Apostle Pierre Bennett: Are You an Unlikely Prophet?

Apostle Pierre Bennett

Apostle Pierre Bennett

Apostle Pierre Bennett was a military serviceman, and a salesman before being called to serve God in 1999. It was then that Apostle Pierre Bennett founded God’s Luv International Ministries Church, which recognized him as an Apostle in 2008.

Apostle Pierre Bennett explains the importance of giving God’s prophecies away. If God sends a message through you, He expects you to deliver the message. Apostle Pierre Bennett often has people ask if he remembers things he has said to them. The truth is, Apostle Pierre Bennett may not remember, but he knows the importance of speaking the prophecies he’s been given to deliver.. Otherwise, Apostle Pierre Bennett says, it’s like a hard drive that keeps filling up with information. By speaking these prophecies, Apostle Pierre Bennett believes, he can let them go in order to have his mind free for new information from God.

If you are unsure that the messages you are getting are from God Himself, Apostle Pierre Bennett advises that you ask Him. He will give you the confirmation you request. Apostle Pierre Bennett recalls a confirmation that he received during a service in Mississippi. A man approached Apostle Pierre Bennett after the service and announced he was a prophet. Because the man was dressed sloppily, it didn’t quite fit, but it was a sign of God’s sense of humor. Sometimes, says Apostle Pierre Bennett, your confirmation can come in the oddest of ways.

Additionally, Apostle Pierre Bennett believed it was confirmation of everything God had been wanting to show him. The service was full of healing and people receiving His Word, and for a while Apostle Pierre Bennett had been asking God for a confirmation. These were things God had been sending through Pastor Bennett for a long time.

God is elevating you, no matter what those around you say. Apostle Pierre Bennett acknowledges that sometimes others may insist that God can’t possibly be talking through you because you aren’t jumping around or shouting. But Apostle Pierre Bennett points out that just because you don’t do things exactly the way they do, doesn’t mean you aren’t in the process of moving to the next level in God’s kingdom.

If those around you have been saying they don’t believe you’ve been anointed, disregard those statements. God will show you what you need to see, when you need to see it, Apostle Pierre Bennett states. The key is to hear His Word and pass it on. Become his vessel. Those who fail to understand will never realize you are being elevated to the next level.

To learn more about God’s Luv International Ministries Church, call 703-395-1430.

CWD Construction Founders Discuss the Joy of Helping Others

CWD Construction

CWD Construction

CWD Construction is known as a premier homebuilder and remodeler in North and South Carolina. But each year, CWD Construction’s co-founder, Chuck Dohm, tries to journey to the troubled country of Haiti to help provide food and basic supplies. Co-founder and spouse, Sonia Dohm, gathers basic supplies along with many other supporters to be transported by ship in advance of the trip.

As the CWD Construction founders explain, Haiti has long dealt with political turmoil. When it was formed in 1697, Haiti was at first a successful nation, but as the country’s resources began to deplete, the nation fell into economic woes. In 1804 a slave revolt continued its long struggle, CWD Construction’s founders relate.

According to the CWD Construction co-founders, while Haiti became the first black republic to gain independence, it has continued to endure violence. In 2004, Haiti president Jean-Berstrand Aristide resigned as a result of an armed rebellion, CWD Construction’s Chuck Dohm explains. An interim government was put in place and the U.N. supervised Haiti’s first democratic elections.

Although the country has struggled with a reluctance to accept new technology and continuing violence in recent years, a governing body was put in place to get things under control, according to CWD Construction. Just as it seemed as though Haitians were on their way to a fresh start, however, the 2010 earthquake shook the country.

More than 300,000 Haitian citizens lost their lives in the earthquake, which shook Port-au-Prince, the country’s backbone, Chuck Dohm relates. As CWD Construction’s co-founders tell us, the earthquake was 7.0 in magnitude. In addition to the tragic loss of life, more than two million people were directly affected by the destruction the earthquake caused to building structures. What Chuck finds especially difficult to accept is that much of the progress Haiti had made has been undone. Seeing this motivates the CWD Construction founders to work hard to help.

The damage was so widespread, CWD Construction’s Chuck Dohm says, because many of the structures were poorly built. This is why Chuck is more dedicated than ever to his annual trip to Haiti, where he can serve by providing basic food and necessities.

The CWD Construction founders have found that giving to Haitians is actually a bigger blessing for them. Seeing the devastating poverty the residents are forced to endure makes the CWD Construction co-founders realize just how truly blessed they are.

