It’s not quite March yet, but today is an unseasonably warm spring-like day. I’m a huge baseball fan, so that’s got me thinking about the upcoming season.

I saw my first big league game in 1979 at the Astrodome where I became a life-long fan of the sport and devoted follower of the Houston Astros. Guys like Jose Cruz, Craig Reynolds, Nolan Ryan, Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell and current stars Lance Berkman and Roy Oswalt are just a few of my favorite players to don many variations of the Houston uniform.

If you know anything about baseball, you know that one of Houston’s fiercest rivalries is the St. Louis Cardinals. My brother-in-law Denton is a big Cards fan so we have some interesting conversations like a few years back when I said, “You’ve got to admit, it would be cool to see Biggio and Bagwell get a World Series title before they retire,” to which he replied in his classic deadpan voice, “No.”

I used to be pretty serious about my sports devotion too, until I started working with ministries like Fellowship of Christian Athletes and began developing sports projects that helped pro and college athletes share their stories as a mode of evangelism and outreach. I still have my favorite teams, but now I find myself rooting for individual athletes just as much as anything.

One person in particular is Albert Pujols-the first baseman for the previously mentioned Cardinals. When he steps up to the plate against my ‘Stros in a key at bat during a late season stretch, I cringe knowing that he can single-handedly kill my team’s chances at the postseason with one swing. But I’m also conflicted because I know how amazing this guy is off the field and what kind of solid Christian example he’s living for his teammates, his coaches and his fans to see.

Late in the 2008 season, I had the privilege of interviewing Pujols for an FCA series published by Regal Books. He was featured in the title Excellence that releases in early March. Pujols is originally from the Dominican Republic but is now a legalized American citizen. He is just as passionate about his relationship with Christ as he is passionate about helping his team succeed.

“I’m growing in the Word right now and God is showing me things,” he told me. “If I hadn’t accepted Christ when I first started playing baseball, I don’t know where I would be right now.”

Pujols’ legendary work ethic combined with his jaw-dropping natural ability has provided a massive platform that only the world’s most elite athletes usually enjoy. He’s taken his success and used it to create the Albert Pujols Family Foundation that, among other things, assists the needs of impoverished families in his home country. Pujols is also very involved in reaching out to families with special needs children. This is a personal plight for him as the adopted father of a Down syndrome daughter (Isabella) whom was the child of his wife Diedre (who before their marriage was a single mother).

Pujols does his best to live by the words found in 1 Corinthians 15:58 in which the Apostle Paul says, “be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (HCSB)

That scripture is an appropriate analogy for Pujols who is steady as a rock along the right corner of the infield and an immovable force behind the plate. And while some think the imposing athlete is soft-spoken, they might be surprised to learn that he is very vocal about his faith in some unlikely places-most notably from his post at first base.

Back in 2006, his good friend (and author of One Thing You Can’t Do In Heaven) Mark Cahill challenged him to share his faith with teammates and opposing players. So Pujols took the suggestion and began doing something quite out of the ordinary. When a player would get a base hit, he would ask them “What do you think is going to happen to you when you die?” or “If you died today, where do you think you’re going to go?”

“You’d be surprised how many people I witnessed to at first base,” Pujols said. “Some of them were Christians and I encouraged them to do the same thing at their position or in the dugout with their teammates. There were some that would say their family was the most important thing in their life or money or baseball and I’d say, ‘You’re wrong.’ Then I would grab one of Mark’s books and send it to them and if I had the time before batting practice, I’d try to spend some time with them and try to witness to them.”

Talk about putting yourself out there. Many athletes are afraid to let people know where they’re coming from for fear of alienation or negative reaction. But an increasing number of these talented men and women are boldly standing up for Christ despite social pressure to do otherwise.

