July 2015 Transformation Newark News Magazine

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M I L L I O N

P A G E S

V I E W E D

JULY 2015

Rev. Paul Valerius Church Planter City Hope!

In This Issue

FEATURE ARTICLES COVER STORY:

Pastor Paul Valerius Swimming Pools Are Open

Transformation Newark News magazine is a monthly publication focused on the city of Newark.

Providing practical information and tips to transform lives.

CONTRIBUTORS Curtis Mincey

Disaster Preparedness Pastor Paul Valerius Church Planter The Engage Local Conference Rev. Al Sharpton’s Key To The City Newark’s Casino?

Preach The Word

PUBLISHER Rick Greene

Riverfront Revival Newark’s ID Program

A METRO CHRISTIAN MEDIA PUBLICATION 53 Burnet St. Newark, NJ 07102 MetroChristianMedia.com ADVERTISERS & CONTRIBUTORS WANTED EMAIL OR CALL FOR DETAILS Pub@MetroChristianMedia.com 862-888-8238

Students Get Their Very Own Library Taking The Test

TRANSFORMING YOUR: Ministry

“When Its Time To Stop A Ministry”

Business

Do you need as website?

Health

“Warming Up to Raynauds”

Relationships

“Prayer will bring you closer”

Life

Balancing life and work

In Every Issue From the Publisher...

Once again it is my pleasure to spread the Word!

I have tried to bring you as much news about whats going on in the city Newark Along with inspiring articles and transformation tips to help you to grow in your daily walk.

It would really encourage us to hear comments and suggestions from you.

And please consider supporting us by sharing our magazine with your friends and family; it would be a tremendous blessing to us.... Thanks.... Pastor Rick

“We’re Partnering With Ministries to Advance The Kingdom”

DOMINION FELLOWSHIP MINISTRIES OPEN AIR EVENING CRUSADES

THE MANNA STATION

202 16TH AVE. NEWARK

THE CITY’S SIX SWIMMING POOLS ARE OPEN Director will host the celebration of the opening of the pools The City’s four outdoor swimming pools opened to the public on Saturday, June 27, at 9:30 a.m.

Neighborhood and Recreational Services Director Patrick Council will host a jamboree to celebrate the opening of the pools at all pools on Thursday, July 9, with a rain date of Friday, July 10. Further information on this jamboree will be given out at a later date. The jamboree will be free and open to the public.

“As a former educator, I understand the importance of ensuring that our youth have areas throughout the community that provide safe and constructed activities,” said Mayor Baraka. “With the school year coming to an end there is more idle time, and we need to guarantee that all of our youth in The City of Newark continue to go forward in the right path for success.

The openings of the pools create a safe

and fun atmosphere for them to do so; supporting the development of Newark’s future leaders. I urge all residents to enjoy our pools and join us in transforming Newark into a City we can all believe in!”

The six pools (four outdoor, one indoor, one indoor/outdoor) will all offer recreational swimming. A list of recreation centers with operating hours and phone numbers is attached. Note that each pool closes for an hour each day to enable lifeguards to have lunch and allow for pool maintenance.

“Guaranteeing the successful openings of each swimming pool throughout the City of Newark is a primary goal we have for the beginning of each summer. It allows our residents to partake in various summer activities, while bringing our community together as one,” Director Council said.

the manna station 3 preachers 1 message 202 16th Ave. newark, nj Sun 4pm

Rev. Irving Johnson 862-576-9281

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The Dominion Fellowship Ministries

25th Anniversary Celebration At Metropolitan Baptist Church 149 Springfield Ave., Newark, NJ

September 29th 2013 7:30 AM Service

Rev. Dr. Bernard J. Wilks D.Min. Apostolic Overseer And Founder

DominionFellowshipMinistries.com

NEWARK FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS LEAD MULTI-AGENCY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND READINESS DRILLS Drills evaluated response to terrorists and other critical emergencies ON JUNE 17, 18, AND 19, AT 5 P.M., AT N E WA R K F I R E D E PA R T M E N T TRAINING ACADEMY, 191 ORANGE STREET The Newark Fire Department, in conjunction with the Newark Police Department, Newark Emergency Services Unit (ESU), and Newark Emergency Medical Services (EMS) conducted joint emergency preparedness and readiness drills on June 17, 18 and 19, beginning at 5 p.m., each evening at the Fire Department Academy, located at 191 Orange Street.

