Monster Mash Rap - Family Fun 2!

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Monster Mash Rap - Family Fun!

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Not sure this is as good as being Elfed at Christmas, but still pretty fun!

Yes -Christians do have fun!

Love in Christ Jesus,

Jim

Artful Askers Workshop - GSL - Oct 15

As most of you know, I'm involved not only in my own prison ministry, but also with Freedom Ranch/Wings of Freedom and God's Shining Light Church and we are sponsoring a workshop which will be of great benefit, if you need to raise money for your ministry.

If you have a ministry which needs funding - then this is the workshop you MUST attend. This workshop is different and far more helpful than most on this topic. You'll gain the knowledge and skills to access resources yourself and to help others, so that you can reach your ministry goals from a financial standpoint and accomplish the outreach goals you've set. Please let anyone who might benefit know about this workshop. One of the cool things about it is that once you've attended, you can attend any future Artful Askers Workshop for no charge--just bring your own materials.

Jim

Do you need new ways to fund your vision? If so, GREAT news:

The Oklahoma Office of Faith-Based
and Community Initiatives
and
The Freedom Ranch/God's Shining Light
presents
The "Artful Askers Workshop"
in Tulsa, OK on October 15!

Providing technical assistance for capacity building,

fund development, and building relationships
with funders following a proven model.

You are invited to a one-day, 7-hour workshop
that will equip you to meet the needs in your community. . .

A 1-day workshop to EMPOWER you!

October 15, Friday
9:00 am to 4:00 pm

The workshop will be at:

God's Shining Light Church
9897 East 11th Street
Tulsa, OK 74128

Sponsored by

The Oklahoma Office of Faith-Based
and Community Initiatives (OFBCI)
and God's Shining Light Church.

For information, call the OFBCI office at (405) 522-0606
or visit www.FaithLinksOK.org.

Get simple directions to the location at www.mapquest.com.

Cost is $75 per person
Previous Artful Askers Workshop attendees are FREE
(but bring your own materials and please let us know you are coming)

The cost includes a 120-page workbook, many pages of research and leads, a CD of templates,
samples of proposals and resumes, snacks, and lunch (total retail value of $200 worth).
Pre-Registration is required--limited seats available.

To pay with credit card and Pre-Register using PayPal
for Friday, October 15, Click HERE: http://www.artfulaskers.com/catalog/item/1196526/5372354.htm

Anyone who wishes to pay with credit card will need to register online. Cash or Check only at the door.

The schedule will be:
8:30 am Doors open (bring brochures and business cards to share with others!)
9:00 am Workshop starts
12:00 noon Lunch break
12:30 pm Workshop starts again
4:00 pm Workshop ends (Yes, breaks in-between, too!)

Registration Options:
1. To pay with PayPal, credit card or e-check, Visit www.ArtfulAskers.com and follow workshop posting from HomePage.
2. To pay with check/cash that morning, please e-mail Bob that you are coming: Bob@ArtfulAskers.com and you can pay cash or check that morning. OR send a check to Artful Askers, P.O. Box 1225, Warrensburg, MO 64093.
3. Walk-ups that morning (paying check/cash only) will be allowed as space/materials permit. If you plan to come and pay at the door, please let us know because limited seating exists.

Please help promote this Workshop to friends and colleagues who live in the surrounding area by forwarding this e-mail.
MANY research and resource materials will be distributed FREE at the workshop. Some support items will be offered "for sale", but NO "hard sell" will take place!

Past attendee comments: "I've been to a lot of these BUT this is VERY different!" "I'm leaving here today KNOWING what is 'my part to do' so that God will do His part!" "This is truly an eye-opening experience!" "This day is worth more than the $10,000 that I paid my last consultant--and now I KNOW what I didn't know before!" Consultants say: "After studying the materials and presentation, it is our opinion that the average organization would pay a consultant about $5,380 to get what people are taught to do for themselves in this one-day workshop."

