Transcript
Page 1: Living Life Abundantly July/August 2014
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From The Publisher • Hello friends,

It is with great joy that I bring to you the second issue of Living Life Abundantly magazine. The stories contained in this edition are full of hope and encouragement and it is my prayer that it speaks to that certain someone so profoundly it opens the door to a life filled with hope and indescribable love with the living God.

Since the inaugural release of LLA I have taken a look back at what has transpired and to my excitement I can see how the Lord has been guiding my steps, encounters and connections. It is not by accident that I am being introduced to the right people, being at the right place at the right time and hearing testimonies that will soon inspire you and give you hope or to someone you know.

What is also exciting is that LLA is growing. We’ve added a new department where a local non-profit ministry will be featured. Additionally, LLA can be found at over 40 locations in Sacramento and Placer counties. The website is also up and running, so please visit us and leave a comment. We want to hear your thoughts and suggestions. Let us know what you

would like to see in LLA. Until next time……Brightest Blessings,

LivingLIFE Abundantly Contributors

Ana BillingsleyPublisher • Senior EditorRachel Marie Stanich Photography

Chandra has lived in the Greater Sacramento area for 15 years, with her husband of 18 years and her two daughters. She has served as an Elder at Church of the Harvest, in Citrus Heights, for 14 years, and in that time has been involved in various ares of ministry, including Counseling, Christian Education, Worship, and Pulpit Ministry. She has a strong desire to see the people of God realize their potential and find their place of service in the Kingdom of God.

Jessica is a full time English and journalism major as well as a full time worker. It has been her childhood dream in becoming a writer and hopes that her words will one day inspire others. She currently resides in Roseville, CA

Hannah is a California native aspiring to write cross culturally. She is majoring in journalism and minoring in anthropology at a privateCalifornia university.

Jim is the graphic designer of LivingLIFE Abundantly as well as the advertising that appears in the magazine. A native of Sacramento, Jim is also a publisher of his own Magazine, MeowDigest as well as a published photographer. (Jim with his little sidekick Lil’ Bubba J)

Ana

Chandra JonesWriter • Editor Jessica Noelle Hayes

WriterHannah Burnett

Writer

Jim SterlingGraphicDesigner

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Perseverance is defined, in Webster’s Dictionary, as “continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.” Don Walker is a man who embodies the very

definition of perseverance. His determination to succeed, after a tragic accident, is an inspiration to all who witness it.

His story begins on a rainy Tuesday, April 9, 2013. Don and a group of his friends from work had been consistently bike riding, every Tuesday and Thursday, at lunch, in an effort to maintain physical fitness. According to Don, they had ridden the same trail at least 150 times, without change, and without incident. But on that fateful Tuesday afternoon, everything changed.

The familiar trail had several bridges, approximately 16 to 18 inches wide. One of these bridges was about 12 feet long, stretching across a deep ravine. As Don approached the bridge ahead of the others, he didn’t realize that the rain had washed out part of the approach, and rather than accessing the bridge, the same way he had many times before, he had to skirt around the part that had been washed out. As he swerved onto the wet grass, realized it was slick from the rain, and he began to slide. He did his best to straighten himself out by applying the break, but all at once, he and his bike were airborne!

In describing the scene, Don says his body went over the handlebars, and was catapulted straight, like an arrow, into the opposite embankment. Although he was wearing a helmet, there was an obscure tree stump, protruding from the embankment, covered by blackberry bushes, and his face

and head connected with the tree stump, with the full force and the weight of his body compounding the impact. The impact was so great that his helmet was severely dented, and his head was bent all the way back.

The next thing he realized was that he was lying in a pile of sticks on the floor of the ravine, and he could not move his arms or legs. His friend, Jake, was the first one to get to him, and he asked Don, several times, if he needed help getting up. Don remembers telling him, “No, don’t move me…don’t take my helmet off, because I can’t move at all!”

While one of his buddies rode to the top of the hill to get cell reception and call 911, Jake straightened Don’s head and grabbed his own helmet & put it under Don’s head like a pillow, and all at once he could move his arms!

