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April 16 Good News 
Unemployment. Layoffs. Volatile stock market. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
We've all been getting a heavy dose of bad news lately, so we decided
it was time to look on the bright side. Search serves up good news and
stories guaranteed to make you smile. Need a dose of happy? Read on. Parrot to the rescue 
Turns
out Willie the pet parrot does a lot more than squawk and eat crackers.
Read about what he did when someone needed his help.
A
PARROT whose cries of alarm alerted his owner when a little girl choked
on her breakfast in Denver, Colorado, has been honoured as a hero.
Willie, a Quaker parrot, has been awarded the Denver Red Cross chapter's Animal Lifesaver Award.
In
November, Willie's owner, Megan Howard, was babysitting toddler Hannah,
who started to choke on her breakfast when Howard was out of the room.
When Willie repeatedly yelled "Mama, baby" and flapped his wings, Ms Howard returned to find the girl turning blue.
She saved Hannah by performing the Heimlich manoeuvre, but insists Willie is "the real hero".
"The
part where she turned blue is always when my heart drops, no matter how
many times I've heard it," Hannah's mother, Samantha Kuusk, said.
"My heart drops in my stomach and I get all teary eyed."
Willie
got his award during a "Breakfast of Champions" event attended by
Colorado Governor Bill Ritter and Mayor John Hickenlooper.
August 16 Diet & Fitness: Nutrition 
5 Pseudo-Healthy Foods—and 5 That Are Healthier Than You Think Next > 1 of 10 images 
Next > 1 of 10 images   
Slow  
Fast 5 Pseudo-Healthy Foods—and 5 That Are Healthier Than You Think Pseudo-Healthy Food: Diet Soda Soda can// © George Doyle /Getty Images By Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD and Nutrition Director, Prevention It may seem like the perfect way to save calories and slash your sugar intake, but studies show that diet drinkers actually weigh more than regular soda drinkers. For diet soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese tied to a 2-can-a-day habit is 57 percent compared to 46 percent for regular soda drinkers. Diet soda may throw off your natural appetite regulation, causing you to eat more sweets. It may also trick you into thinking it's OK to indulge in high calorie foods because you "saved" by choosing diet soda. 5 Pseudo-Healthy Foods—and 5 That Are Healthier Than You Think - - 1Nutrition - MSN Health & Fitness
Quote
Apostolic-Acts2:38-Bible Questions and Answers
bro Steve Asche's space...
So much here to study... look at the part:
Note: Notice here that Jesus never once said they didn't do what they said the had done, yes they did use the name of Jesus in prophesying and casting out devils and in doing many wonderful works but yet in all that they never came to understand that that name was more than just a tool to be used but a name to wear inside and outside of our lives and souls. A name to be saved by not just to work good and wonderful works by and with. To think that the name Jesus or Jesus Christ or Lord Jesus Christ is just the name of one part of God or one third of God called 'the son' is to rob God of His glory and position in not only a church but also in our hearts and souls. And remember that God said He was a jealous God and would not share or give His glory to another and that means if you subdivide God into 3 separate but equal persons you have robbed Him because you take away His full glory, full power and full presents and divided Him into 3 lesser god beings whom not one has all power, all Godhead nor all glory, praise or presents. He would be reduced from being the total Almighty (and there can only be one Almighty) God into 3 separate and co-equal sub-gods whether you or I admit it or not. And that is what Galatians 1:6-9 is speaking of as being ‘another gospel’ which is not a true gospel but a ‘perverted gospel of Christ‘. It still has the name ‘Jesus‘ and the word ‘Christ‘ in it but its nothing more than a twisted lie straight from the lips of Satan and his associates be they men or fallen angels. And again Matthew 7:21-23 is a prime example of what happens when someone falls for ‘another gospel’.
Exodus 20:5 (KJV)
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
A Jealous GOD === He can be jealous!!
