Largest Christian Newspaper in America • goodnewsfl.org • September 2022 • Volume 24, Issue 6
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On The Cover Pictured from left to right: Rev. Ronald Brummitt, President, Miami Rescue Mission / Broward Outreach Centers; Marilyn Brummitt, Vice President, Miami Rescue Mission / Broward Outreach Centers; and Esteban Bovo, Jr., Mayor, City of Hialeah are pictured in The Miami Rescue Mission cafeteria where thousands of meals have been served to the homeless and hurting in Miami. Mayor Bovo presented the Brummitts with a plaque during a recent ceremony in which the current Center for Men was renamed “The Caring Place Dr. Frank and Maxine Center for Men” in honor of the refounders who formally incorporated the Mission in the 1970’s. Read the cover article on pages 28-29. Photo Credit: Justus Martin www.justusmartinphoto.com PUBLISHER 6 September 2022 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida edition Normally I offer what some may consider nonsensical in contrast to the big picture. I offer this story that may be second or third hand, but the message is the important thought that I’m confident is direct and authentic. When Billy Graham was 92 years-old, he was struggling with Parkinson's disease. In January, a month before his 93rd birthday, leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina, invited their favorite son, Billy Graham to a luncheon in his honor. Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because of his struggles with Parkinson's disease. But the Charlotte leaders said, “We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you.” So, he agreed. After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the podium, looked at the crowd, and said: “I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train, when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn't there. He looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it. "The conductor said, ‘Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it.’ Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket. "The conductor rushed back and said, 'Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry, I know who you are; no problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one.' Einstein looked at him and said, ‘Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.’” Having said that, Billy Graham continued, "See the suit I'm wearing? It's a brand new suit. My children, and my grandchildren are telling me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So, I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion. You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing. I want you to remember this: “I not only know who I am. I also know where I'm going." May your troubles be less, your blessings more, and may nothing but happiness, come through your door. "Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point." May each of us have lived our lives so that when our ticket is punched, we don't have to worry about where we are going. South Florida Edition • Good News • September 2022 • Volume 24, Issue 6 Advertising: We reach over 110,000 readers each month. 80,000 in print and 30,000 via our online digital edition. Placing an ad in our publication is affordable and effective to help grow your business. Call us today! Distribution: Available inmore than 800 locations throughout South Florida. To become a free distribution point for the newspaper, please contact Shelly. The Good News is published by Good News Media Group, LLC, Reproduction in whole or part strictly forbidden without the consent of the publisher. Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Good News Media Group, LLC. PO Box 670368, Coral Springs, FL 33067 954-564-5378 • www.goodnewsfl.org Publisher: Leslie J. Feldman [email protected] Editor: Shelly Pond [email protected] Art Director: Milton McPherson [email protected] Advertising & Marketing: Robert “Buddy” Helland Jr. V.P. Sr. Marketing Manager [email protected] Al Lehman Sr. Marketing Director [email protected] Vice President: Michael Denker Corporate Engagement [email protected] Social Media Manager: Ariel Feldman [email protected] Editorial Assistant: Eric Solomon [email protected] Cover Photography: Justus Martin [email protected] Do you knowwhere you’re going? PERSPECTIVE . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Grateforgetfulness– by Stephan N. Tchividjian INSIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 What isWeb 3.0? – by Rob Hoskins REFLECTION . . . . . . . . . . . 12 TheWayWeWere – by Newton Fairweather YOU ASKWHY? . . . . . . . . 14 The Gift ofWork and Rest – by Dr. Tommy Boland LIVE THE LIFE . . . . . . . . . 16 Living OurVows – by Lisa May PARENTING . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Fall, All Things Pumpkin and Back to School – by Dr. Bob Barnes &Torrey Roberts FAITHANDVOCATION . . 20 School Is Back in Session…How Is It Going? – by Dr. Clifford Mack THE CODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 You HaveWhat YouTolerate – by Dr. O.S. Hawkins GOOD NEWS WANTS TO KNOW . . . . . . . . 24 – 27 Did you ever have one of those years, months, weekends, nights, days when something started out so terribly and ended up absolutely great?! COVER STORY . . . . . 28 – 29 Miami Rescue Mission Celebrates 100 Years! – by Shelly Pond HEART AND SOUL . . . . . 30 Apologetics Conference and New Bachelor’s Degree Point to the Truth – by Dr. Debra A. Schwinn VILLAGE HYMNS . . . . . . . 32 The Heart ofWorship – by Rebekah Sward ENCOURAGEMENT . . . . 34 Special Delivery– by Omar Aleman LEGAL Q&A . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Off to College:Why Parents Need Emergency Powers – byWilliam “Bill” C. Davell and Christine Yates MOVIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Inspiring Movies Coming Soon – by Stanley Goldenberg CALENDAR . . . . . . . .42 - 43 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . .44 - 47 Leslie J. Feldman Billy Graham C O N T E N T S Good News • September • Volume 24 Issue 6
