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“Come To The Fire” Womens Conference Coming To Fort Wayne, IN

Women from across the nation will gather at Auer Performance Hall at Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne University on September 30 to October 2, 2010 to participate in the5th Annual ”Come to the Fire” conference.  “Come To The Fire” is designed for women desiring a holy heart.  The messages center on God’s desire to purify hearts and challenge women to become lovers of Jesus Christ, not just workers for him.  (http://cometothefire.org/about/)

An incredible list of professional women are scheduled to speak including:  The founding director of” Titus Women’s Ministry”, Beth Coppedge, Dr. Carolyn Johnson- founder of “Firm Foundation Ministries”, former anchorwoman for NBC news,  Janine Metcalf, and General Superintendent- Wesleyan Church, Dr. Jo Anne Lyon.  Worship Leader/Choir Pastor of Central Wesleyan Church-Holland Michigan, Melinda Priest will lead worship. 

For free registration information, promotional materials and more details, please visit http://cometothefire.org/about/

ANN DOWNING ANNOUNCES 20TH ANNIVERSARY THEME

    Nashville, TN—August 16, 2010—Ann Downing Ministries is excited to announce that “Bring On The Joy!” will be the theme for the 20th Anniversary Middle Tennessee Women’s Retreat to be held April 15th – 17th, 2011  at the Cool Springs Marriott in Franklin, TN.  The victorious tune penned by Ann and Daryl K. Williams will also serve as the retreat’s theme song.
 
Surprises will abound as women from across the United States participate in large and small group settings throughout the weekend, all focusing on the joy available to us when we are committed to the Lord.
 
Karen Dean Fry, Vice-President for University Relations at Malone University and former administrator for Word Music Company/John T. Benson Publishing will bring her highly sought-after exuberance and gift for communication to the platform as the keynote speaker for the 2011 retreat.
 
            “As individuals, as a country, and as part of the family of God, we’ve faced some of the toughest times in recent history, but we are still standing because of the hand of an Almighty God, and it is time to give praise where praise is due.  It’s time to celebrate…It’s time to “Bring On The Joy!”, Downing said of the upcoming retreat. 
 
For questions, additional information, or to request a brochure, contact 877-886-1629, 479-264-7810, or anndowning.karissa@gmail.com. For the history and vision of MTWR visit www.anndowning.com/MTWR.html.
 

New Christian Social Website Combines Facebook and MySpace Applications all in one Network

THELMA WELLS “READY TO WIN CONFERENCE & EXCURSION”, BRANSON, MISSOURI

Thelma Wells, a prominent international speaker and author, a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. As a student at North Texas State University in Denton, Texas (now the University of North Texas), she was a member of the first group of girls to integrate the school’s dormitories. She earned her Bachelor’s degree there and eventually received a Master’s of Ministry from Master’s International School of Divinity in Evansville, Indiana. In 2002, she became the school’s first African American female professor.

In 1980, Wells became the first African American woman in the South to organize her own international speaking and consulting corporation. Her natural talent for public speaking and storytelling attracted the attention of the Women of Faith Tour, and in 1996 she became the first African American core speaker for the organization. She has authored several books, including “God Is Not Through With Me Yet” and “What These Girls Knew –How Girls Back Then Talk To Us TODAY”. She serves as the president of The Daughters of Zion Leadership Mentoring Program, an organization she founded in 2000 (another first for an African American woman). Through this ministry, “Mama T,” as she is affectionately called, has mentored over 100 spiritual daughters. Wells also received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Saint Thomas Christian College, Jacksonville, Florida in 2006. www.ThelmaWells.com

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Contact:

Sue Ann O’Neal Bev Henry Vikki Wells

sueann@celebratesunday.org bhenry@travelnetworkgroup.com vikkiwells@thelmawells.com

417-587-3192 714-442-9931

LAMPLIGHTER THEATRE TO GIVE WORLD-CLASS AUDIO DRAMA A PEEP BEHIND THE SCENES AWAY FOR FREE FROM MAY 28 TO JUNE 30

** Weekly 30-Minute Drama airing on over 900 Stations Worldwide **

COLORADO SPRINGS , CO – When A Peep Behind the Scenes was released in 1878, it quickly sold over 2-1/2 million copies. Now in 2010, it has been transformed into a powerful 7-part audio drama that will help reach the hurting and the lost. Masterfully written, produced, and sound engineered with original music scores by the world’s leading creatives, Lamplighter Theatre is building Christ-like character one story at a time.

