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Volume 3, Number 1 September, 2002 Table of Contents
Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Yield Management1
Serguei Netessine The Wharton School University of Pennsylvania firstname.lastname@example.com
Robert Shumsky W. E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration University of Rochester firstname.lastname@example.com
1. Introduction
A variety of concepts and analytical tools fall under the label yield management. The term is used in many service industries to describe techniques to allocate limited resources, such as airplane seats or hotel rooms, among a variety of customers, such as business or leisure travelers. By adjusting this allocation a firm can optimize the total revenue or "yield" on the investment in capacity. Since these techniques are used by firms with extremely perishable goods, or by firms with services that cannot be stored at all, these concepts and tools are often called perishable asset revenue management.
The techniques of yield management are relatively new - the first research to deal directly with these issues appeared less than 20 years ago. These days, yield management has been an enormously important innovation in the service industries. American Airlines credits yield management techniques for a revenue increase of $500 million/year and Delta Airlines uses similar systems to generate additional revenues of $300 million per year2 While the airlines are the oldest and most sophisticated users of yield management, these practices also appear in other service industries. For example, Marriott Hotels credits its yield management system for additional revenues of $100 million per year, with relatively small increases in capacity and costs. Broadcasting companies use yield management to determine how much inventory (advertising slots) to sell now to the "upfront market" and how much to reserve and perhaps sell later at a higher price to the "scatter market." Even manufacturers are using yield management techniques to increase profits. After all, manufacturing capacity is as perishable as an airline seat or an advertising slot - if it is not used when it is available, that opportunity to use the capacity is gone forever.
The purpose of this note is to introduce the fundamental concepts and trade-offs of yield management and to describe the parallels between yield management and the newsvendor framework that is an important model for inventory management. In particular, this note focuses on how a manager might allocate perishable inventory among a variety of customer segments. To acquire some intuition about the problem we will spend most of our time with an application that involves two types of customers. Consider an establishment we will call the Eastman Towers Hotel of Rochester, NY. The hotel has 210 King/Queen rooms used by both business and leisure travelers. The hotel must decide whether to sell rooms well in advance at a relatively low price (i.e., to leisure travelers), or to 'hold out' and wait for a sale at a higher price to late-booking business travelers.
Our solution to this problem will be simple - we will find a single 'cap' or 'booking limit' for the number of rooms to sell in advance to leisure travelers. There are also variations of the problem and the solution that are more complicated, and these variations can improve the performance of the yield management system. For example, we might change the booking limit up or down as time passes, or we might assume that some rooms may be used only for some customers while other rooms are more flexible (think of 'economy' and 'deluxe' rooms). We will discuss these extensions in the last section of this note.
In general, the yield management/booking limit decision is just one aspect of a more general business question: How should a firm market and distribute goods to multiple customer segments? To answer this question, a firm must use tools for pricing and forecasting as well as for inventory management. All of these tools are often grouped under the term revenue management, although the boundaries between yield management and revenue management are often ambiguous. In this note we will specifically focus on just a single aspect of revenue management - yield management.
We next identify the environments in which yield management techniques are most successful. Sections 3-5 examine a specific solution to the basic Eastman Towers problem, while Section 6 will discuss a similar important problem, 'overbooking.' In Section 7 we describe complications and extensions of the basic problem. Appendix A is a list of suggested additional readings on yield management, Appendix B contains exercises that test our understanding of the yield management problem3 .
2. Where and Why Firms Practice Yield Management
Business environments with the following five characteristics are appropriate for the practice of yield management (in parentheses we apply each characteristic to the Eastman Towers Hotel):
Given these characteristics, how does yield management work? Suppose that our hotel has established two fare classes or buckets: full price and discount price. The hotel has 210 rooms available for March 29 (let us assume that this March 29 is a Monday night). It is now the end of February, and the hotel is beginning to take reservations for that night. The hotel could sell out all 210 rooms to leisure travelers at the discount price, but it also knows that an increasing number of business customers will request rooms as March 29 approaches and that these business customers are willing to pay full price. To simplify our problem, let us assume that leisure demand occurs first and then business demand occurs. Hence we must decide how many rooms we are willing to sell at the leisure fare or in other words, how many rooms shall we protect (i.e., reserve) for the full price payers. If too many rooms are protected, then there may be empty rooms when March 29 arrives. If too few are protected, then the hotel forgoes the extra revenue it may have received from business customers.
Notice we assume that the hotel can charge two different prices for the same product (a room). To separate the two customer segments with two different demand curves, the hotel must practice market segmentation. In the hotel example, we assume that the firm can charge different prices to business and leisure customers4 . In order to differentiate between these two groups, a firm often introduces booking rules that create barriers or "fences" between market segments. For example, a Saturday-night stay may be required to receive a discounted room on Monday, because most business travelers prefer to go home on the weekend while leisure customer are more likely to accept, or may even prefer, the weekend stay. Again, leisure customers are more price-sensitive so the hotel wishes to sell as many rooms to business customers at a higher price as possible while keeping room utilization high.
3. Booking Limits and Protection Levels
Before we look at the mathematics that will help us to make this decision, some vocabulary would be helpful. We define a booking limit to be the maximum number of rooms that may be sold at the discount price. As we noted previously, we assume that leisure customers arrive before business customers so the booking limit constraints the number of rooms that these customers get: once the booking limit is reached, all future customers will be offered the full price. The protection level is the number of rooms we will not sell to leisure customers because of the possibility that business customers might book later in time. Since there are 210 rooms available in the hotel, and just two fare classes, in our example,
booking limit = 210 - the protection level
Therefore, the hotel's task is to determine either a booking limit or a protection level, since knowing one allows you to calculate the other. We shall evaluate the protection level. Suppose the hotel considers protection level 'Q' instead of current protection level Q+1 (Q might be anything from 0 to 209). Further, suppose that 210-Q-1 rooms have already been sold (see Figure 1). Now a prospective customer calls and wishes to reserve the first 'protected' room at the discount price.
Figure 1: Protection Level and Booking Limit in the Hotel
Should the hotel lower the protection level from Q+1 to Q and therefore allow the booking of the (Q+1)th room at the discount price? Or should it refuse the booking to gamble that it will be able to sell the very same room to a full price customer in the future? The answer, of course, depends on (i) the relative sizes of the full and discount prices and (ii) the anticipated demand for full price rooms. The decision is illustrated as a decision tree in Figure 2.