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PERSPECTIVE 8 September 2022 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida edition Imagine with me that you are experiencing some type of chronic pain. The pain is excruciating and without cure. The pain has affected every aspect of your life. You are no longer able to work, except in some very limited capacity and your dream job is gone. The pain has affected every relationship you have, including your marriage and family. You are unable to embrace your loved ones and feel their touch. Loneliness has become your constant companion. Your loved ones and best friends make every effort to live up to the expectations you have of them, but they have become weary of the challenge and their lives move on. Imagine that everything that used to bring you joy or pleasure has been taken from you. There is no more enjoyment in life except, oddly, music, which allows you to escape momentarily into another reality. Cash and Nina Simone You manage the pain by visiting a clinic seven days per week, and in this clinic, you get some reprieve. The staff at the clinic appear caring but distant. The other patients that are experiencing the same pain as you become familiar faces, as they glance at you with an understanding nod. The frequency of visits allows friendships to become a possibility, simply because of the shared experience. The friendships are not normal ones, experiencing very little laughter, joy and communication. The grimacing expressions are interrupted by the eyes. The eyes tell the story. The eyes moisten with a mixture of the present pain and the memory of shared loss. The dreams have died, and the realization of the new reality is a constant story in one’s head. Then one day, something is different. A stranger comes to visit the clinic while you and your new friends are receiving your daily treatment. The visitor says nothing as he sets up a place in a corner and proceeds to play the most beautiful and unfamiliar music you have ever heard (think Cash, Aznavour, Streisand and Nina Simone with a little Mozart). The instrument is unfamiliar to you. The music is enjoyed by all. Something mystical happens as the music is played and the pain seems to abate and then slowly disappear entirely. You imagine, at first, that it’s just your imagination but the eyes of your fellow patients seem to affirm your experience. Are they too experiencing the same thing? The experience continues for what appears to be an eternity as the music continues to be played and the melody fills the room and your imagination. Is the pain going away? Will the music ever stop? Will the pain return when the music stops? You then allow yourself the permission to simply mouth a whisper, “I hope not.” Where Are the Others? The music did stop and so did the pain. Medical tests and doctors verified that the pain was forever gone. You received a clean bill of health for the first time in years. Your life now had all the possibility of becoming normal and everything that was lost was being retrieved again. The joy you were experiencing was contagious and that smile was permanently plastered on your face. Oh, by the way, the eyes, they tell a different story now. One sees empathy mixed with joy and hope with every glance. One day, you hear a familiar sound and as you move closer to it, you recognize not only the music but the musician. The same one that played that melody that changed your life. You, now able to speak, approach him with the greatest expression of gratitude you can imagine. You make a scene with your many thankyous, hugs, tears, and Travolta-like dance moves. You feel completely inadequate as you try to express your heartfelt thanks. The musician seems to enjoy your efforts to show your gratitude and grins with a chuckle that quickly matches your expression (dance moves too). The two of you are nowmaking a scene that causes onlookers to assume you have known each other forever and are celebrating a shared victory. Two strangers forever bonded together by a shared experience. The musician then opens his mouth for the first time and asks a simple but sincere question, “where are the others?” Reject… Deflect…Accept I had to reflect on the ability that I have to be “grateforgetful.” I’m on the receiving end of many blessings by God. The ultimate gift He’s ever given me is that He healed me from the painful toxicity of my sin, which like the narrative above, isolated and dismantled my life. Therefore, it’s worth noting that I have choices on how to respond to the melody of God’s healing power. I have identified three of many. I can choose to deflect God’s presence and power by simply seeing it as no big deal, so familiar and perhaps something I deserve. I can also choose to reject it completely; meaning, I don’t believe it, and I would rather accept the status quo. However, I can also simply accept it, acknowledging the mystery and, in doing so, find myself looking for every opportunity to let Him know just how grateful I am, perhaps make a scene and get Him to chuckle and join in. Stephan N. Tchividjian is the president and founder of the National Christian Foundation South Florida. Visit southflorida.ncfgiving.com to learn more. - Stephan N. Tchividjian - National Christian Foundation President Grateforgetfulness
INSIGHT 10 September 2022 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida edition Over the past few months, I’ve been increasingly asked to share about Web 3.0. Though my thoughts on this topic are still raw and not fully developed, I truly believe that the Church needs to be considering, praying, debating, analyzing, and really wrestling with this kairos moment that is now upon us and will soon envelop the whole world. We must make an effort to understand the time and age in which we’re living. I always go back to what the great theologian Hans Küng wrote: “Enormous tasks, both familiar and unfamiliar, confront a Church which sees itself as part of this changed and changing world and claims to exist for the world… The historical Church cannot do without the constant renewal of its form. Renewal of form implies a change of form by means of human decision and responsibility.” A new phase Our globalized world is entering the third phase of the digital stage: Web 3.0. We are still in a very young season when it comes to this reality, but to understand Web 3.0 we must understand what came before it. Web 1.0 was largely about access to knowledge. An example of this would be Google. Think about the first time you used that search engine. You were probably