Fruitbearers

We are thankful for another year of God's faithfulness & favor and are excitedly looking forward to what He has in store for us in 2016! 1. Josiah did well on his SAT exam. He also received a letter of commendation from National Merit Scholarship Program for outstanding performance on the PSAT test taken last year. 2. Isaiah raised $2,130 for Steps for Life this year. 3. Alyssa received 3 awards at Dining Out (an annual AFROTC event celebrating cadets' achievement): Scottish Rite Southern Jurisdiction Award, American Legion Scholastic Excellence Award, and Reserve Officers Association (ROA) Award.      4. Alyssa completed her AFROTC summer field training.   5. In June, I had a retinal tear in my left eye and received a laser treatment for it. I am very thankful for the gift of seeing. 6. Alyssa did a freelance videography for 2 weddings and 1 dance event. 7. We had a wonderful vacation in Port Orford. Kayaking. Hiking in the Fern Canyon (in CA). Visiting bea

Tired of the Christmas shopping, the baking and sugar overload, the Christmas festivities that keep you away from your family during the season? Take time special time to spend with your loved ones and invest in your community—with Focus on the Family's help! You can download a fun gift to give to your friends, family, and community! Each Christmas stocking stuffer card directs you to a special place to hear an Adventures in Odyssey Christmas episode. Plus, you’ll be able to read a special excerpt from Imagination Station #12, “Danger on a Silent Night.” Sign up here to download the free cards. Plus stop by this page for a slew of crafts, recipes, and stories to share with your family during this special time of year!   If you're still looking for one last gift to give your kids this year, give the gift of the Odyssey Adventure Club (OAC). It offers safe and free content for everyone in your family, including an Advent calendar, a broadcast download with tips t

The holidays are a busy time . . . but life can be even more hectic! In the midst of work, after-school activities, grocery shopping, and business trips, how are parents supposed to find the time to build within their families a lasting foundation of faith? Focus on the Family wants to step in and give you some tips. Sign up by clicking here for a free e-book called  101 Surefire Ways to Strengthen Your Child's Faith . With creative ideas on weaving faith into everyday conversations, turning family activities into learning opportunities, and having faith-filled holiday celebrations, this book is jam-packed with fun and interesting, easy, faith-building ideas for your family. Another way to invest in your child's faith is through the Odyssey Adventure Club (OAC). It offers safe and free content for everyone in your family, including an Advent calendar, a broadcast download with tips to create a memorable Christmas, AIO cutouts, and Christmas stocking stuffer cards. Member

Clear your schedules January 21–22, 2016, because Focus on the Family and The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission will host Evangelicals for Life , a major pro-life conference held in conjunction with the March for Life event. The event will take place in Washington, D.C., at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. Evangelicals from across the country will gather to hear from leading speakers, such as David Platt, Russell Moore, Jim Daly, Kelly Rosati, and others—to be equipped and encouraged to become a voice for life! The event will also be simulcast for FREE so individuals, churches, and organizations from coast-to-coast and around the world can take part. Speakers will encourage evangelicals to engage the culture on issues of abortion and end-of-life decisions, and the event will affirm the evangelical belief in the sanctity of life, that every life matters to God and is created in His image. For more information, visit http://evangelicals.life/ . Readers

Holiday to-do lists often become longer and longer as we get closer to Christmas. From holiday parties to host, Christmas pajamas to coordinate, family pictures, gifts to buy, travel plans to finalize, and more, the joy of the season can often be lost in the midst of the hustle and bustle. Adventures in Odyssey and Odyssey Adventure Club have you covered. Karen Ehman and Glynnis Whitwer, authors of Everyday Confetti , share ideas and tips for simplifying and taking the stress out of the holidays. Pointing to the real reason for the season, they offer ideas to help you keep Christ at the center. Click here for a free broadcast download to learn how to simplify and de-stress your holiday season. Speaking of de-stressing, let me help you out with your last-minute gift shopping. One of my top recommendations: the Odyssey Adventure Club (OAC) because it offers free content for everyone, including an Advent calendar, a broadcast download with tips to create a memorable Christmas, A

