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ACF 12/09

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David Sparks

Atlanta Christian Family Magazine December 2009
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Page 1: ACF 12/09
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THE SCHOOL YEAR IS HALF OVER AND.....

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• Cannot follow directions easily?• Having issues with personal space?

• Cannot easily express their thoughts, ideas or feelings ?

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3December 2009

Publisher: David Sparks, [email protected]

Contributing Writers:

Art Direction: Terry Schrimscher, SchrimscherMedia & Marketing, LLCCover Photo: Courtesy of Dave RamseySales: Dawn Bell, [email protected] DrydenDistribution: David Sparks

Atlanta Christian Family is published monthly byAtlanta Christian Family, Inc., 19079 US Hwy 231,Pell City, AL 35125. The phone number is 205-884-8187.

The web site is www.atlantachristianfamily.com.Reproduction of any part of Atlanta ChristianFamily without permission of the publisher is pro-hibited. Distribution of this magazine does notconstitute an endorsement of information, prod-ucts or services. Views expressed in AtlantaChristian Family do not necessarily represent thoseof the publisher. Every effort has been made byAtlanta Christian Family staff to insure accuracy ofthe publication contents. However, we do not guar-antee the accuracy of all information nor theabsence of errors and omissions; hence, no resposibility can be or is assumed. All Rights Reserved.Copyright 2010 by Atlanta Christian Family, Inc.

Unless otherwise noted, scripture taken from theHoly Bible, New International Version, copyright1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Circulation & Distribution: Atlanta ChristianFamily is free and available at targeted, high-trafficlocations throughout the Atlanta area. Copies arealso available by subscription, $29 for one year.

POSTMASTER: POSTMASTER: Send change ofaddress to Atlanta Christian Family, 19079 US Hwy231, Pell City, AL 35125.

In association withThe Christian Family Publication, Inc.

Judy Woodward BatesPaul BerryJohn CroyleAlice DuckettDarrel Holcombe Zack Hudson

Kathy MannChristen PerryGwen SissonDavid SparksNicole Anderson SparksJustin Wade

®

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Atlanta Christian Family4 www.ChristianFamilyPublications.com

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5December 2009

6 Bringing Out the Winner

The Best Holiday Season Ever

7 Are We There Yet?

Alabama Mountain Getaways

8 Best Books

Jumping Through Fire

Brilliant Disguises

9 Music Notes

Best Christmas Tunes

10 Bargainomics

Holiday Savings

10 Hassle Free Zone

Think it Through

15 Cool Stuff with a Mighty Message

Greatest Gifts for Christmas

14 2 by Two

9 Pet Travel Tips

14 Youth News

What God Wants for Christmas

15 Humor in Holy Places

A Christmas Tragedy Becomes a Community Miracle

16 Church Leaders

God Sees Us, Hears Us, and Acts On Your Behalf!

17 Kid’s Korner

Holly, Cedar & Snowflakes

18 Money Matters

U.S. Stock Markets: Soar or Crash?

19 Coloring Page

20 Calendar

20 Classifieds

10

21

On The Cover12 Dave Ramsey

7 Mountain Getaways

12 Kid’s Korner

Features17 Holiday Travel Tips

Volume 5, Number 5

6

Next IssueNEW YEAR’S

2010& MUCH MORE!

Contents

Dave Ramsey breaks the bondage ofdebt. See page 12.

December 2009

12

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Atlanta Christian Family6 www.ChristianFamilyPublications.com

The Best Holiday Season EverThis holiday season we hope you and your family have the best of Thanksgiving and

Christmas blessings. We have been working on our Christmas wish lists at Big Oak Ranch for several weeksnow. Just like you, we want to be fair and balanced in our “presents” giving. Having to say “NO” sometimes asa parent is even harder than showering your children with gifts.

How about this year? What are your plans? When is too many equal to too much? The only way I know toanswer this question is to simply ask God for His wisdom as you seek ways to make Christmas a joyous occa-sion of presents, love, home, food and family time. Sometimes the best presents don’t cost a dime but areinvestments of time with your children and/or grandchildren. Seek ways to draw these impressionable soulscloser to yourself and obviously closer to the Lord by allowing them to see your focus; i.e., celebrating thebirthday of Jesus Christ and definitely loving your family.

Let’s make this the best holiday and birthday celebration ever in your family. It is all in your state of mind.

Sincerely,John

— To learn more about the Big Oak Ranch, see Resources on page 22.

John CroyleExecutive Director Big Oak Ranch, Author ofBringing Out the Winner in Your Child

BRINGING OUT THE WINNER IN YOUR CHILD

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7December 2009

This holiday’s, “Are We There Yet?” is a place full of rest, peacefulfeelings, good shopping, and just all around warmth...Mentone,AL. Just a short drive from Georgia, Tennessee and many parts

of Alabama, like Birmingham and Gadsden, Mentone is sure to bringrest for the soul and a little something for the entire family. You have awide array of where to stay and what to do. Cozy bed & breakfasts,Inns, romantic cabins, family-sized chalets, RV parks andcampgrounds. Our choice was a romantic getaway for two withMentone Cabins. Cupid’s Crest, our 100 year old cabin, was located onthe brow side and offered spectacular views all around. Inside wasmore than welcoming with the heat already warming things up andsmooth jazz playing in the background, setting the stage for muchneeded rest. There are many sizes, price ranges, and locations around thearea to choosefrom. Ourcabin was fullyequipped witheverything youcould need forthe weekend,except foodand clothes.There weremany otherextras also,such as a hottub, swing,stainless steelappliances, fire-place, and evenmono-grammed bath towels. The effort they took toprepare a place for you to reconnect with God,your family and yourself is unparallel. Planyour stay now at www.MentoneCabins.com.

Once you have decided on your place of restand have arrived for your vacation, you willwant to check out downtown Mentone! Somany incredible places to shop for treasures.We got a handmade wooden Christmas treemade from a local artist out of the wood fromthe area that was strung with lights. It adorns our sitting porch and brings usmuch delight each day as we enter our home. Find ones like it and other greatgift ideas at The Gourdie Shop. Check them out at www.Gourdies.com. Ourfavorite pottery place was Miracle Pottery. The story of Ms. Valinda Miracle issure to warm your heart as you find a handmade treasure to take home. Youcan check out their website at www.MiraclePottery.com. Be sure to stay a whileand maybe you can catch a glimpse of this brilliant artist at work creating one of

her many pieces. Also, if there is glaze you love but they don’t have a piece inthat glaze, don’t worry, they can custom order and ship it to you!

