VOLUME 24 / ISSUE 1

Magazine

Craft for

Spring! Make a Felted

Heart Coaster

Spring 2012

Mom’s Moments

Simply Profound

On the CoverBREAKAWAY 2011

Katie performs at the Luau

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3

Editor’s Letter

6

Leadership

8

Lift on the Horizon

10

Crafting Community

12

Mom’s Moments

14

Caregiver Conversations

16

Outdoor Adventures

19

Fitness

22

Community Lifts

www.liftdisability.net

regular features

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Every year my parents visit during the winter months. They both work vigorously in my yard to make it a small piece of paradise. They plant all kinds of perennials and annuals

that will bring the ground into full color. There is so much beauty in new growth. Tiny flow-ers poking through the ground give us hope of something new.

The winter of our lives may seem long but there is always a spring around the corner. Per-haps you have had a long winter. Often these cold, dry times are the best time for God to do work in us. As we let go God begins to germinate in our lives. Though your winter may seem long, have courage my friend something new is coming! Go outside and take in the beauty around you and remember that your life is like a flower. Though there is a season of little or no growth, eventually with time and the care of the Gardener you will sprout new life.

Enjoy!

Rhonette HukillEditor in Chief

Editor’s Letter

Something New

EDITOR IN CHIEF Rhonette Hukill

SENIOR EDITOR Mike Beates

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Caregiver Conversations Rhonette Hukill

Community Lifts Jim HukillCrafting Community Leanne Goddard

Fitness Heather Pennington Lead Jim Hukill

Life on the Horizon Chris Maxwell Mom’s Moments Nicolette Samuel

Outdoor Adventures Doug GoddardSibling Sidelines Little Tony Piantine

Lift Disability Network PO Box 770607

Winter Garden, FL 34777 407.228.8343

Vision Statement: Elevating Life in the Disability Family

Mission Statement: Our mission is to unite in Love, con-nect to Learn and empower to Lead

Value Statement: We value the supremacy of Life

Copyright © 2011 Lift Disability Network. No part may be reproduced without written

permission from publisher.

EDITORIAL COMMENTS & SUBSCRIPTION QUERIESPlease e-mail magazine@liftdisability.net

Phone 407.228.8343. Or write to: Lift Disability Network

PO Box 770607, Winter Garden, FL 34777

Magazine

THERE’S MORE TO SEE ONLINE.Check out our website at

LiftDisability.net

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For more details or to volunteer go to:www.liftdisability.net/breakaway.asp

July 10-14, 2012*Lake Yale Conference Center

Breakaway from the busyness of life and enjoy a week of fun, relaxation and spiritual renewal. Are you a family that faces disability everyday? Then come

BREAKAWAY for an unforgettable week!

During your stay one of our compassionate Crew Members will assist your family to guarantee the best family experience possible.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN! *volunteers arrive on July 9th

ascentBreakaway 2012

Psalms 121:1-3

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Lead

Your world is bigger than just the world that sits

between the armrest of your wheelchair. These are the words that have finally be-come apparent to me as I have endeavored to follow God’s purpose for my life. This is not a new lesson for me. As I look back on almost three decades of ministry, I know that God has been whis-pering into my ear this message from the beginning. Be-fore I would answer God’s call, or even know what a “call” was, God focused my eyes on His po-tential through my weakness. This understand-ing would eventually take me beyond many limits.

Simultaneously, over the past two plus decades, there have been major advance-ments in the arena of disabil-ity ministry to, and on behalf of, the disability community. Many walls have fallen, some

doors have been opened, mostly slightly, and progress has occurred in small incre-ments. It is important to note, however, that we have not yet completed God’s mission. If those who have fought hard and diligently for

the advancement of ministry in the disability community want to see individuals move beyond their limitations, then an army of servants must look beyond the obstacles of min-istry and know God is able to take us where He is leading.

As leaders (with a disabil-ity or not) we all face defin-

ing moments in each of our lives in which the resolve of our leadership will be tested. My father said to me once, “Jim if you think you can do anything else besides be in ministry, then go and do that thing.” Leadership is too hard,

too full of minefields, too many lonely mo-ments to be unsure. If one cannot do anything else, then one must square his chin, select a start-ing place, and forge ahead with unwaver-ing fortitude.

