live magazine 2009

EDITORIAL ADDRESS8923 EARLY APRIL WAY, Suite C

COLUMBIA, MD 21046

ISSN: 1945-5178

live magazine is a monthly online publication, supported by our advertisers. For advertising information contact us at [email protected].

Permissions: live magazine requires written permission for use of any published article. Upon written approval

“Used by permission of live magazine” must be used. Copyright 2009.

All rights reserved.

SUBER PULLINS PUBLISHING

JAMAR R. SUBER

CHERYL A. PULLINS

LORRAINE WILLIAMS

ZACHARY PULLINS

NICHOLAS DeYOUNG

SWAK DESIGN

BRIDGETTE COLLINSSHELBY HILLZACHARY PULLINS, SR.MARNIE SWEDBERGLEA M. LUCASSHANAE DELL

RHONDA WHITELORNEKA JOSEPHMICHELLE BERSELL

TIFFANY EASLEY

www.liveinvictory.org

PUBLISHER

SUBER PULLINS PUBLISHING MANAGING PARTNER

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

SENIOR ADMINISTRATOR

DESIGN AND LAYOUT

COVER DESIGN

STAFF WRITERS

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR

WEBSITE

EDITORIAL ADDRESS8923 EARLY APRIL WAY, Suite C

COLUMBIA, MD 21046

ISSN: 1945-5178

live magazine is a monthly online publication, supported by our advertisers. For advertising information contact us at [email protected].

Permissions: live magazine requires written permission for use of any published article. Upon written approval

“Used by permission of live magazine” must be used. Copyright 2009.

All rights reserved.

SUBER PULLINS PUBLISHING

JAMAR R. SUBER

CHERYL A. PULLINS

LORRAINE WILLIAMS

ZACHARY PULLINS

NICHOLAS DeYOUNG

SWAK DESIGN

BRIDGETTE COLLINSSHELBY HILLZACHARY PULLINS, SR.MARNIE SWEDBERGLEA M. LUCASSHANAE DELL

RHONDA WHITELORNEKA JOSEPHMICHELLE BERSELL

TIFFANY EASLEY


DECEMBER 2009VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 16

A New Perspective to Beat Those Winter Blahs

Changing Jobs? What to do with Your 401(k) Plan

Making Your Dining Decor Pop for Less

Tis the Season to be Fabulous

'Tis Your Season : Interview with Cheryl Pullins

Christmas Dream List

Connections via Social Networking

The Road to Living Healthier with Coach Collins

Medical Moments with Lorneka

The Car That Stops Itself

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8

10

12

14

22

23

26

28

30

Co

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nts

Victorious Living for Women Launch Celebration:

Forty Women

19

3www.liveinvictory.org

l ive magazine - December 20094

Greetings,

Tis the Season for God’s Glory to fill the earth!!!

To say that I am humbled and honored to be given this opportunity to serve as the new Editor in Chief of live magazine would be the understatement of the year. Words do not adequately express how excited I am to be given this opportunity.

This year has been a year of transition and promotion for me and my family. God continues to open doors of opportunities and showers us with so many blessings. I know without a shadow of a doubt this is definitely my season and my God appointed time. I am so grateful to God for His faithfulness and His favor.

I also want to publicly say thank you to Cheryl Pullins for granting me this awesome responsibility of caring for her baby. I’ve known Cheryl now for about 8 years and our friendship has blossomed into more than I think either of us expected. Not only is she my sister and my friend but she is also a mentor who pushes me to be all that God would have me to be. I love her dearly, and I promise to make her proud and to nourish and care for live magazine as though it were my own.

As the new Editor in Chief of live magazine I promise to continue to provide you with the same excellent type of magazine you have come to know and love, while adding a fresh twist and innovative ideas and concepts that I am sure you will also enjoy.

I welcome your feedback and comments so feel free to email me at [email protected]

In closing I look forward to serving you and hearing from you. Remember, this is our season women of God! Let’s do this.

Let’s go!!

Lorraine WilliamsEditor-in-Chief

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift".

2 CoRINTHIANS 9:15

We are so thankful to God for sending His Son that through Him we all may have life. Jesus truly is

the reason for the season.

From the entire live magazine family, we pray that you all have a blessed and prosperous New Year.


messages, we feel even better. Wisconsin is get-ting clobbered with ridiculous amounts of snow. People are complaining about it left and right, but not me. The weather gives me all the more reason to rest, relax and unwind. I am just loving my bed right now, as I treasure waking up around 6 rather than around 4:30 or 5 when I was in a more motivated state. I just lay in bed thinking about how good the mattress feels on my body,

For the last couple weeks, I have had the opportunity to really slow down my pace. My old self would have judged this time saying something to myself like “What is wrong with me? I am feeling so unmotivated.” Not this time. Oh no! I am sooooaking it in! What is so great is that the weather in Wisconsin is totally working with me. This is what I love about nature. If we go along with its

A New Perspective to Beat Those Winter Blahs

by Michelle Bersell

6 l ive magazine - December 2009

my pillow and my warm, cozy blankets. I just feel so content and nurtured by allowing myself to enjoy this time. I feel that I am able to really take this time in and cherish it for two reasons. One is that I know this time will pass. There is no need to judge myself as being lazy or worry that I will never be motivated again. It simply won’t hap-pen. My body’s callings are recognizable to me now. I know when it needs rest and why. It is through this resting time that I will be able to swing my crazy long days with greater ease. The other reason is that there is something so sweet about this time. I feel like I am really soaking in life. Sure, it is neat that I can get so much accomplished during my motivated states but there is also something so wonderful about cherishing the big and small aspects of our days. When I am in this more rested and slowed down state, I really am able to take in the beauty, gifts, love and abundance I am surrounded with. Another interesting aspect of having this time is that I am having some sort of love affair with my body. I don’t mean this in any weird way. What I mean is that I feel even more con-scious than ever how beautiful, amazing and powerful by body is. This is not about what it looks like on the outside but more about my body’s ability to function and do such amazing things like breathe, walk, run, kneel, heal, swim, create, and love. Simply stated, I am in awe of me from the inside out and not just me but ev-eryone!. So as strange as it may sound, I have also been taking this time to enjoy all that my body can do. I praise my body for all its physical

abilities, cherish my largest organ – my skin with long baths and yummy lotions and look to nur-ture my body with healthy foods and apologize to it when I forget to. What this innocent love affair with myself and my slowed down life has given is a greater sweetness. I feel so connected to myself, God and life that I can’t help myself but share this love with others. For example, my husband is getting phone calls just to tell him how hand-some I think he is, besides being the best spouse and father. Is it paradoxical that through loving our-selves that we are able to give more love out in the world? In a world that calls our self-care hurtful names such as selfish and lazy, you would think that to love ourselves is contradictory to loving others. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. Although society will not congratulate you on your success of loving yourself, you will.

For more information on Michelle or to take her quiz “Are You Surviving Life or Truly Living?”, please visit www.MichelleBersell.com.

by Michelle Bersell


Changing jobs may represent an exciting time in your career by providing new challenges and an op-portunity to enhance your skills and abilities. On the other hand, if you’re leaving a job due to a lay off, termination or move, it can be a stressful process. And the decision of what to do with your 401(k) plan can add to the stress. With the economic downturn, a startling 45 percent of individuals are cashing out their 401(k) plans when leaving their companies. It’s important to understand all of the choices you have and the impact of the decision you make.

• If your vested account balance is $5,000 or more, you can leave your money where it is, and taxes won’t be due until you withdraw money from the plan. If your vested account balance is under $5,000, you may be forced by your employer to take a distribution. One option is to roll your 401(k) account into an Individual Retirement Account. If you request a direct rollover -- mean-ing you have the money transferred directly into the IRA -- you won’t owe taxes until you withdraw money from the account. You can also receive the money

first and then roll it to an IRA. This is called an indirect rollover. You will have 60 days to deposit the funds in an IRA. Because the money was not rolled directly to the IRA, 20 percent will auto-matically be withheld. You will need to make that up when you send the money to the IRA admin-istrator.

