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From Our Hearts~by Dolly and Patty

Meet the Supporters of Working for the Lord~Mangosteen Fruit

Proverbial Ethics~Stay on Track by La'Tara Ham-Ying

Instructions from the Lord~Philippians 3:12-14

Acknowledging Christ~Sit Still and Be Quiet? by Patty Benton

Christian Resource of the Month~Harnessing Stress

Family Keys~Inexpensive Family Fun Ideas by Paula Dodds

Fishers of Men~Carrie Espeseth of Pampered Chef

The Basics of Life~JUST AS I AM

Special of the Month~Failure is NOT an Option!
Guide to setting up your Virtual Assistance practice SUCCESSFULLY
by Patty Benton
The Great Commission~American Center for Law & Justice

Meet the Supporters of A.C.T. at Work~

Career Impact
Christian Working Mom Coach
JERPAT VA Coaching's "Failure is NOT an Option; Guide to setting up your Virtual Assistance practice SUCCESSFULLY!"

Click Here if you know someone who would benefit from this newsletter, and send them the link!

Dear A.C.T. at Work Family,

The past few weeks have been a blur of activity for our families. We have been attending many end of school activities with our children and preparing for some much needed time away (vacation). Can you believe summer is upon us? We are almost half-way through 2006. Where has the time gone? What have we done for the cause of Christ?

This month we are addressing some of these questions. In this issue of working for the Lord, Paula Dodds, in her Family Keys column, is sharing some Fun Inexpensive Family Ideas you can do with your children this summer. LaTara writes in Proverbial Ethics about the need to live for a purpose. Patty shares her thoughts on what Christianity may be like for Christians twenty years from now in Sit Still and Be Quiet, the featured article for our Acknowledging Christ column.

Be sure to visit, Fishers of Men, to learn more Carrie Espeth, our member of the month . If you would like to be featured and let our readers learn more about you, please email us at info@actatwork.com and put M.O.M. in the subject line.

May God's blessing abound!

Dolly Norris-Hooker
dolly@actatwork.com
www.actatwork.com

Patty Benton
patty@actatwork.com
www.moretime4u.org

Wondering how to you can support Working for the Lord for only $10?  Visit us at www.actatwork.com/sponsorshipreq.htm for all the details!

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Stay on Track
By LaTara V. Ham-Ying
www.s2s4christ.org

Let your eyes looks staight ahead and your eyelids look right before you.
Proverbs 4:25

Every time Jesus made a moved it was with purpose. Have you ever thought about that? There was no where that Jesus went that was not on His agenda. Even when He would suddenly disappear from the crowds and the disciples probably thought He was strange, there was an agenda.

In John 4:4 Jesus had a need to go through Samaria. Now it is important to keep in mind that Jews and Samaritans did not mix, however, we have Jesus, a Jew, having a need to go through Samaria. He did not think twice about whether or not the disciples would not like what He was doing. He was not concerned with whether or not He would be questioned by the Sadducees and Pharisees. Jesus just knew that He had to go through Samaria.

Our life should always be one of purpose, even in business. We too must have an agenda and not be concerned with what others think or how it will make us look. All we should be concerned with is whether or not it is what God has called us to do at that moment for our business.

When we set out to make a goal or create our daily agenda, we should consult God, the ultimate business CEO.We need to be sure that what we desire for the day falls in line with his agenda. Jesus stayed in prayer and was so in tune with the Spirit that He was always aware of His daily agenda. He was always about the Father’s business.

When we conduct business we need to make sure that we are on track and not flying by the seat of our pants or walking aimlessly. God is a God of Purpose. He wants His children to be a People of Purpose. Does your business run daily on an agenda approved by God? Are you driven by a God ordained Purpose or a self-imposed purpose?

What was the result of Jesus doing as He was led? Well, not only was the Samaritan Woman freed from her bondage, but she brought a village of people to the Lord who heard the Word and received salvation.

