The Gospel singer legend Andraé Crouch dead at 72

Music legend Andraé Crouch has died. The Grammy and Dove Award winner passed away on Thursday, January 8, 2015 at approximately 4:30pm PST at Northridge Hospital Medical Center in the Los Angeles area. Andraé, 72, was hospitalized on January 3rd.

Andraé's accolades include 7 Grammy Awards, 6 GMA Dove Awards, an Academy Award nomination for "The Color Purple," induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.Read here

His songs have been recorded by everyone from Elvis Presley to Paul Simon, and he has worked as a producer and arranger with many of music's top artists, including Michael Jackson, Madonna, Quincy Jones, Diana Ross, Elton John and many others. Andraé can also be heard on Michael Jackson's hit singles "Man in the Mirror," "Keep the Faith," "Will You Be There" and "Earth Song."

Andraé's family requests privacy at this time. 

Secret to Talking to Teens (And All Kids) About Weight

Forget pushy parents and peer pressure. The secret for teens who succeeded at losing weight, and keeping it off, according to new research: Making the choice to slim down for their own sake. 

Of teens who lost an average of 30 pounds (and maintained it for a year), 60 percent say they were motivated by their own decision to focus on their health – according to 40 teens who participated in a small study conducted by researchers at Brigham Young University.

So knowing this, how can parents help steer teens toward a healthy weight? Tread lightly, Kristi L. King, Senior Dietitian at Texas Children’s Hospital, who is not associated with this study, tells Yahoo Parenting.

“When you’re a teenager, and mom or dad harp on you to take the trash out or stop eating a particular food, you’re more likely to not do it,” she says. “Over restriction and helicoptering can cause kids and teens to sneak foods or binge on unhealthy foods at their friend’s houses.”

According to the teens in the study, parents help the most simply by modeling healthy behaviors and providing more nutritious options for meals and snacks.

“Teens can help with meal planning, prep, and cooking. This includes cutting up fresh fruits and vegetables, so they are readily available, at eye level, in clear containers in the fridge,” says King. Other ideas include jars filled with mini rice cakes, low-fat crackers and air popped popcorn visible on countertops. Lemon or fruit-infused water is a subtle substitute for sugary juice drinks or soda.

Still, impressing friends with a fit body isn’t exactly obsolete with 43 percent of teens in the study admitting that peer pressure drives them to trim down.

But peer pressure isn’t all bad. Friends can also lean on each other to model healthy behaviors. “Walking with their friend after school or holding each other accountable for no fast food or sugar-sweetened beverages is proven successful in a weight loss journey,” says King.

There are different ways to approach weight loss with kids of all ages.

In grade school, focus on making healthy eating and fitness fun. “Make time for family physical activity and encourage your child to pick out new healthy foods for the family to try together.” King tells Yahoo Parenting this is the time to set rules like filling half of the dinner plate with vegetables – but let kids determine what type of vegetables so they feel like they have a choice in the matter.

“Kids, no matter how old, learn from role modeling, so if parents include vegetables at each meal and hit the treadmill, young kids will likely adopt those habits as they become older,” says King.

As they become tweens and can grasp more complex ideas, try discussing how food connects to your health. “Many times, you can associate a loved one’s health condition like diabetes or heart disease and state ‘by eating healthy we can help prevent it,’” says King.

As kids begin high school or college, emphasize how these times can bring an opportunity for renewal.

“There were some periods, like a transition to high school or to college, where we saw groups of teens who lost weight in those important periods,” Chad Jensen, the study researcher and a psychologist at Brigham Young University (who was unavailable for comment to Yahoo Parenting), tells Science Daily. “It’s sort of an opportunity to re-make yourself. There’s a lot of change going on, so some teens decide to make a change to be healthier.”

Source: yahoo.com

DON'T GIVE UP

Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me. Micah 7:8

The use of the word 'when' is significant. It means that hidden in every success story are a number of falls from which the victor is able to bounce back.

I have had a number of setbacks in my life. There are things I have tried out that did not turn out too well in the beginning.

Indeed, some of our most successful projects and programmes in this ministry were birthed out of the ashes of seeming failure and defeat.

Persistence is all you need, sometimes. The widow in Luke 18 was refused justice several times by the judge.

However, the Bible records that as a result of her persistence, the unjust judge granted her request, against his own wishes.

Jesus used this story to teach us not to give up at the first sign of failure. Progress in life involves competing for the same opportunities with other people, who may therefore develop some envy or hatred for you.
In some instances, you may get opportunities that others may feel they deserve. The result may be persecution and misinterpretation of your motives and actions.

Sometimes, your own mistakes and disappointments may serve as continuous reminders of your limitations whenever you seek to move forward.

However, it is important to keep at it and know that your efforts will eventually pay off.