• If you are going to work for a new company and will have a 401(k) plan there, you can roll your former company’s 401(k) money into your new employer’s plan. As with a rollover to an IRA, if you request a direct rollover, you won’t have to pay taxes until you withdraw money from the account.

• You can take a cash distribution for the full amount of your balance, but, of course, you’ll pay income tax on the money you receive. In addition, if you are under age 59 1/2, you may be

changing jobs? what to do with your 401(k) plan


subject to a 10 percent federal income tax pen-alty. And because you are receiving the money, 20 percent of your balance will be automatically withheld.

• You can leave some of the money in the plan and take the rest in cash or roll it to an IRA or new plan. Again, remember that any money taken in cash and not rolled over directly will be subject to the 20 percent withholding.

While taking some or all of the money in cash may seem appealing, it can result in taxes and pen-alties. It can also have a long-term effect on your retirement savings. To see how taxes and penalties may impact your personal situation, check out a distribution impact calculator. So which option is best? There’s no one right answer to this question. Leaving the assets in your former company’s plan or rolling the funds to an IRA both enable the money to remain tax-deferred. And if you elect the IRA option, you can access your assets at any time, plus you’ll likely have a wider array of investment choices. Rolling funds to an IRA can enable you to choose funding vehicles that offer downside protection for income purposes and guaranteed lifetime income. For instance, IRA assets may be invested in a vari-able annuity, which offers optional living benefits that, at an additional cost, provide a guarantee of lifetime retirement income with potential for income increases (but not decreases) based on market perfor-mance. If your job change occurs close to when you planned to retire, you may be concerned about maxi-mizing future income. If this is within five years of retirement, you are entering the most critical time of your investment life, a time Prudential calls “The Retirement Red Zone,” which encompasses the five year period before and after retirement. The decisions you make during this 10-year span may have a fundamental impact on how you spend the 20-plus years of life that follow. Courtesy of ARAcontent

Conversions to a Roth IRA are generally fully taxable. Before you convert to a Roth IRA, consider how your tax brack-et will affect the overall benefit of the rollover. Conversion income may push you into a higher tax bracket. It is, how-ever, possible to convert only part of your traditional IRA. This could enable you to remain in the same tax bracket you would be in without the conversion. It is generally advisable to pay the taxes on the conversion with funds other than those in your traditional IRA. If you are under age 59 1/2 when you do a conversion, any funds not de-posited in the Roth IRA will be subject to the 10 percent federal income tax penalty (unless an exception applies). Please consult your own independent advisor as to any tax, accounting or le-gal statements made within this article. This article is intended for educational purposes only.


making your dining decor pop for less As the economy took a downturn, dining out hasbeenreplacedwithinvitations tofriendsandfamilytodine in.While we’re looking for ways to cut spend-ing and savemoney, we still want to keep our decor--inthekitchenandonthedinnertable--fresh,mod-ern and fun for every day and the occasional soiree. There are several ways to wow party goersand stay within your budget. You can repurpose theplates you have or purchase a couple of inexpen-sivebutkeypieces like linensandsilkflowers tocre-ate an entirely different look. Before you do any-thing, however, take stock. This season’s diningdecorating trend may already be in your cupboards.

Urban e l egance Thisyear,lemongrassismakingthestatement.Incidentally,MichelleObamachosetowearthecolor

onherhusband’sinauguralday. Inanurban-inspireddecor,thischartreuse-likeshadeisthecolorthatgetsattentionandleavesalastingimpression.“Itsays‘optimism,vibrancyandcheerful-ness,’”saysEdWonder,directorofdesignforFiestaDinnerware,aniconicAmericanbrand.“Throughouthistory,whenourcountryisinturmoil,we’veoftenlookedtobrightcolorstoliftourspirits.” Consideraddingafewpiecesinthiscontemporarycolortoeachplacesetting,eitherasolidnapkinorbudvaseholdingasinglefreshorchid.Ifyoualreadyhavechocolate-orivory-coloredchina,mixinlemongrass-coloredservingplattersandbowls;thethree-waycolorcombosetsthestageforametropolitanmeal. Tomakeguestsgasp,goboldwiththecolorsoflemongrass,black,whiteandseveralshadesofpurple.

Beg in w i th th ree ea sy s teps .


Pat r i o t i c p l at i ng What better way to show your patriotism thanwith dinnerware in the colors of the flag? Chanc-es are, you already have a set of white or ivory ev-eryday dishes (the top colors on bridal registries),so you can easily add splashes of scarlet and co-balt without spending lots of your hard-earned cash. Asimpletablerunner,flatwareandafewlargevasesinallthreecolors,andyouareallsettocelebratethebless-ingsinlifeandsupportyourcountryanydayoftheyear.

A un i sex t ab l e top

Foraserious,sophisticateddinnersettingthatap-pealstoboth‘him’and‘her,’turntocolorsthatmimicmenswear.Choosedinnerwareinthefollowingcolorcombinations:black,evergreen,marigoldandwhite,orblack,chocolate,cobaltblueandivory. Considercoveringthetablewithaherringbone,houndstoothorplaidtablecloth.Thisdoesn’thavetobeadesignerlabel;buythefabricbytheyardatalocalartsandcraftsstore. Placestackedsettings--charger,dinnerplate,saladorfruitbowl--ontopofleatherplacemats.Usesolidnapkins,butinabrightaccentcolortosoftenthelookforfemaleguests.Tangerineworkswellwithchoco-lates,asdoesasunflowershade.

Bohemian bu t ch i c

Thebohemianlifestyleisallaboutcollectingpiecesovertime,mixingandmatchingsimilarwithdissimilaritems, and creating a feeling of overall freedom.Al-most anythinggoes.So, don’t rely on a standard ‘set’ofdishestoenhancethediningexperience.Thekeyistomixdifferentshapes--likerounddinnerplateswithsquare bowls -- as well as sizes, colors and patterns. Fiestarecentlyintroducedsquaredishestoitsnearly75-year-oldsignaturecirculardesign.Thelayeringeffectachievedwhen the two shapes are combined not onlyaddsdimension,butabitofplayfulness to thesetting. Most importantly, be unconventional with your

color and pattern choices. Mix brights with earthtones, likeFiesta’speacockand tangerinewithchoco-lateandevergreendinnerware.And, incorporatedeco-rated glassware, cups and saucers and dessert plates-- in any pattern, even paisley -- with solid pieces. The good news is you can achieve ‘bohemia’without breaking the bank. Purchase one or two new,but inexpensive, pieces that you can add to your ev-eryday dishes, like a set of square bowls to lay-er with round designs. Or add chargers in a shadethat acts as an accent to the current color scheme. Your best bet is to raid your grandma’sboxed up dishes in the basement or scout out bar-gains at local antique stores and garage sales. Whatever your design preference is for the sea-son, be it urban, bohemian, patriotic, or more mas-culine, you can be a trendsetter and achieve theselooks on a budget. Just combine a few new piec-es, dishes you already have, and a little creativity.

c o u rt e s y o f a r a c o n t e n t


Divas, this season is not just for giving, it is also the season to be FABULOUS! Now is a time where we are not only taking our fabulosity to new levels through all aspects of our lives, but we look fierce while doing so! As victorious women, our schedules are always packed to capacity with lunch appointments, PTA meetings, conferences and book launches that when we come up for air it’s the holiday season. And you ladies know as well as I do what comes along with the holidays, right? The incredible holiday parties! The best part of attending these wonderful parties is the fashion! This year’s holiday fashions have stepped onto the scene with a pop and bang! Now, I know that with the holidays just around the corner, time is running out to find that perfect party outfit. Don’t worry, I have got you covered from clothes, to shoes, accessories and beauty. There are many pieces this season that are very versatile and can be worn several different ways, that way you have variety as well as taking it easy on the pocketbook. Let’s take a look at this year's hot holiday fashions!

