by Amy Roberts | Aug 31, 2011 | News Slider
The story of Timothy Hill’s life is a lasting example of a young man’s desire to serve. God worked in Timothy for the 13 years he lived on earth and his passion and story is best captured in the book by his mother, Fern Hill, called Graduation to Glory. Timothy told his parents he wanted someday to “build a place where homeless kids could live, be loved, feel safe and have wide open spaces to ride horses.” Timothy began working at age 12 to save money for the land where he could make his dream become a reality. On May 11, 1972, a tragic bicycle-truck accident ended Timothy’s life at the young age of 13. His mother, wanting a way to commemorate his life, wrote a book entitled, Graduation to Glory, which recounted his selfless years and his dream of opening a ranch for homeless children. His parents, Jerry and Fern Hill, adopted their son’s dream, and God has blessed the journey ever since. Timothy Hill Children’s ranch opened its doors for the first time on November 15, 1980. For years, THCR has been a safe haven for children during their desperate time of abuse, neglect and crisis. It’s a 70 acre, farm-style campus, located in Riverhead, New York. For more than 30 years the work done at THCR has made significant differences to more than 700 young men. The goal is to help them see the bigger picture than what is in front of them and that every person who comes to THCR to hear and believe that they are valuable. It also teaches that everyone has gifts...
by Amy Roberts | Aug 31, 2011 | News Slider
We all know what a torch is. We hear people talk about “the passing of the torch” or “carrying the torch,” but to many, TORCH is an acronym that stands for Training of Redeemed Christians Heavenbound. The TORCH program began in 1988 when Steve Davidson, formerly the director of spiritual outreach at Lipscomb, and Miguel Agular, of the Baxter Institute of Biblical Studies in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, realized a need to train young men and women to become full- and part-time missionaries. In early TORCH trips, 15-20 members would travel to Honduras every year. In 1995, TORCH added a second team. This past summer, there were 12 teams who worked in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras. Over 600 individuals shared the love of God and served those in need. Short-term mission trips have become an effective method of evangelism. Trips focus on specific areas, goals or needs. Lipscomb, as well as other Christian colleges and universities, offer short-term mission trips for students and others who can travel at specific times. Many youth ministers, campus ministers and churches also provide short-term mission opportunities. TORCH Missions place an emphasis on serving the impoverished and providing benevolent relief for those who suffer from the effects of poverty, disaster and insufficient medical care. In the past, TORCH teams have built over 2,000 houses in Honduras since 1995, 12 church buildings, school classrooms and feeding centers. They distribute food, clothing, hygiene supplies (toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, etc.), Bibles, Bible tracts, school supplies, toys and shoes. Teams also have built playgrounds at schools, orphanages, and day care centers. They visit those in hospitals, retirement homes, special...
by Cory Woodroof | Aug 30, 2011 | News Slider
I’m really not a huge fan of golf. I tried hitting golf balls at a course close to my house as a kid, but reality (and coordination, or a lack of) caught up to me and I decided to hand in the driver. So in honesty, I wasn’t sure Seven Days in Utopia was going to be my cup of tea. Surprisingly, the film is an inspiring sports drama with two great leads. How, might you ask? Let’s delve into the plot. Lucas Black (Friday Night Lights-the movie) plays Luke Chisholm, an up-and-coming professional golfer with a shot to enter the tournament of his dreams. Unfortunately, Chisholm’s career suddenly hits a screeching halt. After a sour encounter with his father (who serves as his caddy), he botches a crucial hole and sends himself into the golf world’s headlines through a public meltdown. Soon after, Chisholm stumbles upon the small town of Utopia, Texas (by means of an automobile accident). There, he meets a man (cinema great Robert Duvall) who gives Luke a new perspective on life. Yes, I know what you’re thinking. The plot does sound a little familiar. Hot-shot rookie messes up severely, winds up in a no-name town, meets and bonds with the locals and winds up a better person. If Seven Days in Utopia had not brought its own qualities to the table, I would be quick to write the film off. I’m happy to say that the film successfully provides viewers with a refreshing experience full of heart and wisdom. Black and Duvall (already on-screen partners in the little-seen-but-very-good Get Low) have demanding presences. Black...
by Danielle Boyd | Aug 28, 2011 | News Slider
After the 90-day renovation, many returning students were stunned to open the doors of Fanning to see a complete transformation. Every suite was gutted out and finished with hard wood floors, new appliances, fresh paint, better internet service and completely new furniture. “Fanning hall is a beautiful dorm that has always housed beautiful ladies, and I am happy to be here opening my 7th dorm,” said Laurie Sain, head resident of Fanning. “When you walk into fanning now, you feel like you are at home,” said Latoya Clark, a senior resident of fanning majoring in biochemistry from Jackson, Tenn. Before the renovation, minor repairs and patching were made to the women’s dormitory. After this summer, those issues have finally been completely addressed. Now, residents can be sure that they will be cool in the warm months and warm in the cool months. It’s these types of changes that mean the most to the returning students. Jarathzy Lendos, a sophomore nursing major from Honduras, says that her showers have improved immensely in contrast to last year. “Now I do not have to worry about the water scalding my head when I take a shower,” she said. As one can only imagine, the living conditions of the 61-year-old building were dangerous and outdated for anyone living there today. “Fanning was old, run down, and old lady-like because everything was sagging and falling off the walls,” Lendos said. However, now, it is just the opposite. “I was always convinced that with a little bit of help you could make Fanning a concentration camp or prison just by the way it looked,” said...
by Hunter Patterson | Aug 25, 2011 | News Slider, Sports
Hard nosed, honest, tough and a leader. All the words have been used to describe Coach Pat Summitt for over 30 years. Now, just days after she announced that she had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, those words have never rang truer. Coach Summitt has been the head coach of the Lady Vols at the University of Tennessee since she was 22. Yes, some of her players were older than her. She drove the van to away games. She and her players slept in locker rooms because money was tight. Some ladies even made the team based on the fact that they owned a vehicle. For Coach Summitt, those were the tough times. Now, Lady Vol fans and admirers of the Basketball Hall of Fame coach are calling this a hard time. Summitt refuses to, though. “There will be no pity party,” Summitt told the Washington Post in an interview on Sunday. “I’ll be sure of that.” Summitt says she had felt that something was off for a while, saying she “just felt something different.” Once her Lady Vols were eliminated from the Regional final of the NCAA tournament she visited the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. seeking any sort of explanation to why she had these lapses of memory. Those lapses were everything from forgetting what time she needed to be at the gym, losing her car keys more than once per day and forgetting what type of scheme or play to run at a certain time during a game. “I think last year there was some adjustment in games,” Lipscomb’s women’s basketball coach Frank Bennett said....