Today if you will, keep your eyes looking straight ahead. Don't waiver to the left or the right. Know that if you follow God in your business,and stay on track, your calling is made sure.

LaTara Ham-Ying is a wife, homeschooling mom, author, and a woman on the move for God. As the co-founder of Sister 2 Sister 4 Christ, www.s2s4christ.org; a ministry dedicated to bridging the gap to cultural healing, through the strength of women. As the owner of MBS Connections for Life and Biblical Business Development, her goal is to be a resource for enhancing the life of women one day at a time. MBS Connections Message Boards can be found at http://xsorbit30.com/users5/heznmechristiannetwork/index.php  and the blog is located at http://heznme.typepad.com/heznme_christian_network. LaTara is known as the “Creative Communicator for God” and “The Woman’s Coach” because of her zeal in ministering to the whole woman: Mind, Body, and Spirit. To reach LaTara by email you can go to lhamying@s2s4christ.org. 

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 
Philippians 3:12-14

Sit Still and Be Quiet?
by Patty Benton
http://moretime4u.org

Hear now my argument; listen to the plea of my lips. Will you speak wickedly on God's behalf? Will you speak deceitfully for him? Will you show him partiality? Will you argue the case for God? Job 13:6-8

Acknowledging Christ at Work (www.actatwork.com) was established based on a belief by its founders that Christians have sat down and kept quiet for too long now. We have allowed the minority to overrule the majority. Our children are no longer allowed to pray at school or talk about God. Schools are instituting curriculum to support "alternative" families. Television is allowing non-family friendly content during prime time, a.k.a. family time. My question is, “what will happen to our children if we continue to sit still and be quiet?”

Let's look at the world in 20 years from our children/grandchildren's point of view if we continue to sit still and be quiet now:
Pledge of Allegiance-What's that?
Family Friendly Television-What's that?
Prayer-What's that?
God-What's that?

Sadly, our children will be in the minority if they continue to believe in God. They will more than likely be treated like a minority; tore down for their beliefs, therefore sometimes turning from God, rather than face persecution. Anti-Christian ideals will be taught in the public schools, in all probability openly bashing God and our beliefs. Television will only be a window for Satan to enter our homes. Sex without marriage will be accepted and taught in our children's school, that is, if people even continue to believe in marriages. Murder and rape will occur even more frequently and many times go unpunished as the police won't be able to keep up.

So who should this state of affairs be blamed on? Today's Christians. We can't change the past, but we can change our future! This is the time for Christians to pull together and support one another in this change. Right now we are the majority being treated like the minority. But note that I said we are the majority. The majority of the United States believes in the Christian value system, and if asked, would state they are a Christian. So why are we so afraid to speak out? Are homosexual advocates afraid? Are pro-choice advocates afraid? Are atheists afraid? Why should Christians be afraid?

If you are afraid, you should be afraid of what the world will be like in 20 years if you don't stand up for Christ. Think about your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, Godchild. Think about the children you love, and protect them. All it takes is first acknowledging your belief in God, and then standing against Him being removed from our schools and government. Stand against policies that are anti-Christian. Contact your government in regards to policies and laws you do not support. Sign up for AFA-American Family Association's (http://www.afa.net/) free issue alerts and stay current on day to day events that affect our children's future, with the ability to participate in polls and petitions.

We as parents, grandparents, and most importantly Christians owe it to the future and to God to stop sitting still and being quiet while those who are uneducated, or misinformed, continue to make the laws and changes to our world. I pray that you will have the strength and find a way to help support God's cause!

Patty Benton is the co-founder of Acknowledging Christ Together (A.C.T.) at Work, www.actatwork.com, a Christian organization established to support Christians in their walk with the Lord at work.  She is also the co-owner of JERPAT Virtual Assistants and JERPAT Web Designs, www.moretime4u.org, a company that offers a variety of administrative and design service.  Additionally, Patty is the founder and coach of JERPAT VA Coaching, www.virtualvacoach.com, an affordable, alternative coaching program to help new and established virtual assistants set-up and grow their businesses.  She is a member of Living Hope Baptist Church, www.livinghopebaptist.net, and a faithful servant of the Lord!