“We don’t realize how many blessings we have until we experience first-hand the poverty of a third-world country like Haiti,” Chuck Dohm says.

For more information about CWD Construction, visit them online at www.cwdconstruction.com

Byron Pederson Discusses Tax Resolution and the Need for Change in the Industry

Byron Pederson

Byron Pederson

Instant Tax Solutions co-founder Byron Pederson tells A Gathering of Experts readers that recent bad publicity has marred the image of the tax relief industry.

A Gathering of Experts: Welcome, Byron Pederson. Thank you for joining us today.

Byron Pederson: My pleasure.

A Gathering of Experts: As one of the leading tax resolution agencies, could you explain to our readers what the Telemarketing Sales Rule is about?

Byron Pederson: Basically it was a law that the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) was trying to pass that would prohibit tax resolution agencies like Instant Tax Solutions from collecting any form of payment until all of the work had been complete.

A Gathering of Experts: Since the FTC has delayed this bill, does that mean that it is dead?

Byron Pederson: No, of course not. The FTC has simply made a ruling for the time-being. They have the authority to change their minds later.

A Gathering of Experts: Can you Explain California Senate Bill 708?

Byron Pederson: It was very similar to the Telemarketing Sales Rule, except that it was specific to California.

A Gathering of Experts: How has the release of Tax Masters bankruptcy records affected the tax debt resolution industry?

Byron Pederson: Not good, that is for sure. Like any industry, one bad seed can cause black marks for us all.

A Gathering of Experts: What can a firm in your industry do to soften the blow?

Byron Pederson: We have to confront it head on. Those of us that have nothing to hide must face the media scrutiny.

A Gathering of Experts: So you admit there are problems in the industry?

Byron Pederson: Of course. As with any type of service, there will be those looking to make a quick buck. Unfortunately, one of the biggest issues with consumers, as well as the FTC, is that many firms charge a high up front fee.

A Gathering of Experts: But really, since the client is the one who benefits once the leg work is done, doesn’t it make sense to charge something up front?

Byron Pederson: Yes, it does, to protect the individuals that put forth extensive efforts to help the consumer.

A Gathering of Experts: What do you see as the best way to make sure that all parties are treated fairly?

Byron Pederson: A big part of Instant Tax Solutions is consumer education; I think across the board this is a way to eliminate a great deal of deceptive practices.

A Gathering of Experts: Do you think that the IRS should involve itself in matters such as these?

Byron Pederson: Yes, they should have a little more visibility when it comes to resolving issues of fraudulent tax resolution agencies.

A Gathering of Experts: You have been outspoken about how you believe there should be more regulation in the industry. Who should be demanding the change?

Byron Pederson: Both the public as well as the “good” tax agencies. I also believe the governing bodies of the industry should take a larger role in oversight.

A Gathering of Experts: Well, Byron Pederson, thank you for your time and input today. May we speak with you again sometime?

Byron Pederson: Yes of course.

A Gathering of Experts: Before we go, for our reader’s benefit, can you tell us what you do and who you are?

Byron Pederson: I am the cofounder of Instant Tax Solutions. We are an expert tax resolution agency that specializes in helping consumers regain control of their lives financially.

For more information on Post Falls, Idaho’s Instant Tax Solutions please call them directly at 888.387.4071 or visit them on the web at www.Instanttaxsolutions.com

The Balancing Act on Lifetime with Lew Lautin

The Balancing Act

The Balancing Act

The following segment aired on “The Balancing Act” on Lifetime Television. Joining the show was Lew Lautin to discuss his photography project geared toward raising awareness for the homeless.

The Balancing Act Host 1: Hi there, good morning, everybody.  I’m Danielle Knox, it’s Friday, January 13, 2012, coming up on the show this morning, a story of giving in the simplest way.  We’ll show you how a photographer’s amazing pictures of the homeless is changing lives and communities.  Also ahead this morning, dry eye: a look at the symptoms and remedies with a doctor and a patient who suffers from this often overlooked disease.  Also, they’re back—our friends from SeaWorld are here!  Get ready to see some exotic animals and, of course, those two adorable penguins who can’t travel without each other, Pete and Penny are here in the house this morning.  We talked about the photographer who is giving his time to the homeless and that inspired The Balancing Act’s daily question today: “Have you ever volunteered with a charity organization?”  We would love to hear from you on this one so you can vote by calling us at 855-3balanc, that’s 855-322-5262.  Press one for yes and two for no,  stay right where you are, “The Balancing Act” starts right now.

