habitsand we all have some badhabits. The key is to identify thegood habits and continue those,then identify the bad habits andstop those. Some people don’teven know that they have habitsthat are keeping them back.Habits that are stopping themfrom being as successful as theycould be. They are on auto pilotand they don’t even know it.We do stuff today because that iswhat we did yesterday and that iswhy we are going to do the same

thing tomorrow!It is time to break the habit! It istime for a self-examination!It is called zero based budgeting.Start from zero and ask yourself,“If I were to start over today whatwould I do?” What habits wouldI keep? What habits would Istop? What habits could I add?Sometimes we have tochange our habits!

Keep in mind that small changescan have huge results. For years Ihad been a fan of Dr. Pepper.When I woke up in the morningI had a Dr. Pepper. I had anotheragain at 10 am, then at lunchand so on. One day I decided tostart losing weight and a friend ofmind told me the thing thatwould help me the most was togive up drinking Dr. Pepper.Could something so simple reallywork? Within weeks I was losingweight and the only thing I didwas stop drinking Dr. Pepper.Remember Small changes canproduce huge results!

In The Habit of…BY BRUCE HAMILTONFrom No Bad Days

PAGE 11

By Duane Bergeron

As the McNeese StateCowboys football team com-mences their 2013 season,one player is expected to havea substantial impact on of-fense. He is senior wide re-ceiver Diontae Spencer.He has been chosen as a pre-season first team all-SouthlandConference selection. In addi-tion to wide receiver, he isalso expected to return puntsfor McNeese.

Spencer had challenges,more than most it seemed, tobecome the outstandingplayer he is

today. And no one knows thisbetter than head coach MattViator. He spoke aboutSpencer as the team wasgoing through the rigors of Au-gust camp. "We recruitedDiontae out of New Iberia,"Viator said. "He played widereceiver and quarterback atWestgate High School.. He isa talented athlete. Diontae hasdone well in the classroomand ran track as well."

Last year, Spencer wasranked second on the teamwith 31 receptions and 413receiving yards. With twotouchdowns, he also averaged13.3 yards per catch and 37.5receiving yards per game.Spencer rushed the ball 11times for 162 yards and onescore.

Spencer had been a 3.7GPA student at Westgate andmaintains a strong faith inGod even after unspeakabletragedy. "While at McNeese,his father was murdered in ashooting incident," Viatorsaid. "That was almost twoyears ago. I think thatwould take its toll on any-one. However, Diontaedidn't quit. He vowed tocontinue to work and

honor his father while playingfor the Cowboys. He has agreat relationship with hismother. She's a wonderfulperson. I think the experienceof the team supporting Dion-tae during that tragic timehelped him to pull through."

The loss of his father hasinspired Spencer to be at hisbest. "Diontae has beentremendous," Viator com-mented. "He's worked veryhard on his strength, skill andspeed. He works diligentlyevery day. One thing I haveadmired about him is regard-less of the circumstances he'salways smiling. No matter

what he has a smile on hisface all the time. Diontaeloves life. He's one of thosekids that lights up a room.Those types of athletes aresuch a joy to coach."

Viator added that Spencerhas dedicated himself to be-coming a student of the game.By learning the playbook,reading defenses, understand-ing passing lanes and otherfootball techniques, he is hon-oring the memory of his fatherby striving to achieve his fullpotential with the Cowboys.That is all any father couldever want for their son.

McNeese StateDiontae SpencerRises to the Challenge ofLife & College Football

Carrying the weight of yourpast is a sure fire way to makesure you don't get to the placeGod has designed for you togo. We have to learn that Godwill not give you more than youcan bear at the time. But thatdoes not mean we are not sup-pose to be able to bear more aswe grow in Christ. If we actu-ally implement "I can do allthings through Christ who givesme strength," then "all" wouldcover anything God gives us tobear.

The key to overcoming pasthurt is forgiveness. Forgivenessis not saying "I am sorry." For-giveness is what you seek afteran authentic meaningful apol-ogy. Forgiveness is the begin-

ning of reconciliation after anoffense, and not the end of anapology. Reconciliation is ac-tion, once you ask forgivenessyou must make things right byrestitution or rebuilding trust.This is where we have failed.We know we need to apologizewhen we do something wrongor cause pain, but we havestopped short of actually askingforgiveness and mending thehurt relationship with action.

