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Fractured families. Crippling financial debt. Political strife. Rampant violence and immorality. Scuffling economies. Countries in turmoil. Unstable job security and an unemployment epidemic. Widespread hunger. Catastrophic weather events. Poor health. Uncertain futures. Religious persecution. In almost any direction you look today, there is some issue that could cause you to worry.
We live under a constant tidal wave of bad news—that shouldn't be a surprise in such a sinful world. But in light of that bad news, it's easy to sometimes forget or ignore Paul's command to "be anxious for nothing" (Philippians 4:6).
The potential for anxiety multiplies exponentially if you've got children or grandchildren. What kind of world will we leave behind for them? What kind of religious persecution will they live under? What opportunities will they have, and how will they pay for the mistakes of previous generations?
It's enough to keep you awake at night.
However, that's not what the Lord wants. Believers' lives are not meant to be filled with sleepless nights, panic attacks, and crippling anxiety. We know God is in sovereign control of even the smallest details, and we should rest in His constant care for His people.
We know that, but how often do we live it out? Over the coming weeks, we're going to look at practical ways to conquer anxiety and trust in God through even the most dire circumstances.
For now, we want to hear from you. What causes you anxiety? What causes you to lose sight—even temporarily—of God's sovereign control and care? And what do you do about it?
GTY Staff
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I'm looking forward to this series!
What most tempts me to lose sight of God's sovereignty is when a lot of those issued mentioned in the first paragraph are happening at the same time. It's the storms that last a long time and encompass many difficult, varied situations that are the toughest. But it's also those storms that, by God's grace, He enables my faith to grow and mature the most. The tougher the storm, the more I grow. Trials truly are blessings. To defeat my sinful anxiety, I must go back to God's Word. My favorite verse on this is Philippians 4:6-7. It's also a great encouragement to talk to my godly wife, my pastor and other mature Christians in my church, listen to sermons by other doctrinally-sound pastors, or read blogs such as this one.
Praise God for trials...and His resulting work in my and all my Christian brother's and sisters' lives!
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Life anxiety. It is a daily struggle.
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I was just texting to my wife that I am worried today, about losing power (live on the edge of Frankenstorm, 50-60 MPH winds expected in my area), and we have a car acting up. I have children and grandchildren, just told her I need to quit worrying and trust in the Lord. Matthew 6:33, right?
I will say the future for our children as I see our country, the USA, fall into more and more debt and degradation. The persecution of believers around the world as I see the speed of Satan's work increasing is breathtaking.
Yet, as you stated, even recently I've seen the Lord's sovereign control of the smallest details and his timing. My problem is focusing on that as the whirlwind of corruption and circumstances seem to buffet us. It seems I need a series that I can go to daily based just on the Lord's control and care. Maybe I'm just weak now. I'm looking forward to your series
What causes me the greatest anxiety is concern over my physical appearance. I am a young man who has struggled with anorexia during most of my teen, and I thank God for giving me the grace to overcome that. However, insecurity over my body has continued to be a burden that I still carry, even though I know that God considers a "gentle and quiet spirit" of so much more importance than how we look on the outside. The society we live in places so much pressure on both men and women to look a certain way, which is the cause of intense anxiety for many. But like Samuel learned when going to annoint God's replacement for King Saul, "the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."
While I do tremble at the trials awaiting me, this season of my life has given me the opportunity to trust God to such an extent that I know that He is working it for my good! If anyone hurts in a similar way that I do, take courage and know that God loves you. Your life may be incredible difficult, but know and believe that God is using the hard times to beautify your spirit and shape you in the image of His Son for His glory.
Thank you GTY for your faithful service to God.
Pretty much anything that doesn't go the way we want it to can cause anxiety, no matter how small it is. MacCarthur's Book, Anxious for Nothing was very helpful.
Skipped heart beats or anything related to something physically abnormal occurring in my body. This leads to anxiety, panic attacks, and more skipped heartbeats. Vicious circle!
I am having a difficult time at work and I feel as if I am being targeted
for dismissal. My anxiety level is high because I need to work. In my
60's it would not be easy to get aanother job. My head tells me and I know in my heart that God in in control but the anxiety seems to still
creep in and sometimes immbolizes me. I want t have that peace that
passes all understanding. I just keep in my mind Jeremiah 29:11 and try to rest in His promises but it is so difficult at times.
I find it near-impossible not to worry about this or that, even though I'm well aware of God's provision in my life. And then there are times that I'm thankful just to have a full stomach, a roof over my head, and a clean bed. Beyond whatever my personal needs might be, I worry about the future of America, the well-being of my children, and the endless strife in the world, as you mentioned. Sometimes I wonder why God will not answer my most desired prayers, especially if I think if he did I could do more for him. So many questions that I have no answers for. I stay in the word as much as I can, and look for a better life on the other side. So, I haven't said anything profound, or anything others aren't dealing with, but in the end, I figure I'll do the best I can, and let God work out the details. What else is there to do?
If I may say in the words of J Vernon McGee, it doesn't take anything but a little clouds to start forming and I get anxious.
He was speaking metaphorically, of course, and I actually like the sight of clouds, but I have to honestly say that I lose my peace over the most trivial things. Then again, this is always temporary, and there is hardly a day when I don't go to God at the end of it and rest in His hope. That's my only security. Like, Habakkuk, I can say that even if the fig tree withers, even if the fields no longer produce crops, even if the whole world is turned upside down, I can hope in God my Savior.
That's not to say that I won't lose my mind in the process of watching the whole world fall to pieces; oh, I most certainly would become distressed, but at the end of the day, or whenever I catch myself, I have to hope in God, who alone is wise and true, whereas all men are liars.
My anxiety/worry problem does not seem to be covered in John's book- my anxiety takes the form of anxiety attacks. For the past three years (after three flooded basements in as many months), I have had anxiety attacks before every rainstorm (it rains a couple times a week in Illinois). Why is it that God will not remove what I regard as a childish, unreasonable SIN that regularly paralyzes my life; something I seem to have no control over? I can thank God that the attacks are currently less intense (no more heart-stopping, less trembling of the hands, etc). Still, I have swaths of wasted life every week, and little real joy in my life, despite dozens of hours of prayer...
FOR: Sebastian #299 Galante - Post#6
I will admit I cannot put myself in your shoes, but I can tell you that when you meet and marry that Christian woman that God has for you; all those worries and the anxiety of looks et al will melt away like a wax figurine before a blast furnance. Then you ask yourself; what was I so concerned about...God was in control all of that time-Praise you LORD!
I would love to share my worry stories, but there would be too many and i am finally just letting go and resting in Christ. Charles Spurgeon has a book titled "Finding peace in Life's Storms" - "Christ in you, the hope of Glory - Colossians 1:27
The ISBN is the following: 0-88368-479-9 and I believe Igot my copy at Amazon.
Remember that worry is a form of doubt when we feel we are no longer in control or something is truly beyond our control but One is faithful and the one who trusts in Him as matter of habit knows that He is both reliable and sovereign and therefore let us rest and grow in trust and in faith because He is the Anchor of our souls and the Anchor which does not bend in the greatest of life's storms.
God bless everyone and Pastor MacArthur - perhaps a redue of 1617 "Is the Doom of the World Near?" and bring us up to speed and change the title to "Signs of our Hope are nearer than when we first believed" - Selected Scriptures...LOL
God bless everyone and the Lord will nor can He let us down-never! Amen
Proverbs 12:25
Psalm 38
Lamentations 3
For me, I cause Anxiety. As soon as I look at myself I become very anxious. Lately for me I've become very anxious about fellowship.
I overcome it by The Word and prayer. I meditate on God's promise and character. Then I go to God in prayer to Change my heart to trust Him.
All fears, worries, anxieties etc. melt away when I'm reminded of our Lord's return. The sooner the better.
Just discovering my wife has a rare & aggressive form of cancer. We are trusting in the sovereignty of the Lord at this point.
#8 Hi James Moore,
Sorry to get off the subject of anxiety, but have
you ever tried Cayenne pepper with warm water?
Works great! It helps with circulation,high blood
pressure, etc...Very effective!
Dale Morton
What's frustrating is when I don't worry then I worry...
Worry was a biggest obstacle in my life before I recieved Christ in my life.. I used to have fear that corners me that I could'nt move ahead in life..
Trusting Jesus is only way to break the barriers... Amen..
Worry is a sin.. Did'nt know that growing up as a kid.. Amen..
My finance left me 8 weeks ago and since then I have come to know Christ... I still cry every day and don't feel the happiness that other Christians around me have. I am so depressed and confused and anxious. Does anyone have any scripture that can help me during this tortured time?
i've read your little booklet on anxiety John because i've been battling it for the last 11 month and then a few other times in the last 3 years and i have to say that my problem i've noticed is the inability to control negative thoughts that seem to try to get me to worry about my health. As another commenter said, heart palps or any pain that the enemy or my own mind tries to tell me is something serious and i need to be concerned about it. It's horrible and to not be taking any meds for it is so hard. I know trust and my faith in the Lord is the key and replacing the negative thoughts with positive thoughts(phil 4:8). For some reason it's not been easy to do to effect change in my physical symptoms. i have been studying His word daily and praying it daily and asking the Lord to open the eyes of my understanding that i might see that He's already won my victory i just have to walk in that. Appreciate your prayers and your ministry.
i can very much appreciate where you are coming from i have been battling the same thing. it's horrible and i've been battling for 11 months now. have you gotten victory over it yet? i'm praying for victory every day
first time commenting. my last comment was to James Moore's comment
Chris #17,
I will be praying for you and your wife. Know that by trusting in God you will be encouraging the brethren around you and will be baffling unbelievers. Even to the point of them asking where you get your hope 1 Peter 3:15. God may be opening up opportunities for you to share the gospel with others. Just keep trusting in our awesome God.