When it’s time to eat, you have quite a few options. The MentoneSprings Hotel takes it up a notch and serves custom made entrees pre-pared by a chef with a decent price tag. The smells inside were divineand the atmosphere very inviting. The Wildflower Cafe & Country Storeserves a mostly organic menu, has a shop, and had live music to set thestage for more relaxing. It was our favorite choice. They were featured inSouthern Living’s October 2009 issue. I enjoyed the Brunch Sampler andit was a delight for my taste buds with every bite! Be sure to stop by theTourist Information Center and grab a coffee to take on your scenicmountain ride.

The rest of our stay was spent taking in God’s creation. We visitedDeSoto Falls and DeSoto State Park and enjoyed learning about the local

history. If you are an outdoors person, DeSoto StatePark is for you. There are bike trails, hiking, canoeingand so much more. Plan out your adventure atwww.alaparks.com/desotoresort. Across the moun-tain is a natural wonder, Little River Canyon. You cango to one side of the canyon and walk down to thefalls, or you can stay in your car and take the scenicdrive on the other side of the canyon. There areplenty of places to pull off for photo ops or to take ahike down. You can also stay alongside the Canyon ifyou prefer the water view and ease of putting yourkayak or canoe in from your door. Outside of thenatural surroundings, you can visit the Hall of Famefor the country band, Alabama, as well as some of themembers’ places of residence.

No matter what the taste, Mentone has something for everyone. The bestpart is the short drive for a quick getaway. The prices are reasonable andthere are many options of where to stay for all different preferences. Besure to take the time to fall for Mentone and get some rest for your soul!

— Nicole Anderson Sparks

AlabamaMountainGetaways

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Jumping ThroughFires by David NasserI have a deep admiration and respectfor immigrants. As one who has trav-eled abroad and temporarily sensedthe alienation and unfamiliaritywhich comes by being surrounded bya foreign culture, I can appreciate thebravery and inner strength it mustrequire to leave everything behindand travel to another world. Showme a man who is trying to make a goof it in America, one who has leftfamily, friends and cultural familiari-ty behind to build a life in an often intimidating society, and I’ll show youa man worthy of my esteem.

The story of speaker, author and minister David Nasser is a case in point.In his new book, Jumping Through Fires (Baker Books, $17.99), David tellshis story of growing up an Iranian exile in the United States. Fleeing Iranduring the 1979 Revolution, the Nasser family moved to America, eventu-ally ending up in the Birmingham area. As a young man, David saw thebest and the worst of American culture.

Jumping Through Fires is, however, more than just the story of the Nasserfamily’s escape and their subsequent life in America; it is the story of how,one by one, they also found a new life in God. As each came to a newunderstanding of God, one embedded in the person of Jesus, the Nasserfamily began to shed a rigid religious identity for one based on the graceand redemption found in the message of Christ.

Jesus must have been attracted to the foreigner in Israel’s midst, even thoseheld in contempt by His Jewish peers. The Samaritan woman Jesus met ata well was apparently singled out for special attention by our Lord. As Iread Jumping Through Fires I thought of that Samaritan lady and theimpact Jesus had on her village. According to John, they quickly realizedwhat we often forget. Jesus is not just the Messiah of the Jews, nor is Hejust the Redeemer of cultured Europeans or Americans. Rather, the manwho went out of His way to encounter a lowly Samaritan that day is the“one who is to come, the Savior of the World.”

May God bless all the nations of the world.

— Darrel Holcombe

Best Books

8 Atlanta Christian Family www.ChristianFamilyPublications.com

Brilliant DisguisesWilliam Thornton makes his fiction debut with“Brilliant Disguises,’ the story of a man whoposes so well as a Christian that he fools everyone– everyone, that is, except for himself and theOne he cannot escape from. In the process, heseemingly works miracles but cannot satisfy thehunger inside himself to find out who he really is.

Cameron Leon is a newly-hired worker for theForster Foundation, a world-wide charitableorganization led by a reclusive billionaire. To getthe job, Cameron has to join a church. However,Cameron, still mourning the death of his brotherPeter, decides he will only pretend to “get saved.” In the process, he impersonatesnot only a Christian, but on occasion his brother. Cameron continues to receivetearful phone calls from Peter’s widow, Cecelia, who wants to hear her late hus-band’s voice. Cameron, a born mimic like his brother, flawlessly impersonateshim but feels the need for a personal kind of cleansing.

William “Bill” Thornton is a newspaper reporter with The Birmingham Newsand lives in Southside, Alabama. He is a Sunday School teacher and a deacon atSouthside Baptist Church.

The book is self-published through Xlibris, is carried by Ingram Distributorsusing the iPage database. Currently it is available at www.brilliantdisguises.comand will soon be available through Amazon and various bookstores. "

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9December 2009

With Christmas right around the corner, many of us are wondering which CDs we need to dust off and get back out from last year. You couldeasily find yourself with quite a task to figure out just which ones to use or which ones to check out for the first time. So let’s take a look atsome Christmas music, as well as some full Christmas CDs.

The biggest debate in Christmas music is new Christmas songs versus traditional Christmas songs. What I have found is that a combination of the twoactually makes sense for most people. “Away in a Manger,” “Silent Night,” “The Little Drummer Boy,” and “O Come All Ye Faithful” are great songs; there isno replacing them. However, I also cannot imagine Christmas music in 2009 without “Gloria” by Mercy Me, “This Baby” by Steven Curtis Chapman or“He Made A Way In A Manger” by Candy Pearson Shelton. So, I think in this day and age it is just a matter of finding the right mix of new and traditionalChristmas songs.

If you were limited to three Christmas albums to listen to this year, I would have to say go with Steven Curtis Chapman’s Christmas is All in the Heart,Denver and the Mile High Orchestra’s Timeless Christmas, and of course Mercy Me’s The Christmas Sessions. Let’s take a quick look at all three.