He says it only seemed like minutes before he was hearing the ambulance sirens, but although the hospital was only minutes away from where he had fallen, it took 45 minutes from the time they called the ambulance until they were able to get him out of the wooded area and to the Emergency Room.

He doesn’t remember the ambulance ride to the hospital. The next thing he remembers was coming to in the MRI tube and feeling like a thousand nails had been pounded into the base of his skull.

When Don’s wife, Nancy, arrived in the trauma room, and he told her what had happened, she said to him, “That’s OK, we can get through this!” proving that a supportive wife is worth her weight in gold! Don was going to need to draw on that strength, time and time again in the coming months.

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They both knew it wouldn’t be easy, but they also knew that God had spared Don’s life, and with God on their side, they could get through this!

Everything was still such a blur. He doesn’t remember all of the hoses and tubes he was hooked up to. But he does remember so many of his friends and family who came to visit him in the hospital. He was so appreciative of all of their uplifting words of hope, and offerings of prayer and encouragement! But at the time he didn’t realize how dire his situation appeared to those who visited, and he asked Nancy why everyone seemed to be so freaked out when they came to see him. She took a picture on her phone so he could see what he looked like, and he was a bit shocked by all of the bruises, scratches, tubes and hoses!

When the neurosurgeon delivered the MRI results to Don and Nancy, it showed that he had broken several vertebrae in his Cervical Spine, numbers 1, 2, 5, 6, & 7, and a burst fracture of his Thoracic Spine, numbers 4 & 5, which basically means he had severely broken his neck and back, as well as 6 ribs. To attempt to repair this damage, he immediately underwent a 3 hour spinal fusion surgery, in which they placed 2 rods from the T1 to the T8 vertebrae, 3 above, and 3 below the fracture.

After surgery, he spent 3 days in the ICU. Because he couldn’t feed himself, he hardly ate anything while in ICU. Nancy would feed him sorbet. He definitely remembers the sorbet without much fondness, describing it as flavored ice chips, and not very appetizing. Three days was about all he

could handle of the ICU, so they moved him to the Rehabilitation Center.

Now it was time for the hard work to begin. In the beginning, the whole rehab process was geared toward teaching him how to function and do his daily tasks without using his legs, rather than being geared toward walking again, because the doctor said he had a complete spinal fracture, and would never walk again. He said, “I was in there…inside your back, and you will not walk again!” To this, Nancy said, “You don’t know Don! He WILL walk again!” Don had to agree! “In my head, I knew I would walk again! I knew I was going to be OK!” It wasn’t a matter of IF, but a matter of WHEN. This positive outlook and determination has carried him throughout his entire ordeal!

Don says he prayed every night. “I never really prayed for myself. I prayed for Nancy & the kids (Lynda & Jessie), that they would be taken care of.” The prayers he prayed for his family were deep, heart-felt prayers. Their suffering on his behalf was overwhelming. “I never had a doubt in my mind that I was going to be OK,” so he focused his prayers on them. His determination to walk again was for his family because he knew they were really going through it. He wanted to walk again for them!

Every night, he would say to himself, “Tomorrow, I’m going to wake up and wiggle my feet!” About two weeks into his 6 week rehab stay, it happened! He wiggled his feet!! That’s when he said “It’s ON, BABY!” So now, in addition to teaching him to do daily tasks without using his legs, his rehab technician began to give him exercises to strengthen his legs!

As he became stronger, he began to accomplish the goals that his medical staff had set for him, goals that would show them he was ready to be released from the hospital: he had to feed himself, bathe himself, dress himself, cook a grilled cheese sandwich, and cut up vegetables.

On the day before he was released from the hospital, the doctor decided to change his spinal fracture status from Complete spinal injury (which means a

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total loss of function), to Incomplete spinal injury (which is usually a transitional phase indicating some functionality is possible). This was a major milestone, because, remember, it was the doctor that had said his fracture was complete, and he would never walk again!

The next day was Don and Nancy’s 32nd wedding anniversary, and he was released from the hospital! What a gift! They were able to go to dinner together to celebrate their anniversary! After 6 weeks of hospital food, he said, “That had to have been the best meal I’d ever had in my life!”

