the world of gospel
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Christian MagazineTRANSCRIPT
Your Christian Information Source Issue 5 April 2009
Her battle and
Her belief
The long road to recovery Demetri Mendoza’s story of resurrection
Plus: Business of the month Teen Talk Music Review Money Matters Message of the Month: This month by Pastor : Julie Wells
T he World of Gospel is a
non-denominational Christian Magazine that
features monthly articles
written by local professionals that
affect every aspect of your life. (i.e. “Health Corner, Money Matters,
Monthly Message, Business of the
Month, Student of the Month, Modern Day Miracles, and much,
much more). The publication is
printed 11 times a year and distrib-
uted free of charge throughout the River Valley at various locations.
The World of Gospel is dedicated
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Promoting and or advertising your business, church, civic group
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Since The World of Gospel will
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Church locations
Please phone ahead before picking up magazines
Butterfield Assembly - Van Buren
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Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church – Fort Smith
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Christian Schools
Union Christian Academy - Secondary/4201 Windsor Drive Elementary/3300 Briar Cliff Drive
Academy Sports & Outdoors 5101 Phoenix Ave (479) 494-1740
Blaze’n Burrito 8202 Rogers (479) 242-2100
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Page 2 The World Of Gospel
Table Of Contents
FEATURES
The long road to recovery Demetri Mendoza’ s story of resurrection
Hannah’s Storm Her Battle and Her Belief
Music Review By: Tony Newton
Message of the Month: By: Pastor Julie Wells
Health Corner By: Margaret Smith, RRT
Money Matters By: Michelle Lovelace
The World Of Gospel
Publisher Lydia Joseph-George
Staff Writer Tarshica Whitehead/ Advertising Executive
Graphic Design Tony Newton
Photographer Andy George
Associate Producer Donnell H. Joseph II
The World Of Gospel is a faith based magazine that is published eleven times a year. We only advertise businesses, groups or events that we believe are committed to uplifting the community through positive efforts that portray Christian values. We reserve the right to refuse advertising to any person, organization or group that we believe does not align with Christian standards.
The World Of Gospel P. O. Box 6011
Fort Smith, Ar. 72906
479-561-4106 479-522-2168
or
Visit us on the web @
www.theworldofgospel.net
Page 3 The World Of Gospel
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Page 5 The World Of Gospel
Demetri Mendoza’s
long
road
to
recovery
and
resurrection
story
T he month of May and Easter Sunday have a significant
spot in the hearts of Christians, but for 22 year old Fort Smith native Demetri Mendoza, the terms
resurrection and Easter have a personal meaning.
A few years ago, while in high school at Southside,
Mendoza confesses a strong desire to fit in with the cool crowd. He says peer pressure and hanging out with the
wrong kids, led his life down a path of destruction, “I started
out just smoking a little pot. No one thinks pot is a drug,” he said. He knew if his parents found out that he was smoking
drugs, he’d face a world of trouble. “I knew it’d be over for
me,” he said shaking his head. Despite feeling repulsed after
using marijuana, he continued using. “I thought I was allergic to it. I really hated the way it made me feel. The only
reason I kept doing it was to be accepted by the popular kids,”
he said looking downward. Thinking back Mendoza realizes his priorities were not straight. “I thought I was cool ‘cause I
had a story to tell about how I’d gotten high,” he said. Little
did he know his story was quickly taking a dangerous and
potentially deadly path.
While on the high school baseball team, Mendoza says his
desire for drugs grew from marijuana to stimulants. “I was
also drinking and hanging out a lot. I thought I was just having a good time. You never think your life will get bad, or
your senior year of high school you’ll be addicted to meth and
basically homeless. Kids just don’t think that will happen to
them,” Demetri said. Becoming a homeless, stealing, lying
and cheating addict is exactly what Mendoza says happened.
It was at a routine party that he was first introduced to the drug that nearly cost him his life. “It was a Friday night and I
was going to give this guy some pills. He told me he didn’t have
cash for me, but had meth,” Mendoza said softly. That Friday
night Demetri’s life would be changed forever. “I was hooked that first night. I loved it so much I thought no one was going to
keep me from doing it again,” he said. For a while, he managed
to keep his addiction a secret from his family and friends, “I have great parents who’ve been married forever. I have sisters that I
love, but no one wanted to believe I was doing drugs,” he said
biting his bottom lip.
As functioning addict Demetri says he still managed to keep life going and his shameful secret hidden. He says he’d go to
school and try to act normal hoping his secret wouldn’t be
discovered. When he was tired, his answer was to take a hit of meth. “Meth makes you speed up, so sometimes I’d sit in my
room on my bed all night and not fall asleep,” he said looking
away. After drastic appearance changes, his then girlfriend
began to suspect that he might be using drugs. “My parents and my girlfriend starting asking me about it. I’d only eat in front of
them because I was never hungry,” he whispered. Mendoza’s
parents like so many others wanted to believe their son couldn’t or wouldn’t use drugs. Realizing their confusion, and concern he
managed to manipulate the situation and continue his drug use.
Page 6 The World Of Gospel
His secret life and web of lies began unraveling
after his parents purchased a drug test and demanded he take it to prove that he wasn’t
using. The room grew silent as Demetri
explains the night he knew he was in serious
trouble. “I would never question my dad,” he said twiddling his thumbs. “That night my dad
told me to take the drug test; I said, “No”. My
dad said, “Son we wanna believe you’re not on drugs.” Demetri paused and shook his head.
“I love my parents so much,” he said with
bright red tearing eyes. “That night me and my
dad got into a shoving match,” Demetri de-clares as a steady stream of tears slowly cas-
cade down his cheeks. His father grounded
him after the shoving incident and forbid him from leaving the house. Determined to feed
his addiction, he managed to escape. “My
mind was set that I was never coming back,” he
said and looked off into space.
Now homeless, Mendoza began living at a
drug dealer’s house. His life was now a haze of
doing drugs and committing illegal acts to get money to support his habit. “I then started
shooting meth. The first time I let someone do
that to me I thought I was going to die,” he said
wiping away tears. During his intravenous drug use phase the then 18 year old shed a
whopping 100 pounds. Fearful to be around
his family, his life consisted of drug using friends. New to the homeless addict lifestyle,
Demetri feared for his safety. “One night I got a
hotel room and about eight hundred dollars
worth of dope. I firmly believe that if God hadn’t intervened that night in my life, I would
have done it all and overdosed,” he said
looking toward heaven. A lonely night in a sleazy hotel room, he recalls thinking about
how his senior year was slipping away. Old
friends were having the time of their lives,
while he was forced to search for his next high. “I was in that hotel room feeling lonelier than
any human should feel,” he says and stops and
wipes a tear. “I called one of my sisters and begged her to call my girlfriend and tell her to
please talk to me,” he said. His girlfriend had
long refused to speak with him after discover-
ing his drug use; in fact, she’d moved away with family to another state. “One day I went
to my parents to ask for my car and cell phone
and I remember my little sister looking at me and crying. My dad gave me a big hug and told
me he loved me,” Mendoza says and pauses.
Between the tears he says, “My mom
looked at me and said, “Son you’re a junkie.” To this day I remember that
and it killed me. I started crying and
left their home,” he whispered.
