The Jewelry Store Caper- Christian Illustrations

Salvation by Paul Washer

Have you ever felt life is empty, void of purpose, useless or even pointless? These feelings are quite common.

So why do so many feel this way? The Bible says that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” What that means is that we have all separated ourselves from God, and we need God as a child needs his or her parents. You may ask: how did I separate myself from God? Well, God has given us a conscience, He has told us the difference between right and wrong and we all have chosen wrong at one time or another. We have all “sinned” by doing this, like lying, hating, lusting, cheating etc.

So what’s the good news? The Good News is this: although God is just and obligated to not only separate us from Himself, but destroy us for our “sin,” He loves us and He sent His Son Jesus to take our punishment and die in our place. Let me explain, as we said earlier we have all made mistakes. These mistakes have separated us from God, left us empty and left us so guilty that God in His justice should destroy us. Not wanting to destroy us, God made Himself into a man (Jesus); He lived as a man and even was tempted to do evil like we do, and once the correct time had come He (Jesus) was crucified and put to death for you and me. If you are willing to turn from sin, accept that sacrifice for yourself and live for God, Jesus will give you a new life, restoring your fellowship with God and sparing you from the judgment that you (like all of us) deserve.

Receiving Jesus Is as Easy as Praying this Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I recognize that I have sinned. I ask you Lord to forgive me my sin. I choose to turn from sin and follow you. I choose to live for you, tell others about you and love others. I choose to be your servant and spread your love. I thank you Lord that you died in my place. I thank you for forgiving me my sin. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

God asks that we turn from sin, from selfish evil ways and that we take up the new purpose of following Him. If you have made a decision today to turn from your old life, please take a moment to let us know:

Did you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior? If so we would like to connect with you!

Post you comment.

SEVEN SUITES HOTEL OBSERVATORY- Unlimited Coffee and Cakes

The Different Kinds of People

We all have difficult people we need to deal with in our lives on a daily basis. While such characteristics may be exaggerations, you may find traits of them in a few of the people in your workplace, amongst your friends, or even a loved one. Psychological research has suggested several ways of coping with difficult people in your life, e.g. hostile co-workers or bosses, complainers, super-agreeables, know-it-all experts, pessimists, and stallers.

1. The Hostile Co-worker or Boss

Dealing with hostile people requires both tact and strength. Since persons who feel they have been wronged are more likely to be belligerent and violent, you should first try to be sure they have been dealt with fairly.

In addition, it would be wise to help them meet as many of their needs as possible without reinforcing their aggressiveness or discriminating in their favor. Likewise, avoid interactions with them that encourage intense emotions or threats of violence. Certainly do not interact with your angry “enemies” when they are drinking or carrying weapons. Say or do nothing that would incite more anger or, on the other hand, cause you to appear to be scared, weak, and a “pushover.”

In most cases, strong retaliation against an aggressive person is the worst thing you can do. Nastiness begets nastiness. Hostility escalates. Threats of punishment may also work. Remember punishment is only effective while the punisher is observing — watch out for subtle rebellion.

If you can divert the angry person’s attention to some meaningful task or a calm discussion of the situation, the anger should subside. Also, offer him/her any information that would explain the situation that upsets him/her. Point out similarities or common interests between him/her and the person they are mad at (you). Let him/her see or hear about calm, rational ways of resolving differences. Almost anything that gets him/her thinking about something else will help.

The Institute of Mental Health Initiatives provide a brief list of ways to calm an angry person: reduce the noise level, keep calm yourself, acknowledge that the irate person has been wronged (if true) or, at least, acknowledge their feelings without any judgment, ask them to explain their situation (so you can tactfully correct errors), listen to their complaints without counter-attacking, explain your feelings with non-blaming “I” statements, show that you care but set limits on violence (“I’d like to work it out with you but I’ll have to call the police if you can’t control yourself”).

2. The Chronic Complainer

What about the chronic complainers? They are fault-finding, blaming, and certain about what should be done but they never seem able to correct the situation by themselves. Often they have a point — there are real problems — but their complaining is not effective (except it is designed to prove someone else is responsible).