Steven Curtis Chapman’s Christmas album Christmas is All in the Heart combines newer and olderChristmas songs in such an amazing way. He has a remarkable, down-home way of singing these songs,and provides the listener with a laid-back way of enjoying 12 Christmas tracks. The acoustic guitar isclearly present in most of the songs on this CD. I would say the highlight on the album is “This Baby.”This song describes the early days of Jesus and how He went through many of the same things as littlebabies do still today – only this baby had come to change the world. What a message and what an hon-est look at what Christmas is all about.

Denver and the Mile High Orchestra’s CD Timeless Christmas is probably the most fun Christmas albumI have heard. For the most part it is upbeat and exciting. Their version of “Joy to the World” is incredi-ble. They are one of the few groups that can take a song that you have heard performed 1,000 times byprobably 50 different artists and make it special. They have a horn-driven sound that sets them apartfrom much of the Christmas music that you normally hear.

MercyMe also has a pretty fantastic collection of 12 songs inside The Christmas Sessions. This hasall of the qualities of a great album: skillful songwriting, strong vocals and fabulous instrumen-tation. This CD, like the other two, has a combination of new Christmas songs and traditionalChristmas songs. “Joseph’s Lullaby,” one of the new tunes, is sung from the viewpoint of Joseph.It is such a touching song and is written from a perspective that most of us do not think about.MercyMe always comes through with great albums, and this one is no different.

— Justin Wade

Music NotesBest Christmas Tunes

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Atlanta Christian Family10 www.ChristianFamilyPublications.com

Holiday Savings

Easy, No-Bake Haystack CandyThis simple and inexpensive recipe lets you whip up goodies that look andtaste like they came from a gourmet candy shop! Perfect for gift giving andholiday get-togethers, you’ll have your guests thinking you're a spectacularcook – when you haven't even done any baking. All you need is:

1 lb. bag of chocolate chips1 lb. bag of peanut butter (or butterscotch) chips12 oz. of skinless peanuts (not raw)5 to 6 oz. package or can of chow mein noodles

Put the chips in the top of a double boiler (if you don't have a double boil-er, put the chips in a smaller saucepan and set it inside a larger one). Putwater in the lower (bigger) boiler/saucepan and heat to steaming hot butnot boiling. When the chips have melted, stir in the nuts and noodles. Dropmixture by teaspoonful onto waxed paper. Refrigerate to cool.

Winter Styles for Less This winter’s top fashions for women seem to focus on shoulders andsleeves, mostly designs with shoulders that project outward in almost apoint. Metallics, brocade and sequins are in, plus vests dubbed as “sleevelesscoats.” Leather is big and animal prints are making a major comeback. Don’tbreak the bank keeping up with all these styles. Anything making a come-back can likely be found in a thrift, consignment or vintage specialty shop.

Trivia Games for the HolidaysEveryone will enjoy this one. Round up some index cards or slips of paperand pens and you're all set. Give each family member and friend at yourgathering five or 10 cards or slips of paper. Ask each person to write downfacts about himself – one fact per card – that few or no one else mightknow, such as “My favorite vegetable is broccoli.” Collect all the cards andthen begin reading out the answers, letting everyone guess who each cluerelates to. You can play this a number of ways, like dividing into two teamsand keeping score. However you do it, your family and friends will becomebetter acquainted and have a great time in the process.

Celebrate the Savior. Make sure Christ is what your Christmas is all about!

— Judy Woodward Bates, “The Bargainomics Lady”

Columnist Judy Woodward Bates is an author, speakerand TV personality. To schedule an appearance, learnmore money-saving tips or order her new book, visitwww.Bargainomics.com.

Think it ThroughThe first step to set up a file system is the most important – thinking itthrough. But that’s also the step most likely to be skipped over. It’s typicalto bypass the planning phase and put no time into thinking about how afile system should work. But just like a building, if a file system is puttogether without spending time on the design, it will collapse.

It’s easy to see why thisstep receives no atten-tion. First of all, there’sthe time factor. Youknow you’ve got to dosomething about yourfiling, it’s driving youcrazy, so you figureyou’ll just dive right inand get it knocked out.

Face it: if you had plenty of time, you wouldn’t have gotten so far behindon your filing to start with.

Secondly, it might just be you don’t have a clue what to do. When a file sys-tem is simple, say everything is filed by last name or by an invoice number,then it’s easy to understand how to do your filing. The volume of overduefiling that has piled up may overwhelm you, but you still know exactlywhat needs to be done. However, not all filing is so straightforward, andit’s often difficult to file something so that you’ll be able to find it again.With these types of documents, it’s absolutely imperative to have a wellthought out plan. A complex filing plan can be difficult to visualize anddevelop, yet it’s not unusual to see a new, inexperienced employee facingthe task. It can be daunting to figure out how to file a wide variety of doc-uments that require a sophisticated system of categories and sub-cate-gories. If a file system has been managed year after year by a constantturnover of green employees, the results are likely to be disastrous. For bestresults, invest some time up front by thinking it through.

Want more hints on filing and office organization? Subscribe to “Filing,Office Organization, and Time Management” to receive bimonthly hintsand tips via e-mail. It’s absolutely free with no obligation, your e-mailaddress remains confidential and you can opt out at any time. Go tohttp://mrmservicesonline.com/contact.php and request your free tipstoday.

— Kathy Mann, CRM

Kathy Mann is certified in records management by theICRM® Board of Regents, and is the owner of Mann'sRecords Management Services, LLC, a records managementconsulting firm that specializes in bringing order out of chaos. Her mission isto leave clients feeling confident they can locate what they need exactly whenthey need it, because “if you can't find it, then you don't have it.”

