May 2008
BREATHE EASY
MONTH

For more information on Communing with the Lord, click here.


COFFEE DAZE

May 24th
National Coffee Day
in Brazil

July 24th
Coffee Day in the U.S.

September 12th
National Coffee Day
in Costa Rica

September 19th
National Coffee Day
in Ireland

October 1st
Japanese National
Coffee Day

New Children's Book Author
While working as the Tour Coordinator for an art museum and later becoming the Director for a non-profit organization, Rebecca worked with docents and volunteers who aided her in educating children and adults on the subject at hand. The volunteers would give only an hour a week but that hour meant a whole lot more to the school children. She instantly saw how the generosity and time of these volunteers benefited the community. This inspired Rebecca to write Greta’s Purpose.
 
She found herself asking “What is my purpose? What am I supposed to do with my time here on earth?” She discovered that she was not the only one asking these same questions. Rebecca used her very large, awkward, Great Dane, Greta as the main character . Greta struggles with who she is and not necessarily fitting the mold of what society often dictates who we should be. The thing that Rebecca wants her readers, both young and old to carry away with them, is that we all have a purpose. We can all do something and serving others is the best way to obtain that fulfillment. “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” I Peter 4:10
 
Rebecca was raised in New Mexico where churches were far and few between. She believes that her faith in God was strengthened by her time spent there. She watched her parents, Tim and Vicki Stevens work very hard in the kingdom and bring many to Christ. The relationships that were formed and fervor for the Lord has remained with Rebecca all this time.
 
Blessed with the opportunity to attend Florida College, Rebecca gained many wonderful friendships. After graduation, she joined her family in Texas where she graduated from the University of Texas at Tyler with a degree in Speech Communications. She also met her husband, Jonathan and they were married in 2002. He is Rebecca’s best friend and spiritual leader of their household. They currently live in beautiful East Texas on three acres,
enough land for their three dogs (their first children) to run on. Greta - a black Great Dane, Rudy- Chocolate Lab, and Opie - not sure what he is? But he’s cute.
 
Rebecca has many interests that motivate her daily. Currently, her daughter, Clara, takes top priority. Since Clara’s birth in April 2007, Rebecca works as a homemaker and now a children’s book author and illustrator. She enjoys participating in many outdoor activities such as playing tennis , gardening, and hiking. Coming from a musical family, she also enjoys singing, writing music, and playing her guitar when she finds a free moment.


New Author

Spiritbuilding would like to welcome a new author to our roll-call in the person of Joyce Jamerson. Joyce’s new book, WILL YOU WIPE MY TEARS, is due out soon with a definite release date of January 2008. The project is an outgrowth of presentations made at various ladies day studies, and to the women at Florida College lectures in 2000, and it is a marvelous addition to the Spiritbuilding line up.

In addition to devoting herself to her family as a mother of four (Randy, Byron, Allen…and Jill), Joyce is the wife of a gospel preacher for 46 years, who has also served as an elder and evangelized overseas. She has traveled overseas with him to Romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria, but no road was as difficult as one they traveled together in 1993. Without any warning for the shock, they buried their youngest child and only daughter, Jill. As any parent would be, Joyce was unprepared for the world of grief she faced but through her experiences and study of God’s Word, she is able to share some wisdom about helping those who are sorrowing.

Although Jill remains in their hearts always, as one of their children, and is mentioned in the book since her death was the focus of their grief; Jamerson will tell you that this work is not a memorial to Jill. It was written with the same unselfish intention that has characterized this couple’s work for the Lord for decades. It was written to help others who may face the challenge of overwhelming sorrow.

We are glad to be able share Joyce Jamerson’s strength and work in this project and share her hope that many in the coming years will find encouragement in this tremendous study. Joyce and her husband Frank now reside in Killen, Alabama. They have seven grandchildren and one great grandchild.


New Arrival at Spiritbuilding

No, this new arrival was not the page turning type and if you wanted to get picky about it, this new arrival wasn’t precisely AT Spiritbuilding. But, he WAS a new arrival and we’ve all been interested at Spiritbuilding, so that’s really close enough, huh?

Our new arrival was Hunter Anthony Sardinas, born Thursday, October 11, and weighing in at 6 lb, 15 oz. He is the firstborn of Tony and Nicole Sardinas of Indianapolis, IN. Spiritbuilding’s connection is that Nicole is one of our authors, having written a classbook for teenage girls, SNAPSHOTS, and has been approached to continue her efforts. Tony and Nicole have been enthusiastically married 4 years and in fact, some of their wedding pictures were included in the graphics of Nicole’s book. Both these young people are active, faithful Christians and we couldn’t be more happy to rejoice with them at Hunter’s birth.

Another line of interest that Spiritbuilding has in this birth would be the connection through our most excellent webgal, Alayne Hunt. Alayne is Nicole’s mother and can now be formally introduced as “Grandmother” Hunt. She has probably lost as much sleep as mom did over the first couple of weeks as she raced around town buying out the baby dept... I mean hurrying over to help out in any way she could. As things settle down and all the circuits cool from Alayne’s hasty efforts at Spiritbuilding (and all the account mistakes start showing up) please feel free to address your questions and inquiries (especially about Hunter) to “mamaw” Alayne. She’s going to love that!

Congratulations to Tony & Nicole & Hunter Sardinas.

Juli Liske's Book Signing Day at Barnes and Noble 

On Friday, August 24th,  Spiritbuilding had a great opportunity to meet and greet the public when one of our authors, Juli Liske,  was invited to participate in a local authors book signing event at the Barnes & Noble bookstore in Brentwood, Tennessee.

Juli’s book, In the Eye of the Hurricane: Finding Peace Within the Storm of Autism, turned out to be the evening’s main attraction, with a steady stream of visitors stopping by to meet the author as well as the heart and soul of the book itself, seven year-old Benjamin.

With today’s staggering autism statistics, which the CDC now estimates to be 1 in every 150 children, and still so very little known about the disorder itself, store patrons were eager to meet and speak with little Benjamin as well as ask for his autograph.

The book chronicles the Liske family’s story from the bleak diagnosis to an amazing triumph and has been a source of hope, help, and strength for families facing the fear and uncertainty of a child’s diagnosis.