Coping with complainers involves, first, listening and asking clarifying questions, even if you feel guilty or falsely accused. There are several don’ts: don’t agree with the complaints, don’t apologize (not immediately), and don’t become overly defensive or counter-attack because this only causes them to restate their complaints more heatedly. Secondly, as you gather facts, create a problem-solving attitude. Be serious and supportive. Acknowledge the facts. Get the complaints in writing and in precise detail; get others, including the complainer, involved in collecting more data that might lead to a solution. In addition to what is wrong, ask “What should happen?” If the complainer is unhappy with someone else, not you, you may want to ask, “Have you told (the complainee) yet?” or “Can I tell __________?” or “Can I set up a meeting with them?” Thirdly, plan a specific time to make decisions cooperatively that will help the situation…and do it.

3. The Super-Agreeable

What about the persons who are super nice and smilingly agree with your ideas until some action is required, then they back down or disappear. Such people seek approval. They have learned, probably as children, that one method for getting “love” is by telling people (or pretending) you really care for and/or admire them. Similarly, the super-agreeables will often promise more than they deliver: “I’ll get the report done today” or “I’d love to help you clean up.” They are experts in phoniness, so don’t try to “butter them up.”

Instead, reassure the super-agreeable that you will still like them even if they tell you the truth. Ask them to be candid and make it easy for them to be frank: “What part of my plan is okay but not as good as it could be?” Help them avoid making promises they can’t keep: “Are you sure you can have the money by then? How about two weeks later?” Tell and show them you value their friendship. Let them know you are ready to compromise because you know they will be more than fair.

4. The Know-It-All Expert

Know-it-all experts are of two types: the truly competent, productive, self-assured, genuine expert and the partially informed person pretending to be an expert. Both can be a pain.

The true expert may act superior and make others feel stupid; they may be bull headed and impatient with differing opinions; they are often self-reliant, don’t need or want any help, and don’t want to change. If you are going to deal with the true expert as an equal, you must do your homework thoroughly; otherwise, they will dismiss you. First of all, listen to them and accurately paraphrase their points. Don’t attack their ideas but rather raise questions that suggest alternatives: “Would you tell me more?” or “What do you think the results will be in five years?” “It probably isn’t a viable choice but could we consider…?” Secondly, show your respect for his/her competence but don’t put yourself down. Lastly, if the expert can not learn to consider others’ ideas, you may be wise to graciously accept a subordinate role as his/her “helper.” True experts deserve respect.

The pretentious-but-not-real expert is relatively easy to deal with because he/she (unlike liars or cons) is often unaware of how little he/she knows. Such a person can be gently confronted with the facts. Do it when alone with them. Help them save face. They simply want to be admired.

5. The Pessimist

Another “burden” to any group is the pessimist –the person who always says, “It won’t work” or “We tried that.” These angry, bitter people have the power to drag us down because they stir up the old pool of doubt and disappointment within us. So, first of all, avoid being sucked into his/her cesspool of hopelessness. Don’t argue with the pessimist; don’t immediately offer solutions to the difficulties predicted by the pessimist.

Instead, make optimistic statements — showing that change is possible — and encourage the group to brainstorm leading to several possible alternatives. Then ask what are the worst possible consequences of each alternative (this gives the negativist a chance to do his/her thing but you can use the gloomy predictions in a constructive, problem-solving way). Also ask, “What will happen if we do nothing?” Finally, welcome everyone’s help but be willing to do it alone because the pessimist won’t volunteer.

6. The Staller

Every group has a “staller,” a person who puts off decisions for fear someone will be unhappy. Unlike the super-agreeable, the staller is truly interested in being helpful. So, make it easier for him/her to discuss and make decisions. Try to find out what the staller’s real concerns are (he/she won’t easily reveal negative opinions of you). Don’t make demands for quick action. Instead, help the staller examine the facts and make compromises or develop alternative plans (and decide which ones take priority). Give the staller reassurance about his/her decision and support the effective carrying out of the decision.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: JUNREY NUEVAS

SOUL SURFER

SOUL SURFER is the inspiring true story of teen surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost her arm in a shark attack and courageously overcame all odds to become a champion again, inspiring millions worldwide through the love of her family, her sheer determination, and her unwavering faith in Jesus Christ. The film features an all-star cast, including AnnaSophia Robb and Helen Hunt, with Carrie Underwood in her film debut, and Dennis Quaid.

