Friday Stuff

-- Christian Newswire reports that speaker and "supermodel" Kim Alexis will headline this year's "Becoming a Captivating Speaker" Conference at Landmark Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Sept. 13-15, 2007. Other speakers include Laurie Beth Jones and Florence Littauer. More here.

According to the site, "Kim will share about her Christian faith and will teach the professional tips she has learned to become an expert communicator; on stage, on television, and as a spokesperson."

--Could a Bible really stop a bullet? It did in the case of 22-year-old Army Private First Class Brendan Schweigart...and this article speculates on how that could happen. (Hat tip to Barbara of Tidbits and Treasures.)

--I'm delighted to say Catez of allthings2all is blogging again after an absence of several months. This New Zealand Christian has a lot of great things to say, and I've missed her voice in the blogosphere.

--A disturbing study from LifeWay Research. The study finds that 70 per cent of young adults who regularly attended a Protestant church while they were in high school stop going to church between the ages of 18 and 22.

The director of LifeWay Research, Ed Stetzer, believes (and I agree) that the findings "highlight the importance of youth ministry in discipling teens to love God and recognize the importance of being in church fellowship." Stetzer says the study found that about a third of church dropouts resume church attendance later in life, often after they marry and have children.

--A 35-year-old Canadian woman has given birth to rare identical quadruplets. Pretty names: Autumn, Brooke, Calissa and Dahlia.

--A big THANK YOU to everyone who responded to my Comment Challenge! What a way to brighten my day!

Everyone go out and have a wonderful and blessed weekend!