Figure 2: Deciding the protection level
In the next section we associate numbers with this decision and find the optimal protection level, Q*.
4. Solving the Problem
To determine the value of each branch of the decision tree in Figure 2, we need to know the probability for each 'chance' branch and the values at the end of the branches. Suppose that the discount price is $105 per night while the full price is $159 per night. To find the probability on each branch, define random variable D to represent the anticipated demand for rooms at the full price. The hotel may estimate the distribution of D from historical demand, as well as from forecasts based on the day of the week, whether there is a holiday, and other predictable events. Here we will assume that the distribution is derived directly from 123 days of historical demand, as shown in Table 1 below.
In the table, the 'Cumulative Probability' is the fraction of days with demand at or below the number of rooms in the first column (Q).
Table 1. Historical demand for rooms at the full fare.
Now consider the decision displayed in Figure 2. If we decide to protect the (Q+1)th room from sale, then that room may, or may not, be sold later. It will be sold only if demand D at full fare is greater than or equal to Q+1, and this event has probability 1-F(Q). Likewise, the protected room will not be sold if demand is less than or equal to Q, with probability F(Q). Figure 3 shows our decision with these values included.
Figure 3: Booking Limit Decision with Data
Given Figure 3, we can calculate the value of lowering the protection level from Q+1 to Q. Lowering the protection level results in selling the (Q+1)th room at a discount which guarantees revenue of $105. Protecting Q+1 rooms has an expected value equal to:
Therefore, we should lower the protection level to Q as long as:
Now, F(Q) is the third column in Table 1. We simply scan from the top of the table towards the bottom until we find the smallest Q with a cumulative value greater than or equal to 0.339. The answer here is that the optimal protection level is Q*=79 with a cumulative value of 0.341. We can now evaluate our booking limit: 210 - 79 = 131. If we choose a larger Q*, then we would be protecting too many rooms thereby leaving too many rooms unsold on average. If we set Q* at a smaller value, we are likely to sell too many rooms at a discount thereby turning away too many business customers on average.
5. A General Formula
The solution described above is an example of a standard technique that was developed for the airline industry. The technique was named "Expected Marginal Seat Revenue" (EMSR) analysis by Peter Belobaba at MIT5. In our example we had two fare classes with prices rL and rH (rH is the higher price, $159, while rL is the lower price, $105). We also had a random variable, D, to represent the distribution of demand at the high fare. Since there are just two fare classes, the optimal booking limit for low fare class is equal to the total capacity minus Q*.
The EMSR analysis can actually be described as a newsvendor problem. We make a fixed decision, Q, the protection level, then a random event occurs, the number of people requesting a room at the full fare. If we protect too many rooms, i.e., D<Q, then we end up earning nothing on Q-D rooms. So the overage penalty C is rL per unsold room. If we protect too few rooms, i.e., D<Q, then we forgo rH-rL in potential revenue on each of the D-Q rooms that could have been sold at the higher fare so the underage penalty B is rH-rL. The critical ratio is
From the newsvendor analysis, the optimal protection level is the smallest value Q* such that
6. Overbooking
Another important component in the yield management toolbox is the use of overbooking when there is a chance that a customer may not appear. For example, it is possible for a customer to book a ticket on an airline flight and not show up for the departure. If that is the case, the airline may end up flying an empty seat resulting in lost revenue for the company. In order to account for such no-shows, airlines routinely overbook their flights: based on the historical rate of no-shows the firm books more customers than available seats. If, by chance, an unusually large proportion of the customers show up, then the firm will be forced to 'bump' some customers to another flight. Hotels, rental car agencies, some restaurants, and even certain non-emergency health-care providers also overbook. When determining the optimal level of overbooking, the calculation is similar to the calculation used for yield management. The optimal overbooking level balances (i) lost revenue due to empty seats and (ii) penalties (financial compensation to bumped customers) and loss of customer goodwill when the firm is faced with more demand than available capacity.
Let X be the number of no-shows and suppose we forecast the distribution of no-shows with distribution function F(x). Let Y be the number of seats we will overbook, i.e., if the airplane has S seats then we will sell up to S+Y tickets6 . As in the newsvendor model, define the underage penalty by B and the overage penalty by C. In this case C represents ill-will and the net penalties that are associated with refusing a seat to a passenger holding a confirmed reservation (the 'net' refers to the fact that the airline may collect and hold onto some revenue from this passenger as well). Here, B represents the opportunity cost of flying an empty seat. To explain further, if X>Y then we could have sold X-Y more seats and those passengers would have seats on the plane. So B equals the price of a ticket. If X<Y then we need to bump Y-X customers and each has a net cost of C. Thus, the formula for an optimal number overbooked seats takes following familiar form: is smallest value Y* such that
As an example, suppose the Eastman Towers Hotel described above estimates that the number of customers who book a room but fail to show up on the night in question is Normally distributed with mean 20 and standard deviation 10. Moreover, Eastman Towers estimates that it costs $300 to "bump" a customer (the hotel receives no revenue from this customer, and the $300 is the cost of alternative accommodation plus a possible gift certificate for a one-night stay at Eastman in the future). On the other hand, if a room is not sold then the hotel loses revenue equal to one night sold at a discount since at the very least this room could have been sold to leisure customers7 . How many bookings should Eastman allow? The critical ratio is
From the Normal distribution table we get (-0.65) = 0.2578 and (-0.64) = 0.2611, so the optimal z* is approximately -0.645 and the optimal number of rooms to overbook is Y*=20-0.645*10=13.5 (one can also use Excel's Norminv function for this calculation: "=Norminv(0.2592,20,10)" gives us an answer of 13.5). If we round up to 14, this means that up to 210+14=224 bookings should be allowed.
7. Complications and Extensions
There are a wide variety of complications we face when implementing a yield management system. Here we discuss a few of the more significant challenges.
Demand Forecasting
In the examples above, we used historical demand to predict future demand. In an actual application, we may use more elaborate models to generate demand forecasts that take into account a variety of predictable events, such as the day of the week, seasonality, and special events such as holidays. In some industries greater weight is given to the most recent demand patterns since customer preferences change rapidly. Another natural problem that arises during demand forecasting is censored data, i.e., company often does not record demand from customers who were denied a reservation.
