Decadent Cheesecake Recipe

by   September 30, 2026 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

My kids seldom ask for anything. It’s true. Our three grown daughters with children of their own seem very content with the life they live. It’s hard to get them to share a Christmas list. So they end up getting bedroom shoes or something exciting like that. Our middle daughter Amanda is much like me in that she cannot eat whatever she wants all willy-nilly. Both of us are fearfully and wonderfully made; actually more fearful than wonderful. So when she had a special request for her birthday I determined to grant her wish.

I had no idea she’d request a gluten-free cheesecake. She could compromise on the dairy and the sugar since it would be her birthday dessert. But what could I do for the crust? Besides, I’ve never made a good cheesecake in my life. My first attempt was lovingly dubbed the Chainsaw Cheesecake. It was not delicious. But it was memorable.

A later attempt was made when my sister Tamra gave me her recipe. It came out beautiful… until I removed the spring form pan. That thing ran right down the side of the counter into a puddle on the floor. I think I may have shed a few tears. The details are a bit fuzzy. It was not delightful.

This time David and I put our heads together and gave it another shot. For the crust we used toasted pecans and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Then using recipes from my sister and my niece Sara we gleaned enough to try again.

It turned out perfect!

However! Here are a few tricks that seemed to make a difference between this cheesecake and the others.

  • First, set your cream cheese out early so it’ll come to room temperature
  • Next spray or grease your spring form pan way more than you think you need to
  • Bake the crust at 400 degrees for 10 minutes then COOL the pan for about 20 minutes
  • Pour a little of the cheesecake batter onto the crust; smooth with a spatula then slowly add the rest; this helps the crust stay in place
  • Tent the top of the pan with foil but don’t seal; this keeps the top from browning too much
  • Add a pan of water [about one inch] on the rack below the cheesecake to prevent cracking
  • Don’t open the oven while baking
  • Leave in the oven overnight
  • Chill the cheesecake before serving
  • Pray

What? You mean you’ve never prayed over a dessert before? Me neither! Maybe that’s why this one finally turned out. Here’s the recipe. You’re also going to want to top this with homemade caramel sauce.

And we wonder why we waddle.

Crust:

Toast about 2 cups of pecans in a little butter in a skillet; salt very lightly; chop then add to bottom of greased 8 inch spring form pan; Top with semi-sweet morsels; bake at 400 for 10 minutes; cool 20

Cheesecake:               Preheat oven to 400; reduce to 300 when cheesecake is put into oven

Cream together:

  • 3 blocks of cream cheese
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 5 eggs [one at a time]

Smooth batter over cooled crust; bake one hour; turn oven off but don’t open; let cheesecake rest in oven overnight

Okay, so I peeked at it a few hours later once the oven had cooled. But I didn’t move it… honest.

Caramel sauce: [From the Pioneer Woman]

In a saucepan on medium heat melt and stir together

  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 c. brown sugar
  • ½ cup cream or half and half
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Stir until smooth; cook 2 minutes after it starts to bubble; whisk until smooth; cool before tasting or you will scorch the roof of your mouth; don’t ask me how I know.

David also made homemade whipped topping from heavy whipping cream… because obviously this dessert needed more yumminess. It was a little bit decadent.

May your dessert turn out lovely! May your birthday wishes come true! And may you never have to cut your cheesecake with a chainsaw.

Meet the Twin Doctors

by   September 29, 2026 with No Comments

Have you ever been told you can’t… you won’t… that is not possible for you… There are so many careless words spoken in life. We have a choice we can come into agreement with those words or we can choose a different path. Watch and see what I mean…

Autumn Resurrection

by   September 27, 2026 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

While many proclaim the joys of autumn, for others, the fall brings a sense of dread of living through dark, cold isolation. I can recall dreading the season when I lived in a house with fewer windows than I have now, feeling suffocated by the lack of light. 

While reading through the Gospel of John with our church in both large gatherings and small groups recently, I came to a scene of such darkness and hopelessness. I wonder if you can relate. 

It had been dark – not just that early morning, not just at midday a couple of days before – but in the atmosphere of the brothers, those who had followed closely. Though Jesus communicated that He would not be the political messiah or social justice warrior their people longed for to ease their pain, they still hoped there would be more. Mary Magdalene had also followed closely, watching the One who had forgiven her, radically changed her, and truly loved her give sight to the blind, heal the sick, and even raise the dead. Perhaps she had also hoped with wonder at this strange idea of a “the kingdom.” But no, all that was gone – brutally killed and buried. 

Wrecked with grief, she does the one thing she can to continue serving Jesus, going through the motions of ministering to Him, even if it were an empty charade now. It was still dark – at the tomb and in her spirit – but surely it could not get worse. Wait! The immovable rock sealing the tomb has been moved. Had someone arrived before her, stepping into the cherished role of caring for His body? NO! His body is missing! She runs to the disciples, hoping they can help her make sense of this tragedy upon a tragedy. As two of them have their own experience at the tomb, Mary is still perplexed, unable to understand it all now. Absorbed in tears that further cloud her mind and vision, she sits outside the grave, squinting to see men in white sitting in the tomb. One asks why she weeps. Choking down tears as she tries to call out His name, she can only say that she does not know who has taken her Lord and where they have laid Him. 

