Any Minute by Joyce Meyer and Deborah Bedford

Joyce Meyer has once again teamed up with Deborah Bedford to bring us their latest fiction book, “Any Minute.” This is the second such book the two authors have written (The Penny). Joyce Meyer is mostly known for delivering dynamic messages from God’s pulpit and for writing inspirational – motivational books. She continues to be not only a New York Times best selling author but also a best selling Christian author. Much of her writings come from her “real life” experiences. Deborah Bedford is also an award winning author. In addition to the two listed above, her other novels include “A Rose by the Door,” “A Morning Like This,” “When You Believe,” and “Remember Me.”

“Any Minute” is about Sarah Harper. She is driven to achieve success no matter what the cost. She wants to do good and not hurt the people she loves—especially her son, Mitchell, her husband, Joe, and her daughter, Kate—but her desire to succeed in her career too often leaves little time for family.
One cold, rainy, autumn morning, all of that changes when Sarah’s car plunges off a bridge and into a river. As rescuers search desperately for her body, Sarah’s spirit is still very much alive. What she discovers on the other side transforms everything about Sarah’s view of life—past, present and future. And the unsuspecting world around her will never be the same again.

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Homeschooling

Homeschooling is the practice of teaching ones own kids at home. Homeschooling began long before public education became compulsory. It wasn’t until sometime later when parents realized they willingly gave up their rights. Once this was discover parents began once again to educate their children at home. It was very common practice that parents would educate their children at home when they were ill and not able to attend public school. It was also popular for missionaries to do likewise. In addition, families who lived in remote areas of the country would find it more advantageous to home educate their children.

Private schools also became a viable option for those parents with financial means. Many of the private schools were run by religious organizations and other private schools were run by corporations. It wasn’t until late in the 1970’s and early into the 1980’s that the general populace began to reconsider homeschooling. Many parents just didn’t agree with the direction public education was going. In the beginning the road was very rocky. There weren’t many curriculum suppliers and very few publishers. Today things are different. There are many publishers of homeschool material. Publishers realize that homeschooling is here and not going away. In fact, they believe that homeschooling will do nothing but grow.

All fifty states recognize a families right to home educate their children. Approximately 2/3 of all the states have specific laws authorizing and regulating homeschooling. In the other 1/3 of the states parents must register as a private school or provide an equivalent education.

Of the 31 states that have specific laws governing homeschooling, none of them require a college degree, most require a high school or equivalent degree. What is required of the parent is dedication and hard work. If the parent is dedicated and committed, the time spent on a daily basis would be only three to four hours. Homeschool parents are able to draw on the resources of other parents (collaboration) in subjects they may not feel as comfortable with. There may be a parent who will teach math, another language arts, etc. It is very important that even if families don’t network together to provide for the education of the children, it is very important for the homeschool parent to join a local homeschool group, support group, and attend conventions.

Research has found that most homeschooled students are involved in a wide variety of outside activities, interact with a broad spectrum of people, and make positive contributions to their communities. Experience has shown that homeschoolers are well socialized and able to make lasting friendships across age and cultural divides.


There are many resources available to parents. Below is a starter list. Click on any of the links to learn more.

Being a Witness

The gospels of both Mark and Luke quote Jesus as saying that if anyone is ashamed of Him, them the Son of Man (Jesus) will be ashamed of them when He comes in the Fathers glory with the holy angels. I know that I don’t want Jesus to be ashamed of me. Christians are not saved by their works though we are called upon by God to be doers of good works. This means feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, clothing the naked, giving shelter to the homeless, visiting those in the prisons, visiting those in the hospitals and those who are the shut-ins. Jesus said that by doing these things we are doing it Him. In other words, we are to love our fellow man the say way we love Jesus. If you truly love Jesus you will do these things.

Christians are saved by the grace of God. God’s grace is truly amazing. The love that He has for us is so unbelievable that He sent to this earth His only begotten Son. All we have to do is to believe on Him and we will be saved. I am so thankful for grace but the grace that has been rendered to me is not a license for me to sin. I also know that if I do sin, because of the sacrifice paid on the cross for my sins, I am forgiven. Grace is simply unmerited forgiveness for the wrongs committed.

As a Christian we are to let our light so shine that others will see our good works and glorify the God of heaven. We are always on display. People are watching our actions to see how we handle situations. They want to see if what you are on Sunday morning is the same person they see on Thursday afternoon. We must be a witness to the Light that has come into the world. That Light is none other than Jesus Christ. So many times we are only a witness to the Light when we are on top of the mountain and we can say how great our God is. The real test is when we are down in the valley. God is God whether we are on top of the mountain or whether we are down in the valley. We must confess that our God is great, even when we are down in the valley. He promised that he would never leave us, including those times when we are down in the valley. I don’t know why we go down into the valley. Certainly sin is one reason but it is not the only reason. God wants us to grow in our faith. There are times when He wants to mold us for certain ministry. Unless you’ve completely rejected Him, he promises to never leave us down in the valley. As bad as the Israelites were during the time of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and the other prophets, God did promise to deliver then.

