Additional Outreaches

Over the past few weeks, I have been sharing some outreaches of New Jerusalem Ministries. I shared about some changes that will impact this ministry this year as well New Jerusalem Singers and Happy Times Variety Show.  

In this blog post I would like to share a few other outreaches we have that many may be unfamiliar with. We will look at them one by one. 

Needless to say, if you are reading this you know I write a blog. Well, I have been on hiatus with some of these things for quite a while, but I am slowly making my way back to being active in these things as the Lord leads. I recently resumed blogging. My blog will consist of me sharing my thoughts on a variety of topics on, what I hope to be, a weekly basis. Be sure to check back and check out my blog. I would encourage you to take some time to go back in time to read some of my previous blog posts as well. 

I also started a Vlog some time back. I don't have many posts but I look to start posting more vlogs in the near future. I will be sharing thoughts on my vlog from time to time. I will share inspirational thoughts as well as words of encouragement. I would encourage you to subscribe to my vlog and you will be notified when I post a new vlog. 

Check out my vlog at www.youtube.com/@rayspellbrinkvlog9423 

My YouTube channel has my preaching and teaching in various settings such as churches, home, outside or even sitting my favorite chair. You can access my YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@RaySpellbrink .

My podcast will cover a variety of topics and will include personal thoughts from my own journey as well as interviews with others on a wide variety of topics. You can access my podcast on a variety of platforms. You can check out my podcast using this link: podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ray-spellbrink 

Another outreach of NJM is a ministerial fellowship. Our ministry motto is Encourage, Exhort and Edify. That is what we do with NJM Ministerial Fellowship. We work with ministers, ministries, churches, singers, organizations or anyone who may need encouragement, counseling or advise on the various aspects of ministry. This is a free service that we offer however there may be federal, state or county fees associated with legally setting up a Corportation or ministry. 

We host an online Bible Study every other week on Mondays at 7 pm. We host this via Zoom. This is an interactive Bible Study where we encourage everyone to participate and share. We generally go for an hour or so and this includes prayer time at the end of the Bible Study. If you are interested in receiving a link to the Zoom Bible Study, send us your email address and we will add you to our email list when a link is posted. This is also simulcast on my personal Facebook page.  

There is so much associated with ministry, and we try to be available as needed. We are able to serve communion to those who are shut in or may not have a church home. If a loved one is in a senior retirement environment, we can go to them. 

We are able to baptize those locally who have believed on Jesus as their personal Savior and desire to take that next step and be baptized. 

We also perform weddings as well as funerals. 

There may well be other things we do and other services we provide that escape my memory. We love God and love what He has called us to do. 

After reading the last several blog posts, you should have a pretty good understanding of what New Jerusalem Ministries is all about. In a nutshell...IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS!

Please feel free to share this blog post with others who may be interested in NJM and what we offer. We stand ready to serve. 

Until next time, 

Enjoy the journey!

Ray

rayspellbrink@gmail.com

Feel free to friend me on Facebook

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Happy Times Variety Show

In this blog post I want to share a little about a newer outreach that is available. I firmly believe that Christians can have good clean fun. In fact, I had a pastor who would often say, "If Christians can't have good clean fun, then who in this sin-sick world can?" That always stuck with me. 

As a ministry, we believe the gospel is needful and relevant for all age groups. NJM since its inception has had a very strong emphasis on what we deem to be a forgotten segment of society - senior citizens. 

New Jerusalem Singers, our gospel group I shared about in my last blog post, play and sing old time traditional and country gospel music at many senior retirement facilities and senior groups. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we were not permitted to come and sing for quite some time. That left the seniors without a form of ministry or family entertainment. While we were eventually allowed to sing on a very limited basis outside and under limited circumstances due to COVID protocols, we seen the need for these seniors to be provided with quality family entertainment and interaction. 

