The Gospel Truth June Edition

Sandy Walker

To say that I love You and I need You is such an understatement! The fact is that I cannot live without You. I appreciate all that You do for me and provide to me. Each day of my life is yet another opportunity to reflect on Your mercy, Your grace, Your goodness and Your love. When I think of You my heart is comforted. You are a certainty in my life as dark clouds are lifted and the vastness of the horizon appears. During the most challenging and most difficult times You are there. You are also there when I am overcome with joy and experience the abundance of Your blessings. Father You have given me a life that is not pain free, but is pain purposed. Help me to see life as a flowing river that keeps moving over rocks and smoothing them along the way. As I am blessed, touch my heart to bless others. Today and every day I am lifted by Your love.

Thank You Father. - AMEN

Father and Twin Sons Changing Lives

One Smile At A Time in South Florida Phanord & Associates, P.A.,

A Legacy of Bright and Healthy Smiles

A beacon of oral health shines brightly in the heart of South Florida. For over three decades, Phanord & Associates, P.A. has been more than just a dental practice; It is a testament to dedication, family and service to the community. Founded in 1988 by Dr. Roger Phanord, a distinguished University of Florida College of Dentistry graduate, this Black-owned dental practice has become a cornerstone for compassionate and affordable oral care. Dr. Roger Phanord’s vision and lead-

ership have paved the way for his sons, Drs. Kyle and Kevin Phanord, to follow in his footsteps. “As a father, seeing my sons embrace this profession and carry on the legacy fills me with immense pride,” says Dr. Roger Phanord. “But more than that, it fills me with hope for the future of dental care and the communities we serve.” What sets Phanord & Associates apart isn’t just their expertise or state-of-the-art technology, which they have in abundance. It is the Phanord family’s unwavering

commitment to changing lives, one smile at a time, Dr. Roger Phanord, alongside his twin sons, Drs. Kevin and Kyle Phanord form a formidable team that goes above and beyond dental care; they are sculptors of confidence and architects of healthy and beautiful smiles. “Growing up in the practice, we witnessed firsthand our father’s commitment to excellence and compassion,” said Dr. Kevin Phanord. “We also witnessed the importance of patient-centered care. A legacy we proudly continue,

honoring his footsteps with every patient we serve,” added Dr. Kyle Phanord.

The legacy of the Phanord family isn’t just confined to the walls of their practice. Each year, they embark on a missionary trip, bringing their expertise and compassion to communities outside the United States. It is a testament to their belief that everyone deserves access to quality dental care regardless of geography. For more information, visit www. phanord.com or call 305-685-7863. To connect with Drs. Kevin and Kyle Phanord, be sure to follow them on

their TikTok @DentistDuo. In addition, to stay connected with news and information about their dental practice, follow Phanord & Associates, P.A. on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @Phanorddental About Phanord & Associates, P.A. Phanord & Associates, P.A. is a leading blackowned family dental practice that has been serving the community for over 30 years. The leading dental practitioner, Dr. Roger Phanord, is a University of Florida College of Dentistry doctoral graduate. In recent years, the addition of the twin sons, Drs. Kyle and Kevin Phanord, to the dental team, have brought a

new level of energy and expertise to the practice. The practice welcomes patients of all backgrounds and offers a range of services, including general and cosmetic dentistry and oral and maxillofacial surgery. With multilingual staff fluent in Spanish, Creole, and French, they strive to meet and exceed all dental needs. Phanord & Associates P.A. is located at 1245 NW 119th Street in North Miami, Florida. In addition, to stay connected with news and information about their dental practice, follow Phanord & Associates, P.A. on : Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @Phanorddental

1. Keep that caffeine habit

Sip coffee—before your workout to help raise the number of calories you torch afterward. When cyclists sipped espresso an hour before a ride, their resting metabolism—the number of calories they burned while not working out—leaped by 15 percent post-ride.

2. Pack on the protein

When you drop pounds, some of what you shed is calorie-burning muscle—a loss that can slow your metabolism. One fix: Double your protein. Study participants who downed twice the recommended daily allowance lost the same amount of weight—but much less muscle—as those who ate the RDA. Aim for 1.5 grams per 2 pounds of body weight per day to reap the results.