U.S. Release Date:                    November 25, 2015 Voice Cast:                               Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand, Marcus Scribner, Raymond Ochoa, Jack Bright, Steve Zahn, AJ Buckley, Anna Paquin, Sam Elliott Director:                                   Peter Sohn Producer:                                  Denise Ream Executive Producers:             John Lasseter, Lee Unkrich, Andrew Stanton My Review : The Good Dinosaur is a cute story about an Apatosaurus named "Arlo" and a boy named "Spot" who became friends and shared an exciting adventure together. Arlo struggles to make a mark in this world because he is fearful/easily frightened. He lives with his mom, dad, brother, and sister. A tragedy strikes and he gets lost & tries to find his way home. He and Spot encounter some interesting dinosaurs...friendly ones and unfriendly ones. The animation is amazing; it looks so real! Beautiful landscape. There are some perilous situat

  What’s on your children’s Christmas wish list? As excited as they might be about that new toy, as every parent knows, the thrill of the gift will eventually wear off. Focus on the Family and Adventures in Odyssey have created the perfect gift for those who want to give their children or grandchildren a present that will provide year-round fun with eternal impact. The Odyssey Adventure Club (OAC) offers families 24/7 access to 25 years’ worth of Adventures in Odyssey (AIO) episodes in a safe online environment where children can explore and learn. Christmas really is the perfect time to tap into your children’s imagination while infusing faith and fun into their day . . . and every day of the year. To celebrate the holidays this year, the OAC is offering free content for everyone, including an Advent calendar, a broadcast download with tips to create a memorable Christmas, AIO cutouts and Christmas stocking stuffer cards. Membership to the OAC costs just $9.99 a month — or ev

About the author:   Kristen Hatton  is a native Texan now putting roots down in Edmond, OK with her church-planter/pastor husband and their three children. With a public relations background from Southern Methodist University, Kristen has a wide array of professional experiences, none of which she counts as important as the job of being a "present" mom. Through leading a small group Bible study of teenagers, she has discovered her passion for teaching and writing about God's grace. Find Kristen online:  website ,  Twitter ,  Facebook My Review: Get Your Story Straight is a 52-week devotional for teens and young adults. It aims to help young Christians live Gospel-focused, Christ-centered lives. The author wants to steer teens away from performance-focused, self-centered living toward the beautiful story of the Gospel. Jesus is the Hero/Main Character of the story, not us. This book is unlike many teen devotionals that try to be hip and cool or culture-relevant b

I think every parent agrees that parenting is hard work. We parents must be vigilant and intentional in parenting and training our child(ren). Based on Biblical principles and psychology, Purposeful Parenting presents six crucial ingredients for bringing out the best in our children: unconditional love, discipline, purpose & passion, character, responsibility, and perseverance. The book is packed with helpful advice, doable ideas, practical tools, and insightful tips. Each chapter includes "A Step Toward..." (concise tips for parents to put into practice) and "My Purposeful Parent Check-In" (a checklist to help parents examine how they are doing with their purposeful parenting). The author concludes the book with Parenting Takes a Team and My Prayer for Purpose. At the end of the book, you'll also find Your Skills and Abilities Checklist. I enjoyed reading this encouraging book and learning quite a bit from it. It's the kind of book that you would wa

When Calls the Heart series  is inspired by Janette Oke's novel and produced by Michael Landon, Jr. This DVD is the fifth/final DVD of Season 2.  Jack (Daniel Lissing) and Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) have not seen eye to eye since they parted in Hamilton. When Jack confronts a counterfeiter in a fight, Elizabeth must confront her own feelings towards Jack. Mayor (Henry Gowen) demands Abigail (Lori Loughlin) to make repairs on her cafe in a short period of time; otherwise, it will be shut down. Pastor Frank Hogan volunteers to help Abigail and Elizabeth with the required repairs to meet the deadline. Meanwhile, Bill Avery (Jack Wagner) returns to Hope Valley hoping to find out where the rest of the counterfeit money is hidden even though the case is closed. His wife, Nora, follows and accuses Abigail for stealing her husband. Rosemary regrets her decline to Lee's previous attempt at courtship and realizes that she made a mistake when he starts courting Molly Sullivan.  As Jack an

The statistics about victims of sexual assault are disheartening. We live in a dark & dangerous world. We parents must teach our kids how to protect their bodies. God Made All of Me is a well-written, colorfully illustrated book that parents can use to talk with their two to eight-year-old children about bodies. It helps children understand that God made all their body parts and they are all good and that God loves them and cares about their safety. The book covers several important topics such as the private parts,  the difference between appropriate touch and inappropriate touch, the difference between surprise and secret , saying no whenever they don't want to be touched, asking for help from people whom they trust and feel safe with, and more. There's a note to parents or caregivers from the authors at the beginning of the book and there's a section at the end of the book titled, "9 Ways to Protect Your Children from Sexual Abuse." I appreciate the heal