HASSLE FREE ZONE,Tips to Low Maintenance Living

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11December 2009

Cool Stuff with aMighty Message

For the Football Fan Select from three Limited EditionPrint/Poems featuring the artwork ofnationally acclaimed artist Daniel A.Moore. These limited edition framedunits include poems written by formerAlabama player and permanent teamcaptain Todd Bates. These are speciallypriced at just $125 each for RegularEdition and $195 each for Artist’s Proofs.The outside dimensions of this ready-to-hang frame measure 25” x 19”. Shown is“The Goal Line Stand” but also availableare Moore’s most recent works of “TheBlackout” and “The Blowout” – eachaccompanied by different poems with the same title. These will make theperfect Christmas gift for any Alabama fan on your holiday shopping list.Also, Moore is currently at work on his latest oil painting, “MaximumBlock.” This painting documents Alabama’s historic, last-second field-goalblock that sealed its win over Tennessee on Oct. 24. “Maximum Block,” asthe artist puts it, is his portrayal of “… the maximum defensive effortgiven, by the maximum number of players on the field, in order to preservea win of maximum importance.” To order these must-have items and viewmany other sports-related gift ideas for someone special, visitwww.newlifeart.com. You can also order Moore’s work by calling New LifeArt, toll-free, at 1-800-735-2787.

Tool TimeAfter years of work in the corporateworld and endless soul-searching, LisaKnoppe-Reed believed she found herpurpose in life and created a new busi-ness venture, Art For A Cause. She paintscolorful flowers on tools and then

donates a portion of the revenue to charities. A portion of CuteTools! areprepared by special education children at various schools. The childreninventory the tools, sand, prime and even participate in quality control. ArtFor A Cause is a company with a mission to make a difference in our worldthrough art. Visit www.artforacause.com to find a retailer near you.

Drawing AttentionSometimes the inspira-tion behind a piece ofart is as important asthe art itself. Out of adesire to find a fun andinviting way to haveScripture around thehouse, “Show Offs Art”developed products to“show off” the thingsthat are important…faith and family. The print

“John 3:16 Heart and Globe” was inspired by a 12 year-old Tennessee girlwith a disability. Madison painted a picture of a heart as a gift for her dad.She colored a big circle over the heart, to stand for the globe, and how bigGod’s heart is for the whole world. Wrapped canvas, plaques and note cardsin various designs are available at www.showoffsart.com.

Wearing the WordFor the princess in your life, RighteousWear Clothing offers the perfect shirtdesign, “Of course I’m a Princess. And myFather is the King of Kings!” RighteousWear started to share a positive message ofGod’s love. Stuart Campbell and DarrylWiley create messages that inspire and makepeople think. Campbell says, “The messageon all of our items is Holy Spirit inspired.” Righteous Wear offers t-shirts ina variety of sizes and colors as well as tote bags and other items. Everythingcan be viewed and purchased at www.righteouswearclothing.com.

Tree TreasuresFor more than 30 years, the sweet faces ofPrecious Moments porcelain figurines havebrought smiles to many people. These col-lectibles cater to practically every occasion:birthdays, graduations and holidays. ThisChristmas, give your loved ones an adorablePrecious Moments tree ornament that can betreasured for years to come. The “Born theKing of Angels” tree ornament (3 ½”H,$27.50) heralds the birth of Jesus Christ. Thisbisque porcelain ornament showcases Maryand Joseph in gold-trimmed robes and Jesuswrapped in swaddling clothes.

Another gift option is the “May Your FaithLight the Way” tree ornament (3”H, $22.50).A smiling girl holds out a lit candle, symbol-izing the truth that even when the path isdark, God still lights the way. An additionalspecial feature of this ornament is the year2009 painted on her scarf.

Both ornaments, as well as many otherChristmas gift ideas, are available online at www.preciousmoments.com.You can also find Precious Moments products at selected gift and cardretailers.

Greatest Gifts for Christmas

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Atlanta Christian Family12 www.ChristianFamilyPublications.com

Chains of bondage, chains of pain, chains of slavery to your finances.National radio talk show host and financial counselor DaveRamsey believes chains are only good when they are used to pull

you out of the mud and the muck.

And he knows a little bit about mud and all thecleaning up you have to do afterward. It was almost20 years ago when a 28-year-old Ramsey lost his $4million real estate fortune as the banking industrymade big changes in the late 80s in real estate lending.

With loans and lines of credit keepinghim in bondage, the bank called all his

loans — at the sametime. Ramsey lost hisbusiness and over the

course of two-to-threeyears, truly learned the

meaning of the chains ofbondage and pain.

“Losing everything was crushing, emotionally andfinancially,” states Ramsey. “I came to know Christbefore the bankruptcy, but afterwards, we were wav-ing the white flag, saying 'I really do surrender all!'The song had a whole new meaning for us.”

Ramsey was not raised in a Christian home, butcame to know Christ as his Savior when a sales moti-vational speaker he admired mentioned a spiritualelement to the sales process. All of the prayers and thetears from his “good little Baptist” wife, Sharon, didnot have the same influence for Christ as this speakerwhom he admired. Ramsey says the speaker had a lotof credibility with him and really made an impact. Hewas 24 years old and the young family began lookingfor a church. They found Christ Church in Nashvilleand got under the leadership of some very supportiveand devoted pastors, who helped teach Ramsey froma Biblical standpoint. Ramsey says it was very impor-tant for him to understand as much as possible, par-

ticularly about “this tithing thing.” But it was duringthe total money melt down that Ramsey made theheart change to never be in bondage to money again.He wanted to learn how to do it right and never goback to living scared. He wanted to stop mud-ridinghis way though his finances.

The muddier they got, the closer the Ramseys cameto God. They leaned on Him and God threw them achain to help walk them out. Ramsey began to learn“God's and Grandma's” way of handling money.With a determination to make real, lasting changes inhis own life, he also developed a passion and compas-sion for others going through the same mud hole.

While working a zillion hours a week to “keep thewolf away,” Ramsey wrote a book on the things helearned called Financial Peace, and began counsel-ing people going through financial stress. Almost20 years later, Ramsey's new book, The Total

BREAK THECHAINS OF PAIN

BREAK THECHAINS OF PAIN

Dave Ramseyis on a mission to

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December 2009 13

Money Makeover is on the New YorkTimes Bestseller list. Over three millionpeople listen to his live radio broadcast,The Dave Ramsey Show, and this fallhe began a TV show that airs everyweekday on the Fox Business Network.

