Church of God 7th Day

2011 General Conference Convention

Like A Warm Cup of Coffee

The Relevant Agenda is Up!: "

I am so giddy.

The Relevant Conference agenda is now up! You can see it here.

If you are not yet familiar with Relevant, you can read the mission here, see who is speaking here, and while you’re at it, go ahead and buy your ticket and book your room here (can you smell the chocolate?!). :)

Oh what fun we are going to have! (Thank you thank you thank you wonderful sponsors - if it weren’t for you Relevant wouldn’t happen!)

See you in October!

P.S. If you haven’t already, you can grab your Relevant Flair here!

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Room to Read Blog

Room to Read Profiled on CBS Evening News: Literacy in Developing World: "

Last Friday, CBS Evening News, anchored by Katie Couric and watched nightly by 7 million U.S. viewers, aired a fabulous segment on Room to Read and our Local Language Publishing program. This marks the first time a major U.S. network television news program has covered a specific Room to Read program and its significance cannot be overstated.

In March of this year, CBS producers traveled to India to meet with the local author, Manju Gupta, and illustrator, Mehul Navodit, who collaborated on the Room to Read title, Machho’s Ocean Journey. Their inspiring stories were included in the segment showcasing Room to Read India’s efforts to cultivate local talent to create age-appropriate and culturally-relevant children’s books published through our Local Language Publishing program. The story follows Manju and Mehul into their homes and through their creative processes as they work on new Room to Read manuscripts and illustrations.

"Drawing makes me enjoy that kid in me," Mehul said in the piece. "To see your work got published, you feel a lot of confidence -- like what you are doing is actually good.”

Manju agreed. "When I write on my own... It's my soul which is giving out,” said Manju. “My potential has been made use of for the right purpose. It's the best thing."

We hope you have a chance to read and watch this story that captures the powerful impact Room to Read’s Local Language Publishing program is having on the lives of not just the children, but also on the hundreds of authors and illustrators in the developing world that now have the opportunity, thanks to Room to Read, to share their talents with their local communities and in their local language.

WATCH the CBS video story here.

READ the CBS online story here.

To learn more about our Local Language publishing program, click here.

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Tammy Trent

Turn! Turn! Turn!: "

The challenge of “moving on” from our past and into our future is much easier said than done, especially when soo much is undefined and at times can be far from a secure feeling in our lives. But what most of us can probably say about “moving on” is that we KNOW it’s something that will be good for us, better for us and something that God is calling us to. A place where the sun is shining a little brighter and the air is more lovely to breathe.

But there is far more to moving on than just getting out of bed every morning and hoping for the best as we put one foot in front of the other. Do you ever find yourself walking over to the mirror, still with sleepy eyes and wonderful morning breath, (mine smells like roses-haha) saying back at yourself, “God where are you today? Will you show up?”. I know I have! And Ohhhh yes, God will ALWAYS show up, but I believe He requires us to do a little work ourselves. Like actively making new plans, speaking over our lives as mighty overcomers, taking on our future with courage and redefining what really needs to be redefined around us. At the end of the day it ultimately means that we need to understand and accept that things have changed in ours lives and now DO something about it. Ecclesiastes 3:1 – To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

So here’s my kick in the pants and reminder to all of us. Turn! Turn! Turn! Moving on is a process, so stop waiting for what you wished had happened different. It is finished. It is time. The wait is over. So jump in and start that process today. God has given and placed in you GREAT ideas, hopes, solutions and dreams for your life. Pray for courage and wisdom to step up and step out and then begin to take back your life and allow God to fulfill the dream He birthed in you. But you cannot do it alone. God is your helper and as the greatest leader in your life you have NO reason to be afraid anymore, especially of man or unGodly voices in your life. Listen to the Holy Spirit, His voice brings peace. Trust the word of God and let it light your pathway.

Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. I John 4:4

A fellow traveler,

Tammy Trent

P.S. Our (Trent and my’s) new children’s book, THE LOG FAMILY is currently at the printer. Yay. I’ll keep you posted and will make an announcement as soon as the first shipment arrives. You will be the first to order it here before it ever hits the stores. "

The Daily Beast - Blogs and Stories

Why Business Hates Obama: "Financial reform might irk Wall Street, but the president's real problem is with small businesses-the engine of any serious recovery. Joel Kotkin on what he could have done differently.
The stock market, with some fits and starts, has surged since..."

The Point

Challenge 2010 - Verse 14: "14 verses!! We are well over halfway and on the downhill slide toward 24 Bible verses memorized in 2010. Yee haw!!! Ya'll, we have done good!! Even if you have only memorized 11 or 9 or 5, you have still done good, my friend. Keep it up. You will never be sorry that you exerted this effort to learn God's Word. You never know when you will need one of those verses on the spur of the moment, so keep memorizing.