Demetri’s ex-girlfriend, Tara Misner, answered his plea to return to
Arkansas for a visit. “She came back
and didn’t recognize me,” he said. After apologizing to Tara and
confessing his love and admitting his
addiction, he asked if she’d help him
approach his parents’ for help. “I went to my parents house apologized and
told them I wanted to change. I slept
for 3 days straight only getting up to go to the bathroom,” he said. He says
Tara’s love was never more present
than during those days. “Every time I
woke up she was there- doing homework, or praying or reading the
Bible, but she was there,” he said.
Faith and family support helped
Demetri kick his addiction. Drug free
for nearly 5 years, he recalls the moment the Lord stepped in and
removed the very desire to use drugs.
“I firmly believe the draw of drugs is
from the devil and evil-I have no doubt that’s what it is.” Although he
attended church as a youngster, he’d
strayed from his faith. “I got further and further away from the Lord, but
once I got off drugs, I began going to
church,” he said. Demetri recalls tough
times after getting off drugs. “I would have vivid dreams that I was choking.
My fiancé and my parents prayed for
me and I saw those spirits release me,” he said sternly.
Drug free and dedicated to the Lord,
Tara is now his fiancé. “I love her so much-and my family-for sticking by
me. I never want to hurt them like that
again”. Now he teaches young people
about abstinence at a local non-profit agency. “I sometimes get that vibe
from them like, you don’t really know
and I share my story and my regrets and the stuff I’ll never be able to
change,” he said. When asked advice
he’d give to a family struggling, he
thinks a moment then says, “Don’t turn your back on your loved one. You don’t
have to have them around you, but you
can pray for them and love them,” he said.
Past shyness kept him from praying
aloud Now he says it’s a common
practice, “I’m in my car and I just start talking with God. I pray all the time
now, because I know He’s listening,”
Mendoza said smil ing. When questioned about embarrassment of his
past drug use, he pauses and says, “God
has taken that away from me and
turned it into a positive to use in other peoples’ life. I’m ashamed, regretful,
but not embarrassed,” he said.
Easter is one of Demetri’s favorite time of the year as he reflects on his
resurrection moment. His hope-and
ours-is that a family or an addict will
read his story and seek help and know that the Lord will help and guide you
through anything. Demetri and Tara
are scheduled to wed in August of 2009.
River Valley Bible Conference
April 26-29
Hosted by:
Rye Hill Baptist Church 11512 Old Highway 71 South
Fort Smith, AR 72916 Phone 479-646-1044
Fax 479-646-2431 www.ryehill.org
Pastor Michael Franklin
Bro. Lee Dobson Music Leader
Sun. Dr. H.D. McCarty 11:00 a.m. Fayetteville
Sun. Pastor Don Hutchings 6:00 p.m. Evangel Temple, Fort Smith
Mon. Pastor Danny Forshee 7:00 p.m. First Baptist, Lavaca
Tue. Bishop Steven Arnold 7:00 p.m. St. Marks Baptist Church, Little Rock
Wed. Dr. Ronnie Floyd 7:00 p.m. First Baptist Church, Springdale
Page 7 The World Of Gospel
Providing Dignity & Respect for Pets & Their Families
“Making prearrangements is a beautiful way to show your pets the same love, devotion and attention they have shown you and will ease your stress at a very emotional time.”
River Valley Pet Crematory
459-7900, (479)474-7828 [email protected] www.dogurn.com, enter store # 72956
Page 8 The World Of Gospel
PET OF THE MONTH
MUSIC REVIEW
BY:
Tony Newton
Page 9 The World Of Gospel
Freddy Rodriguez –
Light in the Darkness
(Integrity Music)
“A cd that’s appealing to various
races, denominations, colors or
creeds in today’s social and
political climate is a welcome
relief from all the things that
continually divide us. ”
I f you love a multicultural
worship experience, then this
cd has got you covered.
Freddy Rodriguez is the
Worship Leader at Champions
Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The
only thing we, in other parts of the
country, sometimes hear about Las
Vegas is casinos, quickie marriages,
and other various forms of activities
that go along with the label “Sin
City”. But today is a new day. Freddy
leads this multicultural congrega-
tion on an energetic and passionate
journey through heartfelt worship.
Light in the Darkness has many
songs written by Freddy himself. It
has a fresh sound, mixing Latin,
Gospel and modern worship rhythms
to create a diverse worship
experience.
Not that anyone else or any other
group hasn’t ever created such a
sound, I believe that this cd was
created for “such a time as this”. A cd
that’s appealing to various races,
denominations, colors or creeds in
today’s social and political climate is a
welcome relief from all the things that
continually divide us. The first single
“I Will Run” is as good as worship
gets. It slowly builds into a worship
anthem. You can tell that Freddy
knows a little something about seeking
God no matter what. With songs like
“Rejoice”, “Lord, You Are Amazing,”
“No Other Name,” and “Wrap Me In
Your Arms”, Freddy’s soulful voice is
used by God to lead worshippers to
deeper places in God. On that day
“when we all get to heaven”, there will
be no “black heaven, no white heaven,
no Asian heaven, etc.; there’ s just
going to be heaven (Ok, I just got
down off of my soapbox). So, if you
like the idea of us all praising God and
worshipping together, this cd is a great
way to start practicing early.
Other great cd's available right now
are Bethany World Prayer Center
Presents Deluge, Brandon Heath
What If We, Donald Lawrence Law of
Confessions Tenth Avenue North Over
and Underneath, Trip Lee 20/20, and
anything Crabb Family. There’s too
many to list. If you have questions,
“good” thoughts/comments, or local
a r t i s t s , e m a i l m e a t :
God Bless,
Tony
Page 10 The World Of Gospel
The Hope Chest Consignment Boutique Retail items @ Resale prices 908 South Greenwood Avenue
Fort Smith, Ar. 72901 479-414-9257
Prada
Eitenne Aigner
Coach
Gap
Banana Republic
Baby Items
Mon - Sat. CLOSED WED.
*New items arriving daily*
5% off with this ad A n n
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Life Changers
Easter Egg Hunt
Sat. April 11th
12:00 P.M.
At the Alma Track
For more Info Call
(479)471-1177
A Ministry Of
Sendoutcards.com/kathybiggs
Kathy Biggs 1-877-325-3233
Page 11 The World Of Gospel
60 Northridge Drive Van Buren, Ar 72956 479-474-0800
It is never to late to exercise…. Not even if you’re 65 and older!
T he Lord has impressed
upon me the work that
He wants to do in His people. He
can only accomplish His will in us if
we come to Him with a relenting
heart and come to Him in wholeness
and with trust. I believe the topic
that we need to take on is our well-
ness for the latter years. If we com-
mit to a lifestyle of healthy eating
and exercise at an early age, we won’t
be so intimidated to do either when
we reach our older years. I talk to
many men and women who are 65
years and older who fit one of two
categories. They are fit and have a
great quality of life and have been
great stewards with their bodies or
they have not been taking care of
themselves and are suffering the
consequences of affliction for having
not done anything with the bodies
they were given. The good news is
that for most of us it’s never too late
to exercise no matter how old you
are. There is benefit to starting
now!!! What can exercise do if you
are 65 and older? Exercise will help
improve your range of motion and
function. This will enable you to get
up and down easier. You will see
your posture improve which will
help with any back problems that
you could be experiencing. Regular
exercise will enhance your muscular
performance as well as reduce signs
of arthritis, osteoporosis, obesity,
and back pain. Strength training is
generally safe and effective for
older adults. Lack of strength and
poor balance can be a predictor
for falling. This is why it is
important to keep up your strength.
