Hope saturated the Living Free International Conference as participants heard the story of how God worked through churches to transform the small town of Manchester, Kentucky. Pastor Doug Abner told the story of how this small town that was once filled with drug abuse, violence, and political corruption has been transformed into a beacon of light for Jesus Christ. Participants came away encouraged that God can do the same thing in their communities.

This community sparked the development of Lifeline Connection as they used the Living Free small groups to disciple those who left the drug culture.

Every workshop at the conference was dedicated to encouraging believers in coming together to make a godly impact on their communities.

Some of the comments from those who attended included the following:

“It was a real faith-builder and encouragement.”

“The most important strength was the presence of the Holy Spirit."

Based on the book Understanding the Times and Knowing What To Do, by Dr. Jimmy Ray Lee, the October 2011 Article of the month describes dysfunctional and functional families and how to survive as a Biblically based family in the 21st century.

The family has become so fragmented that it is difficult to describe a normal family in this addictive society. The traditional family was once the core foundation and stabilizing force of our society. Now, many special interest groups, sociology professors, and even marriage counselors who do not have a clue as to what "family values" mean are giving advice to families. According to University of Pennsylvania psychologist, Martin Seligman, "past generations were able to maintain hope through difficult times because they had three anchors of stability in all of their societies: faith in God, pride in one's country, and stability in the family" (Collins and Clinton, 51).

When we consider that almost every one out of every two marriages will end in divorce and the children will see this example of pain and failure, it is not surprising that today's baby boomers, busters, and Generation Xers have difficulty seeing marriage as a trust institution. Collins and Clinton in their work, Baby Boomer Blues, quote Neil Kalter: "There is mounting evidence now that a substantial number of children, perhaps as many as 30 to 50 percent, bear the painful and disruptive legacy of their parents' divorce for years" (62).