Sleeveless E lectricityTh i s d re s s i s e l e c t r i c ! The l eng th o f the d re s s shows o f f t he l eg and the s i l ve r sequ ined pump adds even l eng th to the l egs . Fo r pop , add an unexpec ted a cce s so ry l i ke th i s red l eopa rd c l u tch bag ! You w i l l be the t a l k o f the pa r ty !

Tis the Season to be Fabulous


Dressy OvercoatThe coat i s t he ve r s at i l e p i e ce because i t c an be e i the r worn a lone o r a c t a s a cove r -up . A l so , to add a pop and s a s s pu l l on a pa i r o f ho t p i n k g loves to round ou t you r ou t f i t !

T he Little Black Dress ( Re loaded )

Take you r LBD to the nex t l eve l by add ing the se co lo r fu l and bo ld a cce s so r i e s .

Tis the Season to be Fabulouss h a n a e d e l l


Ihave known CherylPullins for about 8years.WhenImether

shewasshyandintroverted.Shehadjoined the same churchmy husbandand I belonged to. Cheryl would sitinthesameseatweekafterweekandworedarkclothingwithahatpulled

down almost covering hereyes. She was

very softs p o k e n

a n d

gaveoff the

d i s t i n c timpressionthat

shedidnotwanttobebothered. Everyweekshecamejust

in time for service and she leftassoonasservicewasover.

Therewasnochitchattingorsmalltalk.Underallof that facade I real-ized that this personwashurting and justneeded to be free,butatthetimesodid

'Tis Your Season,

Iso,forthefirstprobably3yearsofknowingeachother,wewerejustacquaintances.Ineverknewtherewassucha powerhouse buried under all those layers of hurt andpain,old ladies’ clothinganddryunwelcomingglancesjustwaitingtobereleased. Yearslatermyfriend,isfreeandfulloflife.Vibrantand encouraging and mentoring women all around thecountryanddifferentpartsoftheworld.Whathappened?I’lltellyouwhathappened,shegotfree!!!Shefoundherpurposeandherdestinyandsteppedintoit.Thereisnodoubtthatthisisherseasonandhertimetoshine. IamhonoredthatthiswouldbemyfirstinterviewasEditorinChiefoflivemagazine,tobegiventheopportu-nitytointerviewoneofmyfavoritepeople,mycoach,mysister,myclosefriendforlife,Mrs.CherylPullins.

CP:FirstletmesaythatIamsohonoredthatyoucallmefriendandoneofyourfavoritepeople!WehaveseenanddonealotofthingstogetherandtoseeGodmoveinbothofourlivesissoawesomeandsuchatesta-ment to the power of confession. Lorrainewe arejustbeginningtolivethosethingsweconfessedoverourlivesyearsagointheheartofSouthPhiladelphia!Whoooaaa!!

Okletmegetmycomposureandgiveyouanin-terview(laughing).

Questions:lm:Youhavehadanawesomeyear!!!Somuchhasbeen

accomplished in such a short period of time.Whatwouldyousaytodayisyourmostpreciousachieve-ment?

CP:Aschallengingaquestionasthatmayseem,thean-swer is pretty easy. With everything that has beenaccomplishedinsuchashortperiodoftimemymostpreciousachievement isaverypersonalone. OvertenyearsagoIwentthroughaverydifficultdivorceattheendofwhichhadmychildrenstayingwiththeirfather.ThiswasthehardestdecisionIhaveeverhadtomake butwhatmost people never understood isthatImadethedecisiontoprotectthem.Butthatisastoryformybook.WhatismostprecioustomeisthatinspiteofeverythingtherelationshipIhavewithmydaughters,Valeryeand Julianna, is tremendous.They have seen theirmother dealwith and experi-encesomeincredibleodds.ButjustrecentlyaftertheVictoriousLivingforWomenlauncheventmyoldestdaughterValeryeandIspentsometimetogetherand

shetoldmethatshewasproudofme,therewasnoth-ingthatcouldmatchthatmoment.ItstillbringstearstomyeyeswhenIthinkabouthersayingthosewordstome.MyyoungestdaughterJuliis17andValeryeis22yearsoldandtohavehertellmethatsheisproudofmebecauseofwhatIhaveaccomplishedthusfar-nothingcompares.

lm:SinceyouhaveansweredyourcallofDestiny,youhave been on a fast track. Between the publishingcompany (Suber Pullins Publishing), themagazine,workandtheVictoriousLivingforWomen’smove-ment,nottomentionyouarestillanewlywed,howareyoubalancingandkeepingeverythinginitsprop-erposition?

CP:Itissofunnythatyouaskmethatquestion.Afewweeksagomyhusbandsaidtome“Idon’tknowhowyoudoitwiththemagazine,book,publishing,mom-my stuff andwife stuff.” I thought thiswasprettyfunnycomingfromhimandthatwasadirectquotefromanotehewroteme.SoIamgoingtoansweryouthesamewayIansweredhim.Idon’tdoit.Godhasgracedmewithmanythingsandinmanyways.IusehisWordandwisdomtoguideme.Icertainlydon’tdoeverythingrightbutmyheart’sdesireistoalwaysbewhoHehasdestinedmetobeasamother,awifeandawomanofpurpose.

Myrelationshipwithmyhusbandkeepsmebal-ancedbecauseweenjoyoneanotherandlikedoingfun things together. Each Friday is date night sothat alwaysgivesme something to look forward toattheendoftheweek.TypicallyduringtheweekIamworkingtwotothreeprojectsatonetimeinaddi-tiontoworkingafull-timejobsoIamalwayslook-ingforwardtodatenight.RecentlyIhavelearnedtoleavemycellphoneathomewhenwegooutfordatenight.Itismytimetogivemyhusbandmytotalandundividedattention.Thatreallydoeshelptokeepmebalancedbecauseformeitisawayformeto“check”myself toseewhether Iam truly taking the time togivetimetowhatisreallyimportantinlifeandthatisfamily.

lm:Withsomanytransitionsgoingonandsomanyop-portunitiespresentingthemselves,howareyouabletostayfocusedonwhatisyourassignmentandweedoutthosethingswhicharenot?

CP:Whew!Thereissomuchgoingonwithtransitions


andopportunitiesthatInowhavetowriteeverythingdownjusttomakesureIamnotlosingtrack.Ihaveanew fantasticExecutiveAssistantKimberly Jack-son of VisionaryAdministrators located in Dallas,TX.Kimberlykeepstrackofallinformationregard-ingtransitionsandopportunities.Weprayaboutthemandtalkaboutthemandwemovefromthere.Havingsomeonetobouncethoughts,ideasandopportunitiesoffofwhohasafullviewofyourvisionisveryhelp-fulanditcertainlyhelpstokeepmeonassignment.AsavisionaryIamlearningthatevery“goodidea”isnota“Godidea”andIamlearningtoberealsensitivetothat.Iamreallylearningwhatispurposeandwhatis distraction because if the enemy can distractmefrommypurposeandkeepmeoutofpositionthenhewillhavemadeasuccessfulattemptatkeepingoth-ers out of their purpose. I have learned that properpositioning is not just aboutyoubut it is about theothersthatareconnectedtoyouandwhosepurposeistiedtoyours.Thatisawholeotherconversationforanotherday.

lm:Canyousharewithourreadershowyoucameupwiththeconceptof livemagazineandyourexpectationsfortheyeartocome?

CPlivemagazinewasconceived5yearsagoonapieceofpaper.Ihadgonethroughaveryemotionallytrau-matictimeinmylifeforaboutsixyearsandGodwascompletingthehealingprocesswithinme.AtthetimeIwasworkingfull-timeataministryandwhilesittingintheofficeItookapieceofpaperandsketchedoutan organizational chart. I had “victorious living” atthetopofthepaperandoneofthethingsincludedinthechartwasamagazine.Ididn’thavethenameofthemagazineuntilthefallof2006.Iamnotsureifourreadersknowthat“live”isactuallyanacronymfor“liveinvictoryeveryday”.