Pujols has openly embraced the philosophy presented in Hebrews 13:15-16 which says, “Therefore, through Him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that confess His name. Don’t neglect to do good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.” (HCSB)

Most of those reading this are not in the position to witness to famous athletes, but we are all in a position to share the love of God with those around us. When I think about my fear of evangelism-whether it be lifestyle driven or from a traditional witnessing model-it’s challenging to think about a guy like Pujols who has nothing to gain and everything to lose by sharing his faith so boldly with his peers.

So next time you feel like God is calling you to bravely “confess His name” in the workplace, in social settings or in the general public-and that feeling is accompanied by a host of butterflies in your stomach-think about Albert Pujols standing on first base in the middle of a Major League Baseball game sharing his faith with a bunch of tough, hard-nosed athletes who may or may not appreciate the approach.

Maybe this evangelism thing isn’t so hard after all. I mean, if a baseball player can do it, what’s my excuse?

Chad Bonham is a freelance author, journalist and television and documentary producer from Broken Arrow, Okla.

Feb. 27, 2009 — James Dobson resigned on Friday as board chairman of the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family.

The announcement was made on Focus on the Family’s radio broadcast, which Dobson will continue to host. Dobson told fellow board members on Wednesday and informed the 950 Focus employees Friday morning at a staff worship service, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

“One of the common errors of founder-presidents is to hold to the reins of leadership too long, thereby preventing the next generation from being prepared for executive authority,” Dobson said in a statement. “Though letting go is difficult after three decades of intensive labor, it is the wise thing to do.”

Dobson’s resignation is part of his succession plan for the ministry he founded in 1977. He began relinquishing control six years ago by stepping down as president and CEO. The 72-year-old psychologist will relinquish his administrative duties but will continue speaking out on social issues and writing a monthly newsletter that is distributed to 1.6 million supporters.

While Focus on the Family devotes most of its resources to offering parenting and marriage advice, Dobson, a child psychologist and author, has gotten more involved in politics in recent years.

Gary Schneeberger, a Focus on the Family spokesman, told the AP that Dobson “will continue to speak out as he always has – a private citizen and not a representative of the organization he founded.” He said the ministry and Focus on the Family Action will continue to influence public policy.

Jim Daly, president and chief executive officer of Focus on the Family, said there is no timetable for Dobson to leave the radio program, which has roughly 1.5 million daily listeners. He said Focus will “look for the next voice for the next generation” while Dobson remains on the air.

Dobson’s wife, Shirley, also resigned from the Focus board. Air Force Lt. Gen. Patrick P. Caruana, a longtime board member, will replace Dobson as board chairman.

Daly said the ministry will “forever be committed to the fulfillment of the mission so definitively served by both Dr. and Mrs. Dobson-helping families thrive.”

“The Dobsons have dedicated their lives to Focus on the Family,” Daly added. “He is my mentor and friend-and an inspiration and role model to millions of Americans.”

After 35 years of leading a faith movement, Fred Price will step aside March 15 to install his son, Fred Price Jr., as senior pastor of Crenshaw Christian Center (CCC) in Los Angeles.  

Feb. 27, 2009 – Fred Price, founder of one of the nation’s first black megachurches and an icon of the faith movement, will step aside on March 15 to install his son, Fred Price Jr., as senior pastor of Crenshaw Christian Center (CCC) in Los Angeles.

“The formal succession of my son will take place on his 30th birthday, the same day Jesus began his ministry,” said the elder Price, who still plans to teach periodically. “This wasn’t planned, it just happened that way. I believe that it’s a sign from God that after six years of training as an assistant pastor, Freddie is ready to sit in the driver’s seat and I will be there to help him along his way.”

According to a statement released by the church, Price, 77, will not completely retire from ministry, but only from daily church duties and his weekly television and radio broadcast titled “Ever Increasing Faith.”

The younger Price is a gospel rap artist and accomplished musician whose appreciation for hip-hop culture inspired him years ago to create “Hip Hop Sunday,” later renamed “The Blue Print,” which were CCC services that mixed faith, music and “Krump” dancing.