In our example in Sections 3-5 we used a discrete, empirical distribution to determine the protection level. A statistical forecasting model would generate a continuous distribution, such as a Normal or t distribution. Given a theoretical distribution and its parameters, such as the mean and variance, we would again place the protection level where the distribution has a cumulative probability equal to the critical fractile.
Dynamic Booking Limits
By observing the pattern of customer arrivals, firms can update their demand forecasts, and this may lead to changes in the optimal booking limit. In fact, many airline yield management systems change booking limits over time in response to the latest demand information. For example, it is possible that an airline may raise a booking limit as it becomes clear that demand for business-class seats will be lower than was originally expected. Therefore, during one week a leisure customer may be told that economy-class seats are sold out, but that same customer may call back the next week to find that economy seats are available.
Variation and Mobility of Capacity
Up to now, we have assumed that all units of capacity are the same; in our Eastman example we assumed that all 210 hotel rooms were identical. However, rooms often vary in size and amenities. Airlines usually offer coach and first-classes. Car rental firms offer subcompact, compact, and luxury cars. In addition, car rental firms have the opportunity to move capacity among locations to accommodate surges in demand, particularly when a central office manages the regional allocation of cars. The EMSR framework described above can sometimes be adapted for these cases, but the calculations are much more complex. Solving such problems is an area of active research in the operations community.
Mobility of Customer Segments
In the example of Sections 3-5 we assumed that a leisure customer who is not able to book a room at the discount price (because of the booking limit) does not book any room from that hotel. In fact, some proportion of leisure customers who are shut out from discount rooms may then attempt book a room at the full price. The possibility that a customer may 'buy-up' complicates the model but, most modern yield management systems take such customer movements into account.
Nonlinear Costs for Overbooking
In some cases the unit cost of overbooking increases as the number of 'extra' customers increases. This is particularly true if capacity is slightly flexible. For example, a rental car agency faced with an unexpected surge of customers may be able to obtain, for a nominal price, a few extra cars from a nearby sister facility. However, at some point the agency's extra supply will run out - and then customers will be lost, resulting in a much greater cost.
Customers in a Fare Class Are Nor All Alike
While two leisure travelers may be willing to pay the same price for a particular night's stay, one may be staying for just one day while the other may occupy the room for a week. A business traveler on an airplane flight may book a ticket on just one leg or may be continuing on multiple legs. Not selling a ticket to the latter passenger means that revenue from all flight legs will be lost.
In each of these cases, the total revenue generated by the customer should be incorporated into the yield management calculation, not just the revenue generated by a single night's stay or a single flight leg. There are additional complications when code-sharing partners (distinct airlines that offer connecting flights among one another) operate these flight legs. If code-sharing occurs, then each of the partners must have an incentive to take into consideration the other partners' revenue streams.
A similar complication occurs when there are group bookings. How should the hotel consider a group booking request for 210 rooms at a discount rate? Clearly, this is different from booking 210 individual rooms since denying a reservation to one out of 210 group customers may mean that all 210 will be lost to the hotel. Frequently, companies restrict group reservations during the peak seasons but up till now there are no general rules for handling group reservations.
Table 2 summarizes the impact of these issues on three industries: airlines, hotels and car rental firms8 . Sophisticated yield management tools have been developed in all three industries, and these tools take industry-specific factors into account. However, all of these tools are based on the basic EMSR model described above.
Table 2: Comparison of yield management applications
Appendix A. Suggested further readings and cases.
Handbook of Airline Economics. 1995. Aviation Week Group, a division of McGraw-Hill Companies, Chapters 47 - 50. Handbook of Airline Marketing. 1998. Aviation Week Group, a division of McGraw-Hill Companies, Chapters 23 - 30. R. G. Cross. 1996. Revenue Management: Hard-Core Tactics for Market Domination. Broadway Books. Dhebar, A. and A. Brandenburger. 1993. American Airlines, Inc.: Revenue Management. Harvard Business School Case. M. K. Geraghty and E. Johnson. 1997. Revenue Management Saves National Car Rental. Interfaces. Vol.27, pp. 107-127. J. I. McGill and G. J. Van Ryzin. 1999. Revenue Management: Research Overview and Prospects. Transportation Science. Vol.33, pp. 233-256. R. D. Metters. Yield Management at Pinko Air. Southern Methodist University Case. B. C. Smith, J. F. Leimkuhler, and R. M. Darrow. 1992. Yield Management at American Airlines. Interfaces. Vol.22, pp. 8-31. K. T. Talluri and G. J. van Ryzin. 2002. The Theory and Practice of Revenue Management. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands. To be published. G. J. van Ryzin. 1998. Transportation National Group. Columbia University Case.
Appendix B. Suggested exercises.
Problem 1
Recall the yield management problem faced by the Eastman Towers Hotel, as described in the note "Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Yield Management." A competing hotel has 150 rooms with standard Queen-size beds and two rates: a full price of $200 and a discount price of $120. To receive the discount price, a customer must purchase the room at least two weeks in advance (this helps to distinguish between leisure travelers, who tend to book early, and business travelers who value the flexibility of booking late). You may assume that if a leisure traveler is not able to get the discount rate, she will choose to book at another hotel.
For a particular Tuesday night, the hotel estimates that the average demand by business travelers has a mean of 70 rooms and a standard deviation of 29 rooms. Assume that demand follows a Normal distribution around the forecast.
Problem 2
An airline offers two fare classes for coach seats on a particular flight: full-fare class at $440/ticket and economy class at $218/ticket. There are 230 coach seats on the aircraft. Demand for full-fare seats has a mean of 43, a standard deviation of 8, and the following empirical distribution:
Economy-class customers must buy their tickets three weeks in advance, and these tickets are expected to sell out.
The protection level (Q*) will be Circle one: Higher Lower The same Justification:
Problem 3.