Although he was released from the hospital, his hard work wasn’t over! On his first day in out-patient rehab, he was able to stand up for the first time since his accident! He remembers lifting his hand, trying to wave at Nancy, and starting to stumble…but he didn’t fall! He said that to actually stand, after not being able to for so long, felt absolutely fantastic!

Every week he would reach a new milestone. Every week he would be instructed to do another exercise that forced him to do things he was previously unable to do. His son, Jessie, would take him to the gym to do his prescribed exercises. Just a few short weeks after he stood for the very first time, he was strengthened enough to stand without holding on! This truly was a blessing from God!

Today, 14 months after that illl-fated day, Don is able to stand and walk with the aid of crutches. In his right leg, he has no feeling, but he is able to move it without assistance. In his left leg, he has full feeling, but he must use a special piece of electronic stimulation equipment that works with his nerves to help him move it so he can walk. It goes without saying that life is very different than it was 14 months and one day ago.

Don admits that he experiences some pretty heavy emotions, at times, because he feels he should be farther along in his recovery than what he is. The big progresses have stopped, yet he does still experience incremental increases. Although he sometimes feels his progress should be more advanced, he has had to put his faith in what

God can do, rather than in what the doctor has said is possible. He knows that God is going to bring him through this. After all, he is twice as far along as the doctors thought he’d ever get!

When asked about the changes this accident has brought to his character, he revealed that he has always been a stubborn individual, and used it to overcome any obstacle that presented itself; but through the accident, he has learned how to mellow out, and has become pretty computer savvy! Nancy spoke up and said, “Yes, he’s always been headstrong & perseverant, be he does seem

more relaxed these days.”“You can’t tell me I’m not living a blessed life! I had this

accident, but I can still live comfortably. I have come a long way, but there is still so much farther to go. I expect that eventually I will be walking with nothing more than a cane.

“I do everything I can do,” he says, “and I pray every night for that miraculous healing.” “I’ve always been ornery as can be, but I’ve always had Faith, and I’ve always prayed for other people, because although God has always looked out for me, it’s not about me!” Several times, complete strangers have asked to pray for him, and he never turns it down. After all, prayer changes things!

So, stubborn and headstrong can be a good thing when there is so much to overcome! A broken neck, a broken back, broken ribs, bruises, and scratches, loss of mobility, loss of function, loss of feeling, it all seems like a long list of destruction. But the Word of God says, “You will laugh at destruction and famine; wild animals will not terrify you.” (Job 5:22 NLT). If you sit and talk with Don, there is one thing that stands out…throughout the story of his ordeal, he certainly hasn’t lost his laughter!

With an overwhelming spirit of determination and perseverance such as this, how can we not expect to see him reach his goal of walking with nothing more than a cane? It’s just such a spirit of tenacity that overcomes and conquers whatever life brings! In light of this, perhaps his name is prophetic of things yet to come: Don Walker! With the power of God, working on his behalf, he truly is UNSTOPPABLE!

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Bevan AtkinsAge 25 • Roseville, CA

“I do not believe in one specific entity. I am very spiritual, but would prefer not to label my spirituality. I base my belief in a higher power and base my views on sound morals. I prefer to ‘make my own rules.’

When I was a child he went to church every Sunday. My family was very invested in the time at church, but it was something that was a forced requirement on me. Even when I came to the United States with my family, church was a requirement. It wasn’t until I was the ages of 14 or 15 that I decided on my own views about religion. I chose my faith and a lot of things about the religion I had known didn’t sit right with me.

I came to America when my mother got a better job that required my family to relo-cate. I knew that we moved for the better of our family and church was a part of that until I tapered off to find what I believed.

I like it. I believe that everyone should respect each other. The forefathers built this nation off that topic (God and Coun-try), might as well grasp it and embrace it. I do not feel that the government pushes any religion on its people. It is a melting pot to pick your own religion. It’s got that going for them.

Don’t be an extremist! Everyone is dif-ferent and everyone likes different things. Don’t let it matter.”

Brandon BarkerAge 21 • Auburn, CA

“For God and the Queen…. It makes me think of duty, obligation, and some-thing bigger you. You can do it for yourself, you can do it for your friends, but there are some things that you do that are bigger, like God and Country. It is a higher calling.

