HUMILITY - A Precious Jewel & Key to SALVATION

HUMILITY versus PRIDE...The great, recognized, uplifted, and remembered men and women of GOD had HUMILITY in ABUNDANT quantities. They exuded it, breathed it, spoke it, lived it. They ascribed to the LORD all of the glory, honor, and praise DUE Him. They lived a life that reflected the attitude..."GOD is GOD and I am NOT. Therefore, I will DO as He asks." JESUS, the most humble man who ever lived, sits at GOD'S Right Hand because of His humble love for and obedience to GOD. He DAILY cried out to GOD, desperate for time with Him and needing and wanting GOD'S leading. King David's life and the Psalms GLOW with his HUMILITY...his crying out to GOD both in PRAISE of and in NEED for GOD. They went hand-in-hand! CONTRAST - Think of the men and women, not just in Scripture but in history SINCE the Bible was published and even to this very DAY who have had PRIDE...Stories abound of unhappy, untimely, humiliating life events...even in many cases leading to early death. And the LEGACY left behind always is...SAD. You read about Absalom and you shake your head. WHY, if you're the son of the great and revered KING DAVID...and you're handsome and respected...WHY would you UNDERMINE your father and King? He died humiliatingly and tragically. Think of Belshazzar, son of King Nebuchadnezzar. He followed his father into becoming King. He watched his father go through SEVEN YEARS of insanity and isolation from his throne and his people. And in his PRIDE, he learned NOTHING from his father's HUMBLE example of REPENTING and ACKNOWLEDGING that HEAVEN RULES! "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Parsin...GOD has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians." King Belshazzar died that night...The list in THIS day and time is LONG. Just read the news...

For years now, Gwen has been crying out to anyone who would listen to ask America to "HUMBLE OURSELVES." LEARN from the events that have happened to us. REVERSE the trend of increasing SIN in this country...and MORE specifically the CHURCHES...which now MIRROR SOCIETY...STATISTICALLY being the SAME...on divorce and pornography and oveweight and substance addiction and too many other things. HUMILITY is a HUGE KEY to SALVATION...eternal life with GOD. Read these Scriptures for BACKUP...

• Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life. - Proverbs 22:4
• Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD's anger. - Zephaniah 2:3
• When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. - Proverbs 11:2
• You save the humble, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low. - II Samuel 22:28
• Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. - Deuteronomy 8:2
• For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. - Psalm 149:4
• I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. - Isaiah 13:11
• And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! - Philippians 2:8

That last one, from PHILIPPIANS, speaks of course of JESUS CHRIST...CLEARLY equating HUMILITY with OBEDIENCE to GOD. POWERFUL!

Those familiar with this Weigh Down Ministry for a while know of MARCUS FRANCIS, one of the most humble men ANY of us know in this life right now. His HUMILITY has been on display as he has JOYFULLY EMBRACED the life that GOD has chosen for him, a life that has had him battling cancer for 12 years on and off. NEVER have any of us seen Marcus with anything but PRAISE and JOY about his life. He understands that GOD has given him a mission of PRAISE...of EMBRACING his life and the example he is called to set. And he genuinely LOVES it! We have the privilege and honor of conversing with this dear friend on today's WDWB LIVE at 3:30pm CST. We greatly look forward to hearing more PRAISES to GOD and a true PERSPECTIVE that all of us need to have. If it's a KEY to SALVATION, then regardless of the life that GOD has specifically designed for each of us, we've GOT to find that HUMILITY that keep us in our right place under the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY. We hope you'll join us!

WISDOM & Discernment - SO Much More than "Common" Sense!

WISDOM...

• "Knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight." - Definition as stated at www.dictionary.com.
• "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." - Solomon, in the book of Proverbs, Chapter 9, Verse 10.
• Solomon ALSO says in Proverbs 8:11 that "wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her."
  

SO - if WISDOM is more valuable than money and leads to every right decision...isn't this a perfect combination or recipe for happiness, satisfaction, and ultimately, SALVATION?
SO - why do most people NOT RUN after it? Ahhh...the 10 Trillion Dollar question!
You know what? It all comes back to something that Gwen repeatedly has taught and emphasized over the years that provides priceless insight into that all-important question...It boils down to AUTHORITY! You see, to seek WISDOM means you need to, according to Solomon, FEAR the LORD...meaning He is more powerful and more knowledgeable than any of us. Therefore, if that is the BEGINNING of Wisdom, you would need to SUBMIT your will and your decisions and your eating, drinking, spending, thinking, acting, etc. to HIM...in order to GET Wisdom. He's the provider of it, and so it is given on HIS terms. BUT...people don't want to do THAT. Sure...they'll read scientific words from Albert Einstein or humorous storytelling from Mark Twain or memoirs from Mother Theresa, but that's INFORMATION...not necessarily WISDOM. AND, you still "pick and choose" what you like and what you'll apply to your life. But KNOW THIS...If it's not rooted in TOTAL LOVE for and OBEDIENCE to GOD ALMIGHTY...it's just information...NOT wisdom. Gaining factual knowledge about the world around us has its place, but what REALLY matters? It's what HAPPENS...where our SOULS GO...for all eternity! Isn't it? You may have even heard that WISDOM basically is "common sense." Ohhh...it is SO much MORE than that! In FACT, the PURSUIT of wisdom really is quite UNcommon. The desperate PURSUIT of the love of, knowledge of, fear of, personality of, imitation of...GOD ALMIGHTY...is something that, UNfortunately, is NOT a "common" pursuit of very many. Therefore, the BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING BLESSINGS...the fact that having wisdom is "more precious than rubies"...truly is NOT enjoyed by many.

And there it is...coming back to the wonderful, sweet, precious concept of submitting to GOD'S AUTHORITY...obeying and loving His commands and laws and principles. Since the FEAR of the LORD, according to Solomon (a man full of wisdom), brings this wisdom, it ALL starts with the attitude of JESUS CHRIST - the ULTIMATE picture and example of WISDOM...

"Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." (AND GET THIS...IT'S HUGE!) "And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!" - Philippians 2:6-8.

WOW! That's it! The KEY...JESUS now sits at the Right Hand of the Almighty GOD because He humbled Himself and OBEYED to the death. THAT...is WISDOM! THAT is what Gwen has spent a lifetime sharing and conveying to anyone and everyone who wants to see it and hear it. GOD is EVERYTHING. It's the first line on her personal website!...the mission and drive behind ALL that is in Weigh Down...and these happy Weigh Down participants are benefitting from this FOCUS...that GOD is EVERYTHING! SO - sure...read, learn, study...know history, science, geography, etc...it's fine to know. But SEEK after, spend a LIFETIME looking for, HUNGER deeply for, do EVERYTHING to get...WISDOM. We're talking wisdom...and the authority and obedience that precedes it...TODAY on WDWB LIVE - 3:30pm CST. We hope you'll join us!

AMBITION - SelfLESS & Beautiful...or SelfISH & Destructive? Which do you have?