Iamexpectingthatlivemagazinewillreachfurther,wideranddeepernotonlygeographicallybutintotheheartsofwomenaround theworld.That itwill be-comeavoicetowomenaroundtheworldthatnomat-terwhereyouareinlifeyoucancreateandlivealifeofvictory in everyarea.Women justhave toknowthatandembraceitbeforeitbecomesmanifestedintheirlives.Youwillnevergetthereifyoudon’tknowhowandlivemagazinehaspositioneditselftoshowwomen how. We do have plans to become a printmagazine,butitisallabouttiming.Wedon’twanttorushintothatbecauseitisveryexpensive.Rightnow

wewanttocontinuetocreatethedemand. HavingselectedanewEditor-in-Chiefwillbringnew

passionandvision to themagazinewhichwill alsohelp to push live even further. Iwant to publicallythankyouLorrainefortakingthehelmandbuildingyourproductionteamforlive.ThisisgoingtobeanincrediblejourneyandinthewordsofJamarSuber,ourpublisher,“let’smakehistory”!

lm:Youaremorethanwelcome!!!Itisindeedmypleasure!You just finished and released your first publishingproject.Whatwasthatlike?Whatchallengesdidyourunupagainstandhowdidyouovercomethem?

CPVictoriousLivingforWomenhasbeenanincrediblejourney. There are no words to adequately explainhowIfeelaboutmakingthataccomplishment.Work-ingwith40womenfrom18stateswasphenomenal.Those ladies did everything we asked them to do

withoutmurmurorcomplaint.Theyansweredthecalleverystepoftheway.Ourgreatestchallengewasintheeditingarea.Keepingtrackofthechaptersgoingin and coming out became a challenge, but for thenextprojectwehavealreadyputsomethinginplace


to answer that challenge which will streamline theprocessandkeepusontrack.Duetotheeditingchal-lengethatreallypushedourprintingdeadlinewhichputmeintoa“tizzy”.ThemorningoftheeventIhadnobooks!At6:00AMIwassittingatmycomputerholdingmyheadandmyhusbandaskedmewhatwasup. I toldhim.Hesaidall the rightwords to reas-suremeonewayor theother. Butmebeingaselfproclaimed “perfectionist” therewas noway Iwasacceptingthatwewerehavingabookeventwithnobooks!HowdidIovercomethatone?ItwasallGod.Thatmorning the authorshadaTV tapingand fol-lowingthetapingwewentintosomeseriousprayerwithPastorTrenaStephenson,hostofDaughtersofDistinction.Whenwecameoutofprayermyhusbandhadsentmeatextthattheybookshadarrived.

One of the biggest challenges we were up againstthroughout this entire project was the enemy him-self.Hetriedwitheverythinghehadtoshutthisbookdown.Between technical difficulty during our con-ferencecallstowhereeverhethoughthecouldcausehavoc,hetried.Buttheladiesonthisprojectshuthimdown at every turn.When everythingwas all overIwrotemypublishingpartnerandsaid,“hedidnotwin!”

lm:VictoriousLivingforWomenhastransformedfromabookintoaworldwidemovement?Talktousalittleabout thatandsharewithourreadersyourthoughtsforthefutureofVictoriousLivingforWomen.

CP Whileworkingwith the ladieson thebookprojecteachweekwecametogether itwasmoreandmoreevidentthatthis“comingtogether”wasaboutmuchmorethanabook.Itwasaboutpositioningthewom-enonthisprojecttobeavoicetocarrythemessageofvictorytothenations.EachtimeItalkedtosomeonetheywouldremarkabouthow“big”thiswas.Sowiththat I started askingGod “okGod, just how big isthis?”FromthereHestartedputtingthingsinplace.WewillbelaunchingVictoriousLivingforWomen:TheOrganizationin2010.Thiswill includeakick-offeventthentherewillbevirtualandliveseminars,webinars, teleseminars, etc.Wewill be using tech-nologytodelivermanyofoursessions.Wewanttoreach women around the world and want to makeVictoriousLiving forWomen an accessible and ef-fectiveorganization.Wearenotjustanotherwomen’sorganization,butweareanorganizationofpurposedesignedto teachwomento learn,embraceandap-

plyprinciplestolivevictoriousandpurposefullives.Oprahcannotbetheonlypersontellingwomenhowtolivetheirbestlives.Don’tgetmewrong,Oprahisgreat!Sheiseffectiveandgetsresults,buttherehastobewomenintheKingdomwhohaveagreaterlevelofeffectivenessandinfluenceonthelivesofwomenaroundtheworldforKingdomliving.

ThegerberadaisyhasbecomeoursymbolofvictoryandwiththatwewillbeintroducingthegerberadaisypinforwomenwhobecomemembersofVictoriousLivingforWomen,butthatissomethingthatwillbedowntheroad.

lm: I’veknownyouforyearsandtheonethingIhavealwaysadmiredaboutyouwasthatyouarewellread.Whatareyoureadingnowandwhy?

CP:InterestinglyenoughIamnotreadinganyonepar-ticularbookatthistime.IamjumpingaroundjustalittlebecauseIamdoingsome“purposefulreading”.ThebooksIammovingbetweenrightnowareSimonT.Bailey’sReleaseYourBrilliance.Itisanincredi-blebookabouttransformingandpositioningyourlifesothatyourgenius(yourbrilliance)isreleasedtotheworld.IamreadingthisbookbecauseIbelievethatweshouldalwaysremainteachable. TheprincipleswhichIapplytomylifearebiblicalinfoundationandpracticalinapplication.Theywork!AndsomeofthebooksIreadarebypeoplewhohavetriedandprovenprinciples of success.One of the other books is 21IrrefutableLaws ofLeadership by JohnC.Maxell.Thisbookishelpingmetounderstandmyroleasaleader.WiththetransitionabouttotakeplaceinmylifeImustbeaskilledandbalancedleaderandthisbookisjustoneofthemanytoolsthatisassistingmeasImakethistransition.

lm:Youhaveaknackforencouragingpeopleandmakingthemsmile?WhatmakesCherylsmile?

CP: Not tosoundalldeepandstuff (laughing)but thethingsthatmakemesmileareallaboutrelationships.There are somewonderful relationships that I havebeenblessedwith inmy life.Theprimaryonesarethe relationships I havewithmyhusband,mychil-drenandmymother.Thereisauniquenatureabouteachoftherelationshipsthatmakemesmile.Becauseeachofthemcamewithwork.EventherelationshipsIhavewithmysiblingshavebeenworkandthroughthatworkIhavegrowntolovethemeventhemore.


Nowifyouwanttoknowthenotsodeepstuffthatmakesmesmile.comedianJeffDunhamandPeanut!!Hilarious!Ilovecomedysothataddstotheexercis-ingofmysmilemuscles.

lm:Ialsoknowyoulovetoshop.Pleasetellmefortherecord-whoisyourfavoritedesigner?Whereisyourfavoriteplace to shop?What isyourmusthaveac-cessory?

CPIfIhadtosayIhaveafavoritedesignerthatwouldbetoughbecausethereareanumberofdesignersthatI likeandsomeof themarebycategory.Youknowshoe designer, clothing designer that type of thing.ForshoesIreallyloveChristianLouboutin.MariahCareywearsthemalotandIhaven’tseenapairofMariahCareyshoesthatIdon’tlike.Butforapracti-calshoeStuartWeitzman’saregreat.Theyhavestyle,wellmadeandare reasonablypriced foradesignershoe.AnyonewhoreallyknowsmeknowthatIloveSt.Johnclothing.Itiscomfortableandhasaclassicstylethatnevergoesoutandittravelswell.Youcanputitinasuitcase,takeitout,shakeitoutandwearitoutthedoor!Ihonestlywouldlovetoseelivemag-azine do an interviewwithMarieGray, co-founderofSt. John. This linewas startedwithadress thatwashandknittedbyMarieGray.Anyway.Iamoffthetrack. Ihavea fewfavoriteplaces to shop. Nord-stroms,Chicos,TalbotsandAnnTayloraresomeofmyfavoritestores,butIwilldoebayinaminute!