The Balancing Act: Host 2: Well, he has a passion for people and a skill for photography.  Combine the two and you get a wonderful undertaking by my next guest to take on a new project that not only helps the community but is impacting lives of just so many people in such a positive way.  I am so happy to welcome to the show this morning, photographer, Lew Lautin.  Good morning to you, Lew, good to see you.

Lautin: Good morning, thanks for having me here.

The Balancing Act: I love what you’re doing because I think what happens is many people will drive or walk past the homeless and see them but not really see them and so, talk about what you’re doing in your community and where the idea for this came from.

Lautin: I got a call around two and a half years ago from Marti Foreman who’s the executive director of lifenet4families and she asked if I would shoot a video for their twenty-fifth anniversary and I said “Sure,” and I went down to the lifenet4families center and I immediately fell in love with the people there in a very unusual situation.  They’re homeless, they’re near homeless, they live on the streets and they go there for a meal or a shower or some help or some tutoring or some financial help.  After I spoke to Marti about doing the video, I said, “Can I bring my cameras back and can I bring my studio lights in?”  I started going every week bringing my camera and these big studio lights and sitting down with the clients there and I started taking pictures of them and then the following week I’d bring them back copies.

The Balancing Act: Aww, how do you make a project like this a success and really make a difference in their lives because, you know, they feel like, “Oh, here I am, I’m homeless, nobody cares.”  How do you insure that somebody cares?

Lautin: I think there are two aspects of that.  The first is when I go back the next week and I bring them copies, I’ve handed pictures to people and they say I’m going to send this to my mother.

The Balancing Act: They say that to you, they’re going to send, ohhh?

Lautin: Yes, “she hasn’t seen a picture of me for two or three years.”  And the other aspect of it is to sit down with somebody who’s homeless or near homeless, big studio lights, make them feel like a CEO, make them feel somebody, like they’re important ,and spend fifteen or twenty minutes with them, engaging them in dialogue, if they wish.  Some don’t wish to engage in dialogue.  Make them feel important; make them feel like somebody cares, ten or fifteen minutes.

The Balancing Act: Oh, that just touches my heart and when you take these pictures, what happens to them afterwards.  I know that you give them to them and they send them to their friends and family and then, is there something else that you do with the pictures, as well?

Lautin: Yes, I also volunteer at Boca Helping Hand to take pictures there of their clients and when you walk into Boca Helping Hands, there are big portraits around fifteen/twenty people I’ve taken pictures of and for lifenet4families.  Whenever they have a big event, I provide blown up pictures for them and it shows the community that these are real people, these are people who are suffering, and these are people who need help.  A lot of these people were donating to places like lifenet and Boca Helping Hands a year or two or three ago and, unfortunately, they’re not in a position today to help and they need some help.

The Balancing Act: Absolutely and I think with the economy and the recession and everything that’s going on, that is such a true statement.  When you talk about the response that your photography receives, not just for maybe other people who see it but also from the homeless that you’re taking pictures of, what do you think this does to them, kind of emotionally?

Lautin: I think it’s a whole gamut of emotions.  Some of them feel sad seeing pictures of themselves in the situation they’re at, some of them feel elated, and some of them feel very good about how they look.  So it’s a whole gamut of emotions that’s out there, just like the homeless population or the near homeless population, but they are a people; they’re our neighbors, our brothers, our sisters.

The Balancing Act: I think that is the resonating point.  They are people, and you, as a person, have accomplished so much as a photographer.  I know you’ve worked a lot with the fine art photography.  Your work has sold for really high prices.  I mean, you’ve accomplished a lot in your career.  How does this project differ?

Lautin: This project differs on the emotional gut level.  You’re sitting down with people who need help; you’re sitting down with people who don’t get respect, people just walk by them and ignore them.  If I can touch one person and make them feel important, make them feel loved, wow!

The Balancing Act: Yeah, you know, I was telling you that I encountered a homeless man the other day and had given him money and didn’t know his back history or his story but everybody has a story, right, everybody has a history?

Lautin: I just did a composite of six homeless heads with the constitution of the United States behind them and that was just shown at ArtServe and the last person on the right died six months ago and I’ll get a call from lifenet: do I have a picture of somebody.

The Balancing Act: Oh, my goodness.

Lautin: For a memorial.

The Balancing Act: Let me ask you this with just about thirty seconds here left: what do you want your photography to do, what is the take away, what would you like viewers who are watching to take away?