I truly believe Christians are under attack....Satan does not want us to be happy.....we need to trust God in all our circumstances...look at Job...he lost everything.....its not about stuff its about knowing Him....."Cast all your care on Him for He careth for you" 1 Peter 5:7 "Before I was afflicted I went astray" Psalm 119....He is forming us to His Image....Christ came as a Sacrifice and we are not asked any less....we are to live for Him not self....The lost world is watching and waiting for the Truth....we are to live that truth...Thank you GTY for ministering to our family for so many years and giving us the clear word of God....with boldness and passion for the God who made us to be like Him and live with Him forever. Anxiety is a Sin and its not trusting God....and we will continue to have it until we let Him direct our lives....he is doing something in it.....and it will be where it hurts....to wake us up....Praying for all My brothers and sisters in Christ....live for Him and others ...."Love the lord your God with all your heart mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself... Gods Blessings to you ...Number 6:24 ....
As my understanding of God's Word has increased, I have learned to trust Him more and more, but one thing that can still lead me into worry is the thought of losing my husband, and facing life without him.
TO: Posted by Chris Hohnholz | Monday, October 29, 2012at 7:23 PM
QUOTE: Just discovering my wife has a rare & aggressive form of cancer. We are trusting in the sovereignty of the Lord at this point.
FOR: Mr. & Mrs. Hohnholz:
Father, I and others, pray for Chris and His wife as they go through the ultimate test of faith and I know that you will and always have taken care of your own. Make that reality strong in their hearts and minds and increase, not only theirs, but all of our faith, hope and trust in You and hold-fast to Your promises in Christ Jesus...So Be It
TO: Posted by Robert Tempas (see post #12)| Monday, October 29, 2012at 10:18 AM
My anxiety/worry problem does not seem to be covered in John's book- my anxiety takes the form of anxiety attacks. ET-AL.
Hi Mr. Tempas (may I call you brother Robert?),
My neighbor across the street had the exact same problem and even the same number of basement floods and they profess to be Christians. They found a solution that used a series of pipe systems connected into the sump-pump and then off to the main sewer and they resolved the problem and the anxieties that came with it. Of course it was not free and your financial situation may not be like theirs - I believed it cost them around $3,500.00 to have this completed and now they live in peace and no anxiety.
Perhaps you cannot afford to do such a thing, but I would be willing to say that at your church or a neighbor in your neighborhood has the ability and the knowledge to fix what causes the problem. God gives people in our lives for these things, but we, as fallen humans, have a difficult time asking for help, but you must take a step of faith and just ask for help if you cannot afford to hire someone. I will be praying for you as I send this post. Remember that God hears your prayers and in his perfect timing and His way He will answer your prayer, but sometimes it is answered by how we respond as i have mentioned above.
God bless you and may God greatly increase your faith, trust and love for Him and may He do the same for all of us for we can never be satisfied with the amount of love, faith and hope in Him that we currently have or as we would like... for we are still in fallen human flesh and He knows that. The spirit in our inner being is willing, but our flesh is so weak and He knows these things and He loves us unconditionally anyway---praise Him!
As a new Christian, perhaps the entire gospel of John would be comforting to you. It is a great start to experiencing Jesus Christ through the Scriptures. One of my first memories as a Christian, which happened in my adulthood, was where Nathaniel was amazed that the Lord knew him by name as he sat under the tree, and Jesus responded that he would see much greater things than these in the kingdom of God.
Also, consider Romans 8.
Less than a year after coming to faith, my wife left me, we divorced. Christ is still by my side, I've remarried and we've had six children together.
This morning, the Lord clearly let me know he cares for me and that I can cast my worries on Him. I read about faith that related to my anxious day I experienced yesterday in My Utmost for His Highest.
"Only trust Him, only trust Him, only trust Him now. He will save you, He will save you now."
TO: Posted by Barry Foster (see Post #22) | Monday, October 29, 2012at 8:23 PM
In your post, it is difficult for me to tell if you are battling some sort of chronic physical pain, which often leads to mental anxieties and/or depression, but it sounds as though you are.
If this is the case that you are suffering chronic pain, there is no reason not to see a neurologist that specializes in pain management - that is what I have for the past 7 or more years. It has been so bad that it cost me my job. friends, and forced my wife to "switch" roles - we have children of age 7 & 12. This has not been an easy transition nor an easy test of faith either, but by God's grace we have overcome a lot and now it is a day-by-day battle, but the war has already been won and that is where the focus must be - on our great Hope, which is Christ.
There is nothing wrong with pain medication; it is a gift of God and I can't imagine what I would do without the Epidural Steroid Injections, Botox injections, and the strong pain relievers.
I do stay away from antidepressants because they cause depression for me and studies that are easily found on sites like WEBMD will show they are as effective as placebo, but those decisions are between you and your doctor, but do your homework and keep your spouse (if married) in the loop and do not be afraid to seek help.
None of it takes away all the pain and their are days when the pain just cannot be controlled, but i just have learned that i can make it through this day by His grace and tender mercies and if the Lord should give me a tomorrow, then I am one day closer to being with Him and often the next day is better from the physical/mental pain perspective.
The key is to stay in the Word, prayer and not to be afraid to ask for help. God uses people all the time to help comfort us and if you think about it; God saves by the hearing of the Gospel and no one receives the Holy Spirit apart the the hearing and believing the Gospel.
On days when I cannot or do not feel like reading I have purchased the NKJV "the Word of Promise" (Audio Bible), which is the entire Bible on either CD or MP3 and I just pop it into my boombox or computer and have His word read to me. This can be found at your local Christian bookstore or at places like Amazon and it is not a monotone nor boring /hard to listen to reading. In fact it uses dramatizations with different voices and really makes the Word of God come alive in a way that regular reading does not. Sometimes I take my NKJV of the MacArthur Bible and just follow along and pause at places where I want read John's notes for greater understanding.
I know this was lengthy, but I hope and pray that you are blessed by this and I pray for you and everyone else here as we are all going to look back and it will be like a vapor after seconds with our great High Priest, Jesus Christ! Come Lord Jesus come!
When I have struggled with anxiety in the past, it has been centered around my children... having fear something will happen to them. I realized that I was not trusting God when I did that so I confessed it as sin, not trusting God and for loving my kids more than loving God, my children were an idol in that way. It is God that numbers our days and he will not take us from this earth one day later or one day sooner than he has ordained. I find a lot of comfort in: To live is Christ and to die is gain.
My husband use to struggle with anxiety attacks to the point of using medication and even having to go to the ER which didn't really help the underlying issue and in fact caused more issues. When he stopped taking medication for it and confessed it as sin instead of a disease that the psychiatrist's say it is, it went away and he didn't have it anymore. He hasn't had an anxiety attack in 3 years and we have gone through some of the most difficult circumstances of our life in that 3 year period. Both of us had a parent pass away (my mother, and his father), shortly after his father passed away, he was laid off from a job and we moved across country for him to take a new job. Through all of that, God taught us to rely on Him alone and He has been faithful. We submit our lives to His will and plan.
I , too, was (before conversion) and still am, but as I replace my thoughts with His thoughts I find peace. ie, "Be not conformed to the world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" this is a daily spiritual exercise.
I will be better at it some days than others, but when I stay intentional, God's peace that passes all understanding fills my mind and heart.
Today, I am not being that intentional, but I am encouraged by all the blogs and GTY helps with Dr. MacArthur. I will stay focused and "know that my redeemer lives"
i have found worry to be very effective. with very rare exception the things i worry about don't happen. ;)
I have read pastor John's book "Anxiety Attacked" ten fold over. This has been a great help in enjoying Gods peace, and getting rid of my crippling worries. It does however remain a constant effort to have your mind continually renewed with this lovely message. Do it in continuous prayer.
I am going through probably the most anxiety provoking time of my life thus far. My mom died, a dear friend and sister in the Lord. I lost my job. Have discovered that I am in nursing burnout after 22 years of working in a hospital. I'm living off of some retirement money right now and unemployment (a first). I am so overwhelmed at the prospect of going back into the nursing field I can't even say. Can't seem to find a job that is a right fit. The family I have left are all unbelievers and so I feel very alone without support. Although I am in a very good church, others do not understand the pain and anxiety I am under and so cannot give good godly advice always, like just listening or just encouraging me rather than telling me all that I should do. They just think if I get a job that will end the problem. Yet I know that the LORD has said to me at the beginning of this all "Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" Ps 46:10 and "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling." Ps 46:1-3.
It feels as if all is giving way in my life right now. Nothing that is seen is secure. Yet the Lord brings peace to my heart as I sit in His presence. All I know to do is run to Him in my fear! He is all I have. I believe He has led me to this place so that I would not look at any other then He.
May God give you grace and peace.
The Faith of the Thessalonian Believers
2 We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. 3 As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.
4 We know, dear brothers and sisters,[b] that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people. 5 For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance[c] that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you. 6 So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord. 7 As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece—throughout both Macedonia and Achaia.[d]
8 And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don't need to tell them about it, 9 for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God. 10 And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God's Son from heaven—Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment
From this aftermath of 'Sandy' Hurricane... Trust Jesus and remember God is in control.. Amen.. God bless...
I have struggled with anxiety for many years. Sometimes I am more obedient than other times and pray, meditate and quote scriptures more often. Though it seems the more I pray to have God remove the anxiety from me the more trials I get that make me anxious. Some of the things that make me anxious are my two young disabled children (severe autism and mental retardation) and their future care, my disabled husbands constant debilitating afflictions, my disabilities and daily just wondering how we are going to make through each day with so many needs. God does want us to depend on Him. Many times He removes the people I try to depend on and proves He is faithful and some how gets us through another day. Though I do need to be wise and not take on more than we handle.