In order to help listeners, churches and pastors fulfill the Great Commission, Lamplighter Theatre will give the full 7-part audio drama of A Peep Behind the Scenes away FREE from May 28 to June 30, 2010 – a $35 value. This is after the series has concluded its initial airing on May 22.

Click to Hear 2-1/2 Minute Outreach Promo from
Lamplighter Theatre host, John Rhys-Davies

“More than any audio drama we have produced to date, A Peep Behind the Scenes represents a powerful, non-threatening opportunity for Christians to reach the hurting, hopeless, and the lost,” says Lamplighter president and founder, Mark Hamby. “We want to do everything possible to make sure this message reaches people who need it. A Peep will touch hurting hearts that don’t yet know Christ, and help struggling believers find their way back to Him.”

Immediate need! Radio stations are encouraged to let their listeners know about this special, limited-time offer. Please direct listeners to www.lamplighter.net where they can click on the web banner for A Peep Behind the Scenes to sign up for the free download. Web banners are also available (links below). For stations that are not already affiliated with Lamplighter Theatre, the entire 7-part series A Peep Behind the Scenes will be made available in May to be aired as a 3-½ hour block, or one episode per night for a week.

RADIO CONTACT
Chad Shoppa
(719) 536-9000 x127
cshoppa@westarmediagroup.com

May 2-8 is Teacher’s Appreciation Week! – Coached For Life

What is the legacy of a great coach? When the players of the Great Falls Central Mustangs arrived for the first day of practice in the fall of 1962, they had their sights set on the unlikely goal of the state championship. But what their coaches delivered was far more lasting than a championship ring.

Coached for Life, by Ed Flaherty and Jack Uldrich, is the true account of how two high school football coaches, Bill Mehrens and John McMahon, molded an undistinguished group of young men into state champions. The book includes a dramatic 40 year retrospect from the players themselves (including Flaherty, a former team captain) describing how the principles instilled in them during the 1962 season continued to shape their lives in positive ways long after they left the football field.

Watch the Coached for Life book trailer!

Coached for Life author Ed Flaherty shares about what makes a great teacher:

Q:  What separates the good coaches and teachers from the great ones?

A: Being a great coach is not merely about understanding the fundamentals of the game or possessing the will to win. The achievements on the field of play and even the ability to coach aren’t what ultimately determine a coach’s success. It is their ability to love. Simply put, the best coaches and teachers love their students. That love—not the quest for a winning record—is the motivating factor behind every lesson in discipline, responsibility, perseverance, accuracy, and community. This is a heritage that has been handed down through generations of coaches and players. Coach Mehrens and Coach McMahon passed these lessons to every player they ever coached—including the 37 members of the 1962 Great Falls Central Mustangs. True to their heritage, the 1962 Mustangs have kept up the tradition, whether as fathers, coaches, teachers, military officers, or business leaders.

Q: Though the word “coach” is usually associated with athletics, the principles your coaches taught you, and that you have shared in the book, are much bigger than a football game. In your mind, who else fulfills the role of a coach?

A:  The role of a coach is to shape character, to help people realize every bit of their potential. There are so many relationships that involve an aspect of coaching. If you are in a leadership position, you are—or rather, you should be—a coach. Parents, teachers, business owners, managers, supervisors, ministers, and counselors are all coaches.

Q:  How have the lessons from your coaches most shaped your life and career?

