Easy Summer Recipe: Classic Waffles

Okay moms and dads. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. At least that's what we are told. School is right around the corner, so why not find the perfect breakfast to send your little ones off to school? Today's recipe will show you a quick and easy way to make classic waffles. Enjoy!!!

By: Megan 

"A lovely, crispy waffle perfect for the morning."

Classic Waffles

Prep Time:
10 Min

Cook Time:
15 Min

Ready In:
25 Min

Original Recipe Yield 10 to 12 waffles

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups warm milk
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar; set aside. Preheat waffle iron to desired temperature.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the milk, butter and vanilla. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture; beat until blended.
3. Ladle the batter into a preheated waffle iron. Cook the waffles until golden and crisp. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information 

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 379 | Total Fat: 16.2g | Cholesterol: 123mgPowered by ESHA Nutrient Database

Psalm 27:1 Gives Us Strength.

 Written by Faithful Forum


Psalm 27:1 gives us strength.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?”

There are times in our lives when our world comes crashing down on us; if anything can go wrong, it will. When life seems to be going in a downward spiral, you’re at the end of your rope and you can’t tie a knot to hold on – fear often takes hold of us. Fear traps us in the belief that nothing will ever improve, that we are ensnared and will never escape. When life gets us down, fear fills the void left by hope.


We fear losing our health, our wealth, our family; our friends. We fear losing the promotion or even the job. We fear growing old, but even more, we fear death.
God has an answer to our problem of fear. The answer to our fears, the solution to our worries lies in the simple understanding of God’s presence.
We can have confidence that God is our light, our salvation and our refuge, for it was His own Son who, while evil men came to take Him to be falsely tried and murdered, spoke and they fell to the ground.

Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” Gets A Gospel Treatment [VIDEO]

Emimem’s “Lose Yourself” gets a Gospel makeover that will give you chills. You may purchase the song on Itunes

Where they could take it was a higher plane, and what they conceived that day is at last going public: A stirring gospel version of Eminem’s “Lose Yourself,” performed by Selected of God choir, will be released Tuesday on iTunes and Amazon. Sale proceeds, including song royalties, will be funneled by Chrysler and Eminem’s song publisher to three Detroit nonprofit groups.

The accompanying music video is a sequel of sorts to the Super Bowl ad, which featured Eminem in a Chrysler 200, arriving at the Fox Theatre to find the choir onstage.

Eminem is not featured in the new video, and Chrysler’s presence is low-key. This time the stars are the two dozen choir members, affiliated with Praise Tabernacle in Grosse Pointe. With an array of Motor City landmarks, street scenes and local characters, the clip reprises the theme of Detroit strength and hope.

Among those portrayed are boxer Cornelius (K9) Bundrage, the Cass Tech marching band and the champion jump-rope troupe Jumping All Stars.

It’s part of an important next phase for “Imported From Detroit,” which is rolling out a new slogan: “Never Give Up. Always Give Back.”

“It’s celebrating the attitude which is the bloodline of Chrysler, Detroit and this choir,” Francois said Monday.

“Imported From Detroit,” conceived by the French-born Francois, is evolving from Super Bowl smash to long-term Detroit cause.

5 Ways To Save Money On Back To School Shopping

post from seekwisdomfindwealth.blogspot.com

The summer is quickly coming to a close and schools all over the country will be opening in the weeks ahead.  From knowing what you already have to taking advantage of tax holidays, here are 5 simple ways to save on all of your Back to School needs:

1.  Take inventory. We usually do ourselves more financial harm than good by running out and buying every school supply we can find. If you found them on sale, wonderful. But wouldn’t it be more wonderful to not waste money, no matter how small or insignificant the amount on stuff your kids don’t even need?  Before you go anywhere, take inventory of what you already have and of what you may actually need.  Many households already have the paper and pens that kids need to start the school year. So check what's lying around on shelves and in drawers before buying piles more. 
  
2.  Make a budget. This will help you stay focused on the back to school shopping list you created after taking stock of what you already own. As you know, most retailers try to jump in on the “Back to School” festivities whether they really cater to students or not. Don’t get side-tracked by gimmicks.  Use your inventory list to design a budget and stick to that budget at all costs. If you end up saving even more than you anticipated, then great, you have money left over to go towards saving or maybe even paying off your own student loan debt! Don’t get tricked into spending it on unnecessary items.