Psalm 62:8 Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
Psalm 94:19 In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.
Col. 3:2 Set your affection (mind NKJ) on things above, not on things on the earth.
Based on the number of comments, it is evident that this is a topic that is on many people's minds. It is really great to see believers encouraging one another, even those they don't know.
In June, my company had some massive layoffs. I was not one of them, but I did have to lay off a direct report. The rumors following these layoffs were that the layoffs were not complete, and though nothing has happened since (yet), the murmur of potential further layoffs still bubbles beneath the surface. I was so anxious about this, that I had to go to my doctor to have him prescribe me some anti-anxiety meds so that I could sleep at night. I took them for about a week, and after getting back to normal, discontinued them, and I have been fine since. Thank you, Lord.
I guess the main issue is, as my pastor says, that I trust in my bank account balance more than I do in God. "If only I had X dollars, I'd be OK, I wouldn't have anything to worry about ..." But God is sovereign even over our financial situation. It is easy enough to say, but hard to believe at times.
I recently had a discussion with a friend of mine about Trusting God. My friend said that we basically have no choice -- we HAVE to trust God, because God is the one who is in control of all things. We like to think that we are in control, but we are not. I have been thinking about this, and I believe my trust in God has been increasing.
I have also been reading JM Boice's commentary on Romans, and I recently read a section where he was discussing Philippians 4:19 -- "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." The story Boice related was about a Christian who had lost everything, who was literally starving, and who recited this verse and wondered how this related to his situation, in light of Matthew 7:25-34, where Jesus tells His followers that our Father will provide us what we need -- food, clothing, etc. What this Christian came to realize is that sometimes God has us starve for a while, because that is what we need in order to grow closer to him.
I think the main thing that causes most of us to be anxious is that we are uncertain how things will turn out in the future. I postulate that if we did KNOW how things were going to turn out -- whether good or bad -- that we would have little to no anxiety. Yet we DO know how things will work out -- Romans 8:28 tells us that God works out all things for the good of those who love him. It is just that we often don't see how our situation can be for our good or the good of those around us. This is when we need to trust in God and in his love for us. Proverbs 3:5-6
I know this is much easier said than done, and I struggle with this myself, but I pray that we may all come to trust in God and in his love for us, whatever our circumstances may be.
#40 Patty,
Stand firm. You can do this (not of yourself) and Christ will be glorified as you do.
Peter as he concludes his letter says. "I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it." 1 Peter 5:12
We rest, work and wait with you for Jesus.
Praise the Lord for His sovereignty! Yes, We do believe and know that God is in sovereign control of even the smallest details, and we should rest in His constant care for His people.
…God knows and sees everything in our life, in our hearts (struggles, pain, trials, worries, weakness, anxiety…) but "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28) and we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7) We need to pray and ask God to help us through the Holy Spirit to help us (1 Cor. 2:10-12). Our struggles, pain, trials, worries, weakness, and anxiety are because of our sinful nature but we have been a new life in Christ, our Lord Jesus Christ is powerful, Holy, loving, merciful, so I would like to encourage and pray for us as we are brothers and sisters in Christ, be thankful to God in all circumstances, and for His presence (Eph. 5:20; 1 Thes. 5:18). Stand in His strength alone, on His Truth. Also we know our God, and as the apostles Paul and Peter said, by His divine power, He has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the One who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence. And because of His glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ (2 Pet. 1:3-4; Eph. 1:3) and "Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later" (Romans 8:18).
All things we see are just temporary! We are waiting for our King Jesus Christ, He is faithful, and He is coming soon! I am so excited to see Him face to face!! So let us fix our eyes and our hearts on everything above which is our really home in heaven!
Thank you GTY Staff for your faithful service to God, may God bless you. As followers of Jesus Christ we must hold firmly to the word of life (Phil 2:16) and I pray that each of us might know the height and depth and length and breadth of the love of Christ for us.
For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. All glory to him forever! Amen. (Rom 11:36)
All, Thanks again for sharing and encouraging, to the Lord Jesus Christ be the glory.
I've struggled with anxiety and anger since I was sexually abused as a child. The anxiety has taken on a more extreme form as I've gotten older, often turning into terror in response to being in the presence of people with "strong" personalities. Alcohol served as a crutch in my teen years and giving it up at 20 made my underlying fears more challenging to cope with, but after accepting Jesus as my Saviour at 19, the fear gradually lessened. Once I turned 40 last year, I have distanced myself from being around family members who were party to the abuse or denied it happened and relied on God as my true Father. Since then, my level of trust and knowledge of God's all sufficiency has dramatically increased. My wife's and my financial circumstances have forced me to walk or bike to work which has also turned out to be a blessing: now my stress eases out of me as I listen to praise and worship music while exercising. During my biking and walking trips around town, not only does the anxiety lift but I have also become increasingly aware of the sheer power and glory of our Great God. As a child, I channeled my frustrations through sports so exercise definitely plays a part, but just seeing the glory of God while listening to the "Passion" CD, put out by Chris Tomlin, Kristian Stanfield, and others, has been such a tremendous blessing; I am at a loss for words to tell you (and I'm a writer!). I have also been re-reading the Gospel of John and meditating on Jesus and His miracles. Seeing God as bigger than my fears through visual and verbal means has been the answer in addition to the work of the Holy Spirit. Quoting Scripture, even the marvelous passage in Philippians, hasn't been enough for me personally to break the bondage of fear, but seeing God's majesty, daily, has. Another breakthrough for me at work was following Christ's example of washing the disciples feet before He dying on the cross for us. I've realized that if Christ can do what was once considered slave-work, then I can wash some dishes at work or volunteer to do the things no one else wants to do. I realize now after some hard life lessons on the work front that nothing is beneath me in terms of work or service. In fact, now that I am in better physical condition, I realize that I am equipped to do things that others can't or struggle to complete; so in a way, I consider it my job to take on the hard tasks. Instead of asking "why me?" I think, "why not me?"and "I need to do this because our Lord and Saviour took on flesh to do it." Interestingly enough, taking on the role of servant has made others more open to my inroads with the Gospel as well. Others are much more apt to respond to acts of kindness than knowledge oration (I Corinthians 13). The process of sanctification continues (I'm still a long ways off), but God has shown me a lot this last year, and I look forward to what the future holds for all believers as we serve Him to His Glory.
As a 16 year old, I struggle with this
2012 Election...And sometimes I get overwhelmed
about how people are soo blind...The more I read
God's Word, I realize that spiriual blindness is
worse than mere blindness...I should be more concerned
about preaching the Gospel...Not worried over
the Election...Which is very close!:) My prayer for this country
is GOD'S WILL BE DONE!!!! PRAISE GOD for eternal life!
Hi, First I want to thank you so much for being solid ground in a world full of shifting sand. Your ministry has been a source of real strength for me and I look to your site daily for nourishment in the Word. Thank you for being faithful to God's Word and for not being one of those churches that believe the culture needs to be brought in, in order for GOD to be relevant to us. My greatest source of anxiety to date is the fact that my older children are not walking with the Lord and as I see the Day of the Lord approaching I get concerned that they will not be among the church that is raptured. They were raised in church, went to sunday school, youth group, awana, etc...the typical churched kids I suppose, but the world has deceived them and they are having too much fun. Another thing is that my son has decided that he gay...enough said! I do trust the Lord and my hope is in Him for all of these issues (and there are more). I believe His Word to be absolute truth and that He is faithful to keep His promises, but there always seems to be a "but what if" that goes along with that (which just confirms that I am doubting Him) which causes me more anxiety... :) What if my children are not sealed with the Holy Spirit, what if their confessions as small children do not account for anything, what if the rapture occurs and they are not among those taken, what if they choose the world and not the Lord...These are the things that fill me with anxiety. We lost our house to a foreclosure when my husband was out of work for 9 months, we had our car repossessed, and some health concerns but during that time God took care of us and blessed us with a peaceful time of trial, He gave my family an incredible amount of faith to trust Him during those times and He answered our prayers when it was His time to do so, He taught us a lot during that time. I never had a problem with anxiety during that time, but to not know the end result of my children's lack of faith and commitment to the Lord is what gives me the greatest anxiety. Thank you for listening and for the opportunity to share. God bless you and keep you!
I am a sinner just like everyone else. I am wretched and undeserving, but God is gracious and merciful. He is the good one. I am redeemed and forgiven. Yes I still wrestle with the flesh. I still struggle daily with worry, fear and anxiety. But, I am so thankful for the Word of God that is quick and powerful and sharper than a two edged sword in our lives. It heals us and cleanses us of our sins. I am thankful that even when I am in the pit of selfishness, God rescues me from it. We won't be perfect until we get to heaven, but we who know Christ as Savior have the power of God living in and through our lives. We are more than conquerors through Christ. His Holy Spirit brings us the victory daily to overcome the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil. He is our refuge, our strength and our shield. He is an ever present help in time of need. When we draw near to Christ, He (His Holy Spirit) draws near to us. When we resist the devil, he has to flee from us! When we praise and glorify Christ in all things, he fills our hearts overflowing with joy. :) Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. When I am down and get desparate, I am thankful that it causes my eyes to look up to Him. He is the only one that can rescue me. Where else can I go? If Christ is not real, than I am the most miserable person in the world because my hope is fixed trusting in the Lord. In the times I am afraid, I am always running back to Jesus. As a Christian, there is no other option. He is exclusively THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND MY LIFE. What else are we living for if not for Christ? What else is our purpose for here on earth if not for Christ? He is EVERYTHING.