How much strength training is
enough? You should start with two
or more days that do not run back
to back. (For example, do Monday
and Wednesday) A good rule of
thumb is to complete 8-10 strength
exercises utilizing major muscle
groups. For instance, strengthen
arms, legs, back, shoulders and
chest.
Success is a good starting point!
Remember to eat nutritious food to
give the necessary energy you will
need to perform in your exercises
and drink enough water to
maintain your hydration. Be aware
of your food portions every time
you sit down to eat. Change your
life style over time, not all in one
say, so that you do not become
overwhelmed and burn out!
Establish your short term and
long- term goals and be consistent
with them. Think good and hard
about what you would like to
achieve over the long term and
create a great life-style change.
Lastly, be patient and flexible when
you tag a goal weight for yourself and
give yourself time to gradually make
physical changes. The Word of God says
in Psalms 92:14 that “They shall bear
fruit in old age, they are ever full of sap
and green.” I know you can do it. If you
out your mind to it ….I know you can do
it!
Serving The Most High God,
Jennifer Bauman Cardio Studio Owner
Page 12 The World Of Gospel
Angel & AJ’s
Barber/Hair Salon
115 Greenwood Avenue Fort Smith, AR.
479-561-0488 or
479-420-4071
We specialize in classic and modern hair styles. We are
trained and certified to care for all hair types
HAPPY EASTER FROM THE A TEAM
Walk-ins Welcome “The A Team”
101 N. 10th Suite A Fort Smith, Ar.
479-783-1206
Community Rescue Mission
310 North F Street
Fort Smith, Ar 72901
on their feet and in their own homes,
Brian admits there is a small sector of folks who choose to live on the streets.
“There are a few pockets of people who
live in tents and under the bridge near
the downtown area, but we go out and feed them as well.” The missions which
is located at 310 North F Street serves
three free meals a day to those who might not otherwise get the chance to
eat.
Brian began his work with the mission
some 2 decades ago when his church sent him down to make a delivery. “I
asked the director if I could share my
story? He said, “Yes,” Brian declared proudly. After the Director passed
away, he says his family approached
him with an offer he couldn’t refuse,
“They asked if I wanted to be the director and I said sure!” Brian said.
During his twenty plus year run as
director, sadly, he’s seen the effects of what happens when a person gives us
and turns to negative choices for
problem solving. “ It’s sad when you
know a homeless guy and you find out that he died as a result of alcohol. A lot
of people who’ve given up, give in to
drugs and alcohol” he said somberly.
The missions message includes giving
their temporary tenants information
about the Lord. Brian believes that is a
major part of his calling and not just his
job. “I've always believed in the works of
the gospel, where Jesus said, “I was hungry and you fed me, and I was a
stranger and you took me in.” I believe
in the methods and the message of the
Gospel. I believe that by fulfilling those little things, that those are the methods
to go along with the message of
Christianity,” he declared. Since it takes commitment to help keep such a large
ministry afloat, Brian believes that the
city of Fort Smith is up for the challenge.
“It takes public support, private donors and corporate support,” he said. When
asked his dream for the future, Brian
paused and said, “I really would like for everybody to personally know the peace
of Christ. I believe that if people will
find the peace of Christ no matter what
circumstances they’re going thru, they’ll turn to him instead of other things”.
Brian and the staff say there’s no
feeling better than seeing a family who’s struggled to get back on their feet obtain
housing and employment. “When you
see a family that came in with nothing
and are now employed and have housing, it makes me feel like we have
fulfilled our calling to our society and to
God.”
The mission accepts donations of food,
cash and volunteers. If you have more
than enough and want to share, contact
the Community Rescue mission @ 479.782.1443, or [email protected]
“It makes me feel like we have
fulfilled our calling to our society
and to God.”
It’s probably safe to say that it takes a
special person to work day in and day out
with those who are struggling to find a place to call home. Helping the homeless is a job
that Brian Hilts, Director of the Fort Smith
Community Rescue Mission loves. “We offer
a variety of services. The first thing we do is provide shelter to homeless, men, women
and families,” Hilts said.
The Community Rescue Mission has been a staple in the city of Fort Smith since 1981.
Citizens seeking their services are allowed to
live at the facility for 30 to 45 days. “We also
try to help people get employed while they’re living at the mission,” Hilts said.
Employment assistance is one of several
services they provide at the mission. Hilts who’s been the Director for more than 20
years says while times are tough, citizens in
Fort Smith have huge hearts and are willing
to help the less fortunate. “It takes a community that is chartable minded to do
work like this and here in Fort Smith people
are is pretty good at that,” Hilts said.
Last year, Hilts says they were able to
helped 161 people get jobs, while another 773
stayed at the mission. Brian says he sees
many residents who simply get behind on payments seek out their services. “Contrary
to belief it isn’t always because of a lack of
money management. Sometimes a large bill will come in and if they can’t pay it they get
dismissed from their housing. I see that kind
of thing a lot,” he said. Even though most of
the people who are homeless want to get back
Page 13 The World Of Gospel
www.centralfs.org
Page 14 The World Of Gospel
CLASSIFIED
Karen’s Photography Children and Wedding 479-561-0944 [email protected] Mention this ad for a discount
Help Wanted Sitter An Angel’s Touch Home Care Services Must Be reliable./Non medical only Call 479-431-9823
Blazen Burrito Smiling Faces Wanted Must work flexible hours For details call 479-242-2100 Ask for John or Vanessa
J and R Construction and Log Home Cleaning Specializing in Log Home Repair, painting, staining and general remodeling Jeff 479-629-3616 /Robert 479-208-3987
“Christians helping Christians”
FULL/PART-TIME CASHIER Flexible hours Days, Nights and weekends Apply in person @ 4601 Rogers Avenue (no phone calls)
Pianist Wanted Fort Smith Church Pianist, Organist or Keyboard For Complete details call 479-561-3040
Shekinah’s Glory Cleaning Service Cleaning, Painting, all types of odd jobs Expert services/customer satisfaction Free Estimates 918-315-2605
NRG Savers All types of Home Improvement “No job too big or too small” Free Estimates James Cantrell 479-561– 16983
Experienced Sitter/Companion Flexible Hours Must pass a background check Experience preferred 501-472-7585
Sales/Acc. Representative Wanted Must be hardworking Great salary Apply in person @ 1110 North 10 Street Suite G2 (no phone calls)
SEVENSTAR MASONARY Brick & Block Work Excellent Rates Call Stephen Sevenstar 479-561-9724(Mention this ad)
Farm Bureau Insurance “Helping you is what we do best” Justin Lovett, Agent Life, health, auto and home insurance 479-462-1439
*The World of Gospel does not endorse, guarantee or certify the work, accuracy, craftsmanship or professionalism of any individual, group, business or organization listed*
2814 North “O” Street Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-782-2829
Larry Jones II Owner/Operator
Gibson Shoes
Your Family Shoe Store
We have the BEST prices in town Stop by and check us out
3512 North O Street
Open: 12 noon to 5 pm
Thurs. Fri. and Sat.
Phone: 479-573-0508
Easter Service 8:30 a.m. and 10:15 (no bible study)
*Starting April 19th*
Bible Study 9 a.m. Praise Gathering 10:15 a.m.