As always, first thing's first...GOD has blessed the feedback on Weigh Down's WETV feature from "Secret Lives of Women." The network aired the episode AGAIN last evening at 10:00pm EST, 9:00pm CST. They will air it yet AGAIN on Tuesday, September 1st at 11:00pm EST, 10:00pm CST AND THREE HOURS LATER on Wednesday, September 2nd at 2:00am EST, 1:00am CST. GOD is busy...getting the word out! Thank YOU for helping us spread this GOOD NEWS!
NOW - On with the Blog...
It has been fascinating to observe the "culture of celebrity" here in the United States...and what people are willing to do to ACHIEVE celebrity. It's a hunger, a thirst, an AMBITION that drives people to do nearly ANYTHING to rise in fame...whether it's politics, music, acting/movies/TV, sports, or anything related to "reality" videos and competitions. We referenced the "15 minutes of fame" concept in our Tuesday, August 25th Blog. Not only is it fascinating, it largely is SAD and ALARMING to watch unfold in so many cases. There exists in many people to either GO AFTER or at least WATCH OTHERS go after this insatiable desire to "reach the top"...whether it's political office, a #1 hit song, a highly grossing movie, a shot at money and/or victory on a "reality" show. Here's a few examples from the mixed world of politics, entertainment, and sports.

• The passing of Senator Edward (Ted) Kennedy has re-focused media coverage and reports of Edward, John F., and Robert's father JOE KENNEDY. See this quote from a recent USA Today.com article by Jill Lawrence...

  "Instead, he (Joe Kennedy) became what writer Vincent Bzdek calls a human blowtorch, propelling his sons into politics. He expected possibly all four to become president. He wanted to create a more lasting dynasty than the Roosevelts,' says Bzdek, author of The Kennedy Legacy: Jack, Bobby and Ted and a Family Dream Fulfilled."

• In the 1980s, stories circulated about University of Southern California (USC) and briefly of the NFL's Oakland Raiders quarterback TODD MARINOVICH, a young man raised and groomed almost from BIRTH by his father to be a star quarterback. He ate it, slept it, studied it, and played it. Sadly, he burned out on football, and his career was cut short after substance abuse troubles.
• Anyone familiar with pop music knows of MADONNA, who has been charting hit songs since the early 1980s. One of her earliest "breakout" moments...and a quote she's been known for throughout her career...came in 1984. After her debut album gained her a performance on "American Bandstand," host Dick Clark asked her what she wanted to do when she "grew up." She said, "Rule the world." She definitely has gone to great lengths throughout her career, transforming her public image time and time again to remain famous.

We ALL could remember and list preachers, authors, talk show hosts, business leaders, etc. we've known and observed in our lives who would seemingly do ANYTHING to "get an edge" and "get to the top." BUT, as we referenced in yesterday's Blog, it's NOT about "pointing fingers." Remember, we're seeing these things play out in front of us to get US to LOOK IN THE MIRROR. Everyone has an AMBITION. What is YOURS?

• SELFLESS AMBITION - Jesus Christ, even KNOWING He was about to embark on His mission to change the world for GOD'S glory and fame and praise, was SLOW and HESITANT to "become famous" before His time. When His mother Mary asked Him to, basically, perform what became His first miracle of turning water into wine at a wedding, His initial response was, "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come." He wanted to be SURE that GOD was ready to put Him into the public spotlight...never ASSUMING fame was His to take.
  
• SELFLESS AMBITION - The Apostle PAUL said in I Thessalonians 4:11-12, "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, (and here's the key point...the WHY...the MOTIVE...) so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." HUGE!
• SELFLESS AMBITION - Before he was "King" David, the YOUNG David heard that the Philistine giant Goliath was taunting Israel and insulting GOD. He couldn't BELIEVE that NO ONE would, armed with the power of GOD, STAND UP to this disrespectful, blasphemous, arrogant man! And SO, as his quote goes, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied..." And GOD gave him victory on that day and for his LIFE.
  
• SELFISH AMBITION - Haman, high in command under King Xerxes, in his arrogance thought of himself as "untouchable," worthy of the King's highest honor. He hated Mordecai, a Jew, and sought to ERADICATE the land of all Jews, executing ALL of them. He didn't count on the humble and beautiful Queen Esther, also a Jew, at the risk of her own life graciously presenting her plea for life to the King...who quickly and angrily turned on King Xerxes and had him HANGED on the very same gallows that Haman had intended to use for Mordecai! Justice...
  
• SELFISH AMBITION - Absalom, errant son of King David, tried to win the hearts of the people by UNDERCUTTING his own FATHER! He died horribly...hung by his own HAIR and cut down.
  
• SELFISH AMBITION - Judas, the Apostle who betrayed Jesus, helped himself to the money collected for use in their ministry without permission. He didn't like the direction of Jesus' ministry. He betrayed the Son of GOD...and in remorse, he hung himself.

The lists of both kinds of examples could go on and on...
SO - what is our MOTIVE for ANYTHING we do...today and every day? SelfISH ambition isn't just "wanting to be famous." It can take on MANY forms. Lying about your work or a co-worker's work to "get ahead" with the boss. Backstabbing others to make yourself look better at a party or in an organization or even at CHURCH! It can be ANYTHING...ANYTHING that is NOT motivated by the selfLESS desire to MAKE GOD KNOWN. THAT was the ambition of Moses, Abraham, King David, Paul, Peter, and JESUS. It wasn't about personal achievement to be self-glorified. Here, today, Gwen Shamblin has testified and taught from the BEGINNING of this Weigh Down Ministry that her goal NEVER was to be a world-renown author and/or celebrity. By her own words, she wanted to "become a registered dietician and work in the bottom of a hospital with a hairnet on..." GOD since has used her relationship with Him and her humility to serve as an EXAMPLE of how to get people to find HIM! The RESULTS from that selfLESS ambition has been a worldwide ministry and church and COUNTLESS changed lives! VICTORY for GOD!

AMBITION - for GOD'S glory or our OWN glory? We'll talk about the CONTRAST in the two types TODAY on WDWB LIVE! Please join us at 3:30pm CST, and we'll offer conversation, testimony, and perspective on how this Ministry has CHANGED so many people's AMBITIONS. The only FULFILLING...TRULY SATISFYING ambition is the one that gives BACK...the ambition to glorify and bring attention to the all-powerful, wonderful, gracious, awesome GOD ALMIGHTY! Enjoy a day of selfLESS ambition!

Awesome WETV Feature! - PLUS...the Consequences of Choice & the Chain Reaction of Decision-Making

WOW! First thing's first! We are PRAISING GOD this morning for His powerful Hand...leading this Ministry's profile in the MEDIA right now! Did you SEE the WETV program "Secret Lives of Women" last night? The title is a little misleading...but behind the title, the point of last night's episode was about "extreme diets." NOW...anyone who knows ANYTHING about Weigh Down knows that NOTHING about it is "extreme." In FACT, here's a website that addresses that notion very specifically. The CONCEPT of returning to your normal, healthy weight WITHOUT dieting or "have-to" exercise is REVOLUTIONARY though in this generation. SO - on the show, Gwen and Weigh Down were featured as one of four types of "diets" or "philosophies of eating" profiled in an hour-long program. GOD really lifted UP and showed Gwen and this Ministry in a VERY POSITIVE, PRACTICAL, BEAUTIFUL light! It was wonderful! And when you looked and examined and compared the JOY and PEACE and RESULTS of how the Shamblins and Hannahs were shown...along with the Ministry and testimony footage...and the Remnant Fellowship church and the Assembly clips shown... VERSUS other options, it was AMAZING how GOD presented this to the world!!! Indeed, we PRAISE GOD!