blown away by the opportunity to access the entire library of human thought and resources with only one click. Web 2.0 was about interaction with knowledge. This is where we saw an uprising of content creators, where anybody could share content and socially engage with others around it. This brought in all the social media apps such as Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, etc. These two phases brought us to the cusp of Web 3.0, which is the integration and ownership of real and virtual reality. All these new terms are hitting us like a tsunami, and it’s hard to keep track of what everything means. Terms like metaverse, artificial intelligence, blockchain, nonfungible tokens (NFTs), decentralized autonomous organization (DAOs), and so much more. There is a new language being formed that many in my generation of Christian leadership are allowing to float by without taking the time to learn its meaning. Don’t lag behind In many ways, the Church tends to lag behind the times. It’s still trying to figure out Web 1.0 and how to do church online. However, for millennials and Gen Z who are, or will soon become, the Church leadership, these are words they are keenly aware of as digital natives themselves. The upcoming Alphas will not only be digital natives, but natives of a 3.0 world. What does it mean for the Church to live faithfully and fruitfully present in the midst of Web 3.0? In the midst of decentralized, autonomous organizations? It means that we must be a prophetic voice. When there are things that come in opposition to the foundations of Scripture, we must speak up. However, it also means we need to go into every cultural context and figure out what is God-given. That is what missiology is all about. We can’t just bury our heads in the sand and say, “I don’t need to worry about artificial intelligence. I mean, what in the world does the Church have to do with nonfungible tokens?” Well, actually, a lot. In the simulated world that we live in, do I know if I actually own anything? NFTs are created for us to be able to own. It is why Jeremiah says to move into the city, build homes there, and own a piece of the city (Jeremiah 29:5). Move into the city Let’s not fight against these new digital spaces that are being created. We must learn how to move into that city. We must learn how to marry there and have spiritual sons and daughters there. Learn how we live there so that this city would prosper so that my family and church can prosper in the midst of it. As much as we needed to have a theology of economics for the 20th century, we need to have a theology of economics, of NFTs, and of cryptocurrencies for the 21st century. We can allow all of this to overwhelm us, or we can look at it and be energized by the future that God has called us to. As Carl Trueman has so rightfully said, “Every age has its darkness in its dangers. The task of the Christian is not to whine about the moment in which he or she lives but to understand its problems and respond appropriately to them.”1 Let us not be whiners. Let us be winners. Not winning for our own names, ambitions, identities, social standing, or platform, but winning for Him. Rob Hoskins is the president of OneHope. Since taking leadership of OneHope in 2004, he has continued to advance the vision of God’s Word. Every Child. by partnering with local churches to help reach more than 1.8 BILLION children and youth worldwide with a contextualized presentation of God’s Word. 1 Trueman, Carl. The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2020. - Rob Hoskins - OneHope President What is Web 3.0?
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12 September 2022 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida edition REFLECTION Finally, it’s time to board the airplane. After waiting in the airport for about 2 hours, we were ready to board the flight so we could get a few hours of sleep. About 30 minutes into the flight the captain came on the intercom and said that we would be cruising about 34,000 feet, and there were good and clear skies ahead of us in our journey to Fort Lauderdale. Mywife and I had just finished our second week of back-to-back trips to take two of our young adult children back to school.As I settled intomy seat, I began to look back on how fast the summer went by. However, therewas something different about this summer when compared to the previous ones, with both of our two young adults. Something had changed. They were different, or maybe they were different all along and I just did not notice. Fond memories At times our house felt like it was anAirbnb, with my wife and I being the on-site landlord. Occasionally, our conversations seemed to be forced, and often questions would center around, “What arewe eating tonight?” As I look back and reflect on both weekends of traveling, I realized that I misswhen theywere dependent onme in every part of their lives. Flashbacks of those memories flooded my mind, and I was frozen in time. Then the reality hit me that things as they were will never be the same again. Looking in my phone at the various pictures of our family, I ask myself: How did they grow so fast and where did all that time go so quickly? Have you ever asked yourself those questions regarding your children? On the right path Thankfully, these two young adults had done well in school and the path of life that they had chosen. Their needs and expectations had changed, but unfortunately, my emotional expectation of themhad remained the same. I cannot tell you the number of times when they were young that I prayed for them to be strong and not be so dependent on me and their mother. Warning: Be careful of what you pray for in your children. My two children had changed right beforemy eyes. They had become strong, just what I had often prayed for. They were now young adults. I remember, this past summer, when they expressed the desire to visit other churches. I gave themmy approval to allow them to experience other places of worship. I must admit it hurt to see themgo somewhere else, but at least they were going to church. Nevertheless, what’s ironic to me was that the very same thing I would often say to them they would hear somewhere else, and it was as if it was a new revelation to them. However, this was a teachable moment for me, and