Two old friends paid me a visit last week. The first slipped in without a word, freezing my mind for an instant, like the shock of ice cream gulped down too eagerly on a hot day. As we visited for a while, I noticed the familiar voice is edged with a steely insistence, somehow sharpened rather than blunted by a hunger for news of trouble, and the scent of brewing chaos. By God’s grace and through His perfect timing, there, just in nick of time, was another beloved friend knocking on the door of my heart, gently enfolding me in loving arms. This beloved voice speaks quietly, yet perfectly clearly, sharing a different story, at once both old and fresh. The voice carries words brimming with abundant life, like a lush oasis in an otherwise barren and hostile desert. Such is the power of moments of fear to paralyze our senses, and to leave us feeling isolated and lost. Such is the power of the unparalleled peace found through our faith in Christ Jesus, our Lord, in the comforting words of Scripture.

As anyone who has ever taken a standardized test knows, the last step in preparing for the test is to sharpen your No. 2 pencil. That may not be enough, however, for those thinking about taking college entrance exams. Planning and preparation for the ACT/SAT should begin now for rising seniors. Here are some topics to consider as you establish your test-taking strategies.

"Now you're almost as tall as me," said Diedrich, teasing Cook about her height after she put on her heels.

Last week, the Division I and II baseball state tournaments moved to spring training stadiums across the Valley.

“Hi, Mike? I am so glad I got a hold of you. My computer is running so slowly that I turn it on, make coffee, take the dog for a walk, and bake a few dozen cookies then maybe; just maybe the website will be fully loaded. This computer is running terrible! Can you help?”

Being from Cleveland, the smile of Chief Wahoo always catches me eye.

The Mountain Pointe baseball team began the postseason with the big-picture ideal that it would take 105 more outs to win a state title.

The adage “truth is stranger than fiction” is proven in “The Lost Wife,” by Alyson Richman. She has succeeded in blending both for an unforgettable reading experience.

The progression of the Desert Vista softball program took another big step.

The Desert Visa softball team was having an easy time with Mesa on Monday after a 12-run first inning on the way to a 20-0 five-inning win.

As an investor, you want your money to grow so that you can achieve your important goals, such as a comfortable retirement or college for your children. But you may also invest to increase your cash flow. In fact, without a strong cash flow, you may be forced to dip into your growth-oriented investments to pay for short-term needs — and if you do this repeatedly, you could damage your prospects for attaining your long-term goals. That’s why you’ll want to look at different ways of boosting your cash flow — one of which may be premium bonds.

Just as schools in Ahwatukee are starting and finishing their spring testing of AIMS, incoming freshmen for next school year are beginning to wrap their heads around the idea of their familiar testing coming to an end.

The kinship between brothers is never tested quite as much as when sports are involved.

"42” is far from the first movie to explore racial tensions in sports. We’ve seen this subject depicted in other good films like “Remember the Titans” and “Glory Road.” There are plenty of recognizable figures on display here, such as the underdog nobody believed in, the one man willing to take a chance on that underdog, and the ignorant antagonists that wish to see that underdog fail. Familiarity aside, though, “42” executes just about everything wonderfully. This is a good-hearted picture, carried by sincere performances and passionate direction. Not only is it an inspiring story about overcoming prejudice, but an all around rousing baseball movie too.

Jackie Robinson was the ideal class act to break the barrier and become the first black player in Major League Baseball.

The real estate market is improving dramatically according to real estate professionals, and those looking to get involved in the market can learn all about their options at the Arizona Homebuyers Expo this Saturday, April 13.

Anyone who saw “Scream 4” likely remembers the scene where Hayden Panettiere lists off every horror remake to come out in the past decade, from “Halloween” to “Friday the 13th.” So many of these remakes failed due to a lack of passion on the filmmaker’s behalf. Making a good movie was only their second priority, right after cashing in on an exhausted franchise’s good name. The new “Evil Dead” movie is the rare exception. It’s obvious that director/screenwriter Fede Alvarez has great admiration for Sam Raimi’s beloved cult classic. Along with co-writers Diablo Cody and Rodo Sayagues, Alvarez produces the best contemporary “Evil Dead” movie possible.

Between the two of them, filmmakers Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel have explored sheepherding in Montana, auto shops and junkyards in Queens and most recently, the fishing industry in the North Atlantic. Their experimental documentary “Leviathan” is both visceral and gritty, in no way spoon-feeding its audience information, but rather, completely immersing them in the gruesome, often dangerous environment aboard a commercial fishing liner.

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.

The Mountain Pointe boys basketball program had a stability problem that needed to be addressed.

Ahmed Alsoudani says that America is a dreamland. Yet, his complex paintings of violence and warfare are very much influenced by his upbringing.

A club team of nearly 30 students from both Desert Vista and Mountain Pointe high schools in Ahwatukee have taken to a new sport, showing a little-known trait of camaraderie in the notoriously rough international sport of rugby.

The Mountain Pointe boys basketball program had a stability problem that needed to be addressed.

"The Sapphires" is missing a lot — detailed characters, a unique narrative arc, half-plausible scenes of the Vietnam War — but it's got two uncommon things going for it: genuine charm and Chris O'Dowd. They are not mutually exclusive.

As kids, many had the same dream of hitting a walk-off home run to win the World Series. Now baseball season is finally under way, and there is no shortage of opportunities to share your passion of the game with your children.