"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12).

Twice a year, two distinct cultural groups — foodies and penny pinchers — meet on common ground, or more accurately, at local restaurants.

Get the kids ready for summer with a free afternoon of swim lessons and warm weather fun at SWIMkids USA, where they’ll enjoy playing on water slides, eating hot dogs, and noshing on cotton candy and snow cones.

When I was a kid…heck, when all of us were kids, our mothers had a stack of aphorisms for any occasion. When I was 10 years old, I was convinced that all new moms were given a handbook of Snappy Sayings for All Occasions as they were packing their bag in the maternity ward, because all the moms said all the same things.

You may remember one of the most well-known miracles that Jesus performed in Mark, chapter 6: Thousands have gathered, it’s getting late, and most (if not all) are hungry. The natives are starting to get restless, and much like I get when I’m hungry, I’m sure that irritability was going up as patience was on the decline. So, Jesus tells the disciples to feed the masses of people who had followed them there, to which their first thought was to make a run to the local market and buy all the bread they had left (Mark 6:37). We know where the story goes from there — Jesus performs another miracle, turning close to nothing into a feast, satisfying all who were hungry.

• The Logistics Group
• DPR Realty, LLC
• Impact Fitness AZ
• BASIS Schools Ahwatukee
• Lemme Eat Gluten Free
• Rainbow Sno
• Phoenix Premium Outlets
• Matthew Lopez Law, PLLC
• House Spouse
• CruiseOne

Finding good Mexican grub in this town is no problem; we could celebrate Cinco de Mayo once a week if pressed. But if you’re looking to do justice to this weekend’s other big almost-holiday, the Kentucky Derby, that’s a little more of a head scratcher. Here are three ways to indulge in the Southern spirit of the Run for the Roses, no big fancy hats required.

Ahwatukee is a pretty tight community especially when sports involved.

After eight years of treating orthodontic patients with lingual braces, Dr. Ken Danyluk brings patients in Ahwatukee a more inconspicuous option.

There are restaurants that slash prices on margaritas or invite a mariachi band for Cinco de Mayo - and then there are restaurants that go a little nuts.

Trumpeter/bandleader Doc Severinsen can still hit the notes, and it's not something he ever takes for granted. He always warms up.

If you’re just a casual swimmer, you probably don’t have to adjust your diet before jumping in. But that’s not the case with competitive swimmers, who must constantly watch what they eat and drink. You can learn a lot from swimmers’ consumption patterns — particularly if you’re an investor.

Say cheese! Mary Ciesynski wants to take Ahwatukee’s picture.

Friday is National Pretzel Day, and a Valley restaurant known for its pretzels is celebrating in a big way: Brat Haus in Old Town Scottsdale will be super sizing their signature German-style soft pretzels all day April 26, and serving them with beer and cheese fundido or Nutella.

While shopping at your favorite grocery store, it can be hard at times to find 100 percent gluten-free items.

While Arizona is home to several upscale dining establishments that meet the most discriminating palates, the state is also home to several fun and kitschy places to nosh at as well. Whether diners are on a road trip or just seeking out the unusual, below are some suggestions for AAA One and Two Diamond restaurants known for their quirkiness as much as their food.

Growing up in Nigeria Victor Jakpor said he didn’t notice the poverty of his village.

If your goal is to lose weight, look and feel your best and live a healthy, vibrant life, be aware of the damaging additives and synthetic chemicals in the foods you buy and eat. Seventy-five percent of the average American diet is from processed and packaged foods, which equates to approximately 10 pounds of additives eaten annually.

Does your outfit blend into the woodwork?

Victor Buono is the owner of Nicantoni’s New York Style Pizza, 1430 W. Warner Road, Gilbert

Recently, my family had distant relatives visit from Germany. Over the years there have been many visits between us visiting Germany and them visiting the USA. They are a wonderful family and we thoroughly enjoyed the time together. Upon waking up one morning, my 4-year-old had already asked to visit Germany.

Just over Interstate 10, Orange Theory Fitness is hosting its third fitness challenge this month since opening, where Ahwatukee residents have proven the challenge’s big-time results.

After graduating a group of 10 new instructors in February to teach Christ-centered yoga, The Center for Living Well is starting another round next week.

Calling all sushi lovers and competitive eaters: A Sushi Showdown sushi-eating contest will take place 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, April 7, at RA Sushi restaurants in Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, North Scottsdale and Old Town Scottsdale.