I love Spurgeon's Morning Devotions on June 6 that speaks about our unbelief and our worries. I LOVE this. It is profound. I've sprinted it on parchment and framed it and placed it in my bedroom.
"Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands." -- Isaiah 49:16
No doubt a part of the wonder which is concentrated in the word "Behold," is excited by the unbelieving lamentation of the preceding sentence. Zion said, "The Lord hath forsaken me, and my God hath forgotten me." How amazed the divine mind seems to be at this wicked unbelief! What can be more astounding than the unfounded doubts and fears of God's favored people? The Lord's loving word of rebuke should make us blush; He cries, "How can I have forgotten you, when I have graven you upon the palms of my hands? How dare you doubt my constant remembrance, when the memorial is carved upon My own flesh?" O unbelief, how strange a marvel you are! We know not which most to wonder at, the faithfulness of God or the unbelief of His people. He keeps His promise a thousand times, and yet the next trial makes us doubt Him. He never fails; He is never a dry well; He is never as a setting sun, a passing meteor, or a melting vapor; and yet we are as continually troubled with anxieties, molested with suspicions, and disturbed with fears, as if our God were the mirage of the desert. "Behold," is a word intended to excite admiration. Here, indeed, we have a theme for admiration. Heaven and earth may well be astonished that rebels should obtain so great a nearness to the heart of infinite love as to be written upon the palms of His hands. "I have graven YOU. "It does not say, "your name." The name is there, but that is not all: "I have graven you." See the fulness of this! I have graven your person, your image, your circumstances, your sins, your temptations, your weaknesses, your wants, your works; I have graven you, everything about you, all that concerns you; I have put you altogether there. Will you ever say again that your God hath forsaken you when He has graven you upon His own palms?
August, #21...I tried to post a direct response to your post about you feeling "depressed and confused and anxious", but it didn't work. I hope you find this response next time you log in.
I am not sure what else is going on in your life, but I always examine myself for sin when I am struggling with depression or anxiety. That's always a good place to start. Once you've confessed your sin, repent and turn your back on it. Starve your flesh of it and read God's Word.
Below are some scriptures I turn to when I am feeling the way you've been feeling. Beyond these, just continue to soak up the truth of scripture. Some days I just have to ignore my depression and anxiety and focus on God's glorious truth.
Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
Ephesians 3:20 (New King James Version)
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
Isaiah 26:3
3 "The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,
Because he trusts in You.
1 John 4:4
4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
Philippians 4:13
13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Romans 12:1-2
1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Philippians 4:6-7
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-19, 21-24 (New King James Version)
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit.
21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. 23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
1 Peter 5:6-7
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,
7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
Psalm 139: 23-24
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.
Bro.James Moore stole the words from my mouth, same here: Skipped heart beats or anything related to something physically abnormal occurring in my body. This leads to anxiety, panic attacks, and more skipped heartbeats. Vicious circle!
Will undergo heart checkup today. Prayers from all will be appreciated.
It is about 2 hours until the polls open on the most important election in my lifetime. I have been awake praying and "worrying" and crying out to God. I know He is in charge and can use anyone to do his will. I know in my head that God's plans are perfect and we know how the war is won. But the daily battles on this earth, right now in this election cycle, loom very large in my worrying mind.
I pray His will be done, and wonder/worry what His will is and what we (and our grandchildren) will be living through until Jesus returns.
I praise God for His faithfulness in the face of my faithlessness. Will this nation ever live 2 Chronicles 7:14?
What did God say to us?
"Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." (James 5:16) (NKJV)
... He hears our prayers and then answers them according to His will.
What ever He does we thank Him."Now therefore, our God, We thank You And praise Your glorious name. (1 Chronicles 29:13)
God's will be done. Amen.
Hello, I suffer with panic and anxiety disorder for the last 2 years!! I hate it!! I have now been put on medicine to help with calming me down!! It got soooo bad, I was having a panic attack everyday!! It is a horrible thing! I look forward to hearing some good news to help me with this!! Thanks.
Trudy, I assume you are aware that the following posts in this series all address the subject of anxiety. I hope the material is a blessing and a help. If, after reading them, you still have unanswered questions, please let us know.
Hello Trudy Lindsay,
I don't know exactly the problem, but only thing we have to do is to run run run to the Lord Jesus Christ, He is sovereign, powerful enough to help us. He knows and sees everything. He is in control and in charge. We know that God hates sin whatever is, little or big.
When I read your word " you hate it" that is wonderful Lindsay! because God hates sin. I remember too what Paul said in Romans 7.
I would like to remind you that only thing we can do is to : come humbly to God, admit your sin and confess it(1 John 1:9), forsake it and ask the Holy Spirit to change inside-out of your body and let the Divine Truth(the Word of God fill your mind and heart( Eph 4:18, Col 3:16). Don't let the Devil and his lust to control your life, let the Lord His Word to change you. The Lord says: Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. I pray for you and I hope that God will help you through everything and give you a strength to fight your struggle.
Don't let the devil to rob your joy and peace from the Lord, don't forget what God says to His people: "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."(James 4:7)
Lindsey, God loves you and hate sin. I encourage you to read, meditate, obey the Word of God. When we do that we win and the devil lose and flee. Remember: We have victory in Christ. He is everything for us and His Word is first medicine for our soul, heart, mind and body.
If you would like to communicate with me this is my address email: email@example.com.
May the Lord bless you and protect you. Enjoy our holy and sweet relationship with Christ. Love in Christ. Pray for you, don't lose heart!
PS: I am so sorry if you see some wrong word in my comment.
or browse by Topic or


text:
I'd like to have the measurements of the U.S. Standard X-Bridge as I'd like to install it in my guitar.
I need the exact measurements of the baseplate and post spacing, both in millimeters.
I know the post spacing is 2.2" which equals 55.88mm, but would like to have official confirmation on the millimeters measurement since I don't know how accurate the unit conversion is. My guitar's bridge post spacing is 56.11 mm, very close, but I wanna know if it'll work.
Thanks for your help!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A Warm Welsh Welcome {Croeso Cynnes Cymraeg}
Come on in, we're waiting to welcome you...
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text:
Begley, Louis
Louis Begley 1933-
(Born Ludwik Begleiter) Polish-born American novelist.
The following entry provides an overview of Begley's career through 2003.
Although he did not begin writing until age fifty-five, Begley's literary debut, the novel Wartime Lies (1991), became a highly celebrated and award-winning publication. Focusing on a young Jewish boy in Nazi-occupied Poland, Wartime Lies has been compared to works by Primo Levi, Jerzy Kosinski, and other Holocaust writers; Begley's other novels have drawn comparisons to works by Edith Wharton and Henry James. While much of his writing contains autobiographical elements, Begley strongly emphasizes the fictional aspects of his works. Critics have praised his witty narratives and unapologetic presentation of flawed characters—elements that have proven popular with readers and reviewers alike. Begley's fourth novel, About Schmidt (1996), was adapted into a successful, award-winning motion picture starring Jack Nicholson in 2002.
Biographical Information
Begley was born in Stryj, Poland (located in present-day Ukraine) on October 6, 1933, to Edward, a Jewish physician, and his wife, Frances. When Germany invaded Poland in 1939, Begley's father, who worked as a physician for the Russian army, was forced to retreat with the Russians, leaving his wife and son stranded in occupied Poland. To avoid being sent to concentration camps, Begley and his mother obtained false papers and pretended to be Polish Catholics. Many of the difficulties and strife they experienced provide the basis for Wartime Lies. At the end of the war the family was reunited. They briefly relocated to Paris and in 1947 moved to New York. Begley graduated from Brooklyn's Erasmus Hall High School in 1950 and earned a scholarship to Harvard University. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1953 and in 1954 earned a summa cum laude degree in English literature.
After graduation, Begley registered for the draft and served eighteen months in Germany with the U.S. Army 9th Division. In 1956 he married Sally Higginson, whom he met at Harvard, and enrolled in Harvard Law School. Upon graduation he accepted a position at Debevoise & Plimpton, a prestigious Manhattan law firm. His marriage to Higginson ended in 1970 and in 1974 he married Anka Muhlstein, a French-born writer. In 1989, at the age of fifty-five, Begley began to write his first work, Wartime Lies. The novel received the PEN/Hemingway Award, the Aer-Lingus International Fiction Prize, and the Prix Médicis Etranger. Begley continues to work for Debevoise & Plimpton and writes on weekends and on summer sabbaticals. He resides with Anka in New York City and vacations yearly in Venice, Italy.