As a result, we developed a program that would still give seniors who are shut in some entertainment. In 2020 we developed Happy Times Variety Show to fill this need. This includes, but is not limited to, playing songs and music from the 1920's - 1970's that seniors are familiar with. We play a variety of rhythm instruments along with the music. This has gone over very well. In fact, we are doing both a gospel program as well as Happy Times at some facilities on a monthly basis. God is using us to bring joy to and make a difference in the lives of seniors. 

We believe everyone needs to laugh from time to time. It does the soul good. Happy Times Variety Show will do just that. Seeing the smiles and sometimes even the tears as memories flood back from playing these old songs on the faces of the people we play to is so rewarding. We have found that is has become popular enough to offer on a larger scale. 

Happy Times Variety Show is a family friendly variety show consisting primarily of music (DJ style) that includes Country, Gospel, Folk, 50's Rock n Roll, Big Band, Cowboy, Pop and includes songs from the 1920's through the 1970's. We play a variety of rhythm instruments along with the music. Some of the instruments we play include washboard, cajon bongos, bones, sticks, tambourine, shakers, castanets, bells, cabasa, spoons, Chilean rain stick along with others too numerous to name. We are always looking for instruments to add. From time to time, we also utilize puppets, illusions and props. 

If you desire further information or desire to book Happy Times Variety Show for your facility or event, feel free to contact Cindy at 217 652-0423 or email us at happytimesvarietyshow@gmail.com and give us the pertinent information (Name, Date, Time, Contact Information) and we will check our schedule and get back to you as soon as possible.

There is a link to the Happy Times Variety Show website on our ministry page at newjerusalemministries.net . We encourage you to check it out. There are even a few photos on the Happy Times website. 

If you know of someone who may be interested in this post or interested in Happy Times Variety Show, please feel free to share this blog post with them. Thank you. 

Until next time, 

Enjoy the journey!

Ray

rayspellbrink@gmail.com

Feel free to friend me on Facebook

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New Jerusalem Singers

I would like to take this opportunity to share with you some information regarding the part of New Jerusalem Ministries (NJM) that has been active the longest. In fact, this particular facet of our ministry is older than even NJM, itself.  

While Cindy and I have been singing all of our married life (and even before we got married), we didn't formally form the singing ministry until June of 1988. It was at this time we formed New Jerusalem Singers (NJS). We got our start singing in nursing homes, hi-rises, retirement homes, reunions and at just about any other event we were allowed to sing at. 

We started off as a quartet. My brother-in-law, Paul Summers, sang bass and played bass guitar with us. In fact, while trying to figure out a name for the new southern gospel group, it was Paul who suggested New Jerusalem Singers. We all liked it and it stuck. 

The group has been a quartet, trio and duet. We have utilized keyboard, and at time even two keyboards. We have utilized rhythms with the keyboards until I was able to learn how to play bass. Our son, Matthew, began singing at age 5 and played drums with us when he was 6 or 7 years old. We had electronic drum pads he played for some time. An older preacher friend told me, "That boy needs a drum set". He asked us to research how much a new drum set would cost. He generously purchased a drum set for Matthew to play. At another time we had a full band which included, keyboard, bass, rhythm guitar, lead guitar along with drums. The group currently consists of Cindy and me. Cindy plays rhythm guitar and piano/keyboard and I play bass. We do invite others to join us from time to time, as well. 

As previously mentioned, we started out singing southern gospel music. We have also sung country gospel music as well as traditional gospel music. Currently we are more of a blend of country gospel and traditional gospel music stylistically. We love singing old hymns and old songs of the faith whose messages have stood the test of time. These songs are never out of date. 

Without a doubt, we sing primarily to senior citizens. Even the churches we sing at are primarily attended by seniors. We travel thousands of miles each year singing and sharing the gospel message through word and song. Each song is a sermon, in and of itself. 

We recently purchased a new keyboard for the ministry and will begin bringing back some keyboard playing in some of the places we go. Cindy will also continue using her guitar at many of the places we sing. 

God has blessed us through the years as we have traveled singing for His glory. We continue to sing to seniors in various settings, churches of various denominations and affiliations, fairs, festivals and any other events where gospel music is desired. We rarely turn down an opportunity to share the gospel through song. We believe God will continue to open doors for us as we are faithful to Him. 