The drills were designed to evaluate agency responses and to nurture multiple agency collaboration in the event of

terrorist incidents or other critical emergency events.

“These drills keep us at our readiness in case there are grave activities in our city or involving our regional partners,” said Fire Department Chief of Special Operations Anthony Castellucio. “They are invaluable to our service to the citizens of Newark and surrounding areas.”

There will be mock terrorist incidents as well as testing of secure video links to hospitals and other emergency services providers.

Results on these drills are not known at this time.

Pastor Paul Valerius

CHURCH PLANTER

City Hope Ministries was founded in 1989 as Northeast Urban Church Planting. Rev Owen Carr had a vision to plant churches along the Boston – Washington Corridor. He recruited Rev Otto Wegner, who planted 8 churches in Northern New Jersey area. In 2000, Rev Wegner was called to Philadelphia, PA. Rev Paul Valerius took over

as Executive Director and changed the name to City hope Ministries to better reflect developing ministries that impact the city with hope. Since then, he has planted 3 additional churches in Newark, NJ and opened Mighty Oaks Learning Center. We continue to seek the Lord for opportunities to transform society through the gospel.

Never wanting to be in the spotlight, Pastor Paul has been front and center in many major movements here in the city of Newark and elsewhere.

He serves as the treasurer for ReMA, the Resident Ministers’ Alliance, which has been instrumental in cultivating hundreds of ministers to come together to work for the transformation of the city of Newark.

Pastor Paul recently led the cadre of ministers which prevailed in see the Christian flag raised over the city of Newark.

He's a nationally appointed US missionary and has planted churches in Newark, NJ and founded Mighty Oaks Learning Center. Pastor Paul has a heart for those that are bound by hopelessness, addictions and life controlling sins, and he has a powerful, personal story of deliverance.

Pastor Paul on:

www.facebook.com/paul.valerius.9

Ministry Transformation

When Its Time To Stop A Ministry There comes a time in the life of every church when it’s time to stop doing something.

Maybe it’s a program that has run its course. Maybe it’s a ministry that used to work. Or maybe the needs of the community have changed and it’s time for something new.

If you find yourself needing to cancel a ministry program, you’re really facing a stewardship issue. It’s a difficult decision, but money and time spent on a ministry or program that isn’t working is better spent elsewhere.

In fact, what you stop might be more important than what you start. It’s entirely possible your church isn’t as effective as it could be because you’re putting too much energy into something you shouldn’t be doing.

But there’s a right way and a wrong way to stop doing a ministry. In this article, I want to lay out one principle and three action steps to help you stop doing a ministry or program.

Ministry Transformation Key Principle: Handle with Care.

Empathy is a critical pastoral skill.

As you move through the process of evaluating ministries, making decisions and communicating to the church, you must handle the entire thing with care. Here are three reasons you should move carefully when thinking about pulling the plug.

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People don’t like change. As a leader, you know change is necessary. But most people don’t like change. Don’t get angry at your church for pushing back on a decision to stop doing something.

People resist change, and it’s up to you to lead them through it.

People in the church are often more committed to a particular program or ministry of the church than the church itself. There’s a lot of emotional attachment to ministries, particularly ones that have gotten a lot of time and focus from people in the church.

What needs to change was once the change. The thing you want to stop doing was started at one point. The thing you want to kill was once an innovative idea.

When you want to stop doing something, it’s helpful to think about the reason it was started in the first place.

So show a lot of empathy. Put yourself in people’s shoes and don’t rush into changes. And when you’re ready to stop doing something, here are three steps you can take.

#1: Start with honest evaluation. #2: Replace it with something. #3: Create a communication plan.

