Bloomingdale, Fishhawk, Riverview, and Lithia have a wide range of employment opportunities.  One of the largest areas of employment for this area is our military personnel.  Churches and church groups have a huge opportunity to witness to this unique group of individuals while they are stationed here near MacDill Air Force Base. A huge group of importance to individuals who move around a great deal during their tenure with the military is Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS).  “One of the first things, if they are already familiar with the group, for military moms is a MOPS group” said Holly …

The last two weeks I have been trying to reflect and think about what I wanted to write or get a message out about this week with the column.  Since I’m still learning a lot about Christian-hood and believing wholeheartedly in Him, it is sometimes hard for me to feel confident on my own. Sometimes inspiration comes from my friends, fellow Christians, events happening in our local communities or signs from churches in the area.  This idea has come from two of those areas, a church sign that was mentioned by several of my friends on Facebook over the last week.  The Brandon Christian Church …

Following the path, the latest fab, the peer pressure in school or the family influence you have always known. Are any of these truly the life that you should be living?  If you ask any faith-going Christian, whatever faith they believe, they will most likely tell you there is no life without Christ being front and center, but how do you come to that decision for yourself or family? Thirteen years ago, my mother passed away from cancer.  For a then-17 -year-old, how do you tell her that God is still present in her life when she hasn't always had a church-going environment? Trusting in the …

For a new believer, or one just finding the faith again, it can be hard to explain to your friends and family members this new commitment.  Some believers, whose faith might not be very strong yet can have a hard time maintaining this relationship with Christ. That is what I want to talk about this week. How do you maintain your newfound faith in God in today’s society of war, divorce, suicide and murder? I read the sign on St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church the other day. “Grief is a journey…support is waiting.” The sign made me think of this week’s topic because you have to have support …

When I first started this journey of my life, I always had the question of how do you hear God during your daily activities.  As a youth attending church, you ask that question.  But how do you find the answer once you are already in adulthood and starting to raise children of your own? Since my husband and I started attending church again, I’ve been going to Bible studies, MOPS and attending church services every Sunday.  I still have yet to understand, and wonder if I ever will, how you know when God is really speaking to you.  Is it a whisper or shouting from above?  Is it through other …

I have always wondered how people go about choosing a religion, or not choosing one for that matter, or how they decide to change their religion and why.  My husband, for instance, has decided to join the church we have been attending, Fishhawk Fellowship Church. However, the decision did not come lightly. As noted in the first column, he grew up in the Catholic faith and has been baptized, confirmed and taken communion under this religion.  When we got married, neither of us had been regularly attending church.  Then we got news of our child on the way, so we decided it was time to establish…