3.  Start online.  Before you actually go to a store, visit their website first.  Look for specials or clearance items which may not be made available in-store.  Often times, you can find unadvertised offers or printable coupons to take with you.  Office supply store, Staples Inc., for example, has created a website with special back-to-school deals and shopping tips. They’re even selling a $10 "savings pass" until Aug. 13 that gives shoppers 15 percent off school supplies until Sept. 17. Nowadays, you can even scan the weekly circular for your local office store, drug store or grocery store and plan your trip from home. Even if you couldn’t save tons on the actual items you need, you’d definitely save on time and energy!

4. Shop around.  Don’t feel obligated to stick to one store and definitely don’t assume that going to one store and avoiding “the cost” of driving to a couple others makes the most sense. The truth is most retailers will only offer a small handful of really great deals. Yes, Target may have the best deal on paper, but it might make more sense to get your glue stick and pens from Office Deport. Sure it may take a little extra time and even an extra dollar or two in gas, but if you save $25+ on items you would have bought anyway isn’t it worth it? Look at it this way; the more you save on the kids, the more you have for something you want later! (wink, wink!) Check out sundaysaver.com for weekly sales circulars and newspaper ads to help you narrow down the search.

5. Take advantage of tax holidays.  Some cash-strapped state governments have totally discontinued tax holidays for back-to-school shoppers, so if you’re lucky enough to still have it offered in your neck of the woods, you better take advantage of it! Log onto www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/sales_holiday.html to see whether your state is among 16 celebrating tax holidays this year. If you live in Los Angeles, Chicago or Atlanta, don’t waste your time. I checked already and California, Illinois and Georgia have discontinued their tax holiday benefits over the last few years.

How do you plan on cutting costs for back-to-school shopping? I'd love to hear from you!

The Female Friendship Crisis

posted by  Karen Swallow Prior on Christianitytoday.com

 

The Female Friendship Crisis

Friends are an indispensable part of growing in Christ. So why do many of us have so few?

Women drive me nuts.

Some years ago, following an act of civil disobedience, I spent several days in a makeshift jail with hundreds of women protesters. Before long, a couple of them approached me where I lay on a hard Army cot, trying to get comfortable enough to read the copy of Samuel Richardson’s Clarissa my husband had managed to deliver. What better opportunity than jail time would I ever have to read the longest novel in the English language?

It was not to be. Instead I was asked to step up as a leader to address the squabbles and discontent arising among so many women of diverse personalities in such cramped conditions. Suck it up, ladies! I wanted to scream. But I didn’t. As requested, I played the role of diplomat.

I emerged from jail with greater gratitude for God’s creation of two sexes than I’d ever had before or since. To this day, I avoid to just this side of causing offense nearly any event preceded by the label women’s: conferences, Bible Studies, retreats, Home Interior parties. I was even a bit skeptical at first about writing for a women’s blog.
My difficulties with women go further back than this experience. Because I married young and went directly to graduate school from college, I had a hard time finding real peers. The other women in my graduate program were hostile toward Christianity, something I was ill-equipped to handle gracefully. And while my church included other young women who worked or were going to school, most of the married women did not. I spent a lot of time declining invitations to jewelry and kitchenware parties and softball games, not because I wasn’t interested in those activities, but because I felt stressed and guilty about spending time on anything besides writing papers and reading books and journal articles.

I wanted women friends, badly. I tried to find them. I prayed for God to bring me to them. And, in his time, he did.

Of course, in all fairness to God, I didn’t make it easy for him. I am pretty picky. On the other hand, in making friends, I seem naturally to follow the advice of Socrates: “Be slow to fall into friendship; but when thou art in, continue firm and constant.” I don’t form friendships quickly or often, but when I do, they stick.

Friendships come in many forms, but nothing can replace friendships with true peers. Because we are both physical and spiritual beings, I see as a true peer one with whom we share both of these aspects, physical and spiritual, of our being — in other words, people of the same sex and of the same spiritual identity and belief. While certainly one can be good friends with members of the opposite sex, or of different beliefs and values, such differences tend to be a barrier to the sort of kid-gloves-off treatment necessary for iron to sharpen iron. In fact, I’ve often noticed that those who resist deep friendships with true peers — women who say they simply “connect better” with men (well, duh!) or with people not their age or religion — tend to be avoiding the unique accountability that genuine peers offer.

Seeking out such accountability, even when it is contrary to one’s disposition, is the subject of a brave and important essay Noel Piper wrote recently.