Sunshine Airlines flies a direct flight from Baltimore to Orlando. The airline offers two fares: a 14-day advance purchase economy fare of $96 and a full fare of $146 with no advance purchase requirement. In its yield management system, Sunshine has two fare classes and, based on historical demand patterns, has established a booking limit of 90 seats for the economy fare class. Because KidsWorld is located near Orlando, Sunshine strikes a deal with KidsWorld Inc. The deal allows Sunshine to offer a 5-day KidsWorld pass to anyone who purchases an economy-class Sunshine ticket (the customer pays $96 for the Sunshine ticket and an additional $180 for the KidsWorld pass, a discount from the regular price of $200 for a 5-day pass purchased directly from KidsWorld). Sunshine passes along the $180 pass revenue to KidsWorld, but as part of the agreement, Sunshine receives a $50 incentive or 'kick-back' from KidsWorld for every pass sold through Sunshine. Given that Sunshine has accepted the deal with KidsWorld, should Sunshine change the booking limits and protection levels for the Orlando flight? Should it make other changes to its fare class structure? If not, why not? If yes, how? Your answer should be qualitative, but you should be as specific as possible.
Problem 4.
WZMU is a television station that has 25 thirty-second advertising slots during each evening. The station is now selling advertising for the first few days in November. They could sell all the slots now for $4,000 each, but because November 7 will be an election day, the station may be able to sell slots to political candidates at the last minute for a price of $10,000 each. For now, assume that a slot not sold in advance and not sold at the last minute is worthless to WZMU. To help make this decision, the sales force has created the following probability distribution for last-minute sales:
Problem 5
An aircraft has 100 seats, and there are two types of fares: full ($499) and discount ($99).
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text: If a high-profile TV movie airs, and no one's around to see it, does it make a sound? Mangled Zen koans aside, that's essentially what happened with TNT's Pirates of Silicon Valley. The cable flick, starring Anthony Michael Hall and Noah Wyle as, respectively, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, is set to debut June 20. But insomniacs might have noticed an unpublicized Pirates airing in the wee hours of May 23. Why the sneak peek? A TNT spokesman says the movie was unspooled to make the May 31 deadline for Emmy consideration and was aired at 1:30 a.m. so it wouldn't detract from the official premiere's ratings. (Still, Nielsen reports about 892,000 people caught part of the late-night showing.) While unusual, the night-owl practice isn't new: Showtime did it in 1998 for Lolita. ''We only do it for films we believe really stand a shot at being nominated,'' says the TNT rep. ''You notice we didn't do it with CHiPs '99.''


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Bible Verses About Loneliness
Bible verses related to Loneliness from the King James Version (KJV) by Relevance
Isaiah 41:10 - Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
1 Peter 5:7 - Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Joshua 1:5 - There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, [so] I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Psalms 23:4 - Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Hebrews 13:1-25 - Let brotherly love continue. (Read More...)
Matthew 28:20 - Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.
Genesis 2:18 - And the LORD God said, [It is] not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Hebrews 13:5 - [Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Deuteronomy 31:6 - Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he [it is] that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Romans 8:35-39 - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (Read More...)
Psalms 38:9 - Lord, all my desire [is] before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.
1 John 4:13 - Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
2 Timothy 4:16-18 - At my first answer no man stood with me, but all [men] forsook me: [I pray God] that it may not be laid to their charge. (Read More...)
Jeremiah 15:17 - I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.
Proverbs 15:13-14 - A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. (Read More...)
Psalms 121:1-2 - (A Song of degrees.) I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. (Read More...)
2 Corinthians 7:5-6 - For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without [were] fightings, within [were] fears. (Read More...)
James 4:7 - Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Isaiah 53:4-6 - Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. (Read More...)
Psalms 68:5-6 - A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, [is] God in his holy habitation. (Read More...)
Psalms 13:1-6 - (To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.) How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? (Read More...)
Isaiah 53:3 - He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Psalms 62:8 - Trust in him at all times; [ye] people, pour out your heart before him: God [is] a refuge for us. Selah.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 - But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
Isaiah 51:11 - Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy [shall be] upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; [and] sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
Isaiah 40:28-31 - Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, [that] the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? [there is] no searching of his understanding. (Read More...)
Psalms 27:10 - When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
Isaiah 53:4 - Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Psalms 62:5 - My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation [is] from him.
1 Corinthians 6:11 - And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 4:5 - Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
Romans 8:31 - What shall we then say to these things? If God [be] for us, who [can be] against us?
1 John 3:10 - In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
Psalms 127:1-18 - (A Song of degrees for Solomon.) Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh [but] in vain. (Read More...)
Matthew 4:19 - And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Some scripture references/categories courtesy of Open Bible .info under CC BY 3.0
Related Bible Dictionary Terms:
Search the King James Version (KJV) for more references about Loneliness...


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Tried out the cheapest film i ever bought
bought this film for only 10 pesos, that's like 4 rolls a dollar
This photo was shot on film. Taken by walasiteodito with a Pentax K1000 loaded with Photoline film 200 asa film in Marikina City, Philippines. These tags describe this photo: yellow, face, portrait, random, walasiteodito, 35mm, 50mm, slr, analog, film, colored, negative, k1000, and pentax. Date: 2012-12. This photo can also be found in the album The Cheapest Film Ever.Please login to get more out of this site
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Current RecruitmentLast updated: August 7, 2013 HRS I- Technical Preservation, Jackson, MS For information on employment opportunities with other state agencies of Mississippi, visit the State Personnel Board at http://www.mspb.ms.gov. MDAH is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). |
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News from our colleagues at the Commonwealth Fund
May 11, 2009
Women are more likely than men to have trouble getting needed care because they cannot afford it, with about half (52%) of working-age women, compared with 39 percent of men, reporting problems such as not being able to fill a prescription, go to the doctor, or get a medical test. The study, Women at Risk: Why Many Women Are Forgoing Needed Health Care, by Commonwealth Fund researchers Sheila Rustgi, Michelle Doty, Ph.D., and Sara Collins, Ph.D., reveals that seven of 10 working-age women have no health insurance coverage or inadequate coverage, medical bill or debt problems, or problems getting needed health care because of cost. Women who are insured but have inadequate coverage are especially vulnerable: 69 percent of underinsured women have problems accessing care because of costs, compared with half (49%) of underinsured men. Women are more affected by high health care costs because they have lower average incomes and use the health care system more frequently, and therefore face higher out-of-pocket health costs than men. Because of high health care costs, women and their families are faced with making difficult choices between health care and purchasing basic necessities or making payments on mortgages or credit card debt. The researchers say the study understates the scope of this problem, as it is based on data from the Commonwealth Fund's 2007 Biennial Health Insurance Survey. The current economic recession has led to greater unemployment and loss of insurance coverage. "Health reforms that would expand access to affordable, high-quality coverage are critical—for women and men, and the families they care for," the authors say.
