Dear Friends, Some of you might not know that for the last eight months I have been working with a non-profit missions organization called Kerus Global Education (www.kerusglobal.org). Kerus provides curriculum and training to help combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic that is ravaging entire communities throughout Africa. Over the years, Kerus has partnered with many organizations such as the former TWR (Trans World Radio), Willow Creek Community Church, and Samaritan’s Purse to bring God’s words of hope and change to a very needy population. Within the past few years, Kerus has also helped establish a series of orphan care centers that give daily support to nearly 300 orphans in some of the poorest townships of South Africa. I...
There was a time when Cleveland was NOT on the upswing. Jobs were scarce, opportunities…nowhere to be found. Families struggled to keep their heads above water. The situation seemed hopeless. But, this is Cleveland… And Clevelanders don’t quit. They work harder, get more creative, and find ways to turn the losses into wins. All around town, organizations and individuals are in the trenches, working in small pockets around Cleveland to lift the city up. We see evidence of many, many years of hard work all over our city. We’ve got competitive sports teams that compete in beautiful venues. Creative’s and makers have filled retail spaces with their wares, made right here in Cleveland. Our art galleries are thriving, as is...
Sharing my Sister’s Story… It’s important that I share my sister’s story—it’s her story, but it’s a story many families will identify with. My sister’s name is Shannon Sprankle Oldenburgh and she is a 43 year old a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, and so much more. In November 2015, just before Thanksgiving, Shannon was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer, an aggressive, incurable, Triple-negative Breast Cancer. She and her husband carefully and painstakingly looked at all options and consulted with specialists. They realized that traditional medicine offered just a 5% chance of surviving 5 years. After intense research and prayer, my sister decided to take a homeopathic approach. Shannon’s husband is an eye doctor;...
Franktastic [Frank-ta-stick] n. My husband. Also a father, son, brother, friend. Fabulous, awesome, one-of-a-kind, unique, like no other, never to be duplicated, yummy, handsome, fantastic. Franktastic always starts with a No. For example, I found a ‘table base’ at an estate sale a couple of years ago. Seller Guy: You don’t even know that that is Me: Yes, I do. It’s a table base! Seller Guy: No, it’s not. Me: If I buy it, it is. Left him scratching his head. But I did take it home. Franktastic: What is this? Me: It’s a table base. Franktastic: That’s NOT a table base. Me: We’ll make it a table base. Franktastic: We can’t. Me: Sure we can. Just put a hook...