Harnessing Stress
http://store.todayschristianwomanstore.com/hast.html

Stress can cause a host of emotional, spiritual, and physical problems. None of us, however, can avoid stress completely. The key is not to eliminate stress, but to handle it in a way that is godly and productive. Holly G. Miller, in her article for TODAY’S CHRISTIAN WOMAN, said if stress is carefully harnessed, it can create positive results in our lives. These results include increased productivity, greater effectiveness, and renewed energy.

How can we harness stress to make us more productive? What is the difference between stress and worry? How do we deal with the stresses of life without it affecting our physical, emotional, and spiritual health in a negative way? Is it possible stress can be good for us? How can we glorify God despite our stressful circumstances? This study will explore these issues.

Inexpensive Family Fun Ideas
By Paula Dodds
http://www.PSDodds.com

Recently, our church did an unofficial survey of its families. Over half of those who participated in the survey admitted that they didn’t plan family nights because they were cost-prohibitive or because the families were too busy. Another 20% said that their family nights involved either TV-viewing or going to the movies – activities that don’t foster a sense of family or togetherness.

These results are on-par with the surveys done at churches and schools nationwide.

Planning time for family activities is crucial to the growth and development of your family as a unit. With the ever-rising costs of family activities such as arcades, family fun centers and the like, what are families on a budget supposed to do? Here are some budget-friendly activities/ideas for family nights:

1. Look for coupons/specials at your local miniature gold course/batting range. Not only can you use this activity to develop hand-eye coordination and learn the value of taking turns, but it’s also good to teach your kids to cheer each other on.
2. Plan a family game night with board games.
3. Plan a family skate night at a local ice skating or roller skating rink.
4. Pitch a tent in the living room and have a camping evening. Share ghost stories, jokes, etc. (And, don’t forget the most important part of camping – the s’mores!)
5. Make one of the kids Boss For a Night and the rest of the family has to do everything that one says whether it’s going to the park, playground, what to have for dinner, who does the dishes, etc. Alternate turns between the kids.
6. Have a dance at your house. This works best for even-numbered families. Take turns picking “dates” and the songs played.
7. Play hide and seek by candlelight – er, flashlight. Turn out the lights in the house and pull the curtains. No light switches, lamps, etc., allowed.
8. Have an after-dinner family workout. Take turns using your workout equipment and counting reps for each other when doing sit-ups or anything else.
9. Plan a Craft Night and alternate craft ideas. Get a ton of craft kits for jewelry making, candle making, scrapbooking, etc.
10. Throw a surprise unbirthday party for someone in the household. This also works well for celebrations over report cards, good test grades, and more! Have each family member who is involved in the surprise make a card or small gift for the person you’re honoring that night.
11. At dinnertime, play the True-and-False Dinnertime Catch-Up game. Take turns going around the table and saying one true and two false things about that day. Have the other family members guess which one is true and which ones are false.
12. Take a walk after sunset with flashlights.
13. Enjoy a picnic dinner at a local park. Make sure to use paper plates and disposable cups/silverware so there isn’t a lot of clean-up when you get home.
14. Have a deck/patio party & BBQ for the family. Involve the kids in decorating.
15. Make cookies as a family and decorate them.
16. Have a no-manners night where everyone can burp at the table, eat with their hands (don’t serve soup!), or whatever else that doesn’t hurt anyone! Also, involve everyone in the clean-up of these nights, or, if possible, eat outside and hose everything down afterwards.
17. Have a dress-up dinner night. Use nice plates, silverware, glasses. Everyone dresses up in fancy clothes and uses their best manners.
18. Have a sundae dinner. This one is very good on really hot summer days where nothing sounds good to eat. Use frozen yogurt, granola and fresh, cut-up fruit to make it healthier.
19. Go for a long drive in the country. Let the kids take turns choosing left- or right-hand turns. It’s even better if the driver “gets lost” and the kids have to help look for familiar landmarks.
20. Go cloud-gazing or star-gazing as a family.
21. Go for a treasure hunt around the neighborhood or even in your backyard. Give the kids disposable cameras to take pictures of everything they find. This also helps have fun the next day or next week when you can take out the pictures and put them all in an album.
22. Have a sand-castle contest in your sandbox, at your local playground or at a nearby beach.
23. Go horseback riding.
24. Go hiking at a nearby state park.
25. Plan a family garden. Make sure even the little kids have at least one plant each that they get to care for.
26. Go for a family bike ride.
27. Put on a puppet play or a stuffed animal play.
28. Make life-size murals of the kids using large rolls of paper. If one of your kids is old enough to trace Mom and Dad, too, it’s even better. Have everyone write things about that family member on the tracing.
29. Make clay sculptures and bake them in the oven (only with adult supervision!).
30. Create a family journal for each season. For example, our summer journal could be “The Summer Adventures of the Dodds Family.”