A lot of what they tell you in boot camp is like duty and obligation. The military is fun, I miss it. Pledge your life for something that is bigger than you whether with God and missions or military and life. It was the way I was raised, dad always taught me. Dad was a marine. I grew up with the idea to pledge your life for some-thing that is bigger than you whether with God and missions or military and life. Dad was deeply religious and I got both aspects of it.

I feel like in government there are places where it is all right for the church to interact. The founding fathers set a basis and even they understood that there is a separation. There are some areas where they need to be separated.

I would change how people react to things. Not against the church but some things need to be done for the good of the nation that the church may not agree on. Government makes decisions for the good of the nation and if it is based solely on morals, great decisions might not be made.”

Lindsay Townsend Age 20 • Colfax, CA

“In my mind when I hear ‘God and Country,’ conflict comes to mind. Separate institutions that have no right being com-bined on a large scale, for implementation of one, destroys the other.

On a personal level, of course peo-ple can accommodate both in their own lives, but the thought of the two being conjoined on the scale of a country is absurd. I’m assuming country refers to the United States, as you’re using it, and in that case, the founding fathers were intent on protecting the religious freedom of the people...ALL people. And without a unified religion, which again, I’m assuming you’re talking about when you say God, there is no way to combine the two (government and religion) without threatening the rights of those who do not align with the beliefs held by that religion.

Those with a faith in God must know that He is watching over us and have faith enough that He does not have to be so directly involved for good things to hap-pen. If God works through the people, and the people control our country, then why should we try to force them to be com-bined further than they are?

I believe religion or faith is a VERY personal subject, and that’s where it should stay; within the individual and his or her actions and choices.”

LivingLife Abundantly goes out to the community and asks the Millennials

“What comes to mind when you hear God and County?”

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Gabriella RichardsAge 25 • Sacramento, Ca

When I think of God and country I think of our founding fathers and how they solidified our constitution on Chris-tian values. This is where we as Ameri-cans began our journey as a free country to flourish in. Fast forward 200 years though and you have what we still call a free country and a place to chase the American dream but somehow God has slowly been driven out of our countries priorities, or so it seems.

I still remember when In school they announced to us students that we would no longer be chanting “one nation, under God..” in the pledge of allegiance any-more. I think that was the moment I real-ized the distaste or offense our nation had towards God and I got the sinking feeling that there was nothing I could do about it. It was clear to me that nobody wanted anything to do with God let alone Jesus in our constitution anymore and I honestly felt for a split second embarrassment for being a Christian.

We live in a free country where you can worship any God you please, and although I love and cherish the freedom we have as individuals in this amazing country we call home I do wish that Christian and non-Christian will come into a knowing and experience of the full love of God for themselves and their life. When I think of God and country I think of the God I know that still loves his kids he created weather they kick him out of the pledge of allegiance or go to church every Sunday. Changes made to our governmental system does not in any way change who God still is and always will be in our lives and in our country.

Garrett KonradAge 21 • Auburn, CA

“The revolutionary war and the tri-point-ed hats that the soldiers wore. The second thing that came to my mind was that the theme of God and Country was a more popular topic in the colonial days and in an earlier America rather than today.

I was led to have this opinion mainly from my history classes in school as well as conversations that I have heard, as well as been a part, of with family, friends, and even strangers. Even with the conversa-tions I have had, I also believe that there is a lack of discussion on the topic of God and Country. I believe there is a lack of conversations.

I was asked how He feels about what our country is doing when it comes to the subject of God. They are trying to close the door on it and shut it out. Like with the lack of political correctness and trying to remove God from the Pledge of Allegiance. I believe that something that is overlooked is that most, if not all, of the Presidents of the United States were Christian based and that is an important fact to remember.

If I could change anything about God and Country I would change the judgments of religion as a whole. You have people on one side who preach acceptance and equality, but judge what they don’t like, and on the other side you have people who don’t judge, but only shove their one religion. The country was founded on pure freedom of religion, so I think we need to fight for that. No judgments or bias. I be-lieve that the way our country was founded in faith was the right way and it should remain as such.”