And now, on with the Blog...

Consequence...Choice...Chain Reaction...

• In recent political stories, former New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer resigned after being involved in a Prostitution scandal. Former Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards pulled out of the 2008 Presidential race as he admitted to a sexual affair.
• In financial news, long-time, world-renown financier Bernie Madoff was convicted and sentenced to prison for conducting a years-long Ponzi scheme, costing lots of people millions of dollars in invested money.
• In sporting news, football player Steve McNair was gunned down by a woman with whom he was having an affair and football player Donte Stallworth served jailtime and is suspended from playing in the NFL for a year after killing a man while "driving while intoxicated."

Every one of these CONSEQUENCES, played out in the public spotlight because of the fame of these individuals, began with a single DECISION...a CHOICE. Whether it was lust in the heart left unchecked, greed for more money and being dishonest for the first time, or drinking too much alcohol in one night, the consequences from what began as single decisions rapidly began unfolding until they spiraled out of control. BUT - this isn't about finger-pointing at those who live life in the "public eye." Weigh Down is the OPPOSITE of that. We've learned here that we need to look INWARD at ourselves...the "man in the mirror." CHANGE starts on the INSIDE. THINK about this...How did any of US get to be 50, 75, 100 pounds OVERWEIGHT? It started with a little bit of overeating...leading in some cases to bingeing...New clothes are needed, there's stress in the marriage, increased costs in health care, the children start picking up the same habits, depression sets in, and on and on. The CONSEQUENCES of that initial, unchecked GREED pile up in just as HARMFUL and DESTRUCTIVE ways as some of those PUBLIC situations play out. It's the same PROCESS...just not as "high profile" or maybe not as "instant"...but it LASTS for what turns out to be GENERATIONS. Once passed down, then the children grow up and pass it down to THEIR children, and on and on. We get the picture...It is a CHAIN REACTION! When GOD Almighty spoke as referenced in Deuteronomy 28, 29, and 30 about BLESSINGS and CURSES...and how they would affect future generations...this is what He was talking about! Setting in motion the RIGHT "chain reaction" is everything! And it starts, as we learn in Weigh Down over and over, with DENYING ourselves in those testing moments with food, or not lusting...FLEEING temptation, keeping the eating and drinking WITHIN GOD'S boundaries...keeping ourselves from spending and desiring possessions we can't afford...being SATISFIED with what we have until or unless GOD allows for more. The CHAIN REACTION...the concept of what GOD is teaching us by this beautiful, Spirit-led self-denial...is POWERFUL!

Jesus chose WISELY in His hours of testing...choosing GOD'S will. Paul accepted his mission to preach Christ for the rest of his LIFE after persecuting Christians and then being confronted on the road to Damascus...choosing GOD'S will. Moses accepted his charge to lead GOD'S people and confront Pharaoh...choosing GOD'S will. David ignored fear of Goliath and feared GOD, killing the giant and leading Israel to victory...choosing GOD'S will. The list of GREATS goes on and on. EACH of them made key, crucial, life-altering decisions of abandoning their OWN wants or fears...and made decisions that set off CHAIN REACTIONS of MORE great decisions and MORE obedience to GOD and MORE good fruit. They are remembered for their beautiful love for GOD and are HONORED FOREVER for it. It all STARTED though...with making those INITIAL RIGHT DECISIONS of self-denial. We can REVERSE any curses and BAD chain reactions that we've wrongly started in our lives. We're WATCHING that HAPPEN right here with our Weigh Down participants! Marriages, families, finances, health...ALL of it is TURNING AROUND by the blessing and mercy of GOD. People are making the DECISION to END their cycle of self-indulgence and start a NEW chain reaction...one of BLESSING for themselves, their families, and anyone who knows them. We'll talk about this awesome concept TODAY on WDWB LIVE...as TEDD ANGER stops by the studio for a visit about what he sees and hears on a daily basis in counsel and guidance of Weigh Down participants. He'll offer encouragement to anyone who wants to start this new CHAIN REACTION! Tune in at 3:30pm CST!

Media, Fame, Shock, & Reality TV...or a Testimony for GOD...A Choice Between 15 Minutes or Eternity

FAME - Fleeting or Eternal? What's the motive? It's a CHOICE!

TV.com's website ranks the list of most popular "reality TV" shows currently, this week, this month, and of all time. On the list, you'll see everything from "Survivor" to "America's Next Top Model" to "Punk'd" to "Ghost Hunters" to "The Apprentice" to "Man Vs. Wild" and lots more. As an American (especially) culture, we've become fascinated...no...obsessed with...the shock value and rush that accompanies a camera supposedly capturing "what's really happening" in people's lives or in competition or in relationships. There are LOTS of ways to become "famous." In 1968, American painter, film-maker, print maker, and "pop artist" Andy Warhol stated his belief that, "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes." Whether or not that ever comes to pass, the point in mentioning it is that it seems more people WANT that "15 minutes of fame" now than ever before. People INCREASINGLY will do outlandish, embarrassing, immoral, even DANGEROUS things to "be famous." WHY? For what PURPOSE?

JESUS CHRIST was and is the most "famous" person EVER to walk the face of the earth. Did He SEEK fame for attention or self-glorification? Did He swallow disgusting things or compete for the love of women or risk His life in competition or backstab and undercut the Apostles in an effort to make Himself look better? Did Peter or Paul do that? Moses? Abraham? Queen Esther? Mary, the mother of Jesus? YET, these men and women live "famously"...remembered and revered...for WHAT? 15 minutes? NO - ETERNALLY! As long as GOD allows the earth to spin, these and many other great saints' names will be honored and revered and imitated...because of their RIGHTEOUSNESS and DEVOTION to the One True and Only GOD Almighty! Hebrews 11 and 12 speak of the great people of faith, the "cloud of witnesses" who surround us and see the lives we're living. What IS your AMBITION? Anything other than bringing glory to GOD by RIGHTEOUS actions and a PURE heart will be fleeting. What's 15 minutes? GOD lifts up for an ETERNITY those who love Him with a WHOLE and PURE heart!

Gwen Shamblin also has written, spoken, and lived this way, with ETERNITY and glorifying GOD as a motive, and GOD continues to lift her, her family, and this Ministry UP in the MEDIA! TONIGHT on WETV, this Message will once again be featured as a way to be healthy, happy, and have peace in your life. Over the past couple of years, GOD has featured Weigh Down on The TODAY Show, FOX News' DaySide Show, The Tyra Banks Show, CBS' The INSIDER Show, the BBC, and much more. GOD also has put Weigh Down in lots of print media...like Good Housekeeping, People Magazine, Ladies Home Journal, and in many newspapers. We can tell you in all honesty that HE has made it all happen. Gwen is doing everything she can to follow in the footsteps of those GOD has lifted up over the years...taking that "fame" and pointing people UPWARD to GOD! The impact has been ETERNALLY life-changing for those who have put the principles into practice and now HAVE this peace, health, and happiness. And the RESULTS are SO much longer lasting...so much more noteworthy...than the 15 minutes of fame that the world offers. Please help us spread the word about this Ministry. Share this link to our main website, http://www.weighdown.com, with your family and friends. It is changing SO MANY people's lives for the BETTER. And GOD gets ALL of the glory! In FACT, we'll visit with CANDACE ANGER on today's WDWB LIVE about how GOD is using the MEDIA to spread the good news about this Ministry around the world. Don't miss it! 3:30pm CST...