Bethany (played by AnnaSophia Robb) was born to surf. A natural talent who took to the waves at a young age, she was leading an idyllic, sun-drenched, surfer girl's life on the Kauai Coast, competing in national competitions with her best friend Alana (Lorraine Nicholson), when everything changed in a heartbeat. On Halloween morning, Bethany was on a typical ocean outing when a 14-foot tiger shark came out of nowhere and seemed to shatter all her dreams.

In the wake of this life-changing event that took her arm and nearly her life, Bethany's feisty determination and steadfast faith spur her toward an adventurous comeback that gives her the grit to turn her loss into a gift for others.

SOUL SURFER reveals the moving aftermath of this headline-making story, as Bethany fights to recover and grapples with the future. Strengthened by the love of her parents, Tom (Dennis Quaid) and Cheri (Helen Hunt), she refuses to give in or give up, and begins a bold return to the water. Still, the questions keep hammering her: Why did this happen? Why did she have to lose everything? Will she ever feel the joy and power of riding the waves again? And if she can't be a surfer, then who is she?

The devastating 2004 tsunami in the Pacific Ocean unexpectedly gives Bethany a new perspective. Traveling to Phuket, Thailand with her youth-group leader Sara Hill (Carrie Underwood), she witnesses life beyond her own shoreline and discovers her greater purpose-she can make a difference in the lives of others. Filled with a new sense of hope and direction, she returns home with a renewed resolve to conquer her own limitations and set an encouraging example for people facing adversity.

At the National Championships, Bethany bravely faces off with her fiercest rival, Malia Birch (Sonya Balmores), and takes her astonishing one-armed surfing technique to the limit. But as the horn blows, and the suspenseful competition kicks off, Bethany is no longer thinking about the challenges of her body. Now, her surfing, her biggest dreams and her life have become about pushing her own physical limits to touch the souls of others.

Directed by Sean McNamara, the screenplay was by McNamara, Deborah Schwartz. Douglas Schwartz and Michael Berk.SOUL SURFER is based on the book by Bethany Hamilton, Sheryl Berk and Rick Bundschuh. The screen story by Sean McNamara, Deborah Schwartz, Douglas Schwartz, Michael Berk, Matt R. Allen, Caleb Wilson and Brad Gann.

MISS UNIVERSE 2011- SHAMCEY SUPSUP’S QUESTION AND ANSWER

For VIDEO Visit this Link.. CLICK HERE

The fourth most beautiful woman in the universe, Ms.Shamcey Supsup has shown her outstanding intelligence and faith as she answers the final question in the final round of the Miss Universe Pageant 2011 held today in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Judge Vivica A. Fox asked Miss Philippines if she would change her religion to marry someone she loves.

Fox: “Would you change your religious beliefs to marry the person you love? Why or why not? “

Shamcey, still looking confident and relaxed says she won’t because if the person loves her, he’d love her God , too

Supsup: ” If I had to change my religious beliefs, I will not marry the person that I love. Because the first person that I love is GOD who created me. And I have my faith and my principles. And these what makes me who I am. And if that person loves me, he should love my God too, Thank you.”

Truly, Supsup has shown to the world how strong our faith is. She has proven that the beauty of the Filipina is not only in the flesh but also in spirit. Though uncrowned, the title doesn’t matter, it is how she represented our country and how she made us very proud.

For VIDEO VISIT THIS LINK.. CLICK HERE

3D Cube pictures

25 Tips To Help You Get More Guest Posts

25 Tips To Help You Get More Guest Posts

Why guest post?

-Inbound links to improve your search engine rankings.

-Gain exposure and build your expertise.

-Highly targeted traffic.

-As they say, famous bloggers become famous bloggers by blogging on famous blogs.

Part 1 - Strategy

1. Get in the right mindset

Scared you do not have the credentials to submit guest posts? Don’t be.

When I got my first guest post, I had not been published anywhere except on my own site.

What matters are not your credentials but the quality of your content. If you have a good piece, pitch it.

2. Start small

If you need to build your confidence, you can start by submitting guest posts to smaller blogs. Their editorial requirements are easier to satisfy.

Plus it will give you a taste of the procedure. In the long run, however, you want to…

3. Stick to the big blogs

Researching, writing and pitching guest posts takes effort. Best to pitch to blogs that give you a good return on investment.