This is a short and, hopefully, sweet post, because for some unexplained reason I am battling a bit of vertigo. What the heck??? Where did that come from? Anyway, I'm gonna go see if I can do something to stop this blasted stuff from becoming worse while ya'll leave your verses in the comments. But first, here's my 14th verse:

Psalm 139:14 (NIV)

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Have a great weekend, friends.

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Wild Olive Tees - Get Your Verse On!

new arrivals!: "

Our new ‘beloved’ is here. In azalea with a deep plum flower, ‘beloved’ has had a makeover… just in time for summer.

We have also redesigned ‘chosen’ for girls. Available in sizes 2, 4 and 6. ‘Chosen’, on a soft pink tee, is all girl. Daisies and even a hint of pink glitter.

Hope everyone is enjoying the summer season!"

Faith Imagined

Foot Promise: "

Instead of dividing time by years, I try to envision all existence as one beautiful gift. Life is a single, intricate creation, bound together by a name that we tend to whisper about –Jesus, Messiah, Christ, Lord. Jesus was at God’s side during our world’s inception, He hung on the cross at its redemption and, finally, He’ll break through the skies at its completion.

Jesus stands firmly in the center of creation, watching as His divine purpose comes to fruition. He takes small but amazing pieces of His will and places them at His feet. They are called His promises. Then He puts the desire for those promises in each of us.

The promises are beyond our abilities, but we are drawn to them like a magnet to metal. The world tries to sidetrack us with tantalizing distractions that urge us to wander. As we seek Jesus, though, He compels us forward by faith.

We struggle onward in a life that isn’t easy. We learn to rely on the joy, peace and hope found in the core of God’s spirit in us as Christians. We slowly loosen our grip on the world, and we walk into the unknown, holding onto the only truth that we can rely on: We are loved. Though our bodies, minds and hearts grow weary, our souls attain eternal rest in Him.

When we finally arrive at our promises, we realize that they were only the lures. We walked by faith to the feet of Jesus, and He skimmed off our sin in the process. We now understand the purpose of our pain and the significance of our struggle. We look up at the face of Jesus and hand Him the weight of our promises, and He pulls us up into the power, the majesty and the beauty of His glory.

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Desiring God Blog

Meet Tullian Tchividjian: "

(Author: Jonathan Parnell)

Tullian Tchividjian (cha-vi-jin) will lead one of the seminars at this year's National Conference. His session is entitled, 'Giving Thought to Gospel 'Math': Why Jesus + Nothing = Everything.'

Tullian is the senior pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and the author of three books:

• Unfashionable: Making a Difference in the World by Being Different,


• Do I Know God?: Finding Certainty in Life's Most Important Relationship,

and most recently,

• Surprised by Grace: God's Relentless Pursuit of Rebels.

He is also a contributor to the forthcoming book, Don't Call It a Comeback: The Old Faith for a New Day (set to release January 31, 2011).

Tullian writes regularly at On Earth as it is in Heaven, another blog on The Gospel Coalition site alongside those of conference speakers Thabiti Anyabwile and Kevin DeYoung. He's also on Twitter (@PastorTullian).

Tullian is a graduate of Columbia International University and Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando. He is the husband of Kim, the dad of Gabe, Nate, and Genna, and the grandson of Billy Graham. To hear the amazing story of how Jesus saved Tullian, check out his interview with Justin Taylor.

Register for our National Conference now to see Tullian this October.

Other 2010 National Conference Speakers

• Thabiti Anyabwile


• Francis Chan


• Randy Alcorn


• Kevin DeYoung


• R. C. Sproul


• Albert Mohler"
  
  

Christian Book Press

CBP Illustrator Stephen Von Mason Makes Waves with his Students: "

For children, being creative and exploring new things is a vital part of learning and growing. Children's Book Press illustrator Stephen Von Mason (Brother Anansi and the Cattle Ranch, Just Like Me, Honoring Our Ancestors) gave his 5th and 6th grade students at the Making Waves Academy in Richmond, CA the opportunity to write, illustrate, and bind their own books recently. The children started by writing a story planner, and ended up with a final book bound on rag paper with their own color illustrations.

Explaining the importance of persistence and dedication in completing a difficult project, Stephen says, "When they were finished many said, Wow...this was hard. They learned life lessons that projects like this are long and arduous and it takes hard work and focus to finish a job and come out on top."

Stephen's students also were inspired by Children's Book Press titles. He says, "Many, many students read CBP when they were younger... Mr. Sugar Came to Town, Brother Anansi, Invisible Hunters, Family Pictures, and more...CBP inspired them a great deal."

Teachers and Children's Book Press donated books to be awarded to the first, second, and third place winners in each class. You can see the winning covers below.

read more"

Breast Cancer News

Male BRCA2 Carriers Have Increased Lifetime Risk of Breast Cancer: "Men who carry the BRCA2 genetic mutation have a 7.1% chance of developing breast cancer by age 70 and an 8.6% chance of developing the disease by age 80, according to the results of a study published early online in ..."

