The Knox Board of Developmental Disabilities is a public agency whose mission is to partner with individuals and the community to help eligible families and individuals with a developmental disability design and direct their future, receive services and be active participants in the community.

WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart had the opportunity to talk with Brittany Coon, the Knox Board of Developmental Disabilities public outreach coordinator! Listen in and find out how you can support the Knox Board of DD and help people with developmental disabilities.

Brittany talks about the Knox Board of DD and what it does in our community, her role on the board, their upcoming luncheon and shares some facts and stories. Hear their full conversation here!

Keep up to date with the Knox Board of DD through their Facebook.
You can also follow their Instagram @Knox_DD.

We had the chance to talk to Dan Humphrey with Touchpointe about this exciting ministry! They talked about the new prayer room and the roles Touchpointe plays. Click HERE for the full conversation.

This new season means it is time for spring cleaning! It’s great to clean your windows and wipe the dust off of your counters, but have we considered spring cleaning our hearts? Shana Shutte from Focus on the Family has a very insightful article about confessing our sins to God and others.

“Sure, this can be uncomfortable. But if I follow God’s command in I John 1:9 (If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.), that can bless me in ways I never imagined. It can bless you, too.”

1. Confession is a way to give—and receive—deeper love.
2. Confession relieves us from the lie that we have to be perfect
3. Confession is a reason to rejoice

For the entire article, click here!

Shana also mentions some Questions for Confession for our hearts and minds to ponder:

Question: Do lustful, unclean thoughts frequently enter your mind? Do you watch programs on television that stimulate improper thoughts or feelings?

Scripture: Matthew 5:28

Question: Do your affections primarily revolve around people or things other than Jesus? Are you more passionate about earthly things than Christ? What things primarily fill your thoughts?

Scripture: Psalms 1:2

***

Question: Do you do things to draw attention to yourself? Do you promote yourself and tend to put others down? Do you think only in terms of your own needs and desires?

Scripture: Philippians 2:3-4

***

Question: Do you often gripe and complain about your situation in life? Do you fail to give God thanks?

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:10

***

Question: Do you ever speak slang or swear words that are inappropriate? Do you use God’s name in vain?

Scripture: Ephesians 4:29

***

Question: Do you harbor bitterness toward anyone? Have you refused to forgive someone who has wronged you?

Scripture: Matthew 18:35, Ephesians 4:31, 1 Corinthians 1:10

***

Question: Do you make excuses why you cannot serve God? Are you content to be served rather than serve?

Scripture: Ephesians 4:8

***

Question: Have you committed any form of sexual immorality or uncleanness?

Scripture: Ephesians 5:5

***

Question: Do you think you are quite spiritual? Do you often criticize and judge others?

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:5

If God has shown you that you are guilty of any of these sins, rejoice that you are forgiven and that Christ died for any and all sins that you have committed (Isaiah 1:18). And remember—you can do a “spring cleaning of the heart” during any season of life.

Shana Schutte is a freelance writer, author and speaker living in Colorado Springs, Colo. (www.runtogodministries.org)

Today on the show we talked about some reasons your kids are acting out, and how you can motivate them!

These 8 reasons your kids are misbehaving comes from allprodad.com

1. They have an irregular/unhealthy diet: Bottom line: What kids eat has an effect on how they behave. Doctors have been saying it for years, but it’s true – healthy eating encourages better behavior.
2. They have a lack of consistent discipline: Yes, good old-fashioned discipline still works and is a cornerstone of practical and successful parenting. Discipline may take on different forms for different families, but nonetheless, it’s needed, and consistency is the key.
3. They are manipulating you: Kids know how to push buttons to test us and see what will happen and what they can and can’t get away with. This is often especially true when in a public setting or when others outside of the family are present. A wise parent will take notice and unapologetically win these small battles, by dealing with the situation, regardless of the inconvenience.
4. They are being negatively influenced: This could be from the things they watch, the games they play, or the friends they spend time with. Kids are great imitators of what they see and hear.
5. They have too much screen time: Kids are spending more time in front of screens and less time in actual physical activity, and sadly, it can affect both their health and their behavior. According to the Mayo Clinic, elementary children spending more than two hours a day on screen time are more likely to struggle with obesity and behavioral problems, among other things. Never feel bad for requiring your kids to play outside or use their imagination to have fun.
6. They’re not getting enough of your attention: Kids will knowingly misbehave if they find that it gets them the attention they crave but are lacking.
7. They are under stress or angry: Kids have struggles and problems too. It may be family problems, school problems, or relationship problems. All of this can have a negative effect on the way that they behave.
8. They’re just being kids: Let’s face it… kids misbehave. Sometimes it’s because they’re bored or tired, and sometimes it’s because they’re just simply choosing to be bad. Kids misbehave because they’re kids… they need our direction. Sometimes they need our discipline. They always need our unconditional love.

For the entire article, click here!

Next, we talked about 6 ways to motivate your kids! Parents.com gave us an awesome list!

1. Reconsider Rewards
2. Have Meaningful Conversations
3. Embrace Their Imperfections
4. Consider Their Capabilities
5. Express Appreciation
6. Lead By Example

See the entire article here!

Today on the show we talked about the importance of good friendships! We looked at an article from whatsinthebible.com! Our friendships are really important to God. The Bible is full of examples of this. Think about the amazing friendship of Jonathan and David.  Jonathan warned David that his life was in danger at the hands of Jonathan’s own father, King Saul.  This warning allowed David to take action and avoid harm, and ultimately this act of true friendship allowed David to take the throne, which was God’s plan.