A:  Of all the lessons Coach Mehrens and Coach McMahon taught me, the one that has borne the most obvious fruit is the idea of setting goals and making a plan to meet them. As an entrepreneur, I have started or purchased three-dozen companies in my career. The combined annual sales from those companies approach one billion dollars. Each of these successes is the result of incremental goals I have set for myself—the first two being to work for myself and care for my family, then to make enough money to give back to my church and community. This lesson is one that I have passed on to countless employees, and it has also enabled some meaningful charity work. My coaches demonstrated that my life could make a difference in the lives of others.

Read more »

A New Normal

One Mom’s Experience with Sensory Integration Dysfunction
By Jennifer Shaw

April is National Autism Awareness Month.  Sensory Integration Dysfunction is closely associated with autism in that many autistic children have some form of SID.  To date, the medical community is unclear of the exact connection.  SID is also often misdiagnosed as ADD or ADHD.  The following is an editorial from singer/speaker Jennifer Shaw:

I was the mother of two beautiful girls and was thrilled to add a son to our family.  After a difficult and dangerous pregnancy, we were especially thankful that our baby boy, who we named Toby, was born healthy.  He seemed to be a very unhappy baby compared to our girls, but we hoped he would grow out of it.

The first indication that something was out of the ordinary was when we could not get him to eat any food.  I nursed him without a problem, but when we introduced baby foods, it was a daily struggle that we lost.  We also noticed that he never babbled or made any sounds and he rarely smiled.  Eventually it was clear that he was very speech-delayed, but because he had suffered from repeat ear infections which caused clinical deafness during his first year, we attributed a lot of his mood to pain and hoped that when his hearing improved, his speech would come along.  After surgery on his ears, his hearing did get better and his infections went away, but he still did not make any sounds.

During Toby’s second year, my father was dying of ALS and that took much of our emotional energy.  But Toby’s behavior was becoming more and more extreme.  He wouldn’t touch anything or play, he did not want to be touched, and he was terrified of being messy or being anywhere near things like grass or sand.  A drop of water on his clothing would make him scream.  It became really frightening and we did not know how to help him. 

When Toby turned two, we started him at a therapy school for speech delay.  There was an occupational therapist on staff and she was the first to diagnose Toby with Sensory Integration Dysfunction (also known as Sensory Processing Disorder).  Toby’s brain was not interpreting sensory input correctly. People with this disorder can suffer in a variety of ways, but in Toby’s case, he was extremely hyper-sensitive to touch of any kind.  Food in his mouth, clothes on his skin, crumbs on his hands were all completely intolerable to him — he thought they were actually hurting him.

Toby began play-based occupational therapy, speech therapy, some physical therapy (because he didn’t touch things or play and had poor balance, his muscles were very weak), and food therapy. Within two months my son who had previously uttered no sounds said, “I love you, Mom.”  Within a year, Toby’s progress was nothing short of miraculous.  He is now five and was discharged from all private therapies a year ago.  He never had to have any medications or drug therapies.  Although he still has some minor sensory issues, he has learned to cope with those challenges and he is now considered a typical child.

I am a songwriter and recording artist, not a doctor or therapist, but we learned a lot of things in our journey with SID that I share with people who suspect this condition in their own children. There is so much hope if you know where to look, and although Toby’s outcome is not typical, there is help for every child with this diagnosis. So here’s my advice:

Do not ignore the signs even if you don’t know what they mean.  This is by no means a comprehensive list, but some of the symptoms of SID are speech delay, poor coordination, poor balance, avoiding touch or seeking touch in extreme ways (running into walls or falling down on purpose, running into people), extremely picky eating or extremely messy eating, irritability or a “difficult” personality.  SID is often misdiagnosed, especially in older children, as ADD or ADHD.

Do not wait, even when your pediatrician tells you to. After everything we went through with Toby, my pediatrician (whom I love and respect) told me that she gave me the wrong advice by advising me to wait for Toby to catch up.  This is what most doctors are taught, and while it is probably true for many problems, SID is not one of them.  Treatment is so much more effective before the age of three that you cannot afford to waste time.  If you suspect something, trust your instincts and get your child tested by an occupational therapist. If they say there’s nothing to worry about, fine, but if not, you have not wasted valuable time that your child needs for therapy.