10:15 Praise Gathering 479.452.1901
400 N. Waldron 9:00 Bible Study
Page 15 The World Of Gospel
R ecently, I stopped at a Fort
Smith boutique to give my mind a rest
from all things magazine. When I walked in the store I noticed a group of
women around the register consoling
one another. Thinking someone might n e e d p r a y e r o r a w o r d o f
encouragement, I eased closer to see if I
could be of service. I heard a woman
say, “I just can’t believe she’s gone”; another touted, “I can’t talk about this
anymore or I’ll cry all day”. Still not
wanting to intrude, I continued acting as if I was shopping when one of them
said, “I’m praying for them all”. I went
to check out after finding a great spring
outfit, and the woman at the register looked at me and said, “Pray for us”.
That was the first time I’d heard the
tremendous testimony and legacy of 17 year old Hannah Sullivan.
Hannah was born in Fort Smith; in
fact, a number of her relatives still
reside throughout the River Valley. The Sullivan family now live outside the
small community of Magnet Cove,
Arkansas. Hannah’s story and struggle began on Valentines day last year. “She
had in her life. It was so bad that she
was sick to her stomach,” her mother said during our interview. Brad and Jill
Sullivan say they put their daughter to
bed believing she had a virus. “The next
day it happened again,” Jill said. Think-ing their child likely had a sinus
infection, they started treating her for
those symptoms. A few days later the family says the bright beautiful
teenager began experiencing double
vision and dilated pupils. “We took her
to the ophthalmologist,” they said. Amazingly, that doctor turned out to be
a long lost friend who’d sang at the
couples’ wedding some two decades before. Dr. Tommy Moseley took one
look at Hannah and recommended the
family get an MRI immediately.
A few days later, the family says doctors spotted a tumor. “They found it
immediately and scheduled her for
surgery on February 25th,” her mom said. After a few days in the hospital,
Hannah’s family was sent home. “They
didn’t know if it was cancer or what at
that time,” Brad said. Hannah recovered quickly after her surgery. “She did really
well with all of her functions after brain
surgery. She was back in school within 3 weeks of surgery,” her mom said.
said. Hannah was even able to complete
her sophomore year of school.
Test revealed Hannah’s tumor was in
fact cancer. “It was a grade 4
Neuroblastoma cancer. We were told
she had a 60 to 80 percent chance of survival,” her mother professed. Brad
and Jill said doctors told them they
weren't sure if Hannah’s tumor would act like a child or an adult cancer. They were
advised that child cancers respond better
to treatment than adult cancers.
Even with the bad news the family says their faith never faltered. They forged
ahead with treatments of 6 weeks of
radiation and oral chemotherapy. “She did really well. We went through the
summer having an MRI every two
months, and they all came back clear,”
Brad said. Sadly, in September of 2008 Hannah began experiencing the same
type of symptoms. Jill says on
September 24th doctors completed another MRI. This time the results were
not good. “The cancer had returned in
the form of multiple tumors in her brain
and spinal cord,” Brad said. The family was told that even with treatment
Hannah had only a 5 percent chance of a
cure.
Her battle
and
Her belief
Page 16 The World Of Gospel
Hannah’s grace never waivered. “She
never complained or was bitter or was angry or mad. She handled it with grace,
very gracious-that only comes from God.
I look back and that was just Christ,”
Brad said. Her struggle may have began a few years ago, but Hannah’s love for the
Lord began when she was a little girl.
“The peace that God has given us came from when she was 8 or 9. We can
remember her coming to us and asking to
pray that she would receive the Lord in
her life,” the couple chimed in together.
The family went for yet another MRI
on February 16th of this year. “Doctors
described the progression of the cancer as disturbing. It had progressed very
rapidly,” Brad said softly clearing his
throat. Hannah spent days and weeks on
end at Children’s Hospital. “The nurses said she was the most gracious patient
they’d ever had. One nurse had a hard
time drawing blood because of Hannah’s small veins. She told Hannah that she
wanted her to yell at her,” Brad said. But
being the constant loving and sweet
You might think that even the
strongest Christian would break at this point. After all, their oldest daughter,
Hannah, is basically being told she’ll
likely not survive this disease. Their
younger daughter, Bethany, is being forced to watch her best friend fight an
uphill battle, but the Sullivans kept their
faith, praying— believing that no matter what, the Lord would take care of their
daughter.
The family chose to fight the cancer and
began chemo and radiation treatments, “which was very hard on her body. She
had a hard time producing red blood cells
and she had to have lots of transfusions to keep her receiving chemo,” Jill said. The
harder Hannah fought, the meaner the
cancer seemed. In January of this year,
she began experiencing the inability to walk. “The MRI showed the cancer was
progressing. Radiation was slowing it
down, but it was progressing,” Brad professed. It was during this time, that
the Sullivan’s spiritual family stepped in
and showed how much they loved
Hannah and the entire family. “I’m a principal at Hannah’s school and the
teachers would cook 3 meals a week for
us while we were traveling to Little Rock to take her treatments,” Brad said.
Despite being hospitalized multiple
times, enduring extremely strong drugs,
hair loss and a host of other ailments that accompany a cancer fight, the family says
young woman, Hannah simply smiled at
the nurse and assured her that it was ok.
On February 26th of this year, Hannah
Sullivan, lost her battle to cancer. Despite
such a devastation, Brad and Jill want to tell the world about their daughter’s fight,
but more importantly about her faith.
“We had family members come to Christ from our child’s life and others are being
touched. I told her that lives would be
changed because of her storm,” Brad
declared. He also shared that Hannah knew a storm was coming in her life.
Prior to her initial brain surgery, she in-
formed her father that during a youth camp meeting the minster told them,
“God prepares you for the storms you’ll
face in life”. She told her dad, that she’d
prayed and asked God for a storm. “She said dad we are so blessed. We have a
good life and I asked God to give me a
storm,” Brad said. The family says in telling their daughters struggle, they want
to honor the Lord. “We serve a big God,
who is able to calm any storm. We want
people to know that,” Brad said. Hannah’s passing hit her classmates and
the tiny town the family live in extremely
hard. They say their natural and spiritual family have been amazing during some
difficult days, but God’s grace is what
continues to carry them. “With us we had
a year, from the time we learned she was sick, but you never know what can
happen; we need to be sure that we’re
pointing our children to Christ,” Jill said.
Looking back, the family believes the
Lord had a definite plan for Hannah’s life
while she was here on earth. “God has
used her story to point her classmates and other students to her as a great example
and even for the teachers for that matter.
We see now how things were orchestrated. The ophthalmologist who
sang at our wedding discovered the
tumor. He prayed with us and was the
one we went to for medical knowledge. We know the Lord put everyone in place
that we would need,” Brad said. Being in
the education field, Brad believes in the importance of education and explains his
deep sense of pride in Hannah’s
“We’re all trusting God and we’re gonna give him glory”
“There’s
67
students
in her
class and
Hannah
was
number 1”
Page 17 The World Of Gospel
educational accomplishments. “There are 67 students in her
class and Hannah was number 1,” Brad boasted.
The family acknowledges Hannah’s last moments on earth
were difficult for them. They were all with here as she departed
this life. “Her last hour here on earth, she’d started to bleed and
it wasn’t pleasant at all. But the hope that we all had and the peace that God had given us as she was about to go was very
comforting. We did talk to her the last few days; she wasn’t able
to talk back to us. We asked if she was ready to go be with Jesus and she shook her head and said she was,” Brad said clearing
his throat as not to dwell too long in that place.