Major Works
Wartime Lies recounts the hardships of six-year-old orphan Maciek and his resilient and resourceful Aunt Tania—both Jews in German-occupied Poland during World War II. Tania protects Maciek and, through a succession of ruses and fabrications, she and Maciek survive extermination by posing as Catholics. The false pretenses save them, but Maciek has difficulty maintaining his real identity after many years of presenting an untrue image of himself. At the conclusion of the novel, the narrator—an aging man who is acknowledged as the present-day Maciek—states that his childhood was too horrible to remember; that Maciek's story is just another lie passed off as the truth by the narrator. The topic of fabricated identity is also a main theme in Begley's second novel, The Man Who Was Late (1993). The protagonist, Ben, is a man haunted by his past—he too is a Holocaust survivor—and he tries to suppress his memories of childhood. He recreates his past in an attempt to achieve personal perfection, surrounding himself with the finest goods, socializing with the elite, and presenting himself as a sophisticated, elegant man. Because he expends extravagant effort on controlling himself, he cannot release his emotions, causing difficulties in his relationships. Through complicated decisions he loses his marriage, the affection of his stepchildren, a chance at true love, and ultimately his own life. In As Max Saw It (1994) Begley introduces another man of privilege, detached from human relationships. Max is coerced into a friendship with Charlie, an overbearing college acquaintance, and Toby, Charlie's Adonis-like lover. Max tries to maintain his distance but when Toby begins to die from AIDS, Max is torn between his desire to remain aloof and his newly acquired sense of responsibility to his friend. Death and mortality become the main points of focus in Mistler's Exit (1998). Mistler has been diagnosed with inoperable liver cancer and is given only a few months to live. Although he is married and has a son, he decides to keep his condition secret and travels to Venice under the pretense of a business trip. While in Venice he becomes involved in a brief, torrid affair with a much younger woman, reunites with an old flame from college, and contemplates his life and impending death. Many critics have interpreted the character of Mistler as a vehicle for Begley to explore what he regards as a warped sense of ethics and morals present in America's elite social circles. Begley continues to examine moral flaws of the wealthy in modern America in About Schmidt (1996) and Schmidt Delivered (2000). Albert Schmidt is a lonely and unlikable man—argumentative, self-centered, and an anti-Semite. His inflexible views and politically incorrect stances are considered status quo among his elite circle of friends. He is confronted with his anti-Semitic viewpoints when Charlotte, his only child, marries a Jewish lawyer. In his search for contentment, he begins an affair with Carrie, a Puerto Rican waitress younger than his daughter. Through Carrie, Schmidt finds happiness and begins to gain some measure of tolerance, but ultimately remains steadfast in his ways, and in Schmidt Delivered, he loses Carrie because of his selfishness and intractability. In Shipwreck (2003) Begley examines a married man who obsessively desires a young woman. As in his other novels, Begley dispassionately writes about the man's trials—neither excusing the man's behavior nor condemning it, but merely presenting the story to let readers pass judgment.
Critical Reception
Upon publication, Wartime Lies was viewed as an astoundingly accomplished first novel. Critics have applauded Begley's depiction of identity loss and the survivor's guilt common among Holocaust survivors. While critical response to Wartime Lies was overwhelmingly positive, Begley's other novels have elicited mixed opinions. Some reviewers have been disgusted by the shallowness of such characters as Mistler and Schmidt. Conversely, others have found that Begley's creation of these unlikable men—and his sympathetic portrayal of them—is skillful, shrewd, and appealing to readers. Commentators have complimented Begley's clear prose and elegant phrasing, and his novels have been noted for unmasking the façade of perfection among the social elite. Thomas Hines wrote "Begley uses his intimate attunement to the language, habits and assumptions of the upper classes to reveal the tiny cracks in the system and to excavate the subtle cruelties and disarray that lie quietly beneath the surface."
Principal Works
Wartime Lies (novel) 1991
The Man Who Was Late (novel) 1993
As Max Saw It (novel) 1994
About Schmidt (novel) 1996
Mistler's Exit (novel) 1998
Schmidt Delivered (novel) 2000
Shipwreck (novel) 2003
Janet Malcolm (review date 13 June 1991)
SOURCE: Malcolm, Janet. "A Matter of Life and Death." New York Review of Books 38, no. 11 (13 June 1991): 16-17.
[In the following review, Malcolm examines the nature of survival in Wartime Lies, pondering the effects on the young protagonist produced by random and indifferent deaths.]
Early in this chilling novel [Wartime Lies] about a Jewish boy named Maciek and his aunt Tania, who survive the Nazi years in Poland by acquiring false Aryan papers, the question of the child's circumcised penis is raised. As the narrator dryly points out, Jewish women could represent themselves as Aryans easily enough, but
with men,...
(The entire section is 2264 words.)
Bryan Cheyette (review date 16 August 1991)
SOURCE: Cheyette, Bryan. "Recapturing a Lost Childhood." Times Literary Supplement, no. 4611 (16 August 1991): 23.
[In the following review, Cheyette examines the protagonist's loss of identity in Wartime Lies, contending that the story is well written, but that Begley's ease with the language denotes his need to justify his own survival of the Holocaust.]
The Holocaust still claims its victims, to this day. The children of survivors, often the unwitting receptacles of their parents' suffering, have themselves begun to comprehend the ramifications for their own lives of a history which has been agonizingly repressed. Returning to the origins of this cycle of...
(The entire section is 864 words.)
Julian Duplain (review date 15 January 1993)
SOURCE: Duplain, Julian. "Loss Adjuster." New Statesman & Society 6, no. 235 (15 January 1993): 39.
[In the following review, Duplain applauds Begley's precise descriptions of places in The Man Who Was Late.]
Two years ago Louis Begley published his first novel, Wartime Lies, the story of a Jewish boy in eastern Poland who survived the Holocaust, almost alone from his family, by a mixture of assimilation and blind cunning. The horror was narrated from a distance of 40 years, across the Atlantic, by a reticent man with "a nice face and sad eyes" who nowadays reveals his suffering past only in the line of his jaw, never in conversation.
(The entire section is 702 words.)
Adam Mars-Jones (review date 22 January 1993)
SOURCE: Mars-Jones, Adam. "Ascending to Gentility." Times Literary Supplement, no. 4686 (22 January 1993): 19.
[In the following review, Mars-Jones questions Begley's ability to successfully balance the dispassion of the wealthy with the façade of sophistication that the protagonist in The Man Who Was Late strives to obtain.]
Ben, the protagonist of The Man Who Was Late, misses not mundane appointments—planes, trains, buses if he was the class of man to take them—but the highest kind of existential rendezvous, the meeting with his best self. He marries, for instance, the mother of young twins; infertile himself, he puts his heart and soul into...
(The entire section is 868 words.)
Julia Braun Kessler (review date 24 January 1993)
SOURCE: Kessler, Julia Braun. "Survivors' Shadows." Los Angeles Times Book Review (24 January 1993): 3, 7.
[In the following review, Kessler focuses on the psychological state of Ben, the protagonist in The Man Who Was Late, and probes Ben's relationship with Jack, the narrator.]
Ghosts hover over Louis Begley's second novel, The Man Who Was Late. Quite soon it begins to seem as if the most prominent among them is his own.
Begley's Wartime Lies, which appeared in 1991, was a stunning first book, nominated for prestigious prizes—the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award and others. Its account of a boy's...
(The entire section is 914 words.)
Gabriele Annan (review date 28 January 1993)
SOURCE: Annan, Gabriele. "Peacetime Lies." New York Review of Books 40, no. 3 (28 January 1993): 16-17.
[In the following review, Annan explores overt and subtle references to such classic authors as Rainer Maria Rilke, and Marcel Proust in The Man Who Was Late, praising Begley's structure and tone, and asserting that his writing is becoming more polished.]
Louis Begley published his first novel last year. It was autobiographical, about a young Jewish boy in occupied Poland being coached to pass as a Christian, and succeeding. It was called Wartime Lies. The new novel [The Man Who Was Late] is in many ways a sequel, and could well be called...
(The entire section is 1777 words.)
Georgia Jones-Davis (review date 28 April 1994)
SOURCE: Jones-Davis, Georgia. "Passion Bubbles over in a Rarefied World." Los Angeles Times (28 April 1994): E9.
[In the following review, Jones-Davis lauds Begley's understated writing style in As Max Saw It and analyzes the dynamics of the relationships between Max, his friend Charlie, and Charlie's lover, Toby.]
Louis Begley writes with intimate knowledge about patrician America—Eastern Old Money, Auchincloss country—but with a good deal less politeness or the submerged emotions of his literary upper-crust counterparts. This was true in his second novel, The Man Who Was Late, as well as in his newest, As Max Saw It.
(The entire section is 926 words.)
Louis Begley and Elizabeth Devereaux (interview date 2 May 1994)
SOURCE: Begley, Louis, and Elizabeth Devereaux. "PW Interviews: Louis Begley." Publishers Weekly 241, no. 18 (2 May 1994): 276-78.
[In the following interview, Begley discusses his career as a lawyer, his decision to write his first novel, and his opinions on illness and dying—further illuminating the portrayal of Toby's death in As Max Saw It.]
Louis Begley has just returned from business in Japan, but he brushes off the notion of jet lag. "I never have it," he says. Looking at the man in the unimpeachable gray suit, in his beautifully ordered corner office on the 25th floor of a building in midtown Manhattan, it's easy to believe him. It would take a...
(The entire section is 2256 words.)
Thomas Hines (review date 15 September 1996)
SOURCE: Hines, Thomas. "A Well-Behaved Bigot." Los Angeles Times Book Review (15 September 1996): 3.
[In the following review, Hines believes that although About Schmidt has an illogical and somewhat confusing ending, readers are not disappointed due to Begley's masterful storytelling.]
For most of his life, Albert Schmidt had it all [in About Schmidt]. Rising to partnership at the ancient and venerable New York law firm of Wood & King during the golden age of the American Century, Schmidt did all he was expected to do: He married a promising editor, entertained in his Fifth Avenue apartment, sent his only daughter to private schools and Harvard,...
(The entire section is 972 words.)
Francine Prose (review date 15 September 1996)
SOURCE: Prose, Francine. "The Lawyer in His Labyrinth." Washington Post Book World 26, no. 37 (15 September 1996): 5.
[In the following review of About Schmidt, Prose lauds Begley's depiction of an unsympathetic and unapologetic anti-hero, holding that the author's refusal to create a likeable character is refreshing in light of the glut of contemporary novels containing congenial and sensitive protagonists.]
Like many of us, Albert Schmidt—the retired lawyer at the center of Louis Begley's new novel [About Schmidt]—spends a certain fraction of his time fretting about personal finances, tallying the figures upon which his future depends. But among...
(The entire section is 862 words.)
Thomas R. Edwards (review date 31 October 1996)
SOURCE: Edwards, Thomas R. "Palm Beach Story." New York Review of Books 43, no. 17 (31 October 1996): 63-5.