Get educated. Find out all you can and do everything in your power to help your child on a daily basis at home.  We used to laugh about “our life as therapy” as we tried to integrate all Toby’s therapies into everything we did.  An excellent book on this topic is The Out of Sync Child by Carol Stock Kranowitz.

Get help. There is a federal program for developmentally-delayed children from age 0-3 available in every state.  It goes by many different names – ours was called “Help Me Grow”.  They will do testing and help get your child into therapy programs, most of which are free if you qualify. Toby’s therapy program literally changed his life and ours.  You can call the special needs department at your local school district and they should be able to tell you who operates the program in your area.  After the age of three, help is available through your local school district. Take advantage of any therapy coverage on your insurance plan.  Talk to your therapists about what you can do at home, watch the therapy whenever possible, and ask a lot of questions.  We were able to overcome a lot of Toby’s food issues only because we learned techniques from our therapists.

Re-define baby steps. This is not a quick fix.  For example, Toby was literally afraid of food. We were not usually able to get him to stay in the same room with us while we ate.  And sitting down and eating a meal was out of the question.  So first, we worked on getting him to be with us in the room at meal times, eventually coaxed him to sit at the table, then got him to allow us to put food on the plate, then he learned to touch the food with a fork, then he touched it to his tongue but didn’t eat it, etc.  It was a long, frustrating process, but my son eats a healthy diet now and the simplicity of a family meal has become a true blessing in our lives.

Get support. SID can be very lonely and frightening.  Our church was an amazing support to us and truly held us together at times.  I met so many parents of special needs children at the school and it helped us realize we weren’t alone.  They were also a wonderful resource of ideas as we all talked about what was working or not working for our children.

Don’t give up. SID can be overwhelming and confusing.  It can be hard to navigate the system.  Every therapy will not work for every child and you will need to be careful and wise about your choices.  Take comfort in knowing that there is help and things can improve.  You are your child’s best advocate.

SID makes family life difficult, and it can be very hard to watch your child struggle.  But there is hope and help, making positive results very possible.  With persistence, we can help our children cope with their world and enjoy their lives, as we enjoy the blessing that they are in ours.

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For more information on Jennifer Shaw, visit www.JenniferShaw.com.

Jennifer’s first radio single from her new CD, LOVE BROKE THROUGH, has already topped the national worship charts. Jennifer has been interviewed on several national television shows as well as radio stations across the country.
Schedule an interview with Jennifer today!

Call toll free 888-253-3622
Gina@AdamsPRGroup.com

We have a few review and giveaway copies of her new CD still available!

Daywind Music Group And The Gospel Music Association Partner In Southern Gospel Song Contest

(Songwriters, enter soon.  Deadline is April 8, 2010)

Nashville, TN (March 17, 2010) – Daywind Music Group and the Gospel Music Association (GMA) have partnered to host the Southern Gospel Song Contest with the intent of finding the best-unknown Southern Gospel songs and offer a chance to have them recorded by a nationally recognized artist. Unpublished songwriters (currently unaffiliated or unsigned to a publishing company) are encouraged to submit their Southern Gospel song(s) for review (see “Submission Instructions” below).

Songs submitted will be judged by Daywind Music Publishing’s staff, a team of publishers working daily with top songwriters and artists such as Gerald Crabb, Ronny Hinson, Marty Funderburk, Austins Bridge, Karen Peck & New River, Triumphant, The Perrys, and many other award winners.

The Southern Gospel Song Contest opened March 12, 2010 and runs through April 8, 2010. Any submission after April 8, 2010, 5:00 PM CST will not be included in the judging. A valid entry will include a Song Submission Form found below and the $25 entry fee (per song). Songs should be limited to 4 minutes and 30 seconds. No more than two songs per person will be accepted.

One Grand Prize winner and two Runner-Up winners will be chosen and announced by April 30, 2010. Winners will be contacted by the GMA.