CherylPullinsisthefounderandExecutiveEditor

of live magazine. Please feel free to visit Cheryl’swebsitewwww.cherlypullins.com


When two people touch and agree onanything,itisanaccomplishmentinandofitself.In Christianity, when two believers touchandagree,itmarksthebeginningofin-numerable blessings and enlighten-ment that only the Most High canbestow.Thatsaid,whatcouldpossi-blyhappenwhen40women,ofdif-ferentages,fromdifferentstatesandvarious backgrounds, converge on acommonplacewithacommoncause,to touch and agree? Simple.Theywriteaboutit.

Imagine 40 Christian women celebrating trials,tribulations, and triumphs in a small but stylishvenueall in theveinof livingvictoriously.Eventhe holiest sister would have her reservations inthenatural.Weallknowthat in the natural, twowomen in the sameroom, Christian or oth-erwise, can be at times

problematic. So one couldeasilyassumethatevenwith40 holy, Christ-claiming,tongue talking, exhorting,ministering, life givers, anoccasional size up, sidebar,orsideeyewouldoccur.Butwhen God orchestrates the

comingtogetherofHisdaughterswithacommoncalltoexpose,inform,teach,encourage,andmin-

ister to their sisterswhoare lost, in transi-tion,orsimply inneedofanotherway,aninstancesuchasthiswouldhavetobetheresultofDivineOrder.

Jamar Suber and Cheryl Pullins ofSuberPullinsPublishing,alongwith40 female authors from around thecountry,cametogethertocommemo-

ratethepre-launchcelebrationforVic-toriousLivingforWomen:LivingaLifeof

Victory(SuberPullins,2009).Theirmerepresencewas simply victory defined. Why? The answerlied in those 40womenwhomade a pilgrimagetoBaltimore toconsummate thecompletionof adivineassignment.Thisdiversegroupofwriters,businesswomen, and ministers encompasses theeveryday Christian woman: constantly seekingGod,continuouspraiseinhermouth,testimonyatherlips,andeverreadytoenlightenandhelpalongfellowwomenintheirownvictoriousjourney.Thebookprovidesa“tasteoftestimony”bywhatthesewomen,haveencountered,endured,emancipated

Forty WomenByMariaRoberts


from: low self-esteem, abuse, loneliness, lack ofdirection,andsimplelossoffaith.

Each author represented every shape, size, andstyle, making the event even brighter with theirsmiles and exuberance.Markedinunisonofallblack attire and fash-ionably pinned flowersto symbolize family,sisterhood, and com-mitment, these womenwere genuinely happytoseeeachother.Com-pliments and praiseflowed like living wa-ters. One would thinkthat theywerewitness-ing old friends reunit-ing,notrealizingthatmany,ifnotallofthemweremeetingface-to-facefortheveryfirsttime.

Theeveningstartedwith liveMagazine’sEditor-in-ChiefandVictoriousLivingcontributingauthor,LorraineWilliams,leadingthegroupinprayerandpositive affirmations, again confirming the dailymantrasthathaveledeachofthesewomentothismoment. “I amaVictoriousWoman!” “With Je-sus,Iamafraidofnooneandnothing!”“IamnotmovedbywhatIsee!”

Suber and Pullins addressed the authors with awelcome speech and congratulatory praise for ajobwelldone. Highlights included theevent re-ceivinganofficial certificateof recognition fromMayorSheilaDixonandtheCityofBaltimore,and

Victorious Living con-tributing authors read-ingcompellingexcerptstoaroomfulloffamily,friends, and well wish-es.All inall fellowshipwas thekeycomponentas supporterswere ableto meet their new fa-vorite authors up close

and personal.An incred-ible eveningto honor ani n c r e d i b l ebook.

ThebookisslatedforofficialreleaseonNovember24,2009

This writer would be remiss if she didn’t thankthose40women.Onebyone.Namebyname.Not

one size up, sidebar, orside eye. You provedHisPowerinsimplecel-ebration.Justfellowshipandfuninfaith.Ineachofyouliesmywomanatthewell:

Althea Marscene Wil-liams,AngelaL.Brown,Brenda Dennis, CarollPollard, Cherri Watson,CherylLaceyDonovan,


ChristinePembleton,DeanaMurphy,DebbieMa-gee, Deborah Billingsley, Donna M. Saunders,Eleanor PatMiller, Gail Dudley, Jacquie Lewis-Kemp,JewellR.Powell,JoanGosier,JoannSmith,DeniseStewart, JoyTurner, JoyceEllisMcNeal,KathleenMoon,KatrinaNorfleet,KimberlyJack-son,L.DeniseSimpson,LaWannaHarrod,LeaM.Lucas,LetitiaLiggins,LorraineWilliams,Lucre-tiaDaniel,MarthaE.Lake,MelissaHoffman,Mi-cheleMills,PauletteHarper,RhondaWhite,Ties-haM.Johnson,TiffanyEasley,TinaJonesGwynn,TresmaineGrimes,Ph.D.,andValarieDenise.

For more information about Victorious Living for Women, log on to www.suberpullinspublishing.com


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Withitsinteriorveiledinmajesticsplendor,theBurjAlArabhotelis considered the world's only 7-star resort which has attractedinternationalattentionasoneof themostphotographedstructuresin theworld. The hotel's impressive structure, designed byTomWrighttoresembleabillowingsail,hasbecomeaniconicsymbolofDubaiwith its dominating presence in theDubai skyline.Thehotel is illuminated at night by uniquely choreographed lightingrepresentingwaterandfire.BurjAlArabisanallsuitehotelboastingeight restaurants, including the Al Mahara where you will dinewhileinviewofoneofthemostbeautifulaquariumsinDubai,theworld'stallestatrium,abundantinwarm,naturallightandflankedbygoldencolumns,withabeautifulcentralfountainwherearchesofwaterdanceandsuddenlyburstintotheair.

BurjAlArabboastsoneoftheworld'slargestfleetsofRollsRoyce's(includingParkWards,SilverSeraphsandPhantoms)allofwhichare available for guest transfers to the airport or around Dubai.Exclusive helicopter transfers to and from Dubai InternationalAirport can be arranged, as well as scenic tours of the city andman-madeislands.The"MarhabaWelcome"istheepitomeoftrueArabianhospitality:guestsarrivingatBurjAlArabarewelcomedwith rose water, refreshing cold towels, dates, Bakhoor andauthentic Arabic coffee. WithyourchaufferdrivenRollsRoyce,your choice from a selection of202suites,privatereceptiondeskon every floor and a brigade ofhighlytrainedbutlers,youcanbeassuredoftheultimateinpersonalservicethroughoutyourstay.

CHRISTMAS DREAM LISTTRAVEL

AUTO2010 ranGe roVerPriceRange:$79,275-$94,275

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World Vision International

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St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Thanks and Giving Campaign

www.stjude.org

Charity Choice Give the gift of charity

You are the donor and the recipient

chooses the charity

www.charitygiftcertificates.org

Holiday Mail for Heroes

American Red Cross

www.redcross.org

Th

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connecTionS via Social neTworking

SocialNetworking(SN)istheeasiest,fastestandmostfunwaytoconnectwithfamilyandfriendsacrossthemiles.Theterm“SocialNetworking”referstotheprocessofsocializingviaanyoftheonlinecommunitiesincludingsomeyou’veprobablyheardofincludingTwitter,Facebook,andLinkedIn.TheseareallSocialNetworking(SN)sites. Ifusedwithdiscretion,SNisgreat!However,itcanbeextremelyaddicting.ATechCrunchreportrevealedthattheaverageFacebookuserspendsoverthreehoursonthesitepervisit.Problemsarisewhenonlinetimereplacesface-to-faceinteractionwithfamilyandfriends.

Social neTworking BenefiTS

TherearetoomanygreatthingsaboutSocialNetworkingtoincludeinthisarticle,butoneofmyfavoritesisreconnectingwithpeopleIthoughtIwouldneverseeorhearfromagainuntilheaven.IhaveliterallycriedasformerSundaySchoolteachersandschoolfriendshaveshownuponmypage!

