Today's Christian Woman articles from March 2002

Today's Christian Woman archives from March 2002

Makeover story. (girl Talk).
March 1, 2002... EVERY NOW AND THEN, I wish I could change my look. I've worn the same hairstyle since the fourth grade, and my makeup's straight from the drugstore shelves. Wouldn't it be fun to be putty in the hands of someone who could totally transform...

What's up online?
March 1, 2002... Check out TCW on the Web at www.TodaysChristianWoman.net (AOL Keyword: CO Women). UP CLOSE WITH NICOLE Talk to this issue's cover girl, Christian musician Nicole C. Mullen (see page 44), about racial issues, adoption, and mentoring young...

Perfect timing. (your Feedback).
March 1, 2002... My mother passed away last November. She had ovarian cancer and was concerned about how her death would affect our family. Before she died, she gave me a subscription to TCW. How fitting that the first issue I received shared Dawn Hall's...

Motivated to move. (your Feedback).
March 1, 2002... The article "New Girl in Town" by Cindy Crosby couldn't have been more timely for my family and me. We just moved to Texas after living in Oklahoma for 12 years. I know it's important to get involved in things, but Cindy's article inspired...

Loving Liz. (your Feedback).
March 1, 2002... While skimming my wife's issue of TCW, I read Liz Curtis Higgs' article "Heaven on Wheels." She's not alone in using unusual places to worship and pray. Before our church built new facilities, we had a severe space crunch, so our youth group...

Glamour shot. (your Feedback).
March 1, 2002... While CeCe Winans is one of my favorite Christian recording artists, I have to say it's hard to relate to someone who looks so glamorous, as CeCe did in her photo in Pop Quiz. I sometimes wish I could see more real-life photos of Christian...

New resolve. (your Feedback).
March 1, 2002... Joan Esherick's article, "Resolution Solution," really encouraged me. I continually make unrealistic New Year's resolutions and am disappointed when I can't keep them. Her article helped me set reasonable goals, and I've been able to keep...

Celebrating singlehood. (your Feedback).
March 1, 2002... I received the last issue of TCW on Christmas Eve. God knew I needed encouragement to get through another holiday as a single woman. Dee Gray's article, "Still Single," made my day! No matter how many relatives asked me about my single state,...

Stay safe after sundown. (tcwoman: it's all about you!).(self-defense tips)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... While it's good to be aware of your surroundings at all times, it's especially important when it's dark outside. Here are a few stay-safe tips from the American Women's Self-Defense Association: * Park in well-lit areas or as close as...

www.google.com. (tcwoman: it's all about you!).(Internet search engine)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Your children, your boss, your church... everyone has questions you can't answer. Find answers to those questions on www.google.com, one of the most accurate Web search engines available. Google's SafeSearch preference eliminates indecent...

Good news about the good news. (tcwoman: it's all about you!).(influence of reading the Bible)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... A recent study by The Barna Research Group showed that 82 percent of people who read the Bible once or more per week feel at peace. That's a big difference from those who never read the Bible--only 58 percent of that group feels at peace,...

From fear to faith. (faith @ work).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... When I was hired as an administrative manager, I knew I'd have challenges sharing my faith on the job because of various company policies. But I still kept alert for opportunities to talk about Christ in acceptable ways. One of my coworkers,...

Talk to us!
March 1, 2002... Got a story to share? We'll pay $25 for published items for Faith@Work (300 words and a photo of yourself), My Favorite Web Site (100 words), Small Talk (100 words and a photo of the child), and Reader Pick (200 words). We'd also like to know...

Lighten your load.(time management and laundry)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... To shave minutes off your laundry time, let your family pitch in by doing the sorting. Put three baskets in your laundry room, one marked "whites," one marked "darks," and one marked "permanent press." Then assign a family member to transfer...

It's me time!(how women would spend free time)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... In a recent poll at www.TodaysChristianWoman.net, we asked, "If you suddenly had an afternoon to yourself, how would you spend it?" Here's what 968 of you told us: Reading 30% Catching up on your to-do list 17% Sleeping 14% Studying the...

What's in her sippy cup? (healthy hints).(effects of too much fruit juice)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that children drink no more than 12 ounces of juice per day because natural sugars can cause diarrhea and stomachache. You can make that 12 ounces last longer by watering it down, or help your little...

