Devotional by Terry Forde

One of the things I learned from my parents is how important it is to begin each day with prayer. Those prayers were simple – just a few words, but they were words that mattered. And I’ve made it a part of my life.

For some, prayer may be very formal–a ritual that fulfills an obligation. For some, it is barely spoken as they silence the alarm and hit the ground running. I know someone who says he prays in the shower each morning, and someone else who says she doesn’t say anything to anyone, including God, until she has her coffee cup in hand.

#ColumbiaUnionPrays
La Unión de Columbia designa un día especial de oración
Sábado 28 de marzo

Este sábado 28 de marzo, los líderes de la Unión de Columbia y sus ocho conferencias locales, los líderes de las redes de atención médica e instituciones de educación superior están pidiendo a los miembros que participen en un día especial de oración.

Esto debido a que la crisis del coronavirus (COVID-19) se intensifica, dejando cerradas iglesias y escuelas; numerosos fines de semana de ex alumnos, graduaciones, reuniones de campamento y campamentos de verano cancelados; y cada vez más personas que se enferman y mueren todos los días.

Editorial by Eli Rojas

The word intentional means that an action is taken on purpose. Interestingly, when it comes to the most important things in life, it often seems that few people treat them with an intentional mindset.

Maintaining a marriage, family life, career and even our spiritual walk with God is often driven by happenstance. Ellen White speaks on the benefits of living purposefully: “The soul that is indolent falls an easy prey to temptation; but in the life that has a noble aim, an absorbing purpose, evil finds little foothold” (Prophets and Kings, p. 660).

Story by Tracey Jackson

“Forging to the Future,” the theme of the 2019 National Pine Forge Academy’s (PFA) Alumni Weekend, welcomed past students to the campus. Class of 1983 alumnus Lafayette Trawick (pictured, below) issued a challenge to “Move that Needle,” in hopes of inspiring others to give back to their alma mater.

At the Alumni Awards ceremony, the Class of 1983 gifted the PFA Science Department with a $5,000 donation. As a result, the Science Department was able to purchase needed lab supplies for students, as well as the financial support to attend the annual SciFest at Andrews University (AU) in Berrien Springs, Mich.

Feature by Edwin Manuel Garcia

Therezinha Barbalho grew up in Brazil and wanted to be a pastor more than anything. But after graduating from the Adventist seminary, she faced difficulty finding pastoral employment beyond being a Bible worker, due to the region’s attitudes toward women in ministry.

She realized her dream career wasn’t going to happen, so she went back to school and became a lawyer.

Years later when Barbalho and her husband sought better medical care than Brazil could offer for their daughter who has autism, she sent her pastoral résumé to conferences in the United States. She was offered a job as a Bible worker at New Jersey Conference’s Luso-Brazilian church in Newark in 2004, then promptly became the associate pastor.