Our goal is to encourage, exhort and edify God's people where ever they may be or however they may meet. 

If you are interested in scheduling New Jerusalem Singers to come and sing at your church, facility or event give Cindy a call at 217 652-0423 or email newjerusalemsingers@gmail.com and give us the information regarding your event and we will check out schedule and get back to you. Check out our website at newjerusalemsingers.org for additional information about NJS.

I will share another aspect of New Jerusalem Ministries in my next blog post. 

If you know of someone who may be interested in this post or interested in New Jerusalem Singers please feel free to share this blog post with them. Thank you. 

Until next time, 

Enjoy the journey!

Ray

rayspellbrink@gmail.com

Feel free to friend me on Facebook

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A Couple of Changes

In my last blog I mentioned that some changes were on the horizon. I want to take a moment to share a couple of changes that have been made. 

One change we have made is I have shut down my personal website that I have had for many years. We have folded the things from my personal website into our ministry site at www.newjerusalemministries.net . I would encourage you to check out our ministry website. You will find the various ministries and things we are doing at the present time. You will also find some book recommendations (Good Reads) as well as some links that will not only encourage you but may very well challenge you, as well. I hope you will check it out. 

The second change we have made is we are cutting our travel. Please note, this does not include churches or church gatherings. We have sung for decades in retirement homes, supportive living facilities, and nursing homes. Some of our travel has taken us from Central Illinois to other parts of the state. While we are still traveling to some of these distant towns to sing in these facilities, we have cut back on the number of times per year we do this.  

It's not that we don't love doing this but through the years singing 20-25 times most months has taken its toll on us physically as well as vocally. These have not been easy decisions for us to make but we do feel they are necessary ones. These are not spur of the moment decisions but rather these are decisions we have talked about, thought about and most importantly prayed about.

We have found that as we are backing off some things that other doors are opening for us. We will continue singing and serving in whatever capacity God would have us to. Nothing has changed there. 

In upcoming blog posts I will share the various aspects of ministry and service we are involved in. The future is bright, and we remain excited for what God has in store for us. 

Until next time, 

Enjoy the journey!

Ray

rayspellbrink@gmail.com

Feel free to friend me on Facebook

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It's A New Season

Wow. It's been a long while since I made my last blog post. November 4, 2021 to be exact. It was my intent to resume blogging in January of 2022. Yet I did not do that. 

What happened, you may wonder?  In a nutshell it was due to health reasons as well as our schedule. Prior to that November, we were still in the COVID -19 Pandemic. Yet we carried a heavy schedule. In 2021 we sang 115 times, did 3 sings via Zoom, preached 14 times filling pulpits, conducted 2 church services at a supported living facility, sang with Cindy "Live from our Living Room" via Facebook Live 26 times, I taught a Fruit of the Spirit Series via Facebook Live that went 9 lessons, I taught a series on The Names & Character of God that went 14 lessons, I taught a series A Closer Walk With God that went 14 lessons, we jointly did a Bible Study via Zoom for a supportive living facility 19 times, we hosted a Zoom Bible Study 19 times, I blogged 44 times, did a vlog 3 times, did 40 podcasts, we did 12 variety shows, performed 4 baptisms and 1 funeral. Cindy and I did these things on top of the health issues we were dealing with. We remained busy in 2022 and added even more things in 2023. 

I didn't share all of this for accolades. Trust me we do not want, nor do we need them. We do what we do because we love to do it. However, at that time to be quite honest I was feeling overwhelmed. Something had to be put on the back burner for a while. 

Fast forward and here we are in January of 2024. Where did all the time go? We have taken some time to reevaluate the various things we are involved in. 

In the Bible, even Solomon (known as the wisest man to live) told us "To everything there is a season, and a time for to every purpose under the heaven". So, there are seasons for things. That is, some things run their course. They are a part of our lives for a season - for a time. After they have run their course or time and purpose then there comes a time to step back and reevaluate.