Shoe smarts. (healthy hints).(how shoe style affects the foot)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Spiky high heels can wreak havoc on our legs, or so we've been warned for years. But what about the newer wide-heeled, medium-height shoes? According to a study at Harvard Medical School, these seemingly safer shoes are just as jarring to our...

Call your doctor--and your prayer chain! (healthy hints).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... RECENT STUDIES HAVE proven the power of prayer. One, published in a recent issue of American Heart Journal, involved patients undergoing risky cardiovascular surgery. Those in the group who were prayed for experienced fewer complications....

I'm married to a couch potato: help! My stud's turned into a spud! (your Lovelife).(advice for married couples and parents)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Dear Dr. Langberg, How can I get my couch-potato husband away from TV at night to help me with our two kids? Once dinner's done, he heads for the sofa and bones out watching ESPN. He doesn't want to do anything with me; he says he needs...

Rejected! Ways to help your child cope with the pain of feeling left out. (your Child).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... IT WAS APRIL FIRST, the day our daughter Susy was expecting her acceptance letter from the University of North Carolina to arrive in the mail. Unfortunately, the letter Susy received read something more like, "We regret to inform you..." ...

Small talk: kids say the cutest things!
March 1, 2002... It's Hot in Here! My 8-year-old daughter, Candace, loves to spend time at her grandma's house. But I wondered if she'd spent too much time there when recently she sat down and started fanning herself, saying, "Whew! I'm having a hot...

Helping kids heal. (everyday Hero).(woman sent teddy bears to Columbine victims)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... ONE OF THE FIRST guidance counselors called to Columbine High School after the school shootings on April 20, 1999, Sandy Austin's seen her share of grieving kids. "So many innocent kids' lives were shattered that day," says Sandy. "Even...

Watch God work! 4 ways to experience more of his power in your life. (faith Focus).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... WE CAN EXPERIENCE God here and now! Understanding that simple fact can transport our Christian life beyond cold, bland ritual into the surging, exhilarating flow of God's eternal activity. Here are four realities to help you enlarge your view...

"There's been an accident ..." Could anything good come from my niece's car crash? (my Story).
March 1, 2002... I'LL NEVER FORGET the day my younger sister, Julia, called me at work. "Debbie, go to the hospital now. Denice has been in an accident. It's bad. "Julia's last two words rang in my head as a coworker drove me to Logan General Hospital just a...

A voice for racial harmony: in her multi-hued family and on every stage she's offered, Christian singer/songwriter Nicole C. Mullen sings the praises of God's diverse creation. (Cover story).(Interview)
March 1, 2002... CHRISTIAN SINGER/SONGWRITER Nicole C. Mullen has been several places no African American s ever been before. After winning the 2001 Song of the Year Dove Award for her sweeping ballad of faith, "Redeemer"--making her the first African...

The allure of Mr. Wrong: Jake didn't share my faith, so why was he winning my heart?
March 1, 2002... IT'S IRONIC THAT I met Jake * at a church. But that's where it started--in a church sanctuary at a friend's wedding. During the slower parts of the ceremony, I scanned the crowd for cute, seemingly unattached guys. In his dark suit and preppy...

Mom's little-known secrets to saving money: how your kids can save you a chunk o' change.(humorous tips)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... RECENTLY I READ that it costs $7,000 a year to raise just one of my children. Since I have three kids, that's $21,000 a year--which means it's going to cost our family roughly a bazillion dollars to keep them until they're adults. Well,...

Good news about the resurrection: what Easter means for us today.
March 1, 2002... THE PHONE RANG in the middle of the night and jolted me awake. My husband, Gene, answered, and I soon realized he was receiving devastating news: Our son had been picked up by the police and accused of a serious crime. I couldn't breathe;...

Love at first bite: my affair with cookies stretched my waistline -- and my faith.
March 1, 2002... SOME PEOPLE SAY everyone has a soul mate. I believe we can have several. After all, I do--all of them cookies. I've loved every cookie I've ever met since my first trip to my grandmother's baker's shop, where she introduced me to...

Doing life together: looking for the spiritual growth and emotional support a circle of friends provides? It may be as near as your neighborhood.
March 1, 2002... IT WAS SEPTEMBER 1999, and Beth Shadid, then 39, had recently given birth to her fifth baby, Caleb, after losing both her fourth child, Micah, at birth, and her brother, Jim, to lung cancer in 1998. "The past year had been extremely hard...