FELLOWSHIP vs. LONELINESS - Making the Right CHOICE

An excerpt of stats from a Boston Globe newspaper article...

"Loneliness is becoming a major health problem. In 1950, only 10% of households had just one person. In 1994, it had moved to 24%. Fewer than 10% age 25 to 44 live alone, but about 25% of those age 65 to 74 and about 40% for those over age 75. Some remain very happy- but supposedly only about 1/3. A 1990 Gallup study indicated that about 36% of Americans are lonely. More statistics:

• People who are isolated but healthy are twice as likely to die over a period of a decade as those not isolated. A study showed that the more isolated men are up to 25% more likely to die of all causes at any age versus non-isolated men. The odds for women are 33%.
• Living alone after a heart attack significantly increases the risk of dying.
• People with heart disease have a poorer chance of survival if they are unmarried or do not have someone to assist them.
• Women who are alone and have breast cancer live half as long as those who are not alone."

WOW! Those stats ALONE speak VOLUMES about the contrast between "being alone" vs. "being in fellowship" with others. That's direct impact on your PHYSICAL health! How much MORE impactful are the SPIRITUAL consequences of choosing to be isolated...away from regular fellowship with others? Note that "being alone" doesn't mean "unmarried." Single men and women have just as many opportunities as married men and women to be in regular "fellowship" or "social contact" with others. Living in "isolation" is a CHOICE...married or unmarried. It's a state of heart, mind, AND action. Gwen has written and spoken often about man's innate, GOD-ordained need for FELLOWSHIP. If you visit the Weigh Down Chronicles website and type "fellowship" in the search box, you'll pull up SEVERAL of Gwen's Posts that reference GOD'S desire for people NOT ONLY to have a right relationship under Him, BUT ALSO to find others who love GOD...and be in regular FELLOWSHIP with them. Jesus spoke of fellowship and lived a life of fellowship. He constantly was surrounded by people. Whether it was the Apostles and others who seemed to be with Him at every turn...or the thousands He spoke to, fed, and performed miracles for...or the one-one-one encounters with a woman at a well or a crippled man who wanted to walk...Jesus PURPOSELY put Himself in situations where He was interacting with others. And He is our example...isn't He?

Look at the boom that is internet "social networking." We've talked about it a lot on WDWB and in these Blogs. At the heart of social networking is a desire for people to CONNECT. For those who aren't as comfortable in big, person-to-person social settings, welcome to Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Instant Messaging, Chatrooms, etc! NOW, the options for connecting seem almost endless! GOD has seen fit to allow the opportunity for fellowship to be INSTANT...SO...He must have a vested interest in the process. If the vast majority of EVERYONE longs to interact, then why the loneliness stats? We ALL have felt or we at least know others who have felt LONELY...even in the MIDDLE of LOTS of fellowship/social interaction. The world's most popular and supposedly "connected" entertainers, athletes, politicians, business leaders, and musicians often feel the MOST lonely. So what's the KEY...the ANSWER...the SOLUTION to conquering loneliness and living a life feeling TRULY connected? This Post by Gwen, "The Right Fellowship," gives us our answer. It is having the RIGHT FELLOWSHIP...the RIGHT CONNECTION...with the RIGHT PEOPLE! Fellowship in the Name of, obedience to, and love for GOD ALMIGHTY is the key. Do you want to NEVER feel lonely again? Stay CLOSE to these Weigh Down Ministry teachings, which POINT you to others who love GOD wholeheartedly. In THAT kind of fellowship, THAT interaction, THAT connection...there is peace, love, and fulfillment. It's TRUE...the Apostle Paul said it...that "bad company corrupts good character" (I Corinthians 15:33). And it also is TRUE...as Gwen writes in her "The Right Fellowship" Post, "The more you obey (GOD), the more you will want this daily walk and fellowship with GOD and the Saints. You will never feel lonely again, for you are not alone."

Stay plugged in and connected here. We LOVE helping people find others who share this love for GOD...and who have found a peace, joy, love, and happiness in their hearts that never goes away. From online coordinators to participants, everyone here WANTS to share with each other...and with YOU...how AWESOME this life is and can be for ANYONE! We'll talk MORE about the importance of FELLOWSHIP today on WDWB LIVE, 3:30pm CST. We hope you'll join us! If you can't listen to the LIVE airing, check out our PODCASTS, and you'll be able to listen later to today's and LOTS of our past LIVE Podcasts. Make the CHOICE to CONNECT with the right fellowship of people. It's essential to the life you WANT to live!

Looking forward to a great weekend!

Whatever you have planned for this weekend...or any weekend for that matter...it always feels great at the END of it to have NO REGRETS. While the average person looks to "escape" with any number of activities or vices, it's SO much more rewarding, fulfilling, NOBLE, and RIGHTEOUS to use that time to get even CLOSER to GOD! You know it's true. Feel free to tune in to WDWB all weekend if it helps you keep your focus and mindset in the right place. The people who stayed close to Jesus and listened to Him talk...even for hours a day...were obviously BETTER for it. SO - surround yourself with TRUTH and take part in selfless activities this weekend. Maybe it's called "Manic Monday" because of the deep-down EMPTINESS and guilt that accompanies and follows a SELFISHLY-motivated weekend. Monday IS depressing if you have nothing fruitful to show after the weekend. Maybe this Monday can begin a NEW trend and outlook for you! Live inside GOD'S boundaries and wishes...selfLESSly...and Monday will be MAGNIFICENT!


Weigh Down

Generation Y - The Birth Class of 1991 - Staying Connected Through TRUTH

A recently posted article on usatoday.com referenced this year's incoming "college freshman class," largely born in 1991, with the following observation...

"The 18-year-olds entering college this fall have lived their entire lives with Iraq as an enemy, Russia as a friend (and investment opportunity) and Ozzy Osbourne as a perpetual comeback kid. Born in 1991, most freshmen have grown up in a world that has always had mega-churches, chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, Planet Hollywood and the Cartoon Network."

Gwen and this Weigh Down Ministry never has shied away from tackling how to have a godly perspective on any and all current events and happenings in the world. In the case of "Generation Y," that 15-to-29 year old age group heavily involved in "social networking" and all things modern (especially technology-wise), Gwen REGULARLY speaks about and addresses how we as PARENTS should and do have a huge responsibility to stay COMPLETELY CONNECTED to our kids. We don't have ANY excuse for LOSING this connection...just because they're "kids" or "we're just not up on all the stuff they're interested in these days." That's a convenient way to say, basically, "I don't want to take the TIME to understand"...the impact of the internet, e-mail, text messaging, blogging, the fact that there are hundreds of TV channel options they have access to, online chatting, kids' tendencies to become immersed in "reality TV," YouTube, downloadable music and podcasts...and the list of what's been developed SINCE 1991 could go on and on...

