A California Online Magazine, With a Focus on the San Joaquin Valley
I was reading over people’s statuses on Facebook lately and was amazed at how much hate and bitterness I saw. I read statements by conservatives expressing their disdain of liberals, statements by liberals expressing their disapproval of conservatives, statements by independents claiming the moral ground over both parties, Christians talking down on non-Christians, non-Christians talking down on Christians, and the list goes on…
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If you are looking to make a difference in the lives of the hungry in the Central Valley this holiday season and beyond–this article highlights many opportunities!
In the richest agricultural county in America, families go hungry every day.
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With every cup of coffee, there is a story. There is the story of the people and situations in which the coffee beans were planted, cultivated, sold, shipped (usually thousands of miles away), roasted, and eventually bought, brewed, and placed in the hands of the coffee drinker. When it comes to Lanna Cafe coffee, that story is one of a transformative partnership that spans an ocean, including tribal villages in Thailand, and Fresno’s Brian Acosta and Kyle Kennington.
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I never imagined that doing Christian ministry in Mexico would result in helping somebody look for drugs and weapons, but that is exactly what happened last week. I was stopped at a military checkpoint just north of Puerto Peñasco, Mexico (also known as Rocky Point). The soldier said, “Open the door, please.” Then he proceeded to look my car over for signs of drugs or weapons as he asked me a few routine questions.
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With another election soon upon us, it seemed a perfect time to share this blog post by local writer and Fresno Pacific Student Kurt Willems. It was originally published on Kurt’s blog March of 2011. You can see more of his posts on The Pangea Blog and Red Letter Christians.
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When Cathy Lookabaugh and Tamera Williams met, synergy led to concrete action and sparks began to fly.
“We’re just a couple of crazy moms who love music and love kids,” says Cathy. “There are a million things to do in this area if you are over 21,” she continues, “but if you are young, there is nothing.” So they put their heads together and dreamed J29 Eleven into existence.
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Studies have shown that our prevailing emotions have the power to have a direct effect upon the physical condition of our heart. One of the ways this happens is through what doctors call our “heart rate variability.” Emotions such as appreciation, joy, and love create a spectrum on the heart rate variability EKG tracing. These attitudes or emotions help a person to enter into a healthy state called “entrainment” in which our nervous systems are fully balanced. This allows our body to have the right balance of stimulation and relaxation and contributes to better health.
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Father’s Day is a hard day for many people. It’s a day set aside to honor fathers, but the reality is that many of us don’t feel like honoring our fathers. Why? Because many of us have not been given a very good image of fatherhood. For many, the term “father” refers to a man who abandoned us when we were small. For others, it brings to mind an angry man who beat us or a perverse one who abused us.
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When someone spends the night at the Visalia Rescue Mission, that person is not a client or a consumer of services, but an overnight guest. Overnight guests are treated with dignity, respect, and love. That is the mood and attitude of this organization, founded in 1981, to represent the church to the homeless, formerly incarcerated, and people with addictions in Tulare and Kings Counties.
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H.O.P.E. Sanger formed six months ago when a small group bonded together to give hot nourishing meals to those in need. Julie Mendoza is the leader of this successful organization and she loves every minute of the fast pace and heavy workload. H.O.P.E. Sanger is made up of about 25-people which includes pastors from 11-local churches.
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If you ask the Rev. Dr. Sharon Stanley to describe Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries (FIRM), prepare to hear stories. For Stanley, it is the story that makes the ministry, the story of short term assignment that became a life time labor of love, stories of the aspirations of new Americans, stories of hopes and dreams, and stories of the struggle to adjust to a new culture, language, and land.
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Less than 30 minutes drive from Reedley, in the little mountain community of Squaw Valley, sits Mountain Valley Community Church (MVCC) under the interim leadership of Pastor Chris Lewis. A core group of members in this country congregation have taken on the mission of making life easier for men and women in the Armed Forces. They have never turned away any military person someone wanted added to the ministry.
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How many times have we heard the tragic news of a terrible forest fire sweeping through a forest, taking homes and sometimes even lives with it? It is always such sad news, and many times the fire is started by a little spark: somebody dropped a cigarette without putting it out, or somebody didn’t put out their campfire.
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As we approach Presidents’ Day in America, we are reminded of the legacy left by important leaders who helped lay important foundations for the nation in which we live.
George Washington was a general who helped lead the colonists to independence and then later served as this nation’s first president. He helped lay the foundation for us as a nation.
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Hugs is a special, special needs guy. He is blind with cataracts in both eyes. He is young. The vet thinks 2 1/2 - 3 years old. He has a great temperament & gets around great using his other senses. His foster mom says that if she doesn't move anything, once around the house & he has it memorized. Hugs is very loving & affectionate. We think Hugs would make a great therapy dog. His hypoallergenic coat is also a big plus for therapy dogs.Hugs is available through Animal Compassion Team.
on Heat Rises by Richard Castle: Book Review/Giveaway on Interview With Mystery author L.F. Crawford/Review/Giveaway
on Major Mystery & Fantasy Book Giveaway!
on Raspados California – Shaved Ice and More
on Major Mystery & Fantasy Book Giveaway!
on Interview With Suspense Author Thomas Caplan/Book Review/Giveaway