Sometimes we can be hurtby someone that is unable toask for forgiveness. Maybe thatperson is too prideful to seekforgiveness and reconciliation,maybe they are unaware of theoffense, which happens morethan you can imagine. Possibly

the person has passed awayand left the relationship or situ-ation unsettled. In any of thesesituations as a maturing Chris-tian we must grant forgivenesseven when the offender hasn'tasked for it. Sometimes this isthe hardest part to do. No mat-ter, God calls us to forgive, notbecause someone has asked usfor forgiveness, but because heforgave us. When you learn toforgive because you have beenforgiven by Christ then you willopen up new avenues for Godto move through you to helpothers.

Sometimes as men, we havethe hardest time reaching outand asking for forgiveness. Is itfear of rejection? Is it fear ofshowing weakness? Chancesare our alpha male syndrome israring its prideful heart. Pride is

one of the greatest lies Satanuses against men. To be physi-cally dominant is in our design,but it is not in the design to actarrogant, boastful, and aboveall others. It is to protect theweak and build up thosearound you and you can onlyaccomplish this with a servant'sheart. We men must humbleourselves to reach out for for-giveness as well as granting for-giveness and when we get tothis place in our walk withChrist, we have strengthenedour family, our friends and thecommunity around us.For more information on RealLions: Authentic Male Leadersyou can "like" the Facebookpage www.facebook.com/

reallionsleadership.

Excert from the upcoming book Real Lions-God's approach to "Authentic Male Leaders"

in the family and in the church.

Overcoming Past Hurt

PAGE 12

By Brenda Hager

How do you interact withothers? Are you extrovertedand thrive when you’re the

center of attention or are yousatisfied with being an

observer of others? Are you ahigh risk or low risk taker?Take the following informalquiz to find out more about

your style of interactingwith the world and those

around you.

Circle one letter for each setof statements that best

describes you most of thetime, in most situations, andwith most people. Make a

choice for each set ofstatements.

1. E Easy to get to knowpersonally in businessor unfamiliar socialenvironments

I More difficult to get toknow personally inbusiness or unfamiliarsocial environments

2. I Focus conversations onissues and tasks at hand;stays on subject

E Conversation reflectspersonal life experi-ences; may stray from‘business at hand’

3. P Infrequent contributorto group conversations

A Frequent contributor togroup conversations

4. P Tend to adhere to theletter of the law

A Tend to interpret thespirit of the law

5. I Make most decisionsbased on goals, facts orevidence

E Make most decisionsbased on feelings, exper-iences or relationships

6. P Infrequently use gesturesand voice intonation toemphasize points

A Frequently use gesturesand voice intonation toemphasize points

7. A More likely to makeemphatic statementslike, “This is so!” and“I feel…”

P More likely to makequalified statementslike, “According to mysources…”

8. E Greater naturaltendency towardanimated facial expres-sions or observablebody responses duringspeaking and listening

I More limited facial ex-pressions or observablebody responses duringspeaking and listening

9. I Tend to keep importantpersonal feelingsprivate; tends to shareonly when necessary

E Tend to bemore willingto show or sharepersonal feelings morefreely

10. I Show less enthusiasmthan the average person

E Show more enthusiasmthan the average person

11. A More likely to introduceself to others at socialgatherings

P More likely to wait forothers to introducethemselves at socialgatherings

12. E Flexible about how yourtime is used by others

I Disciplined about howyour time is used by others

13. I Go with your ownagenda

E Go with the flow

14. A More naturally assertivebehavior

P More naturally reservedbehavior

15. A Tend to express yourown views more readily

P Tend to reserve theexpression of ownopinions

16. A Tend to naturally decidemore quickly orspontaneously

P Tend to naturally decidemore slowly or deliberately

17. I Prefer to work inde-pendently or dictate therelationship conditions

E Prefer to work withothers or be included inrelationships

18. P Naturally approach riskor change more slowlyor cautiously

A Naturally approach riskor change more quicklyor spontaneously

TOTAL NUMBER CIRCLED:I_____ E_____ P_____ A_____(make sure they add up to 18)

Keep this information andsee next month’s issue for

interpretation of yourscores!

(This is not meant as adiagnostic tool)

Jeff Peterson & AssociatesVocational & Career Specialists

Vocational EvaluationsCareer CounselingLife Care Planning

667 Post Oak Road, Sulphur, LA337-625-2526

What’sYourStyle?