Lautin: I would like viewers to go to their phone right now, figure out how they can help, how they can help people who need help desperately, how they can volunteer—whether it’s at a soup kitchen, whether it’s volunteering at a hospital, whether it’s mentoring, whether it’s Women in Distress or Meals on Wheels, Trash to Treasure—help.  You have the ability to do something, you have the ability to make a difference in somebody’s life, it’s never too late.

The Balancing Act: It’s never too late and also, I think what people tend to think is somebody else is going to do it.

Lautin: You do it; you do it today.  Pick up the phone and do it.

The Balancing Act: Absolutely, Lew Lautin, great interview, thank you so much for coming by this morning.

Lautin: Thank you so much for having me.

The Balancing Act: And if you’d like more information in terms of how to make a difference in your own community, simply pick up the camera and make someone’s day special, and for more information on Lew or to see his work, be sure to check out his website.  It’s lewlautinphotographer.com.

The Balancing Act is the only morning show in America produced by women specifically for women. Every morning, The Balancing Act on Lifetime hosts Danielle Knox and Kristy Villa tackle the issues that face today’s woman. Popular show segments include live weather updates with Mark Mancuso, surprise celebrity visitors, and news about the latest trends affecting your life, home, career and family. The Balancing Act on Lifetime Television airs daily on Lifetime at 7 a.m. ET/PT. For more information, visit The Balancing Act on Lifetime Television’s website at www.thebalancingact.com.

Theodore Stroukoff: Top Three Reasons for Choosing a Nursing Career

Theodore Stroukoff

Theodore Stroukoff

Theodore Stroukoff, R.N., has worked as a nurse in a variety of nursing specialties, tackling challenges many others have not yet seen. Still, Theodore Stroukoff couldn’t imagine a more exciting and rewarding career. For those individuals considering the field of nursing, Theodore Stroukoff has a few pros to help make that decision about whether to go to nursing school or not.

Education Choice

You don’t have to obtain a Ph.D. to serve in the nursing field, Theodore Stroukoff points out. You don’t even have to get an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. You can start working today as a nurse aide, Theodore Stroukoff advises, with only a high school degree.

Theodore Stroukoff acknowledges that the more education you have, the higher you’ll progress in the field. But it’s still an individual’s choice. One benefit to being able to start work without that degree, in Theodore Stroukoff’s opinion, is that you can begin to get a degree while working in a medical setting. This enables you to work regular shifts while attending school on the side. Additionally, Theodore Stroukoff points out that there are several flexible learning and distance options to help you get a degree in your spare time.

Opportunities for Advancement

There are few medical careers with the opportunities for advancement that nursing provides, according to Theodore Stroukoff. An associate’s degree can help you obtain a position as an LPN, a field that is always in demand. By pursing a bachelor’s degree or further, you can work your way into an RN position and further advance into hospital administration, where the opportunities are unlimited, Theodore Stroukoff advises.

Job Security

In this day and age, Theodore Stroukoff has noted that job security appears to be an uncommon thing. Nursing brings job security in a variety of ways, says Theodore Stroukoff. Nurses are always in demand and this will only become more common in the next decade, with the baby boomers having an increased need for healthcare.

In addition to good nurses tending to have more reliable jobs, Theodore Stroukoff points to the great benefits as a bonus. Many nurses work for medical facilities that provide healthcare benefits. Since this is something many employers are offering less frequently, Theodore Stroukoff believes this is a huge bonus for anyone seeking a career in nursing.

If you’re considering a career in nursing, Theodore Stroukoff highly advises it. The field is only continuing to grow, providing long-term opportunities for those interested in pursuing them, concludes Theodore Stroukoff.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Theodore Stroukoff relocated to New Mexico as an adult. A traveling nurse, Theodore Stroukoff has worked in a variety of settings, taking on a multitude of challenges that have helped him grow as a nursing professional. Theodore Stroukoff is proud to call New Mexico home.

DR Marketing Group on Lifetime with Clinically Fit

DR Marketing Group

DR Marketing Group

The following segment aired on DR Marketing’s Incredible Discoveries. Joining DR Marketing Group was Clinically Fit to discuss joint stiffness.

DR Marketing Group: Maybe you or a loved one is recovering from trauma or injury requiring physical therapy, even hand, wrist or tennis elbow pain. Well now there is a solution. Winner of the 2007 medical design excellence award, the Xtensor exercises the muscles you use to open your hand.

Clinically Fit: If you’re looking for the key to freedom from the constraints of osteoarthritis, if you’re longing to regain lost mobility due to hand stiffness or aging, or if you just need to increase dexterity for that extra edge at work or at play, the answer is right at your fingertips.