Poll an average Teen or early 20s Youth about some of the following questions/issues and the responses could be all over the map!

• Is a BLACKBERRY known more for being a plump, juicy fruit that is picked and used to make cobblers and pies...OR a cell phone/e-mail/internet/texting device used to connect with the world?
• What was the "Gulf War?" What was the "Cold War?"
• Was there ever a time when we DIDN'T have hundreds and even thousands of TV channels to choose from?
• What is a "cassette tape?" What's a "vinyl record?"
• How did people communicate before cell phones, e-mail and text messaging, instant messaging and chatting online?

History and communication and politics and news...ALL of it races through time at a breakneck pace. New technologies and ways to connect spring up regularly...and totally understanding all of it isn't really isn't the MAIN point...nor is it necessarily what GOD asks of all of us...but the point is, where are our HEARTS as parents? These "Y-ers" are using this stuff because it connects them to others. Are we AWARE...REALLY aware...of who they're connecting with and what they're doing? Are we INTERESTED ENOUGH in it to dig deep and find out? How DO we stay connected with them? There IS a way...

What NEVER changes, what we CAN pass down, and what is the ULTIMATE uniter of people who want a relationship with GOD is TRUTH. A humble heart/mind/spirit/attitude knows no age boundaries! It knows no racial or social or technological or economic divide. No matter the age of the person, GOD Himself has ensured throughout the ages that where two or more are gathered in the mighty Name of Jesus...meaning gathered in the attitude of His humble spirit...His selfless mindset, His obedient heart before GOD...with GOD as ONLY GOD in that gathering...then GOD and Jesus are THERE and PLEASED with that gathering. It's CONNECTED...CONNECTED between the people and connected to GOD. He BLESSES it. We're seeing that here in this Weigh Down Ministry and the Remnant Fellowship church that has grown out of this Ministry's teachings and programs. People of ALL ages are able to communicate with each other and hang out together and TRULY enjoy each other's company! It's the TRUTH that unites...the TRUTH that GOD is GOD, we are NOT, and we need to run after and obey ALL of His commands. THAT is interesting! That is real! That is relevant! THAT is WHY all of this technology shouldn't be a point of DISconnection. It should be just another, easier way to connect with and be a light to people of ALL ages.

SO - even though the "birth class" of 1991, today's college freshmen and/or the next to enter the workforce, has grown up perhaps not knowing of life BEFORE Blackberries, texting, allies and enemies of countries, cable and satellite TV, etc...that's NOT what is most important anyway. If we're PLEDGED and RESOLVED to stay connected with them through a loving example and a passing down of TRUTH...and if we PRAY and take the TIME to know more about what they're involved with, we've got a shot at helping them USE this great new stuff for GOOD, GODLY purposes. PLUS, we'll keep a close, connected relationship with our precious children THROUGHOUT their lives...not just until they become teenagers. Isn't that what we want? TRUTH - the tie that binds...We'll talk about all of this TODAY at 3:30pm CST on WDWB LIVE. Join us!

Authority - How Upside-Down Have We Gotten?

As a society, especially here in the "western world," we're losing our grip and understanding of the right and godly perspective on authority that GOD desperately wants us to have.

EXAMPLE: From canada.com in 2008...regarding a 12-year old taking her FATHER to COURT!

"In the Gatineau case, a 12-year-old girl took her father to Quebec Superior Court after he said she couldn’t go on a school trip for disobeying his orders to stay off the Internet. When the father wouldn’t sign the release form for the trip, the child went to live with her mother, who encouraged the legal action that culminated in last week’s ruling."

WOW! There actually are LOTS more stories like that going on right now...

From ebglaw.com in 2007...regarding the GROWING trend of employees suing employers.

"Nearly every action that the employer makes with regard to the suing employee will be under the microscope. And, a current employee that is suing their employor has access to other employees. Rumors can easily start to run rampant in the work place, and the risk of employee moral issues start to become a concern. The probability that 'copy cat' cases will be filed, is also significantly increased."

The GROWING list of those supposedly UNDER authority suing/accusing/undermining the one supposedly IN the position of AUTHORITY in EVERY type of business, sports organization, family relationship, etc. is staggering. It's nauseating. Those entrusted to OVERSEEING organizations/groups of people are, over time, losing their ability to effectively LEAD. But this isn't a "new thing." If you've taken Weigh Down's "Weigh Down Advanced" seminar series (please do if you haven't...it is SO revealing about the SPIRITUAL war that goes on all around us all the time), you'll be familiar with Weigh Down founder Gwen Shamblin's telling of the great "CEO story." It's a parable-like recounting, using MODERN terminology, of how satan (who at the time was an ANGEL) attempted to undermine and overthrow GOD'S authority in heaven so long ago. Satan eventually was cast OUT of heaven for his total lack of respect for GOD and his attempted mutiny against GOD. GOD was the "CEO" of all of creation...the Creator of heaven and then earth. Satan was an "employee," created to honor and love and serve the generous and awesome GOD who made EVERYTHING. Satan became jealous of that power and rebelled against GOD, earning him expulsion. In these times when the mentality, especially in the United States, is an attitude that says, "I've got my rights!" may we NEVER forget that the first sin wasn't the "deception of Eve and Adam in the Garden of Eden by satan," it was satan's ANTI-authority and jealousy towards GOD Himself! This is deep stuff, and it touches EVERY aspect of our lives! Employers and employees, husbands and wives, parents and children, coaches and players, law enforcement officers and private citizens...you get the idea. This touches us ALL.

Today on WDWB LIVE, we plan to talk about having the RIGHT and GODLY perspective on authority...how to be godly while IN a position of authority and how to be godly while UNDER others' authority. Gwen has said throughout the history of Weigh Down's videos, audios, and writings that making GOD SOVEREIGN in your life is KEY to understanding Him, knowing Him, and loving Him. He is so GOOD, and He deserves to be understood and loved and WORSHIPPED! Tune in today at 3:30pm CST, and we'll share in this discussion about how important a role that AUTHORITY plays in our lives. And if you miss a LIVE segment, don't worry! We normally put out our LIVE programs in PODCAST form as well! Finally, may today be a day when we TRULY have GOD as our ONE and ONLY GOD. May we live, breathe, talk, think, eat, drink, spend, and act WITHIN our loving and kind authority's will. As the great King David said about GOD and His commands and how he felt about them in Psalm 16:6,

"The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places..."

Media Update - AND In a World of "Interconnectivity," what is our Role as Parents?

YESTERDAY, we Blogged about the news that Weigh Down was featured on "The INSIDER" TV show last night. If you missed the show, CLICK HERE to watch the replay. It was wonderful, and the response from around the world is overwhelming! The story of Andy and Maggie Sorrells, with a combined weight loss of 550 pounds, ALREADY is an inspiration to lots of people who are getting started with Weigh Down! GREAT NEWS!