It is the opinion of this writer that those in leadership within the disability Christian community

are on the eve of a defining moment. The population of people with disabilities con-tinues to grow, a tragic world plight looms larger, govern-ments can no longer provide the resources, and the supply of replacement leaders looks small. The answer: people must determine to trust in a

Resolute LeadershipBY JIM HUKILL

Now is the time to rise up, army of the living

God, and give the world what He has

given you.

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Lead

JIM HUKILL is the Founder and Director of Lift Disability Network.

Throughout his life Jim has rolled his wheelchair past one barrier after another and the result is a schooled life in overcoming limits.

big God, leave the spectator seat and get in the game, and invest their lives for some-thing bigger than what they see in front of themselves. Many readers have been giv-ing their lives for decades and continue to serve through great fatigue and disillusion-ment. Others have become comfortable with ministries that have matured and they are ready to disengage and look for new opportunities. But now is the time for the leaders within the Christian disability movement to raise up an army of servants and march into the hurting world and bring healing to the land.

To accomplish this task we must decide that we are called and acquire a heart that is resolute about our mission. This type of confidence is only

present when people know they are loved and that they have been given something of great value. When I under-stood I was loved, I had the power to love others. When I grasped the dream God had for me, I could inspire a vision. When I received wholeness in my soul, then I could give healing to the hurting.

Defining moment: Num-bers 22:1 “Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.”

Just as Jericho tested the children of Israel, so each wall of limitation shows our char-acter. A Pastor friend once made this statement, “All of history can be summed up in two words: challenge and re-sponse (or choice).” The ques-tion is what will I do with what

I hold in my hand? Be deter-mined to trust. I have found, the more I let go of what I hold in my hand, the more God lets go of what He has in His hand. Be determined to focus on that which is on the other side of your wall. If you focus on your limits, then they will have the appear-ance of being stronger than your God.

Now is the time to rise up, army of the living God, and give the world what He has given you.

people must determine to trust in a big God, leave the spectator seat and get in the game...

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What’s the Best Description of Your Station?BY CHRIS MAXWELL

Think of your favorite radio station, your favorite television station, or your favorite podcast, webcast, or other forum

in our modern hi-tech world. What is your style of preference? Why do you like it so much?

News reports? Sports? Jazz or rock, country or classical? A kids’ station or a political station? Do you listen in the car, in the office, or at home? Are your television stations filled with news, drama or comedy, or ball games? Do you watch too much TV or too many movies?

Whatever those external stations, we also have internal stations. Our thoughts and feelings become powerful “sta-tions” – they guide our decisions. Thoughts of fear can inhibit

Life on the Horizon

our potential. Thoughts of doubt can rob us of pursu-ing dreams. Mental “music” from the past can hinder our pursuit of future goals. Emo-tional “reports” can delay our effort to believe in a better future.

If we let our disappoint-ments and disabilities be the only “songs” we hear, what does that do to us? If we al-

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CHRIS MAXWELL

is an Author, Pastor & Director of Spiritual Life

www.chrismaxwellweb.com

Life on the Horizon

low our weaknesses and pain be the only “reports” we hear, how can that influence our decisions?

Maybe we can choose to change channels by listen-ing to a mental “song” about David defeating Goliath. Per-haps we can watch a “movie” about Jesus walking on wa-ter. We can stay on the mental “channel” of Scriptural stories of the impossible actually oc-curring. Or we can “tune in” to the conversations of God and His people throughout the

Bible. Maybe such changing of stations can help our own songs and news reports be-come alive again.

What song would you hope to best describe your life? Sing it today. Live it today. What news report provides the best description of your journey of overcoming the past and pursuing a bright future? Read it today. Live it today. What movie reveals the drama of your experience to fulfill a dream? Watch it to-day. Live it today. What game

offers the hope of victory for you even when you feel weak and defeated? Play it today. Live it today.

Turn off the mental, emo-tional, spiritual, and relation-al “stations” of defeat. Turn on that inner station of victory.

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One of my favorite things to work on is a felted

project. Some of the most popular items to felt are coasters, hot pads, slippers, and purses. I just finished my first purse for a friend’s birth-day and it was so much fun! Now some of you might be wondering, “What is felting?” Well, felted projects can be made by either knit or cro-chet using yarn made of ani-mal fiber, usually wool, and then washed in very hot wa-ter with high agitation. This causes the yarn to shrink and the stitches to melt together into one solid piece.