MAYOR BARAKA AND MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY HOST “ENGAGE LOCAL” CONFERENCE Conference brought together media experts from across nation The Mayor, the City, and the Center for Cooperative Media (CCM) at Montclair State University joined to host the center’s second national conference, entitled “ENGAGE Local,” on Monday, June 15, at New Jersey Performing Arts Center, at 1 Center Street, and yesterday, at Robert Treat Hotel, at 50 Park Place. The two-day event focused on a range of timely and hotly debated topics related to the interaction between community and media. CCM, which has emerged in the past three years as a national leader in local media innovation, created a bold program that initiates new conversations about the industry’s changing role in our highly connected world.

“This conference was an important opportunity for community stakeholders, economic leaders, and representatives of both the traditional and new forms of media to develop strategies to better inform residents about the facts, issues, and initiatives they need to know about, and how they can make their voices heard.

Communication is at the heart of our efforts to transform Newark into a city we can all believe in, and it is critical that we make use of 21st century technology to develop new means of speaking to and listening to each other. I am grateful to Montclair State for joining with us to host this conference, proud of all the people who attended to bring their expertise, and excited about the developments that will emerge from this event,” Mayor Baraka said.

The conference opened on June 15, at New Jersey Performing Arts Center, at 7 p.m., with an evening public forum involving civic leaders, journalists, urban planners, and the general public, themed: “Renaissance or Gentrification: How do we discuss redevelopment in Newark?”

Panel members exchanged ideas about Newark’s transforming identity in the face of redevelopment. A diverse panel of experts representing a range of perspectives, from government and media to education, public health, real estate and economic development addressed concerns and answered questions, along with an additional group of public opinion leaders. Panelists included Deputy Mayor of Economic and Housing Development Baye Adofo-Wilson, Glocallynewark.com publisher Derek Ware, and former Washington Post reporter Dale Russakoff.

“Montclair State University has long been committed to serving the city of Newark, particularly through major programs in the city’s schools and through the enrollment at the University of thousands of Newark residents,” said Montclair State University President Dr. Susan A. Cole. “We are, therefore, pleased that the second annual conference presented by the University’s Center for Cooperative Media is taking place in Newark, and we appreciate Mayor Baraka’s collaboration in this effort.”

The event was available worldwide via live streaming at: Engagelocal.org/ livestream

Follow the town hall event conversation on twitter at: #ChangingNewark The second day’s event, themed “Media engaging the local community,” saw a day-long panel discussions and speakers, who offered real-world examples of community engagement from media leaders across the c o u n t r y, featuring a conversation between Marty Baron, editor-in-chief of The Washington Post, and Merrill Brown, director of the School of Communication and Media at Montclair State University. They discussed the Post’s strategies for reaching new audiences, deploying engagement tools and ways through coverage to develop audiences, locally, nationally and internationally.

ENGAGE Local’s town hall is the national launch of a series of National Community and News Literacy Roundtables Project events, and is a joint initiative between the Center for Cooperative Media, the American Society of News Editors, The Robert R. McCormick Foundation, the News Literacy Project and American Press Institute. WBGO – Newark Public Radio (Jazz 88.3 FM), Brick City Live and Glocally Newark are partners of the Center for Cooperative Media and media sponsors of this event.

THE CITY AND OTHER DIGNITARIES PRESENT REVEREND AL SHARPTON WITH KEY TO CITY Mayor and Municipal Council honored Rev. Sharpton for devotion to civil rights and social justice

With other dignitaries looking on the city honored the career and humanitarian efforts of Rev. Al Sharpton at a City Hall ceremony.

As founder of the National Action Network, Rev. Sharpton has been one of the nation’s most vocal advocates for civil rights and economic and social justice. Mayor Baraka and members of the Newark Municipal Council will present Rev. Sharpton with “Key to the City” on behalf of the City of Newark. Additional honorees include Newark Police Department personnel who bravely patrol Newark’s streets and keep our residents safe from harm.

COMING TO NEWARK? MAYOR BARAKA AND COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO HOSTED A PRESS CONFERENCE TO PROMOTE NEWARK AS LOCATION FOR CASINO Newark’s accessibility to transportation and cultural attractions make it ideal for casino; Project will stimulate employment opportunities, business growth, and establish Newark as America’s “Newest Destination City” Mayor Ras J. Baraka, Municipal Council Members, Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr., and other dignitaries held a press conference to promote the City of Newark as an ideal location for a new casino proposed for Essex County today, in the First Floor Rotunda of Newark City Hall, located at 920 Broad Street.