3. Stack your day

A study in the journal Obesity found that women who ate a 700-calorie breakfast and a 200-calorie dinner shed more than twice as much weight over 12 weeks as those whose meal sizes were reversed. Your body clock is linked to hormone dips that rev metabolism in the morning and leave it feeling sluggish at night, say study authors.

4. Drop the guilt

Twenty-seven percent of people associated chocolate cake with guilt. In a study from the University of Canterbury, those who felt bad about eating it were less likely to maintain their weight over a year and a half compared with the 73 percent of people who associate the dessert with celebration.

5. Be wary of white bread

Limit your intake of white bread to less than 120 grams (four or five slices) a week. People are 40 percent more likely to be overweight if white bread is the

only bread they eat, according to Spanish researchers.

6. Power up with protein

Start your day with eggs and ham. Having a larger serving of protein at breakfast makes you less likely to overeat for the rest of the day, say researchers. Shoot for at least 20 grams.

7. Cut back on carbs

It’s one of the most reliable strategies for short-term weight loss. Dutch researchers found that eating one carb-free meal a day over a 2-week period can increase your metabolic rate by 81 calories per day. The key is making the meal about 70 percent protein and, of course, zero carbs. Watch for sneaky carb sources like milk, sausages, and barbecue sauce, just to name a few.

8. Replace don’t remove

Cutting calories too drastically can feel taxing, mentally and physically. Instead, make one tweak during each meal to get more nutrients like healthy fats, fiber, and protein into your diet. It’s as simple as sprinkling your yogurt with flaxseed instead of granola at breakfast or adding a handful of fresh spinach to your pasta sauce at dinner.

9. Dine in

It should come as no surprise that weekends are the most popular days for dining out, according to the National Restaurant Association. But research has also found that eating dinner out adds 144 calories to your daily intake (but here’s how you can stay lean while dining out). It may not seem like a lot, but if you also ate out for lunch, that’s another 158 calories—plus, any away-from-home snacks tack on about 107 calories each.

“ Think on These Things…”

THERE’S A REASON FOR THE SEASON THAT YOU’RE IN RIGHT NOW

Philippians 4:8

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

By Veronica Carey Buie

On almost any given day of the year in Miami, if you were to walk out the front door of your home around 7:00am, there’s a very good chance you may not be able to recognize which season you’re in. In Miami, a winter day could feel like summer and a spring morning could easily be confused with a day in the fall. It’s hard to know when one season ends and another begins. The same could be said about the many seasons in our lives. There are certain seasons that seem to last five to six months at a time while others appear to remain for only a few weeks. And like the seasons of the year, those personal seasons we experience, we have absolutely no control over. Seasons such as abundance, lack, sowing, reaping, fruitfulness, barrenness, joy, sorrow, beginnings, endings…and the list goes on.

These seasons are inevitable in our lives. At Ecclesiastes 3:1, the Bible states, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” It matters not whether we like these seasons or not or whether we are prepared for them, they will certainly come to past.

Right now, someone somewhere is about to experience a season of abundance while someone elsewhere is dreading that season of sorrow that awaits them. There are some seasons we wish would never come our way and there are those we wish could stay forever and a day. As long as we “keep on living” we’re bound to get our share of an array of seasons. Have you ever noticed that with these seasons, comes certain people? These

individuals play a significant role in our seasons. A certain person or persons may appear during our seasonal periods with a mission to teach us, encourage us, challenge us, guide us, hurt or anger us, enlighten us, grow us, support us, mentor us, strengthen us, cheer us up, or simply (and especially) to love us. Like our seasons, these folks may come/remain in our lives for a short period of time, a few years or they may stay nearly a lifetime. Other individuals only last as long as the season yet they have a specific reason for being connected to our seasons.

I think God assigns particular people to be in our lives for both an appointed reason and an appointed season…as if to be on some covert mission. They show up for an unknown period of time, meet a need or fill a void, and as soon as our season ends their work is done and they are gone. Look around you. Who recently came into your life or who left not too long ago? Could it be that reasons and seasons go hand in hand? If that is the case, then there’s a good reason for the season that you’re in right now.

Rather than becoming anxious about the dreaded seasons of life that bring about sorrow, pain or uncertainty, why not go through those seasons with an outlook of great expectation, looking for the blessings that come with each new season. There is a reason for the seasons we experience and the Bible says that for every season there is a purpose. It’s so encouraging to know that seasons don’t come to stay. Every season you have ever experienced, came to past but don’t miss out on the gift attached to each season.