Whatever you plan for your family night, just remember to keep it fun, keep it safe, stay flexible and be consistent. Make your family nights something that your kids can count on!

Paula Dodds is a devoted WAH wife to her husband Skylar and mother to her two daughters, Brady and Emma. She runs her own Virtual Assistant business www.PSDodds.com; and she’s also an Independent Consultant for Kat’s Coffees & More (her sales site is at
www.TheCoffeeNut.com).  For comments, questions or re-print information, please email Paula at paula@psdodds.com.

Would you like to be featured in Fishers of Men?  Send your request to editor@actatwork.com.

Name: Carrie Espeseth

Location: Crosslake, MN

Family: wonderful husband Gary, sons ages 15 & 13, daughters 4 & 6

Denomination: Assembly of God

Company name: Pampered Chef, and also being a Mom and Pastor's wife are very important jobs to me.

Title: Director

Website: http://www.pamperedchef.biz/CarrieE

How has being a Christian affected your business?
Pampered Chef has been an amazing tool to be able to share Christ by shining for Him. I feel my business is successful because I have surrendered it to God, and desire to have Him in the center, and allow Him to use me for Him. I have met many other Christians in this business, and have tried to be a witness to other consultants also.

What is the hardest thing about being acknowledging Christ in your business?
Occasionally I run across other consultants who do not know the Lord, and tend to be 'politically correct' and feel condemned by them, as they endeavor to leave Christ out. Examples would be the way they express "Happy Holidays" and would push this on us. Sometimes I see people who 'talk' God to further their business. And, I see people who are walking over others and treating them in an unchristian manner. However, these people are not Christians! I need to remember to pray for them, love them and encourage them. I need to not let this discourage me, but instead encourage me to reach out in Christian love.

What has been the greatest blessing for you as a Christian working for the Lord?
I love seeing others grow in Him. One of my new friends recently came to know the Lord. She had a vision of us running to each other in Heaven. It was beautiful!

Do you have any words of encouragement you would like to share with our readers?
No matter what happens, keep giving it to the Lord. Surrendering to God is so vitally important. He has the best in mind for us. We all have areas we are especially challenged in this; however, as we keep seeking Him, He promises we will find Him! God loves us and has a very special plan for us, our families, our churches and lives. I would also like to encourage each one to be involved in a Church Family. Not only will this bless you, but God would like to use you to bless others within that body, or maybe He has someone that He would like to use you to encourage, or invite to church. God has made the church family for us . . . don't trivialize this importance, or miss out on that blessing! Find a church that preaches from God's Holy Word, the Bible.