Who should attend and how will they benefit?
Board members, ministry leaders or leadership team members of any nonprofit (faith based or community) will derive great benefit from this training. The workshop teaches techniques that help ministers, missions, congregations, faith/community-based nonprofits establish relationships with potential funders, develop positive grant writing skills, and build lasting relationships with funding partners. Over the past 18 years Artful Askers founder and President Bob Vickers, a trained and educated social scientist, has taught 14,000 ministry and community leaders this process. For more information about the process, go to www.ArtfulAskers.com.

Important additional information:
o You will be empowered to DO this yourself, NO need for consultants!
o After workshop coaching is available at no charge to coach and encourage you.
o The workshop, workbook and presentation provide fundamentals for those new to the grant writing and fundraising process, as well as advanced information for those already experienced in grant writing.
o Information will be provided to help you access FREE stuff through gleaners. Free Website Builder, access to food, computers, clothing, etc.
o You will learn to leverage resources and get MORE with what you have—leverage $10,000 to get the value of $50,000.
o We will empower you with leads to funding and other resources.

What primary concepts will be taught?
Billions of dollars are changing hands now through individuals, foundations, corporate-giving programs, churches, and the state and federal government. There is money for ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING you can imagine if you follow simple principles like being other-oriented and clearly communicating who you are and what you do—especially in writing. The Artful Askers Workshop is designed to answer common questions and help people know how to engage in relationships to support what they have been called to do, how to share their vision, and how to make an “artful” ask.

The three workshop (process) components are:
1) A convincing, compelling, and concise vision that is “other-oriented” and written in a professional format. You will be taught how to create and present this with a 1-1/2 page cover letter that includes a statement of the problem as well as your mission, vision and strategic plan to address the problem.

2) How to research and where to find individuals, corporations and foundations in your area of interest. You will also learn to whom you should make your “ask”, timing, what to ask for, etc.

3) Developing the relationship whether it starts with an approval OR rejection. Ten lepers got what they wanted and had their full grants approved but only one returned to show sufficient appreciation and engage in a relationship. The widow gave MUCH by her standards but not much compared to others—can you appreciate the small gifts as much as the large? What about when you are rejected—can you still be appreciative of their consideration?

Bob Vickers and Artful Askers believe and teach that you already have enough contacts with first or second-generation relationships, geographic relationships, and/or field of interest relationships to fund every need in your community. BUT YOU must BE and DO YOUR part by being a good steward and yielding, so that He can accomplish through you what you cannot even dream of but He wants to do. The KEY is stewardship of ALL relationships. You will leave this workshop EQUIPPED AND EMPOWERED to engage in the entire process of building relationships with funders and will be able to help yourself without dependency on consultants!

Learn more at www.ArtfulAskers.com "Connecting a cheerful giver and a grateful recipient by an 'artful' ask."

Robert Vickers
Artful Askers
P.O. Box 1225
Warrensburg, MO 64093
(660) 747-6390, Fri-Sat, 8:00 - 5:00 CST
www.ArtfulAskers.com or www.BobVickers.com
bob@ArtfulAskers.com

"Philanthropy is the 'art' of connecting a cheerful giver and grateful recipient, by an 'artful' asker."

Empowering Servants to meet needs in communities by cooperating and collaborating to build relationships.

ALL relationships are important! Healthy relationships involve many characteristics including:

R espect, Honor, and Dignity to ALL.
E xpressions of Encouragement.
L isten, Acknowledge, & Consider Response.
A ppreciate and Affirm.
T RUST In-Spite Of/Through Brokenness.
I dentify and Build on Commonalities.
O rder in Place and Deliberate Actions.
N urture and Understand.
S elf-less Orientation.
H ope, Faith, and Pursuit of Consistency.
I ntegrity Journey.
P ardon, GRACE, and Mercy MUST Abound.

Happy Birthday, Danna!

Today is the 36th Birthday of one of the most amazing people I've ever known.

A few years ago, Danna was a nurse and single mother of a special needs son.