On with the Blog...
ALARMING STATS of the DAY regarding TEEN INTERNET COMMUNICATION - courtesy of netsmartz.org

• 71% reported receiving messages online from someone they don’t know.
• 45% have been asked for personal information by someone they don’t know.
• 30% have considered meeting someone that they’ve only talked to online
• 14% have actually met a person face-to-face they they’ve only spoken to over the Internet (9% of 13-15s; 22% of 16-17s).

When teens receive messages online from someone they don’t know, 40% reported that they’ll usually reply and chat with that person.

• Only 18% said they’ll tell an adult...

Is that a "wakeup call" or what? And those stats are from 2006! How much FASTER and EASIER has it gotten to communicate via the internet in the three years since those numbers were first reported? During a recent message given by Gwen in a PARENTING meeting, she asked the parents, "Are you hovering over and around your children?" And of course she was asking whether parents were more involved in their OWN wants and interests and activities...or were they constantly interested in and involved in what their own CHILDREN were involved with? Are we so "Facebooked and Twittered and MySpaced" with our OWN connections and friends that we've turned our faces from their activities and "trusted" the judgments of the PRECIOUS GIFTS from GOD that are our own CHILDREN? They're YOUNG. What were YOU like as a Teen? As we recall our own past wanderings, remember now that these young people have INSTANT ACCESS to ANY kind of "sensual indulgence"...NOW MORESO than at ANY time in history. If we truly LOVE our children, why WOULDN'T we be involved in every aspect of their lives...LOVINGLY guiding them and letting them know how much we're looking out for them and their best interest...letting them know how we ALWAYS want what is best for them! It truly is a LIE from satan to believe that hovering that closely to our children is bad for them. The exact OPPOSITE is true. It IS LOVE to raise your children with the same level of interest and personal attention that GOD has given to each of US. He has been incredibly PERSONAL with us...involved in every aspect of our lives. It's a wakeup call indeed...

Today on WDWB LIVE, we'll visit with REGINA SMITH, a parent herself of children ranging from the youngest grade school ages all the way up through college age. She'll have some great perspective on putting into PRACTICE these life-changing principles of being CLOSE to your children. The good, peaceful, happy relationships that she and her husband KENT have with their kids will inspire you. There is HOPE!

BREAKING NEWS! - Weigh Down is Featured on "The INSIDER" TV Show TONIGHT!

YES - GOD is giving this Weigh Down Ministry yet ANOTHER opportunity to show how it CHANGES LIVES for the BETTER! In our morning Blog, we mentioned ANDY and MAGGIE SORRELLS...along with their story of losing a combined 550 pounds of excess weight. They will be featured on "The INSIDER" TV show TONIGHT! When you visit "The INSIDER" website, look on the LEFT side of the page, enter your ZIP CODE, and see what time their show airs in YOUR area. Keep PRAYING for more great opportunities like this one! And THANK YOU for your daily prayers over this Ministry!

World Records & Leaving A Legacy - What REALLY Matters?

If you've kept up with the happenings in this Weigh Down Ministry, you might have heard that Weigh Down participants and married couple Andy and Maggie Sorrells have lost a combined 550 POUNDS! THAT is an amazing feat! They weren't trying to set any kind record though...They simply listened to and put into practice what Gwen Shamblin teaches in this Weigh Down program. And they CHANGED...PERMANENTLY! Watch their Video (click the link above) and you'll be amazed. They're happy and peaceful and healthy. And look at what has happened as a result. They are being used by GOD to inspire and encourage people all around the world who see and hear about their story! From the TODAY Show to magazines to CNN.com, the word is spreading about their story and about this Ministry. But NOTE that they didn't seek attention. GOD gave it to them. And the same goes for Gwen, whom GOD has used to change COUNTLESS lives for more than 20 years through this Weigh Down Ministry. It's NEVER been about "making a name"...It's been about CURRENT, RELEVANT, REAL LIFE IMPACT for GOD on people EVERYWHERE...

Whether it's sports statistics and records or feats of the most unusual nature, as a society, we are fascinated with "records." If you browse the Guinness World Records website, you'll find records set in anything and everything from bizarre to outright dangerous. Anyone who focuses their minds on setting a "record" in anything is looking to leave some kind of "legacy"...something to be remembered by. But what kind of "legacy" REALLY matters? What "legacy" does GOD want us to leave behind? Jesus Christ, the only Son of the Almighty GOD, is the most important, most talked about, most famous person EVER to walk on the face of the earth. What he lived, taught, and did in a few cities for a few years 2,000 years ago...before phones, the internet, cars, TV...has CHANGED the course of history FOREVER. WHY? HOW? He didn't live each day trying to "set a world record" to become famous for His own sake. He wasn't outlandish in a quest for personal attention. He very simply, but POWERFULLY, lived each and every minute of His life to LOVE, OBEY, and therefore GLORIFY GOD and make HIM known. He turned people from their sin, healed them, and showed the world that His Father and our Father, His God and our God, was GOOD and RIGHTEOUS and that His commands were BEAUTIFUL to obey! His "legacy" of SUBMISSION to GOD and CHANGED LIVES is eternal, and the impact He has on the world to this very day is unmatched by anyone or anything. And GOD GAVE Him the most EXALTED, famous, powerful Name in all of history. Jesus daily humbled and submitted Himself before GOD, and He is the most famous person in all of history for it. GOD then lifted Him UP and sat Him down at His very own Right Hand! Life for Jesus was ALL about GOD. What a pattern for us to follow! What a LEGACY! It's more valuable than ANY world record ever set...to glorify GOD and change lives forever. We'll take time this week on WDWB LIVE to talk about "leaving a legacy" for GOD'S glory...and how REAL people involved in this Ministry have followed in Jesus' footsteps, CHANGING to be obedient to GOD and IMPACTING the world in which they live. We're looking forward to each day's 3:30pm CST LIVE Program and the PODCAST that each episode becomes.

Communication - MY...How Times Have Changed! Or Have They?

STAT of the day...When it comes to "social networking" online (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn for example...), here's the AGE group "preferred websites" breakdown by "generation." These stats are provided courtesy of www.emarketer.com.

OF THOSE SURVEYED WHO USE ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKING WEBSITES...

• Generation Z (13-14 year olds) - 65% use MySpace, 61% use Facebook, 9% use Twitter, 0% use LinkedIn.
• Generation Y (15-29 year olds) - 75% use MySpace, 65% use Facebook, 14% use Twitter, 9% use LinkedIn.
• Generation X (30-44 year olds) - 76% use Facebook, 57% use MySpace, 18% use Twitter, 13% use LinkedIn.
• Baby Boomers (45-65 year olds) - 73% use Facebook, 40% use MySpace, 13% use Twitter, 13% use LinkedIn.
• World War II Generation (66 & older) - 90% use Facebook, 23% use MySpace, 17% use Twitter, 4% use LinkedIn.

INTERESTING stuff! What about YOU? What do YOU use to connect?

On with the Blog...

POLL RESULTS from LAST WEEK - "What is your favorite Weigh Down Seminar?"

• The BREAKTHROUGH Series won the vote, with a 42% response.
• The Legend To The TREASURE Series came in second place, with a 24% response.
• Weigh Down Advanced was third, with an 18% response.