Piper’s essay was brave in baring aspects of her experience simply as a Christian woman, but even more so as the wife of a prominent pastor (John Piper). It’s much easier, as many women are tempted to do, to hide under a veneer of a seemingly perfect life and ministry. But Piper exposes the myth of what I like to call the “Shiny Happy People” version of Christianity that prevails today. For one thing, Piper discusses seeking help from a counselor, something many Christians benefit from but don’t like talking about. Yet despite our wishful thinking, sometimes more faith, more prayer, and more sacrifice aren’t enough. (If it were, then much of the New Testament need not have been written.)

But this was not even the point of the essay. Rather, Piper brings up the counseling as the catalyst that forced her — at age 60 — to seek something in her life that Scripture tells us we need and that she had been avoiding. Not more holiness, not more Bible reading, not more quiet time, but friends. Not prayer partners, or accountability partners, or team members, or coworkers — although friends can be all of these — but simply good friends.

Fellow blogger Enuma Okoro writes that friends are “essential” to “any holy enterprise.” And studies show that the benefits of friendship include longer life, increased brain health, and a lower risk of obesity. For women, particularly, friendships have proven to reduce stress and to produce natural calming effects. Even the workplace benefits from friendships there — which is a good thing since my closest circle of friends consists of women who are my colleagues, too. Whether we go out to dinner, a movie, the theater, or on one of our annual road trips, we can trust one another in sharing our joys and frustrations in the classroom and in life as well as our views about the latest news, politics, and trends. Over the years, we’ve attended weddings, funerals, and countless student performances together. We are bonded by faith and fun, and we sharpen one another.

My life would be so less rich without my girlfriends. I thank God for them.

What about you? How has your life been enriched by friends?

Daily Bread: Fishing Where They Ain’t

August 8, 2011 — by David H. Roper
I have a good friend I fish with now and then. He’s a very thoughtful man. After climbing into his waders and boots and gathering up his gear, he sits on the tailgate of his truck and scans the river for 15 minutes or more, looking for rising fish. “No use fishing where they ain’t,” he says. This makes me think of another question: “Do I fish for souls where they ain’t?”

It was said of Jesus that He was “a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Luke 7:34). As Christians, we are to be unlike the world in our behavior, but squarely in it as He was. So we have to ask ourselves: Do I, like Jesus, have friends who are sinners? If I have only Christian friends, I may be fishing for souls “where they ain’t.”

Being with nonbelievers is the first step in “fishing.” Then comes love—a heart-kindness that sees beneath the surface of their off-hand remarks and listens for the deeper cry of the soul. It asks, “Can you tell me more about that?” and follows up with compassion. “There is much preaching in this friendliness,” pastor George Herbert (1593–1633) said.

Such love is not a natural instinct. It comes solely from God. And so we pray: “Lord, when I am with nonbelievers today, may I become aware of the cheerless voice, the weary countenance, or the downcast eyes that I, in my natural self-preoccupation, could easily overlook. May I have a love that springs from and is rooted in Your love. May I listen to others, show Your compassion, and speak Your truth today.”

We are to be channels of God’s truth— not reservoirs.

Yolanda Adams Rolls Out New Fashion Line

posted by Praisedc.com

This Thursday, gospel songstress, author, and popular radio personality Yolanda Adams launches her newest venture– the Yolanda Adams Collection, which appears to be a rather high-end luxury line of women’s clothing.


Touting a selection of designer knits, the Collection boasts in its ability to reach the market of taller and/or “ample-bodied” women. And it’s clear to me that this line is not just another gospel artist’s attempt to make church clothes. With price points reportedly ranging from a minimum of $125 for a skirt to as much as $2,000 for jackets, this collection undoubtedly targets a broader audience.  Tanks and shells, for example, start at $165 each.

At 6’1″, and as a former part-time model, Yolanda Adams (who turns 50 this month) knows a thing or two about what women want out of fashion.

A couple of images from the Yolanda Adams Collection–



Visit yolandaadamscollection.com to see more shots of the fashion line and to learn more about it!

River Valley Ranch in the Spotlight....Bull Riding For Jesus

By Ken Tuohey, CNN

Carroll County, Maryland (CNN) –Jon Bisset, who is one part cowboy and one part Christian missionary, is the owner of River Valley Ranch in Carroll County, Maryland.
It is a family business. Bisset's grandfather started the ranch after immigrating to the United States from Scotland in the 1920s, he said.