As Danna struggled to keep up with life, she began to use meth to keep herself going. Soon she was not just using it, but cooking it and selling it.

As I said, she is an amazing woman, and she managed to keep it together for much longer than most people would be able to do.

But, Danna was more than just a typical meth addict, she became a powerful and mighty servant of darkness and an enemy of Jesus Christ and His church. Unless you understand how very, very real are the great spiritual battles going on all around us, you cannot begin to understand what I'm saying.

But, as the Bible tells us, while we were enemies of God, He loved us so much He sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to die for us!

God passionately loved Danna, just as He does all of us sinners - and God miraculously began to work in Danna's life - and when I say miraculously, I mean in ways most people could not believe if they were told.

Eventually, Danna ended up in court over drugs, with everyone wanting to send her to prison and to, of course, take her child.

Instead of the judge sentencing Danna to prison as everyone expected, she "sentenced" her to Wings of Freedom - and the rest is "HIS-story"!

Danna, by the power of Jesus Christ and with the help of Wings of Freedom, got her life squared away and is now a "House Mother" for Wings, a wonderful mother to her son, Trenton, a great nurse and a powerful and mighty servant of Jesus Christ and His Church.

Danna has such a heart for people and is SO kind and loving and such and encourager - yet, she is SO bold in her faith! Or maybe fearless in her faith is a better way to say it!

And, Danna is a powerful, powerful intercessory prayer warrior! I know if I find myself is a spiritual battle, I want Danna to have my back!

I am blessed and humbled to call her my friend - and my sister in Christ - and to be able to serve beside her and the 100s of other amazing people at Wings of Freedom and God's Shining Light Church!

Happy Birthday, Danna! I know with all my heart that God has wonderful, amazing plans for you in this year and in the years to come!

Love in Christ Jesus,

Jim

My Hero!

My brother, Joel, is one of my heros. He has been a minister of the gospel for almost 30 years. He is currently the Sr. Pastor of First Christian Church in Langley, OK.

We come from a long line of preachers. Our grandfather, dad, uncles and a bunch of cousins are all preachers. God has greatly blessed so many in our family with the ability to preach - the charisma to lead - and the ability to touch people's hearts for Jesus Christ.

As talented as are many in our family, as big as the churches they pastor, I think that my brother is the most truly spiritual of the bunch.

And, he is a GREAT dad, who very much loves his children. Joel was divorced when his 4 children were still very young and he raised all 4 of them. I'm sure he is not a perfect Dad, nor are they perfect children, but I now he always did (and still does) his best and they are all turning out pretty well, with families and kids of their own.

One year ago, today, Joel's 20 year old son, James (everybody called him "Spudd") Daniel Rutherford, died in a car wreck.

Joel and James were SO close! As close as any father and son could be.

More than 850 were at James' memorial service. I had the very great privilege of doing the service. He was a great young man - greatly loved.

I know that this year has been so hard on Joel - and that today, must be especially so.

I love you, Joel!

You are in my prayers!

You are my hero!

Jimmie

What is the Bible to you?

This video is both funny and sad!
(check out more of these at www.skitguys.com)

Did you know that most Christians only read their Bible in church?

I have found that when I'm reading my Bible every day, that life goes MUCH better.

I think that is true, because in reading God's Word each day, you are inviting God into your life.

You are allowing His Word into your heart and mind.

God gave us His Word for a purpose. There is POWER in His Word.

Imagine God speaking directly to you, offering words of wisdom to you each and every day - that is what happens when you read the Bible!

If you don't read your Bible every day - you ought to give it a try.

Just do it for one month - just read one chapter from Proverbs each day - 31 chapters - 31 days - and see for yourself, if your life is not going much better than it was before you started letting God speak a little wisdom into your life each day.

Love in Christ Jesus,

Jim

I Married a Television Star!

I don't have any pictures to post, yet, but my wife, Sheila Hambrick - a top law firm Administrator - the best Praise & Worship leader in America - a wonderful mother and wife - is now a television star!