We are now in this phase. Some decisions have been made. Some changes are on the horizon. There is even a new ministry door that has opened for us to do some one-on-one ministry. 

One thing I felt strongly about was that I wanted to resume blogging. It is something I enjoy...even if no one reads these posts. I find that it is good for me. I hope to resume blogging once a week but if not, it will be every other week. 

We also feel at this stage in our lives we need to slow down on some things. Take time to smell the roses, so to speak. Slowing down and taking time for self could very well improve quality and longevity of life. 

There is always a need and there is much to do. We would love to see others catch the vision and get involved in serving. If you have a desire to serve let me know. Contact me and we can arrange to get together and share some opportunities that are open right now. 

As our season is ending in some things perhaps your season is about to begin. Serve strong. Serve well. The harvest is ready. Just need laborers. Will you be a laborer for Jesus?

Until next time, 

Enjoy the journey!

Ray

rayspellbrink@gmail.com

Feel free to friend me on Facebook

Stay Close To The Shepherd

In this day in a world overflowing with false teachings it is imperative that we stay close to our Shepherd. It is the responsibility of the shepherd to take care of and protect the sheep. 

Jesus, in His own words, talks about this. 

John 10:11,14 CSB

[11] "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

[14] "I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me”

Jesus cautions us to be watchful for false teachers.

Matthew 7:15 CSB

"Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves.”

As we draw closer to our Shepherd He will watch over us. He will protect us. He will even carry us at times. 

On our journey we will encounter trials, temptations, heartache, maybe even health, emotional and mental health issues. The enemy will be there to whisper negative things into your life. That is what he does. 

When you find yourself in a situation like this look to Jesus, the Great Shepherd. Draw near to Him. In fact, stay near to Him. Make it a lifestyle. When you do this you will walk and live in victory - His victory.

Until next time...enjoy the journey,

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward  a link or use the icons below to repost or forward this blog.

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How Not To Lose Patience

Have you ever lost your patience with others? Do you still tend to grow impatient with other people? 

Maybe it’s because of things they should or should not do. Perhaps it’s because they ask you for your advise time and time again yet they ignore it. Maybe they ask you to pray for them regarding a particular situation in their life but they do nothing to rectify it.

Maybe you feel like you are at your wit’s end with them. You are frustrated. You are ready to give up on them. Perhaps you even want to give them “what for”. 

When you are about to lose all patience with people like this stop and take a step back. Consider how patient God has been with you. God shows great restraint and patience with each of us. Sometimes He even sends very patient people into our lives to help us get on track. That’s love! 

Perhaps consider if you had to put up with some of the things you have done just how patient would you be with yourself? Yikes! When I think about that I cringe. You see, I know me. I realize just how impatient I have been with others. Sometimes I still catch myself being impatient. There are times others point my impatience out to me. 

We should be grateful and thankful that God loves us unconditionally. He wants what is best for us. By the way, patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit that should be prevalent in the life of the believer (Galatians 5:22-23). 

Anything worthwhile takes effort. If patience is a problem in your your life pray and ask God to work on that in your life. Be prepared. He will work on helping you become patient.

Until next time...enjoy the journey,

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward  a link or use the icons below to repost or forward this blog.

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Quit Beating Yourself Up Over Your Past

One thing many people have a difficult time doing is letting go of their past. Most of us have made mistakes in the past we wish we hadn’t. We’ve done things, perhaps, we were not proud of. Many have a hard time moving on from those mistakes.

We pray. We ask for forgiveness. We put it under the blood. Yet we have a difficult time leaving the past behind.  

Too often we continue to beat ourselves up over our past. Even though God has forgiven us we haven’t forgiven ourselves. We must accept God’s Grace and mercy regarding our past. If we fail to do this we will never walk in the victory and have the joy God intends for us to have.

Not only does Satan throw our past in our faces there are people who will bring our past up to us. However I believe the most detrimental one who throws our past in our face is self. We just have a hard time forgiving ourselves.

Talking to people through the years I am genuinely amazed at the sheer number of people who battle not forgiving themselves. It is astounding. 