it was uncomfortable, but it was my new reality. I had to grow or else I would be left behind. Letting go When I left my son at his dorm, our good-bye was quick. The days of him crying to me when he was disappointed as a child was a distant memory. This was a summer like none other. I had gone from parent to landlord and to now life coach. At 34,000 feet in the air, I had a come-to-Jesus moment. With tears in my eyes, my wife sleeping in the seat next to me, I looked out of the window of the airplane and waved my white flag. I had to let go of my most prized passion, my children. They no longer belong to me. I felt a spirit of calm, and I understood that if we are not careful our children can become idols that we will place before GOD. In these young adults, I had seen traits of myself and their mother. We were not perfect parents, but we did the best that we knew how, and that is all you can do. The time has come for these baby eagles to fly. They had to disturb the nest to make me realize that it was time for them to go if they were to become all that GOD intended them to be. They must make their own mistakes; they must have their own tests and testimony. Despite it all, the same GOD that we as parents told them about will be with them through it ALL. “Don’t you see that children are God’s best gift, the fruit of the womb his generous legacy? Like a warrior’s fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children!” (Psalm 127:4-5a MSG). Newton Fairweather is the pastor of Faith and Joy Church and the CBMC Fort Lauderdale Board Chaplin. The Way We Were - Newton Fairweather - Pastor, Faith and Joy Church, and CBMC Fort Lauderdale Board Chaplin Join us for Sunday Worship Service Times: 11:00 am & 6:30 pm Nursery available by reservation. Sunday School: 9:30 am Men’s Bible Study: Wed 12:00 pm Women’s Bible Study: Fri 9:30 am And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. –Ezekiel 36:26
14 September 2022 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida edition YOU ASK WHY The Gift of Work and Rest Because we celebrate Labor Day this month, I wanted to write a word of encouragement regarding God’s gift of work to mankind. Work is not, as many mistakenly believe, a result of the curse. Before Adam and Eve sinned and rebelled against God, they were given the great gift of work.As image-bearers of God, they were called to co-labor with the Lord to expand the cause of His Kingdom, for His glory, and for the flourishing of all mankind. Sadly, as a result of their sin, work was cursed with thorns and thistles and became much harder to perform than it was originally intended. “The heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And he blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done” (Genesis 2:1-3). In the beginning God created everything in the heavens and on earth; when He finished the work of creation in six days, He crowned it by resting on the seventh day. Now, don’t think that God actually stopped working. Jesus said, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working” (John 5:17). If God ever stopped working, everything would stop working! Setting the pattern God did not rest on the seventh day because He needed to recharge; rather, God was setting forth His pattern and His plan for our earthly lives. At the same time, He was providing us with a picture of our eternal rest to come. It is important to understand what God did to that one day of every week: He blessed it and made it holy. The first thing God made holy was not a person or a place; it was a day. God set that day aside so that we would set it aside to rest from all our work, with the goal of developing our covenant relationship with Him. It is God’s goal that we would see Sunday as a day of delight, not duty . . . a day of devotion, not drudgery. God wants us to come into His house for corporate worship to be refreshed, recharged, and renewed in our relationship with Him. Communion with God and His family of faith will return multiple rewards to us. Coming into the Lord’s house will be as good for our body as it is for our soul. God has made it perfectly clear that He can do more for us in our six days of work than we can do for ourselves with seven. We demonstrate that we are trusting in Him when we put our doing down and come into the Lord’s house each week for a time of worship. Focus Trusting in Jesus is the cosmic cure for worry, doubt, anxiety, and frustration over your circumstances, both on and off the job. Jesus is in complete control of everything in our lives, and we demonstrate our understanding of this truth when we cease from business and all our busyness one day each week. Don’t be misled by those who say it is better to burn out than rust out. That simply isn’t true! Overworking and underworking are both to be avoided because they are roadblocks to our relationship with Jesus, which is why we are to follow His pattern of work and rest. Now it matters not to God whether our pattern is six days of work and one day of rest, five days of work and two days of rest, four days of work and three days of rest, or any other combination. It is not the formula that matters, but rather, it is our focus: Setting our heart, soul, mind and strength totally on Jesus! Community After spending time alone with our Lord, there is no activity under heaven that is more important than spending time in worship with our brothers and sisters in the faith. This is where our Lord does some of His best work within us. This is one of the primary reasons we have been given all the “one another” commands in the Bible, such as love one another, pray for one another, encourage one another, forgive one another, and so many more. Inasmuch as we have been saved individually, we have been saved to community. We are not to forsake coming together with the people of God to praise His mighty name with thanksgiving in joyful dependence upon Jesus alone. We are to look to Him, lean on Him and learn from Him. His yoke is easy and His burden is light, and each week we will testify to this powerful biblical truth: The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. God is not only the Creator of all things, He is the Sustainer of all things too. God made it clear that there is no better way for us to be sustained in our service to Him than to set aside one day each week to rest in our redemption. Think about it this way: If the God of the universe — who is never tired, never diminished, never weakened, and never weary — rested one day in seven, don’t you think we, who frequently grow weary and exhausted, should do the same? This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN! Dr. Tommy Boland is senior pastor of Cross Community Church in Deerfield Beach (www.thecrosscc.org). He blogs regularly at tommyboland.com. - Tommy Boland - Cross Community Church Pastor