THANK YOU FOR VOTING! ALL of the Seminars are FANTASTIC and LIFE-CHANGING. It's great though to hear from YOU about what your favorites are!

NEW POLL for THIS WEEK - "What is your favorite method of COMMUNICATION?"

CLICK HERE to vote! We'll track the results and post them at the end of NEXT week.

TODAY on WDWB LIVE, 3:30pm CST on WDWB, our Web Radio station, we'll be talking to people in different age groups about their preferred means of communication...and how we've adjusted to the "times" we're living in. It'll be a fun discussion. Don't miss it!

It's fascinating to watch, right before our very eyes, the EXPLOSION of changing technology. King Solomon said that there's "nothing new under the sun." How would his words apply to these incredibly fast-growing, ever-popular communication methods? Basically, GOD put inside the hearts and minds of nearly EVERYONE He ever created the desire to CONNECT with others...ESPECIALLY those who are like-minded with you...those who share your interests. So that desire to COMMUNICATE is not new, of course. It's a means to an end. Whatever technology is developed over time, the END or GOAL has remained the SAME...nothing NEW about it. For a true follower of GOD and Jesus, life should be about following the leading of GOD...wanting to be close to Him...emulating the life of His Son Jesus Christ. What a TIME we are living in! GOD has seen fit to allow technology to make communication nearly INSTANTANEOUS for many parts of the world! WHY? So that we can use our CHANGED LIVES to make HIM KNOWN that much FASTER to a hurting world! Whether it's face-to-face conversations, cell phones, social networking, e-mail, texting, instant messaging, or writing letters, "there is nothing new under the sun." It's all about being a light, being led by GOD'S Spirit, and letting that be known in our words and actions.

SO - whatever "communication methods" we prefer, may we make the END GOAL of ALL of it line up with the words of JESUS CHRIST, in the book of Matthew, Chapter 28 -

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - NIV

Facebook, Twitter, & Blogging...Oh My!

STAT of the day from www.techcrunch.com - For the month of June, what was the MOST VISITED website in the world?

It's the GOOGLE family of websites...with...get this...844 MILLION unique visitors!!! That's not you at your computer visiting Google 50 times in a month and counting that as 50 visitors. No matter how many times you hit Google in June from your computer, that's ONE "unique visitor" hitting the site a bunch of times. 844 MILLION unique computers! That's just short of the population of CHINA! Needless to say, "searching" the internet is HUGE, and so as CHRISTIANS, what will WE do to use this as a way to share about OUR CHANGED LIVES?

On with the rest of the BLOG.......

Okay...so we are really DIGGING this whole "social networking" phenomenon! Yesterday on WDWB LIVE (our in-studio LIVE Web Radio Show...airing each weekday at 3:30pm CST), we talked about the IMPACT of social networking and how Weigh Down is totally on board with our own Facebook page, a Weigh Down Twitter page, a Gwen Shamblin Twitter page, this Blog you're reading right now for Weigh Down Radio...AND we shared some stats about how TEENS are using it. You can CLICK HERE to download our LIVE Radio PODCASTS and listen any time you want! All of this fast-moving, ever-growing ability to communicate really is a wake-up call for any of us to realize that if we are SERIOUS about being a LIGHT for GOD in a hurting world, then EMBRACING this technology, not rejecting it or viewing it as a "fad" that will go away, is a calling for us. We as a Staff here at Weigh Down see it as a MUST! It is how we will reach this younger generation, and it is how we can stay CONNECTED all around the world with those who share a wholehearted commitment to GOD. SO - let's get some feedback from YOU. How often do YOU use internet "social networking" sites like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.? Post your comments below...and offer up any helpful TIPS that can guide NEW USERS into maximizing the experience of staying connected...AND how to MANAGE your TIME on those sites. It really can take up LOTS of time, and so balancing it all in moderation...just like we're learning to do here in Weigh Down with eating, spending, etc...is a KEY to an ENJOYABLE but not overwhelming experience! Check out WDWB LIVE again today at 3:30pm CST. We'll visit with TEDD ANGER, our Director of Marketing and Public Relations, about how he uses social networking as a tool not just for communication, but for evangelism. He's got some great suggestions from a frequent user standpoint. DON'T MISS IT! Last thing - We're doing a FREE LIVE WEBCAST -"Weigh Down LIVE" - on Wednesday, September 9th. E-mail your QUESTIONS for Gwen to info@weighdown.com, post them here, or call the office toll free at 1-800-844-5208. She would LOVE to hear from you!

Internet Social Networking - Parents, Do You KNOW What Your Kids Are Doing?

It's yet another fantastic day to be ALIVE...and to be able to love GOD and enjoy His amazing Creation! And speaking of Creation, as PARENTS, we all know that we are highly and directly responsible for KNOWING our kids...inside and out...never lazy...never leaving our "parenting" just to the schools, coaches, and other influences in their lives. We came across some TELLING statistics recently about Internet "Social Networking"...websites like MySpace.com, Facebook.com, Twitter.com, etc. that allow people to "connect" and post pictures, audios, videos, etc. about "what they're doing" at any given time. The CONCEPT is wonderful! (On a side note, can you imagine Jesus, Paul, or Peter having INSTANT ACCESS to getting out their messages to the masses? May we USE this incredible technology to let the world know how much we've CHANGED for the better and let them know how GOOD our GOD is! ) BACK to social networking...the stats we pulled were from www.socialnetworkingwatch.com. The POST we're referencing is entitled "Parents Are Out Of The Loop." OUCH! Get this...here's the quote -

"Common Sense Media has released the results of a national poll of teens and parents on social networking behaviors. 22% of teens check social networks more than 10 times a day, while only 4% of parents believe kids are checking SN (social networks) that much. 51% of teens check SN more than once a day, while only 23% of parents say their kids check them more than once a day. 28% have shared personal information that they normally wouldn't have shared in public."

Whoa! Think about that...As a Staff here at Weigh Down and for ALL of us who are PARENTS, this should challenge us more than EVER to make sure we are AWAKE and have a loving, caring eye on what our KIDS are DOING...not just on what they SAY they are doing. We'll talk more today on WDWB LIVE at 3:30pm CST about social networking and the concept of FOCUSING on what's MOST important in life...in the middle of an ever-increasingly BUSY and more CONNECTED world.

UPDATE - WDWB LIVE will re-launch WEDNESDAY, August 12th

Hey everyone! We're working hard on some NEW WEBSITES which will keep making these Weigh Down principles as easy to understand as is possible. We'd love to cover some of that during our first "back-to-our-regular-schedule" WDWB LIVE...so we'll actually re-launch the LIVE Web Radio show TOMORROW - Wednesday, August 12th at 3:30pm CST. We're looking forward to it! Check out WDWB ANY time of the day or night. And until tomorrow, mark your calendars and clocks!

WDWB - Real, Current, Relevant!

Weigh Down and WDWB - "Real, Current, Relevant" - MORE on that in a moment...