“The Bible says a good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children,” said the younger Price. “My father left me a powerful inheritance to teach the word and to be a man of integrity. He’s been an awesome father and a great role model.  I look forward to continuing his legacy.”

Creflo Dollar of World Changers Church International will deliver the keynote address at the ceremony. The younger Price reportedly realized his ministry calling while attending a service Dollar led years ago.

The public can see the installation ceremony by watching it online Sunday, March 15, at 9:30 a.m. . 

An annual report released this week about church growth highlights two Pentecostal denominations as the only faith groups of traditional Christian orthodoxy that increased church membership.

Feb. 26, 2009 — While membership in the nation’s largest Christian communions declined last year, two Pentecostal denominations showed an increase.

The Assemblies of God (AG) of Springfield, Mo., and the Cleveland, Church of God were the only two denominations of traditional Christian orthodoxy among the 25 largest churches in the U.S. to report membership increases, according to the 2009 edition of the Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches, an annual chronicle of religious institutions edited by the National Council of Churches (NCC) and published by Abingdon.

The AG listed nearly 2.9 million members while the Church of God reported 1 million.

The ecumenical NCC reported the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Jehovah’s Witnesses as the only other church groups to show membership increases, even though most Pentecostals, and many mainline churches and orthodox Christians, would consider those two groups separate religions.

A slight membership decline among Catholic and Southern Baptist churches, according to the yearbook, raised eyebrows because both denominations have typically grown over the years. “Now they join virtually every mainline church in reporting a membership decline,” stated an NCC release.

In the bigger picture, the yearbook reported the small less-than-one-percent drop in membership in each denomination was not “earth-shattering” because there are still more than 67 million Roman Catholics in the U.S. and 16 million Southern Baptists.

Churches listed in the NCC yearbook as experiencing the highest rate of membership loss are the United Church of Christ, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The Rev. Eileen W. Lindner, the yearbook’s editor, said there are no clear-cut theological or sociological reasons for church growth or decline. “Many churches are feeling the impact of the lifestyles of younger generations of church-goers,” Lindner said, “the Gen X’ers or Millenials in their 20s and 30s who attend and support local congregations but resist joining them.”

Well, today is the first day of the rest of your life, right? Let’s invest the remainder wisely.

If you are reading these words, know this, we have already been, and will continue to be praying for you, our readers. No hollow promises or lip service. No good intentions unfulfilled. You can absolutely count on it.

Now let’s talk about what I want you to consider right this minute. But do me a favor, in the busyness of your day, please find a way to engage your heart, otherwise, with your mind alone, you will miss what I am saying – guaranteed. Reading this would then just be another mental exercise, part of the blur of another seemingly average day filled with too much information. Hearts engage!

You have deep within you a desire to make a difference – a positive, meaningful impact with your life – to matter – because God put it there. And you do matter, simply because God loves you and created you. He has plans, great plans for you. Even if you don’t fulfill them you are still precious to Him. Unfortunately, though, most of us find it far trickier than God ever intended to recognize His specific plans for our lives. There are many reasons for this, but at the top of the list is bad doctrine from popular culture and even from many Christian leaders, that overly influence our thinking.

“Vision” is often made into this well meaning but me-centric kind of an exercise. We are made to believe that we can sit down when we feel like it and then we can toss out a few prayers and we write down our vision and goals systematically, try to be a good Christian along the way and all is well. This stinks because part of that is helpful, but part is mixed with poison that produces serious problems in our lives.

Think back for a moment. Regardless of your particular childhood, the ‘ideal’ household handled things something like this. Mom and Dad would sit down with little Johnny at some point and say “Johnny, don’t let anyone tell you any different. You can do anything you put your mind to.” And wow did that help Johnny, for real. It seemed to brighten up his future so much. It freed him to think bigger thoughts and dream bigger dreams which are both great. He wasn’t going to be held back from accomplishing significant things like so many others. This is a sincere desire to help Johnny.