"Not tonight, dear ..." Making love with my husband just wasn't one of my priorities.
March 1, 2002... I'D RETURNED FROM running errands one afternoon when I walked into the house and saw my husband give me "The Look." The screen door banged behind me as my twin preschoolers ran over to me and wrapped themselves around each leg, squealing with...

Taking on breast cancer: this survivor's fought the disease--twice. Here are her strategies.
March 1, 2002... THE FIRST TIME I had breast cancer, in 1993, I thought I'd die. Everyone around me thought so, too--especially people who knew people who'd died of it. My mother tried to console me, saying, "The further you get from this, the safer...

Pop quiz: Delilah.(radio talk show host)(Brief Article)(Interview)
March 1, 2002... YOU MAY RECOGNIZE radio show host Delilah's distinct, warm voice on her nightly radio show, Delilah, on which she listens to callers' stories, takes their requests for pop songs, and doles out advice and encouragement to her seven million...

City on a Hill--Sing Alleluia. (editor's choice).
March 1, 2002... City on a Hill--Sing Alleluia by various artists (Essential). Just before my husband and I moved into our new home, we decided to redecorate some of the interesting decor choices of its previous owners. While it was a ton of work, we ended up...

A single focus. (Reader Pick).('Dating and Waiting')
March 1, 2002... I've been single for 45 years and have read many books about singleness. But Dating and Waiting by William P. Risk (Kregel) isn't just another advice book on how to survive those single years; it's an insightful discussion on how to live as a...

Welcome to the Funny Farm. (books).
March 1, 2002... Welcome to the Funny Farm by Karen Scalf Linamen ($11, Fleming H. Revell). TCW regular contributor and best-selling author Karen Linamen shares her zany "misadventures" in this collection of humorous, yet insightful, stories about God, love,...

Financially Secure. (books).
March 1, 2002... Financially Secure by Deborah McNaughton ($14, Thomas Nelson). It's tax time again--that frustrating time when we look at our finances, scratch our head, and desperately try to figure out why we never have enough money, and why money matters...

Adolescence Isn't Terminal. (books).
March 1, 2002... Adolescence Isn't Terminal by Dr. Kevin Leman ($20, Tyndale). "The only thing more difficult than being an adolescent is trying to parent one," says Dr. Leman. He should know: He's a family counselor and father of five! In Adolescence Isn't...

The Power of Personal Prayer. (books).
March 1, 2002... The Power of Personal Prayer by Jonathan Graf ($10, NavPress). Whether you're new to prayer or want to learn to go deeper, Jonathan Graf, founding editor of Pray! magazine, teaches you the basic foundations of prayer, different types of...

Storm. (music).
March 1, 2002... Storm by Fernando Ortega (Word). Fernando's 10th album is full of the poetic lyrics, peaceful melodies, expert instrumentation, and thirst for Christ that have made him an industry favorite and a multiple Dove-Award winner. Fernando gives his...

Believe. (music).
March 1, 2002... Believe by Yolanda Adams (Elektra). With Grammy, Stellar, Soul Train, and NAACP Image Awards to her credit, Yolanda's established herself as a major player in the gospel music arena. Believe, her first collection of new material in three...

The Miracle of the Cards. (video).
March 1, 2002... The Miracle of the Cards (Cloud Ten). This feature-length movie tells the story of Craig Shergold, an eight-year-old cancer patient who breaks the Guinness World Record for receiving the most get-well cards--the first of many miracles this...

I Walk by Faith. (music).
March 1, 2002... I Walk by Faith by various artists (Integrity). The debut in the new Praise Walk series offers upbeat worship music for walkers ranging in tempo from warm-up to cool-down, sprinkled with encouragement and instructional cues from model and...

Six Inches of Sky. (music).
March 1, 2002... Six Inches of Sky by Sherri Youngward (BEC). Reminiscent of Carolyn Arends or Sarah McLachlan, Sherri offers introspective and vulnerable lyrics set to acoustic coffeehouse-style music. Topics include Jesus' comfort to those who are weary,...

News from home: I opened the envelope with trembling hands. (life with Liz).(mother and daughter relationship; influence of a Christian life)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... THE ENVELOPE LOOKED harmless enough--a handwritten address in a long, looping scrawl, a familiar name in the corner, a postmark from my hometown of Lititz, Pennsylvania, 600 miles away. More than a year had passed since I'd traveled there...