Newark is being promoted as a location for this new casino because of its strategic position as a transportation hub, its burgeoning economic development, and its increasing role as America’s “Newest Destination City” for arts, culture, entertainment, and business. The project will provide jobs for Newark residents during and after construction and create additional business opportunities after completion.

“Casinos are coming to North Jersey and if Newark doesn’t get it, another city will and they will net the benefits. The casino itself is just a portion of our overall economic development plan. All combined, this development could bring more than 4,000 permanent jobs to the citizens of our City. Just look at Newark’s profile: we are a major transportation hub, home to major colleges and universities and our culturally diverse population speaks to the rich fabric

of our nation. Newark is poised to be America’s next destination City, one which we can all believe in,” Mayor Baraka said.

“Newark already has the infrastructure, both in terms of transportation and cultural institutions, that will help make a casino in North jersey attractive to visitors,” said County Executive DiVincenzo. “The City is easy to get to because of its accessibility from multiple highways, railway lines, Newark Liberty International Airport, and Penn Station. Once here, visitors will be able to enhance their gaming experience with the world-class entertainment provided at venues like the Prudential Center, NJPAC, the Newark Museum, and Newark Symphony Hall.

“I am pleased to join with Mayor Baraka and other members of our Essex delegation to promote Newark as the destination City in New Jersey,” Mr. DiVincenzo said.

In recent years, Newark has seen the opening of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, the Prudential Center, two major hotels in its downtown, the renovation of Military Park, the construction of a new skyscraper for Prudential. The City has also welcomed new businesses, like Panasonic USA’s national headquarters, Audible.Com, Manischewitz, and Wakefern.

Construction has begun on a downtown luxury apartment building spearheaded by Newark native and NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal and the renovation of the historic Hahne’s building for a Whole Foods Supermarket and mixed-income housing.

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Business Transformation

Do You...

Whether your small business is local and located on Main Street, or located entirely online, a website is the most basic tool and a must-have in order to be successful.

If your business doesn’t have a website, you might as well be invisible because chances are, potential customers looking for the types of products or services you offer won’t be able to find you.

A website can act as your business’ home on the Internet. It provides a place to disseminate information about your business, 24 hours a day – 7 days a week. It gives you a place to showcase your work, toot your own horn, provide some basic information

about your company and your employees, and it can be a forum where you can share your passion with the world and why you do what you do. Potential customers want to connect with you. They want to find more information about your products or services, and a website is an easy and affordable way to do that.

But simply have “a website” isn’t enough.

You also need a professionally designed website. The only thing that might be worse than no website at all, is a website that is unappealing, unsophisticated, or one that looks amateurish.

By Curtis Mincey

2 Timothy 4 King James Version (KJV) 4 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

In light of all that has just happened regarding the recent decision on gay marriage, it appears as if a lot of people have gone into battle mode.

We have grabbed our spiritual weapons and have dug in for an ideological war. Both sides are entrenched deep in their positions and are firing off theological and philosophical artillery at one another. This issue has caused deep division within businesses, churches and families. People are being wounded, abandoned and even left for dead. Protest, rallies and marches are happening all over this nation; either in support or in opposition of this polarizing issue. Now the question becomes, what is the role of the church? How should Ministry Leaders, Pastor's, Preachers and Teacher's respond to this situation? The answer I believe is very simple. Just preach the word.

What we must understand is there are millions of people out in the world that will hear the good news from God about salvation from eternal destruction through Jesus Christ that will willingly reject it. They will reject it because God has not drawn them to his only begotten Son. They will reject the gospel because they love the darkness and their sin more than they love the Light. They will reject the gospel because it is an inconvenient and demanding truth. But none of that matters to those of us that have been called out to preach. Our job is simple. We stand and God speaks through us.