A guest post on a smaller blog, for example, earned me 10 subscribers. A guest post on ProBlogger, in comparison, earned me 30 subscribers.

Now, multiply this over the long term, say 5 guest posts Small blog: 5 x 10 subscribers = 50 subscribers.

Big blog: 5x 30 subscribers = 150 subscribers.

Same amount of effort, 3x the return (50 vs. 150 subscribers).

4. Research your blogs

Create a list of 5-15 blogs you want to target.

Then go and read 5 posts on each of those blogs. Take into account the theme of the blog, the terminology they use, the formality of the language used, typical post length etc.

Also, if they have one, read through the submission guidelines (usually located on the ‘write for us’ page).

5. Make yourself familiar

As well as knowing what the blog is about, you also want to make the blog owner/editor know what you are about. Why? Because it is a proven fact that familiarity breeds content.

So make yourself known to the blog by commenting on the blog or interacting with them on Twitter or Facebook.

If you still do not believe me then take a look at what Niall Harbison of SimplyZesty.com, a popular online marketing blog, has to say:

5. Make yourself familiar (continued)

“People pitch to us [SimplyZesty.com] all the time and about 90% of the time I turn them down. The problem is not the content but the fact that somebody you don’t know or have ever talked to coming straight out and asking you for something is never a good start to a relationship.

“Once I get to know somebody even over a couple of tweets I am far more likely to at least read their stuff and see if they are any good.”

Part 2 – Finding Post Ideas

6. Angles, not ideas

The quickest way to lose a guest post is to send in the same thing that has been published over and over on the internet.

But that does not mean that you have to come up with an original idea.

You just have to come up with an original angle.

Here are two proven ways to find a new angle.

7. Find Stories

Can you find a story of a famous person or event that contains a lesson relevant to the target blog?

One of my articles on DailyBlogTips.com, for example, was hardly an original idea – hard work leads to success. There were countless posts on hard work on the internet.

By relating it to the story of the world’s greatest salesman, however, I was able to find a fresh angle on an old idea and get my post accepted.

8. Dig deeper

Another way to find a fresh angle is to focus on a specific part of a topic.

When I decided to submit a post on guest posting, for example, I was given the following warning by the editor at ProBlogger:

“We get a lot of articles about guest posting,” explained Georgina Laidlaw, “and I reject most of them because they don't contain any information that hasn't been said over and over online.”

But she accepted my post on guest posting. As Georgina explained, it contained…

8. Dig deeper (continued)

…“really valuable information on a specific aspect of guest posting.” That aspect was preparing the pitch (more on that in part 3). Rather than write a generic post on guest posting that everyone was sending in, I wrote a more focused pitch covering just one aspect of guest posting.

And that was the difference between being yet another boring post on guest posting and the one that got picked for publishing.

Can you expand on a particular aspect of a topic?

Part 3 – Preparing the pitch

9. Pitch more than one piece

Taste is a subjective thing. You cannot guess what an editor will find interesting.

Over and over the articles I least expected to be published were accepted and the ones I thought would be great were not.

Instead of pitching a post and hoping for the best, pitch multiple post ideas. That way you increase your chances of the publisher finding something of interest.

10. Write post descriptions

Do not simply attach the posts to the email. Write out post outlines.

Publishers are busy and do not have the time to read through all your posts. Make their job easier by providing descriptions. Here is a sample description:

The Dream Thief, the Economist and the Art of Planting Ideas The article is about how to 'plant ideas' in your customers minds. It talks about the Endowment Effect and the studies on idea ownership at MIT. It goes on to look at some popular advertising campaigns that were good at planting ideas by triggering the endowment effect.

11. Use the right terminology

Most blogs have a theme. They target specific keywords. And they like to see these words in the content they publish on their website.

One of the quickest ways to makes you content more appealing is to use the right keywords in your post titles and descriptions.

Pitching to ProBlogger? Use words like ‘post’ and ‘blog’.

Pitching to Business Insider? Use words like ‘business’ and

‘entrepreneurship’.

12. Show social proof

If you have already guest posted on another blog, include link(s) to the guest post in your pitch. It shows that other publications have found you interesting, which makes you more interesting to the blog at hand.