PAGE 13

By: Hannah Floyd

Can you remember thosesweet stories your mother orgrandmother used to tell you?They could endlessly recountmemories of fun and excitement,family adventures and life les-sons. Quite intriguing are thedetails of all the things they haveexperienced and are so willing toshare. After listening to thesetales, you cannot help but to beinspired to create memories im-mersed in rich culture for your-self, your children and yourgrandchildren.

If creating memories full ofcultural experiences for yourself,your family and your friends iswhat you are interested in doing,then you need not search anyfurther. The City of Lake Charleshas made it its mission to focuson the amazing local culture ofthe city itself, and also to glorifythe nation’s past. From the bigevents of Contraband Days to thefun local celebrations down-town, Lake Charles is never lack-ing in enriching entertainmentand interesting events. Alongwith the grand gatherings, thereare also great galleries of art andhistory. The Department of Arts &

Cultural Affairs has set upexhibits featured at the HistoricCity Hall. The exhibits now dis-played are of a local artist, TheLincoln Exhibit and The Elvis Ex-hibit. Between the weekdayhours of 10:00 AM to 5:00 PMand Saturday between 10:00 AMto 2:00 PM, citizens and touristscan visit the Historic City Hall toexplore the large collection ofhistoric artifacts displayed. Theexhibit of Elvis’s life showcasesbehind the scene photos thathave not been seen by the gen-eral public. It ends on September7, 2013. The Lincoln Exhibit is atour from the political beginningof “Honest Abe” to the tragic endof this renowned president. TheLincoln Exhibit will end on Oc-tober 12, 2013. You cannot missthese amazing exhibits. These arepieces of history that are not tobe simply brushed by, but to beenjoyed, memorialize and ap-preciated.

For more information on theevents held in The City of LakeCharles, you can check out theirFacebook page. Simply searchfor “Lake Charles, Louisiana.” Ifyou are interested in becoming a

local artist, whose work will befeatured in the HistoricCity Hall, emailartsandculture @cityoflc.us foran application. Remember tomake it a priority to takeadvantage of the engagingevents that surround you inyour community. Enrichedcultural experiences andknowledge of the past andpresent will always be whatmakes Louisiana special.

IMAGE CREDITS:J.C. Buttre, publisher.“The Lincoln Family.”NewYork, 1867.After a painting by Francis B.Carpenter. Mezzotint engravingof the innumerable Lincolnfamily composite images thatwere produced, Buttre’sengraving after Carpenter’s

painting is, arguably, the finest.It includes an exceptionallikeness of the beloved Willie.

John Chester Buttre.“Abraham Lincoln.”NewYork, 1860.Mezzotint engravingIn a creative use of MathewBrady’s famous pose,

this printmaker adapted apopular 1859 print ofJohn C. Fremont (a fellowRepublican and 1856nominee for president).Using Fremont’s bodyand Lincoln’s head, Buttrepresented Lincoln asa refined and dignifiedstatesman.

J.L. Magee, publisher.“Satan Tempting Boothto the Murder.”Philadelphia, 1865. LithographThe assassin, John Wilkes Booth,instantly emerged as a villain ofsatanic proportions — shown asa coward receiving instructionsand inspiration fromthe devil himself.

PAGE 14

By James Dean

“I want the truth!”“You can’t handle the truth!”The famous movie line fromJack Nicholson’s characterColonial Jessup from A FewGood Men seems to fit thesearch for hunting down what istrue and what is not on Face-book. One of my favoritememes below shows how trust-ing everything you see on theinternet isn’t always a wise act.Our famous 16th President letsyou know what he thinks aboutthe internet. But how do you ac-tually decide what is true andwhat isn’t you ask? That’s thebest part, you don’t have to.Barbara and David Mikkelsonhas already found the answersfor you, and they have beendoing it for nearly twenty years.