[In the following review, Edwards discusses Begley's first three novels, asserting that About Schmidt is second in quality only to Wartime Lies. ]
The burden of Louis Begley's first novel, Wartime Lies (1991), was the dependence of life, in extreme conditions and perhaps ordinary ones too, on falsehood. Drawing on the author's childhood experiences, it tells how a seven-year-old Jewish boy called Maciek, with the help of his resourceful young aunt, survives the German occupation of Poland in World War II by pretending to be what he is not. The...
(The entire section is 3058 words.)
Victoria N. Alexander (essay date summer 1997)
SOURCE: Alexander, Victoria N. "Louis Begley: Trying to Make Sense of It." Antioch Review 55, no. 3 (summer 1997): 292-304.
[In the following essay, Alexander considers the use of irony in Begley's novels, asserting that the most sympathetic characters undergo difficult and painful experiences, but that Schmidt, Begley's least appealing character, is extremely fortunate.]
Louis Begley's first novel, Wartime Lies (1991), a semi-autobiographical account of a well-born Jewish boy who is able to elude the Nazis by purchasing a false identity, won the PEN/Hemingway Award, the Irish Times-Aer Lingus International Fiction Prize, and the Prix Médicis Etranger....
(The entire section is 5590 words.)
Allan Hepburn (essay date fall 1998)
SOURCE: Hepburn, Allan. "Lost Time: Trauma and Belatedness in Louis Begley's The Man Who Was Late." Contemporary Literature 39, no. 3 (fall 1998): 380-404.
[In the following essay, Hepburn discusses The Man Who Was Late within a psychoanalytic context and in relation to postmodern literary thought.]
After graduating from Harvard with a degree in English in 1954 and a degree in law in 1959, Louis Begley began a career as a lawyer with the firm Debevoise and Plimpton in New York City, specializing in international corporate law.1 Belatedly, Begley published his first novel, Wartime Lies, in 1991. Making up for lost time, he has...
(The entire section is 9910 words.)
Heller McAlpin (review date 19 October 1998)
SOURCE: McAlpin, Heller. "An Emptiness Worse Than Death." Los Angeles Times (19 October 1998): 5.
[In the following review, McAlpin provides a mixed assessment of Begley's Mistler's Exit.]
When Thomas Mistler, the anti-hero of Louis Begley's fifth novel [Mistler's Exit], read Anna Karenina as a boy, he impressed his father by sympathizing with Anna's husband, Karenin. His father, an investment banker whose sense of duty kept him from running off with the young Frenchwoman he loved, commented, "That's a very grown-up response, to sympathize with an unattractive man who is in an impossible situation."
Mistler is an unattractive man...
(The entire section is 511 words.)
Gabriele Annan (review date 5 November 1998)
SOURCE: Annan, Gabriele. "Pricks and Kicks." New York Review of Books 45, no. 17 (5 November 1998): 44-6.
[In the following excerpt, Annan proposes that in Mistler's Exit the ennui and dispassion in the narrative voice makes readers less interested in the protagonist's impending death.]
The novels by Louis Begley and Tim Parks, one American, the other English, present a violent contrast in tempo, temperament, and tone, and yet they have a lot in common. The half-hidden theme in both is free will: or rather its absence, which both heroes come to recognize and furiously resent. Both are highly cultivated, well-read, self-aware WASP males exercising their...
(The entire section is 1681 words.)
William H. Pritchard (review date winter 1999)
SOURCE: Pritchard, William H. "Fiction Rules." Hudson Review 51, no. 4 (winter 1999): 764-65.
[In the following excerpt, Pritchard provides a positive review of Mistler's Exit, asserting that Begley incorporates strong narrative skills within a compelling tale.]
I have it on reliable authority that Louis Begley, whose Holocaust memoir Wartime Lies (1991) won much acclaim, was graduated as one of the two summa degrees in the Harvard College class of 1954, the other being John Updike. For decades Begley contented himself with being a New York City lawyer, then in this decade has come forth with a series of books, among which his last one,...
(The entire section is 384 words.)
Steven G. Kellman (essay date June 1999)
SOURCE: Kellman, Steven G. "Louis Begley Joins the Firm." Hollins Critic 36, no. 3 (June 1999): 1-11.
[In the following essay, Kellman explores the lies and pretense that Begley's protagonists use to cover their respective pasts and to rewrite their respective futures.]
For nine-year-old Maciek [in Wartime Lies], fluency in German is no academic matter. As a fugitive Galician Jew during the Nazi occupation of Poland, he does not attend school, but language offers camouflage against those intent on exterminating all but Aryans. So, while careful to keep his identifying circumcision concealed from prying eyes, the boy masters the tongue of his tormentor by...
(The entire section is 4873 words.)
Carolyn See (review date 26 November 2000)
SOURCE: See, Carolyn. "The Artful Codger." Washington Post Book World (26 November 2000): X7.
[In the following review, See applauds Begley's characterizations and asserts that in Schmidt Delivered readers experience conflicting feelings regarding the protagonist.]
The only thing worse than being bound and gagged by life, tied down by hundreds of business and familial obligations, is to be cut loose from them entirely. Albert Schmidt, former husband of a successful literary agent, father to a loved but difficult daughter, and senior partner in a hot-shot law firm [in Schmidt Delivered], is a widower now, retired to the Hamptons, having been forced out...
(The entire section is 874 words.)
Peter Filkins (review date March 2001)
SOURCE: Filkins, Peter. "The Limits of Redemption." World & I 16, no. 3 (March 2001): 234.
[In the following review, Filkins traces Schmidt's trials, epiphanies of thought, and subsequent redemption in Schmidt Delivered.]
With the publication of Wartime Lies in 1991, Louis Begley stepped to the center of international letters with the deeply compelling tale of a young Polish Jew forced to abandon his childhood while waiting out World War II with his aunt, both of them disguised as Christians. Their harrowing efforts to escape detection by the Germans made for a powerful debut by a writer who took up the pen in late middle age after spending his entire...
(The entire section is 2775 words.)
Louis Begley and James Atlas (interview date summer 2002)
SOURCE: Begley, Louis, and James Atlas. "Louis Begley: The Art of Fiction CLXXII." Paris Review 44, no. 162 (summer 2002): 110-43.
[In the following interview, Begley discusses the difference between autobiography and fictionalization in his novels, lists his favorite authors and works of literature, and defends his protagonists against the charge of being unlikable and unsympathetic.]
Louis Begley was a lawyer with the distinguished white-shoe firm of Debevoise & Plimpton when he surprised his colleagues—and the literary world—by publishing his first novel, Wartime Lies, about a young Polish Jew caught up in the inferno of the Holocaust. The novel...
(The entire section is 8839 words.)
Kirkus Reviews (review date 15 August 2003)
SOURCE: Review of Shipwreck, by Louis Begley. Kirkus Reviews 71, no. 16 (15 August 2003): 1030.
[In the following review, the critic argues that the narrative in Shipwreck is both "rambling" and "overworked to the point of caricature."]
[Shipwreck is a] precious account of an American writer's love affair with a young Frenchwoman.
John North is someone who has pretty much achieved everything he could hope for in life. Happily married to a renowned New York physician, John is a well-regarded novelist with plenty of money, an extensive circle of friends (in America and abroad), a nice apartment in Manhattan, and a weekend...
(The entire section is 364 words.)
Further Reading
Begley, Louis. "About Schmidt Was Changed, but Not Its Core." New York Times (19 January 2003): L1.
Begley defends the film version of About Schmidt, noting that the movie changed certain elements of his book, but stayed true to the main themes of the novel.
Birkerts, Sven. "Alone and Aloof." Washington Post Book World 24, no. 17 (24 April 1994): 4.
Compares Begley's writing style to that of Henry James, but contends that in As Max Saw It, Begley leaves readers exasperated and confused, with many unanswered questions.
Buttenwieser, Paul. "A Survivor's...
(The entire section is 410 words.)


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Beer Battered Fish and Chips
- 4 large baking potatoes, cut into French fry strips
- Beer Batter:
- 1 (12-ounce) bottle beer
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon House Seasoning, recipe follows
- 1 1/2 pounds cod fillets, skinned with bones removed, and fish cut diagonally into 1-inch-wide strips (5 to 6-inches long)
In a Dutch oven, heat oil to 375 degrees F.
Fry potatoes until golden brown, roughly 10 minutes removing with a slotted spoon or spider. Hold in low oven to keep warm while cooking the fish.
Preheat oven to 225 degrees F,
In a large bowl, pour in 1 bottle of beer. Sift 1 1/2 cups flour into the bowl, whisking in gently until just combined, stir in House Seasoning. Pat fish dry and season on both sides with salt and pepper and coat the fish in the beer batter. Dredge the pieces of fish in 1/2 cup of remaining flour and slide into oil as coated. Fry fish, turning over frequently, until deep golden and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Fry remaining fish in batches, returning oil to 375 degrees F between batches.
Serve fish with French fries.
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen
Pairs Well With
Crisp, refreshing light beer
- Find easy pairings for your favorite recipes, Bobby's perfect picks and party ideas.
Cooking Tips
More Recipes and Ideas
Beer Batter Fish and Spicy Chips with Lemon-Habanero Tartar Sauce and Serrano Vinegar
Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay
Beer Battered Fish and Roasted Fries
Recipe courtesy of Bobby Deen
Beer and Chipotle-Battered Fish Tacos
Recipe courtesy of Michael Chiarello


text:
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
TomWill a tapered French rolling pin work as well: http://www.webstaurantstore.com/20-tapered-french-rolling-pin/124RPFS20.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=124RPFS20&utm_campaign=PLA&gclid=CNalhuP9tbUCFQKoPAodEy8Aeg ?Peter
....A pie pin is nothing more than a wood rod about 18-inches long and a minimum of 2-inches in diameter.... Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor
Wood dowel, wood closet rod, hardwood dowel....http://woodproducts.caldowel.com/birch-dowel-rods.aspx
Things I am assuming/guessing (maybe incorrectly) are, low hydration dough, heavily laminated, docked with significant rise time in cutter pan. Even if it is never possible to produce this at home, I am still interested in how they are able to produce this unique crust in a commercial setting.