Is there anything else you would like for our readers to know about you or your business?
I NEVER thought I'd be a Pampered Chef Consultant. I just wanted the starter kit for $90 that includes $350 worth of products! I told my husband I'd just do 6 shows then quit! 3 years later, I am still loving the opportunities to meet others, make income, and have a very flexible schedule! Plus, this year I hope to earn the trip to San Francisco. We go to the conference in Chicago if we wish, and I have a friend who just got back from a trip to Vienna!

Would you like to offer any specials for our readers?
Please visit http://www.pamperedchef.biz/CarrieE to take advantage of the following offers:
1) I will offer anyone who would like to sign up for Pampered Chef, a $20 gift certificate to add items to your kit.
2) Also, everyone who contacts me through my website will get entered in a drawing for a $35 gift certificate.
3) Tell me you are with the ACT group, and I will give you 20% off any order this month!

(Do you have an article, poem, or story you would like to submit for consideration for The Basics of Life?  Send an email to ieditor@actatwork.com.)

JUST AS I AM

Billy Graham is now 86 years old with Parkinson's disease.
In January 2000, leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina, invited their favorite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honor. Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggles with Parkinson's disease. But the Charlotte leaders said, "We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you." So he agreed.

After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said, "I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn't there, so he looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it. The conductor said, "Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it."

Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket. The conductor rushed back and said, "Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry, I know who you are. No problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one." Einstein looked at him and said, "Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.'"

Having said that Billy Graham continued, "See the suit I'm wearing? It's a brand new suit. My wife, my children, and my grandchildren are telling me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion. You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing. I want you to remember this: I not only know who I am ... I also know where I'm going."

Failure is NOT an Option!
Guide to setting up your Virtual Assistance practice SUCCESSFULLY
by Patty Benton
http://www.moretime4u.org/coaching/vaguide.html

100% of profits go to Acknowledging Christ with Work!
(Please send an email to Patty at info@actatwork.com after you purchase the book to let me know you purchased via A.C.T.)

Have you been wanting to set up your own virtual assistance practice, but don't know where to start?
Patty Benton shares her experience in setting up a virtual assistance business in this no nonsense, no fluff, direct e-book. She guides you through the steps of getting your virtual assistance business set-up successfully. Depending on your time and commitment, you can have your VA business set-up and ready to go in a couple of weeks or a couple of months.

American Center for Law & Justice
http://www.aclj.org/   

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) specializes in constitutional law and is based in Washington, D.C.
Through our work in the courts and the legislative arena, the ACLJ is dedicated to protecting your religious and constitutional freedoms.
In addition to providing its legal services at no cost to our clients, the ACLJ focuses on the issues that matter most to you – national security, protecting America’s families, and protecting human life.

Wondering how to you can support A.C.T. at Work for $25 or less?  Visit us at www.actatwork.com/sponsorshipreq.htm for all the details!

Career Impact
Dr. Scott Rosenthal
http://www.careerimpact.org
Offering career and life coaching to enhance your personal and professional life, all from the perspective of a Christian. As well, providing you with cutting edge books and programs that provide biblical solutions to your work-related challenges.

Christian Working Mom Coach
Kimberly Chastain
http://christianworkingmom.com
Kimberly Chastain is the Christian Working Mom Coach and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Kimberly provides coaching services to women and men to encourage, support, and hold them accountable in achieving their goals. Kimberly encourages her clients to work from a Biblical worldview and not what the world is telling us. Be prepared to be encouraged and renewed for whatever is going on in your life.

Failure is NOT an Option; Guide to setting up your Virtual Assistance practice SUCCESSFULLY!
Patty Benton
http://virtualvacoach.com/vaguide.html

Patty Benton shares her experience in setting up a virtual assistance business in this no nonsense, no fluff, direct e-book.  She guides you through the steps of getting your virtual assistance business set-up successfully.  Depending on your time and commitment, you can have your VA business set-up and ready to go in a couple of weeks or a couple of months.
 For more info click here!