Maida ParsonsAge 21 • Coloma , CA

“I never thought about it…I think of peacefulness and happiness. I am a visual person; I think of no stress and its peace-ful, everything is ok. I’ve never thought in depth about what it means.

I have never really been religious or a frequent church attender and I feel like I haven’t had an image put into my mind about religion like the people who study it. I just use my imagination. I feel that many people use God to find peace, so that is the image I think of.

I think that we are supposed to have freedom of speech and believe in the reli-gion we want. I think that everyone should be entitled to prayer and their own per-sonal beliefs. I do not want God removed from the military or schools. It is important for people to have the ability to believe in what they want and shouldn’t be refrained from showing beliefs in a public setting. People who don’t have a belief have no right to tell those who have faith not to be-lieve it. No one should ever say, ‘You need to believe because I believe.’ Everyone should be accepting of one another.

If I could change anything I would just make people more open to allowing people who are religious or have beliefs to express themselves and the people who don’t can say I don’t have the same belief but I accept that you do. I personally don’t believe that beliefs are there to hurt people it is a personal thing. I believe that we all should accept people who do or don’t have the same beliefs. ‘Take hatred out!’ People get very angry at the use of God. People will be more willing to accept religions if there is less anger and less of a defensive nature.”

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Large hands, small hands, weathered or dainty in various shades of human, move with a mission to unwrap prepackaged instant soup in the backyard of a modest house in Citrus Heights.

From the front, the house doesn’t look like much. In the small backyard, two pieces of wood create a cross that stands in the middle where families, ex-homeless and recovered addicts come together to, as they say, “skin the soup.” This is one of the first undertakings that the volunteers of New Hope Street Ministries see to on any given Saturday.

NHSM functions under the umbrella of the nonprofit organization, His Well Ministry and has a mission to take the gospel of Jesus Christ outside the four walls of the church.

Every Saturday evening, Patrick and Sherril Cornell, founders and head pastors of NHSM, share their evening meal with the homeless of Sacramento.

Bringing a pickup truck full of food, a small PA system and a caravan of volunteers, NHSM transports everything [a][b]to one of the parks NHSM frequents in West Sacramento. The smell of food and the sound of voices worshiping begins to fill the park. Sherril sings to a track as homeless men and

women begin to gather around. Food is served and one of the volunteers takes the microphone to share hope through the gospel and often their personal testimonies.

“One of the phrases Patrick says is, ‘we don’t give handouts, we give hand-ups” Sherrill recounts.

The goal of NHSM is to go beyond providing a single meal for the homeless. Instead, volunteers strive to build a relationship with the people they are serving, provide resources they need to get off the streets and a hope they believe can only be found in Jesus.

Volunteers who may have been doing any number of small tasks preparing food pause to be available for the homeless to talk to or to pray.

“We bring church to the streets- to the unchurched. To the ones who are not loved, to the ones people cast out,” Patrick said.

Patrick is a recovered drug addict and victim of childhood abuse. His wife, Sherril had a self-proclaimed fear of the homeless. Patrick says that the hand of Christ has been at work in his life and continues to move through NHSM to touch the

lives of many homeless men and women.

“He took all those things and He turned them all the way around, and He turned that test into a testimony; He redeemed and He took me,” Patrick said.

His wife Sherril’s redeemed fear of the homeless has taken her life in a direction she would have neither chosen nor sought years ago. “I was terrified of the homeless, I wanted nothing to do with them,” Sherril said. “My attitude used to be, why don’t they just get a job?”

Sherril said that, years ago, when she would take

the garbage out at the back of her salon, the slightest sound or motion would cause her to frantically toss a bag of garbage in the general direction of the dumpster[e] and rush back inside.

“The first guy I ever got off the street was Larry,” Sherril said, “who ended up when I was telling him my testimony about how I used to be scared of homeless (said) ‘didn’t you ever wonder

when you would freak out and throw the bag of garbage and it didn’t get into the dumpster how it got into the dumpster?’ And I looked at him and I smiled and he said ‘yeah it was me.’”

Sherril said that she now sees that homelessness is far from a purely economic issue. Throughout years of street ministry, her experience has shown that some of the biggest issues the homeless face are

Prepping Food Line Pastor Patrickserving the word.