If you have not been published elsewhere, include links to your top blog posts.

This will help the publisher get a feel for your style.

Enjoying this guide?

Part 4 – After the pitch

13. Be patient & follow up

Do not be discouraged if you do not hear back straight away. Editors are busy and take time to respond. Allow 5-7 business days to hear back.

If you have not heard back after 5 days, however, send a follow up message to see if they have come to a decision. It could just be nudge they need to review and accept your post.

14. Handling rejection

Do not give up if a few publications reject your post ideas. Some blogs do not accept guest posts at all. Some are not looking for them right now.

Some on the other hand are just not suited to your ideas and style. You have to go through a few to find out which blogs suit you best.

15. Be punctual

When you do get accepted, the first thing is to be punctual.

The number of bloggers who do not deliver after getting the go ahead or take forever to prepare the post is alarming.

If you do need time to write the post, let the editor know how much time you need.

Part 4 – Preparing the post

16. Put effort into it

Make the post as good as you can make it. Do not skimp on quality. The better the post, the more hits, likes and tweets it will get. This not only means more visitors back to your site but also more chances to guest post at the blog again.

Specifically, things to look out for include…

17. Avoid shameless promotion

Do not put 20 links in the opening paragraph of the post. Shamelessly promoting yourself is one of the easiest way to ruin a guest post opportunity. Remember, the post is by you not about you. Only talk about yourself if it is necessary to the topic at hand.

Only put a link in if it is necessary and limit it to 1-2 links per post.

18. Suggest multiple headlines

Suggest multiple titles / headlines for the post. It not only shows effort on your behalf but increases your chances of finding a title that the editor likes, therefore increasing your chances of having the guest post accepted.

The Pimp, the Grocer and the Hit Man: Magnetise Your Headings Using the Power of the Unexpected

Alternative title:

How To Write Killer Blog Post Headlines Using the Power of the Unexpected

19. Fix spelling and grammar

Fix your spelling and grammar before you submit the post. Run it through spell check. Get someone else to read it to see if you missed something or if a paragraph sounds clumsy.

Spelling and grammar mistakes show carelessness – not how you want the editor to see you.

20. Add subheadings

Subheadings make the post consumable by breaking it into bite size pieces. They also allow readers to skim the post and see if they want to spend more time reading.

I recently read a post without subheadings. This is what someone wrote in the comments section:

“Did anyone read all the way through this?”

Another person added:

“Hahaha…no”

21. Add pictures and bio

If the target blog uses photos on their blog, find a picture to suit your post. Also, do not forget to list the source of the picture.

Add a short bio/by line of what you want included at the bottom of your guest post. This is the place to promote yourself and asking the readers to visit your site. Here is what I use: Aman Basanti writes about the psychology of buying and teaches you how you can use the principles of consumer psychology to boost your sales. Visit Ageofmarketing.com to get his new ebook—Marketing to the Pre-Historic Mind: How the Hot New Science of Behavioural

22. Be open to change

Let the editor know that you are more than willing to make any changes they want to see.

When they do suggest changes make them quickly. If you are unclear on what they want, ask the editor to clarify their request.

Part 5 – After going live

23. Promote the post

Once your post has been accepted and published, be a good partner and help promote the post. Like it on Facebook, Tweet it on Twitter, submit it to Digg and Reddit, email it to friends etc.

You do not have to do every single one of those things but do as many as you can.

24. Respond to comments

Part of being a good partner is to reply to reader comments. This also benefits you. It is a good way to spark conversations with blog readers, leading to more people visiting your blog, not to mention makes the post look more popular by increasing the comment count.

25. Pitch your next post

Researching a blog and preparing guest posts for submission takes effort.

The good news is that if you have been doing all those things advised in this guide (suggesting multiple headlines, being punctual, making necessary changes, finding photos, responding to comments etc.), you would have built a good professional relationship with the editor. Your ability to win another guest post is magnified significantly.

Cash in the hard work and submit your next guest post idea.

Conclusion

Winning guest posts is not black magic. There is no magic bullet. Quality posts pitched properly to the right blogs is the best way to get your guest posts accepted.

Enjoyed this guide?

If you found this guide valuable then please pass it onto others who may also find it useful.

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