The Grand Prize winner will receive:

-One free registration to GMA’s Immerse event in July 2010
-Automatic semi-final place in the Immerse song contest
-Single song publishing agreement with Daywind Music Publishing
-CD stack from Southern Gospel music’s top names
-Opportunity to be recorded by a nationally recognized artist

The two Runner-Up winners will receive:

-One free registration to GMA’s Immerse event in July 2010
·    -CD stack from Southern Gospel music’s top names

Each song submission will also receive an individualized critique by one of the Daywind Music Publishing judges, complete with invaluable feedback and advice. It’s not just a contest; it’s a chance to learn something, too!

SONG SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Print out the Southern Gospel Contest Song Submission Form (found here) and fill in all fields.

Mail completed form with payment to:

Gospel Music Association
The Southern Gospel Song Contest
1205 Division St. Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 277-1376

Once payment and submission form are received, an email will be sent to you with instructions on where to send your song(s) and typed lyric sheets.

You are welcome to send your song recorded on a CD and your typed lyric sheet (one page per song) with your paid registration. If you are submitting multiple songs, please include a separate CD for each song and write your name and the song title on the front of the CD.

For a complete listing of contest rules and in-depth submission instructions, visit gospelmusic.org and click on the Daywind contest logo.

For questions or customer service, please contact Scott at (615) 277-1376.

The call of adoption

By adopting us as His children, God set an example for all of us.

Share your adoption stories this month.. we’ll feature them here on the blog.

November is National Adoption month, a month set aside to raise awareness about the adoption of children and youth from foster care. This year’s theme,”You don’t have to be perfect to be a perfect parent,” includes a more focused effort that reaches out to the African American community and builds on the Ad Council’s new public service announcement.

Jim Hutson Trust Fund

On Monday November 2, 2009, my brother Jim, was involved in a serious motorcycle accident. The wreck occurred when a lady pulled out in front of him on Highway 46 in New Point, IN. The incident happened at around 4:30pm. Jim was on his way home.

When the wreck occurred, two men witnessed it. One ran out to Jim, the other to stop traffic and check on the driver of the SUV. An ambulance was called however in the oncoming traffic were a nurse and a doctor from Batesville. Those two helped stabilize Jim before the ambulance arrived.

Jim was airlifted to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis that evening. He suffered a broken Pelvic Bone, a fractured Tibia and multiple abrasions to his head and face.

On Tuesday morning a team of doctors came in to address his injuries. Brain surgeons viewed X Rays before Jim was taken into surgery to repair the Pelvic Bone. At this time, the surgery to repair his cranial damage and facial lacerations has been rescheduled for Friday November 6th. This procedure will be one of removing any bone fragments and reconstruction of Jim’s forehead.

Jim remembers nothing of the accident. He and I talked that afternoon at 3PM. He doesn’t even remember us speaking. Doctors say this is typical (Short Term Memory Loss) due to the injury Jim received.

With an injury such as a broken Pelvic Bone, Jim will be in physical therapy for several weeks. During this time, he will not be able to work.

Friends I must be honest with you. This will be a huge burden for my brother. He is a godly man and a wonderful father to his 4 sons. Christmas will be here soon, but just like us; he has a house payment, insurance, electric bill, car payments, and the expenses of just “life”. Mary (his wife) will need as money to go to and from the hospital, money to eat on, and the cost of visiting her husband.

Jim is my big brother and has impacted MY LIFE, MORE than I could ever tell you! His ministry of singing gospel music, working in the healthcare field for years has also affected THOUSAND other lives.

God has had His hand on my brother throughout this tragedy. The out pouring of love and prayers has been overwhelming. For every prayer, I want to personally thank you.

I want to ask you, friends of ours; will you stand with me and help my brother?

I have set up a TRUST FUND to help him. My mother, Jim and Mary will be the only ones to have access to this account.

You can send a one time gift or contribute over the next several weeks.

Jim Hutson Trust Fund
c/o IBT
PO Box 234
Batesville, IN 47006

When you mail your check, write this account #.
#99001860909

You can use your debit/credit card over the phone to 812-934-2118.
If calling, have the account # close by with your debit/credit as well.

Thank you for being the hands and feet of God.
Bryan Hutson