Listen to a podcast on this study, featuring interviews with the authors and other experts. See New Directions in Health Care: The Commonwealth Fund Podcast.


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IBCLC Day is a special day to recognize the important role of the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant® and the specialized knowledge each has to make a difference in the lives of breastfeeding mothers and babies. IBCLC Day is celebrated each year on the first Wednesday of March. Wednesday, 4 March 2015 is the date of the next IBCLC Day.
There are many ways to celebrate.
Each year ILCA provides materials to help celebrate IBCLC Day, so be sure to check back at the beginning of 2015. Don't want to wait until IBCLC Day to promote the IBCLC? You don't have to! Several items, such as pens, sticky notes and more are available from the ILCA Store year round in the Promotional Products section. |


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Want to put ForexLive directly into your Bloomberg feed? Just make ForexLive once of your sources…
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April 13th, 2011 19:53:28 GMT View Comments
April 13th, 2011 19:53:28 GMT View Comments
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Quoting the words of the wonderful Tracey and Josh Adams of Adams Literary...
It began with the fireflies, as magic often does. Jenny was in the field behind her grandparents' house with her younger brother, chasing fireflies. She spied a good one, low-flying and lackadaisical, and followed it past the shed and into the darkening woods.
Yay, congratulations, Katharine! And thank you to everyone who entered, this was, as always, so much fun and inspiring.
Katherine has not only won a query critique from Tracey Adams, but two books on writing that I absolutely adore.
First is Stephen King's On Writing: A Memoir, tenth anniversary addition no less.
And one of my absolute favorites, WONDERBOOK by James Vandermeer.
Thank you again to everyone who entered! I hope to see you next year for the 3rd Annual Paragraph Contest!
Dreams Can Be Reached
Inspirational interviews, quotes, and my adventures in writing.
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
The Top Ten
"Who wants to become a writer? And why? Because it's the answer to everything. … It's the streaming reason for living. To note, to pin down, to build up, to create, to be astonished at nothing, to cherish the oddities, to let nothing go down the drain, to make something, to make a great flower out of life, even if it's a cactus."
—Enid Bagnold
First, I want to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for entering, I know it isn't easy to share a work of love for the world to see. It can be much like bearing your soul, but I must say that each person who entered did a fantastic job of bearing such a thing, and I am VERY impressed. You're all definitely honing in on your craft, and I absolutely enjoyed each word.
First paragraphs aren't easy. They must convey so much, in so little time, so you can hook your reader, lure them in. I've always been fascinated with first paragraphs because they are a fork in the road, in some small way, for your reader, they want to know where they're headed, what adventure they're going on. So without further ado, I present to you the adventures that captured my heart, as well as a couple of great links on the art of crafting a first paragraph...
The Top Ten!
And from here, I'll pass these off to the judges--the wonderful Josh and Tracey Adams of Adams Literary!
Good luck everyone!
One: LL McKinney
Maxwell ignored the NO TRESPASSING signs on the
edge of the property, though it would be harder to ignore the high-voltage fence
enclosing it. He scrambled forward and dropped to his knees about a foot shy of
the perimeter. Moisture soaked his cargo pants with the scent of wet grass and
dirt. The chilled night bit at his exposed skin as he shrugged off his leather
jacket. He eyed the area in front of him, searching for the faint shimmer of
the otherwise invisible barrier, listening for the telltale hum of power.
Two: Susan Silberman
I'd still be standing on the other side of the
fence if Jake hadn't raced out of his doghouse, begging me to open the gate.
Well, that and the fact that I was out of clean underwear. After retrieving our
key hidden under the rock, my trembling hand froze in front of the keyhole.
Jake barked with anticipation, prancing back and forth behind me. I pushed the
key into the hole and twisted it, shivering when I heard the familiar click of
the deadbolt retracting. I put my hand on the doorknob but couldn't bring myself
to open the door.
Three: Taffy Lovell
I hide the scissors and the red shoebox on the
top shelf in my closet. The obituaries can wait. Outside my dirty bedroom
window, the Kansas sun is barely coming up. I wonder at the promises the sky holds
for me today. Ages ago—in quiet cemeteries, one grave for every town I've ever
lived, like a trail of stepping stones leading me back to the first death: Mom.
Four: Katharine Manning
It began with the fireflies, as magic often
does. Jenny was in the field behind her grandparents' house with her younger
brother, chasing fireflies. She spied a good one, low-flying and lackadaisical,
and followed it past the shed and into the darkening woods.
Five: Mellisa Dempsey
You must never tell anyone what you're about to
read (or smell), but most importantly, what you may find. That's right
"may." More about that later, Kid. If you should make it at least
halfway through this tale, and if you even dare to finish it, than you must
open yourself to the impossible and maybe even to the extraordinary. To
everything that you thought would never happen—that maybe, all of those
everythings out there could happen. However—and listen up, Kid--once you
acknowledge these possibilities, you are forever sworn to secrecy. In short,
you've made a pact with us—a promise with The Mostly Mutts Club. An agreement
that only exists between dogs (and, at times, a few cats and maybe an
occasional field mouse and that one mangy, snaggle-toothed possum), but only
with a few select and privileged children. For now, anyway...
Six: Suzanne Morrone
You'd think here in the hospital I wouldn't
stand out. Everyone has something going on, even if it's a good thing like a
new baby. But nope, no way. Here I am in a wheelchair, being wheeled to Dad's
car even though there is no reason I can't walk except for stupid hospital
rules, and my freakdom still stands out. So what if I've got glasses being held
on by a thick elastic band? So what if the glasses have hearing aids on the
stems? So what if I just have holes where my ears are supposed to be? It's not
like my skin is green slimy scales, or I've got three heads. Even though the
900 year old man pushing my wheelchair could win a contest for world's oldest
human, and on top of that he is wearing bright plaid pants, it's me that gets
Seven: Emmy Paxman
The last time I asked about joining one of Judd
Grawl's rift expeditions, Mum banned me from mentioning it until I turned
thirty. So the fact that, a month later, I was getting my way without asking
seemed... what shall we call it? Suspect.