There are several reasons I love felting. First, you don’t have to be an experienced knitter to felt and felt well. In fact one of the beauties of the technique is that if you make mistakes in your stitches, once the item is felted those mistakes totally disappear! I also love how I can start out with something that looks totally over-sized and out of proportion and it turns into the most beautiful and per-

Crafting Community

Felting Covers a Multitude of Sins

fect finished product. Finally, I love the look and the feel of the finished items with an in-credible nubby but smooth texture.

As I was knitting the purse I mentioned above, I began to think how we as humans are a lot like a felting project. Our daily lives might seem like the pre-felted version of my purse…out of proportion and full of mistakes. As we walk through life and the var-ious trials and hard bumps in the road we encounter, we of-ten feel like we are in hot wa-ter, being tossed all around. There have been times in my life when a steam bath was not what I was looking for and I wondered how any-thing good could ever come from it. But we must remem-ber that in Christ we are new creatures and all the mistakes and flaws are covered by His sacrifice on the cross. God’s word tells us, “Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come”(2 Corin-

thians 5:17). And, if we have a personal relationship with Jesus, He promises to work all things for good in our life! Romans 8:28 tells us “And we know that God causes all things to work for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” That’s right, He can use even our mistakes and times in hot water to draw us to Him and to glorify His name.

BY LEANNE GODDARD

LEANNE GODDARDis Co-Founder of Access-Life.

To find a Crafting Community in your neighbor-

hood go to www.access-life.org

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Crafting Community

Want to try your hand at felting? Here’s a quick and easy proj-ect. For experienced knitters that swatch on a regular basis this is a great way to use up some of those miscellaneous swatches. Not into knitting or crocheting? Take an old wool sweater you don’t wear anymore or pick one up at a thrift store and wash as directed below to felt and then follow remaining directions.

Paton’s Classic Yarn

Size 8 needles

Yarn Needle (for weaving in ends)

Zippered pillowcase

1) Cast on 25 stitches.

2) Knit either in stockinette stitch (knit one row and purl the next) or garter stitch (knit every row). Continue until you have a square swatch.

3) Cast off and weave in all ends.

4) Put swatch in a zippered pillowcase and set washer on lowest water level and highest water temperature. If you have an old pair of jeans or some tennis balls, add these to the washer to increase agitation and aid the felting process.

5) Start washer and set a timer for about 5 minutes. Check your work about every 5 minutes until the swatch reaches the desired texture and size.

6) Rinse in cold water and squeeze out as much water as possible. Lay flat to dry.

7) Once the swatch is dry, trace desired shape onto swatch and cut out. At this point you can embellish with stitching or embroidery or just keep it simple.

Felted Heart Coasters

2

4

7

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Simply ProfoundBY NICOLETTE SAMUEL

Mom’s Moments

I am learning to listen carefully to

the words that come out of my daughter Hannah’s mouth. There are moments when she will begin to say something, and there is this gentle nudge within me, and I sense the Spirit of God saying, “Listen, I’m speak-ing.” I am in awe of how often God chooses to speak through unlikely voices. And I am re-minded continually how important it is to be willing to hear Him, wherever and through whomever He chooses.

I remember my mom telling me of-ten that a good sign of maturity in the Lord is the willing-ness to learn from

anyone. So I have had a growing desire over the years to seek discernment in hearing His voice. Jesus reminds us of this in John 10:4-5, 27. There He speaks of Himself as the Shepherd

and us as His sheep: “When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never fol-low a stranger, in fact, they will run away from him be-cause they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

Although, God often uses my daughter’s words to teach me, it does not mean that I should follow everything she says. Otherwise we would be eating chips and salsa every morning for breakfast. Al-though she, in her childlike innocence, can receive the truths of God without ques-tion, she still thinks like a child.

I have found great joy in teaching my child the ways of God, because in this I am learning as well. So often I will have to stop and reflect on what He is saying to me as I read the simple, yet profound message. I’m often convicted, encouraged, or even moved

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Grands!® Easy Taco Melts Makes: 8 Sandwiches

INGREDIENTS1 lb lean ground beef, cooked, drained1 1/2 cups Old El Paso® Thick ‘n Chunky salsa1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® refrigerated biscuits1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese or Mexican cheese blend (2 oz)

DIRECTIONSIn 10-inch nonstick skillet, mix cooked beef and 1/2 cup of the salsa. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until hot. Press each biscuit into 6-inch round. Spoon 1/3 cup meat mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese onto center of each round. Fold dough in half over filling; press to seal. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375°F 9 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with remaining salsa..Use spicy salsa for an additional kick! Find more recipes at www.pillsbury.com/Recipes

NICOLETTE SAMUEL has been married 13 years to her husband Shaker. Combined they have 3 children. With her husband as Pastor, Nico-lette finds herself very involved in church ministry. Over the years she has learned many lessons, many of which come from her daughter, Hannah, who has Down syndrome.