It’s intermingled in with the purpose. Be it the fall, spring, summer or the winter of the seasons in your life, just know that God is well aware of every season we face and is more than capable of seeing us through them all. In the book of Lamentations we are reminded that, “Great is God’s faithfulness”. He grants us new mercies each morning of our seasons. If we are believers, everything we have need of He promises to provide for us regardless of our seasons. Therefore, we can count it all joy when these seasons greet us. What will be your “seasons’ greetings”?

Whatever season you are in right now it is my prayer that God will “reign/rain” over it. God has a divine purpose and a beneficial reason for the season that you’re in right now.

THINK ON THIS PASSAGE - (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) “ There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,4  a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,5  a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,6  a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,8  a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.”

Fathers Incorporated Launches PoppaUniversity.com

Ahead of Father’s Day

Fathers Incorporated Creates A Free, One-Of-A-Kind Online Resource Dedicated to Helping Fathers Across the Nation Level Up Their Fatherhood Skills

For Father’s Day, forget the tie, lawn equipment or new tool for the toolbox, give Dad the gift of free advice, endless dad jokes, resources and a virtual AI-powered confidant name Sage the Owl, to help him level up on his fatherhood skills. During its milestone 20th anniversary year, and just in time for Father’s Day 2024, Atlanta-based non-profit, Fathers Incorporated, launches PoppaUniversity.com, a free, dedicated online resource and virtual community to support fathers as they raise their children and navigate fatherhood. Poppa University offers new or seasoned fathers, or even actively involved grandfathers:

• A range of tools and resources to empower fathers in their parenting journey

• A vibrant social media community for peer interaction

• Practical parenting guides, self-help videos and brochures, and referral resources

• A ‘Fatherhood Fun Hub’ that includes contests, directory of TV and cinema dads, and dad jokes!

• Interactive AI powered chatbot named Sage the Owl to assist 24/7

“Poppa University was born not only out of my lived experience as a father of five and father-figure to many, but through my decades of supporting, researching, and working with fathers and uplifting the importance of fatherhood in our society,” said Kenneth Braswell, founder and CEO, Fathers Incorporated. “I always knew there needed to be

a place - a tool - that could help support dads 24/7, 365, that lets fathers know they are seen, they are valued, and that they are heard, and Poppa University does just that!” Research from the Ad Council highlights an inspiring fact: a staggering 97% of dads affirm that the day their child was born ranks among the best days of their lives. Additionally, children who enjoy quality time with their fathers show an 80% lower likelihood of becoming involved in criminal activities. This underscores the profound impact of fatherly engagement, especially considering that over a quarter of children in the United States live apart from a parent. Each shared moment is invaluable. As Braswell says, “Every second spent together builds a foundation for a lifetime of love and resilience.” About Fathers Incorporated Fathers Incorporated has an overall mission to improve the societal narrative and perception of fathers to ensure the definition of family includes fathers. Established in 2004, Fathers Incorporated has a unique seat at the national table, working with leaders in the White House, Congress, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Family Law, Business, Faith-based and the Responsible Fatherhood Movement. They work collaboratively with organizations around the country to identify and advocate for social and legislative changes that lead to healthy father involvement with children, regardless of the father’s marital or economic status, or geographic location. Learn more at FathersIncorporated. com and PoppaUniversity.com.

but can’t take all the credit. I lost all the weight,

Baptist HealthTalk NAACP Edition: Colorectal Cancer Discussion

Colorectal cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and the fourth leading cause in women in the U.S., according to 2024 data from the American Cancer Society. But it’s the second most common cause of cancer death for men and women combined. Colorectal cancer is now the top cause of cancer death in men under 50. Unfortunately, colorectal cancer disproportionately affects the Black community, where the rates are the highest of any racial/ethnic group in the U.S. Black Americans are about 20 percent more likely to get colorectal cancer, and about 40 percent more likely to die from it than most other groups.

Be sure to check out this podcast and hear some leading physicians in the nation discuss this important topic. Presenters for this podcast include: Marcus St. John, M.D., Interventional Cardiologist and Medical Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute; and Sarah Joseph, M.D., Medical Oncologist at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute. https://baptisthealth.net/baptist-health-news/baptist-healthtalk-naacp-edition-episode-2-colorectal-cancer-discussion#