When Calls the Heart series  is inspired by Janette Oke's book series and produced by Michael Landon, Jr. This DVD is the fourth DVD of Season 2. Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) and Jack (Daniel Lissing) decide to go back to Hamilton after hearing that Tom (Jack's brother) and Julie (Elizabeth's sister) were involved in a car accident. Tom ends up in the hospital while Julie is hiding in her bedroom. Elizabeth's family blames Tom's recklessness and irresponsibility. Jack's search for the truth about the accident leads him to develop a friendship with a beautiful & helpful nurse, Faith Carter. Bill Avery (Jack Wagner) parts ways with Abigail (Lori Loughlin) and reconnects with his wife and father-in-law. Lee Coulter and Rosemary team up to combat Henry Gowen's underhanded scheme. Jack tries to help Tom find purpose in life and take a step in the right direction towards a brighter future. Elizabeth's father offers Jack a job in his company. While Elizabeth

Intersect is a five-session DVD that is useful for evangelistic outreach and small group study. Each short film segment features a different person telling his or her story and a short reflection that points to God and His Word. The five main topics covered in the DVD are Expectations, Rest, Disappointment, Trust, and Control. These are common issues that people can easily relate to. The testimonies given are sincere and heartfelt. You'll hear from a father whose son has autism, a musician, a divorced teacher, a recovering gambler & addict, and a clothing designer/entrepreneur who's also a mom to 2 boys. Their willingness to be vulnerable and share their struggles/trials can help others be willing to open up about their own lives. This DVD will inspire conversations, discussions, and interaction. It includes a study guide which has five thought-provoking questions for each topic/theme and relevant Scriptures. If you look for ways to reach out to unbelievers, check out t

I'm so pleased to have added this delightful cookbook to my cookbook collection! It is actually more than a cookbook. It consists of not only tested recipes but also interesting stories that accompany the recipes. Gather Around the Amish Table gives us a taste of the cuisine and culture in plain communities. Lucy Leid, an Old Order Mennonite in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, compiles over 200 favorite family recipes contributed by Amish and Mennonite families. I enjoyed reading stories and looking at beautiful, colorful photos (of delectable food and Amish daily life). The book is organized into 10 sections: Breakfast, Breads & Spreads, Soups, Sandwiches, & Pizza, Salads & Pickles, Vegetables & Side Dishes, Meats & Main Dishes, Cakes & Pies, Cookies, Desserts & Candy, and Snacks, Beverages, & Extras. "Extras" include bird treats, homemade baby wipes, menu for a barn raising (enough food to feed 180 men), and more. I picked out 3 recipes

Joseph Jenkins (Michael Rosander), a drag racer is devastated and depressed after his roll over accident during a drag race. With a class-3 spinal cord injury, his doctor predicts he would never walk again. In the hospital, he meets Elijah Salisbury (Gregory Alan Williams), a patient on a transplant waiting list who is strong in faith and has a cheerful outlook on life. They become close friends. Elijah encourages Joseph to not give up his passion and points him to God. When Joseph returns home, his dad's old racing pal, Paul Sharpe (John Schneider), reignites his passion for speed and helps him start racing again (this time on a race track, not on a street). Joseph gets to drive the 1967 Barracuda (aka "Adrenaline") which belonged to his dad who died when Joseph was only 12. Joseph's best friend, Trace Mallery, and Joseph's attractive  physical therapist, Josie Rigsby, cheer him on. I enjoyed watching the DVD even though I knew very little about cars and racing

About the DVD:       What's your mission? God gave the assignment to His people thousands of years ago: to bring "lost sheep" back into the love and safety of His kingdom. He said to become a "Kingdom of Priests," and put God on display to show the world what He is like. It's still our task today. In this thirteenth volume of the That the World May Know ® film series, you'll glimpse the urgency and rewards of welcoming the strangers and prodigals the Lord longs to embrace. Discover the mission that can give your life - and the lives of those around you - greater meaning than you ever imagined. Join renowned teacher and historian Ray Vander Laan as he guides you through the lands of the Bible. In each lesson, Vander Laan illuminates the historical, geographical, and cultural context of the sacred Scriptures. Filmed on location in the Middle East and elsewhere, the That the World May Know ® film series will transform your understanding of God and