The Bible describes true friendship as when one will be honest even when it hurts. Proverbs 27:6 says, “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” This means that a true friend of yours will tell you what you need to hear, even if it hurts, instead of flattering you all of the time.

Good friends will have a positive influence on you. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says that “two are better than one,” and goes on to tell how life is much better when you have a friend.

See the entire article here!

We also talked about how to rekindle a friendship that has been neglected. There are 5 ways to do this:

1. Talk About the Elephant in the Room: acknowledge that you haven’t seen each other in a while, and discuss it!
2. Be Completely Transparent: The last thing you want is for your friend to get in a fight with you because they (or you) decided not be 100 percent honest with each other from the beginning. Before you can be friends with them again, make sure you are airing out all the dirty laundry.
3. Ease Into It: When you’re hanging out with your friend after there has been some distance between the both of you, it’s best not to get deep into conversations just yet. Whatever you do, don’t get upset with your friend because they’re taking their time. Be patient with them and make sure you’re respecting their wishes. They’ll appreciate your mindfulness and they may even grow closer to you because of it.
4. Do Something Unexpected and Nice: Once the friendship starts to bloom, it might be a good idea to reaffirm what the friendship means to you. Compliment them in a card or on social media once in a while. Take the friendship at the pace that is comfortable for both of you, and at minimum, leave the friend remembering the good side of you for your own peace of mind.\
5. Don’t View It As A Failure:  If for some reason, your relationship doesn’t last, don’t be bummed. People grow apart, and while it might be hard to see the big picture now, it was probably meant to be. Value what that friendship has taught you and try to learn how it made you a better friend.

See the whole article from bustle.com here!

(photo credit: beyondtype1.com)

Today on the show we talked about Cold and Flu Season. There are some myths that come with this time, and there are 7 of them that you need to know!

1. The Flu Isn’t That Serious: The flu is no joke.
2. You can get the flu from the flu vaccine: For starters, flu vaccines can take up to two weeks to work. If someone becomes ill with the flu, it’s most likely because they were exposed to the virus either before or within two weeks of getting the shot.
3. You’ll catch a cold from stepping outside wit wet hair: It’s true that you are more likely to get sick when the weather is cold, but it’s because viruses thrive in cold air. Dry air also sucks moisture out of the nose, making it hospitable for intruding viruses.
4. Feed a cold, starve a fever: Fever or no fever, when you’re sick, it’s important to maintain a healthy diet and drink plenty of fluids. Think water, juice and hot tea. Even if you’re not feeling hungry, force yourself to eat. A big bowl of chicken noodle soup can relieve your sore throat and help keep you hydrated.
5. Vitamin C can fend off a cold: While vitamin C is important for our bodies, research has yet to confirm its effectiveness in preventing colds. There is some evidence that when taken regularly in high doses—greater than 200 milligrams a day (mg/day)—vitamin C may shorten the duration of cold symptoms slightly.
6. Healthy people don’t need the flu vaccine: Your best line of defense against the flu is to get the flu vaccine. The CDC recommends that most people 6 months and older get vaccinated every year.
7. A bad cold can turn into the flu: Colds and flu are both viral infections, but they stem from different viruses. A cold will never turn into the flu. While a cold can make you feel as lousy as the flu, they have different symptoms.

See the entire article here!

Probiotics are a great way to prevent getting the cold or flu. Find out how to start a good probiotic diet here!

Today on the show, we shared some powerful ways to love your teen, from our friends at Focus on the Family.

“An eye roll (or 20). A smashed bumper. Indifference and disrespect. Eating the last of your favorite ice cream, for crying out loud! For some parents, the teenage years test the bonds of unconditional love like no other parenting season. We can’t force our children to behave respectfully, love us wholeheartedly or — let’s be honest — even like to be around us.

But here’s the good news: After working with teens and their families for more than a decade, I’ve noticed four key actions that help parents connect with their teens, and as a result, make it easier for those teens to appreciate their families in return.”

1. Fight Fair

Conflict isn’t the problem; knowing how to resolve it peaceably is. In our home, we call healthy conflict resolution “fighting fair.” The goal is to reach a compromise or truce with a greater understanding of each other, rather than wounding each other with dagger-like words or cold indifference. When we stick to the rules of a good, clean fight, the resolution is always better.

2. Figure Them Out

Figuring out a teen sounds like an impossibility, akin to understanding quantum physics or capturing video of Bigfoot. While it might be impossible to wrap our minds around our teens’ moody landscape and catawampus decision-making, we can get to know them as individuals. Sure, you know your son still gets hungry at 4 p.m. just as he did when he was 5, but do you know what his greatest fears are at 16? You might know your daughter would rather be grounded for a week than clean her room, but do you know who her best friends are and why?

3. Free Them

Our goal as parents is to help our kids reach adulthood before they leave our home, not hope they figure it out after they leave. To do this, you have to concede freedoms, even when teens don’t use those freedoms wisely. Let them increasingly make their own decisions about food, sleep, homework, purchases and activities, and allow them to enjoy the rewards or suffer the natural consequences of their choices.

4. Foresee Change

One of the only certainties about the teen years is that they will end. In a few years, your relationship will change. So before your teens launch into adulthood, ask yourself:

• How do I want to spend the days we have left together?
• Are there battles I can relinquish?
• Are there experiences I want us to share?

View the whole article here!