So how does one let their light so shine? How do you share the Good News? Some people have such an outgoing personality that they can approach just about anyone and strike up a conversation about their salvation. Others (most) don’t. They have to resort to other methods. Without getting into a great depth about all the resources and tools available for us “shy” people, let’s start with a couple.

You may want to invest a couple of dollars in some simple Bible (gospel) tracts. May I suggest those at Emmaus Road Christian Store; http://www.emmaus-road.com/. You can find the tracts here.

You may also want to get a book or two that can actually help you witness. Ray Comfort has written several books that may be of benefit. You can find them here.

You may want to consider a T-Shirt. Yes a T-Shirt! You may not know this, but the average T-shirt is read by 1000’s of people before it is discarded. You can find a great variety here.

Whatever route you choose, be sure to be an ambassador for God. Look what He has done for you. You are deserving of eternal punishment in a hell that is indescribable. As a Christian you have been saved from this. Show God how much you appreciate to gift He gave you.

May God richly bless your life!

Thistle Farms and Magdalene

My knowledge of women beauty and skin care products is very limited. I do however recognize when something great is happening. This is the case with a company called Thistle Farms. I noticed Thistle Farms as a company whose products I sell on my stores web page (Emmaus Road Christian Store). I thought perhaps it would be a good thing to do some research on the company, have my wife and daughter buy some of the products, and then perhaps at a later time for them to write about the features and benefits of the products. My intention is to give you information about Thistle Farms and an organization called Magdalene.

Thistle Farms began their operations in 2001 as a cottage business of Magdalene, a two-year residential community founded by Reverend Becca Stevens for women with a history of prostitution and drug addiction. By hand, “the women create natural bath and body products that are as kind to the environment as they are to the body.” Again, being of the male species, I don’t know much about “being kind to the body” part but my wife and daughter will let us know later. All sales proceeds go back into supporting the residents of Magdalene. Through Thistle Farms, the women of Magdalene gain much-needed job skills and learn responsibility and cooperation. Into every product goes the belief that true freedom starts with healing and that love can change lives. The dream of Thistle Farms is that people will come to see Thistle Farms as a humble but powerful business that is synonymous with women’s freedom.

Magdalene we founded not just to help a sub-culture of women, but to help change the larger culture itself. Magdalene stands in solidarity with women who are recovering from sexual abuse, violence, life on the streets, and who have paid dearly for a culture that buys and sells women like commodities. At no cost, Magdalene offers women a safe, disciplined, and compassionate community for two years, paid for by the gifts received from individuals and private grants. Magdalene stands as a witness to the truth that in the end, love is more powerful than all the forces that drive women to the streets.

Between the Magdalene residents and the affiliates (those who live in their own housing and the women in safe housing), Magdalene provides services for 30-35 women at any given time. Over a hundred women have come and lived for two years in the past decade and through their safe house and outreach programs. Since Magdalene opened their doors, 75% of the women who stay after their introductory period of 30 days, complete the program and graduate. The program draws women from all over the United States and Honduras. Presently there are programs in Charleston, Chattanooga and in North Carolina.

Women with a criminal history of prostitution and addiction are invited to stay up to two years in one of their homes rent free, in a community with other residents and no live-in staff. During their stay, Magdalene provides a plan that is individualized for each woman that includes medical care, therapy, opportunities for addiction recovery, education and employment. At the present time there are five houses and an emergency safe house for four women.

Thistle Farms and Magdalene is an awesome organization. To view their products, click here.

You can view other beauty and skin care products here @ http://www.emmaus-road.com/beauty.html

Jars of Clay

One of my favorite Christian recording groups is Jars of Clay. I have listened to then since the early 1990's. They met in college and performed at various Christian coffee houses and other small gatherings. By the middle of the 1990's the group signed with Essential Records and recorded their first album... "Jars of Clay." From that point the group has continued to grow in popularity with the release of many albums. Much of the group has stayed together over the years though, like all, they have lost a couple throughout the times. Current members of the group include Dan Haseltine, Charlie Lowell, Steve Mason, and Matt Odmark.

Jars of Clay has sold more than six million albums, won three GRAMMYS, headlined thousands of sold-out shows and festivals, and successfully launched the Blood:Water Mission, a non-profit organization promoting clean blood and water in Africa. Since the band's debut single, "Flood," astonishingly topped both the mainstream and CCM charts, Jars of Clay has built an extraordinary career based on the uncompromising integrity of its music, worldview, and humanitarianism.