But this is deadly, half-baked thinking. The subtle deception woven into this well-traveled philosophy leaves out that the Bible tells us:

Eph. 2:10 “We are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (NIV)

So while it’s possible to decide to do whatever you want and ask God to bless it, that leaves out the other important part – the fact that God has prepared some things in advance for you to do. Many sincere Christians waste so much time and energy on ‘other’ works and asking God to bless those (and He does to a point) – it is truly staggering.

There is no place for you and me like the will of God.

Now please don’t be offended when I tell you that we do this with our kids, because we are all childlike still, at least hopefully in our walk of faith with God. One of our family values, which we stress in our regular family meetings, is that Hubbells have . Dreams. But we ain’t talkin’ about the kind we so often hear about in our culture and even in many churches, yet they are incredible dreams. Here is the nature of . Dreams:

B – Beyond Human Ability

I – Inspired by God

G – Generation Serving [the kind that when we complete them it may be said of us “_________(your name) fulfilled the purpose of God in his or her generation”] -just as it was said of David.

Rick Hubbell is a writer, speaker & seasoned consultant who knows how to build ministries and also businesses built on God-inspired ideas. A former full-time pastor, he is committed to the role of local church and also deeply involved in the marketplace – a bridge-builder between the two. His passion is for the Kingdom of God and its King. Rick’s company, Ti-MC (The Innovative Marketplace Christian) provides concrete “how to” information for Kingdom-minded professionals. Rick lives with his wife and 3 children in Idaho. To contact him for speaking or consulting: e: rickh@, p: 408-828-7430, visit his blog:

North Dakota’s personhood bill, which defines a fertilized egg as a person, is one of several pro-life measures to make state-level gains.

Feb. 27 2009 — Pro-life legislation advanced in several states this week.

On Wednesday, the Arizona House Health and Human Services Committee unanimously endorsed a Republican-sponsored bill that would require a pre-abortion waiting period and mandatory disclosures to women seeking abortions, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

The measure also includes a “right of conscience” provision that allows pharmacists and health care providers to refuse to participate in abortions or emergency contraception if they object on moral grounds.

Democrats boycotted the committee hearing, saying the legislation would limit the availability of abortion and emergency contraception.

Cathi Herrod, president of the Center for Arizona Policy, said the legislation would not overturn abortion but would help women make informed decisions about abortion, the AP reported.

The bill now goes before the full House for a vote. If it passes, observers say the bill may find favor with Republican Gov. Jan Brewer, who describes herself as pro-life. Former Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano vetoed every abortion-related measure passed by the sate Legislature, the AP reported.

In South Carolina, state legislators approved a measure on Tuesday requiring women to wait 24 hours after an ultrasound before getting an abortion. After a heated two-year debate, a compromise measure passed last year saying women contemplating abortion must be asked if they want to see an ultrasound.

Supporters say the waiting period–increased from an hour to a day–will give women time to reflect on their decision. But Democratic opponents said the measure assumes that women can’t think for themselves.

The bill, approved 83-28, requires another, perfunctory vote before going to the Senate, the AP said.

Without debate, the House also approved 105-5 a measure entitling children who survive an abortion attempt to be given life-saving treatment. The bill defines a person as anyone who is breathing and has a beating heart after birth, and applies to later-term abortion cases where doctors induce labor, expecting the lungs to be too underdeveloped for breathing.

Earlier this month, the North Dakota House of Representatives approved a measure defining a fertilized egg as a person. The bill, approved on Feb. 17, now awaits passage by the Senate, which like the House is controlled by Republicans. N.D. Gov. John Hoeven is also a Republican.

Personhood advocates say defining “personhood” as the moment an egg is fertilized could unravel a key argument in the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion. Writing for the majority, Justice Harry Blackmun stated that, “[if the] suggestion of personhood [of the fetus] is established, the case, of course, collapses, for the fetus’ right to life is then guaranteed specifically by the [14th] Amendment.”