Exodus 34:14 (KJV)
14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
Deuteronomy 4:24 (KJV)
24 For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.
Ezekiel 39:25 (KJV)
25 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name;
Isaiah 42:8 (KJV)
8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
Or to be like the house of Matthew 7:26-27 for Jesus is the rock [(Matthew 16:18 knowing who and what the name Jesus really is and not just knowing it as a 'title name' is knowing who the rock is); 1 Corinthians 10:4] and our foundation on which we are built (1 Corinthians 3:11 and Ephesians 2:20).
Matthew 7:26-27 (KJV)
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
In the above example of the 2 houses, Jesus never said that one house was different from the other, He never said that one was built of inferior or substandard material. The only difference from the one left standing and the one fallen and left in shambles was the foundation (Again see Matthew 7:21-23 for a prime example of this). The only foundation we have to build on is the rock Jesus Christ not ‘another Christ gospel’ but the one and only original gospel. And the Keys into that gospel house is Acts 2:38-47. Take the time now to read those passages again and see where the original New Testament ‘Church’ was born and what was preached at that birth and what doctrine and gospel was declared during that time.
Matthew 16:18 (KJV)
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
1 Corinthians 10:4 (KJV)
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:11 (KJV)
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:20 (KJV)
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
When Jesus in Matthew 28:19 instructed His disciples to go and teach all nations and baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Peter and all the other disciples, turned Apostles, did just that for they got it right when they all preached, taught and baptized everyone from Acts 2 throughout the rest of the New Testament in the one and only full and complete name of God and not just in the 'titles of what He was' but 'who He was' JESUS CHRIST.
Matthew 28:19 (KJV) (See note following Luke 24:47 below.)
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Acts 2:38 (KJV)
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Luke 24:45 (KJV)
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
Luke 24:47 (KJV)
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Note: Some interesting fact about Matthew 28:19:
"The Demonstratio Evangelica" by Eusebius: Eusebius[2] was the Church historian and Bishop of Caesarea in and around 325 A.D. and was present at the first Council of Nicea. On page 152 Eusebius quotes the early book of Matthew that he had in his library in Caesarea. According to this eyewitness of an unaltered Book of Matthew that could have been the original book or the first copy of the original of Matthew. Eusebius informs us of Jesus' actual words to his disciples in the original text of Matthew 28:19: With one word and voice He said to His disciples: "Go, and make disciples of all nations IN MY NAME, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." That 'name' is of course Jesus.
Here are some more historical references showing where tradition replaced the original teachings of Christ.
ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, 11th Edition Volume 3 Page 365-366: "The baptismal formula was changed from the name of Jesus Christ to the words Father, Son, and Holy Ghost by the Catholic Church in the 2nd Century." Volume 3 Page 82, "Everywhere in the oldest sources it states that baptism took place in the name of Jesus Christ."
Wonderful study bro Steve....
Jesus bless you!!!!