We open our mouths and God's words come out. Sometimes the word of God will step on some toes and cut some flesh. But remember the word of God also heals and delivers. It changes hearts, it changes minds, it changes lives, it changes nations

Not the Supreme Court's word or the Presidents word or the Governor's word. But the God breathed Word of God. I tend to write a lot about preaching the word of God because the true word of God means a lot to me. It was the word of God that saved me. It's the word of God that is transforming me and shaping me into a new creation. It's the word of God that has called millions of people out of the darkness of the world system and into the light of everlasting life. There is power and authority in the word of God.

We have to stand fast on our position to preach the word when it's convenient and inconvenient. We have to preach what the world around us needs to hear and not just what they want to hear. We have be willing to be cursed, persecuted, and even mistreated for preaching the gospel. We have to be willing to walk with our new church family after our old friends and family have left us because of the gospel we preach. We have to be willing to preach the whole council of God. The comfortable parts and the uncomfortable parts.

We just have to be willing to preach the word and let God do the rest.

RIVERFRONT REVIVAL PROGRAM “The Best of Newark on the Riverfront;” 100 days of music, workshops, arts and culture, fitness, and boat tours on tap On Tuesday, June 9, the mayor announced the Newark 2015 Riverfront Revival Program.

This year’s summer season of activities at Newark Riverfront Park is themed “The Best of Newark on the Riverfront,” and will include a diverse array of events and programs for all ages over 100 days of summer.

Events started with the annual kick-off “Walk to the Water and River Day” on June 20th from City Hall to Riverfront Park, followed by musical performances and family activities. Morning River Day activities will include soccer tournaments with Ironbound Soccer Club and a Father/Child Basketball tournament with Zoo Crew at the sports fields at Riverfront Park from 9am-1pm.

Other programs on tap include educational walk/shop tours, Riverfront Chess, boat tours of the Passaic River, movie nights, plays, cultural festivals, gospel music, Zumba, yoga, kayaking, jazz, and youth art projects.

Partners for this year’s program include City Without Walls, Cobblestone Multimedia – Newark Youth Works Program, Code for Newark, Newark Office of Film & Television, NWK TV, and The Newark Times and our ongoing partners Essex County, Trust for Public Land, Ironbound Community Corporation and the Friends of the Riverfront.

CITY LAUNCHES MUNICIPAL ID PROGRAM NEWARK WILL LEAD WAY IN STATE Largest NJ City to adopt ID program, opening doors for Newark residents, regardless of immigration status, gender identity, lack of address, or previous incarceration history The program offers all residents of Newark, aged 14 and older, a valid ID card that will allow them access to vital services the city has to offer. This will be especially useful for marginalized people in the community such as those with disabilities, youth, seniors, clergy, formerly-incarcerated individuals, the homeless, immigrants and transgender people.

“Today, we are proud to be Newarkers as we extend democracy to hundreds of our residents,” said Mayor Baraka. “This ordinance says that our door is open in the great city of Newark, and we are welcoming the entire world to help us create ‘Newark 3.0.’

We want to help all citizens and residents to engage with the city and its resources. We want them to feel comfortable contributing positively to Newark socially, culturally and economically. We want them to join us in transforming Newark into a City that we can all believe in. With this ID card, everyone in our City can truly say, ‘We Are Newark.’”

Some highlights of the of the ID program include: •Serves as proof of identity and proof of residency regardless of immigration status •Access to cultural Institutions and schools and within the City •Discounts at the Health and Wellness Center •Helps residents who do not have access to other forms of identification to interact with city agencies, local authorities and open bank accounts The Newark Municipal ID cards will begin as a pilot program on July 1 and then open citywide on August 1.

Joining the Mayor at the ceremony were Municipal Council President Mildred Crump, Council Member-at-Large Carlos Gonzalez, Director of Health and Community Wellness Hanaa Hamdi, Essex County College President Dr. Gayle Gibson, Kevin Brown, President 32BJ SEIU Kevin Brown, ACLU representative Ari Rosemarin, and Immigration Alliance representative Alix Nguefack.

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Health Transformation

Warming Up to:

Raynaud’s Raynaud’s (ray-NODES) is named for the French physician Maurice Raynaud, who first recognized the condition in 1862. The disease causes an interruption of blood flow to the fingers, toes, nose, and/or ears when a spasm occurs in the blood vessels of these areas. Spasms are caused by exposure to cold or emotional stress. Typically, the affected area turns white, then blue, then bright red over the course of the attack. There may be associated tingling, swelling, or painful throbbing. The attacks may last from minutes to hours. In severe cases, the area may develop ulcerations and infections, which can lead to gangrene.