Personhood ballot measures were defeated in Montana and Colorado in November, but advocates say the efforts raised the movement’s profile. This year five states–Alabama, Maryland, Montana, North Dakota and South Carolina–introduced personhood legislation.

Pro-life advocates have had mixed reactions to personhood movement, with groups such as National Right to Life organization disagreeing with its tactics and strategy, the Washington Times reported. Others worry that the personhood measures would be overturned in court and strengthen the Roe v. Wade legal precedent as a result. The North Dakota Right to Life did not take a position on that state’s personhood bill.

As tens of thousands of teens prepare to fundraise through fasting this weekend, the results of a new study reveal most teens are charity-minded, and that the current U.S. recession is only helping to boost their awareness.

Feb. 26, 2009 — Countering perceptions that today’s youth are selfish and lazy, hundreds of thousands of teens from 7,000 youth groups will fast, pray, fundraise and serve neighbors in need this weekend to raise awareness about world hunger.

The 30-Hour Famine, an initiative of World Vision, comes days after the results of a new study show that more teens volunteer for charitable causes than their parents do. “The stereotype that teens are selfish and lazy is not an uncommon perception, but I’d say it’s probably not true,” said Pat Rhoads, national director of the 30-Hour Famine.

“Nearly half a million teenagers will participate in the 30-Hour Famine this year,” he said. “That goes a long way towards showing how, as a whole, teenagers may not be all that selfish and unmotivated.”

Rhoads said the teen-led fast, which raised $12 million last year, inspires kids ahead of each event to find sponsors to pay $1 for every hour fasted. He said a dollar cares for one child for one day; 12 sponsors would care for a child for one year. Most students begin their fast after lunch on Friday and end it Saturday evening.

Funds raised by teens will go to Uganda, Zambia, Mozambique, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Haiti, North Korea and other nations hit by famine, conflict or other crises that make children vulnerable.

World Vision leaders said they have long known that teens want to make a difference in the world. “The survey surprised some but not a lot of folks here at World Vision,” said John Yeager, chief spokesman for World Vision. “Teens have helped raise more than $120 million [over the years] through 30-Hour Famine. Bottom line, I think adults sell teens short and the [survey] numbers bear that out.”

The secular study, which was conducted by Harris Interactive, revealed that three out of four adults view teens as “tech-savvy” while two out of three said they were “intelligent.” More than half of the parents surveyed said teens were “selfish” and “lazy.”

But rather than supporting negative stereotypes, the study found that since the current recession hit, seven in 10 teens have gained a stronger awareness of the needs of others. “I think the current economic climate has put a little bit of a squeeze on some of the families of these teenagers and made them that much more aware of other people who are in need,” Rhoads said.

He also speculated that the Internet and globalization has changed teens’ cultural values.

“I think students, in particular, are just a lot more aware of the world around them,” Rhoads said. “The ease with which people find out about things that are going on in different parts of the world is amazing compared to when I was a teenager [in the 1980s]. Students have just really decided that [charitable causes] are important to them and have led the charge on their own.”

The next 30-Hour Famine takes place in April. The events are decentralized, with each group planning its own activities. “The 30-Hour Famine is really meant to be owned by individual churches,” Rhoads said. “It’s more about them and their youth ministries, as much, if not more, than it is about what they raise for us.”   — Paul Steven Ghiringhelli

Although Bluetree has been together for about five years, their song “God of This City” is likely to be more familiar than the band itself. But with their new CD release on March 3, people have the chance to hear more from this worship band. Aaron Boyd (lead vocals/guitar), Andy McCann (bass), Pete Kernoghan (deejay) and Johnny Hobson (drums), all hailing from Belfast, Ireland, feel that they are called to lead worship, “to be creating songs and music that help people,” Boyd says.

But what kind of a name is Bluetree? Boyd explains that when the group was deciding on a name, they were thinking about how Christians are to be salt and light, they are called to be different. “The simple concept of having a blue tree in a forest would stand out. A blue tree would be different; a blue tree would not be the run of the mill green tree, brown bark. … And if you’ve seen a blue tree, you’d look at it, it would be a bit different than the rest and you would take a bit more notice of that tree.”

