Bates Family 19th Blessing

Congratulations to the Bates Family 19th Blessing and More Announcements

 

We wanted to give a heart-warming congratulations to the Bates Family, who have been featured on the popular hit TLC show with the Duggar's  19 Kids and Counting, who just welcomed their newest 19th blessing into the world yesterday. Children are a blessing from the Lord and when we see families with children of any size we need to praise Him! Whether it is 19 or 1--they are God's precious gifts to us!

 You may read see more pictures at their blog HERE.

The Huffington Post also covered it:

Bates Family Now Tied With Duggars as America's Largest Family

 You can view instant episodes of 19 Kids and Counting here,

National Marriage Week 2012

From February 7th to 14th every year— is a collaborative effort to encourage many diverse groups to strengthen individual marriages, reduce the divorce rate, and build a stronger marriage culture, which in turn helps curtail poverty and benefits children. Together we can make more impact than working alone.

Together For Marriage

Marriage works. It makes people happier, live longer, and build more economic security. Children with married parents perform better in school. Click here for new research on "Why Marriage Matters: Thirty Conclusions from Social Science."

Deep down, everyone wishes they could have a rewarding lifelong commitment with their spouse. But in the midst of challenges, we forget how marriage can benefit our personal lives. We are losing our determination and the skills to keep marriages heal thy and strong.
Marriage breakdown is costly to our kids and to society at large. Divorce and unwed childbearing cost the U.S. taxpayers a whopping $112 billion annually. In these economic challenging times, building stronger marriages helps build a stronger nation.

New Life Pastoral Counseling, is assisting by providing workshops, seminars and classes that improve marriages and strengthen family. Find out more, here.

Do We Truly Forgive?

Over time, I have found one of the hardest things for a client to do is to forgive the other spouse, yet they wish to have forgiveness themselves. This article is within that same vain. What are we as Christians supposed to do about this thing called "forgiveness"?

 

Jesus Forgives Ex-Offenders, Do We?

Jim Liske, Prison Fellowship     Tuesday, February 07, 2012

In 1985, Darrell Langdon of Chicago was sentenced to probation for possessing half a gram of cocaine. It was his last run-in with the law. He got his life in order and has been sober since 1988.
A happy ending? Well, despite 25 years as a law-abiding citizen, there are still people who want to punish Langdon for his crime.

Langdon learned about the vindictive nature of American criminal justice in 2010, when he applied for a job as a boiler room engineer in the Chicago public schools. Under Illinois law, sex offenders and those convicted of violent crime are barred from working in public schools.

While that sounds reasonable, the law also bars people convicted of non-violent offenses, in particular drug offenses.

Thus, Langdon, who had turned his life around after being convicted of a relatively minor offense, was told his prior conviction made him ineligible for the job.

Read more