Dave and Sharon have three childrenwho love the Lord and are excellentstudents. Denise and Rachel are at theUniversity of Tennessee, and their son,Daniel, is in high school. They go tothe lake to water ski at every opportu-nity, attend University of Tennesseefootball games and hold season ticketsto the Predators hockey games. Theylove to snow ski and enjoy one another

as a family. Sharon is a full-time mom and participates in volunteer work withtheir church and within the community. Ramsey says that during all of the upsand downs, Sharon has been a rock. “She is the perfect example of a Proverbs31woman,” Ramsey replies fondly. “She is not an up front, on the stage type ofperson, but around our organization, she is a rock.”

In view of all the Ramseys have gone through, it is amazing to see what God cando through a bad situation with people who will “Surrender All.” But did heexpect all of this as he was beginning his business 20 years ago? “God plants aseed in your life and there's a hope and dream,” Ramsey explains. “It has been anamazing ride.”

— Gwen Sisson

The Dave Ramsey Show can be hearddaily in the Gadsden area on WGST640 AM.

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Atlanta Christian Family14 www.ChristianFamilyPublications.com

Preparing for holiday travelwith your pet? Here are ninetips to make the holiday morejoyful for you both.

1. Your pet should exercisebefore the flight. Taking yourpet for a quick jog or walk willhelp calm your pet before theflight so that they will sleep eas-ier and be more comfortable.

2. Pets should be fed a fewhours before departure. Youdon’t want your pet to go hun-gry but you also do not wantthem to get an upset stomach.

3. Make sure your pet is com-fortable! In the winter months,

make sure a blanket is available to cover your pet. It’s a long flight forthem too! Not only will a blanket keep them warm, but comfortable.

4. Purchase the appropriate travel kennel or pet carrier far in advance.Your pet will usually travel with greater ease if they have established a“nesting” type relationship with their carrier at home prior to the flight.Have your pet “try out” the carrier prior to the flight, so they feel anattachment to it beforehand.

5. Clip your pet’s toenails before any flight. This reduces the chance ofthem getting hooked on the carrier door or other openings.

6. Contact the appropriate embassy far in advance of your trip to learnabout quarantine or health requirements.

7. Make sure your animal has a sturdy collar with two identificationtags. One tag is for the animal’s home information and the other includesthe destination information.

8. Always carry a current health certificate from your veterinarian,dated within seven to 10 days of departure.

9. Make sure to give your pet plenty of love before and after the flight.

— Tips provided by EL AL Airlines

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9 Pet Travel Tips

Youth NewsWhat GodWants forChristmasToys, toys, Santa andmore toys. For manykids, that pretty muchsums up their expecta-tions of Christmas. Theholidays become a bitmore complicated forparents: Christmas par-ties, church activities,cooking, hosting, decorating, travel, buying gifts, etc. In all the hubbub ofthe season we sometimes forget to think about our gift to the One whomatters most. So what does God want for Christmas anyway?

There is a neat product out there that will answer this important question!“What God Wants for Christmas” ($17.99, available at LifeWay ChristianStores) is a devotion/advent/nativity set that you can use with your kidsduring Christmastime. That probably sounds a bit odd, but it’s quite easyto use and is a good learning tool for your family.

The set comes with seven gift boxes, a nativity display and a small instruc-tion/devotional book. You set the nativity up on the first day and read dayone’s devotion to your children about Gabriel bringing the good news fromGod. The child then opens the first little present and inside is a Gabriel fig-ure to place in the nativity. After the sixth day, the child’s nativity will befilled. You’ll find Gabriel, Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, a shepherd and a wiseman. On the seventh day your child is finally able to see just what Godwants for Christmas. Instead of a seventh figure inside this last box, there isa small mirror that reflects back at your child. You see, all God ever wantedwas you!

We started using “What God Wants for Christmas” with my 4-year-olddaughter Beth last year and she loved it. Her two favorite boxes were theBaby Jesus and the mirror box.

The booklet also includes tips to create your own experience with the set. Itcontains suggestions, such as hiding the gifts for the kids to find, havingthem act out the parts when you read them and other fun ideas. Alsoincluded are the steps to salvation that you can go through with your childif they have questions during the week.

I love the “What God Wants for Christmas” set. It really does put thingsinto perspective – not only for the kids but for parents too. I’ve sold out ofthis set at my LifeWay store every year, so you may want to pick one upearly. I may be getting another one this year; my daughter wore the last oneout by playing with it so much.

— Zack Hudson, LifeWay Christian Stores

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15December 2009

Scott, my middle son, has always loved horses. He even loves horses enough toread about them. Being a reluctant reader as a teenager, his showing an interestin reading anything thrilled his English teacher mother. Earning a few buckssacking groceries at the local supermarket, Scott earned and saved enough tobuy a horse.

Johnny, a family friend and a horse owner himself, took Scott under his wing,teaching him to ride and to care for horses. When Scott was ready to make hisbig purchase, Johnny helped him find one that would fit Scott’s budget - a beau-tiful blazed-face western pleasure horse, named Blaze. Living in a small Alabamatown and having a dad who was the pastor of the First Baptist Church, Scottwas known and loved throughout Red Bay. His dad and I were forever beingtold how polite and helpful Scott was to customers at the Piggly Wiggly.Therefore, he had no problem in finding a place to pasture his horse. Dr.Dempsey, one of the local physicians, was a member of our church. He toldScott he could keep his horse in his pasture.

Scott soon found the large pasture to be a mixed blessing. Every day Scottwould go down to the pasture put out hay and feed. Blaze would look longinglyat the feed but wouldn’t come near until Scott gave up on catching him; onlythen would Blaze come for the feed. The horse and boy did this dance for days.Each day Blaze came a little closer. One day Scott kept the feed in the bucket, satdown on a log, and waited for the horse to build enough trust in him to comefor the feed. Scott knew that wasn’t the time to reach out and grab the horse.Over time he let the trust build. Scott began by holding some sweet feed in hishand and letting Blaze come and get it. Finally the day came when he could rubBlaze’s face and ease his hand in position to get hold of the halter and hook therope into the O-ring. He tried to get a bridle on him to no avail.

After struggling for over an hour, both Scott and Blaze were frustrated. Scotthad built a make-shift pen, so once caught, Blaze would no longer have fullrange of the pasture until the boy had accomplished his task. It was time forScott to leave for choir practice when he, shoulders slumped with disappoint-ment, came to the house that Sunday afternoon. “What’s wrong? You stillcouldn’t catch Blaze?” I questioned.

