On December 4, 2013, a student was shot in an active-shooter incident by another student in Florida. This article in the Orlando Sentinel explains that when the shooting occurred, the “school's resource officer initiated active-shooter protocols, and almost 100 law-enforcement officers from multiple agencies responded to the scene, where a school nurse had begun treating the victim.” The report also states that the student who was shot is going to be ok.

This is a great example of how implementing active shooter plans in your school, business, church and/or community can go a long way to ensuring the safety of your constituents.

For more information about active-shooter preparedness, visit here.

In an article released in early December, Atlanta Secret Service Field Officers provide some tips to stay financially safe during the holidays.

With the Christmas season, we see an increase in both purchases and criminal activity. The article states “cashiers can be distracted by long lines while consumers may be unmindful of their transactions when juggling purchases. These common errors open the door for both unauthorized credit card transactions and passing & receiving counterfeit currency.”

The article makes the following recommendations for financial safety:

One of the things that I enjoy doing in my spare time is hiking.  Aside from the physical benefits of this activity, I’ve also learned some spiritual principles that apply off the mountain.

Lesson 1: We put in the work, but the results are up to the Lord.

Story: This happened while I was doing an internship shortly after high school. They worked into our program a couple of physically challenging activities throughout the year. This particular one, we were training to hike Pike’s Peak, a 14,110 elevation mountain in Colorado. As we were training, they would encourage us to identify things in our life that we wanted to overcome and use the hike as a physical symbol of overcoming those areas. Well the day of the hike drew near and we were unable to hike due to inclement weather at the top.

Last week Sandie posed the question: If Jesus truly is the only name that matters to me (or you), what is keeping me from proclaiming His name “at all times”?

We discussed how we can easily fall into the traps of busyness and keeping up with life in general.  We ended with the scripture Acts 2:32-39…

This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34 “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” 36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”  ~ Acts 2:32-39 New King James Version (NKJV)

ElectroMagnetic Pulses (EMP) are something that sounds like they came out of a science fiction story. However, they are real and a threat that should be taken seriously. There are two types of EMPs, man-made and naturally occurring. While the man-made versions require a lot to make happen and are, thus, more unlikely, there are still naturally occurring threats that need to be taken seriously.

The Washington Examiner released an article earlier this week that explains how earth missed a massive solar flare two weeks ago that would have caused a large EMP effect on our planet.

John 16:33 – In the world you shall have tribulations: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

An average view of the Christian life is that it means deliverance from trouble. It is deliverance in trouble, which is very different. “He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High…there shall no evil befall you” – no plague can come near the place where you are at one with God.