Apostolic-Acts2:38-Bible Questions and Answers Life Without Debt Leaves Jimmy Phipps Owing Society Published on March 06, 2008 On the first Tuesday of every month, Phil Brantley hosts a conference call. He never knows who will be calling in, or from where. -
 -
 Phipps was in the midst of an Alabama gubernatorial campaign when he was surrounded and cuffed by armed federal agents. Subject(s):Jim Phipps, Alabama gubernatorial, multilevel marketing, Life Without Debt, mail fraud, wire fraud, MLM Brantley, a retired liquor store owner and one-time manufacturer of surge suppressors from Maggie Valley, North Carolina, took the baton from his mentor, self-made millionaire Jimmy Phipps. Phipps began these Tuesday calls as weekly jolts of motivation and edification back in the early 1990s. His last call was in April 2006—before federal agents hauled him off to face charges of operating an illegal pyramid scheme. Brantley has been standing in ever since. He does it to keep people apprised of Phipps' status. "You all know Jimmy is not a quitter," he says. "His spirits are really, really good; a lot better than mine would be, especially with what's happened to him." Brantley's audience reveres Phipps. They sing his praises without prompting. Darwin Marquardt of Eganville, Ontario, calls him the most honest businessman he's ever met. "The other thing about Jimmy Phipps is he keeps his word. His word is his bond," he says. Phipps is generous, says Sharon Dennis, a truck driver from Grand Prairie. "Jimmy wasn't about making all the money," she says. "He was about educating everybody so that we would all make money." Call Phipps an evangelist. He was moved by God to preach against the evils afflicting contemporary American life and to show people the path to salvation. But unlike most preachers, Phipps doesn't rail against lust, envy, deceit, greed and wrath, nor does he preach salvation through repentance and faith. Instead he rails against bureaucratic ignorance, political malfeasance and, most especially, the evils of the Federal Reserve and its cabal of international bankers. He preaches salvation through knowledge, cash flow and freedom from the fetters of debt and compound interest. It isn't long before the call shifts and the conferees trade bits of information culled from lawyers and rights activists, discuss legal loopholes and swap stories on judicial corruption, all focused on one objective: freeing Phipps. These are the blackest of days for Phipps. On May 4, a jury convicted him on 19 counts of mail and wire fraud, money laundering and tax evasion spiraling out of a multilevel marketing program called Life Without Debt. Phipps operated Life Without Debt and various other MLM programs out of his homes in Alexandria, Alabama, and Colleyville, raking in nearly $25 million. It all ended outside an Alexandria post office on April 18, 2006, when federal agents brandishing semiautomatic weapons surrounded and cuffed him as he was picking up a postal tub of envelopes stuffed with cash. Phipps was in the midst of making a run for Alabama governor with a promise to establish a statewide retirement system based on Life Without Debt. He faces up to 27 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced March 12. Who is Jimmy Phipps? How did he end up facing—at the age of 60—what is essentially a life sentence on a string of infractions worthy of a counterfeiter or a drug dealer? By all accounts, except the government's, Phipps is honest, hardworking and faithful to friends and family and in his business dealings. He pursued a Spartan lifestyle, giving away most of what he accrued. His only real brush with the law came in 1997 when he whacked a neighbor's aggressive 80-pound dog with a shovel, knocking its eyeball out. Phipps was railroaded, these callers insist. The government made an example of him because he exposed the lies driving its brute authority and refused to knuckle under, even when faced with spending the rest of his life behind bars. "Jimmy is being fraudulently incarcerated," Marquardt says. He was a threat to the status quo. He was a thorn in the side. It's no coincidence, they say, that Phipps was cuffed and carted off to an Alabama jail the day before President Bush landed in the state to bolster Republican Governor Bob Riley as he headed into a contested gubernatorial primary. "As soon as he put his hat in the ring, by golly, the man was arrested," says Phil Austin, a retired Toronto real estate broker. The callers view Phipps as a martyr, maybe even a prophet. The conference call takes place a little more than a day after a panic in the credit markets, something they say Phipps saw coming. "The banks are running scared," says Sophia Newsome, a Phipps devotee from England. "The whole thing is about to blow. In fact, it has already blown. It's just that the public doesn't know. The whole world is on the brink of financial disaster." James Phipps has a quirk that intensifies as his monologues gather steam. Speaking at a normal gait, he unreels his words in a droning monotone buoyed by a slight, carefully measured West Texas twang. "They call me governor here, even the guards," he says with a low, resonant laugh. But when he courses over words he wants to underscore, or if he senses his demagoguery isn't penetrating your thick skull, he slows down and annunciates each syllable, dragging out the consonants. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next Page » brink of financial disaster." Life Without Debt Leaves Jimmy Phipps Owing Society - News - Dallas Observerpage 1 - Dallas Observer August 13 NOURISHMENT for the soul A Birth Certificate shows that we were born! A Death Certificate shows that we died !
Pictures show that we lived!
Have a seat . . . Relax . . . And read this slowly.
I Believe...
That just because two people argue,
it doesn't mean they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue,
it doesn't mean they do love each other.