Ma

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SNmakesiteasytostayintouchwithalargegroupoffriendsandfamilymembersinamatterofafewminutespercommuniqué.Itissuchadelighttogetinonsomeofthedaily“tidbits”andtoseerecentphotosfromlong-distancelovedones.SNisidealforthis. MostoftheSNsitesincludeamicrobloggingfeaturewhichallowsusers140characterstoanswerthequestion:“Whatareyoudoingrightnow?”Thisoptionenablesyoutocommunicateacrossthemilesinamoment:Youcansendyourlove,requestprayersupportandfeelconnectedtodozensorevenhundredsofpeoplewithjustafewkeystrokes.

Social neTworking cauTionS

SpendingtoomuchtimeonlineisthemostobviousSNtrap,butfrommyperspective,thebiggestcautionisthatSNerodesourvaluationofface-to-facerelationships.Forexample,ifsomeonebugsyouwhilesocialnetworking,youcansimply“block”theperson.Ifyouexperiencethesamefrustrationatworkorathome,youhavetodealwithitintheold-fashionedway.SNmakesinpersonrelationshipsseemwaytoohard. Anotherconcernrelatestomiscommunication.WhileSNallowsyoutobeunbelievablyhonest,italsosetsyouuptobedeceived--notonlybecauseyoucanignorebydeleinganythingunpleasant,butalsobecausewrittenwordsarenotasclearaswordswithvisualcues. Forexample,severalweeksagoIawoketoanextremelybusydaywithamid-afternoonwritingdeadline.IwassopressedfortimethatIbeganworkingthemomentIgotoutofbedinthemorningandInevertookabreaktoshower,putonmake-up,getonmyregularclothesoreveneat.Uponmeetingthedeadline,Ibreathedasighofrelief,postedanoteonmySNsitesaboutfinallygettingtotakeashowerandgetoutofmypj’sforthefirsttimeallday,andloggedofffortheday.

ThenexttimeIviewedmyprofile,IwasamusedtoseethateveryonewhohadrepliedtomyposthadincorrectlyjumpedtotheconclusionthatIhadspendtheentiredaylounginginmypjs.Itwashilarioustocontemplatethehugedifferencebetweentheirglamorousrenditionofmytaxingreality.

Thingsarenotalwaysastheyappear!

Sn ShorTcuTS

IfyouwouldliketoexperimentwithSN,butjustdon’thavetime,hereishowIgetlotsofmileageoutofminimaltimeinput:

1.Limityourmemberships.Thereareover60sitesoutthere:Registeronlywiththosefromwhomyouarereceivinginvitationsviaemail.

2.Settightparameters.Determinewhatyouwillandwillnotdo.Forexample,alotofpeopleenjoydoingallofthefollowingthingswhichIsimplyneverdo:Ineverjoingroups,listsorcauses,takequizzes,playgamesoropenthecountlesscutegiftsIreceiveeveryday.Idointeract,replytoemails,andvisitotherpeople’spages,butIdon’tdoeverything.

3.Decidewhoyouwillbefriend.Iapproveonlythosea)whohavepostedaprofilephoto;b)withwhomyouhaveatleastonefriendorconnectionincommon;andc)whohavewholesomecontentontheirvisibleprofilepage.

4.Createafreeaccountwithanduseping.fm.ThiswillallowyoutotypeyourmessageonceandhaveitposttoallofyourSNmembershipsitessimultaneously.

5.UseaURLshorteningservice.Youonlyget140charactersandsomewebsiteaddressesarenearlythatlong.Iusecli.gs.

6.Limityourlog-ons.IvisitFacebooknearlyeveryday,TwitterandLinkedIneveryfewdaysandtherestofmySNsitesafewtimesamonth.


Marnie’s Personal Guidelines

f o r s u c c e s s u s i n g sn AsApublicfigurewiththousAndsofsn

connections

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thinkofthesetimesAs“entertAinment”

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wAtchingAmovieorreAdingAbook.

sociAlnetworkingisheretostAy

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timeuntilyougetinvolved.byusingthe

guidelinesAndshortcutsAbove,youwill

beAbletopumpyourownlong-distAnce

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inAmAtterofAfewminutesperdAy.

Marnie Swedberg iS the Online MentOr tO

Over 16,000 wOMen, wOMen'S MiniStry

leaderS and SpeakerS frOM all Six

cOntinentS.

The Road to Living Healthier w i t h C o a c h C o l l i n s

Today’s Workplace: How Your Health May Affect Your Job

T oday’s employers are doing everything theycantohelptheiremployeesmakehealthierlife-stylechoicesthroughvariousdiseasemanage-

mentandwellnessprograms.Ontheonehand,theyaretakingheedtowhatresearchcontinuestoreveal.Thatis,byhelpingemployeesadoptahealthierlifestyle,organi-zationsbenefitbiginareasrelatedtoproductivity,prof-its,andhealthcosts.On theotherhand, though,com-paniesareimplementingorrevisingpoliciestoaddressemployeeswho suffer seriousmedical conditions andwhoareunabletoreturntoworkafteradefinedperiodoftime. Coach Collins, a renowned fitness consultant, of-fers her observations and insights surrounding an em-ployer’s point of view. An excerpt of a dialogue between Coach Collins and a group of co-workers will help you relate to and understand your responsibility to implement and maintain healthier lifestyle habits. “Coach, I’mtrying to get myco-workers moti-vatedaboutimple-menting healthierlifestyle habits,”Oliviastressed.Anaccountantforalocalgovernmentalagency,Oliviawantedherco-workers toexplore theiroptionsforandfocustheirattentiononeatinghealthierandexercising.Aftersharinghowsmalllifestylechang-eshadimprovedherbloodpressureandbloodcholes-terollevelsshetookamomenttointroduceherco-work-

erstoCoachCollins:Valerie,thepurchasingspecialist;Maya, a program manager; Carol, a courts manager;andMonica,anattorney.“YoudidsuchanoutstandingjobsharingsomeinsightfulfactsaboutlivinghealthieratmysororitymeetinglastmonththatIwantedyoutocomeanddothesameformyco-workers.” “Thank you. I’m happy to be here today,” CoachCollinsacknowledged. “Linda,oneofourco-workersintheITdepartmentwas terminated last week. All throughout her tenurewith thecompanyshewaspraisedforheroutstandingworkandwasconsideredoneoftheorganization’smostvaluableemployees,”Oliviastated. Interrupting abruptly, Carol said, “Linda has hadmultiple bouts with cancer over the past three years:

breast, lung andbraincancer.”Car-ol was noticeablyhaving a difficulttime contain-ing her emotions.“During her ini-tial illness (breastcancer) in 2006and her lung can-cer in 2007, ourorganization pro-videdthefederallymandated twelveweeks of family

andmedicalleave.Basedonourleavepolicy,shewasalsoprovidedanadditionalninetydaysofmedicalleavebeyondthefamilyandmedicalleave.In2008,shewasdiagnosedwithbraincancer.AfterLindawasunabletoreturntoworkaftersheexhaustedallofherfamilyandmedicalleave,shewasterminated.Now,she’sonCO-