In pursuit of your goals this year, always remember the nursery rhyme: "If at first you don't succeed, TRY AGAIN!!!"

Prayer: Lord, give me inner strength to persevere and never give up.

Scriptural Reading: Micah 7:8-10

Firefighters rescue naked woman trapped in ex-boyfriend's chimney

Firefighters in Southern California responded to an unusual call over the weekend at the home of a man who awoke to find his ex-girlfriend naked and stuck inside the fireplace.

According to Riverside County officials, the 35-year-old woman, who was not identified, tried to enter the Woodcrest, Calif., home where her ex-boyfriend and three children live through the front door early Saturday morning, but it was locked. So she climbed on the roof, stripped off her clothes and tried to shimmy down the chimney.

Shortly before 5 a.m., her estranged boyfriend, Tony Hernandez, said he heard the woman crying for help. read here.

“She said, ‘I’m trapped in the chimney,’” Hernandez told CBS Los Angeles.

Hernandez first tried to pull her out with an extension cord.

“I tried to get her out, but it was too hard,” he said.
It took 23 Riverside County firefighters approximately two hours to extract the woman, removing bricks from the chimney’s exterior during what they termed a “technical rescue.” The woman was transported to a local area hospital with “minor to moderate” injuries, fire officials said.

Hernandez told CBS Los Angeles that the woman isn’t allowed around his kids.

“I don’t like the way she’s acting or what she’s doing,” he said. “That’s not good for my kids.”

Full of Compassion

TEXT: LUKE 19:41-48

Key Verse: “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it” (Luke 19:41).

A father had a son over whom he had laboured greatly. He provided all that the son needed, sent him to the best schools and invested greatly in estates to prepare him for a better future. Then one day, while looking through his son’s room, he saw strange substances and documents. His son was a cocaine user and a member of a deadly secret cult. As he considered the implications of this discovery - a wasted future, investment gone down the drain, lost privilege, and so on - he wept. The boy wasted his life because he could not appreciate or discern the heritage he had.

Jesus looked at the children of Israel and saw how they wasted their heritage. Israel is God’s special and peculiar vineyard, fenced for protection, planted as the choicest vine with tower and winepress (Isaiah 5:1-7). The law and prophets came from them.

As Jesus looked at Jerusalem and the pain and anguish that was going to befall them, He wept. He saw pain instead of peace, gloom instead of gain and blight instead of blessings. He said: “If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes” (Luke 19:42). Many people like Jerusalem waste their lives, golden opportunities and the things that belong to their peace and then attract destruction.

Maybe, you have gone away from the Lord already, despite all that He has invested in you or reserved for you in glory. You need to retrace your steps back to Calvary. If, as a prodigal son, you have wandered away from the sheepfold, today you can return to the Chief Shepherd and all that the enemy has taken away from you will be restored. And you can pledge to live the rest of your life for God, while expecting to be with Him in eternity for greater, richer rewards.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Be careful so that you will not cry, “had I known.”

Relationship: Resolve to Get a Better Marriage in 2015

Jenifer and I have been planning for months to start blogging together in order to give both male and

female perspectives of common issues that families face. We will even tackle some difficult "conflicts" in the future. We've been through 25 years of marriage and family life, and we want to use our experience to provide help for the masses. Anyway, this is our first stab at a "he said/she said" blog. We hope it gets you thinking.

What's Your New Year's Resolution?

Typical New Year's resolutions are about diet, fitness and general self-improvement stuff. While those things are worth looking into, we want to invite you to consider making a specific resolution that centers around getting a better marriage than the one you have now.

If your spouse has ever disappointed you (and what spouse hasn't?), you have likely been tempted to dump him or her and find a new one. We invite you to consider a better option: Put the energy required to get a new spouse (the diet, fitness and self-improvement stuff mentioned earlier), and instead improve the marriage you currently have. We have provided some suggestions below—ideas for guys from Barrett and ideas for the ladies from Jenifer. In the spirit of getting a "different and better" marriage, we made our suggestions deliberately provocative. We hope a few of these make your list of resolutions for 2015.

Resolve to Get a Better Marriage

Resolution #1 for Husbands: Start a New Romance

Barrett: You know all those romantic things you did back in the day to "woo" your wife? Those things that you aren't doing much of any more? You need to commit to doing them again. Because she expects them.

I know that Jenifer does. She has every reason to believe that the volume of attention and affection I poured on her to make her fall in love with me will continue until the day I die. Romantic love is the air that most women breathe, so you need to figure out that what that means to your spouse.

Even in the area of sex, you need to redouble your efforts to be a creative and generous lover. Most women are interested in sex, but they need to be romanced, and they need to feel safe. And they need to be pursued. So focus on the girl and resolve to become a hopeless romantic once again.