“I caught him alright, but I couldn’t get the halter on him.” Scott even struggledto fight back some tears. I realized something was more important than hisgoing to choir practice that afternoon. “Would you like for me to go down tothe pasture to see if I can help you?” His eyes brightened. “I’m not sure it willdo any good, but we could give it a try.” Dressed in my Sunday clothes and myhair tied in a scarf to keep off the sprinkle of rain, I was able to hold downBlaze’s head so Scott could put the bit in the horse’s mouth and bridle him.“Now that you’ve accomplished that feat, why don’t you go for a short ride? Youcan come to church just for the worship service tonight.” I knew my son neededthat, this day, more than he did choir.

That was the last time I ever had to aid Scott with that task. He became adept inhandling Blaze. The two were almost inseparable for the next few weeks. WithChristmas approaching, his dad and I had knew what to buy Scott forChristmas - a new saddle, chaps, and essential tack. He had been using someold borrowed tack. As was our custom, we opened gifts at our house onChristmas Eve night so we could make the hundred-mile trip to the grandpar-ents’ houses to spend holiday time with them. I had never before seen Scott soexcited about his Christmas gifts. Although he couldn’t go riding that night, hetried on his chaps, sat on his saddle, and rubbed every piece of tack.

We spent Christmas night at my parents’. The next day was Sunday. My hus-band drove back to Red Bay for the morning service. As soon as he arrived atchurch, Dr. Dempsey was waiting for him, and in his most serious tone said,“Brother Steve, I’m afraid I have some bad news for Scott; we had an unusual

storm last night here – snow, thunder, and lightening all mixed together. I wentto the pasture to check on the cattle and discovered Scott’s horse had beenstruck by lightning. It was just a freak thing.”

Shannon, our youngest son, had traveled with Steve. Normally, Scott andShannon showed normal sibling rivalry, but not that day. Shannon had recentlypurchased himself a horse, although he was quite as interested in horsemanshipas was Scott. The thought of Scott’s impending sadness refreshed the deep-seat-ed brotherly camaraderie in Shannon. Shannon told his dad, “I wish it hadbeen my horse instead of Scott’s.” Shannon’s warm-hearted reaction was onlyone in a series that followed, some coming from unexpected sources. A boy anda horse brought out the best in the entire community and softened a few hardhearts.

After Steve and Shannon returned and broke the news, condolences startedflowing in from various concerns. Many others called after hearing the news,but one surprised us all. Dr. Rose, a young Catholic doctor who came to RedBay, Alabama, from California and was thought, by some, to be abrupt and cyn-ical, called. First, he got our approval for his proposition, asked to speak toScott. In an uncharacteristic gentle manner, he told Scott he had heard aboutBlaze. “I was wondering if you might do me a favor. I have three horses here ina pasture and have little time to ride any of them. Blonco really needs to be rid-den more than I have time for. If I bring him down to Dempsey’s pasture,could you could ride him for me several times a week?”

Of course that didn’t replace Blaze, but the thought of his new saddle and tacknot going to waste perked the boy up. Romans 8:28 teaches, “And we know thatall things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the calledaccording to his purpose.” This had never been played out so evidently as whenthis boy and his horse brought a community together for a common good.Scott, now forty-six-year-old, still loves horses and owns several.

A Christmas Tragedy Becomes a Community Miracle

Humor in HOLY Places

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Atlanta Christian Family16 www.ChristianFamilyPublications.com

Church Leaders

God Sees Us, Hears Us, and Acts On Your Behalf!“Then the LORD said, “I have surely seen theaffliction of my people who are in Egypt andhave heard their cry because of their taskmasters.I know their sufferings, and I have come down todeliver them.” – Exodus 3:7-8aGod strictly observes and considers the mattersof Hhis people and HE WILL INTERVENE.Scripture is clear on this point: “And be sure ofthis, Christ says, I am with you always, even tothe end of the age.” We are elsewhere encouragednot to fear our circumstance because God hasalso said, “will not leave you or forsake youNeverwill I leave you; never will I forsake you”(Hebrews 13:5Duet. 31:6). What aan absolute joyto know that God in Christ will beis moment bymoment with you on earth right this very minute aand will be with youuseven as you we leave this earth. , he will carry us gently into glory!

You Here God is said to do three thingscan be assured of God’s concern foryou. In this passage Exodus 3, God is said to do three things, first.: First, :God notices your sorrows. “I have surely seen the affliction of my people.”What sweet, sweet comfort in distress to know that God notices sees oursorrows. What is interesting to note, is that neither the children of Israel orMoses were in public protest to their respective conditions.: inIn fact, scrip-ture says that when Moses arrived in Midian and met with Jethro that hewas “content” to” to dwell with the man. Often times after we have enduredstruggle in any given circumstance for any length of time we, like Moses,are grow “content” to dwell with things as they are. Settled, In fact, wwe areno longer discomforted by our sufferings, but regard as healthy, see our dis-eased circumstances as healthy. . Once we tire of Tired of waiting on Godto respond favorably, we become content to retire our hope forof changeand forfeit our deliverance..

Second, God hears your cry. Notice scripture: ’and the children of Israelsighed by reason of their bondage, and they cried.’ Sighing is an expressionof exhaustion. Notice that Tthe cries were not going out publicly nor werethe cries going before Pharaoh. Rather, God heard the tearless cries ofIsrael. Scripture says ‘their pleas for deliverance rose up to God and heheard their cries’. Be encouraged by this comforting promise fromGodreality – that GodGod is capable of perceivingnotices your secret sor-rows and he hears your sighs for relief. Bbecause he is capable of irs read-ing your heart, he understands you even when you lack words to expressthe depth of your suffering. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that “we do not have ahigh priest who is unable to sympathize with our sufferings and fearsweak-nesses. Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, sothat we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”Our Savior longs for us to cry out to Him. “The righteous cry out, and theLord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.” (Psalm 34:17).plain.