DR Marketing Group: With clinically tested Xtensor you can naturally decrease joint stiffness and pain resulting from repetitive stress injuries without surgery, regain lost mobility without drugs or costly treatments, and increase flexibility and dexterity in your hands.

Clinically Fit: With the Xtensor you can finally get a grip.

DR Marketing Group: Millions of Americans suffer from the effects of hand stiffness and joint pain due to osteoarthritis, carpal tunnel, tennis elbow and tendonitis. If you wear an elbow band or a wrist brace or rely almost solely on potentially dangerous non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen for relief, you need to take a look at the Xtensor.

Clinically Fit: The Xtensor works by really exercising and providing resistance to the Xtensor muscle.  It’s important to understand that people think that they may have carpel tunnel syndrome simply because they have pain or often tendonitis and those are the kind of cases that really respond very well to tendon gliding exercises that can be provided with the Xtensor.

DR Marketing Group: Can you tell us about carpel tunnel syndrome?

Clinically Fit: The truth is, carpel tunnel syndrome is a compression of a nerve and it comes about because the tendons that run inside the carpel canal and the membranes around the tendons are thickened and then there is a secondary compression on the nerve.  Anybody can benefit from using the Xtensor, particularly people who do a lot of manual activity, whether it be sports, hobbies or work.

DR Marketing Group: The lead designer behind the Xtensor, CEO of Clinically Fit, Scott Kupferman, will explain how this remarkable product works and how it came to be. First and foremost, explain to us the critical science behind this miraculous healing system that is helping people free pain all over the world.

Clinically Fit: Okay, so it slips on either hand and it fits like a glove. Bands go into the fingertips with the grey bands and then secure the strap to your wrist. Make sure when you’re doing each repetition now, hold each hand open for just a few seconds, just to make sure you get that stretch in your palm.

DR Marketing Group: What happens while using the Xtensor?

Clinically Fit: There are two things that are taking place, one is we’re strengthening muscles that are deep within the elbow all across the back of the arm, and the second thing we’re doing is we’re increasing flexibility in the muscles that are always squeezing and gripping.

DR Marketing Group: It’s so easy to put on and it starts working immediately. I’ve got pretty bad hands from golf, as if my golf game isn’t bad enough, I have pain from it, and then when I shake hands with people it hurts, so tell me, what is taking place inside my hand and arm and wrist that is relieving the pain and strengthening my muscles?

Clinically Fit: Well, we always use our hands in a one-sided way to grip and squeeze, so this is designed to increase blood flow and bring nutrients into the arm in the area where it’s never really had an ability to have that – yeah, people seem to do that.

DR Marketing Group: It feels like you’re working out muscles you never knew you had. This is basically an exercise machine, like any other exercise machine that’s geared toward strengthening muscles. It is perhaps one of the most important muscular parts of your body.

Clinically Fit: Do you know one third of all the bones in your body are in your hands and wrist? And you never work them out; you just damage them day after day after day.

DR Marketing Group: How are we damaging out hands?

Clinically Fit: Well, for the most part, you’re always walking around with your hands in a pretty closed manner because everything you do is geared toward gripping and squeezing, so your hand are always strengthening toward the inside, and that sets off an imbalance that over time for millions of people.

DR Marketing Group: The product is really geared towards helping people that have pain in their wrists, pain in their elbows from tennis elbow, because these muscles are very very difficult to get to and the Xtensor is the only device that’s able to do that.  It also helps to improve overall joint stiffness and hand stiffness.

Clinically Fit: This is helpful for that type of a feeling, to help loosen up the hands and strengthen the hands in all the right places, and it will really help very, very quickly because these muscles have really never had an opportunity to exercise, they have been virtually off limits because it’s never anything you really touch on.

DR Marketing Group: Do you literally develop the Xtensor system to work the muscles that other strengthening products ignore?

Clinically Fit: Yes, the devise was really made to fit virtually everybody and it’s good for people that are hairdressers and gamers and golfers, tennis players, surgeons, dentists. As funny as it may sound, the Xtensor is even a great tool for the ever growing issue of Blackberry thumb.

A subsidiary of O2 Media Inc., DR Marketing Group is a Pompano Beach, Florida-based marketing firm providing direct response services to their clients. In addition to television and Internet-based consumer-capture strategies, DR Marketing Group’s team of experienced industry professionals also offers product fulfillment and customer service. DR Marketing Group has over 20 years of experience launching and managing successful campaigns, in turn helping their clients achieve a consistent ROI.