Let’s take our past sin, failures, trials and heartaches to Jesus. Leave these burdens at the feet of Jesus. Don’t pick them back up. You will feel like the weight of the world has been lifted from your shoulders. 

We sing a song that I really like. The chorus really has a good message. 

Leave it there, leave it there

Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there

If you trust and never doubt He will surely bring you out

Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there 

Don’t carry the burden from your past. Don’t allow Satan, anyone else or even yourself to discourage you or bring you down because of what you did or didn’t do in your past.

Walk and live in the victory God intends for you. Turn it over to Jesus and smile the rest of the day.

Until next time...enjoy the journey,

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward  a link or use the icons below to repost or forward this blog.

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Don’t Look Down Your Nose At Others

Far too many people have preconceived notions of what a Christian is. They even have ideas in their minds of what a Christian should look like. Some will even take Scripture out of context and tell you what you should or should not wear. In all honesty it gets pretty ridiculous. No wonder many people want no part in what passes as “church” these days. 

We look at how a person looks in regard to their outward appearance. God looks at the heart of the person. People can dress the part. They can look holy yet be far from it on the inside - where it matters. 

I have had people say to me, “You don’t look like a preacher.” I then usually ask them, “What does a preacher look like?” That tends to throw them off guard. If they do respond, it generally has something to do with the outward appearance such as me not wearing a suit and tie. Not wearing a suit and tie is becoming more of a norm these days. For the record, I had a wide array of suits I used to wear. However, my jacket would be off before the service began and my tie would be, at the very least, undone or even off as the service progressed. I deem it to be just man-made expectations. I currently only own one suit. I call it my combination wedding/funeral suit.

Certainly we should be modest in regard to what we wear. After all we are ambassadors of God representing heaven. The Bible teaches modesty. Let me also say here if you dress up because you want to that is fine. I have no problem with that so long as you don’t think you are better than others who do not dress up.

 

Oftentimes these people who hold to these man-made rules or traditions look down their noses at those who don’t meet or measure up to their standards. 

I have no reason to look down my nose at anyone. I am but a sinner saved by God’s amazing grace. I’m thankful for Jesus’ redemptive work at Calvary. 

I pray this particular blog post gives you something to think about and consider.

Until next time...enjoy the journey,

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward  a link or use the icons below to repost or forward this blog.

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Does It Really Matter If People Know Who You Are?

Many, today, are concerned with their legacy. Will they be remembered? How will they be remembered by others? Have they made a difference?

Sometimes we wonder if our lives have even mattered. Have we had an impact in any way on those around us?

Perhaps we look for something tangible to see what impact our lives have had. Often we walk away disappointed.

The fact is, in many cases, only eternity will tell the impact our lives have had on others. Let me share a story, if I may. The story is about a man named Edward Kimball. His name doesn’t sound familiar? Let’s take a look at what impact his life had on others.  

The year was 1855, April in America, Mr. Edward Kimble who was 40 years of age learned that he was going to die and had very little time to live. He was a man of very little education but taught a Sunday School class of 15. After the pastor of the church where he attended had preached on evangelism he went out to lead all of his class to the Lord. Mr. Kimble had to overcome fear to go into a shoe store to talk to one of the boys named Dwight. He did so and it was in the stock room of this shoe store he lead D. L. Moody to the Lord.
 
Dwight Lyman Moody (1837-1899) was an American evangelist. Moody was born in Northfield, Massachusetts. His father died when he was four years of age. He left school at the age of 17 to find work. Moody was led to Christ by his Sunday School
teacher, Edward Kimball, and later began his own Sunday School class with 13 street kids. This class increased its enrollment to 1,500 in four years. Moody did personal work with the soldiers during the Civil War. He traveled in Europe and America, holding campaigns, and personally dealt with over
750,000 individuals. He preached to more than 100,000,000 people, and had over 1,000,000 first time conversions to Jesus Christ. His work continues today through the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.