Book Crazy

The Hunted of 2060 by Ami Blackwelder - MiniView: "

I was transported 50 years into the future, while reading The Hunted of 2060; it's a fast paced, thrill ride, with a fresh take on what the future could hold.

Synopsis via goodreads:
Set in Alaska 2060. 3 Lovers. 2 Species. 1 Way to Survive.

Summary: Set in Alaska in 2060, when April enters her Sophomore year at University, she thought Robert might be the love of her life, but as she discovers, she is hiding something inside her, something the rest of the world believes to have died out. She struggles with who she was and who she is becoming as she learns of a family she never knew existed and of enemies she will have to outrun, outfight or outwit to survive. As April embraces her new identity, will she have to leave the life she loves behind?

With underlining themes of how prejudice breaks human connections and animal/wildlife conservation, this novel which has received rave reviews will leave the reader flipping through the pages of April’s story.

The plot of The Hunted of 2060, is original, Ami's take on shapeshifters was wild – I loved the twisted way they came to be, and with The Rogue Militia after them, it's a plot that's intense, interesting and intriguing. The Hunted of 2060 left me breathless, most of the time...

A plot which I can honestly say, I adored however sadly, I found the writing to be a bit clunky. It's tough to describe exactly, but sometimes I just felt as though the story was not flowing together, but rather being thrust towards me. Instead of a fluid pace and story I felt as though I was reading on the rapids, with sentences coming at me, only to stop mid way, and fall back. I just found myself wanting more, mostly just more “rounding” of the plot as well as the characters.

Another thing that I found myself having a hard time with, is the names of the characters themselves – there are 2 characters in particular that are pivotal to the plot, which I found myself struggling to tell apart. I am sure that's just me, of course, but it bugged me!

Bottom Line – though I have pointed out some of the things I did not particularly like, I will end on a high note. The story itself is rot with high adventure, a beautiful love story, and lots of action. I found myself turning page after page in order to find out what would happen next! The world that Ami Blackwelder brought to life, though I wish might have been more full, did offer a interesting take on the future, you can tell this author has one HECK of a vivid and wild imagination! I will look forward to reading more from her in the future! I give The Hunted of 2060 3 mushrooms!

The Hunted of 2060
By: Ami Blackwelder
300 Pages
Published: April 16, 2010
Publisher: Creative Endeavors
Received via Ami Blackwelder for my honest review, Thank you!

Copyright © 2009 - 2010 Jennifer Sprague @ Book Crazy. All material is original unless otherwise stated.

"

American Dabetes Association

FDA Faces Avandia Decision: "A panel of outside medical experts is scheduled to meet on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) pulling the type 2 diabetes drug rosiglitazone (Avandia) from the U.S. market."

5 Minutes For Books

The Center of the Universe: "

I happen to a big fan of the memoir genre, especially when the writer skillfully relates a true story in a manner that reads like creative fiction. Having devoured everything by David Sedaris, I approached Nancy Bachrach’s The Center of the Universe with excitement because of the multiple comparisons to Sedaris’ wry and witty works.

While I found myself laughing and reading in amazement at the story laid out, I think I would be more inclined to compare Bachrach’s style to that of Augusten Burroughs, with a remarkable ability to convey a family history of pain without sorrowful remorse, but instead with a large dose of dark humor. Chronicling her mother’s story, including family secrets and a history beyond just “colorful,” Bachrach opens a window on mental illness, from the perspective of an observant and thoughtful daughter.

After a serious accident, whose “accidentalness” depends somewhat on how you define the word itself, Bachrach’s father dies at an unexpectedly early age, and her mother’s recovery is a long shot. Uncertainty about what recovery would mean for a woman with a lifelong history of significant mental illness bonds Bachrach with her brother and sister, as they step into care taking roles as their mother defies all medical predictions, and they must learn to navigate a whole new road in their relationship with her, a road that’s been anything but smooth their whole lives.

A memoir that can chronicle observations of a mentally ill mother and the subsequent different-than-average perspective on relationships and the world at large is a powerful thing, but one that can do it with a sublime sense of humor is remarkable. Bachrach’s tone sometimes appears detached, while at other times is painfully entrenched in the emotional upheaval of the universe revolving around her mother, yet never falls into the realm of ‘woe-is-me.’ One can almost see the smirk on her face as she presents this utterly incredible story of a wild family history that includes systemic abuse, mental illness, and more than its fair share of covering it all up, because it seems as if all they have left is the ability to have a few chuckles and wonder at it all, or else who knows where they would be.

The Center of the Universe is a painful, yet so very funny, memoir that left me shaking my head in amazement that people can survive experiences such as these.

Dawn’s life wouldn’t make for a very interesting memoir, but it does provide some fun blog posts on my thoughts exactly.

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Bible Gateway's Verse of the Day

Colossians 2:9-10: "“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.”"