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LIVE THE LIFE 16 September 2022 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida edition My immediate family has our first wedding. My daughter and her husband, yes, her husband, were married last year at the courthouse before moving to New York City. Because of COVID, no one was allowed to go with them; they were pronounced legally married, not husband and wife. Our immediate family and close friend, Bill Davell, stood outside the courthouse, threw flowers, hugged, and went home for a family dinner. In December, they will have a second wedding in a church reciting their vows before God, family, and friends. As we all know, it’s an exciting time with lots of details about the guest list, invitation, save-the-date cards, showers, food, flowers, music, colors, the list goes on and on. I was with some of my closest gal pals recently, and they were all shopping for their perfect outfits for the various gatherings. What about the vows? Caring for a spouse Sadly, very recently, I've had conversations with two men about caring for their wives with Alzheimer’s. One lost his wife recently, and the other was caring for his in the late stages of the disease. Charlie Halleran, one of our marriage directors, had shared a book entitled The Promise. It's the story of a man who lost his wife to Alzheimer’s, and the story of their journey. My father-in-law has recently passed, but he too, cared for his wife with Alzheimer’s until she died. I'm sure many of you have walked the same journey. What does Alzheimer’s and my daughter’s wedding have to do with one another? It’s the vows. The wonder and dreams of beginning a life together are full of excitement, but living out the vows we state before God, family and friends when life becomes excruciating is what determines our life and those with whom we share life. Some will say because Alzheimer’s is usually a disease that comes late in life, the couple was able to sustain the marriage because they had many happy years beforehand. What about when other tragedies come? What about the young couple that experienced the death of their infant child or the car accident that left our loved ones debilitated for the rest of their life? Love may wane, but the vows are a covenant. For richer or poorer For better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and health, from this day forward as long as the two shall live, till death us do part is more than weighty. I vividly remember walking down the aisle, reciting the vows before God with all the people I loved most in the world as my witness, and for the first time, really grasping the significance of what I was committing. Most of us can repeat the vows from memory because we've heard them so many times, but most of us don't grasp the magnitude of the words until we face something that challenges that commitment. For some, the challenge for better or worse may be something as benign as boredom; this isn't fun anymore. Sickness and health may be loneliness due to the physical or mental absence of your spouse; maybe they are no longer able to communicate or be physically intimate. For others, richer or poorer may be the loss of income or the demands of wealth. Life-defining challenges will come. A chord of three strands The wedding represents a life-defining marker in our life, but it's not the flowers, the dress, the gifts, the parties, the music, and all the details we focus on. It’s the three-chord strand that’s not easily broken, the promise of the vows before God that sustains us when all the guests are gone and the honeymoon is over. Living our vows is more than a few well-rehearsed weighty words. It's a sacrificial, other-centered, sacred, hallowed, holy, inviolable, consecrated covenant that embodies unspeakable pain, jubilation and eternal significance. Live the Life South Florida exists to strengthen marriages and families through healthy relationship education, beginning in middle school through senior adults. We are educators, coaches, and pastoral counselors. If you're looking for a clinical counselor or therapist, we are blessed to have many in the South Florida community. We'd be honored to provide you a list of highly qualified and reputable individuals. Visit livethelifesoflo.org - Lisa May - Executive Director, Live the Life South Florida Living Our Vows
18 September 2022 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida edition PARENTING It’s no secret that fall is my absolute favorite season. In college I had the opportunity to live in a state that experienced all the beautiful changes that fall brings with it. It starts with a chill in the air at night, then you can see the leaves begin to turn. In South Florida, we open the season by celebrating with all things pumpkin and enjoying the humidity starting to lift. We love the opening of football season and focus on “back to school rhythms.” Cycles So many areas of scripture point to the fact that God has created cycles and rhythms for our lives. Ecclesiastes says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Isaiah 43) and reminds us, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!” Every year is broken up into four seasons; even our days begin with a sunrise and a fresh start. A fresh start Other than pumpkin everything, why is fall my favorite? It signals a fresh start for parenting. A clean slate. We have a chance to create new patterns and new habits for our family. After the craziness of the first couple weeks of the school year, we can then settle into those patterns. For our family the first week was remembering to get up early again. The next week of the school year, we added back in our morning chores. Set goals This is a great time to decide goals for the family to work on. Maybe