Mom’s Moments

to tears by what I’ve read. One example recently was in a children’s book by Max Lucado named Follow Me all the Way. He tells a story of how one of three Knights is successful on his journey to meet the King as he trav-els through the land of the Hopenots, because he has chosen as his companion the Prince. The Prince alone plays the same song as the King. Following this song is the only way to find safe passage

to the Kingdom. All along the way the Hopenots try to imitate the song of the King, which distracts and destroys the other travelers. But the wise Knight has listened to and knows so well the song of the Prince, that he cannot be fooled by any imitation. May the song of the King, the voice of my Shepherd, ring al-ways and true in my ear, and lead me in the paths of righ-teousness for His name’s sake.

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s t o m a c h , although in my throat, d o e s n ’ t feel like it wants to reproduce my break-fast. At this point I be-gin to let go. I am actually en-joying this ride! As we climb another hill I find my hands loosening their grip on the bar in front of me. The next thing you know, as the cart begins to fly downward, my arms shoot up into the air. As if my psyche somehow remembers as a child that arms raised gives a much greater effect to the thrill of the ride.

This roller coaster ride is not unlike my everyday life. As a caregiver, there are days I

engage in conversation but as each step brings me closer to the ride, I begin to think about all the risks involved. Will I throw up and embar-rass myself in front of every-one? Will I hurt my back and thus not be able to care for Jim? Will the thing derail and take all of us spiraling to our death? It’s amazing how the mind can become consumed so quickly.

As we board the ride and I ask the lady at the gate re-peatedly to push my harness closer to my body, I realize there is no turning back! I must continue on this ride. We shoot out of the gate and my eyes snap shut. At some point I hear a screaming al-most laughing sound. I try to isolate where it is coming from and realize that it’s me making all that noise. Slowly I start to take inventory. One, I am still alive; and two, my

Recently as a staff, we spent the day at Islands

of Adventure, a Universal Studios theme park in Cen-tral Florida. It was a great time just to relax with one another and take a break from the daily grind of min-istry. I don’t do this so well -- I am an extremely task-driven person. So when we first made plans for this day, I saw the importance in it but groaned inwardly as I thought about all the things at the office where I would fall behind.

As the day wore on I found myself starting to relax and really enjoy my company. For those of you who don’t know this park, it is made up primar-ily of roller coasters. As a child I loved to ride them! Now at the age of “forty-something” I find myself a little apprehen-sive as we wander through the waiting line maze. I try to

Letting GoBY RHONETTE HUKILL

Caregiver Conversations

Deuteronomy 31:6 (NLT)

So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

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Caregiver Conversations

RHONETTE HUKILL has been a full-time caregiver to her wonderful husband, Jim, for nearly 17 years. Together, by God’s grace, they face the everyday challenges of life with disability.

am scared to death to get on the ride. My mind takes over and I think of all the things that could go wrong. What if I drop Jim today as we move from the shower to the bed? What if I hurt myself in the process of caring for Jim? What if the whole day goes spiraling out of control and I find myself overwhelmed by the circumstances to the point of exhaustion?

Just like standing in the line waiting to board the roller

coaster, I wake every morn-ing with uncertainty whether I really want to take this ride today. Out of blind faith and sometimes stupidity I board the ride. As the day pro-gresses, I begin to let go of the reigns. At some point I realize, once again, that God is the conductor of this ride and there is no way He will al-low my cart to derail and spi-ral to my doom. He sure likes to throw in some extra curves some days that produce one of those screaming laughs.

For the most part as I release my hands and trust in His, I find my arms lifting heaven-ward, giving Him the praise He deserves.

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I was fishing a few months ago when the bass were up

shallow cruising, feeding, and bedding and it was a blast. I could cast out my lure and see the fish react to it, chase it, and even hit the bait. I knew exactly how to work my homemade jigs, worms, or minnows based on what I could see right in front of me. I received instant feedback on the speed, style, and type of retrieve I used.

Unfortunately (or may be fortunately) most of the time I cannot see the fish or what they are doing. I have to cast my line out there on faith into areas I believe the fish are hanging out and retrieve my lure in the way I know best for the weather conditions, time of day, and water clarity.