The family didn’t have a funeral, instead they had a
celebration service honoring their daughter’s memory and hope-fully, telling those who’re lost or don’t know about the love of
the Lord. “It was important to share the plan of salvation and
saving grace of our Lord and Savior,” Brad said. The couples home church of Hot Spring Baptist was under construction, so
the celebration service was held at First Baptist Hot Springs,
“We were planning for a large turnout because we knew she
touched so many lives”. Jill and Brad praise God that during their daughter’s celebration service, a number of people received
the plan of salvation. They’re thankful for having had such a
wonderful daughter for 17 years, and having another darling daughter, Bethany who also loves the Lord. “I’m grateful that
our families pointed us to Christ and we, in turn, pointed
Hannah and Bethany toward Christ. It is a heritage that’s
passed from generation to generation. That's the most important thing we can pass along to our children is the hope of
Christ,” Brad said with Jill in agreement. The couple’s other
daughter, Bethany, not only lost her sister, the couple says she
lost her best friend; but, Bethany knows without doubt or fear, that she’ll get to see Hannah again. “God has given Bethany the
peace that He’s given all of us. She told us that if one life was
changed then her pain was worth it,” Brad said. Bethany was
even able to speak at Hannah’s celebration service. “She told them we didn’t loose anyone, we know where she’s at. We’re all
trusting God and we’re gonna give Him glory,” Brad said. The
Sullivan’s believe the best lesson parents can give their children is to teach them about God. “Education here on earth will open
doors, but the knowledge of our Lord will open the doors to
heaven,” he said.
Brad and Jill are dedicated to uplifting the Name of the Lord. They are also willing and committed to giving Hannah’s storm-
complete testimony to youth, prayer, civic groups and other
churches. If you’d like to read more about Hannah’s Storm or request Jill or Brad to speak at your event, contact them at:
As we concluded our conversation, I wiped tears away after listening to the battle and legacy of the Sullivan's eldest
daughter. I couldn’t help but inquire about their ability and
willingness to speak so openly and candidly about such a traumatic life experience. Their answer will forever be etched in
my mind: “We aren’t doing anything, but God’s grace is doing
everything,” Brad and Jill said. Their prayer is that Hannah’s
story and struggle helps those who are struggling or who are undecided, decide that it’s time to know God!.
Sullivan Family: From L to R Bethany Sullivan Brad Sullivan Jill Sullivan Hannah Sullivan
“Education here on
earth will open doors,
but the knowledge of
our Lord will open
the doors to heaven”
Page 18 The World Of Gospel
a lasting impact,” he said with a soft
tone. Austen says he reads the bible and
acknowledges his favorite scripture is
“Matthew 26:34-35” 34)“I tell you the
truth,” Jesus answered, “this very night
before the (rooster crows, you will dis-
own me three times.” (35) but Peter
declared, “even if I have to die with you,
I will never disown you.” And all the
other disciples said the same. Austen
says, we have to be willing to acknowl-
edge God no matter what, as He loves us
no matter what.
Austen, thank you for not being
ashamed of your faith as a teen. Hats off
to you and your mother for sitting down
and talking with me.
Teens, please remember that we have
to watch what comes out of mouth. The
tongue has a lot of power and can be
used as a mighty sword for bad or good.
Please choose good!
Happy Easter!
The Voice of the Christian Youth!
Tarshica
With Tarshica Whitehead R esurrection is the base of
Christianity. It means a new start
and all our sins have been forgiven.
My brother and I were baptized 2 years ago. This was a new start for
both of us. My Little God brother,
Lee Prince III, was dedicated to
God last Sunday.
I see the dedication service as
God gave him to us and now we get
to give him back to the Lord.
Through dedication, we know he’s covered by the blood of Jesus, thus
starting him on his spiritual walk
with God.
This month I wanted to interview
a student whose faith was different
than mine, so I phoned my dear
friend, Austen “Chuvie” Hernandez,
a 9th Grader at Trinity Junior High School.
Austen’s Catholic faith is dear to
him and his family. He admits to
finding it difficult sometimes un-
derstanding other faiths. Austen
explains resurrection like this, “The
resurrection means God came back
to life and shows his self in spirit. We may not see him but he is real”
he said. God is real to Austen and
his family because they had to lean
on the Lord in 2004. “My favorite
past time was in danger of my never
being able to play it again and that’s
football,” Austen said.
Austen had to have Osteoplastic surgery to replace defective bone
tissue. Doctors completed the
surgery on both legs, forcing Austen
to wear casts up to his hip. He
admits to clearly remembering the
excruciatingly painful experience.
“It was hard, but I believed in God
during the whole thing,” he said.
When it comes to role models in his life, Austen is quick to point out
without hesitation his cousin
Julian, “Ju-Ju,” Hernandez, a
Northside High School Senior. He
said Julian has always looks out for him while trying to set high standards in every-
thing he commits to doing. “I think that makes
him a great role model. My female role model
without a doubt is my mother, Anna Hernan-
dez. She is my biggest supporter,” Austen said.
He says his mother pushes him to strive for
the best, telling him never to settle. His
grandparents play a big part in Austen’s life as
well. When asked about obstacles he faces as
a teenager, he replied, “Knowing who your
friends are.” Often he admits some friends
make negative comments while pretending to
joke. “I pray that parents talk to their kids
about friendship and compassion for other
people. Sometimes kids say things that carry
April Fort Smith Alive airs on INSP, Cable channel 250 and Saturdays @ 6 p.m.
April 1-15 Baker Family Productions is looking for Christian music videos to air on a new
show (City Limits); for details call 918-235-0213
April 2 Natalie Grant concert @ the Alma Performing Arts Center; call 479-632-2129 for
ticket and concert information
April 5 Grand re-opening and naming ceremony of the Bill Yocum Helping Hands
Minis try, 3901 Grand Avenue @ 4 p.m. the public is invited
April 7 First Monday Corporate Prayer, 7 p.m. @ City Christian Fellowship; for
information email [email protected]
April 12 Handprints Sign Language concert, 10:30 a.m. @ Shibley Baptist Church 1136
Sibley road; for details call Kerry Scott @ 479.650.0215
April 14 Skillet in concert @ the Alma Performing Arts Center; call 479-632-2129 for ticket
details
April 19 Cinderella performed at the Arkansas Best Corporation Performing Arts Center at
the Fort Smith Convention Center @ 2:30 p.m. for details call 479-785-0152
April 28 - 30 A Gathering of History Makers; an inter-denominational Bible Conference
Sponsored by Harvest Time. Guest Speakers include: John Hagee, Larry Bezet,
Mike Mille, and Dominic Russo. For more info call 479-646-6001 or visit WME
conference.org
May 3 National Day of Prayer Bible Reading at the Crawford County courthouse @ 2
p.m.; for details call 479-474-2418
May 7 Crawford/Sebastian County National Day of Prayer @ noon on court house lawn;
for details in Crawford County call 479-474-2418; Sebastian County call
479.650-1455
Shamber Uzuh, UFAS Sophomore First Runner Up: Miss UA Fort Smith Pageant
First Runner up: Miss Congeniality/ Miss UA Fort Smith Pageant $2000 Scholarship recipient/Miss UA Fort Smith Pageant $800 Cash Scholarship recipient/Miss UA Fort Smith Pageant
Page 19 The World Of Gospel
Page 20 The World Of Gospel
Money matters
By Michelle Lovelace
I f you have not noticed that it is tax
season, just pass any tax preparation
business and notice all the advertising
going on. I love showing my support to the
energetic person dressed as the Statue of
Liberty or Uncle Sam as they enthusiasti-
cally try to wave me in to their
establishment. Hey, they are working and
probably losing weight with all the jumping
and bouncing around!