it is sitting down for meals together, even if it is a couple of times a week. Maybe it is teaching older children a new skill this fall. For example, training them how to do their own laundry or mowing the lawn, then working that into the weekly chores. One of our family goals is to cut back on screens…for all of us. This fresh start was a great time to implement a plan for that. I just love that God has naturally instilled “reset buttons” in our lives, like the changing of seasons and new days. I know I have shared this quote before, but it bears repeating. “Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?” This is such a great parenting reminder for me. It is easy for me to be hard on myself when I fail, especially in parenting. In these moments I lean in on another quote shared with me: “There is no such thing as a perfect parent, we can only hope to be better tomorrow then we were today.” We can take advantage of this fresh start to the school year and set goals for our family, our kids and ourselves. If you have older children, call a family meeting and include them in the plan. Take the time to ask them what their goals are for this year and as always, make sure that you plan in some family fun this season! Visit parentingonpurpose.org formoreadvice fromDr.BobBarnesandTorreyRoberts. - Dr. Bob Barnes and Torrey Roberts - Sheridan House FamilyMinistries Fall, All Things Pumpkin andBack to School
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FAITH & VOCATION 20 September 2022 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida edition School has been back in session for a few weeks. By now, the start of your child’s academic year is either progressing extremely well with no issues; it has been a rough start or a mixture and blend of all experiences (perceived as positive or negative). Whether the start of the school year is going as you expected or not, there is an opportunity to evaluate the academic strengths and areas of growth. As parents we can help our child(ren) be engaged, equipped and empowered to achieve their own unique level of academic success. A Need to Nurture, not Negate “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger [do not exasperate them to the point of resentment with demands that are trivial or unreasonable or humiliating or abusive; nor by showing favoritism or indifference to any of them], but bring them up [tenderly, with lovingkindness] in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4 Amplified). This verse exhorts us as parents to engage, equip and empower our children for a far greater mission and impact on a child’s grades, academic achievement or status in our parental groups. Students at Trinity International University (TIU) discuss in class the environment and climate that can either be constructive and healthy for a student's development or the detrimental parental conduct that prevents growth and maturity. This verse addresses the method of disciplining and providing instruction in the Lord to be done without provoking wrath. There may be a time that our child will underperform academically or behaviorally. Those episodes of life may provide a cause, condition and a concern that requires correction (discipline) be managed with tenderness and tact. As parents, we desire our children to do their very best and perform with excellence. The challenge for us is to determine the method and mode we utilize during the journey with our children. We have the option and opportunity to nurture their growth and development or negate opportunities to teach our children to be engaged in the learning process (what did I learn from this situation), equipped with tools and techniques to find success (learn life skills) and empowered (develop resilience and grit). Engage, Equip and Empower In the TIU Child and Counseling class as the professor, a supplemental book used is The Scaffold Effect by Dr. Koplewicz, (President of Child Mind Institute). This text provided a framework to facilitate faith-based learning - how can we help children be stable and sturdy in our current culture. Parents can engage, equip, and empower students by providing: · Structure - Establishing routines, practicing constructive communication, modeling coping skills, establishing house rules). · Support – Executing empathy and affirmation of thoughts and emotions. Be quick to listen and slow to speak (James 1:19). · Encouragement - Exhorting our children to engage in trying new things, taking calculated risks and not fearing failure – but learning from it. Having a philosophy and practice to provide structure, support and encouragement that is unique to each child will help our children be engaged and learning from what is happening with their lives, feel supported by parents and encouraged to critically think and challenge themselves to take steps of faith and avoid walking in fear. Have an Ephesians 6:4 Mindset and Mission Be tender and tactful with tense moments and conversations with your child. May the mission of the conversation focus on instructing them in the Lord. Be present and in the moment with your child. Engage in active listening with your child, listen to their stories and narratives that they provide about their day and experiences at school. May the focus be on what they are learning and experiencing. When they achieve success, take the time to highlight the journey to their success rather than the result. Be intentional to co-labor with your child’s teachers and school administration. Have dialog about what they see in your child; discuss the areas of strengths and areas that can be improved and developed. Be in community with other parents. Seek wisdom in the multitude of counsel. Be constructive and find opportunities for your child to develop skills based on their age and appropriate development. Avoid the desire to do all the work for your child. Seek and take advantage of opportunities for children to learn to advocate for themselves, learn new skills and abilities that will scaffold them to be engaged, equipped, and empowered to be stable and sturdy in our culture and society. CliffordMack, PhD is anAdjunct Professor at Trinity international University –Florida. Clifford Mack, PhD Adjunct Professor, Trinity international University, Florida School Is Back in Session…How Is It Going?