When it comes to their music, Boyd and the band want to help people truly focus on the Lord and not on situations that seem hopeless. “I firmly believe that the Word of God has all the answers to everything that we walk through. … Jesus Christ has provided all the answers. … It’s not that you’re walking in denial, it’s about lifting up the truth of what the Word of God says over your life.”

An example of this is “Each Day,” a song Boyd wrote after one of his children was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. He says he could have written a lament “and told God all my woes and tribulation. … But … worship is when you begin to lift up what the Word of God says over your life. … Let’s begin to be people that really take that what the Bible says and apply it and dare to believe that it’s actually true. So that when God says, ‘I will provide for you,’ that you hold Him accountable to that. You do the natural and then begin to see God do the supernatural.”

The most important thing that any believer can do, Boyd says, is worship. “I believe that it begins to take your eyes off yourself; it can only push your focus in a certain direction. If you sing the right songs, and we sing songs that give glory upward then it takes our eyes off ourselves. … And so from that foundational level of worship in your life and everyday life that you build upon, that’s the thing you’re projected from. You’re projected from a foundation of worship rather than it’s the thing that we do, it’s the thing that we aspire to do.”

But Boyd says we are called to be more than just people who worship. “If we just worship, if we just do our worship conferences but we’re not propelled forward then I think we’re missing so much. … We’ve been called to be the hands and feet of Christ. And through what Jesus did on the cross we’ve been handed power and authority. We’ve got the Holy Spirit living inside of us; we have the same power that raised Christ from the dead living inside of us. And … God wants us to actually go out and do that and be the hands and feet of Christ.”

Imagine going bankrupt, having your house burned down and discovering your family has been kidnapped by terrorists—all in one day. Wouldn’t that be the worst day of your life? That’s what happened to David around 1012 B.C., when he lived in the village of Ziklag (see 1 Sam. 30).

The biblical account says that while David and his men were away in Aphek, their enemies, the Amalekites, ransacked their village, stole all their goods and kidnapped all the women and children. To make matters worse, David’s men blamed him and threatened to stone him.

The way David responded is a model for anyone going through difficult times. And during a season in our nation’s history when the economy is struggling and many people are hurting, his story about how God brought victory after disaster is a real encouragement.

Few of us have experienced tragedy as devastating as David’s. But all of us can learn from the 10 steps pastor Brian Zahnd gives in his new book, What to Do on the Worst Day of Your Life, for how to respond when facing painful circumstances. The book is based on David’s experience and hits stores March 3.

I also encourage you to leave me a blog at the end of this newsletter telling me about your worst day or commenting on the message of the book. Our new Web site had previously required you to register in order to leave a comment. As a result, we’ve received very few responses. So we’ve turned off that feature, and anyone can leave feedback this week.

In addition, I just signed up for Twitter, and I invite you to register at

Zahnd, who pastors a successful church in Missouri, first preached about David’s experiences a few years ago after his assistant commented to him that many people in the church were going through hard times. Tapes of the sermon were widely distributed, and people encouraged him to put the message into print. Jentezen Franklin, pastor of Free Chapel in Gainesville, Georgia, told us about it. Now it’s a new book release that we believe is the right book for the right time to bless the lives of countless people. You can hear the author’s comments about it by viewing the video below this blog.

I’ve been sharing prepublication copies with friends, and the responses are amazing. What makes this book so incredible? Well, I want you to read the book! But I can give you a sneak preview here, and if you go to our Web site, you can read a sample chapter we selected for you titled “Reorient Your Vision.”

Zahnd says the first thing you do “when trouble hits you so hard that it knocks the wind out of you and makes you feel that it must be the worst day of your life” is “go ahead and weep.” He points out that this was David’s first response to what happened in Ziklag.