Next, God has seen the tyranny of your persecutors: scripture say in versenine that God has seen the oppression of his people. Be sure of this thing:

that God knows them and their methodsand HE WILL INTERVENE! “Avenge notyourselves, scripture says, but rather holdyour peace - for it is written, vengeance ismine, I will repay, says the Lord!” God isconcerned to avenge those who perpetrateharshness towards you! And finally, Godpromises to come down and deliver us fromour enemies. Let your hearts and minds findcomfort in God’s words,this story knowingthat our God, the master of the universe, iszealous to deliver his children from injus-tice.: He will come down and deliver you!In Christ, did not God come down to deliv-er his people? Is not this the source of ourrest, the seat of our peace that God willcome down to deliver us from all evil! Let

us rejoice in this truth.

Cory Ruth is the author of numerous articles, a respected teacher, and acommitted philanthropist. You are invited to email your feedback [email protected]

— David Sparks

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17December 2009

Special Feature

Holly, Cedar & Snowflakes Hello Kids. Welcome to the magic of December. I hopeyour Christmas will be special and meaningful.December always makes me think of holly, cedar andsnowflakes. I want to share a story that tells why…

You remember the song, “Over the meadow and through the hills toGrandmother’s house we go”? Well, when I was growing up, I lived in town, so itwas a treat to drive out in the country in December to visit at my Grandmother’shouse. We caught up on the news, talked about the approaching Christmas sea-son and my grandmother served us homemade biscuits with jam. Then my sister,Daddy, and I walked over Grandpa’s country property to find and cut holly withits stickery leaves and red berries and fragrant cedar to use in holiday decoratingat home.

Mama would be waiting for us when we returned with our baskets and browngrocery sacks filled with the cuttings. She had several containers ready for us toarrange the greenery and berries in. We also put boughs across the mantle overthe fireplace in the living room. Then we made a decoration for the front doorusing a Styrofoam base which we stuck full of holly and fragrant cedar with alarge red bow attached at the top. Next we moved to the dining room. When wefinished with it, we thought the long table looked elegant and festive with a largecrystal bowl of holly and bright red berries as the centerpiece flanked with redcandles on each side. My sister and I would stand back, gaze at our handiwork,and look around with satisfied grins on our faces. We watched for an approvingnod from Mama, and she always gave it. She told us our table arrangement wasbeautiful!

Our next project would be cutting delicate snowflakes out of white paper. Themore intricate the design, the better we liked it. Sometimes we would add silver orgold glitter to make the snowflakes sparkly. Then we would attach them to stringsor ribbon and hang them in the windows of the living room. We saved some tohang on the Christmas tree. Our intricate snowflakes added a special touch to thetree’s elegance.

This December why not plan a family project called “the hanging of the greens”?First, go together and cut your greenery in the country or woods. Then decoratewith the holly, cedar and pine in your living room, dining room or den. Nextdesign and cut paper snowflakes to add to your windows and Christmas tree. It’sfun, and you can be imaginative. Spending this special time with your family cre-ating decorations with real forest greenery, then designing snowflakes and hang-ing them will make your holiday preparations meaningful. Finish your “hangingof the greens” celebration by serving hot chocolate with marshmallows or pop-ping popcorn for all.

P.S. Did you know that the “hanging of the greens” was a tradition practiced allover England by families in their homes and churches to usher in the Christmasseason. Early English settlers brought the custom with them to America.

— Alice Duckettisit her website at www.Shadowpurr-r-rPress.com.

Holiday Travel TipsIt’s that time of year again! The holidays are upon us…ready or not. Manyfamilies spend more time traveling in November and December than theydo the rest of the year. Here are a few of our most useful and practical tipsfor those of you who will be taking family vacations, road trips to visitfriends and family, mission trips, or any other type of travel:

Road Trips Create a “Family Travel Box” with your family using a plastic tote and paintpens. Let your children decorate the container, and then fill it with smallbooks, magazines, maps, travel games, pens, crayons, etc. Don’t forget toadd practical items, such as baby wipes, paper towels and a small first aidkit. Road trips are great opportunities to spend quality family time togeth-er! Turn off the DVD player and Nintendo DS and play the travel gamesthat you enjoyed as a child. I was pleasantly surprised on our last family tripwhen our teenagers had such a good time playing the “ABC” game andcounting animals.

Packing for Flights The holidays are the busiest travel months for airports and airlines. This canattribute to flight delays, lost luggage and other unexpected occurrences.Make sure to pack a carry-on bag with any medications, travel size toiletries(in zip-lock bags), a change of clothes and a few snacks. This will come inhandy during unexpected delays and layovers. Pack a few of every familymember’s clothing items in each suitcase. This way, if one piece of luggage is

lost, no one will be com-pletely without clothesuntil the suitcase arrivesto your destination.

Always purchase travelinsurance, especially forinternational trips! Trip insurance covers lost luggage, trip delays and can-cellations, as well as medical coverage in other countries. Most people arenot aware that their health insurance will not cover them outside of theUnited States.

Most importantly, when traveling during the holiday months, be flexible.There are some things that we just have no control over: traffic, flightdelays, weather or even the person who sits next to you on the plane.However, we do have control over our attitudes. So make the most of thetime that you spend with your family this season, whether it be in a car, anairport or an airplane. Make great travel memories, be safe and enjoy theholiday season!

— Christen PerryChristen Perry is a Travel Consultant and the owner of Classic TravelConnection, specializing in Group and Family Travel, Honeymoons, Cruisesand Disney Vacations. Call 205-823-5333, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.classictravelconnection.com.

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Anniston/Gadsden Christian Family18 18December 2009

We WelcomeYour Submissions!

Faith At WorkSend us an example of Christian love

at workin our community(400 words or less). Photos welcome.

Music NotesSend us a story about your favorite local

singer/songwriter with an inspiringfaith story.

(400 words or less). Photos welcome.

PotluckShare your favorite recipes! Published

a cookbook?Let us feature it on our

Potluck page!

Cool Stuff With a MightyMessage

Send us an idea of an inspirationalgift or product.

(400 words or less).Photos welcome.

Eating OutDo you have a favorite local restaurant you

would like to see featured?What about a restaurant owner who

actively lives out his/her faith?