BRAhavingtopayover$600amonthforhermedicalinsurance.ShewillnotbeabletocontinuetheCOBRApaymentsmuchlongerandshe’sstillundergoingtreat-ments.” “Linda’sstoryisasadandanunfortunatesituation.But,itcouldhappentoanyoneofus,”Monicasaid,vis-iblyworried.“Iknowitsoundslikeabelatedhonesty,butIknowmylackofphysicalactivityandmydevotiontomymochamadnessicecream,two-piecefriedchick-endinners,friedcalamari,cheeseraviloli,andblueberrymuffinsare all going to causeme to experience somehealthconcernssoonerratherthanlater.Asingleparentoftwo,andageforty-four,Ican’taffordtoenduplikeLinda.” “The impact of poor health on the workplace hasbecome amajor concern in organizations.That’swhywe’reseeingmoreandmorecompanysponsoredwell-nessprograms,”CoachCollinsstated.“Employeeswhoarenotpracticinghealthylifestylehabitsandwhofailtomeetthecompanyhalfwaybytakingadvantageofitsprogramsmayberiskingtheirjobs.AndIdon’tmeantoimplythatLinda’ssituationwastheresultofunhealthylifestyle habits.We’re all predisposed for disease andillness.Insomecases,evenwhenwe’redoingtherightthings,weendupfacingamajorillness.” “Atourcompany,employeeswhoareroutinelysick,absent fromwork,or areunable toperform their jobsatfullcapacitywhileatworkarefindingthemselvesinsomeprecarioussituations.Overthepastyear,I’veno-ticedhowourhumanresourcesdepartmenthasrevisedpoliciesthatprovidethemwithterminationoptionsoncethe family andmedical leave obligation has been ful-filled,”Oliviacommented. “Lindawasemployedwithourcompanyforoverfif-teenyears.ShewasakeyfactorinimplementingourITdepartment;tooktheagencytothenextlevelintechnol-ogysystems,”Valeriestated. “Employeesareconsideredthebackboneofthecom-pany.Whenanemployeeisunabletowork,thecompa-ny’sabilitytodeliverqualityprograms,servicesand/orproductstoitscustomersisimpacted.Asaconsequence,thecompany’sgrantfundingorprofitscanbeatstake,”CoachCollinsstressed.“Yourjobsrequireyoutobeatworkeverydayandtooperateatpeaklevelsofmental

capacity.Medicalconditionslikediabetes,arthritis,hy-pertension,cancer,asthma,insomnia,obesitycanaffectyourabilitytobeatworkeverydayorseverelyreduceyour effectivenesswhile atwork dependinghowwellyoumanageyourcondition.” “That’s why I’m ready to make some changes,”Monicaannounced.“Iknowthere’sanincreasedchanceI’llbeinasimilarsituationlikeLindaifIdon’tmakesomechanges.” “I’ve recently been diagnosedwith Lupus,”Mayaacknowledged. “I’ve learned that eating healthierwillbeparamounttothemanagementofmycondition.” “Absolutely,”CoachCollinsstated. “Mycousinhadastrokeseveralmonthsago,”Mon-ica interjected. “Because she was unable to return toworkafterher familyandmedical ended shewas ter-minated.Unfortunatelyhercompanydidn’thaveshort-termdisabilityandnowshe’swaitingforherlong-termdisabilitytostart.Meanwhile,thebillcollectorsarecall-ing.Themedicalbillsarepilingup…” “It’stimepeoplestarttoseriouslyconsiderhowjobsareimpactedbyunhealthyhabits.Imustmentionthatitmaynotevenbetheemployeewiththemedicalcondi-tion,butaspouse,child,orparent instead. Thepointisthatunhealthyhabits,regardlessofwhethertheyareyoursorothersyou’reobligatedtocanaffectyourabil-itytobeatworkeverydayorseverelyreduceyouref-fectivenesswhileatwork.Today,I’mgoingtofocusourattentiononsomethingsthatwillhelpyouseeexerciseand food differently. Then, it’smy desire that you’llfocusyourthoughtsonsomeareasthatmayneedatten-tion.”

Recommended Reading:

• Fitness coach Bridgette Collins is the author of Destined to Live Healthier and Imagine Living Healthier. For general health and fitness questions, please feel free to visit www.BridgetteCollins.com or email Coach Collins at

[email protected].


HighCholesterol,diabetes,migrainehead-aches,pain,allergies,depressionandhighbloodpressurearealltermseveryonehas

eitherheardoforhasexperiencedatleastonce.Themostfrequentlydiscussedhealthconditionaforementionedishighbloodpressure,whichisalsocalledHypertension. MedicineNet.comdefineshypertensionasarepeatedlyelevatedbloodpressureexceeding140over90mmHg-asystolicpressureabove140withadiastolicpressureabove90.Basicallyhyperten-sion,iswhenone’sbloodpressureremainstoohighfortoolong.Nowwhenonegetsabloodpressurereading,twonumbersarestated.Thefirstnumberiscalledsystolicpressure,whichrepresentswhentheheartcontracts.Thesecondnumberiscalleddiastolicpressure,whichrepresentswhentheheartrestsbetweenbeats. Normalbloodpressureshouldreadasystolicbloodpressureoflessthat120mmHgandadia-stolicbloodpressureoflessthan80mmHg,asstatedbytheCenterforDiseaseControl.Pre-hypertensiongivesasystolicbloodpressureof120-139mmHgoradiastolicbloodpressureof80-89mmHg.Soessentially,personswiththisreadingareatatriskforbecominghypertensiveandneedtomakethenecessaryadjustments. Asweallknow,bodilychangesarearesultofchangesinourlifestyles.Stressisthenumberoneresponsemostpatientsusuallytelltheirdoc-torshowtheyevengothighbloodpressure.Stressaffectsusinvariousways.Butthatisnottheissue.TheissuethatIampresentinghereisnotjusthighbloodpressure,butthefactthatbelieversallaroundtheworldareincreasinglybecomingvic-timstothis“silentkiller”calledhighbloodpres-sure.Iamheretoinformyouthatforeveryadversecircumstancethatwefaceorwilleverfaceinlife,

therewassomeonewhotookawaythepressureforus-JesusChrist.Unexpectedsituationshaveatendencyofaddingalevelofpressuretoourlives,butthebloodofJesusChristwasshedtocoverandprotectus.GodwantsustocastourcaresuponHim.1Peter5:7(Am-plifed)states“Castingthewholeofyourcare(allyouranxieties,allyourworries,allyourconcerns,onceandforall)onHim,forHecaresforyouaffectionatelyandcaresaboutyouwatchfully.” Thethingsthatareofma-jorconcernsforusaswomenareusuallyourfamilies,finances,relationships,spouses,career,ministryandyes,ourhealth.Thepressureincreaseswhenwedonothavetheabilitytotakecareofthemall,everythingstartstofalloutofbalanceandchaosiscreated.ThewordofGodtellsusthatwecandoallthingsthroughChristwhostrengthensus,butitistheHolySpiritwhowemustrelyontodothesethingsinus. Highbloodpressurecanleaduptoseriouscondi-tionssuchasaangina(chestpain),heartandrenalfailure,stroke,visionimpairmentandthelistgoeson.Ofcourse,inordertocorrectproblemsinyourlife,youmustfirstrecognizethatyouhaveaproblemandgetsomeassistance.Ifyouhaverecentlybecomea

MEDICAL MOMENTS with Lorneka

High blood Pressure vs Christ’s blood per Pressure


hypertensivepatientorissufferingfromfactorsthatcanleadtohighbloodpressure,it’stimetotakeyourlifebackspiritually,mentally,emotionallyandphysi-cally! Usuallypeoplelookforsymptomstoletthemknowwhethertheyhaveaconditionornot.Buthighbloodpressureiscalledthe“silentkiller”becauseyoumaynotknowifyouhaveit.SoIcannotstresshowimportantitisforuswomentovisitourmedi-caldoctor.Whatyoudon’tknowcankillyouandwedon’twanttosufferfromprematuredeath. Therearewaysyoucancontrolyourbloodpres-sure.ThefirstthingweaswomenneedtodoisaskGodtoshowushowtoplacethepressuresthathas

beenincreas-ingourbloodpressureonHim.Then,consciouslymakeadeci-sionthatyouwanttochangeyourhabitsandnolongerbeahypertensivepatient.Ourbodiescanonlydowhatourbrainstellittodo.Buthighbloodpressurereducesthebloodflowgo-ingtoandaway

fromtheheartcausingtheothersystemsinourbodytoworkmuchharder.Hereisyourprescriptiononwaysthatcanhelpyougetyourbloodpressurebacktonormalagainorifyou’renotthereyet,preventa-tivemethodstoavoidgettinghighbloodpressure.

1. Seek medical attention. This is important because if your blood pressure is way above normal, you may need prescribed medication to help you temporarily.

2. If you’re taking medications, please take them as prescribed for effective use.

3. Know your BMI (body mass index) and work towards controlling your weight. Losing weight helps lower your blood pressure.