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THE CODE 22 September 2022 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida edition Throughout my life I have made it a practice to count among my close friends several men who were some years my senior. I have gleaned much from their experience and wisdom. Most of them have moved on to their eternal rewards as the years have passed by. One of these men who I didn’t get to know until his dying days was Jack Evans. This successful CEO of a major corporation and former mayor of Dallas, Texas, lifted me up each time I was with him. Jack coined a saying that still hangs on wall plaques in the offices of many business leaders in Dallas as well as my own. His oftenrepeated expression is, “You have what you tolerate.” I thought about Jack Evans when I sat down to write about the old and familiar story of the three Hebrew young men who stood true to their personal convictions yet ended up in a burning fiery furnace because they refused to tolerate their culture’s pressure to worship a false god. “You have what you tolerate” is true in every area of life. Parents who tolerate their kids talking back to them and disobeying eventually reap young adults who have little respect for authority. It is true in the classroom: teachers who tolerate sloppy work and missing assignments end up with students who cannot pass the final exam. It is also too obvious in sports: coaches who tolerate undisciplined practices see the results when game day rolls around. And in business, those companies that tolerate mediocrity and are content to be reactive instead of proactive will lose productivity in the long run. Yes, Jack Evans had it right: you have what you tolerate! Our culture has tolerated things for so long that Jack Evans’s words have proved all too true: we are simply experiencing today the consequences of what we tolerated yesterday. Tolerance is the buzzword and the new law of the land, and it has a different definition than it did just a few years ago. Tolerance used to mean that we recognized and respected other people’s beliefs and value systems without agreeing with them or sharing them. Today tolerance means everyone’s values, belief systems and lifestyles should be accepted. Tolerance shouts that all truth claims are valued and equal. In fact, in our current culture, the worst thing that can be said of someone is that he or she is intolerant. Our culture continues to slowly and surely try to form all of us into its mold of being completely tolerant of everything — and we will end up having what we tolerate. Our Intolerant Lord Cable news outlets are a phenomenon of our contemporary culture. Amyriad of television talk shows is available 24 hours a day on multiple channels. While watching an aggressive debate on one such show recently, I thought, What if the Lord Jesus were interviewed by one of these talk-show hosts? If Jesus were to say on a cable talk show today what He said in the Gospels, He would be attacked, ridiculed and called an intolerant bigot right to His face. For example, if Jesus were asked about the current breakdown in theAmerican home, what do you think would happen if He gave an answer as He gave to the woman at the well? Speaking to her about her lifestyle, Jesus said, “Go call your husband, and come here.” When she replied she didn’t have a husband, He responded, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband” (John 4:15–18). The immediate reply of the talk-show host would be, “Who do You think You are? You are completely intolerant.” Like our Lord, we are not to tolerate sin in our lives or sin as a culturally acceptable trait. Yet we are living in a culture that is increasingly hostile to Christianity. Moral values and religious liberties held sacred since our nation’s founding are being trampled on. We have today what we tolerated yesterday. And some things should simply not be tolerated. How tolerant do you believe your Muslim neighbors would be in a culture that spoke of Mohammed as the American culture speaks of Jesus today? Not only do we have today what we tolerated yesterday, but we will have tomorrow what we are tolerating today. Why? Jack Evans said it best: you have what you tolerate! And that is a chilling thought. Standing up to Intolerance In a world screaming at the top of its lungs for tolerance, we will be tested. The decisions we will make this week will be governed by one of two things: inner principle or outer pressure. That is, either by the Word of God or by the world’s way of thinking. If we allow God’s Word to shape our inner principles, we will respond to life’s fiery furnaces with faith that God will ultimately deliver us. But if we allow the world’s way of thinking to pressure our decision-making, we will react in fear resulting in ultimate defeat. In Daniel 3, we see Shadrach, Meshach andAbed-Nego standing on an inner principle of personal convictions shaped by their God. The people around them were governed only by external pressure to confirm, and ultimately… they got what they tolerated. As we seek to find our way through a culture that is losing its way, Daniel has called us to never give in, never give up and never give out. Let’s learn from these three Hebrew young men and listen to their wise counsel. After all, Jack Evans’s words have never rung more true than in our present day: you have what you tolerate!” Taken from The Daniel Code by O.S. Hawkins. Copyright © 2016 by Dr. O.S. Hawkins. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson. O. S. Hawkins has served pastorates, including the First Baptist Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and the First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, for more than 25 years. A native of Fort Worth, Texas, he has a BBA from Texas Christian University and his MDiv and Ph.D. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. For almost a quarter of a century, he served as president of GuideStone Financial Resources, with assets under management of $20 billion, serving 250,000 pastors, church staff members, missionaries, doctors, university professors, and other workers in various Christian organizations with their investment, retirement and benefit service needs. He is the author of more than 40 books, and regularly speaks to business groups and churches all across the nation. All of the author’s royalties and proceeds from the entire Code series go to support Mission:Dignity. You can learn more about Mission:Dignity by visiting MissionDignity.org. - Dr. O.S. Hawkins - President, Guidestone Financial Resources You Have What You Tolerate