It has been three years since Jars of Clay released their album, "Good Monsters." Their new album, "The Long Fall Back to Earth" takes up where "Good Monster left off. "Long Fall Back to Earth" features their current hit "Two Hands." "Two Hands" has such a powerful message behind it that all Christians, whether we want to admit it or not, have had to deal with the struggle of temptations, rebellion against God and confusion of who we are in Christ. "Two Hands" is so powerful the lyrics are worth noting.

Two Hands

"I’ve been living out of sanity I’ve been splitting hairs and blurring lines. I am a house that is divided in my heart and in my mind.

I use one hand to pull closer. The other to push you away. If I had two hands doing the same thing. Lifted high, lifted high.

I have a broken disposition I’m a liar who thirsts for the truth. And while I ache for faith to hold me I need to feel the scars and see the proof. And if we just keep digging we can reach the foundation of our souls. And if we just keep cutting all the chains from our heartsWe’ll lose control.

And it feels like giving in. It feels like starting over .It feels like waking up, and you know it’s coming. It feels like a brand new day. Open your eyes."

You can listen to a sample of Two Hands as well as samples from every song on the "Long Fall Back to Earth" CD at:
http://www.emmaus-road.com/item/jars-of-clay/long-fall-back-to-earth/547945.html

You can explore other Christian songs at: http://www.emmaus-road.com/music.html

May God Richly Bless Your Life!

Study Bibles (Life Application)

The purpose of this article is not to debate Bible translations, but rather to look at the details of study Bibles and particularly the Life Application Study Bible. Tyndale House Publishers is the publisher of all Life Application Study Bibles, whether it is King James, New International Version, New American Standard Version or the New Living Translation. Though the translations are different, the "study" part is consistent across all translations.

The Life Application Study Bible is today's #1 selling study Bible because it helps people see how the Scriptures are relevant to today's issues. The Life Application Study Bible, includes nearly 10,000 notes and features designed to help the reader apply God’s truth to everyday life. Personality profiles highlight over 100 important Bible characters. Book introductions provide vital statistics, overview, and time line to help readers understand the message of each book. Two hundred thumbnail maps highlight important bible places and events and 260 charts help explain difficult concepts an relationships. The harmony of the Gospels are built right into the text of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The Life Application Study Bible comes with a very good dictionary and concordance. The words of Christ appear in red letter. The Study Bible includes a daily reading plan to help the reader stay in God's word.

Whether you are a new Christian, new to reading the Bible or have been a Christian for many years, the Life Application Study Bible is a must for every Christian.
I found my Life Application Study Bible at:

http://www.emmaus-road.com/item/tyndale/kjv-life-application-study-bible-blk-bond-indx/8829.html

You can find a complete line of Life Application Study Bibles at:
http://www.emmaus-road.com/index.php?module=productsearch&query=Life+Application+Study+Bible

May God Bless you and enrich your life on a daily basis.

"Heaven" by Randy Alcorn

When writing about authors, I like to research then to see if what they are writing about falls in line with what they truly believe. In researching Randy Alcorn, I found that he is the founder and president of "Eternal Perspective Ministries." According to his website, Eternal Perspective Ministries exists to meet the needs of the unreached, unfed, unborn, uneducated, unreconciled and unsupported people around the world.

Randy Alcorn says, "My ministry focus is communicating the strategic importance of using our earthly time, money, possessions and opportunities to invest in need-meeting ministries that count for eternity," Alcorn says. "I do that by trying to analyze, teach and apply the implications of Christian truth."

Randy lives in Oregon with his wife Nanci. They are the parents of 2 girls and the grandparents of four boys.

In his book entitled "Heaven" you must examine, and you are asked, What is Heaven really going to be like? What will we look like? What will we do every day? Won't Heaven get boring after a while?

We all have questions about what Heaven will be like, and after twenty-five years of extensive research, Dr. Randy Alcorn has the answers. In the most comprehensive and definitive book on Heaven to date, Randy invites you to picture Heaven the way Scripture describes it—a bright, vibrant, and physical New Earth, free from sin, suffering, and death, and brimming with Christ's presence, wondrous natural beauty, and the richness of human culture as God intended it. God has put eternity in our hearts.

Now, Randy Alcorn brings eternity to light in a way that will surprise you, spark your imagination, and change how you live today. If you've always thought of Heaven as a realm of disembodied spirits, clouds, and eternal harp strumming, you're in for a wonderful surprise. This is a book about real people with real bodies enjoying close relationships with God and each other, eating, drinking, working, playing, traveling, worshiping, and discovering on a New Earth. Earth as God created it. Earth as he intended it to be. And the next time you hear someone say, "We can't begin to imagine what Heaven will be like," you will be able to tell them, "I can."

You can check out Randy Alcorn's "Heaven" book at

http://www.emmaus-road.com/item/alcorn-randy/heaven/7660.html

and other books by Randy Alcorn at

http://www.emmaus-road.com/index.php?module=productsearch&artist=AlcornRandy