WOW! It's a BEAUTIFUL day here in Nashville! High school FRESHMEN (9th graders) here reported to school for early "Orientation." Time is FLYING by! And speaking of time...we've all heard the saying that "time is short...make the most of it...don't miss opportunities..." It's TRUE. But what we've learned here through Weigh Down is that a TRULY PEACEFUL and PRODUCTIVE life...one with ETERNAL rewards in mind...is a FOCUSED life. It's a life that is FOCUSED on making GOD known. A TRUE follower of GOD and His Son Jesus Christ has HIS agenda and will and desires in mind. HOW do we find out WHAT that IS? Keep reading...

NOW - "Real, Current, Relevant" - YES, we're BACK LIVE on "WDWB LIVE" again starting TODAY...Tuesday, August 11th at 3:30pm CST. Our LIVE Web Radio program is going to be "REAL, CURRENT, and RELEVANT!" We will FOCUS on current, real statistics that reflect where we are in society. We will talk about the trends of the current times. We will talk about how social networking via the internet has exploded and how it can be USED to MAKE GOD KNOWN! After all, that is the FOCUS of the TRULY dedicated follower of GOD. And we will talk about Weigh Down's latest "newsworthy" notes...the ins and outs of what's happening HERE. And so today, we're discussing FOCUS...and how YOU can put it into practice...NOW.

SO - we'll get rolling again today. DON'T MISS IT! CLICK HERE to log on to WDWB, our Web Radio station. You'll be glad you did!

WDWB LIVE - Back on TOMORROW - GOD'S Creation is BEAUTIFUL!

WDWB LIVE, our Web Radio in-studio interview/music/testimony/current events show that we host here in our Nashville studios, is BACK ON TOMORROW - Tuesday, August 11th - after a July hiatus! DON'T MISS IT! We'll be ON at 3:30pm CST!

We're already RACING towards mid-August, and you can just feel FALL/AUTUMN around the corner! Our home offices are in the Nashville area...right in the heart of middle Tennessee...and one of the most BEAUTIFUL sights in all of GOD'S creation here is the landscape of the changing leaf colors. Creation really shows off GOD'S handiwork, and it TRULY shows that GOD is in CHARGE, and He has painted all of creation to be just overwhelming, incredible, UNDENIABLE evidence that HE is THERE and is all-powerful and loving and SO WORTHY of our love, worship, and total obedience to His amazing and clear commands! Take time today to THANK and PRAISE HIM for giving you eyesight to see it all!

On another note - POLL UPDATE from last Tuesday's Post - "What is your favorite Weigh Down seminar?" As of this morning, the BREAKTHROUGH Series is in the lead...with a 40 percent of the vote. The Legend to the TREASURE Series is running not too far behind with 26 percent of the vote! Let's give that Poll one more day. CLICK HERE to VOTE, and we'll publish the FINAL results mid-week...AND we'll start a new one mid-week as well! It's a GREAT day to be alive and have the CHANCE to live even one MINUTE for GOD!

Back to School - Some great tips!

We ALL are connected, some way and somehow, with school-aged children, and we know that children are finishing up their last few days of Summer break. It's hard to believe that kids are getting ready to go back to school! The Summer has FLOWN by! If you take a look at the statistics on child behavior, overweight percentages, anger, depression, etc. for any length of time, you'll be as ALARMED as we are here at Weigh Down about how this society is rapidly losing POSITIVE influence on our precious kids. Gwen always has had a heart for children, and it's reflected in her messages, audios, videos, and writings. We LOVE putting together materials that HELP you parents out there! The kids being influenced by this Weigh Down message are being taught how to LOVE God with all of their hearts...and they show that by respecting and obeying their parents, teachers, coaches, etc. They are SO HAPPY! They are SO much at PEACE with themselves even at these young ages! It's wonderful to witness and be around a TRULY loving, content, obedient child. If you're a parent and you're almost "pulling your hair out" because maybe your children are out of control at times, there IS HOPE! Check out this short video clip from Weigh Down's "Zion Kids" DVD. It should put a smile on your face and give you a glimpse of how GRATEFUL we all ought to be to be blessed with children! After you view the clip, feel free to COMMENT below on what your challenges are in parenting...

PODCASTS! Listen any time you want...

At Weigh Down, and even more specifically here at our Web Radio Station (WDWB), we're really committed to keeping you up-to-date on success stories, testimonies, the latest music, and the media coverage of what's happening here. Our PRAYER and HOPE is that it serves as "inspiration" for you all who are just getting started or perhaps have struggled with your weight or other addictions recently. DID YOU KNOW?...We have a PODCASTS section of past LIVE INTERVIEWS, TESTIMONIES, and IN-STUDIO MUSIC that you might like to check out. CLICK HERE to "subscribe" to our feed of PODCASTS. If you have iTunes installed on your computer just look for the purple logo (It looks like the logo at the top right of today's Blog)...and click! AND...IT'S FREE!!! You'll be able to listen to and get to know, any time you want, a BIG variety of successful and down-to-earth people...people who have MADE IT to permanent weight loss and freedom from other addictions. ALSO, we're looking forward to being back LIVE on "WDWB LIVE"...complete with in-studio interviews, music, and more...starting next week! All this means that we'll keep UPDATING the Podcasts on a regular basis. Keep reading and listening!

Gwen Spoke Last Week at a Wedding - Watch a Clip!

For anyone who's ever heard and/or seen Gwen Shamblin speak, it's amazing how in-the-moment and relevant the words and presentation are. It's REAL, it's honest, and it's derived from her own experiences and relationship with GOD. That's why Gwen is able to connect so easily with anyone who's listening. We ALL need a right relationship with GOD, and these messages give everyone GREAT tips on how to HAVE that kind of a relationship with Him. And that's ALSO why WDWB is so helpful! YOU get to share in LOTS of those messages just by logging in and listening. In FACT, just last week, Gwen spoke at a wedding here in Nashville, and the response was overwhelming! We've got a brief but awesome VIDEO CLIP sample of it that you can view on our YouTube channel. CLICK HERE to watch...whether you're married or thinking of getting married. It'll be worth your few minutes of time! After you watch the clip, LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW and let us know what you think!

Getting Interactive!

On Monday, we let you know that we were excited about WDWB - Weigh Down Web Broadcasting (Web Radio) and all of its potential. Well, we REALLY want this to become MORE INTERACTIVE...meaning...we want YOU to "weigh in!" Yes, pun intended...We want YOUR feedback!

• We want to hear from YOU about your favorite Weigh Down quotes, audios, and videos.
• We want to hear about STORIES in the news and in YOUR lives related to weight and other addictions. They can be from any number of online sources.
• We'd LOVE to talk about your "weigh ins" (news and your life stories) and read YOUR E-MAILS on the air LIVE! Send your emails to wdwb@weighdown.com.

SO - TODAY - we're starting to have you "weigh in" with an online POLL. Click here to take the poll.

LASTLY - we're going BACK on the air LIVE later this week...Stay tuned for more details!

More Current Weigh Down News Coming Soon!

Greetings!

We LOVE airing all of the life-changing messages, music, and testimonies that make up our Web Radio Station - WDWB - Weigh Down Web Radio. What we're super-excited to announce is that we plan to do even MORE "current event"-type of programming...starting soon! We'll share what's happening in Weigh Down participants' lives, their amazing stories and answered prayers, and we'll even take requests from all over the world for NEW programming ideas! Stay tuned for more announcements!