Review: I Am Second

You've heard the old acronym for J*O*Y.  In order to have true JOY in your life, you must put J*esus first, O*thers second, and Y*ourself third.

I Am Second puts a new spin on the tried-and-true idea.  People come in, they sit in the white chair, and they tell how their lives have been changed since they decided to put Jesus and others first and themselves second.  All sorts of people.  Celebrities, athletes, musicians, and unknowns.  Ordinary, every-day people like you and me.  And they open up about their struggles.  The horrors that have made them victims.  The horrors they have done.  The pain, the forgiveness, the healing.

The purpose of the I Am Second movement is to share stories and to encourage others to "Live Second."  The short films (about 10 minutes each on average) encourage others to put Jesus and others first in their lives.  In addition, sometimes it can just help you get through a hard time when you know you are not alone.  When you have that dark corner of your heart that you cannot share with your closest loved ones, perhaps you can find someone else sharing the same struggle and realize you are not alone.  You are loved.  You have help.  There is forgiveness.  There is healing.

I love the openness of the people in the films on I Am Second.  The willingness to share from their hearts in order to glorify God and help others.  I was especially touched by the ones about abortion.  As an adopted child whose birth mother was encouraged to abort her, the stories of those who decided to abort and those who decided not to all touched me.  I love the fact that solutions are offered here; it is not just a collection of gripes from people who have problems.  Where a problem is put forth, so is a resolution.  There are happy endings.

The films are uplifting (and sometimes tear-jerking) and free to watch.  I did have some problems accessing the films on my computer.  I have an older (pre-Intel) Mac laptop and an older Android tablet.  I could not watch the films on either one.  When I tried to watch them, I was offered a download which I could purchase.  I had to borrow an iPad to watch the free videos.  Just be aware that if you are trying to view the site on an older piece of equipment and have problems, you may just need to access them on something newer.

So many problems in our lives are caused or inflamed by a preoccupation with self.  Take a look at I Am Second, consider "living second," and spread the word!

About: I AM SECOND

Actors. Athletes. Musicians. Business leaders. Drug addicts. Your next-door neighbor. People like you.

The authentic stories on iamsecond.com provide insight into dealing with typical struggles of everyday living. These are stories that give hope to the lonely and the hurting, help from destructive lifestyles, and inspiration to the unfulfilled. 

You’ll discover people who’ve tried to go it alone and have failed. Find the hope, peace, and fulfillment they found. Be Second.

About: Seconds Change

Give Change, Make Change- Many more stories are waiting to be told.  You can help.  Commit $2 every Tuesday to build film funds, and your contribution will be used to develop, produce and promote new films. Join the project and become an I am Second insider with access to exclusive content via Facebook.

Resources: 

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Iam2nd.Nashville

Twitter: https://twitter.com/IamSecond

Website:  http://www.iamsecond.com

Disclaimer:  I received free products from I Am Second in exchange for a fair review.  No other compensation was given, and all opinions are my own. 

Radio Interview for Amazing Animals by Design

If you missed my radio interview a few weeks ago, you can listen to it on my new website!  Check it out at

http://debrahaagen.tateauthor.com/

"Clever Dragons" - A New Website for Boys - Limited Time Special Offer!

A few weeks ago, I posted a glowing review for Always Ice Cream, a social and educational website for girls.  (See review here.)  The only thing that seemed to be missing from this fabulous website was. . . . a place for boys.  Well, the site developers have answered the cries from the boys' parents, and have released Clever Dragons.  On this site, boys can raise dragons and build castles - but only after having earned "gold" by practicing math, languages, typing, etc.!

The best part is that they are offering a low introductory rate of $39.99 for a lifetime membership!  (This is normally $99.99.)  The membership can be purchased as a gift coupon to be given through the holidays.  Hurry, as this offer only lasts until November 27!!

Happy dragon-slaying!  :)

TOS Review: Always Ice Cream

For the last month or so, my girls have been reviewing Always Ice Cream at http://www.always-icecream.com.  This fun and educational website for girls was founded by parents who homeschooled, though it certainly is not limited to homeschool students.  The goal is to have a safe and fun website for girls ages 7-12, with family friendly content.  As a parent, you may link your parent account to your daughter's account and monitor her progress and activity on the site.  You may choose whether to allow only educational content or to also allow community content, so that your daughter may communicate with other players online and play "social" games with them.  You may also choose whether or not to allow Christian content.  There are no ads for external sites, and the website has been certified by the Privo Privacy Assurance Program for online safety for children.  You can see more information about the safety features here.

Games on Always Ice Cream teach and review concepts in Language Arts, Math, Geography & History, Science, Music Arts, Computer Skills, Foreign Languages (Spanish & German), and Religious Education (Christian) if you choose that option.  My girls have already improved greatly in their math drills and in learning the USA States and Capitals.  

The girls are rewarded for their efforts in "$coops," which they may then use in the games.  From my parent account, I can also award them "$coops" for doing things like their homework, instrument practice, or cleaning their room, for no extra charge.  That is a fantastic incentive!

In terms of review, I have to say that my girls absolutely love this website!  I love having a safe and educational place for them to play on the Internet.  The animation, the colors, and the games are perfect for their age and interest level.  And as for my boys who feel they may be missing out?  Well, I hear there may be something coming for them in the future!

If you would like to try out this fantastic program, you may try it for one month for only 99 cents!  After that, a modest membership fee guarantees that the site can be funded without outside advertising.  Packages range from $4.99 per month to a lifetime membership for $99.99.  You can see all the packages here.

I highly recommend Always Ice Cream for anyone with girls ages 7-12.  To see what other TOS Crew Members thought of the site, click here.

Disclaimer:  I received a free subscription to Always Ice Cream for the purpose of review.  No other compensation was given, and all opinions are my own.