If you have already prepared your taxes
and are awaiting a refund, have you thought
about what you are going to do with it? If
you have prepared your taxes and are
paying the IRS, do you have that money
already set aside to easily send in that check
by the deadline? How about if you have not
even thought about doing your taxes yet
and are gathering the information, do you
know how you want to file, how you want
your return handled and then the
allocation of it? Well, if you would like
some practical suggestions to the above
questions, keep reading because tax time
doesn’t have to be a dreaded time of year!
Spring is blossoming and things are bloom-
ing showing the love God has for us and His
awesome creations. We may not notice
this season as much as we would like with
all the burdensome events in our lives such
as pay cuts, job cuts, bills and mounting
debt. Some see turning in their taxes and
getting a quick refund as a quick fix to an
immediate need.
Let me be the first to tell you that your
refund should not be viewed as “free
money” and taken lightly. With the every-
day stressors of life, when that check comes
in, you may want to run out and buy some-
thing you have been longing for like that big
screen plasma TV or that new laptop you
know, you have worked so hard and been so
deprived with all your financial stress-you
deserve this splurge right? Let me just
warn you that I may not be your best friend
in the next few paragraphs, but I do write
out of love and concern for God’s wonderful
people and the money He has blessed them
with.
Let me start by saying that God has given you
this money; He has given you the talents and
ethics for earning money. This is His money
and we are the stewards of it. He is entrusting
us to manage this money, not for our own
selfish luxuries but to go about providing for our
families and doing good works. I’m am not
saying you should never have anything nice, but
I am saying that if you are in debt, your first
priority should be to eliminate that debt before
buying anything else new. Be wise with your tax
preparations. Make sure you pick someone that
you trust and that is very knowledgeable in
pointing out deductions and other categories
you may qualify for. Don’t be afraid to ask
questions and don’t just sit in the chair across
from them waiting for a “magic number” to
appear on their computer screen then smile and
say, “How soon can I get that?”
If you are paying in once your taxes are
calculated, did you set that money aside every
month in the previous year to take care of it? If
this is your first time to pay in, did you know it
was coming? It is always wise to allocate that
money monthly in a savings so when it comes
due, you have it to pay with ease and not fear.
Simple adjustments in your monthly budget
makes this a do-able process. If this is the first
time you have to pay in, be creative with finding
the money; for example, sell something. Don’t
go into more debt for your debt! Last but not
least, if you are getting a refund-either by
electronic deposit or by our postal system, make
sure you use it wisely and not foolishly. This is
not a government handout or vacation money.
Pay off that car or a large bill that is getting
behind. Use it to catch up bills or start an emer-
gency savings fund. Even better, if you have no
debt, invest it for college or retirement. Even
though the media loves to say “the sky is
falling”, it really isn’t and investing in your
future still should be a goal for you and your
family.
I really hope that when the Statue of Liberty
and Uncle Sam wave at you this year, you will
honk your horn, smile and wave back know-
ing you made smart decisions this tax season.
Feel good about being the recipient of the
blessing of money God has granted you and
remember:
If you get a big refund or have to pay in to
the IRS then you may want to adjust your
check by seeing your payroll department
or human resource department.
Don’t go down to a car lot to get your
refund. Who do you think they have in
their best interest? Use a reputable tax
preparation place or person.
Avoid those anticipation loans, AKA,
rapid style refunds or refunds given on
debit cards. These have a hefty fee at-
tached and/or give you an easier acces-
sibility of spending your return unwisely.
God Bless,
Michelle Lovelace
Page 21 The World Of Gospel
Gentle Dentistry for Children Pediatric Dentistry
5604 Ellsworth Road Fort Smith, Ar. 72903
(479)484-7336
Tips for Parents: 1. The older you are, the more pain you experience with braces.
2. The most common problems that come with braces are from lack of patient care, and can be avoided. These include inflammation and swelling of the gum, demineralized enamel, (weakened and white color) and cavities.
3. The best thing about braces is the resulting beautiful smile.
Remember: Regular visits to a dentist can prevent future problems.
Know a child who deserves
to be recognized?
Nominate them at:
www.theworldofgospel.net
Or
The World of Gospel
P.O. Box 6011
Fort Smith, Ar 72906
mother, “Prayer changes things,”
Angela said.
Elated about her good grades and
Student of the Month nomination,
Iyanna was all smiles after learning
she’d been selected as April’s Student of the Month, “I just can’t believe it. I got
it, really, really me!” she touted in a
squealing super octave tone.
Iyanna has a younger sister, Jasmine,
who informed us that she too is proud
of her big sister. “She’s doing good and I
like that,” she muttered in a 5 year old voice .
Amidst the celebrating, and smiles,
Angela says softly, “I really prayed for God to help my child. I wanted to be
able to give her the knowledge and
understanding about her school work. I
prayed that she’d get her grades back on track and she did. I give God all the
glory,” she said with the smile that only
a proud parent can display.
YOU DESERVE IT YOUR WAY
Iyanna!
Purchase the Original Whopper® Sandwich Value meal and receive an Original Whopper® Sandwich FREE ‐ Cheese and/or Extra Meat for additional charge. Please present coupon before ordering. Limit one free sandwich per customer per visit. Not to be used with any other coupons or offers. Applicable sales tax may apply. Offer good in Fort Smith, Alma & Van Buren, AR. Expires 4/30/09.
Original Whopper®
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T his month’s Student of the
Month has learned that
change can be difficult; however, she
also now knows that persistence pays off. A third grader at Raymond Orr
Elementary things are now on a
smooth path for 8 year old Iyanna Villanueva.
Before attending Raymond Orr
Iyanna was attending school at St.
Boniface in Fort Smith. She loved her school and many friends. When she
transferred to Orr, her parents say her
grades took a dramatic drop. Normally, an A student, her grades
quickly sank to D’s and F’s.
Her determined parents decided to
take immediate action. They enrolled Iyanna in a local tutoring program.
Much to their relief they say within a
few short weeks her D’s and F’s skyrocketed to A’s and B’s and the
occasional C. The outspoken, well
mannered elementary student is now a
shinning star, according to her
STUDENT OF THE MONTH
® BURGER KING
Page 22 The World Of Gospel
Iyanna Villanueva
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(479) 782-8878 4119 Grand (behind EZ-Mart) Or
(479) 434-2660 2900 So. Zero St. (by Hollywood Cleaners)
Page 23 The World Of Gospel
FOOD THAT’S GOOD FOR THE SOUL
Page 24 The World Of Gospel
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup milk
1/3 cup butter
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/2 cup white sugar
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
FILLING: 3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup raisins
RECIPE INFORMATION
FROM:
allrecipes.com
RECIPE RATING
GLAZE: 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons half-and-half cream
DIRECTIONS: 1. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it
bubbles, then remove from heat. Add the butter and stir until melted; let cool until lukewarm.
2. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the milk mixture. Add the sugar, 3 cups of flour, salt and eggs; stir well to com-bine. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and supple, about 8 minutes.
3. Lightly oil a large mixing bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
4. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 10x 14 inch rectangle. Lightly brush the far edge with water. In a small bowl combine the cinnamon and 3/4 cup brown sugar and sprinkle over the rectangles. Then sprinkle the raisins and chopped nuts over the dough. Roll up the dough into a log and seal the seam.
5. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces; place the pieces in a greased 9x13 inch baking pan, or 12 inch deep dish pizza pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrig-erator to rise overnight.