Raynaud’s can occur as a “primary” disease; that is, with no associated disorder.

It can also occur as a “secondary” condition related to other diseases, such as scleroderma, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Approximately 5-10 percent of all Americans suffer from Raynaud’s, but only one out of five sufferers seeks treatment. Both men and women suffer from Raynaud’s, but women are nine times more likely to be affected. Some

Health Transformation researchers estimate as many as 20% of all women in their childbearing years have Raynaud’s.

Although it’s been over 100 years since Raynaud’s was recognized, little is still known about the condition, its cause, or its cure. The Raynaud’s Association seeks to raise awareness and understanding of this perplexing phenomenon.

“MY VERY OWN LIBRARY” AT HARRIET TUBMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 14,000 grades K-8 students at 21 schools across Newark will receive free books to build up home libraries from Foundation for Newark’s Future; Mayor helps students pick out books and give them out The Mayor, Newark Municipal Council members, the Office of Comprehensive Education, and representatives of the Foundation for Newark’s Future and Scholastic host ted he third and final “My Very Own Library” book giveaway today, Monday, June 8, at 10 a.m., at Harriet Tubman Elementary School, located at 504 South 10th Street.

The Foundation has been holding these giveaways for four years, and this is the third such event this school year. 14,000 students at 21 schools across Newark in grades K-8 will be given books at the fair.

This event will cap this year’s giveaway

program at 140,000 books distributed to students.

My Very Own Library was founded in 2 0 11 b y t h e l a t e A n n e F e e l e y (1954-2012), with additional funding and support from the Foundation for Newark’s Future. The official book fair partner of My Very Own Library is Scholastic Book Fairs, which gives students the opportunity to take advantage of special Scholastic Book Fairs at no cost.

The Mayor will help students pick out books and then distribute them. The giveaway is timed to the end of the school year, to ensure that children have a printrich environment in their homes as they head into the summer break.

Chaplain Mayme Puccio visits Pastor Rick this month!

To be a guest and share your ministry Call 862-888-8238

Prayer Will Bring You Closer The Bible tells us in Proverbs 18:24 the “There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother” Being in a healthy relationship requires that you be a friend. True friends aren’t judgmental, they aren’t revengeful, and they aren’t condemning; True friends build you up, encourage you when your down, and forgive you when you’ve wronged them.

simply praying together will strengthen your relationship. It is in prayer that your partner will see the sincerest expressions of your heart exposed. And this is what most likely drew them to you in the first place.

Remember the closer we get to God the more we behave like him. How awesome

You know God sees deep down on the inside of us. He sees all of our mistakes and our faults and loves us anyway. God knows all about us and still chooses to be there for us anyway.

This is the kind of love that husbands and wives need to have and maintain a loving happy relationship. Loving, forgiving, encouraging, strengthening... These are the words which you should be able to associate with your relationship. If not then there is much work to do.

Start with prayer. Pray together with and for one-another. You will be amazed how

it would be to have your partner love you like God does. As you pray with and for one-another the closer you will get to God and His love will be poured out from yo u i n t o yo u r e l a t i o n s h i p. A n d a relationship filled with the love of God can withstand anything!

Relationship expert Pastor Rick is the author of the soon to be released book and ebook entitled “5 Secrets to A Great Relationship”,; He is also the host of the international internet radio show “Relationships with Pastor Rick”, and writes weekly about Dating, Love, Marriage, Sex, and Divorce; find out more at PastorRickGreene.com

TAKING THE TEST

By Curtis Mincey Lord knows that the last thing I want to do is take a test. I didn't like test when I was in school and I don't like test now. I enjoy learning about the world around me. I even enjoy learning about the bible. I love discovering who God is and all that he has done for us through Christ. But please whatever you do, don't ask me to take a test. But if you've been in the body of Christ for any length of time you've probably discovered that God has a sense of humor. He also loves to give test.