Resolution #1 for Wives: Ask God to Bring a Better Spouse Into Your Life

Jenifer: Too many times, I have expectations of Barrett that I never verbalize. They are my unrealistic thoughts that usually start with, "If he really loved me, he would ____ right now." Rarely does he come through. Alone with my thoughts, it makes me wonder if someone else might magically love me better.

I've had to ask God to remind me that I am married to a well-intentioned man. The best thing I can do is communicate my expectations and pray that he would deliver. I also have to remember that God has provided me the perfect spouse that is necessary for my own spiritual growth. Ultimately, the better spouse that you need is the one you're married to. Resolve to being patient because your man is a work in progress. Just like you are!

Resolution #2 for Husbands: Take a Weekend Away With a Woman Who Isn't a Stressed-Out Mom

Barrett: If you are married to a stressed-out mom, it's probably because that's where she lives 24/7. Your wife is often physically tired and emotionally drained. She will stay that way until you do something drastic to remind her that she's still the lover and friend that first captured your heart so long ago.

When Jenifer and I are caught up in the craziness of life and are not connecting as a couple, one of our go-to solutions is to plan a night or a weekend away. Priceline and VRBO are great resources. It's our way of remembering why we fell in love in the first place.

Breaking the monotony and discovering someplace new together enables us to discover each other again. When I initiate this and put it on the calendar six weeks out, it gives us both something to look forward to. It's not as expensive as you think, and the payoff is enormous. Early in 2015, resolve to "enjoy the wife of your youth" by taking the mother of your kids away for some quality time together.

Resolution #2 for Wives: Trade in Your Dull Husband for a More Energized One

Jenifer: When Barrett's temperament seems melancholy or he seems unmotivated in our relationship, I am amazed at how easily I can energize him with affirming words. When I show him respect and build him up in practical ways, he comes alive. Watching my daughters interact with the young men in their lives, I am reminded of just how much every guy needs that.

From the littlest boy to the most mature senior adult, respect is the air that men breathe. If your natural tendency is to criticize his character or undermine his leadership, his heart will suffer and so will your marriage. In contrast, when you resolve to bless your husband with sincere admiration and appreciation, he will truly come alive."

Resolution #3 for Husbands: Be Okay With the Fact That The Woman You Are With Is Very Different Than the One You Married

Barrett: Over 25 years of marriage, Jenifer has evolved and changed in a million different ways. At times it can be frustrating trying to keep up with the woman she is becoming. The reality is that you married a moving target. And that's OK.

As a relatively static man married to an ever-changing woman, you have to put on your big-boy pants and adjust. You have to realize that her dynamic movement through the different stages of life is what keeps her interesting and keeps you dependent upon God for help. Resolve to be curious of where she is in life and be committed to learning what she needs most from you.

Resolution #3 for Wives: Realize that You Might Need to Start Your Marriage Over Again

Jenifer: You have to admit that there are likely seasons in every marriage when your anger and bitterness toward your husband makes you want to begin again. You can do that by trading in your husband for a new one (which is very complicated and expensive and comes with generational implications) or by forgiving the one you have. Grudges can lead to bitterness, and your husband feels it.

If you live that way long enough you will drive him away and burn yourself up from the inside out. When I have felt that way about Barrett, the only thing that resolved it was forgiveness. In those moments, I have to make the choice to forgive, even when my emotions don't feel like it.

Make no mistake: It is never easy, and God has to do a fresh work in my heart. But Hedoes do it. The huge blessing comes in the days afterward as my emotions catch up to my obedience. Offering undeserved forgiveness to my husband models exactly what Christ did for me. It changes everything. Perhaps your New Year's resolution should be to graciously hit the "reset button" in your marriage.

Start 2015 by Reflecting on the Good Things of 2014

As one year ends and another begins, we tend to focus on our regrets. We think: "I have to resolve to get this thing right next year because I didn't measure up last year." Resolutions are great, but don't forget to take time to reflect on the good things from last year. Focus on the wins. Celebrate how your kids have grown and changed. Praise God for His faithfulness. Mountaintop moments are awesome, but the reality is that life is lived out in a million little steps forward.

End this year with a celebration of how far God has taken you. Then commit yourself to being the husband or wife or parent that only God can create in you. Depend on His enabling power and make a few realistic resolutions to bring some fresh, new life to your marriage.

Source: charismamag.com

Prayer for the new week

May your day be filled with peace,prosperity and love. May God's blessings shower upon you and may you experience goodness every day by day. I Pray that you will be fruitful wherever you are, and that you will flourish and prosper and every limitation is broken. 

The barren will give birth, there shall be no miscarriages anywhere. You shall be fruitful wherever you go. "I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing" (Gen 12:2) this shall be yours and loved one in Jesus name.

Happy new week ! From ASB-World