If you're never quite sure whether the ads for popular beauty products can be believed, relax. Our 4you Beauty Board is made up of veteran testers ready to try the latest when it comes to all things beauty. We'll share what worked and what bombed with the hope of making life a little easier for you. ...more

November 7, 2009

These aren't the best of times. Maybe you lost your job or you're facing foreclosure. But they say there's a silver lining in every cloud. If something good has come out of your bad circumstances, or if you've found a renewed purpose after being forced to make an unexpected transition, we'd love to hear from you. Send an e-mail to mbearden@tampatrib.com, and put Thankful in the subject line. Or you can write: Michelle Bearden, Tampa Tribune, 200 S. Parker St., Tampa, FL 33606. ...more

October 31, 2009

After reading Michelle Bearden's column "New spirituality shows faith isn't one size fits all" (Faith & Values, Oct. 10), I thought, as a Christian, I would offer another perspective. ...more

October 26, 2009

Tampa Tribune staffers Michelle Bearden and Len Howell won awards in the Florida Press Club's 2009 Excellence in Journalism contest Saturday night. ...more

October 25, 2009

Our 4you Beauty Board shares what worked and what bombed with the hope of making life a little easier for you. ...more

October 24, 2009

The Jewish High Holy Days begin at sundown tonight with Rosh Hashana and conclude in nine days with Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. This beginning of a new year is a time of spiritual reflection and prayer for Jews, who will pay special attention to reading the Torah, the Hebrew Scriptures' first five books, most of which is believed by traditionalists to have been written by Moses according to God's instructions. Above, Rabbi Lazer Rivkin of Tampa, regional director of Chabad of Central Florida, looks at a Torah printed on deerskin or goatskin, likely from Turkey and about 125 years old. This holy text is part of a collection of antique scrolls from around the world in the Torah Museum, founded by scholar David First of Riverview. To learn more about the museum, read the Faith & Values page in Saturday's Tribune. ...more

September 18, 2009

Tampa Tribune religion reporter Michelle Bearden placed second in the national Supple Religion Writer of the Year award, which recognizes a reporter's writing skills and grasp of the beat. ...more

September 13, 2009

About two dozen Catholic "Idol" wannabes showed up Sunday at the Bethany Retreat Center for the first round of auditions for the "Voice of An Angel" singing competition. ...more

July 20, 2009

Patricia Lorenz has attitude. And I mean that in a good way. When her book "The 5 Things We Need to be Happy" (Guideposts, $15) showed up on my desk, it caught my attention. I don't know about you, but things seem pretty grim these days. If she had the key to happiness, I wanted to know her secret. ...more

June 13, 2009

Need a launchpad for your new commitment to going green? Consider watching "Renewal: Stories from America's Religious-Environmental Movement." ...more

April 18, 2009