Larry

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abusive pasts, addiction, and mental illness.After taking the first courageous step outside of her comfort

zone, Sherril was incredibly blessed. “The very first time I went out, I fell in love,” Sherril said.

Having once called the boat docks of West Sacramento home, Neal Acoff and his wife, Monique, say that NHSM stands out from many homeless outreaches because of the relationship Patrick, Sherril, and other volunteers build with those they are ministering too.

“A lot of programs out there, they would start out strong and then about a month, two months later they are barely coming

by.” Neil said. “But they (Sherril and Patrick) never stopped. Didn’t matter if it was rain, sunshine— they didn’t care. They were out there at that boat dock every single Saturday,” Neal said.

Never stop coming is precisely what NHSM plans to do. They will continue to go out into the streets of Sacramento praying for the broken, bound and oppressed[g].

Sherril recounts a time when a man, who seemed particularly touched by the time of worship, spoke into her life about the interpersonal side of homeless ministry. Explains Sherril, “’You know this conversation you’re having right now,’ he says, ‘that’s what we need. He said ‘this blanket this pillow, this food, it’s wonderful, don’t get me wrong, but’ he said ‘this relationship stuff is what we need.’”

Sherril said that these words from the man with sandy blond, curly hair are a huge encouragement and motivation for herself and the other volunteers.

“He walked away, and I looked at my team and said, ‘that was an angel.’”

Currently, NHSM serves as a resource for the homeless to connect with recovery programs and housing. However, the ministry is striving to start a 12 month discipleship program for those who are transitioning out of a life on the street. Sherril and Patrick have brought many homeless into their own home over their years of ministry, but would like to see more people housed than their abode can handle. They seek to purchase large homes to run a housing program in the near future.

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Whether you’re seeking the viewfrom the London Eye, the thrill of zip-lining in Belize or the taste of an icy cold gelato in the streets of Rome - summer adventure is calling.

World Travel on the Rise

According to the airline industry association A4A, air travel is expected to rise to its highest level in six years this summer, with a record number of people travelling internationally. However, if you count yourself among those travelers - perhaps one of the estimated hundreds of thousands of Americans headed to Brazil for the World Cup - are you prepared to stay connected with friends and family back home and easily share your adventures with them?

Many travelers hit the road expecting to use their smartphones abroad in the same way they use them at home, relying on them for navigation, using their favorite apps for travel tips and freely posting pictures to social media. But many are unclear about international roaming costs and coverage.

“For those who do travel or call overseas, it’s hugely expensive or requires all kinds of workarounds to avoid the huge fees,” said Ovum analyst Jan Dawson. “So this is a real pain point for some customers, at least.”

A recent Kelton survey confirmed a high level of exasperation that international travelers feel when journeying abroad. Here are some of the results:

* Nearly everyone surveyed (88 percent) reported being frustrated by the expenses and challenges of staying connected while abroad.

* Among customers of the big three carriers, nearly 20 percent leave their devices at home or never turn them on while

travelling outside the U.S.* Another 40 percent turn off data roaming to avoid high

costs, and 20 percent say they would turn off data roaming if they knew how.

Make Sure You’re Prepared

So, before you head off on your summer journey, T-Mobile wants to make sure you’re armed with the best mobile tech tips for staying connected internationally. These ideas can save you from unnecessary headaches and a ton of money along the way.

* Check your coverage: Before you travel, make sure you know the network specifications and international data rates for your carrier in the places where you’re travelling. Be sure to make adjustments if necessary to avoid costly surprises in your bill when you return.

* Find the best international plan: Look for carriers, such as T-Mobile for example, that provide unlimited data and texting in 120-plus countries and destinations worldwide with their Simple Choice plan, freeing you from the worry of coming home to bill shock from outrageous roaming fees. Because most carriers tack 90 percent margins into their global roaming plans, many consumers see their costs total more than $1,000 a day when they use their phones abroad the way they normally do at home. Last Fall, T-Mobile launched international data roaming and texting at no extra charge - plus slashed calls to a low flat rate of 20 cents a minute - in more than 120 countries and destinations worldwide.