To Bob and whoever else may know what I'm talking about: This pizza looks a lot like the pizza in that thread where, earlier this year, a member was asking for help in cloning a particular pizza joint somewhere in California but wouldn't reveal the name of the pizzeria or what city it's in or any other important things that might help us help her. Don't ya think? (I believe that thread began as a cheese-related question.)By the way, I believe fazzari may have shared a pic late in that thread that looked more like this kind of pizza than any of the pics I've linked to in this post. I'm not sure what the thread is titled, but maybe someone else remembers.
Ryan,This might be the thread you were thinking about. http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=29524.0.Norma
Ryan, I also thought of the threads you mentioned and re read them for ideas. Use of the term "significant rise" might be too vague and incorrect. After looking at the bottom of the crust while eating, which you can kind of see in the pic showing the bottom of the crust, looks to me like the area around each dock mark had spent some time in the pan after being cut before baking. Also seen in the lighter areas around the dock mark. I have made many laminated crusts before but haven't tried to recreate this, so obviously my thoughts could be way off with this one.
Pastry flour is generally 8-10% protein; King Arthur, as usual, is on the high end.
I bought a box of Swans Down cake flour today. It was the only thing I saw at Kroger that looked like it might be what I'm looking for. Is this what would be considered pastry flour?
Here are some recent Pizza Shoppe pics. It has been quite a long time since I have had it and it was great. The sauce and toppings are nothing special but the crust is unique and has amazing texture. It has a thin and crispy shell like a cracker crust but is much thicker and tender than a standard cracker crust with a rim filled with air pockets. This crust is so different than other cracker crusts, I wonder if there is any hope to produce something similar at home. I have read most of the laminated crust threads and am aware of the recipe and procedure posted earlier in this thread but was wondering if there were any new thoughts or ideas after seeing these pics. Things I am assuming/guessing (maybe incorrectly) are, low hydration dough, heavily laminated, docked with significant rise time in cutter pan. Even if it is never possible to produce this at home, I am still interested in how they are able to produce this unique crust in a commercial setting.
I have identified two pizzas I shared on the Tommy's thread that I think resemble the pics in Reply #34 of this thread (http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=5687.msg319562#msg319562) and may be a good starting point for figuring out how to clone this pizza. The last pic in Reply #207 (http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=12446.msg207382#msg207382) and the second and third pics in Reply #257 (http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=12446.msg209159#msg209159).Obvious differences: Pizza Shoppe pizzas have more layers than my Tommy's clones. I'm guessing Pizza Shoppe has somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 layers, as my Tommy's clones generally have 8 layers.Similarities: I think the first Pizza Shoppe pic looks a lot like the last pic in Tommy's Reply #207 (http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=12446.msg207382#msg207382), but with more layers and more fat.I think I have a lot more to say, but I'm tired right now. Any thoughts?


text:
Tuesday January 24, 2017 annuitized amount ($106 Million Cash Value).
Note: Although every attempt is made to ensure that this list of numbers is accurate, the official numbers are recorded in the official draw files as certified by the independent accounting firm.
Participating lotteries
The overall odds of winning a prize in this game are 1:14.71
DRAWING DAYS: TUESDAY AND FRIDAY @ 9:00 p.m. MT.
*The JACKPOT will be divided equally among multiple winners.
Megaplier: Below the Multi-Draw mark "YES" for the Megaplier.
Megaplier is a way to multiply your non-jackpot prize by 2, 3 or even 4 times the amount.
Payment: You have 60 days after you claim the jackpot to determine if you want cash or the annuity option.
If you choose the annuity option you will receive your prize over 29 years (30 payments).
The jackpot is pari-mutuel. You win other cash prizes when you correctly match other Mega Millions numbers drawn.
Prizes must be claimed within 180 days from the date of the drawing.
All prizes for Mega Millions must be claimed in the state where the ticket was purchased.
Must be at least 18 to buy, sell or redeem Lottery tickets. Benefiting Idaho Public Schools and the Permanent Building Fund. PLEASE PLAY RESPONSIBLY.
Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Copyright © 2009-2011, Idaho Lottery. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Just as a matter of interest, which do you use to view T.G., the new CrystalClean or the old vb4 T.G. style ?
Just as a matter of interest, which do you use to view T.G., the new CrystalClean or the old vb4 T.G. style ?
I am using the Crystal Clean, I just kind of got used to it I guess
My current Xara software: XDPX9, WD9 Premium
Good Morning Sunshine.ca | Good Morning Sunshine Online(a weekly humorous publication created with XDP and exported as a web document) | Angelize Online resource shop |
My Video Tutorials | My DropBox | Tutoring
Autocorrect: It can be your worst enema.
The new one. At first I liked the new style on our new laptop but hated it on the old desktop with CRT. So, I used both versions but recently I have switched to the new style on the old setup as well. I guess that I got used to it. I cannot say the same for Xara's dark gray GUI, though...
Old vB 4 style.
a.k.a. Bill Taylor
Bill is no longer with us. He died on 10 Dec 2012. We remember him always.
My TG Album
Last XaReg update
new CrystalClean
@Boy I have always preferred the lighter GUI but lately I have been using the dark gray and I'm getting used to it.
Larry a.k.a wizard509
Never give up. You will never fail, but you may find a lot of ways that don't work.
I prefer the old style, but I must have changed it to crystalclean a while back and not noticed until now that is was crystalclean
Flawless Form. Faultless Function. Crafted by Cloud
Design is thinking made visual.
Last edited by handrawn; 12 March 2012 at 11:40 AM.


text:
Minnesota's courts continue to make it clear to legislators that they need to make changes to the state's sex offender commitment program before the courts do it for them.
Several court decisions in recent months have warned the Legislature that the courts view the commitment program, which takes convicted sex offenders who are considered most likely to offend again, and commits them to a state treatment program after they have served their prison sentence. In theory, the program is supposed to provide therapy and treatment programs to make them less likely to offend, and release them when they no longer pose a risk to the public. The program has taken in hundreds of offenders, but only two have ever been released.
This week the Minnesota Supreme Court made an unusual ruling, reversing the commitment of a man to the program and sending his case back to the lower courts for further consideration on whether less restrictive programs are available.
Supreme Court Justice Alan Page wrote, in a concurring opinion, that the state has created a "one-size-fits-all" program that fails to provide less restrictive alternatives. "It is equally clear that we, as a court, have failed in our obligations to ensure that commitment … is not merely a form of preventive detention," Page wrote.
There are no doubt many offenders in the state program who should not be on the streets. The Legislature should find alternatives to endless and expensive incarceration before the courts force the issue by throwing open the treatment center doors and letting them loose.


text:
Ships by Truck
Economy Sink, 3-bowl, with 36" LH drainboard, 24" W x 18" L-R bowl dimensions, 14" D fabricated bowl, 7" H splash, s/s gussets, legs & adjustable white metal feet, 16/304 bowl, 16/430 body, "Aero Safety Edge", Space Saver const, fully welded gussets,
Aero's F3 series three compartment sinks come in a variety of configurations. Their MF economy models have 16 gauge 304 stainless steel bowls with a 430 stainless used in the body of the sink. This sink features three compartments and a left drainboard.
Are you familiar with this product? Be the first to review this item!


text: At Regis University, the term "diversity" affirms our faith-inspired commitment to build an inclusive community that values the dignity and contributions of all our members. In this community, human differences thrive in a learning environment characterized by the Jesuit traditions of mutual respect and the pursuit of justice. Age, gender, race/ethnicity, class, disability, sexual orientation, religion, and other human differences contribute to the richness and vitality of our living community. Organizations & Programs Lists of diversity related organizations and first generation programs. About Diversity at Regis Within Jesuit tradition, respect for self and others is critical. President's Message Father Fitzgibbons discusses diversity at Regis. Staff Meet the Regis University Diversity staff.


text:
- Home
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- Contact Us
- Job Openings
- About
Still no final decision on Ashland ski permit
Despite meeting last night, the Ashland City Council is yet to make a final decision on whether to give up the Mount Ashland ski permit to the Mount Ashland Association.
The city council voted in August to give up the permit, under certain stringent conditions, and although partial agreement has been reached between the two groups, some unresolved terms still need negotiating.
Both sides have agreed that a city inspector may be on site to monitor a planned expansion if it does move forward .


text:
Specific Skincare Concerns
Forms an effective moisturizing barrier to help visibly repair the dry or irritated skin areas (for the face and body) in babies and childrenLearn More
Specific Skincare Concerns
Stelatopia Cream Cleanser$12.50
Used for daily cleansing of the face and body, this cleanser cleanses, protects and soothes. Soap-free and non-irritating formula. May be used in both bath and shower.
Learn More
Specific Skincare Concerns
Stelatopia Milky Bath Oil$16.50
Cleans, soothes and replenishes. Recommended for extremely dry skin
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text:
Secrets from Jillian Michaels' new book, Slim for Life.
We get so many DVDs and books in particular that it�s hard to keep up. I�m thinking I should launch a project where I try a different DVD every day, just to see if I can stand it (stay tuned for that one). But I did make it a point to get to�Biggest Loser�trainer Jillian Michaels� new book,�Slim for Life: My Insider Secrets to Simple, Fast, and Lasting Weight Loss, and I have to say I was impressed. I found Jillian�s combination of mostly sensible tips for eating healthfully and cutting calories, maximizing your workout time, and staying motivated really practical, and while some of the advice is tried-and-true (when it comes to weight loss and fitness, it�s hard to get too creative), Jillian manages to keep it fresh for the most part.