"He always had a fondness for the American cowboy, and he was a minister down in Baltimore city," Bisset said. "He saw a lot of kids getting in trouble during the summer time and thought this might be an opportunity to reach out to the kids of Baltimore city in a unique way."
So his grandfather started RVR, the first dude ranch on the East Coast, reaching out with the gospel to kids who ordinarily wouldn't step foot in a church, Bisset said.

His grandfather's legacy continues today at the ranch, where they offer a Christian-themed summer camp, rodeos, horseback riding and even bull riding.
The ranch is not formally tied to any denomination or church. On its website it calls itself an "organization in the evangelical Christian tradition." It also notes that its summer camps "present the simple message of the Gospel as found in the Bible and teach Christian values without promoting nor condemning any denomination or church."
"You won't see too many cowboys that when you call for a word of prayer, don't come around and circle up," said Matt Schock, RVR's rodeo coordinator. That could be because these cowboys are getting ready to strap themselves onto the back of a snarling three-quarter-ton horned bull that could kill them in any number of ways.

Schock takes care of the bulls on the ranch, oversees the rodeos and leads Thursday night bull riding practice sessions. He also makes sure that everyone maintains a Christian environment.
On this night, as Schock rounded the bulls up into the corrals, the cowboys prepared their gear.
Clad in denim and leather, the riders donned cowboy hats and boots, and readied their ropes like soldiers preparing for battle.

When Schock called them over to gather for a word of prayer, everyone joined in. After seeing the size of the immense bovines they were up against, it was easy to see why.
"These bulls are bred to buck," Schock said. "They weigh 16, 17 hundred pounds. You can't make them do anything they don't want to do."
One big tan bull slammed his head against the cage, knocking in the steel dividing door that kept him in his pen. Then he jumped in the air and smacked a camera before it could be pulled out of the way.

"It's the world's most dangerous sport for a reason. You get on that bull, you have a good shot at dying," Schock said.
Penned behind a gate, the bulls would charge like a derailed locomotive, showing no mercy as their riders tried to get settled. And once the bulls were released, the riders were tossed off like rag dolls.

The cowboys would amble to their feet, brush themselves off and get ready to ride again.
"You could go out and get your head stepped on and die like that," Schock said as he snapped his fingers. "(When) you stand before the Lord and finding out where you go ... that's what's important right there."

Song of the Day - Tye Tribbett "I Still Have Joy"

Our Daily Bread - The Unexpected

Toni was looking for what wasn’t really lost, and she found what she wasn’t looking for. As a result, a group of people got a spiritual boost they weren’t expecting.

Toni, who conducts a Bible study in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation clinic in Alaska, was looking for her husband’s missing driver’s license. As she retraced his steps from the previous day, she visited a hospital. The missing license wasn’t there, but a Christian high school chorale was, and

Toni was touched by their worshipful singing. She asked the director if the teens could sing for her Bible-study group that evening. They could, and they did—bringing hope, joy, and God’s love through music and post-concert conversation to some folks trying to put their lives back together.

Oh, and that driver’s license? Toni found it on a chair when she got back home. Apparently, the only reason she went out that day was so God could direct her to hear a bunch of teens who could minister to her rehab group.
When God guides us (Prov. 16:9), He works in ways we can’t predict. He can use even our inconveniences to bring honor to His name. When we face a seeming nuisance in our day, perhaps we should look not just for what we think we want but also for what God has for us that day.

Between the circumstance and me,A Father’s loving handIs working all things for my good—All moves at His command. —Anon.

God is behind the scenes andcontrols the scenes He stands behind.

Inside President Obama's Birthday

How do you celebrate your birthday when you’re the President of the United States? With a bunch of famous friends!On Thursday night, President Barack Obama celebrated his 50th birthday with a barbecue in the White House Rose Garden.
Two-hundred of his friends joined him for his fourth or fifth celebration of the week (his campaign threw several fundraiser bashes in Chicago). Jay-Z, Steve Harvey, Rev. Al Sharpton, Charles Barkley, Grant Hill, Ledisi, Hill Harper, and Whoopi Goldberg were among the chosen few. White House officials like Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett also attended. Malia Obama rushed home from summer camp just in time to join her mother and younger sister in presenting a cake to the President. Stevie Wonder sang his song “You and I” (it was the President and First Lady’s wedding song) as guests feasted on a menu of barbecued chicken, ribs, hamburgers, pasta and an array of pies. A DJ took over and tables were pushed aside as the President challenged everyone to dance. Some even took it a step further and began dancing barefoot. The attire for the evening was slacks and button downs for men and sleeveless summer dresses for women. It's been reported that the Obamas paid for the five-hour barbecue out of their own pockets. The White House didn’t release any information about the party since it didn’t want to give the impression that the President wasn’t concerned about the fate of FAA workers or the fact that the Dow Jones fell 500 points. Most details came from Politico and the blog ObamaFoodorama. Comedian Chris Rock provided a glimpse of the festivities by tweeting: “Just left the President's birthday party at the White House. Herbie Hancock played, Stevie Wonder sang, and yes they did the electric slide. A great night."