Weeping is a normal response to deep hurt. According to Scripture, David and his men “wept, until they had no more power to weep” (1 Sam. 30:4, NKJV). That’s serious mourning!

But David didn’t stop there. The next thing he did was refuse to get bitter. Many people become bitter about the things that happen to them and, as a result, are unable to move forward in their lives. Each of us, no matter how full of faith, will face hardships—the death of a loved one, a terrible diagnosis from the doctor, a tragic divorce.

But instead of getting bitter, we must “encourage ourselves in the Lord.” This was David’s third step and should be ours as well. It brings us to the place where we can “get a word from God,” and that gives us the ability to “reorient our vision.”

I could tell you more, but I want you to download a chapter at and then read the book. And be sure to pass the book along to your friends.

Zahnd told me the message of the book is hope. “Where there’s hope, there’s always grace, and then miracles can happen,” he said in a short interview that you can listen to online.

Pastor Jentezen Franklin says he highly recommends the book, “especially in the financial times we’re facing.” He told me every believer will face a “Gethsemane sooner or later.”

“It’s so important in the walk of the believer to know that it’s not just the mountaintops and the great things, but that God does speak to the low places in our lives,” he said. You can hear his interview and Zahnd’s at .

If you feel discouraged, be sure to turn to the Word of God. That’s where the solutions are. And through his book, Zahnd can help you understand the Scriptures in a way that will give you real hope and victory.

Remember, only a few days after the worst day of his life, David got everything back that was taken from him. You can do as he did-attack, recover it all and make the devil pay! The video below will whet your appetite to read his story of victory.

Please be sure to add your comments to my blog. It’s easier now; you don’t have to register to leave a comment as you have the last several weeks. I’d like to know how reading the free chapter—and the rest of Zahnd’s book—made a difference in your life.

Recently in going over the reports I found out that in November the Strang Report had 1,200 bounces, in December another 1,200, and in January only 260. When I asked our Digital Media group about this they said there is nothing we can do. The bounces occur because an e-mail address is no longer in use, somebody let their e-mail box get too full and it won’t accept any more incoming mail, or the e-mail was blocked due to content.

We’ve also found out that when e-mails are forwarded to someone else and the new recipient hits unsubscribe, it will unsubscribe the original person.

I want to grow the circulation of the Strang Report to 100,000, and I need your help in forwarding it to friends. But if they decide to unsubscribe, that’s not much of a help because you might lose your subscription. So what we need to do is ask that if you notice you don’t receive the Strang Report at least once a week, there is probably a problem. So just come back on our Web site () and re-subscribe. On our end, we don’t know what happened and can’t identify the fact that your subscription is gone, unless you tell us. We are working to work through this, but we need your help.

Look for me on under my name. You never know what I’ll be doing next.

Steve Strang

Pastor Brian Zahnd turned to the Bible for answers and discovered in the life of King David an inspiring story of hope and a pattern for full recovery. In What to Do on the Worst Day of Your Life, he reveals the steps you can take to recover—and to recover all. You’ll see David weep but not get bitter. You’ll see him reorient his vision and regain his passion. And along the journey you’ll be reminded that God’s great work in David’s life was not an odd, one-off miracle but a pattern of faith for all who are facing the worst day of their life. No one wants trouble to come. Order What to Do on the Worst Day of Your Life today and discover how you can recover…and prevail! JOIN OUR COMMUNITY! Join us today, interact with others, find support from those facing similar trials. And learn the principles you can use to recover. And ultimately to prevail. { CLICK TO JOIN } Also follow us here:

You are valued in the place where you are assigned! In this place of assignment people will celebrate your worth. Your efforts will be acknowledged and rewarded.

You must realize that you are not just another number. No two snowflakes are alike. No two fingerprints are the same. There is no other person just like you.

Because you are unique you have an assignment that only you can fulfill. Guard your gift, therefore, and use your talents for those who value what you have to offer. Your life is too valuable to waste it in places where you are tolerated rather than celebrated. Find your assignment and you will find people who value and celebrate you!