* Explore the extras: Prepaid international calling cards may also be available through your wireless provider. Also, special day or week passes can get you access to high speed data or

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additional services. * Don’t forget insurance: In case your device gets lost, stolen

or damaged along the way, be sure to secure an insurance plan to protect it.

Travel blogger Summer Hull of Boarding Area’s Mommy Points column notes her own personal experience with trying to stay connected while abroad.

“I am honestly sick of having to jump through so many hoops and keep such close tabs on usage internationally with other providers,” said Hull. “I’m also sick of the big bills that come with having international add-ons. This T-Mobile approach sounds so much, well, simpler.”

Vacation-worthy Devices and Accessories

Here is a list of the smartphones, tablets and accessories to take with you to keep up with your summer travel needs:

* Samsung Galaxy S5: This water-resistant phone is perfect for all your outdoor activities and includes a story album to journal your travels with pictures and notes that can be published as actual books.

* HTC One M8: The highlights for this device include Boomsound for listening to music outside, HTC Duo Camera for taking brilliant day or night shots and Zoe for creating mini-movies in seconds.

* Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition: A lightweight and durable tablet that allows you to take your games, music, movies and social network virtually anywhere you go. For affordable data, the T-Mobile Tablet Freedom program allows you to get more than a gig of free data every month through 2014 and 200 MB of free data for life every month after that.

* Samsung LTE Mobile HotSpot PRO: This half-inch-thick device expands your mobile freedom, allowing you to take the Internet with you on your qualifying service. Plus, you can share your connection with up to 10 other Internet devices.

* TYLT Zumo Portable Battery Pack: Did you finish up a long day of sightseeing? Don’t get caught with a dead device. This portable pack provides up to four hours of extra battery life.

With these tips in mind, summer travel can go back to being a carefree experience. For more information, visit www.t-mobile.com.

Worry-free Wireless Travel Abroad

Following are a few simple tips from T-Mobile to help keep your travels on track and free of complications:

* Pack the essentials: This includes portable chargers, an international power converter and MicroSD cards to give you added storage space for photos and more.

* Travel safe: Use features such as Bluetooth for hands-free driving while navigating the twists and turns of unfamiliar roads, or applications like T-Mobile’s DriveSmart Plus, which silences incoming notifications, sending callers to voicemail and auto-responds to incoming text messages.

* Make packing light: Use a multi-function smartphone that allows you to access entertainment with videos and games, mobile music player, GPS navigator, high quality digital camera, and in some cases, even a mobile hotspot.

Best Apps for Travel

Check out these leading apps to help you navigate a successful journey:

* GateGuru (Android, iOS, Windows Phone): Especially helpful when traveling with children, GateGuru can locate kid-friendly restaurants, clean public restrooms and more. View your TripIt and Kayak itineraries, as well as view or post airport security wait times and see a structured list of airport food, shops and services.

* Viator (Android, iOS): Helps you find and book countless tours, day trips, shows and activities for the best travel experiences worldwide.

* Unit Conversion Free, Currency (iOS, but others are available for most platforms): Converts temperature, distance, weight, volume, speed and more, including currency in real time. Source T-Mobile

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Events2014 Freedom CelebrationFood Fun Family Faith Freedom& Fireworks ShowWednesday,July 2, 6:30-9:30pmCrossroads Church7100 Fair Oaks BlvdCarmichael 95608Giveaways, Free Hot Dog Dinner, Activities for kids and youthmore information visit crossroadscarmichael.org

Kid’s CampJuly 14-18Please see ad on this page

Youth CampAugust 3-7Please see ad on this page

Arts In The Garden Free EventFeaturing Local Sacramento ArtistsFood and RefreshmentsSunday, August17th, 10a.m. - 5p.m.For more information call Danelle Duril 916-296-0776

“The Story”- coming August 24th“FINDING YOUR STORY IN GOD’S STORY”Crossroads Church in Carmichael7100 Fair Oaks Blvd. Carmichael, CA 9560810:00am

The Church on Cypress5709 Cypress Ave9:00am and 10:45amTHREE Gatherings, TWO Locations, ONE STORYcarmichaelstory.com