I Believe...
That we don't have to change friends if
we understand that friends change.
I Believe...
That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that. August 11 bro Steve Asche's space... So much here to study... look at the part: Note: Notice here that Jesus never once said they didn't do what they said the had done, yes they did use the name of Jesus in prophesying and casting out devils and in doing many wonderful works but yet in all that they never came to understand that that name was more than just a tool to be used but a name to wear inside and outside of our lives and souls. A name to be saved by not just to work good and wonderful works by and with. To think that the name Jesus or Jesus Christ or Lord Jesus Christ is just the name of one part of God or one third of God called 'the son' is to rob God of His glory and position in not only a church but also in our hearts and souls. And remember that God said He was a jealous God and would not share or give His glory to another and that means if you subdivide God into 3 separate but equal persons you have robbed Him because you take away His full glory, full power and full presents and divided Him into 3 lesser god beings whom not one has all power, all Godhead nor all glory, praise or presents. He would be reduced from being the total Almighty (and there can only be one Almighty) God into 3 separate and co-equal sub-gods whether you or I admit it or not. And that is what Galatians 1:6-9 is speaking of as being ‘another gospel’ which is not a true gospel but a ‘perverted gospel of Christ‘. It still has the name ‘Jesus‘ and the word ‘Christ‘ in it but its nothing more than a twisted lie straight from the lips of Satan and his associates be they men or fallen angels. And again Matthew 7:21-23 is a prime example of what happens when someone falls for ‘another gospel’.
Exodus 20:5 (KJV)
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
A Jealous GOD === He can be jealous!! Exodus 34:14 (KJV)
14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
Deuteronomy 4:24 (KJV)
24 For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.
Ezekiel 39:25 (KJV)
25 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name;
Isaiah 42:8 (KJV)
8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Or to be like the house of Matthew 7:26-27 for Jesus is the rock [(Matthew 16:18 knowing who and what the name Jesus really is and not just knowing it as a 'title name' is knowing who the rock is); 1 Corinthians 10:4] and our foundation on which we are built (1 Corinthians 3:11 and Ephesians 2:20).
Matthew 7:26-27 (KJV)
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. In the above example of the 2 houses, Jesus never said that one house was different from the other, He never said that one was built of inferior or substandard material. The only difference from the one left standing and the one fallen and left in shambles was the foundation (Again see Matthew 7:21-23 for a prime example of this). The only foundation we have to build on is the rock Jesus Christ not ‘another Christ gospel’ but the one and only original gospel. And the Keys into that gospel house is Acts 2:38-47. Take the time now to read those passages again and see where the original New Testament ‘Church’ was born and what was preached at that birth and what doctrine and gospel was declared during that time.
Matthew 16:18 (KJV)
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
1 Corinthians 10:4 (KJV)
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:11 (KJV)
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:20 (KJV)
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; When Jesus in Matthew 28:19 instructed His disciples to go and teach all nations and baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Peter and all the other disciples, turned Apostles, did just that for they got it right when they all preached, taught and baptized everyone from Acts 2 throughout the rest of the New Testament in the one and only full and complete name of God and not just in the 'titles of what He was' but 'who He was' JESUS CHRIST. Matthew 28:19 (KJV) (See note following Luke 24:47 below.)
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Acts 2:38 (KJV)
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Luke 24:45 (KJV)
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
Luke 24:47 (KJV)
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Note: Some interesting fact about Matthew 28:19:
"The Demonstratio Evangelica" by Eusebius: Eusebius[2] was the Church historian and Bishop of Caesarea in and around 325 A.D. and was present at the first Council of Nicea. On page 152 Eusebius quotes the early book of Matthew that he had in his library in Caesarea. According to this eyewitness of an unaltered Book of Matthew that could have been the original book or the first copy of the original of Matthew. Eusebius informs us of Jesus' actual words to his disciples in the original text of Matthew 28:19: With one word and voice He said to His disciples: "Go, and make disciples of all nations IN MY NAME, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." That 'name' is of course Jesus. Here are some more historical references showing where tradition replaced the original teachings of Christ.
ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, 11th Edition Volume 3 Page 365-366: "The baptismal formula was changed from the name of Jesus Christ to the words Father, Son, and Holy Ghost by the Catholic Church in the 2nd Century." Volume 3 Page 82, "Everywhere in the oldest sources it states that baptism took place in the name of Jesus Christ." Wonderful study bro Steve.... Jesus bless you!!!! Apostolic-Acts2:38-Bible Questions and Answers Today's Christian, March/April 2005
Randy Travis's "Three Wooden Crosses"
How a song about "a farmer and a teacher, a hooker and a preacher" became a country hit.
By Randy Rudder 
Randy Travis
Image from Word Entertainment Randy Travis's
"Three Wooden Crosses"
It's not what you take when you
leave this world behind you,
It's what you leave behind you
when you go. "A farmer and a teacher, a hooker and a preacher." That was the opening line that popped into songwriter Doug Johnson's head one evening. He had no idea it would become one of the biggest country songs in recent years. As recorded by country star Randy Travis, "Three Wooden Crosses" received high honors at all the major country music awards shows, and also won a Dove Award from the Gospel Music Association. After Johnson came up with the initial verse and the chorus, he called his friend and songwriting partner Kim Williams, and the two finished the story. Those familiar with the song know that the four characters are bound for Mexico when a tragic bus wreck takes the life of three of them. At the end of the song, the listener finds out that the only one to survive the crash was the hooker, who becomes a believer and passes on to her son the bloodstained Bible given to her from the preacher on that fateful night. Her own son then becomes a pastor and, in the song, is relating the story to his congregation. "Kim came over and said he had this other line, 'It's not what you take, but what you leave behind,' and wondered if we could work it into the song," says Johnson, now a recording executive with Curb Records. "By then, we knew how it was going to end. It was just a matter of figuring out how to get there." Kim Williams's own path to Nashville is almost as miraculous as the song. A native of Poor Valley, Tennessee, Williams was injured in a glass plant explosion in 1974 in Kingsport, Tennessee, that resulted in third-degree burns over much of his body. While recuperating in the hospital, Williams saw an ad for a songwriting class and decided to enroll. Since that time, he has written a string of hits that includes "She's Gonna Make It" (Garth Brooks) and "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" (Reba McEntire). "Three Wooden Crosses" is reminiscent of the old country classics from the '60s and '70s. There was one small glitch, however. "People started coming up to us and saying, 'What happened to the bus driver?' We hadn't really thought about that," Johnson laughs. "So we just started telling people that Jesus was the bus driver." Words and music by Doug Johnson and Kim Williams. © 2002 Mike Curb Music / Sweet Radical Music/Sony. Randy Rudder is an entertainment writer in Nashville. Copyright © 2005 by the author or Christianity Today International/Today's Christian magazine.
Click here for reprint information.
March/April 2005, Vol. 43, No. 2, 14 
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Randy Travis's "Three Wooden Crosses" - Today's Christian
Home > Today's Christian > Today's Culture > Music
Still Blessing His Name
Two months after the tragic loss of his daughter, Steven Curtis Chapman resumes touring—and says he's found a new reason to sing.
By Elizabeth Diffin, online exclusive
It's not often you leave a concert reflecting on the words of a song by a different artist. But as I exited the July 24 Steven Curtis Chapman event, the words of a Matt Redman worship song echoed through my head. Chapman opened the concert with "Blessed Be Your Name" just two months after the death of his 5-year-old daughter, Maria Sue, in a tragic accident at the family's home. 
