What could possibly go wrong?

What could possibly go wrong?

Close to 200 prisoners will cycle around France next month, watched by scores of guards on bicycles, in the first penal version of the Tour de France, authorities said Monday.

The 196 prisoners will cycle in a pack and breakaway sprints will not be allowed. They will be accompanied by 124 guards and prison sports instructors. There will be no ranking, the idea being to foster values like teamwork and effort.

"It's a kind of escape for us, a chance to break away from the daily reality of prison," said Daniel, a 48-year-old prisoner in the western city of Nantes, at the official launch of the event. His last name was not given.

"If we behave well, we might be able to get released earlier, on probation," he told reporters.

The prisoners' Tour de France will take them 2,300 km (1,400 miles) around the country, starting in the northern city of Lille on June 4 and stopping in 17 towns, each of which has a prison. However, participants will sleep in hotels.

The finish line will be in Paris, following Tour de France tradition.

"This project aims to help these men reintegrate into society by fostering values like effort, teamwork and self-esteem," said Sylvie Marion of the prison authorities.

"We want to show them that with some training, you can achieve your goals and start a new life," she said.

“a Healthy Sex Life Makes You a Better Preacher?”

Why a Healthy Sex Life (If You're Married) Makes You a Better Church Leader

by Margaret Feinberg

While you’ve probably read books about sex and maybe even taken a few quizzes, have you ever correlated sex with your leadership skills? Although having a healthy sex life may not turn you into a superhuman leader, here are five ways a healthy sex life can improve your leadership skills:

Sexual intimacy might not be your first thought when thinking of leadership skills, but it’s a great way to test your faithfulness in the small things.

1. A healthy sex life removes temptations. The temptations we face as leaders aren’t just sexual, but temptation takes many different forms. First Corinthians 7:5 encourages married believers to engage in sex, preventing a potential foothold for Satan. Whether it’s the allure of power or money or worldly success, if you are satisfied at home, you will feel less of a drive toward temptation elsewhere.

2. Leaders engaging in a healthy sexual relationship with their spouse will naturally develop stronger communication skills along with grace, humility, and gentleness. These skills are transferable, allowing you to be more effective when interacting with other people. Selfless love is the key to a healthy sex life; if leaders can selflessly love their spouse inside the home, they can selflessly love others outside the home.

3. Sex releases the hormone oxytocin, which triggers endorphins to lessen pain and encourages better sleep.Energized leaders who have a healthy sex life are more likely to make smarter decisions, increase productivity, and are more enthusiastic about their work. Not to mention, happier people tend to be kinder and more gracious people.

4. Leaders with a healthy sex life have lower blood pressure, less stress, and higher immunity levels. Studies have shown males who engage in regular sex reduce their chance of prostate cancer and cut the risk of heart attack in half. This means fewer sick days, better overall health, and more work accomplished.

5. Engaging in a healthy sex life gives you a voice to speak on a prevalent topic in today’s world. Our culture has distorted a healthy view of sex and marriage. By choosing to develop a healthy sex life for you and your spouse, you have the opportunity to share with others a Christ-centered perspective on these issues. A healthy sex life is indicative of a healthy marriage, and we need every leader celebrating and upholding the gift of marriage in our world.

Sexual intimacy might not be your first thought when thinking of leadership skills, but it’s a great way to test your faithfulness in the small things. For those who struggle with health issues, remember that sexual intimacy is not confined to mere intercourse. Try playing with different forms of intimacy to find a creative solution for your needs. If your sex life with your spouse is not healthy, there’s a good chance your leadership could be compromised, but if it’s active and alive—there’s a good chance you’re a better, more confident leader for it. SOURCE:

A popular speaker at churches and conferences such as Catalyst, CreationFest, and YouthSpecialties, Margaret Feinberg was recently named one of the '30 Emerging Voices' who will help lead the church in the next decade by Charisma magazine and one of the '40 Under 40' who will shape Christian publishing by Christian Retailing, she has written more than two dozen books and Bible studies including the critically-acclaimed The Organic God, The Sacred Echo and Scouting the Divine. Margaret and her books have been covered by national media including: CNN, the Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, Dallas Morning News, and many others. For Margaret's latest tweets - @mafeinberg.

(Margaret is a caring nurturer, a member of several 12-step programs, but not a licensed therapist. ) added

Hello, I'm Stuart Smalley! Well, I'm still receiving some negative reaction from my show on Pee Wee Herman, titled, "There But For The Grace Of God Go I", and, I have to admit, it's not my best show.. but that's o-kay. I have to give myself permission to do a bad show every now and then. Okay.. for those of you who watch the show regularly, you know that I don't have guests, I always do the show alone.. and that's.. o-kay. But yesterday, my producer said, "Stuart, I can get you a guest that you would be insanenot to have on the show." So I decided to take a risk - in life, you have to take risks - and, today we have a guest.. [ reveal Michael Jordan sitting next to Stuart ] ..and his name is Michael J. - I'll protect your anonymity. Michael is a basketball player for a professional basketball team. Well, that's very good, Michael, you should be very proud of yourself.