Eight: Sean Lamb
Peter Harper never got picked for anything. Mr.
Hayes, his gym teacher, had to force teams to take Peter in the dreadful
dodgeball draft every Friday. Miss Taylor, his math teacher, ignored Peter,
even when he raised his hand and made primate sounds to get her attention.
Neil, his foster dad, didn't take Peter to "Take Your Son to Work Day" because
he said Peter wasn't technically his son, and his boss wouldn't allow it. So,
when Peter's sister, Sally, decided to wander into traffic in pursuit of her
precious baseball, Peter picked himself to save her and become a famous hero.
Nine: Kimberly VanderHorst
Silence fell in a slow crash as I pulled away from the keys, the final chords of my newest song slipping away. Morning sunlight bathed the piano and made its edges soft. I slid a hand across the lip of the key bed, loving how the worn wood didn't shine with the threat of reflection. The threat of monsters.
Ten: Ashley Hearn
The only thing reeking worse than my mojo-bag
was the team on the field, and that was sayin' something considering our rusted
scrap-heap of a 'football stadium' sat in the middle of a salt marsh. Some
called it 'character,' but Mama always said about Caledonia: she hadn't seen so
many half-collapsed and boarded up buildings since she'd fled Tehran in '79.
Monday, June 30, 2014
2nd Annual First Paragraph Contest!
Today marks the day of the 2ND ANNUAL FIRST PARAGRAPH CONTEST!
Last year we had some amazing entries and everyone that entered made it SO HARD to pick just two. So this year is going to be even harder because we will have just ONE winner. Like one person will get the gold!
Like this guy:
Or like this girl:
Contest opens today (June 30th, 2014 at 11am
(PDT), but please read the rules carefully before posting your entry.
1) Please post your first PARAGRAPH (that you have
made all the shiny and will only POST ONCE) of any work-in-progress in the
comments under this post. The deadline will be Monday (July 7, 2014 at 5pm
2) I will then read through all the entries and
pick TEN winners and post their entries. At this point, I'd love to see all your comments on who you would like to vote for, even though we have judges.
3) The awesome Josh and Tracey Adams of Adams Literary will then pick only ONE
from the ten (which I will announce as soon as they choose).
4) Don't forget to leave your name and email if you
decide to post anonymously.
5) Remember! This is for fun and we encourage
nothing but hugs, kisses, and fluffy kittens, as always.
Like this guy:
6) Spreading the word about the contest is strongly
encouraged because all the writers participating deserve the chance to show off
their gorgeous first paragraphs.
The Gold: A.K.A the Prize
The winner will receive a query edit by none other than the fabulous Tracey Adams! And some wonderful books on writing that will come to a mail box near you, from me!
Our First Paragraph Judges
Josh Adams, together with his wife Tracey, runs Adams Literary. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Columbia Business School—where he studied finance and accounting, and was awarded the Abe Shuchman Memorial Award in Marketing—Josh spent more than a decade in publishing and media before bringing his editorial and business backgrounds together as a literary agent.
A media management specialist, he led teams of creative and business professionals in developing the editorial strategy and positioning of several national publications, and directed the marketing and brand strategy of many well-known international companies as a consultant.
In his free time, Josh enjoys practicing Taekwondo with Tracey and their daughters, and is working toward his third-degree black belt.
A media management specialist, he led teams of creative and business professionals in developing the editorial strategy and positioning of several national publications, and directed the marketing and brand strategy of many well-known international companies as a consultant.
In his free time, Josh enjoys practicing Taekwondo with Tracey and their daughters, and is working toward his third-degree black belt.
Tracey Adams co-founded Adams Literary in 2004, after nearly a decade with literary agencies Writers House and McIntosh & Otis, where she was the head of the children's department. Prior to becoming an agent, she worked in the marketing and editorial departments of Greenwillow Books and Margaret K. McElderry Books.
A graduate of Mount Holyoke College, Tracey speaks frequently about her profession and the children's book industry at conferences across the country. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Association of Author Representatives (AAR), and a founding member of the Women's National Book Association (WNBA) chapter in Charlotte, NC.
In her spare time, Tracey enjoys Taekwondo, kickboxing, and test-marketing children's books with her two daughters.
A graduate of Mount Holyoke College, Tracey speaks frequently about her profession and the children's book industry at conferences across the country. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the Association of Author Representatives (AAR), and a founding member of the Women's National Book Association (WNBA) chapter in Charlotte, NC.
In her spare time, Tracey enjoys Taekwondo, kickboxing, and test-marketing children's books with her two daughters.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
The Writing Escape, and Me Being Honest
Here's the thing, I've found myself in a muddled
writing hole as of late. Feelings of inadequacies fester, and lead to my
breaking point of saying to myself that I'll never write again. But all writers
at one point or another feel that way you say, it's just part of the process.
Sure, I'll agree with you, but we all have our reasons, our stories, and what
leads us down Breaking Point Road, whether published or not. So today I'll
share mine.
Growing up I was constantly being tested. For what
you ask? Well, as embarrassing as it is to say, my brain. The counselors over
seeing my brain, and behavioral issues would often lift up little cards and ask
me to figure them out, or ponder other activates or questions with me.
Teachers were beyond annoyed having me in their
classes because I was the "disruptive one", the nuisance. My grades were
horrendous, and I always found myself on Friday Free Days in detention, away
from games, other kids, and well, fun. But the reason I was such a nuisance was
because I struggled, deeply. Nearly every assignment handed to me was a
struggle. When it came to words, all I saw were scrambled bits of letters that
might as well belong in a soup bowl. Math, well, let's just say I'm still
trying to figure that puzzle out, and art, it was my escape.
Laughter was my escape.
Escape. We all find ways, even when we're young to
run away from our problems, even if we do it unknowingly.
By the time I was in High school, I hadn't even read
a book from cover to cover. I hated to read because I couldn't comprehend what
all those words were doing all at once. I could barely understand what a metaphor
was, and how some blasted idiot could turn it into a story.
Again, I struggled.
But yet, even from a young age, I'd made my brother
books of cats and frogs, and in my despair, I tried to write, and it felt like
putting paint onto paper. I created. Escaped. And it was glorious.