You know I started think-ing about how this situation parallels our Christian lives. Don’t we all get jazzed when we can see God moving or working in our lives through circumstances? These times are great encouragements and reinforce the truths of God’s promises.

Howev-er, just as I cannot al-ways see the fish in the water l i k e w i s e just be-cause we do not see God’s h a n d w o r k i n g in our lives it does not mean He is not there answering our prayers. In such times we must continue to trust, fol-low, and obey God because we know it is right and true. Just as I continue to cast, re-trieve, and use the best tech-niques even though I can’t see the fish I am chasing.

The cool thing is that I of-ten catch more fish and larger fish when I cannot see them. Likewise often we reap the biggest and best blessings when we faithfully do what we know we should regard-less of our circumstances.

Fishing by Sight and Walking by FaithBY DOUG GODDARD

OutdoorAdventures

DOUG GODDARD is a c5/6 quadriple-gic from a 1983 diving accident the sum-mer before his junior year in high school. He came to know the Lord through this experience and be-lieves that God not only has a plan, but a good plan for folks affected by disabilities. One of the many bless-ings Doug enjoys, on top of being married to his best friend Leanne, is that of God’s great outdoors. He loves to fish, hunt, explore, and just be outdoors. Despite his disability, with God’s help, he does!

REGISTER TO PARTICIPATE OR VOLUNTEER AT: WWW.ACCESS-LIFE.ORG/ALE

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL (214) 893-9056

WHAT: FREE event for individuals and families living with disabilities. Come enjoy God’s great outdoors! WHEN: Saturday April 14, 2012 10am to 2pm WHERE: Bethesda Park 10790 Key Haven Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32218

*BOATING*FISHING*ARCHERY* *KAYAKING*CRAFTS*GAMES*FOOD*

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Amazing GiftsStories of Faith, Disability, and InclusionMark I. PinskyForeword by Ginny Th ornburgh

People with disabilities are our family members, friends, neighbors, and coworkers—and fellow congregants in our places of worship. And “they” are also “us.” Amazing Gifts: Stories of Faith, Disability, and Inclusion by noted religion writer Mark I. Pinsky tells sixty-four stories about the way faith communities welcome and affi rm people with disabilities in worship, ministry, fellowship, and leadership. Churches, synagogues, temples, mosques, and other congregations do this not only because it is the right thing to do but because they are made better by the gifts of all people. Today there are more than fi fty million men, women, and children in the United States with physical, sensory, psychiatric, and intellectual disabilities. As the population ages, that number will continue to grow. While some disabilities are apparent through appearance, behavior, or medical equipment, many are not. Chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, lupus, depression, and mental illness are as common as Down syndrome, autism, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, or blindness. All respond to opportunities to be enjoyed and valued; all respond to love, care, and friendship. The stories in this rich book tell us how some communities show that love, care, and friendship. The stories, however, are not without struggle. The struggle to understand how and why a person has a disability, the struggle to include those whose behavior is unpredictable, the struggle to create a community that is open to all. But the stories also include signs that this may not be as diffi cult as it seems. A friendly word, a patient moment, a willingness to reach out is the fi rst step.

Amazing Gifts includes many stories of people taking that fi rst step…and many more steps after that. You’ll meet some fascinating and determined people who refuse to accept the separation society too often seeks to impose on those with disabilities, such as:

• Hartmut and Susan Kramer-Mills, pastors who found that truly accepting one young man with autism into

SIZE: 6” X 9”PAPERBACK; $18.00ISBN 978-1-56699-421-7AL421

Mark I. Pinsky is the author of several popular, critically acclaimed books, including Th e Gospel According to Th e Simpsons and A Jew Among the Evangelicals, and he was religion reporter for the Orlando Sentinel from 1995 to 2008. Columns by Pinsky on faith, disability, and inclusion have been featured in Th e Wall Street Journal and USA Today, and was the subject of a feature article in the Harvard Divinity Bulletin (Summer/Autumn 2011).

Ginny Th ornburgh is the director of the Interfaith Initiative at the American Association of People with Disabilities. She and her husband, former U.S. Attorney General Dick Th ornburgh, are leading advocates for people with disabilities.

Pinsky and Th ornburgh are available for interviews.Please contact Lauren Belen at Alban Publishing: call (703) 964-2700 or (800) 486-1318 ext. 273 or e-mail lbelen@alban.org.