Dwight L Moody rocked the world with his preaching. Moody was preaching in the British Isles, and a lady teacher was so moved by his testimony that she told it to her class. She, in turn, also told her preacher Frederick Brotherton Meyer that every one of her students had given their heart to the Lord. The report of the teacher had a profound effect on his life. He realized
for the first time what it meant to be brokenhearted about sin and point people to Jesus.
 
Meyer came to America and preached at Moody’s school in Northfield, Massachusetts. He said, “If you’re not willing to give up everything for Christ, are you willing to be made willing?” That remark changed the life of a young preacher named J. Wilbur Chapman.
 
Chapman went on to be a great evangelist in his era. But when he decided to return to the pastorate, he turned his ministry over to a YMCA clerk who had been his advance man. The young man’s name was Billy Sunday.
 
Billy Sunday is one of the twentieth century’s best-known evangelists. By the time of his death in 1935, he had preached to millions, and it is estimated that three hundred thousand men and women were led to faith in Christ at over 200 campaigns. His campaigns were known as “The Sawdust Trail”. His career spanned five decades.
 
In 1924, Sunday conducted a revival in Charlotte, North Carolina. Out of those meetings came a group of laymen that formed a permanent organization to continue witnessing for Christ in their city. Eight years later in 1932, that same group brought an evangelist named Mordecai Ham to town for a citywide meeting.
 
Mordecai Ham lived from 1878 to 1959. He was a Baptist evangelist. During the first year of his ministry Mordecai saw more than 33,000 conversions. In 30 years of ministry more than 300,000 new converts joined Baptist Churches in the south.

The author of the amendment for prohibition stated that Billy Sunday and Mordecai Ham nearly put the saloons out of business. Mordecai exalted Christ and fought sin with all his might.
 
It was at Mount Gilead, Kentucky he encountered two incidents he could never forget. First, a strange power came over him. It was much like that which Charles Finney and D.L. Moody had experienced. It was the power of the Holy Spirit, and Ham always preached in that power from then on. The next day after that Ham visited a dying girl named Lulu. As Lulu, who apparently was unsaved, closed her eyes in death he called to her, “Lulu how is it?” A voice came back, not hers “Lost.....lost.....Oh.....so dark…..so dark.....”
 
Ham established a pattern that was to follow him the rest of his days. He went after the biggest sinners in town, and often saw them saved. A typical story is in a Southern town he was directed to a certain cornfield to seek out the most notorious sinner. The infidel saw the feared preacher coming and hid. The evangelist began to hunt his prey and hearing a suspicious sound from under a corn shock, hauled him out. “What do you want with me?” The atheist quivered. Ham retorted, “I’m going to ask God to kill you! You don’t believe God exists. If there is no God, then my prayers can’t hurt you. But if there is a God, you deserve to die because you are making atheists out of your children and grandchildren. The infidel begged him not to pray that way. Ham said, “Very well then, I shall ask God to save you.” He was saved, and before the meeting was over, all of that
infidel’s family was baptized---forty of them.
 
In November of 1934, in Charlotte, North Carolina, during a fall crusade, Ham was having a trying time. The place was a temporary tabernacle on Pecan Avenue on the outskirts of town. A total of 6,400 were saved at this crusade.  A young man was there and was amazed as he saw more than 5,000 in every meeting, and every seat was filled. People were getting saved all around this young man. It seemed to the young man that the only safe place from the evangelist’s wrath was to join the choir. So that is where he and his friend sat the next night. As the evangelist came up to speak, his first words were, “There is a great sinner in this place tonight.” The young man thought “My mother has been talking to him about me.” That night he turned to his friend and said, “Lets go.” He and his friend were saved that night. His name is Billy Graham and his friend is Grady Wilson.
 
This all came about from one unknown Sunday School teacher to 15 young people who had a passion and a determination to see them saved. Just think of the men, women and young people who were won to Jesus because of this one unknown man.

Let me ask you, Are you willing to be made willing? Are you willing to allow God to change your heart? Just imagine what your legacy could be. 

Until next time...enjoy the journey,

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward  a link or use the icons below to repost or forward this blog.

Check out my website at www.rayspellbrink.com