Email: [email protected]

Money Matters

U.S. StockMarkets: Soar orCrash?The stock markets in the U.S.have had a terrific run-up sinceMarch of this year. Some of theextreme Bulls say the marketwill continue to go up and nevercome back to this level again.Some of the extreme Bears saythe market will crash and go to even lower lows than we had in March. Mostpeople are in the middle saying, “I don’t know” but are asking what they shoulddo if either of the extremes should happen. My opinion is that one of the twoextremes will happen and there is a strong case for both.

The case for the markets to go down is very reasonable. We have the highestunemployment since 1982 and it is still growing. The consumer (unsecured)debt-level of the American household is at an unsustainable level. People mustcut back their spending to survive, resulting in lower business and retail salesand more people out of work. The federal, state and local governments will beraising taxes to pay for the current year 2 trillion dollar deficit. This tactic willtake more money out of public hands causing further family budget cutbacks.The downward spiral continues until they classify the economy as being in adepression.

The case for the markets to go up is also very reasonable. The government isprinting and spending money like they will never have any negative conse-quences in order to keep the economy from collapsing. The world does nothave that same confidence in the U.S. government. They hold trillions of ourcurrency and are beginning to believe this may not be a good idea. Theincreased money supply makes the U.S. currency they hold worth less each dayand they are now trying to get rid of it which causes inflation here in commodi-ties like food and oil. This “dumping” causes a sharp drop in the value of thedollar and will result in hyperinflation and possibly even the collapse of ourcurrency and economy.

The worst of all worlds is that both could happen resulting in an inflationarydepression and possibly the collapse of our currency, economy and country.The biggest question is, “What should one do to protect themselves no matterwhat happens?” The common suggestions are to own and take possession ofgold and silver bullion, invest internationally, minimize risk by followingEcclesiastes 11:2-6, and finally, don’t fear by following Ecclesiastes 11:8. God’sinstructions are always the best.

Maybe you should use a like-minded advisor so you can discuss these issuesopenly. The Covenant Group offers a free initial consultation so you can deter-mine if our services are for you. We desire to be equally yoked with our clients.Call us at 205-985-7710.

— Paul Berry

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19December 2005Atlanta Christian Family

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Anniston/Gadsden Christian Family20 December 2009

December 5Christian Directed Singles, 9:30 – 12:30Volunteer helping at Norcross CooperativeMinistries at 2275 Mitchell Road followedby an optional lunch in Norcross. NCM isan ecumenical ministry dedicated to pro-viding emergency assistance to families inthe City of Norcross and surroundingareas. Volunteer and / or contribute a giftfor the Christmas "Toy Wish List", any-thing from baby dolls, toy trucks, to foodgift cards. Call Sally at 770-449-1211 ext.156 to carpool from CTK church.

December 6Christ the King Christmas Concert (free),3:30 PM, Christian Directed Singlesoptional dinner at a nearby restaurantafterwards. Instruments playing Christmascarols and refreshments in the Atriumstarts at 3:30. Carols, songs, and instru-mental music featuring all of Christ theKing's musical ensembles and audience

participation singing. The Chancel Choirwill present the cantata “The Winter Rose”which tells the story of Christ’s coming—the night that changed the world. RSVPhelpful, especially for dinner. For informa-tion contact Sally 770-449-1211 ext. 156

December 13Perimeter Church Free ChristmasConcert., 6:30 PM, Christian DirectedSingles , Primeter Church at 9500Medlock Bridge Rd. Duluth,. A concertwith orchestra & drama presentation onthe narrative. Meet at CTK parking lot at5:30 p.m. to carpool to Perimeter Churcharriving in time get good seats. ContactSally 770-449-1211 ext. 156 . Please RSVPby Dec 9 to reserve free ticket.

December 19Dinner theater “It’s a Wonderful Life, 6PM , Christian Directed Singles meet atFirst Baptist of Atlanta. $18 tickets Money

for tickets were due in Oct . Ask aboutcancellations/extra tickets. Contact Carolat 770-449-1211 ext. 156,

December 20Messiah Sing-Along. 2:15 PM , RoswellUnited Methodist Church . ChristianDirected Singles meet to carpool fromChrist-The King, optional dinner after.Join in singing Part One of the Messiah,concluding with the Hallelujah Chorus.Presented by The Michael O'Neal Singerswith accompaniment by The RiversideChamber Players and organist TomAlderman. Bring your score, or purchaseone that day. Come and make a joyfulnoise!. Contact Carol at 770-449-1211ext. 156.

January 2010 CALENDAR®

If you have an event you wouldlike listed in the

Atlanta Christian FamilyCommunity Calendar write,

e-mail or fax us the informationby the 5th of the month prior to

the month of publication.

Mail: Atlanta Christian Family,Calendar,

19079 US Hwy 231, Pell City, AL 35125

Email: [email protected] Digital pictures welcome.

Children’s Special Services, LLC – Comprehensive therapyservice for children from toddler through teen.Occupational therapy for children who learn differently.Each therapist is knowledgeable in various learning issuesincluding AD/HD, Autism, handwriting, and fine and grossmotor difficulties. Also offering in-services to teachers orwill come to your school to assist teachers identify stu-dents with learning issues. Now enrolling for Summer andSuper Sensory Sunday for information call Susan N.Schriber Orloff, OTR/L at 770-394-9791.

Christian Archives - Wouldn’t it be great to be able tostore and access thousands of digital audio and video ser-

mon files online, at any time, and best of all, at nocharge? Christian Archives is a new web service(www.christianarchives.org) that provides these capabilties and much more.

Design Images – for more information on brenda’s awardwinning designs go to www.designimages.org

Life Grocery & Café - Natural Foods Market located at1453 Roswell Road, Marietta, with a full selection ofMaker’s Diet approved foods and products. Extensiveselection of nutritional supplements, Over 100 freshorganic fruits & vegetables, Vegetarian fresh organic café

for more information call 770- 977-9583 or visitwww.lifegrocery.com.

LifeWay Christian Stores - Seven locations on the Atlantaarea; Buford, Morrow, Kennesaw, Conyers, Alpharetta,Douglasville, and in Buckhead in the Lindbergh ShoppingCenter. Books, Bibles, CD’s, home decor, and much more.

Wild Men Wild Alaska – Bring a Wild man from wild alas-ka to your church for a wild game dinner night! call 800-392-6210 or,www.alaskan-adventures.com orwww.rockymcelveen.com

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