GoodNewsWants toKnow....Didyouever haveoneof those years,months, weekends, nights, days when something started out so terribly and ended up absolutely great?! In 2020 a massive wildfire started in Santa Rosa Beach, FL, and was spreading rapidly throughout the area. We rushed out of our home with only a single bag per person and piled into our SUV. As word got to our church family of the danger, a prayer chain began among the members while staff simultaneously leaped to action securing temporary housing for our family. The wildfire, after destroying multiple neighborhoods, stopped right at the edge of our property! So unbelievably grateful to God. But even more delightfully, we got to experience, firsthand, another tangible expression of love from the body of Christ. Beautiful. Christopher C. Simpson, U.S. Government Executive, USSS, Dept. of Homeland Security In May, my wife had an annual checkup and was diagnosed with a cyst that might be cancerous. We traveled to MDAnderson in Houston for a second opinion, and the decision was made to have an exploratory examination and remove the cyst to determine if, in fact, it was cancerous. The morning of the surgery my wife was in Pre-Op when I received an email froma friend that he had just lost his wife to the same cancer. Over the next several hours I sat in the waiting room, by myself, and soon realized that I was powerless to make a difference. Seconds seemed like hours. I began to think about life without Kathy and how my life would change forever. I prayed for comfort and the strength to handle whatever may come. The surgery was over, and the Doctor escorted me to a private room. The surgery was successful, and he did not feel it was cancer. They removed the cyst and weeks later his diagnosis was confirmed. What a day! A terrible start and a wonderful outcome. Praise God! Andy Mitchell, President/CEO, The Fairwinds Group Usually, these Cinderella moments occur when I'm at "whit's end corner." Recently this happened when we were debarking in a foreign airport where no one spoke English. After 90+ minutes of being precluded by multiple customs agents in several lines from exiting even to the bag claim area in the terminal, I surrendered, prayed and above me appeared a sign that led to purchasing a small sticker we needed to satisfy customs—all steps taken using sign language of course! William “Bill” C. Davell, Director, Tripp Scott PA This question defines eight of the days throughout the past eighteen years of my life that many people simply call Election Day! Chip LaMarca, State Representative, Florida House District 100 What comes to mind is the mini lobster season last July 27. My son, Daniel, wanted to go to Deerfield to lobster with friends at night. Reluctantly, I acquiesced. We went out Hillsboro Inlet at 11, but he had forgotten the GPS, so we were driving blind in the pitch black. After two hours of bobbing up and down in 4-foot seas, with an occasional 5footer, we loaded up and headed back in. Hillsboro is very treacherous, especially with an off-shore wind on and out-going tide. Miraculously, our flats boat made it without mishap. No lobsters! What was great was surviving and my crew realizing that some ideas need thoroughly to be thought through before undertaking. H. Collins Forman, Jr., P.A. My first trip to Singapore was for a conference we were hosting, and I would be presenting. I had traveled to Europe often, but never to Asia. I arrived in LAwith our company president and other executives to catch our connecting flight. I was last to check-in. When I approached the counter, the gate agent informed me that I did not have a seat on the plane and that the next available flight was in two days. Somehow my checked bags were good to go and were on the plane. They were headed to Singapore, and I would arrive the day after my presentation! It turns out I was supposed to confirm my flight directly with the carrier 48 hours in advance or lose my seat. The team gave me their sad farewells as I watched everyone board. I was the last person in the gate area and was about to leave and arrange a flight home when they called me to the desk. I was in luck. Another passenger not only failed to confirm their seat, but they were also a no-show. Their seat was all mine as long as I didn’t mind flying first class on SingaporeAirlines. What began as a bad day was suddenly a great day. Craig D. Huston, Huston Consulting Group, LLC Recently, I hired a handyman who said he knew how to install a floating laminate floor. It quickly became obvious he didn't, plus he was using glue when the product directions said that would negate the warranty. He was making such a mess, he walked off the job and wasn't nice about it. Also feeling upset, I called a friend to pray with me. I ended my prayer with, "I just need You, Jesus to help me." About an hour later, my phone rang, and the caller said, "Hola, es Jesus." He had seen my Angie's List request from days before, and now "Jesus" was calling me! He arrived promptly the next morning, tore up the mess the other guy had made and, in less than a day, Jesus beautifully installed my flooring - charging me less than the original installer's quote. Jesus came to my rescue and wanted to make sure that I knew it was all His doing! Deborah Cusick, FAUCampus Volunteer, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship “Three years of hurricanes hitting South Florida culminated with major damage to two buildings on the church property where I was serving my first pastorate. We cleaned up the property, saw 60% of membership and donations disappear as we restored and cleaned up during the last year, and my wife had a miscarriage to top it off. Being part of restoring the sanctuary, praying over the poured concrete foundation with a few loyal parishioners, re-opening to a full sanctuary, and announcing that my wife was pregnant again on opening day was incredibly satisfying. From dust, water damage, andmany headaches, and heartaches we saw the re-launching of amulti-cultural faith community that continues to thrive to this day ...and our daughter turned 14 this last year! To God be the glory!” Dennis DeMarois, Exececutive Director/CEO, Gathering Palm Beach County Andy Mitchell William “Bill” C. Davell Chip LaMarca H. Collins Forman Craig D. Huston Deborah Cusick Wants to Know… Christopher C. Simpson
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