“We started the website in1995 mainly for fun. We foundsomething we enjoyed doingtogether as a couple which wasresearching urban legends.”Barbara explained. With overfifteen years’ experience asprofessional researchers andwriters, the Mikkelson’s havecreated in snopes.com what hascome to be regarded as an on-line touchstone of rumor

research according to theirwebsite. Their efforts have beento keep their website as accu-rately up to date as possible andthat effort has not gone unques-tioned. They have even beenthe focus of rumors themselves.As the political battle of misin-formation about presidents andcandidates fly, the Michelson’shave been accused of being incohouse with one party or theother. The native born Cana-dian Barbara isn’t even able tovote, and David continues tostay apolitical, registered as anindependent. “We aren’t forsale to any outside party, andwe have never accepted moneyfrom a sponsor, investor, part-ner, or any other outside groupor organization in exchange forrunning or researching a story.We are only interested in allow-ing citizens to have the facts.What they do with them is up tothe individual.”

So next time you read thatObama isn’t an American, orthat he puts his left hand overhis heart, or doesn’t say thepledge of allegiance, you knowwhere to find the answers atsnopes.com. If you are wonder-ing if Sylvester Stallone reallyaccepted Jesus as his savior, or if

dialing *112 really calls thehighway patrol, check out thefacts first before hitting the likebutton or making a commenton Facebook. Most of the timeit’s all a farce, some silliness tosee how far people will passthings along without checkingto see if the information is

correct. Here is a freebee,Facebook will never charge foryou to have a profile, they makeway too much money on ad-vertisers to jeopardize theirmass monopoly on your socialmedia profile page. Until nexttime, happy myth bustingeverybody.

Snopes provides Internet with itsown version of Myth Busters

PAGE 15

Good health is the result ofmany denatured in any otherway, such as through factors:one is wholesome nutritionfound in organic foods.Organic food is more thanfoods grown without pesticidesand chemical fertilizers.Organic foods are real foods,not phony, artificial, processedfoods. Organic foods possessessential factors that buildhealth. Organic food is greaterthan the sum of its parts. Likethe “watch” metaphor used byDr. Royal Lee (see above), or-ganic food is an alive, function-ing, integrated whole,possessing the essential “good-ness” the Creator intended forbuilding and supporting health.Organically Grown Health isthe result of eating organicfoods and whole food supple-ments while doing our best toremove chemicals from our en-vironment.

Organically Grown Healthdepends on food that

MotherNature intendedhumans to eat.

For humans, organic,healthy foods are derived fromplant and animal sources, notfrom a synthetic chemical lab-oratory nor minerals directlyfrom the soil. Plants, andONLY plants, can take inor-

ganic minerals from the soil,along with water and sunshine,and make them come alivewith the vitamins, enzymes,and energy necessary for ani-mal and human health. Onewould not find an animal in na-ture chewing rocks or shells forminerals because they are inor-ganic and not suitable food foranimals. Similarly, inorganicchemicals, additives, pesticidesand synthetic “vitamins” areunnatural and have negative ef-fects upon human health andvitality.Processed foods, food additives& medications are NOT Or-ganic and take essential nutri-ents from your body.Synthetic “foods,” that is,“foods” that are pasteurized,chemically-altered orthe use of food additives orpreservatives, are not wholeand are NOT fit as human food.So-called “vitamins” created ina laboratory are incomplete, in-

organic and when ingested areknown to leach out essentialnutrients from body stores.When these essential nutrients(vitamins, enzymes and cofac-tors) are processed out of foodand taken out of the body overtime, deficiencies can becomethe cause of the breakdown ofthe body and disease begins.

Toxins in the environmentcreate the need for

more nutrients.When the body is burdenedwith synthetic toxic chemicalsfrom the environment, it re-quires additional nutritional re-sources to relieve itself of theburden.

Summary of OrganicallyGrown

Health principlesIncomplete foods and environ-mental toxins lead to defi-ciency, disintegration anddisease. Good health is restored

and maintained when the nutri-tional essentials are provided inthe form of organic foods andwhole food supplements, in theamounts and duration neces-sary to replenish depleted bodytissues.• Real, whole organic food isthe source of integration, healthand life–-and provides nutri-tional essentials.• Synthetic “foods” lack theseessentials and are thus thesource of DIS- integration, DIS-ease and death.Need proof? Just look at thepartial list of chronic conditionsrelated to nutritional deficien-cies on the side-bar of thispage! How many of these doyou suffer? How many do yourfamily and friends suffer? Thetruth is staggering. Many mil-lions of Americans are sufferingfrom the lack of the nutritionalessentials for health.

Organically Grown Health - Do You Have It?

