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Spirituality
August 17 – September 6, 2013
www.SanTanSun.com
See child star Lisa Whelchel at One Church TV actress to speak Sept. 8 BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI
The last year has been a rocky road for actress Lisa Whelchel, best known as preppy Blair Warner on the ‘80s TV show “The Facts of Life.” She and her husband divorced, all three of their children moved out and she tied for second place after a grueling run on “Survivor: Philippines.” “It’s been a big year of transition,” says Whelchel, 50, calling from her California home. “I’ve been just discovering the grace of God in an experiential way more than I’ve ever known just in my head.” Relying on her faith, Whelchel moved forward. She relocated to California from Texas and has been a favorite on the speaking circuit since 2009. She
will speak to the congregation of One Church at 10 a.m. Sun., Sept. 8. The church is located in Hancock Elementary School at 2425 S. Pleasant Dr., Chandler. For more information, call 480-6860395, email info@onechurch.com or visit onechurch.com. “I don’t consider myself a preacher or a teacher, but I really love to share what God’s done in my life,” Whelchel says. “Anytime you find something that has made a difference in your life, you want everybody to know about it. It’s an opportunity for me to just talk from my heart about what I’ve learned and maybe it would help somebody else.” Whelchel began her spiritual journey at age 10, when she visited a “little church just down the street from my
Spiritual Reflections Share your spiritual reflections... The spiritual leaders of SanTan Sun area churches, temples, mosques and other religious and spiritual gathering places are invited to contribute their Spiritual Reflections in essay format by sending their thoughts, enlightening insights and other writings of a spiritual nature to News@SanTanSun.com. Be certain to put “Spiritual Reflections submission” in the subject line, and keep your articles around 200-300 words, or they may be edited for length. Include your first and last name, title and facility name, address, phone number and website. Spiritual Reflections are printed on a space-available basis, and submission does not guarantee print. The opinions represented in this column are those of the author and not that of the SanTan Sun News.
AUGUST 14 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 22
SUNDAY WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Sunday Mornings Traditional Worship
7:30 & 11:30 A.M.
Contemporary Worship 8:50 & 10:10 A.M. Sunday School
Sunday Evenings CORE (6th - 8th Grade)
6:00 P.M.
High School Youth Group 6:00 P.M.
8:50 & 10:10 A.M.
Adult Forum Bible Study 8:50 A.M.
RISEN SAVIOR LUTHERAN CHURCH & SCHOOL 23914 S. Alma School Road, Chandler, AZ 85248 SW CORNER OF ALMA SCHOOL & CHANDLER HEIGHTS ROADS
Phone: 480-895-6782 • Email: info@RSLCS.org • Website: www.RSLCS.org
house by myself.” At that young age, she couldn’t express how the experience affected her. “Now I can say that my heart had found its home,” she says. “Even at that young age, I just knew this was how I wanted to spend my life—telling other people about Jesus and learning more about Him myself. I really had a sense that I needed God and I needed His love.”
Relied on faith She relied on her faith during her run on “Survivor: Philippines,” a series of which Whelchel is a fan. “I watched every episode, every season,” she says. “I wanted to be on it. I thought it would be hard but, hey, I can do this. It is a lot harder than it looks on TV.” To prepare for the competition, she attended wilderness school to learn how to make fire and shelter. She trained with Navy Seals to experience swimming in the ocean. “I really did prepare a lot, but nothing can truly prepare you,” she says. Now Whelchel is yearning to return to acting. She explains that she loved being a wife and mother, but now comes the next chapter of her life. “But I came face to face with the season of my life where I needed to support myself, and my kids were
SCHEDULED TO SPEAK: Lisa Whelchel, who appeared on “The Facts of Life” for nine years as Blair Warner, will make a guest appearance at One Church on Sun., Sept. 8. Submitted photo
grown,” Whelchel says. “I kind of asked myself, ‘What do I want to be when I grow up?’ The answer was the same. I would love to do something I enjoy and I enjoy acting. I’m giving it a try and we’ll see if it’ll work.” Christina Fuoco-Karasinski is the editor of the SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at christina@santansun.com.