Sheila, along with three other Christian women, are hosts of a new television talk show for women about issues of interest for women - a little bit like "The View" only much better and from a Christian perspective. The show "Real Sisters" can be viewed on Channel 47 (Cox Cable 7) in northeast Oklahoma on Tuesday evenings at 6:30.

They are already working on syndicating the show, so you may soon be able to see it all across the country.

The debut show, which was on tonight, was on depression. They have upcoming shows about gossip, suicide and Christian women in business. The show features the four women in a coffee shop setting with a small live audience. They will take questions from audience members as well as via email.

Every other episode will feature an interview of a person or people who would be of interest to women.

Please watch if you have a chance - or check out Real Sisters on the web at: www.realsisters4.com

I can't tell you how proud I am of Sheila and how proud, pleased and blessed I am to be her husband!

I love you, honey!

Jim

Praying for Joel - Chemo Begins

My great-nephew, 1 year old, Joel Green, is scheduled to begin what is planned to be 54 weeks of Chemo and Radiation tomorrow to treat a very aggressive cancer. PLEASE PRAY!

A brain tumor near his brain stem was discovered about 4 weeks ago, surgery was done. Almost all of the tumor was removed, but Doctors had to leave one tiny piece of the tumor which was wrapped around a major artery and nerve. The piece which was left behind was so small it could not even be seen on an MRI, yet with the short delay in beginning Chemo due to Joel developing meningitis, the most recent spinal tap revealed this tiny bit of cancer which was left has spread cancer cells into his spine.

Doctor's believe the cancer is still treatable - if they can begin to treat it now and attack it as aggressively as it is attacking Joel.

Please continue to follow this journey of faith and healing - http://joelevangreen.com - and please continue to pray - daily - fervently!

Pray not only for Joel, but pray for his doctors - pray for his mom and dad, Amy & Ryan Green - pray for his big brothers, Caleb (4) and Isaac (2). Caleb asked the other day if Joel was going to have to live at the hospital forever.

I am believing God for health and healing and for at least 80 years of life for Joel, as many, many people are touched and brought to salvation by his testimony of God's healing power!

In Jesus name, Joel - be well! In Jesus name - all cancer be destroyed. In Jesus name - many years and many souls! Speak it in heaven, Lord, and let it be done on earth!

Amen, Amen & in the powerful name of Jesus - Amen!

Love in Christ Jesus,

Jim

Baby Joel - Bad Report or God Report?

At Denver International Airport - after two days of canceled flights - getting ready to board.

I have seen God's hand at work, even in the delays.

Doctor's Report: Yesterday the pathology report was presented to Amy and Ryan. By human standards it was pretty bad. The tumor was the AR/TR cancer the surgeon feared it was. It is very, very rare and so they have very little direction when it comes to treating it. Basically, they treat it as aggressively as possible without the treatment becoming fatal - at the risk of many side effects and possible complications from the treatment.

Doctors say it is their only option.

The most extensive study on treatment and survival rates on children with AR/TR was just recently completed. It was a two year study, but the cancer is so rare it only included 12 children. The survival rate for that two year period was 50%

Joel is scheduled to undergo 6 weeks of intense radiation, followed 46 weeks of chemo.

It is only very recently that they have treated children under 3 with radiation.

Of course the radiation and chemo can be greatly damaging to Joel, as well as to the cancer.

Please, please pray that God will see Joel through this treatment with no permanent damage - and little or no pain or side effects!

The most difficult thing for Amy & Ryan is that there is no longer any medical measure which might show that God has healed Joel and spare him all or a part of these treatments.

The MRI they did after surgery was clear - yet, the surgeon knows that he left a small bit of the tumor which was right at the bottom of the brain stem and had a major artery and nerve running through it, making it too dangerous to remove.

There will be many tests along the way, but none that will show him to be healed.