Amazing Gifts is available at alban.org and amazon.com or your favorite bookstore. To order from Alban call (800) 486-1318 ext. 244 or use the order form. Kindle, Nook, and iBooks editions are also available.

www.liftdisability.net

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We all know how important it is to have

a firm foundation and a good base of knowledge or experience to be successful at just about anything. The same goes when we think about prioritizing our physical fitness goals as well as applying our faith. For you, the pyramid may be flipped over or rearranged depending on your current fitness status, current training goals, and current path in life spiritually. But the most important point is to have the Pyramid of Active Living and Spiritual Growth impacting your life on some level everyday!

Stability: A firm foundation is necessary to stand strong. We must focus our exercises on balance and core strength in order ultimately to be able to be fit and avoid

falls or injury. These can be done every day! Samples of balance exercises (Hint: you can even go back and review past articles where we focused on this element of fitness) are:

1. Try to balance on one foot while holding on to a secure table or countertop. Remember to tighten in all those muscles – moving your belly button back to your spine. Slowly let your grip be less and less and then eventually have no hands holding on. If you are successful with this, try closing your eyes!

Fitness

2. Stand and tighten muscles and do core rotations with a heavy ball or a soup can. Rotate with arms as straight as possible, making the movement come from your waist. Rotate in all

directions like high to low across your body, low to high across your body, right to left, etc.

We must also have our Faith firmly founded in Jesus Christ, reading His Word and devoting our

lives to Him. First Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Try printing this verse out and reading it as you are balancing!

Pyramid of Active Living and Spiritual GrowthBY HEATHER PENNINGTON

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Mobility: Once we are stable and firmly founded with good core muscles and balance, we must be able to move and fit in movement on all or most days of the week for 20-30 minutes. Examples of this movement can be stretching exercises, walking, jogging, biking, or rolling in the park or in a hallway at your house. Even parking in the farthest parking spot at the store can add to our movement potential every day. Here are some stretching exercises to practice mobility:

1. With a good slow inhaled breath, tighten all your muscles and reach for the sky with everything you have, hold for 2 – 5 seconds and slowly exhale and reach for your toes. Repeat 3-5 times.

2. Seated or standing with good balance, put your foot up on a surface so your leg can be straight. With a deep

inhaled breath, take your arms and hands straight out to your sides, then slowly exhale and reach for your toes. Hold 15-20 seconds breathing slowly. Repeat 3-5 times.

It is so important that we get moving off the couch, have mobile joints, and practice moving every day. Just like it is important to listen to the Lord and move in obedience to His plan every day. Deuteronomy 26:16 says,” The LORD your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.” I know I am challenged when I focus on asking God to show me how and where to MOVE in my life to be obedient. It can also be a challenge to make MOVING a priority in life, but our Temples will be so much better for it!

Fitness

Purpose: We all need to have purpose or meaning in our lives, don’t we? It helps for us to understand why we are here and what God wants to do through our lives. It is also important to think about purpose in exercise. What areas do you want to improve? Do you want stronger arms so you can carry kids, groceries, pets, etc.? Do you want stronger legs or backs to reduce pain and have better endurance? Do you need more balance or flexibility to reach things at home or prevent falls? When we think about exercises, there are many types to choose from. It is important to choose the exercise with the purpose that meets your greatest need. For example (Hint: past articles help with pictures and form):

1. If strength in your arms is your greatest need or goal, choose exercises like bicep curls, shoulder presses or raises, triceps extensions, or mini-push-ups.

2. If strength in your legs is your goal, choose exercises like mini-squats, leg raises, leg swings, or calf raises.

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Fitness

3. If balance is your greatest need, use the exercises from our stability section above, plus there are many more!

Just like certain exercises meet a specific purpose, the Lord has a specific function and purpose for each one of us in this life, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). It is important we remember this so that we are encouraged to press on for Him!

Power: The last part of our Pyramid of Active Living and Spiritual Growth, is to access power or energy! The Lord gives us His power through the Holy Spirit living in us and that is such a blessing! Well, it is important to know that by performing some of the simple steps above and making fitness a priority, we can have more power or energy to do just about anything we put our minds to! Did you know that one of the main reasons people choose not to exercise is because they don’t have the time or the energy to do so? Did you also know that just

by doing one of the three suggestions above EVERYDAY you can drastically increase your energy throughout each day, making it possible to do more throughout your week? So, I encourage you, print out the pyramid and the verses to go along with each level, and make it fit into your lifestyle. The energy and power will come! “And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you” (Romans 8:11). We have the power of the very One who raised Jesus from the dead. That is amazing and gets me excited to get building stability, improving mobility, and realizing and living my purpose – both in physical activity and spiritual life!