Not written test but life test. Like a great professor in the sky he loves to put us through a test. He allows us to be tested so that we can discover where we are weak and where we are strong. The book of James reminds us that as believers our faith will be tested. It's just a basic fact of our christian life. Things are going to happen that will test our faith. A personal illness, a death in the family, the loss of a job, the loss of a home.Are some of the things that God will use to test our faith.

Sometimes God will use persecution, natural disaster or man made disaster to test our faith.

These trials and tribulations are actually designed to strengthen us and not weaken us.

It is during these difficult times that we are able to see if the faith we say we have is the same type of faith we really have. But there is no need to be ashamed if we fail these various

test. God is faithful to walk with us as we journey through these dark valleys of life.He has promised that he will never leave us or forsake us.

These trials are designed to test and develop our character as christian's. So the best way to pass these type of test is to endure the testing

of our faith with patience and ask God to give us the wisdom we need to get through the trial.

I believe that's what God desires most as we go through our circumstances and situations.

He wants us to go to him. He wants us to inquire of him and seek his wisdom. He wants us to trust in him and not rely on our own understanding. So continue to study the word of God to show yourself approved. And be prepared to be tested.

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Life Transformation

We all know what anger is, and we've all felt it: whether as a fleeting annoyance or as fullfledged rage.

Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy, human emotion. But when it gets out of control and turns destructive, it can lead to problems—problems at work, in your personal relationships, and in the overall quality of your life. And it can make you feel as though you're at the mercy of an unpredictable and powerful emotion. This brochure is meant to help you understand and control anger.

Anger is "an emotional state that varies in intensity from mild irritation to intense fury and rage," according to Charles Spielberger, PhD, a psychologist who specializes in the study of anger. Like other emotions, it is accompanied by physiological and biological changes; when you get angry, your heart

rate and blood pressure go up, as do the levels of your energy hormones, adrenaline, and noradrenaline.

Anger can be caused by both external and internal events. You could be angry at a specific person (Such as a coworker or supervisor) or event (a traffic jam, a canceled flight), or your anger could be caused by worrying or brooding about your personal problems. Memories of traumatic or enraging events can also trigger angry feelings.

The instinctive, natural way to express anger is to respond aggressively. Anger is a natural, adaptive response to threats; it inspires powerful, often aggressive, feelings and behaviors, which allow us to fight and to defend ourselves when we are attacked. A certain amount of anger, therefore, is necessary to our survival.

Life Transformation Anger can be suppressed, and then converted or redirected. This happens when you hold in your anger, stop thinking about it, and focus on something positive. The aim is to inhibit or suppress your anger and convert it into more constructive behavior.

The danger in this type of response is that if it isn't allowed outward expression, your anger can turn inward—on yourself. Anger turned inward may cause hypertension, high blood pressure, or depression.

Unexpressed anger can create other problems. It can lead to pathological expressions of anger, such as passiveaggressive behavior (getting back at people indirectly, without telling them why, rather than confronting them head-on) or a personality that seems perpetually cynical and hostile. People who are constantly putting others down, criticizing everything, and making cynical comments haven't learned how to constructively express their anger. Not surprisingly, they aren't likely to have many successful relationships.

Finally, you can calm down inside. This means not just controlling your outward behavior, but also controlling your internal responses, taking steps to lower your heart rate, calm yourself down, and let the feelings subside.

As Dr. Spielberger notes, "when none of these three techniques work, that's when someone—or something—is going to get hurt."

One way to deal our anger is through breathing and relaxation, here are some simple steps you can try: • Breathe deeply, from your diaphragm; breathing from your chest won't relax you.

Picture your breath coming up from your "gut."

• Slowly repeat a calm word or phrase such as "relax," "take it easy." Repeat it to yourself while breathing deeply.

• Use imagery; visualize a relaxing experience, from either your memory or your imagination.

• Nonstrenuous, slow yoga-like exercises can relax your muscles and make you feel much calmer.

• Practice these techniques daily. Learn to use them automatically when you're in a tense situation.

Other techniques include cognitive restructuring, problem solving, better communication, humor, changing your environment, and easing up on yourself.

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