6. The next morning, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Take the rolls out of the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Bake the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. Meanwhile, combine the corn syrup with the vanilla in a small bowl. Whisk in the powdered sugar and enough cream to make
a thick glaze; set aside. Drizzle the glaze over the rolls and serve warm.
"Make the night before, rolls rise in the fridge overnight and bake the next morning. Easy and delicious. Enjoy!"
Got a great recipe you want to share ? Send it to: The World of Gospel P. O. Box 6011/Fort Smith, Ar 72906 Or www.theworldofgospel.net
“Humility in working
together is birthing out the
true Bride and body of Christ
in Ezekiel’s vision.”
Page 25 The World Of Gospel
T he Bridegroom is
emerging from His
Chamber and is looking for a spot-
less Bride without wrinkle.
Can you imagine our Lord having
the wedding feast all prepared.
The Father has given permission to
marry the Bride. Jesus has gone to
prepare a place for us adding on to
his Father’s many mansions. John
14:2 In my Father's house are
many mansions: if [it were] not
[so], I would have told you. I go to
prepare a place for you.
Jewish weddings in biblical times
always took place at night
corroborating the word. I Th 5:2
states: For yourselves know
perfectly that the day of the Lord
so cometh as a thief in the night.
The groomsman would wave a light
shouting “There is going to be a
wedding!” The bride would then
rush about and get her virgin
bridesmaids with wicks trimmed
and oil in their lamps to follow her
as she dashed out to meet her love.
We are in the hour of urgency. The
Holy Spirit is crying out, “There is
going to be a wedding!” Are you
prepared with the love of God, filled
with the Holy Spirit and walking in
unity to arrive at the wedding feast
on time? We are to prepare being
ready in season and out for the
Julie Wells Fuel the Fire Church Ministries 1414 Burnham Street Fort Smith, Ar 72903 479.522.3456
coming of our Groom.
Humility in working together is
birthing out the true Bride and body
of Christ in Ezekiel’s vision. God
showed Ezekiel a body without life,
dead, dry void of power. Sound
familiar? The body has been
fragmented with each limb and part
trying to function without the other.
The result is the same as a dead
corpse without fruit. God wants to
put sinew and muscle to each joint in
this living breathing beautiful bride
of love and unity. As we throw our
own agendas out the window and
take up the cross of Jesus to follow
truly in His footsteps by working to-
gether with the utmost respect for
each call and gifting, we will become
the army of Joel 2. Unbreachable,
fierce, invasive to the enemy with
magnitude of miracles, signs and
wonders in our wake! It is time to
take back our rightful place in the
powerful image of Christ with one
voice, one heart, …..ONE ARMY!
We will have to lay down the MY
MINISTRY mentality to do so.
Humility is the key which ignites the
engine of unity birthing out the
commanded blessings of God. When
we work together for one cause,
showing our love of God, we are able
to help those who are lost. In doing,
so we are able to give God the desire
of His heart. Not everyone will
adhere to this unity mentality and
will be unable to walk in togetherness
that I truly believe God is calling us
to adhere to at this time. However,
we have to remember, that we are
one body that cannot operate
independent from any one part.
Every part of the body of the Lord is
important; therefore, the parts must
work in unison to achieve our
heavenly Father’s purpose.
We, as the body of Christ, have to
be willing to join together in power to
see God’s mighty hand at work.
Don’t miss the wave. We must, then
speak the same loving things, and
have the same loving heart, as we
breach the high mountains of life
with ….ONE voice, ONE heart, ONE
army.
You can do all things through
Christ,
Julie Wells Fuel The Fire Ministries fuelthefirefs.org 1414 Burnham Court Fort Smith, Ar 72903
Service Times: Mon. 6:30 p.m. @ Freedom Church
Page 26 The World Of Gospel
LOCATIONS:
4601 Rogers Avenue Fort Smith, Ar. 1549 N. Greenwood Fort Smith, Ar. 4622 Old Greenwood Fort Smith, Ar. 903 Fayetteville Road Van Buren, Ar.
Proudly serving you throughout the River Valley
“Amen” By:
Lydia Joseph-George project from it’s beginning, jumping on
board to help anyway possible. Thank
you to every advertiser, church,
sponsor, delivery person and prayer
partner. Without you, the good news
of the Gospel wouldn't be traveling all
over the world. Thank you to every
person who’s opened up and shared
their story with the citizens, as we
know it’s helped and continues to help
so many who need to know that the sky
ISN’T falling. Thank you, to the
seniors who send beautiful hand
written letters. Thank you to every
young person who tells us, “The maga-
zine is cool, on point and awesome”
informing us that it’s touching your
lives. Thank you, God, for what
you’ve done thus far. Thank you,
Holy Father, for what You are yet to
do with the ministry!
AMEN!
Until next month.
BE BLESSED!
_çw|t ]ÉáxÑ@ZxÉÜzx Publisher/Editor
PLEASE...AND THANK YOU
When I was a little one, I recall my
mother telling me to “mind my
manners” and say please and
thank you. I remember saying to
myself, “They know I’m thinking
please or saying thank you in my
mind.” As many adolescents do, I
mustered up enough courage one day
to say that to her face. “Mom, people
know I’m thanking them or saying
please in my heart even when it does-
n’t come out of my mouth,” I uttered.
O.k. so that’s a day I’ll never forget!
The look in my mother’s eyes said
what her mouth didn’t. The first look
said, “How dare you,” but the second
glance asked a question, “Why would
you think that?”
I brought up my childhood episode
because recently I caught myself
thinking along the lines of that little
girl. This time, however, I was mature
enough to know better. Please and
thank you are likely two of the most
u n u s e d a n d u n d e r u t i l i z e d
compliments and niceties we can give.
They’re free and set the tone for
letting people know who we are and
what we stand for.
When I start praying about any
situation, I began by saying, “Thank
You, God for what You’ve already
done.” Believe it or not if He didn’t
do another thing for me, He’s been
excellent thus far. Thank you God
for this day, my daily bread.” You
may think like I did when I was a
young one, that God already knows
in our heart that we’re thankful.
That may be so, but wouldn’t you
like to have someone appreciate the
life changing act you’d performed for
them?
That thought brings me to this
month’s AMEN. I want to say please
and thank you to you the readers.
Please keep emailing, writing and
calling us about the magazine.
Please continue to pray that we get
out of the way, so that God can have
complete control over this magazine
and everything else He’s instructing
us to perform. Please know that it’s
not about me, or the silent partners
who work so hard behind the scenes,
but it’s about the Lord. Please know
that we are trying with all of our
might to do the best job for the Lord
that we can.
Last, but not least, I want to say
“Thank you”. Thank you to the
River valley and Eastern Oklahoma
residents who’ve believed in this
Bill Moates, Sr. Shirley Moates Cell 479.769.1276 Cell 479.769.1278 Work 479.782.8911 Work 479.782.8911 Fax 479.782.9289 Fax 479.782.9289 Home Fax 479.782.3329 [email protected] [email protected] www.moatesrealestate.com
Page 27 The World Of Gospel
Page 28 The World Of Gospel
EXCELLENT
EASTER
LOCATIONS
MODERN DAY MIRACLES
BY:
Dawn Schibbelhut
Page 29 The World Of Gospel
New Life Church
3624 East Pointer Trail Van Buren, Ar.
479-471-0072
Pastors Bob & Darlene White
This church is on fire! Come expecting God to do miracles.