I would ask you to pray fervently for Ryan and Amy as they journey through this next year - that they would turn to each other, support each other, encourage each other, grow in love for each other - and have God's peace which passes all understanding - and that God would increase their faith daily as they are bombarded with difficult information and circumstances - and that through it all, they would keep their eyes and hearts on God and be able to hold fast to Him and His work in Joel!

Pray for their two other boys, Caleb and Issac.

Above all - keep praying - keep following the blog - http://joelevangreen.com - and keep posting on the Facebook group - I Believe! Praying for Joel's Healing

I have been so honored to be here, to pray over Joel and, because of flight cancellation, to be able to pray with Ryan and Amy right after they had received the pathology report.

This may all seem to be devastating news - it may even seem to some that our prayers for Joel were not answered - but let me assure you of this -

GOD'S REPORT IS THAT JOEL HAS A 100% CHANCE OF SURVIVAL
WITH NO COMPLICATIONS - THAT HE WILL LIVE 80+ YEARS, HAVE A POWERFUL TESTIMONY - AND THAT MANY SOULS WILL BE SAVED BECAUSE OF THIS THING WITH SATAN MEANT FOR BAD!

I thank you for your many, many prayers - more than 3000 people from 29 countries have seen Joel's blog and are praying.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR JOEL AND FOR AMY & RYAN!

Love in Christ Jesus,

Jim
.

Great Report on Joel!

This is Joel yesterday - less then 24 hours after brain surgery to remove the tumor from his brain stem! Looks great, doesn't he!

My flight home today was canceled due to ice & snow in Tulsa and I've been re-booked for a flight out late tomorrow afternoon! The ways in which God moved to get me out here, I can only believe that God wants me here for another day, so I'm rejoicing in the delay.

So much good news today in regard to Joel!

The pathology report on the tumor will be available tomorrow. I'd ask you to continue to pray that it is a less aggressive form than the surgeon expects - or, better yet, that it is not even cancer at all!

Amy and Ryan were told today not to be overly concerned with the very low survival rates they have seen for this type of cancer for children Joel's age. Denver Children's Hospital is one of the 4 leading hospitals for research/treatment of pediatric brain tumors - sharing treatment advances with the others four. AND - new and successful advances in treatment are moving so quickly that published statistics cannot keep up with the reality. So, even it if is the type of cancer they suspect, Joel's chances of cure are much better than we first thought.

Joel is recovering from his surgery in miraculous fashion! Generally babies his age do nothing but lay still for several days. 48 hours after surgery, Joel is rolling over, reaching for things with both hands and pulling and pushing them to and from him. He is awake and alert!

AND - he has already been moved out of ICU!

A couple of years ago, Joel's older brother Issac had to have surgery on his skull shortly after he was born. There was one nurse who was especially helpful at that time. Guess what nurse was assigned to Joel in his new room? This nurse has set the goal to get Joel eating on his own, all tubes out and ready to go home ASAP! In fact, she was going try to have the feeding tube out and Joel eating this afternoon, so that when his brothers came to the hospital this evening, Joel could be brought out of his room for them to see him!

Joel cannot go home till the fluid draining from his brain is clear. Right now it is still pretty red from the normal bleeding following the surgery. Please pray that it becomes clear very quickly! They said it could happen tomorrow or next week - just no way to tell. Pray it is tomorrow!

Twice, once the night before surgery and again yesterday afternoon, Joel was very fussy, but as I began to pray for him, he got quiet and still and fell asleep. I'm not sure if it is the power of my prayers or if I'm just really boring!!!

I cannot tell you what an honor it has been for me to be able to be here to pray over Joel!

The first few days after the news they had found the brain tumor, I felt very uneasy, even as I prayed for his healing. But, as I began praying aloud as I drove from the airport to the hospital, I began to have a peace about the outcome of this journey. As I prayed over Joel that first night and each time I have prayed over him since, I have felt more and more certain this is just the beginning of not only a long life, but an amazing testimony for Joel, which will result in many people being saved.