"Blessed Be Your Name" was also the first song Chapman sang May 21, the day of Maria's death, when he wasn't sure he'd ever be able to sing again. Inspired by the story of Job, at one point the lyrics repeat, "He gives and takes away." "As I sang this song … it wasn't a song, it was a cry, a scream, a prayer," Chapman explained to the audience of nearly 5,000. "I found an amazing comfort and peace that surpasses all understanding." Chapman also shared that after Maria's death, he'd reconsidered the words to all his songs and if he could still sing—and believe—them. Instead, losing his little girl brought the meaning of some of those songs into sharper focus. One example was "Yours," which addresses how everything in the world belongs to God. "In this song, in particular, I had to come to a new realization," he said. "There's not an inch of creation that God doesn't look at and say 'all of that's mine.'" As a result of that realization in conjunction with Maria's death, Chapman added a new verse to "Yours": I've walked the valley of death's shadow
so deep and dark that I could barely breath.
I've had to let go of more than I could bear and
I've questioned everything that I believe.
Still even here in this great darkness
a comfort and a hope comes breaking through
as I can say in life or death
God we belong to you. Throughout the concert Chapman used the circumstances of Maria's death, and the family's grieving, to present the gospel and the reason for his assurance that he'll see her in heaven. But the emotional high point of the concert came when Chapman sang "Cinderella," the song inspired by his two youngest daughters, Stevey Joy and Maria. He explained that after losing Maria, "Cinderella" was the one song he thought he could never sing. But he realized that if he truly believed his little girl was dancing in heaven, he should be able to sing about dancing with her again. His voice cracking with emotion, he sang, "'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight/and she'll be gone." Those words, and the sincerity with which he sang them, brought tears to my eyes and a general stillness to the audience, despite the nearby noisy carnival rides. The event felt more like a worship service than the typical energetic pop-rock concert. Chapman encouraged the audience to sing along to some well-known worship songs as well as his more reflective tunes, such as "God Is God" and "All Things New," and people raised voices and hands in response to the lyrics. I'm a long-time fan of Steven Curtis Chapman, but in recent years, I haven't closely followed his music. After the accident, however, I felt attending his concert would be a tangible way to show my support and love for the family, my brothers and sisters in Christ. Chapman seemed to realize that might be the motivation of many in the audience, and as a result, he treated the concert as an opportunity to connect to the Christian community, stretching what was to be a 75-minute set to a full 90 minutes. "Thank you so much for your prayers and your support," he told the crowd. "It's the reason my family is more than surviving, sure of how faithful and true our Redeemer is." During the concert, Chapman gave updates on the rest of the family: recently-engaged Emily, 22; Caleb, 18, and Will Franklin, 17, who both played in his band; and Shaohannah, 8, and Stevey Joy, 5. He asked for continued prayer for all of them, especially his wife, Mary Beth. And scattered among the songs, he openly and candidly discussed his family's grief and healing and his own doubts and struggles. Chapman restarted his touring schedule on July 11 to promote his new album, This Moment, after what his manager, Jim Houser, described as "much conversation, counsel, and prayer." The Chapmans are also scheduled to appear on Good Morning America (August 5) and Larry King Live (August 7) and are featured in an article in People magazine (on newsstands August 8). As a result of intense media attention when the tragedy occurred, more than $500,000 has been donated to Maria's Miracle Fund, a part of Shaohannah's Hope, the adoption and orphan care ministry established by Steven and Mary Beth. As the Chapmans engage with the secular media, they're asking Christians to "pray that our story of faith through this will point to our Savior, will bump into people that would not normally hear or see, … [and] that God will continue to redeem this loss." Indeed the concert, so soon after Maria's death, proved that even now God is at work. The event was bittersweet, as a grieving father came to terms with his loss. But the gospel was proclaimed with power, and I was newly convicted of my tendency to be shortsighted and lose an eternal perspective. That night, as I listened to Chapman sing, "Blessed be your name/when I'm found in the desert place/though I walk through the wilderness/blessed be your name," I knew he wasn't just mouthing the words. He believes them wholeheartedly. Copyright © 2008 by the author or Christianity Today International/Today's Christian magazine.
Click here for reprint information. Still Blessing His Name | Today's Christian
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