Service times: Sun: 9:30a.m. & Sun 6 pm
Tue: 8:30 a.m. Bible Study
Wed: 7:00 p.m.
I t is appointed unto all men to
die, right? So basically, if it’s
not your time to go, you are not
going anywhere!
Ruby Mitchell of Fort Smith can tell
you that even at the age of ninety, God
is still not finished with her! She had
been very ill for awhile and her son
came to check on her one March
morning of this year. She was
exhausted from vomiting and laid her
head back to rest. It was then that he
noticed she was not moving and her
eyes were even set. Being a believer,
he laid hands on her and prayed the
prayer of faith. Life came back into
her body! There was unmistakable
evidence that she left this world,
although very briefly. Her son
prepared her for the ambulance that
was on its way. Little did they know
that God was sending her on a mis-
sion!
Ruby hadn’t ventured out of the
house much over the past few years
since her husband, LW Mitchell
passed away. She admits to often
feeling poorly, but she believes every
visitor left knowing three things: She
still had a beautiful smile, those
brilliant, bright blue eyes were still
sparkling, and Jesus was coming
back very soon!
Her willingness to witness to
anyone who came to her home was
awesome, but she believed now God
needed her in the front lines. Test
after test was administered, one of
which a technician repeatedly tried to
conduct, but to no avail. Every time
she came to try again, Ruby’s heart
would not show up on the screen.
Frustrated, she agreed to return
later. God had a plan: Ruby’s grand-
daughter asked a lady who played the
harp to come play for her. She
showed up at the same time as the
technician. This time the test
worked. You might say it was God’s
timing because as the harp began to
play the tune of “How Great Thou
Art”, the technician began to cry.
Ruby noticed a tear running down
her cheek and said, “Honey, do you
know the Lord?” She replied: “I used
to.” Well don’t you think it’s time to
get back where you belong?” She led
her back to the arms of the Lord and
left that hospital a healthy ninety
year young woman, despite the
diagnosis of several mini strokes
and an infection.
Don’t let anyone tell you that you
are too young or too old to be used
by the Lord, but go ye into all the
world to preach His gospel! Your
“world” is your work, your school, or
maybe…. your local hospital. To
Him be the glory, great things He
has done!
2 Blessed 2 B stressed cause
where He guides, He provides!
DAWN
Page 30 The World Of Gospel
“WE HEAR YOU”
Send your comments to: P.O. Box 6011/Fort Smith, Ar. 72906
or www.theworldofgospel.net
“I love this magazine. I am not a church-goer per say. I love God, but have never found a church that fit. I’ve visited several that were in this magazine and think I might have a new church family. Thanks guys.
Alma, AR
“I don’t get out much these days. All I have is my TV., and my dog. A friend brought me this magazine and I love it. Each story, blessed me so much. I want to subscribe and make a donation. I don’t have a lot of money, but I want you people to keep putting out this book. God bless you all.”
Barling, AR
Happy Easter From
The World of
Gospel
“I’ve taken on numerous new clients and my partner has reconnected with a number of former clients and acquired countless new ones since we placed our ad in The World of Gospel. We definitely feel blessed to be a part of such a wonderful asset to our community, and our business is growing as a result of our ad. Thank you for putting out such a great magazine.” Angel & AJ’s Fort Smith, AR
“The story your magazine wrote about our ministry was really a blessing. Thank you so much for recognizing the work that we do. This type of ministry isn’t always popular, but it’s always needed. Thank you all so much and God Bless.” Billy Don Wright Micah’s Ministry “Can we get copies of the past
issues. I keep hearing about Garrett Lewis story and how people loved it. I’ll pay for an old copy. I will also be sending a monthly contribution. This is a great ministry.”
Greenwood, AR
“We can’t keep these in our store. People actually get an-gry when we run out of the magazines. Keep up the great job.”
Van Buren, AR “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” I got this magazine while I was waiting to see the doctor in the emergency room. I read it from cover to cover. You people are a blessing!”
Van Buren, AR
“Lydia walked in to my job as I was preparing to send a box of supplies to my friend who is a missionary in Budapest Hungry. I dropped several of the issues in for them. I know they’ll love it as much as I do.”
Fort Smith, AR
“We have a prison ministry and we’ll be sending this magazine to countless men and women who are incarcerated. I believe this magazine will help them as much as it has blessed me.” Lavaca, AR
“Oh my word, I just love these...I love them...I love them!”
Kathy Barling, AR
“Greetings from Budapest. Lydia, My name is Jenna. I was a reporter at 5 News a few years ago, and now I am serving as a missionary in Hungry. This morning I received a care package from a dear friend. In it she put a few issues of The World of Gospel. I have enjoyed reading the stories, and I’m so glad that residents have access to this positive material. I think it is great what you are doing. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help!”
God Bless, Budapest, Hungary
HEALTH CORNER
WITH
Margaret Smith, RRT
Page 31 The World Of Gospel
I would like to first say how
honored and blessed I am
to be able to participate in
a Godly publication like
The World of Gospel. I
have nearly 30 years of
respiratory therapy experience and I
know that as we age, we often fear
the lose of our independence.
God reminds us in 1 Peter 5:7, to
cast all your care on him, for he
careth for you” (KJV). With the
concern of losing independence, let
me introduce you to a service that
allows seniors or those who need a
little help to remain in their most
comfortable surroundings, their
home. Home care agencies are
designed to help keep you or your
loved one be as independent as
possible for a long as possible. Here
are a few facts about In-Home
Services and the reason they’re one
of the fastest growing entities:
1. The fastest growing segment of
the American Senior population
are people that are 85 years or
older. Today there are 4.2 million
people 85 years and older. By
2050 there will be a predicted
19.33 million people 85 years or
older.
2. People are generally living longer.
3. Health Issues, cardiovascular
disease, arthritis, stroke and
diabetes are some of the biggest
health issues we have to face on a
national level.
4. People don’t want to leave the
comfort and sanctity of their own
home as they age.
I’m privileged to have my own
company that caters to seniors,
elderly and disabled citizens who
want to stay home. Often, they only
need a little assistance to live
independently with dignity and
respect. Most in-home care agencies
help clients with, housekeeping, com-
panionship, laundry and transporta-
tion which helps them stay healthy
and feel involved.
Access to adequate transportation is
often a major factor that allows
seniors or those with disabilities to
live independently at home. It is the
connection to vital activities such as
going to medical appointments,
grocery shopping, visiting family and
friends and, of course, attending
church service that help keep us
young and in touch with our commu-
nity. When that disconnection occurs
seniors often feel extreme isolation
and depression.
If you or your family is searching
for an alternative to nursing home
living, consult your family physician.
If you or your loved one needs
assistance, but, otherwise is consid-
ered safe to be in your home initiate
your search for an in-home care
agency.
Finding the right company to fit
your needs may intimidate you, but
here are a few things to consider
when searching for an agency:
1. Ask for a free in-home assess-
ment.
2. Write down a list of needs and
ask what services the company
can provide.
3. Decide if you or your relative will
need medical assistance. Ask if
the agency can assist with
medical duties, like shots or
dressing/bathing.
4. Always ask the company if they’re
bonded and do elderly and
criminal background checks on
all employees.
Lastly, there has to be trust
involved when you select a service;
after all, they are coming into your
most private sanctuary, your home.
May God Bless and keep you
healthy,
MARGARET SMITH
AN ANGELS TOUCH HOME CARE SERVICES