Story constantly knocked at my heart. It was as if
an alien came down from space and planted this horrendous piece of technology inside of me that
forced me to write. At first it wasn't horrendous; when I kept it all to
myself, the worlds I lived in were wonderful, until I showed it to the real world.
When those first bits of criticism (people actually
asking me not to read anymore) came in, I was crushed. Those moments of my
childhood flooded my heart. I was stupid all over again, a real ninny, who
might as well seclude herself to the only people who desired to be around her,
her family. But I put on my thick skin, told those voices to go away, and read.
I started to actually read books, and I enjoyed them because I began to understand
how much work it took to create such beautiful worlds, and characters that were
so lively that I felt I could simply ask them to be my friend, and they would.
And then I wrote, struggled, wrote, and struggled. And
the same pattern continues.
Every word I put onto the page is an indefinite uphill
climb for me. Things that are so easy for many, is a dirty trench for me. Words
that take many writers only seconds, take me hours. When I'm around other writers,
sometimes I want to hide because I'm not well read. But I always believe I will
be by the time I'm fifty because I didn't have that head start.
Life can be incredibly cruel sometimes, and a lot of
times the things that we're so passionate about we lose because we don't feel
we can do it, or we feel we're not good enough because someone's already doing
it better. But despite all of those things, I still put a book out there, I
still write no matter how long it takes, or how bad it hurts.
I write past the stupid, I write past the unknowing,
and I write because I believe there is a divine creator who asked me to write.
And I feel the most at peace secluded up in the mountains under a tree with a
pen and paper. It's how I connect with the world, and have learned to
understand it. So for now, I think I'll dig out of my muddled hole and write,
even if the tears come.
I will write.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Girl Gone Mental a.k.a My Writing Process
Since publishing His Dark Ways this last summer, I've received lots of questions regarding my writing process, especially after readers or friends who are asking find out that I homeschool three kiddos, create works of art, and books. Crazy right? Probably. But it all actually works itself out in this bubble I call Organized Chaos.
I'd like to say that I'm one of those morning people who can rise before the sun and pump out my word count before the day has begun. BUT no, that would unfortunately make me insanely cranky. Yahoo even did a study that "morning people" are more successful in life, so I tried it. And failed miserably. But I'm okay with that because everyone works differently and I truly believe that if you work hard without giving up, success will come, in big ways or small.
Stephen King once said that he never writes down his ideas because he'd write down all the shit, and the really good stuff he'll remember. For a long time I believed that and didn't write anything down, and then I had an epiphany. He was only talking about the overall idea of a book. And it works. I write one book a year (one is published, but the rest sit on a shelf), and I usually finish one in the early summer. So as my other work goes on submission, I start stewing, usually in my garden. I wait for an idea to overtake my soul (if it's anything's worth writing, it'll do just that). Once it becomes that really good stuff Mr. King talked about, I start jotting down ideas, and more importantly talking with each character. Ellen Hopkins taught me the importance of knowing your characters before any kind of plot takes shape, and once those people are there, it'll all fall into place. Characters are huge, and can either make a walk in the park boring as hell or an adventure. So talking to them is important, as crazy as it sounds, it's a very important part of my writing process.
I've had a couple of character's that haven't left me alone for years, and I decided that I was going to put them on the page this summer. I had a vague idea of where they lived and what kind of adventure they would go on, so I turned to research and found that the 18th Century would work well for these people. Six months later, I finished researching. But in between this time, I was also experimenting on the page. Where does this book open? So important! What twists and turns will I surprise my reader with? And so much more...
As a writer they say, you must write everyday because writing is a muscle you must exercise. I do find that somewhat true, but as busy as I am that doesn't always happen. Opening a computer can be full of distractions anyways, so I think, a lot. I find little moments in the day. When I'm washing dishes or doing laundry, I think through plot or character problems and pull out my notebook. A notebook in today's world can be a glorious thing. It's a blank page free of distractions because there aren't any of those pesky internet connections you can easily click on. Notebooks have become the brain of the nights I write. Three to four days out of the week, I grab a coffee, and the moment I open my notebook I'm focused. Those epiphany's I had during the day ground my four hour or so writing session on the computer.
So to sum up this post, my writing process is talking to myself A LOT, and being in solitude--which seems mental, right? But it's all a part of my process and how my days of thinking as life unfolds in busy ways gets words on my pages at night.
What's your writing process?
Also, a friend of mine just recommended a wonderful book written by Jeff VanderMeer. It's titled Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction. And it's definitely a book you should look into when it comes to the writing process! Happy writing everyone!
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
The Writer's Squeeze
As of late, I've officially finished my fourth
manuscript, which means, I've written FOUR novels! It's taken me ten years to
get here, and I've loved, hated, but mostly loved every moment of it. Being a
writer—a story teller, will never leave me. It's a part of who I am, and I love
that part of me. But being one isn't always easy. It comes with late nights of
staring at a ceiling talking to myself as my husband tries to ignore how insane I'm being because I'm working through plot and talking to characters. The next morning, I try to pretend that I'm not really alone when I'm sitting at my computer. And when I finally get up to grab a cup of coffee, I notice my dirty house and decrepit garden that would fit perfectly on
Tales from the Crypt. But the worst part, is knowing the characters in my book
better than I know my family at times.
I tell myself I'm going to meet a deadline, edit,
revise (repeat ten times), and then send my book out on submission. THEN, yes
now, I will get to know my family again, maybe finally force someone to talk to
me and be my friend.
Then in between scrubbing those neglected toilets,
doing art with my sweet children, and pulling alien-like skeletons out of my
garden that the rejections come in. I sigh—all my blood, sweat, and tears feel
I sob to my husband (that poor man), watch an
awesome season of Downtown Abbey, sob, write (only on social media), and then stick
my manuscript in a drawer and wonder where I went wrong. I take some time off.
Swear I'll never write again because the pain reminds me of THAT ONE bad relationship
I had that broke my heart and left a scar.
But those ideas keep knocking, and knocking, and
knocking, and soon I'm writing again. Why? Because I'm a writer—a story teller,
it's a disease really. But I constantly doubt myself, constantly doubt anything
I have to offer, and I think how ridiculous I am. Until some awesome barista makes
me a heavenly cup of coffee and tells me how cool they think it is that I WRITE.
