23 JUNE 2017 BODY OF CHRIST NEWS Making Happiness a Priority "For as he thinketh in his heart , so is he" — Proverbs 23:7 Ioften ask people “What makes you happy?” The answers vary from money, my spouse, my kids, and walks on the beach. We often make many things in our lives much more important than happiness. Financial obligations, relation- ships, and even material pos- sessions become more of a pri- ority than our own happiness. Why do we feel that things outside of us make us happy, when in fact all the happiness and joy is already inside of us? We can be guilty of holding our happiness hostage until the rules we have created are met. I can be happy when I make more money, when the I find love, or when the kids start listening to me. How can we create habits that allow us to experience hap- piness regardless of our circumstances? The apostle Paul probably spent one quar- ter of his ministry in prison. Prisons in those days were dark, cold, and cramped; which made sleeping difficult and waking hours miserable. Because of the despondent condi- tions, many prisoners pled for an immediate death, while others simply committed suicide. Imagine Paul living in these conditions. He is standing before king Agrippa with an opportunity to plead his case, and the first words out of his mouth are "I THINK MYSELF HAPPY". Acts 26:2 Having an attitude of grati- tude is a powerful way to be happy in the middle of adver- sity. Another way to con- sciously make happiness a priority is the way we use our bodies. Consciously smiling, sitting, and standing with good posture are all con- scious decisions that may contribute to happiness. There are other factors besides mindset conditioning that can contribute to happi- ness. Diet and exercise can be factors that can contribute to feeling good. Begin your day with a vision that excites you. Make happiness a priority in your life today! Lake E. Powell, 76 went to meet her Heavenly Father on April 12, 2017 in Colorado Springs. She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Edna Mitchell; a son, Cleaus Gordon, and three siblings. Lake was born on June 30, 1940 in Chesterfield, VA to the union of Henry and Edna (Scott) Mitchell. She married Thomas Powell on September 8, 1980 in Colorado Springs. Lake was an active member at True Spirit Baptist Church and her faith was her foun- dation. She enjoyed many other activities including read- ing, shopping, and volunteer- ing in the com- munity, how- ever, her true passion was spending time with her loving family. Lake leaves to cherish her m e m o r i e s her husband Thomas; her son, Albert L. Peterson and spouse of Prince George County VA; her daughter, Crystal Gordon and spouse of Orlando, FL; her step-son, Darrin McCray and spouse of West Palm Beach, FL; Six Grandchildren; Four Great Grandchildren; her sisters Rosa Byrd of Washington DC, Elaine Jenkins of Davenport, FL, nieces, nephews and many other loving family members and friends. A visitation will be held on Monday from 4:00 – 7:00 pm at Angelus Chapel Funeral Directors, 1104 S. Circle Drive. A Service will be held on Tuesday at True Spirit Baptist Church, 5120 Astrozon Blvd at 11:00 am. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery following the service. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family by visiting www.angelusfuneraldirectors.com By Andre Hinton Andre Hinton is a Transformation Coach, Fitness Trainer, and Motivational Speaker. If you would like more info on fitness and mental transformation You can call him at: 719-357-7646 or email him at: andrehinton@mtfitness.com Andre Hinton OBITUARY Lake E. Powell, June 30, 1940 – April 12, 2017 HEALTH