HEATHER PENNINGTON MA Ed, CSCS; Personal Training and Fitness Plan-ning/Consulting.

hmp@bellsouth.net

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Archbishop Obare receives the key to unlock the clinic doors

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Community

In 2007, construction began for a medi-cal facility at the Lutheran Compound in

Kisumu, Kenya, accomplished with major funding from Bethesda Lutheran Communi-ties and the Lutheran Friends of the Deaf, a member of the Mill Neck Family of Organiza-tions. With this funding, over the past 4 years, the Kisumu Health Center has grown and will soon provide health care to members of the ELCK (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya), children supported by the 1001 Orphans Pro-gram and students at the Lutheran Special School for the Mentally Challenged.

The public also will be eligible for services at the new health center and doctors from out-side offices will be welcome to use the facil-ity’s medical equipment. A “rental” fee will be charged for use of a CT scan, dialysis machine, X-ray and surgical tools. As a result, this cash

Health Center Dedication in KenyaProject Collaboration between Bethesda Lutheran Communities and Lutheran Friends of the Deaf

flow is projected to assist in making the clinic self-sustainable. Presently, Lutheran Friends of the Deaf continues to work on obtaining the equipment necessary for the Audiological Center within the clinic.

On December 4, 2011 the Kisumu Health Center was officially dedicated by the Arch-bishop Dr. Walter Obare Omwanza after a pro-cession of area pastors, distinguished guests and a visiting choir from Tanzania. Among those present at the three-and-a-half hour long ceremony were Dr. John Bauer, CEO of Bethesda Lutheran Communities and Rev. Steven Schumacher, Director of Deaf Min-istry for Lutheran Friends of the Deaf. At the unveiling of the Center’s dedication plaque, the Director of the Diakonia Ministry, Rev. David Chuchu, introduced Dr. Bauer and Rev. Schumacher, taking the opportunity to thank

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Rev. Schumacher (left) and Dr. Bauer read the dedication plaque.

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Community

Diakonia Bible School Choir performing at the celebration

their organizations for their presence and participation at the celebration, in addition to the financial support of both.

Following the plaque’s presentation by Dr. Bauer and Rev. Schumacher, each spoke to the more than 300 attendees gathered at the divine service. At one point, Rev. Schumacher reflected on touring the clinic the Friday be-fore with Rev. Chuchu and Dr. Bauer. He said, “As we entered the surgical room, the CAT scanning room, the x-ray room, as well as the others, I was overwhelmed with the Christian generosity of many individuals across Amer-ica. There have been medical doctors, hospi-tals and clinics from New England to Texas to Washington who have donated the needed equipment to provide health care to so many here in western Kenya. Just as important, are the many financial donors to both Bethesda and Lutheran Friends of the Deaf who have given so faithfully over the years to make this partnership a blessed success.”

In further sentiments, Rev. Schumach-er went on to say, “How blessed Lutheran Friends of the Deaf is to be part of this clinic and ministry in Kenya, Africa! How blessed

we are to have so many supporters who join with us, in each and every project, as we reach out to the Deaf, around the world, to enhance their lives with Christ!” Participants also heard from Pastor Shauen Trump, LCMS representa-tive, before the conclusion of the meaningful occasion, at which time Archbishop Obare of-fered a few closing thoughts. The final inspec-tion of the new medical center by the Min-istry of Health was anticipated for January, 2012, bringing the vision of a mercy-centered health facility to reality.

A mission of Mill Neck Foundation, Inc., Lu-theran Friends of the Deaf provides support for educational and evangelistic outreach to Deaf people of all ages throughout the United States and World. To date, over $7,000,000 has been granted to a variety of church-related ministries here and abroad. Mill Neck Founda-tion, Inc. and Lutheran Friends of the Deaf are part of the Mill Neck Family of Organizations, a not-for-profit group dedicated to enhanc-ing the quality of life for people who are Deaf, or who have other special needs, through ex-cellence in individually designed educational, vocational or spiritual programs and services. For more information, please call 1-800-264-0662 or visit http://www.millneck.org.

elevating life in the disability familywww.liftdisability.net