It puts a twinkle in my eye, for a moment. Then, I get onto social media and
see that a friend got a book deal. Or I walk into a book store and say to
myself, "Why can't this be me? I've worked hard too?" And I stew, and jealousy
spills out—all over the place. It's messy. It spills out into my writing (I'm not good
enough); it spills out into my mood because I feel lame. I go home and put on
my raggedy comfort sweater, walk around with slouchy shoulders, and eat an
entire box of Aunt Something Cookies.
And this, my friends, is the writer's squeeze.
It's the crappy place no writer likes to be and it's
a place no writer should go.
"When you squeeze an orange, orange juice comes out - because that's what's inside. When you are squeezed, what comes out is what is inside." ~Wayne Dyer
As writers
we are going to be squeezed, whether it be in the beginning stages, or IF we
become a New York Times Bestseller. We need to hold on, keep going, and BE
PROUD, heck, throw parties for our friends that have made it because we know how big of a mountain it was for them to climb to get there. And who cares if it took them one
year to get to the top and you a lifetime. Its okay, we need to stop comparing
ourselves. If we are going to share a work of art with the world—a piece of us,
shouldn't it be at a time when your passion is equal to the love of our friends?
And if we never get there, we should be okay with that too because isn't it true as
to what Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem taught us?…
hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.
I write for passion, for the love of life. If you place this poem in your heart as you write, then nothing is
lost but gained, and when the time comes when you're squeezed, you will only drip
with love. And that my friends, is when the best literature of our time to come will be created.
On Writing Craft
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The following are some of the questions folks have occasionally about who North Star beliefs, values, and affiliations.
If there are questions you have that are not included here, please feel free to email us at email@example.com.
What is North Star's connection to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
North Star is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is completely independent of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While our mission is to serve the greater Latter-day Saint community in regard to issues surrounding homosexuality and other gender identity or sexual issues, North Star is not owned by or affiliated with the Church, and site content should not be interpreted as official statements of Church doctrine, belief, or practice. While North Star wholly supports the doctrines and values of the Church of Jesus Christ, all views expressed or errors made are the sole responsibility of site contributors.
What is North Star's connection to other LDS-related groups such as Evergreen, Mormons Building Bridges, Circling the Wagons, Affirmation, or Family Fellowship?
North Star operates completely independent of any other group or organization with connections either to cultural Mormonism or to the institutional Church of Jesus Christ, whether they are supportive or critical of the Church and its positions on issues related to homosexuality or gender identity. North Star leadeship has occasionally elected to participate in events sponsored by other groups as a means of contributing our perspectives and stories to the broader conversation on SSA and LGBT issues.
In addition, in its calendar, North Star may provide reference to activities or events sponsored by other organizations or groups we have reason to believe are explicitly and exclusively supportive of the doctrines and/or behavioral standards of the Church, but these references should not be interpreted as official or implied connection to or endorsement of such groups.
What is North Star's position on change or reorientation?
In our Values Statement, we state: "Recognizing the uniqueness of individual circumstance, North Star takes no official position on the origin or mutability of homosexual feelings and attractions but supports all temporal efforts consistent with the gospel that help individuals live in harmony with their covenants and attain greater peace, fulfillment, and sense of individual worth, while affirming that the most essential and eternal changes come through the power of the Savior and adherence to the teachings of His prophets."
The focus of North Star is not on changing sexual orientation but rather on building community among those who desire to live within the framework of the doctrines of the Church or who might be in the process of joining or returning to the Church. North Star aims to nurture change in or maintenance of our spiritual orientation, affirming and embracing our eternal identity as literal sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. Whether or not individuals choose to make efforts to diminish or eliminate homosexual feelings, and whether or not those efforts succeed, is less important to North Star's purposes.
Does North Star sponsor activities or events?
Yes, North Star does occasionally organize activities and events. Recent events have included our annual Women of Worth Spouses Conference, our annual Couples Summit, our annual Christmas Musical Fireside with Fred and Marilyn Matis, our annual Fall Festival and Chili Cook-off fundraiser, and the most recent addition a bi-annual Couples Retreat. As time and resources allow, we hope to sponsor additional offerings.
Our calendar of upcoming events and activities also includes those activities or events sponsored by other individuals and organizations which we believe encourage behavioral standards consistent with the teachings of the Church and the mission and values of North Star. Other than those events and activities designated as being officially sponsored by North Star, nothing listed on the North Star calendar should be interpreted as having any direct connection to or sponsorship by North Star as an organization.
What is North Star's position on political issues? Does North Star participate in political activism?
North Star exists to help people affected by same-sex attraction deepen their personal relationship with our Savior, Jesus Christ, and to support them in their desires to live according to the teachings and covenants they have made as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We understand that political issues are of great importance to many people who make up or are influenced by our organization. In our function as a support organization whose core purpose is to build community and focus on the spiritual needs of our members, we have determined as an organization not to endorse political causes or to join political coalitions, including those officially sanctioned by the institutional Church.
There is often a wide array of perspectives and opinion regarding the best application of personal values to public policy, and conversations regarding political agendas often become heated or emotional. As we keep abreast of influential current events, North Star encourages the application and engagement of each member's free agency in light of and in congruence with the doctrines of the Church and principles of the gospel. Meanwhile, within our community's discussion groups, we encourage our members to focus on the personal implications of supporting each other through what could be divisive and painful conflicts. We encourage questions such as, "How should we handle our hurt feelings at Church if people on either side of a political debate say things that seem mean-spirited or ignorant during discussions of a political nature?" or, "Is it possible to have policy disagreements and still show forth love as we come together as the body of Christ to build bridges of understanding and bring more people to Christ?"


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I know, I know: "the work has just begun." But … am I the only one who stopped reading e-mail from David Plouffe back in September? I got one today from him, asking me to watch this video:
Anyway, what's happening, folks? Got some news? Links? Random insights? Share 'em here.
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- 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas (garbanzos), rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup tahini (sesame-seed paste)
- 3 tablespoons warm water
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 1/2 lemons
- 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Process all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 40 calories, 3 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein, 3 g fat, no cholesterol
Nutritional analysis provided by PARADE
my notes
recipe at a glance
type: Quick & Easy, Condiment/Spread
main ingredients: Lemon, Chickpea
cuisine: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean
dietary considerations: Vegetarian