And since I have Jillian on the brain (spoiler alert: She�ll be featured on the cover of our April issue!), I thought I�d cherry pick some of the best tips in�Slim for Life�for this post. Here goes...
Brought to you by: Spry Living


text:
Butterball XL Electric Turkey Fryer with Timer
About this item
Original Price $149.98
Save $30
Cooks up to a 20 lb. turkey. Uses less oil resulting in a heathier meal that taste great.
No one disputes the delicious flavor of a deep-fried turkey, but stories of house fires and near misses can discourage even the biggest fried turkey fan. Enter the Butterball® XL Indoor Electric Turkey Fryer by Masterbuilt, an electric fryer that's so safe it's certified to operate indoors, on your kitchen countertop, any time of year. The Butterball® XL Indoor Electric Turkey Fryer by Masterbuilt features a one-of-a-kind design that's engineered to keep you safe. Not only does the stainless-steel fryer and porcelain-coated inner pot keep oil safely contained, but it also uses 33 percent less oil than conventional fryers. As a result, you can cook turkeys as large as 20 pounds safely and efficiently, with little threat of oil boiling over the sides.
- Not just for frying turkeys
- You can boil, or steam
- Thermostat control
- Automatic shutoff function
- A 1650 watt electric element that heats up in about 30 minutes
- Drain clip added to fryer basket
- Porcelain-coated inner pot
- Drain valve
- The fryer measures 16.14 by 14.80 by 18.3
- Stainless steel construction
- Uses 33% less oil than conventional fryers
Assembled Country
Assembled Size
L18.30" x W16.4" x H14.80"
Component Country


text:
The Community Youth Development Study: A Test of Communities That Care (CYDS II)
- Full Text View
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- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Substance Abuse
Juvenile Delinquency
Sexual Behavior
Behavioral: Communities That Care
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Open Label
Primary Purpose: Prevention
|Official Title:
|The Community Youth Development Study: A Test of Communities That Care
- Youth Substance Use, Delinquency, and Risky Sexual Behavior [ Time Frame: Baseline through eight-year follow-up ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]Self-report longitudinal surveys of the Class of 2011 conducted annually starting in 5th grade (2004) and continuing through 2012 (one year post-HS), and cross-sectional anonymous surveys of 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students in all participating communities conducted every 2 years from 2002 through 2012 will be used to assess the impact of the intervention on students' behaviors.
- Youth risk and protective factors [ Time Frame: Baseline through eight-year follow up ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]Self-report longitudinal surveys of the Class of 2011 conducted annually starting in 5th grade (2004) and continuing through 2012 (one year post-HS), and cross-sectional anonymous surveys of 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students in all participating communities conducted every 2 years from 2002 through 2012 will be used to assess the impact of the intervention on the risk and protective factors experienced by students.
- Community prevention systems transformation [ Time Frame: Baseline through eight-year follow up ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]Telephone interviews with community leaders and prevention services providers conducted in 2001-02, 2004-05, 2007-08, 2009-10, and 2011-12 will be used to assess intervention effects on community prevention services planning, coordination, use of data for needs assessment and program performance, and monitoring, and on the numbers and scope of tested and effective prevention programs, policies and curricula provided to middle and high school students in participating communities.
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|October 2003
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|December 2012
|Estimated Primary Completion Date:
|June 2012 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
No Intervention: No intervention
Communities in the no intervention arm received no intervention from the project and continued to implement prevention services as usual.
Experimental: Communities That Care Intervention
Communities randomly assigned to the experimental condition received 5 years of training and technical assistance (from 2003 to 2008) to implement the Communities That Care (CTC) prevention system in their communities. They also received 5 years of funding to support a full-time community coordinator and 4 years of seed money to implement tested and effective prevention programs selected as a result of their CTC process.
Behavioral: Communities That Care
The Communities That Care (CTC) system provides communities training and ongoing technical assistance in a structured process for conducting prevention needs assessments using epidemiological data on levels of risk and protective factors for adolescent problem behaviors, selection of tested and effective preventive interventions shown to address community-prioritized factors, implementation of these interventions with fidelity, and evaluation of the community's progress toward its goals. The CTC system is designed to produce a plan for prevention services that is tailored to the needs of each community. CTC is installed in five phases through a manualized series of training events designed to build the capacity of communities to install and sustain the system over time.
Detailed Description:
Preventing alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use; delinquency; violence; and health-risking sexual behavior among adolescents is a national priority. While advances in prevention science over the past two decades have produced a growing list of tested and effective programs and policies for preventing these behaviors, widespread dissemination and high-quality implementation of these effective programs and policies in communities has not been achieved. The development and testing of approaches for translating prevention research findings into effective community prevention service systems is important to achieve reductions in the prevalence of adolescent health and behavior problems.
The Community Youth Development Study (CYDS) is a randomized community-level test of the effects of Communities That Care (CTC) on prevention systems and adolescent behavior. The CTC system provides tools, training, and technical assistance that assist communities to use local epidemiologic data on risk and protective factors to identify and prioritize specific elevated risks and depressed protective factors and then to choose and implement tested, effective preventive interventions that have affected the prioritized risk and protective factors. The CTC system is hypothesized first to produce effects on key characteristics of community prevention service systems, which, in turn, produce subsequent effects on community levels of risk and protective factors in 2 to 5 years, and effects on youth problem behaviors in 3 to 10 years.
The current study assesses the effects of installation and implementation of CTC during the time period in which the CTC system is expected to produce its strongest effects on youth problem behaviors; that is, from 5 to 9 years following its initial installation. During this study, youths in the longitudinal panel followed from Grades 5 through 9 in the initial study will pass through high school, the developmental period of greatest risk for delinquent and violent behavior, and a period of greatly increasing substance use and problems related to substance use. The study will assess the long-term effects of CTC on community prevention service systems and on adolescent risk and problem behaviors for 4 years following the end of study-provided resources that supported the implementation of CTC in the 12 intervention communities during the initial efficacy trial.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|10 Years and older (Child, Adult, Senior)
|Genders Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Resident of one of the 24 participating communities
- Student in the Class of 2011 panel sample or in grades 6, 8, 10, 0r 12 during a survey year
- Community leader or prevention service provider in one of the participating communities
Exclusion Criteria:
- Unable to read and comprehend consent materials and/or survey questions in either english or spanish
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01088542
|United States, Washington
|University of Washington
|Seattle, Washington, United States, 98115
|Principal Investigator:
|J. David Hawkins, Ph.D.
|University of Washington
|Study Director:
|Michael W. Arthur, Ph.D.
|University of Washington
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
|Responsible Party:
|J. David Hawkins, Principal Investigator, University of Washington
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01088542 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|March 15, 2010
|Last Updated:
|March 15, 2010
|Health Authority:
|United States: Institutional Review Board
Keywords provided by University of Washington:
substance use
risky sexual behavior
risk factors
protective factors
community coalitions
systems transformation
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Substance-Related Disorders
Chemically-Induced Disorders
Mental Disorders
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on January 18, 2017


text:
Spansion, a developer and manufacturer of flash memory and technologies, on Monday said it is filing two separate patent infringement complaints against Samsung Electronics with the International Trade Commission and in the U.S. District Court in Delaware. The company accuses Samsung of patent infringement and seeks to ban sales of its products as well as products by various customers of Samsung.
"Samsung's infringement of our intellectual property not only harms Spansion, but it threatens the foundation of technology innovation," said Dr. Boaz Eitan, executive vice president of Spansion and chief executive officer of Saifun, a company Spansion acquired earlier this year.
In one of the largest patent infringement claims ever filed, Spansion is seeking the exclusion from the U.S. market of well over one hundred million mp3 players, cell phones, digital cameras and other consumer electronic devices containing Samsung's infringing flash memory components. The complaint in the US District Court in Delaware also seeks an injunction and treble damages for patent violations relating to Samsung Flash memory, that Spansion estimates has accounted for more than $30 billion in Samsung's global revenues since 2003.
The Spansion patents named in these law suits are fundamental to floating gate technology, which is the foundation for approximately 90% of the Flash memory market. Spansion is also leading the industry with MirrorBit, a charge-trapping technology, which represents a growing share of the Flash memory market and is expected to replace floating gate technology in the future. Flash memory companies including Samsung have publicly announced their plans to transition to charge-trapping type technologies for their future generation products.
The acquisition of Saifun Semiconductor earlier this year expanded Spansion's IP portfolio and was a key milestone in Spansion's strategy to create a major licensing business, and generate new streams of significant revenue with very high margins.
Although Samsung is the target of the litigations, Spansion is required to name the manufacturers of downstream products containing Samsung's infringing devices in its ITC complaint. Companies named in the ITC case include: Samsung, Apple, Asus, Kingston, Lenovo, PNY, RIM, Sony, Sony-Ericsson, Transcend, some of their subsidiaries and third party manufacturing companies.
"Spansion has patents that are fundamental to Flash memory. Samsung itself has cited these patents many times in its own patent filings, underscoring industry acceptance of the fundamental nature of Spansion's IP. Spansion will vigorously protect its intellectual property and is entitled to be compensated by Samsung for its use of our IP," said Robert Melendres, executive vice president and general counsel for Spansion.
Flash memory, which retains data in devices when the power is turned off, is found in virtually all electronic devices and is one of the largest segments of the semiconductor industry, with nearly $130 billion in total revenues since 2000.
Tags: Spansion, Samsung, Flash