Song of the Day - Melanie Daniels & Allen Cathedral

Our Daily Bread Bible Verse

Verse of the Day

“The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.”

Psalm 119:130 KJV

Song of the Day....Kirk Franklin - I Smile

The Official Music Video - Enjoy!

Our Daily Bread....A Hard Goodbye

When our youngest son joined the Army, we knew that challenges lay ahead. We knew that he would face danger and be tested physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We also knew that in some ways our home would never fully be his home again. In the months leading up to his departure, my wife and I steeled ourselves for these challenges.
Then the day came when Mark had to report. We hugged and said our goodbyes, and then he walked into the recruiting station, leaving me with a moment for which I was decidedly unprepared. The pain of that hard goodbye felt unbearable. At the risk of sounding overly dramatic, I can’t remember when I have wept as hard as I did that day. The hard goodbye, and the sense of loss it delivered, cut me to the heart.
In such moments, I am thankful to have a heavenly Father who knows what it is to be separated from a beloved Son. I am thankful to have a God who is described as “a father of the fatherless, a defender of widows” (Ps. 68:5). I believe that if He cares for the orphaned and the widows in their loneliness, He will also care for me and comfort me—even in those moments when I face the struggles that accompany hard goodbyes.

When our loved ones say goodbyeAnd we have to be apart,God can fill our lonelinessWith His presence in our heart. —Sper

Loneliness comes when we forgetabout the One who is always with us.

Sean Kingston almost died twice following jet-ski accident

(PEOPLE.com) -- Eleven days after being hospitalized in May with serious injuries from a jet-ski accident, Sean Kingston faced a second near-death situation -- a torn aorta that required open-heart surgery.

He was set to be released at the time, having recovered significantly from the crash, when he felt a stabbing pain in his chest. After tests, he was rushed to an operating room.

"He tried to die a couple of times with us, but we refused to let him die," one of Kingston's doctors said Thursday on NBC's "Today" show.

I had a lot of pain," the "Beautiful Girls" singer, 21, says. "But when I went to visit the surgeon [afterward], he said, 'Yo, you had a guardian angel that day.' "

Asked how it feels to be alive today, Kingston replies: "It feels great. It's a blessing. ... For me to still be here, it's only God's work. I think my work isn't done. It wasn't my time yet."
Kingston, who weighed more than 300 pounds before the accident, has been on a health and exercise kick ever since, and has dropped almost 70 pounds.
"I do the bicycle, I do the treadmill, I play basketball. But I got to keep it up and lose more weight," he tells MTV. "It's easy to gain weight when you're in the studio. That's how it first started out, but I'm cutting all that out. I don't eat after 6 [p.m.], and then I really just do the treadmill, and that's what it is. I feel a lot better."

Easy Summer Recipe: Detroit Hot Honey Wings

By: MMMMFOOD1

"A sweet, spicy wing recipe that is amazing on the grill! This is a Detroit recipe, so enjoy!"

Prep Time:
15 Min

Cook Time:
20 Min

Ready In:
35 Min

Original Recipe Yield 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken wings, tips discarded
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add more if you can stand it)
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup honey
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup hot sauce

Directions

1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil grate.
2. Wash the wings well and pat dry with paper towel. Season the meat with cayenne, salt, and pepper.
3. Cook the chicken wings on preheated grill until cooked through and juices run clear, 20 to 30 minutes depending on the size of the wings. Brush the wings liberally using 1/2 cup of honey while they are cooking.
4. Melt the butter, pour into a large bowl and mix in the remaining 1/2 cup of honey and hot sauce. Remove the wings from the grill and immediately toss them in the hot honey butter sauce to coat. Serve the wings 'wet' or return them to the grill for 1 minute per side to set the sauce.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 420 | Total Fat: 22.8g | Cholesterol: 72mgPowered by ESHA Nutrient Database

Laugh of the Day: Miracles of Jesus

Should Christians Sue to Save Immigrants?