Our prayers have accomplished much - but now is not the time to stop, but to pray all the more fervently that our gracious heavenly Father will continue His work in completely healing Joel!

For more detailed updates - http://joelevangreen.com

If you are a FaceBook junkie (like me), you might want to become a fan of:
I'm Praying! Believing for Baby Joel's Miracle

Love in Christ Jesus,

Jim

Baby Joel Update

I love this picture done by Joel's dad, Ryan Green.

I stand amazed at the faith of my niece, Amy and her husband, Ryan as they continue to believe God for complete healing for Joel.

Joel was in surgery only half as long as the surgeons had expected. They were able to easily remove almost all of the tumor and are confident neither the surgery nor the tumor harmed any of Joel's nerves or brain function. The tumor has been sent to pathology for them to determine the exact type of cancer.

The neuro-surgeon said that the tumor was not the type he expected it to be, but rather a type called ATRT. This is a rare type found in only 2% or so of tumors. Survival rate in children under 3 years old (Joel is 12 months) is a very low 11%-17%. He did say that he could not say for sure that this was the type of tumor it was, and that we will need to wait on pathology for a full report. We expect that report by Friday or Monday. We are praying that pathology will find it to be a more easily treatable form of tumor - or that it is not even cancer at all!

Joel did GREAT in the surgery! He was strong and stable. And, he was resting very comfortably when I left the hospital this afternoon about 4:30. Joel was breathing on his own and looked super, especially for just undergoing brain surgery. He has tightly sutured incision running from just behind his left ear to 2/3 the way to his right ear, low on the back of his skull. No bandages and very clean.

He already looks so much better to me. Amy reported that his eye brows were already again moving in unison.

I prayed over Joel again right before I left the hospital - that in the Name of Jesus he would be healed, fully & completely, that he would live a long life and that by his great testimony many souls would be saved.

Please continue to lift Joel up in prayer as we await the MRI and pathology reports, that God would be gracious and the Joel's healing be made complete!

And, continue to life up Amy and Ryan. Their faith is so strong, yet constantly being bombarded with these bad reports. Help them to hold to the fact that God's report is the only report that matters - that His word is the final word!

You can follow Amy and Ryan's thoughts and get the latest updates on Joel at:
http://joelevangreen.com

Love in Christ Jesus,

Jim

Praying for Baby Joel

We learned last week that my great-nephew, Joel Green, has a tumor on his brain stem. Joel just turned 12 months old about 10 days ago.

People, literally, all over the world, are praying for complete healing for Joel!

You can learn more about what has happened over these last few days, and follow his journey forward, by going to Joel's blog - http:joelevangreen.com.

I am in Denver to be with family and to pray in person for Joel.

I arrived in Denver yesterday (Monday), early evening and was able to pray over Joel for 20 minutes or more last night at the new Childrens Hospital (one of the nation's top 10 hospitals for children.)

He was fussy and restless as my sister, Julie (his grandmother), and my niece Sarah (his aunt) began to pray, but he became very calm, and, as we prayed, Joel drifted off to sleep.

He had the most restful, peaceful night he has had in some time, certainly since he has been here. He was more alert and responsive this morning than he has been and even tried to smile at mom and dad.

They took him to surgery about 7:30 this morning. We just now at 10:30 (11:30 in Tulsa) - received our first report. Surgeons have reached the tumor and are taking pieces from different areas to test and will proceed based on the results. Joel is doing great! Strong and stable!

Please continue to pray!

We have all been praying that God would heal Joel and that surgery would be unnecessary, but we trust God when He says His ways are higher than our ways - and the He works all things for the good for those who love him and are called according to His purpose. We know that Joel was knit together in Amy's womb by God Himself and that God has directed and will continue to direct his course. We know that Joel has been called for God's purpose, so, as we move forward, we trust and believe that God is at this very moment working all of this for GOOD! And, that it is still His great intention to completely heal Joel.

Love in Christ Jesus,

Jim Rutherford