4. Invest in a blood pressure machine for you and the entire family.

5. Physical activity must become a part of your daily living.

6. Eat more fruits and vegetables throughout the day.

7. Avoid foods with too much salt and try to cook with little or no salt as possible. Cooking with garlic helps your pressure as well.

It is recommended that before anyone trys natural remedies, consult your physician first so as to avoid drug and supplemental interaction.

8. Get sufficient rest for rejuvenation.

9. Drink lots of water.

10. Claim your healing and confess out of your mouth that your blood pressure can get back to normal. The purpose of Christ shedding His blood on the cross for us was so that we can experience victory and not

take on the pressures of life on our own.

Sotoday,Ihopethatyouhaveorwillmakeadecisiontotakeyourhealthback. Foodforthought-YoucandecidetoeithertakelifeintoyourownhandsoryoucanplaceALLyourcaresonGodandknowthatChrist’sbloodisgreaterthanhighbloodpressure.


At the timeof thiswriting,ads forVolvo’sall-new2010XC60areinheavyrotation.“It’sthecarthatstopsitself!”Volvosays.They’renotkidding—thankstoitsnewCitySafetysystem,that’spreciselywhattheXC60willdoifitsensesanimminentlow-speedcollision.Noadvertisinglibertiestakenhere.Nowifwecouldgetacarthat also stops litter-box odors, eliminates shower soapscumandgetstheIRSoffourbacksforthosetaxesweswearwepaidin2006,we’dreallyhavesomethingrevo-lutionary. Alas, the2010VolvoXC60is justafive-passengersmall luxury crossover SUV. Like cute little bunnies,these vehicles are multiplying, starting with theAcuraRDXandBMWX3a fewyears ago andnowexpand-ingwithanew2010litter,includingtheXC60,theAudiQ5andtheMercedes-BenzGLK-Class.It’sAnimalPlan-etrightinyourdriveway.ThisVolvomightseemlikea“me-too!”vehicle,butafterspendingsomequalitytimewiththeXC60,wecameawayimpressed.ItseemsthosesnowboundSwedesmight knowa thing about building

smallSUVsafterall.Whattookthemsolong? Fortesting,wegotourhandsonanall-wheel-drive2010VolvoXC60T6—it’stheonlytrimconfigurationinitially available. The T6 comes respectably equippedrightoutofthebox,butits$38,025baseprice(withdes-tination) is not insignificant, especially when you con-sider that theGLK-Classstartsat$34,775.Comparablyequipped,though,vehiclesliketheGLKandAudiQ5arepriced similarly to theXC60.Downsides?TheXC60’sridequalityisdisappointing,anditsfueleconomyisnearthe back of the pack.But it’s still a smart-looking andsharp-handling premium crossover that can stop itself,and thesevirtues shouldhelp theXC60standout inanever-expandingsegment.

Performance

PackedundertheXC60T6’shoodisaturbocharged3.0-liter inline-6 engine that huffs up a substantial 281horsepowerand295pound-feetoftorque.Impressively,thattorquepeakstartsatalow1,500rpmandlastsuntil

The Car That Stops Itself


4,800 rpm. Mash the throttlefroma stop and theXC60 re-sponds with quick and linearacceleration. Power is sentto all four wheels through asmooth-shifting six-speed au-tomatictransmission.

Comfort

On smooth highways,you’llbeabletoconversewithyourpassengers(oryourself,ifthat’syourthing)withease,astheVolvoeffectivelykeepsoutmostwindandroadnoise.Onimperfectsurfaces,theconver-sationwill continue, thanks toaridethat’sclearlybeentunedfor American-style comfort.Competitors like the Q5 andGLK ride more firmly overroughpavement. There will be little tocomplainaboutwhenitcomesto seat comfort. Though theeight-way power front seatsaren’t as comfortable as thosein some otherVolvo vehicles,they still provide sufficientsupport and cushioning forlong drives. Rear passengers

willenjoythe2010VolvoXC60’sampleheadroomanddecentlegroom.Eventwotalladultsshouldbecomfort-able inback formedium-lengthdrives thanks to theel-evated and nicely angled seat cushion.Adding a thirdrearpassengerwilltightenupthingsconsiderably,thoughthat’stypicallythecaseforsmallerSUVslikethis.

Function The XC60’s “floating” center stack panel featuresVolvo’suniquehuman-shapedairflowpictogram,whichworksextraordinarilywell—justpressthepartorpartsofthebodythatneedairandadjusttherotaryfan-speedknobasdesired.Theaudiocontrolsaregenerallyfine,buta fewbuttons arehard todistinguish from the adjacentBluetoothkeypad,andthemonochromaticdash-topdis-playscreentakessomegettingusedto.Ourtestcaralsohadtheoptionalnavigationsystem,whichcomesbundledin the $2,700 Technology package. Unfortunately, theSwedes’ idea of good navigation technology seems tohavegotten lost in translation.The system lacks touch-screenfunctionalityanddoesn’tevenhaveanybuttonsonthecenterstack—itcanonlybeoperatedthrougheitherahiddencontrollermountedonthebackofthesteering

wheel(forthedriver)orahand-heldremote(forpassen-gers).It’sjustnotveryuser-friendly.Weliketheideaofnothavingtofiddlewithtoomanybuttons,butVolvo’sexecutionofthisconceptleavesmuchtobedesired. Youmightendupusingamap,whichyoucouldstoreinoneof theXC60’s average-sized storagebins.Therearealsotwodecent-sizefrontcupholdersthatresidebe-neathaslidingcover,aswellasabottleholder ineachfrontandreardoorpocket.Takingonlargeritemscanbeeasilyaccomplishedby foldingdown the40/20/40-splitrearseat,whichprovidesabitmorecargo-haulingflexi-bilitythanthetypical60/40-splitsetup.Withtherearseat-backcompletelyfolded,thereare67cubicfeetofcargospaceavailable,whichisoneofthebiggestcapacitiesinthesegment. Ofcourse,we’dberemiss ifwedidn’tmentionthe2010VolvoXC60’sstandardCitySafetyfeature,whichmonitors the traffic ahead via laser technology and au-tomaticallyappliesthebrakesifacollisionisimminent.VolvoclaimsthatCitySafetycanentirelyavoidaccidentsatspeedsunder9mphandsubstantiallylessendamageatspeedsbetween10and18mph.Totestit,weputsomelargebarrierconesinharm’swayanddroveourXC60atthematabout17mphwithouttouchingthebrakepedal.TheXC60performedbetterthanadvertised,activatingitsbrakesandcomingtoacompletestopwithinacouplefeetofthecones.Note,however,thatVolvosaysCitySafetyisonlymeanttodetectvehicles,notpedestrians.

Design/Fit and Finish

Tooureyes,thisisthebest-lookingfour-doorVolvoinquiteawhile.Thebrand’sdistinctivedesignelements,including the trapezoidal grille and broad-shoulderedsides,arestillthere,buttheoveralllookismoremodernandsleekthanks to theupsweptbeltline,projector-styleheadlampsandcurvingtaillights. The 2010 Volvo XC60’s interior is also attractive,withasleekdashboarddesignandVolvo’strademarksus-pended center-stack panel. It’s unfortunate that our testvehiclewasn’tfittedwiththeoptionalwoodpanelingforthe center stack or the no-cost two-tone seats— com-bined, theymake theXC60’s interior lookwarmer andmoredistinctive than thoseofothersmall luxurycross-overs.Materialsqualityisalsorespectable:Someoftheplasticsandpaddingusedonthedoorsarealittledisap-pointing,butoverallthecabinlooksandfeelsappropri-atelyupscale.Ourtestvehiclewassolidlybuilt,withnosignificantbuildqualityissues.WhoShouldConsiderThisVehicle Small-luxury-crossoverSUVshoppers smittenwiththe XC60’s innovative City Safety system, distinctivestylingand impressivecombinationofperformanceandpracticality.

Source: edmonds.com


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live magazine 2009

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