Take a look at the article below that describes, in detail, an Alabama law to reform immigration rights. Christian based churches have united to sue the state for the right to welcome, house, and give Holy Communion to all people including illegal immigrants. This law, taking affect Sept. 1, 2011, will prohibit what some say is God's Commandment to Love on all His children. Leave a comment and tell us your thoughts... Should Christians sue the state of Alabama to save the rights of illegal immigrants?

Christian Leaders: Alabama Immigration Law Keeps Believers From Practicing Faith

By Nicola Menzie | Christian Post Contributor

Alabama Christian leaders have filed a lawsuit this week to stop the state from enacting the “nation’s most merciless” anti-immigration law, claiming it would prohibit Christians from living out their faith and the mandates of Scripture. Plaintiffs in the suit filed Monday include leaders of the Episcopalian, Methodist and Roman Catholic churches in Alabama, who represent 338,000 of the state’s faithful.

The ecumenical group insists the new immigration law, effective September 1, could ensnare Christian leaders who unknowingly administer religious sacraments, such as Holy Communion, to illegal immigrants.

In addition to Christian worship being adversely affected by the law, the plaintiffs express concern that Christians would be impeded from following “God’s mandate that the faithful are humbly bound to welcome and care for all people.”

The law, entitled the Beason-Hammon Alabama Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act, targets residents who do not have proof of legal residency or alien registration in the U.S. Without documents verifying their legal status, it would be illegal for such persons to live or work in Alabama. In addition, it would be a crime for anyone to transport, conceal, harbor or shield an illegal immigrant.

“If enforced, Alabama's Anti-Immigration Law will make it a crime to follow God's command to be Good Samaritans,” the lawsuit states. Christian leaders are not the only ones who think Alabama’s immigration law simply goes too far.

The legislation, signed June 9 by Gov. Robert Bentley, has also been challenged by the Justice Department.

In its lawsuit also filed Monday, the Justice Department portrays the law as far-reaching.

The law is "designed to affect virtually every aspect of an unauthorized immigrant's daily life, from employment to housing to transportation to entering into and enforcing contracts to going to school," the DOJ stated.

Justice Department officials express concern that U.S. residents, tourists, and others with legal status might be harassed or wrongfully detained under enforcement of the law.

In another suit filed against the Alabama law last week by several groups, including the SouthernPoverty Law Center and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Mike Hubbard, the speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives, said the law would be enacted despite the legal challenges.

Hubbard admitted that if changes needed to be made, lawmakers would do so.

“But Alabama is not going to be a sanctuary state for illegal immigrants,” he said in a statement. “Alabama will have a strict immigration law and we will enforce it."

An estimated 120,000 unauthorized immigrants lived in Alabama in 2009 and 2010, according to the Washington-based Pew Hispanic Center.

According to local media reports, undocumented immigrants living in Alabama have been preparing to leave the state in case the numerous legal challenges fail to keep the law from being enacted.

Plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed by the Christian community are: the Rt. Rev. Henry N. Parsley Jr., bishop of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Alabama; Rev. William H. Willimon, bishop of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church; and the Most Rev. Thomas J. Rodi, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Mobile; and the Most Rev. Robert J. Baker, Roman Catholic Bishop of Birmingham.

Archbishop Rodi issued a statement on the Mobile archdiocese’s website Monday, saying the anti-immigration law “attacks our very understanding of what it means to be a Christian.”

He stated, “Throughout our history we have been a nation of immigrants. The words of Moses to the Hebrew people should resonate in our own hearts: ‘You shall not oppress or afflict the alien among you, for you were once aliens residing in the land of Egypt.’ (Exodus 22:20) As citizens we have the right to live our Christian faith. As Christians, we have an obligation to do so.”

Alabama is the latest among a handful of other states that have passed laws similar to Arizona’s immigration law, which was blocked by a challenge from the Justice Department last summer. These states have also attracted lawsuits from civil rights groups.

http://newyork.christianpost.com/news/christian-leaders-alabama-immigration-law-keeps-believers-from-practicing-faith-53216/

Baltimore Restaurant Week

Baltimore Summer Restaurant Week Returns!