PAGE 16

By: Deanna Shuff Jimney,Owner and LMT

Health and Renewal comesfrom within, Inner Bliss partnerswith the M’Lis Company helpingclients find and make use of thisgreat power.

It is difficult for people use tohaving symptoms eradicated withmedications, to understand aprocess that removes toxins ratherthan covers symptoms, and onethat may make them feel worse fora while in the process. Most peo-ple’s experiences with conven-tional medicine do not preparethem to understand the healingcrisis during Detoxification.

ELIMINATIVE ORGANSWhen the human body has

accumulated more toxins than itcan handle, the body in its amaz-ing natural healing processes at-tempts a healing response. It mustforce the toxins out or the healthof the body will deteriorate. Theonly way toxins are eliminated isthrough the natural processes ofdetoxification, which occursthrough the skin by perspiration,through the colon by evacuation,through the kidneys by urination,and through the lungs byrespiration.

Toxins are eliminated out ofbody openings (the eyes, ears,nose, rectum, urinary tract, vaginaand skin). When you have a com-mon cold, you observe mucus,pus, and fluids coming from thebody. This fluid, mucus, and puscontains toxic poisons, bacteria,and dead or damaged cells andtissues. The removal of toxins isnot an illness or disease, it is a bi-ological cleansing process donenaturally by the body. If toxins aresuppressed and stored and not al-lowed to eliminate because ofchemical stuffing of symptoms, thebody then begins to store the

toxins. The toxins go deep into thecells and tissues and begin tocause degenerative damage. Sup-pressing cleansing reactions leadsto lethargy, sickness, and eventu-ally to life threatening degenera-tive diseases. A person finallypasses the point where the bodyno longer has the ability to cleanseand heal itself.

BENEFITS OFDETOXIFICATION

• Increases energy• Helps clean out mucus, toxins,

and other waste materials• Restores body’s natural tract• Liver, kidney, and blood

purification• Mental clarity is achieved• Reduces dependencies on

sugar products, caffeine,alcohol, nicotine, etc.

• Helps restore peristalticaction of the colon

• May lose 2-8 lbs. of waterand waste

• Bad eating habits are broken• Begin to feel wellness return• Offers a “new beginning” to

ward a healthier lifestyle

It is very beneficial to combineDetoxification Program with Lym-phatic Body Wraps and Massagesto help push the toxins from thebody.

The three-day Detoxificationis the foundation of every InnerBliss Lifestyle Change Programincluding Weight Loss.

To find out more about InnerBliss & the Detoxification,Weight Loss and Wellness

Programs visitinnerblissbydee.com

LIKE us on Facebook at innerbliss-wellnesscenteroflakecharles

1411 W Prien Lake Rd,Lake Charles • 475-2547

DO YOU KNOW THE SIGNS OF A TOXIC BODY?

SIGNS OF A TOXIC BODY!• Mental confusion, absentmindedness,

poor concentration, indecision*• Mood swings, anxiety, depression, irritability*• Overweight / underweight*• Fatigue / lack of energy*• Insomnia, restless sleep or difficulty relaxing / stress*• Headaches*• Cravings or addictions*• Digestive problems (gas, ulcers, heartburn, IBS)*• Allergies, hay fever, asthma*• Irregularity (constipation, diarrhea)*• Painful inflammation (joints, muscles, sinuses, intestines)*• Yeast infection*• Strong desire for sugar, beer, breads*• High risk of coronary artery disease

(high cholesterol or triglycerides)• Diabetes or Hypoglycemia• High blood pressure• Skin disorders (acne, psoriasis, etc.)• Male or female problems (PMS, prostate, hot flashes,

impotence, infertility, lack of desire)• Eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, excessive appetite)• Low resistance to illness and infection• Life threatening or degenerative illness• Weakness, shakiness, poor muscle tone,

muscle soreness or spasm• High alcohol consumption• High caffeine consumption• Smoking*Indicates Candida may be present

PAGE 17

WHAT ARELIEF!By Sean Vincent

We recently set out on aquest to find and absorb posi-tive energy. When we enteredthrough the door to the estab-lishment known as “Dharma,”the first thing we noticed washow incredibly clean the at-mosphere was. As we ex-plored further, we discoveredthat this particular place ofbusiness not only offered apleasing variety of libations,but they also had two large selfserving containers of waterperched on either side of thebar for those who wish toquench their thirst in a timelymanner.

