The Wonder of God’s Creation

In 2005, I wrote and released two books in my “How Do You Know He’s Real” series. They both feature incredible testimonies by celebrities from the worlds of sports and entertainment. Of course, personal experience is the best way to recognize God’s hand, but we also see His divinity in nature. For a moment, picture yourself walking in a forest of pine trees in the north woods. Do you see the cardinals and the blue jays, the eagles and the hawks? Do you see the little chipmunks, rabbits, and squirrels scampering around on the ground? How about the majestic blue sky filled with billowy clouds and rays of sunshine. Then […]

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A Father’s Legacy

My 80-year-old father passed away on November 22nd from aspiration pneumonia due to Alzheimer’s disease. I gave a eulogy at his memorial service as a final tribute to an incredible man. The following are excerpts from my remarks. Over the past few days, my mom, my siblings and I have been sharing special memories of Dad. Walter “Bud” Hammond was a man of integrity and character who loved us all unconditionally. I treasure the faint aroma reminiscent of his pipe tobacco and the sight of his goofy hats, long pants, and sweatshirts as he mowed the lawn. He had a wonderful sense of humor; he even had his own language. […]

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California Road Trip – “Crazy Busy”

– photos by Kaia Calhoun For much of our recent vacation, my daughter and I stayed with my niece Dena and her wonderful family. Their beautiful home is situated amidst the heavily wooded, narrow twisting lanes of a Bay Area paradise.  What a great place to grow up; no mosquitoes or blizzards there! Dena’s life as a mother is crazy busy. From dawn until dusk she is running her two kids, Jensen (7) and Boden (4), to one activity or another—swimming, tennis, ballet, play dates, or day camp to name a few—yet she still manages to make nutritious home-cooked meals and teach Pilates. The whole business was a little overwhelming […]

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The Beauty of Brownies

There is no doubt in my mind that God was having a pretty good day when He invented chocolate. Technically speaking, human beings can live on manna, but in His infinite wisdom, the Creator must have mused, “Man (and woman) cannot live by bread alone, so how about a little chocolate to mix things up?” Okay, perhaps those weren’t His exact words, but I’m sure that was the basic idea. It’s hard to conceive that something as delectable as chocolate could originate from the bitter cacao seed. It’s even more difficult to comprehend that one day somebody looked at that seed and thought it would be a good idea to […]

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When Magazine Interview

I had a great interview (if I do say so myself) last night  on When Magazine‘s Blog Talk Radio show. For an hour we talked about life, faith, and my crazy writing career.  It’s easy to listen in – just click on the link below and turn up your speakers! http://www.blogtalkradio.com/whenmagazine/2011/05/19/god-unplugged-interview-with-author-amy-hagberg?sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4dd342c7df3711a2%2C0

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Attending Religious Services Helps You Live Longer

Many people go to church or synagogue because it makes them feel good, but did you know doing so on a regular basis can actually extend your life? A recent study published by researchers at Yeshiva University and its medical school, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, strongly suggests that weekly attendance at religious services reduces the risk of death by approximately 20 percent. The researchers evaluated the religious practices of 92,395 post-menopausal women participating in a national, long-term study aimed at addressing women’s health issues that is funded by the National Institutes of Health. They examined the prospective association of religious affiliation, religious service attendance, and strength and comfort derived […]

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Thanksgiving Trivia

In the fall of 1621, the religious separatist Pilgrims held a three-day feast to celebrate a bountiful harvest, an event many regard as the nation’s first Thanksgiving. It eventually became a national holiday in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a national day of thanksgiving. Later, President Franklin Roosevelt clarified that Thanksgiving should always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month to encourage earlier holiday shopping, never on the occasional fifth Thursday. There were an estimated 271 million turkeys raised in the United States in 2008 Minnesota produces the most turkeys (49 million) followed by North Carolina (39 million) and Arkansas (31 […]

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What does it mean to tithe?

As a devoted follower of Christ, I am in many ways saddened by the state of the Christian Church as an institution, and I will be addressing some of those issues in upcoming blogs.  There are many who share my thoughts.  On Monday morning I listed my status on Facebook as “Frustrated with Organized Religion.”  For the next day my email inbox sounded like popcorn – I was peppered with responses from people who wholeheartedly agree with that statement.  These people aren’t atheists or people of other religions, they are fellow Christians.  Here are some of the comments: “…constructs of men (mankind) will never measure up!” “Preach it, sister.” “Good […]

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New Book Helps Unmarried Couples Answer the Tough Questions

Find the Answers to Your Questions About Marriage Before You Walk Down the Aisle… Getting married is the biggest decision of a lifetime. Now couples can make it with confidence, knowing what questions to ask to ensure their compatibility for a life of happiness together. A new book by author Amy Hammond Hagberg will be released on September 2nd to address those very questions. 100 Answers to 100 Questions to Ask Before You Say “I Do” gives couples the most important considerations, including… How well do you really know each other? How will you manage conflict? How will you practice your faith together? How important is romance to you? What […]

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My Most Embarrassing Moment

Just in case you need a little humor in your life… When our first child was born we lived in a small, quiet, lakeside community in Minnesota. It’s one of those villages with lovely winding roads, parks and sailboats… you can picture it. One summer weekend my husband was up in the Boundary Waters with a group of students so I was home alone with our newborn. I was sterilizing her bottles and rubber nipples on the stove and had a complete brain fart… I left the house to go return some video rentals to the store. When we got home, there was toxic black smoke billowing out of the windows. […]

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