The most delicious week of summer is back! Baltimore Restaurant Week brings together the coolest localspots and the hottest culinary creations August 5-14, 2011. Participating restaurants will offer special dinner menus for $35.11 and some will have lunch menus for $20.11. Don't miss your chance to experience the best cuisine Baltimore has to offer as you dine your way through Downtown this summer!

Click the link below for a complete list of participating restaurants. Enjoy!

http://www.baltimorerestaurantweek.com/

School Fires White Supremacist Principal from Predominately Black/ Latino School?

Read and View the story below. A white supremacist was fired in the Bronx, NY on yesterday for his writings and comments promoting his personal views. He was the principal of a predominately Black and Latino student body. Many complaints had been filed against him. In the video clip, he even compares Dr. Martin Luther King's accomplishments to Christopher Columbus discovering America. He clearly does not advocate teachings from textbooks about Dr. King's books, which he comments shouldn't even be on the same bookshelves as books about Columbus. How did he get to be a principal again? Did the school board handle this issue correctly? Please leave a comment.

Bronx school principal fired for white supremacist writings

by: Joan Firstenberg

The principal of a Bronx, New York Catholic elementary school has been fired for his views on race and white supremacy. He served at the post for two years before he was finally dismissed, even though parents lodged many complaints about him.

The Principal, Frank Borzellieri was fired today as Principal of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the Bronx. The HuffingtonPost reports that he was dismissed following an inquiry by the Archdiocese of New York into his racially divisive writings.

Borzellieri was promoted to be the principal of Our Lady of Mount Carmel two years ago, but a recent profile which appeared in the New York Daily News exposed his past writings, in which he said the rise of Black and Latino populations would lead to a New Dark Age. The article also revealed excerpts from Borzellieri's 2004 book, "The Unspoken Truth: Race, Culture and Other Taboos". Here is a quote from that book

Blacks commit most of the violent crime in America today. This has always been the case. They are ten times as likely to commit a crime of violence as whites...So what these numbers actually reveal in addition to the obvious--that blacks are inveterately more violent than whites--is that there is actually more black on white crime than black on black crime.

The pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Rev. Eric Rapaglia, told the Daily News that he was aware of Borzellieri's views when he hired him, but he said he felt that

"A lot of his ideas would actually benefit minorities. They're running quite the school up there."

CNN News reports that Borzellieri also allegedly had previous ties to a group called American Renaissance which the Southern Poverty Law Center describes as a "white nationalist movement." The group American Renaissance continues to publish his articles and books.

Borzellieri, before he was Principal, was an elected member of the New York School Board for 11 years. During his tenure, he reportedly attempted to forbid references to homosexuality and to ban literature he considered "anti-American," including a biography of Martin Luther King Jr.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/309839

Old School Song of the Day: There is No Failure in God

Turn your speaker way up and enjoy this old school favorite. This song of the day has been performed by many choirs all across the nation but was originated by Milton Bruson. Lyrics have been linked below. Be sure to leave a comment on this and any other post on the GPCC Daily Blog.

http://www.lyricstime.com/rev-milton-brunson-there-is-no-failure-in-god-lyrics.html

Daily Bible Verse

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 1:22 NIV

PJ Morton Covers Lil Wayne's "How To Love" [AUDIO]

Posted by elev8.com

Daily Bread: Doing Good

August 1, 2011 — by Marvin Williams

Someone once said, “The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.” I like that; it’s a great reminder. In the book of Acts, Luke summarized Jesus’ earthly ministry by saying that He “went about doing good” (10:38).

What does the Bible mean when it tells us to “do good”? Jesus did good by teaching, healing, feeding, and comforting people. Using Jesus as the perfect example, His followers are called to meet the needs of others, including those who hate them: “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you” (Matt. 5:44; see also Luke 6:27-35). They are to serve their enemies without expecting anything in return.

Moreover, as opportunity arises, His followers are to do good especially to fellow believers (Gal. 6:10). They are not to let persecution, selfishness, and busyness cause them to forget to do good and to share what they have with others (Heb. 13:16).

To be like our Savior and His early followers, we should ask ourselves each day: “What good thing can I do today in Jesus’ name?” When we do good, we will be offering a sacrifice that pleases God (Heb. 13:16) and that draws people to Him (Matt. 5:16).

From the example of Jesus,
Who went about doing good,
We are to honor our Savior
By helping wherever He would. —Hess

Imitate Jesus—go about doing good.