As the evening progressedwe were repeatedly relieved to

see the energy this bar seemedto attract. The staff was verypolite and obliging while theircostumers were smiling andconnecting on a peaceableand inviting level. As the

bands performed and pre-sented their audience with anenormous assortment of eu-phonious arrangements, thepeople rejoiced and danced

barefoot along with the rhyth-mic vibrations.Each individual seemed to berespectful of his/her neighborand they all seemed todemonstrate a very real under-

standing of fellowship. Afterour time spent in this estab-lishment we have divinedthat there is, in fact, a terrificamount of positively charged

citizens in this fair city eagerlyseeking to advance their rela-tionships with friends andstrangers alike.

It brings us great relief toknow that our city can provideits free spirited citizens with acomfortable shelter wherethey can readily gather andrelax at the end of a long hardday of service.

During our stay at thislounge we have come to theconclusion that it has a greatdeal more to offer thancocktails and entertainment.We believe the real appeal…Is the feel.

Think natural.Think together…Think Dharma.

Located at:329 Broad Street

Lake Charles, LA 70601

By Stephanie Lewisand Grandma Sue

Facebook- Facebook has takenover for Myspace as the topform of social media peopleuse today. Everyone wonders ifthey are really safe on Face-book. Facebook can be a funand joyous way to keep upwith friends and family bysharing pictures and postsdaily, but there are security

risks if you do not have yourprofile set up correctly. In yoursettings you can control whosees your profile, who can addyou as a friend, who can sendyou a message, who can seeposts you are tagged in, and ifthe website can share your lo-cation. The latest security riskis showing location of pics youtake which could allow poten-tial predators to know the loca-tion of yourself or your

children so be careful withwhat you allow your picturesto say. Remember you havecontrol.

Grandma Sue Response- Theonly Facebook I want is my

face in the good book. Somany distractions these days’kids have to take the timeaway from what’s important. Ifyou want to be followed thatmuch, pick yourself up astalker! They are everywhere

SocialNetworking 101

for Grandma

now days, at the beach, at thejob. Heck I can’t go to the gro-cery store without picking upMr. Batkins. He follows me tothe car asking when I’m gonnagive in and go to bingo withhim Tuesday nights! I didn’tneed no Facebook for that!

Blogs- What is in a blog?WordPress is an example of ablog but there are many tochoose from. This basically al-lows you to control your ownwebsite, especially if you arean artist or writer. It is also useda lot as an online journal toshare thoughts and poetry. Youcan control what you post,control the layout, the linksetc. You can also run a privateblog that requires a password.Blogs are also used to postvideo journals, also known asvloging (video+blog). It is a funway to interact with followers.Are you ready to take control?

Grandma Sue Response- Blog-ger sounds like my greatnephew trying to say booger.Kind of what it reminds me ofanyway. So a blogger just getsto sit and think of things tomake people want to read thesite every day. This could be anovel idea. Why I think that Iwill start my own blog. Onetime I saw a piece of toast thatlooked like PresidentWashing-ton. I know you all saw it rightwith the chicken bit that was acrispy battered rendition ofPresident Lincoln. No I can'tdo food. It will have to besomething I don't want to eat,like bushes!

Twitter- Hashtag, say what?What does that number signmean anyway (#)? On Twitteryou can send simple, short andabbreviated messages to any-one around the world in a fewseconds, up to 141 characters.When you hashtag a word itbecomes part of an even biggerconversation. You can simplysearch for a hashtag and seewhat the whole world has tosay about that particular sub-ject or event. Twitter like allother social media sites makesthe world seem small, simple

to connect and share with oth-ers in social media includingstores, and restaurant offers orcoupons. It is mainly used to“follow” your favorite celebrityif they “tweet.” If you havesomething worthy to follow, it’san easy way to tell a lot of peo-ple what is going on all at onetime.

Grandma Sue Response- Sowhat's all the fuss about thistweet thing? Hash tag backslash question mark. All Iknow is I am trying to enjoy

my favorite show "shark week"that only comes on once ayear and I am forced to readother peoples random com-ments popping up all over theTV screen. If I wanted to knowwhat anybody else thoughtabout what I was watching Iwould pick up my phone andcall Aunt Pat! Of course she’llask me several times whereher “stories” are sense theydon’t play on TV no more.