Then, another man, coming out from among the flowers, asks why the tears and for whom she is looking. Again, she pleads for answers so she can serve, the one thing that can bring her joy at this point. Then, with clarity, this gardener, this tender of the soil and growing, living things, says one simple word – “Mary.” The name was common enough during that time, but the One speaking it makes the difference. She knows that voice and realizes the speaker knows her. He is not dead! Hope is not lost! The darkest night and morning are over! Though gentle and lowly in heart, He is the mighty conquering victor over death and the grave! 

Things are very different now. No longer needlessly going through the motions of service, she can serve joyfully at promises fulfilled, hope and peace being present in a Person. 

It may seem odd to write about the resurrection in autumn. But in a season marked with things fading and a future glimpse of the coming season marked by little to no life, you may be painfully reminded of a personal season marked with much darkness, sadness, and loneliness. Your judgment is off. You want to believe what you know is true, but so much in your face screams otherwise. Tears are not cleansing – they are clouding. Take heart – the Lord sees and is not far off. Cry out those tears of honesty and frustration! He hears. He will call your name soon. Continue to serve. It may seem routine, but it is the best thing you can do now. Recall God’s past faithfulness to His promises.

However, remember the only way to recall what is true is to abide in the truth. God’s Word is that unchanging, life-giving Truth. 

Ashlie Miller is wife to Chad (a pastor in Charlotte) and homeschooling mom to five children in Concord, NC. You may contact her at ashliemiller.com. 

We are a Family

by   September 26, 2026 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

We Are a Family

            How do you think about the people you attend church with every Sunday? Are they friends? Acquaintances? Are they people you can lean on in a crisis? Are they people you see only once a week? Do you know them and do they know you? That is a lot of questions and things to consider about the people we see at church each week.

            The Bible calls a church a number of things. It’s called a light on a hill. We should be a beacon of hope to the lost in our communities. We are known as the bride of Christ. That reveals the depth of His love for us and the fact that He can’t wait to bring us home. We are also called the body of Christ. While we are many members, we each have a role and responsibility within our churches to fulfill to make our body work.

            When I think about my church, I like to think of us as a family. I don’t know about your family, but most families have members who have been through some tough times. Some have brought life’s troubles on by their own choices; others have experienced tragedies and are struggling to deal with life. No matter what happens in life, we are still family.

            I was thinking about Jesus’ family, especially His family tree. There are quite a few interesting people in His family background. The most prominent is King David. The Bible calls David a man after God’s heart. But David did not have a stellar character. We all know that David committed adultery with Bathsheba and then had her husband killed to hide it. We have all read the story of Ruth and Naomi. Ruth was not Jewish and yet she is in Jesus’ genealogy. Who could forget the story of Rahab the prostitute who helped to save the spies? Did you know that she is in Jesus’ genealogy?

            The disciples were not perfect either. James and John were known as the “Sons of Thunder” because they wanted to call down fire upon the Samaritans because they didn’t welcome them into their town. Matthew was a tax collector. Most tax collectors notoriously overcharged people and pocketed the extra money. Thomas doubted the resurrection and Judas betrayed Jesus. These men were Jesus’ disciples.

            We all fall short in many ways and need the love and mercy of God. If Jesus can make room for us in the family of God shouldn’t we all make room for others? I believe God wants to reach out to our neighbors and friends through us. He wants us to be lights in our communities to help show people the way to God.

            God’s heart is for every person to find and build a relationship with Him. When we join God’s family we aren’t called to sit in the stands and watch others work. We are called to bring our talents, gifts, and abilities and use them in our church family. There are many spiritual gifts that God gives the church to help members grow and mature in their faith, and I believe we each have some that God wants us to use. We all play a vital part in our church families.

            I did not get the gift of a musical voice. Nobody should have to suffer through listening to me sing, even though God loves to hear me. But I do have the gift to teach and I use it in my church to teach the children and the adult Sunday school class. If you read my columns you know that I have the gift of encouragement and we can all use some encouragement at times. I believe God has given you talents, gifts, and abilities. He wants you to be use them to help make your church family better and stronger.

            I want to encourage you to find your place in the family of God. God has given you special abilities that your church needs. Some are visible, like mine when I teach Sunday school. Others are behind the scenes, like the people who mow the grass or do the accounting. It may not be visible to others but their role is vital to the success of that church family. The person singing in the choir is just as important as those who serve in the nursery. We all have roles to play and things we can do to help make our church a warm and welcoming place to those who are lost and looking for a savior. Find your place. Do your thing. You are an important part of your church family!

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

Blooms From the Old

by   September 25, 2026 with No Comments

(for Gail who asked how we are)

By Roger Barbee

Several flowering plants form new blooms from the dead wood of a previous season’s cycle. Next to our screened-in porch is one such plant—a dwarf, lime hydrangea which we planted two years ago. Since I have yet to move my stationary bike out to the elements and continue to ride in the dry of the porch, I have been watching this shrub for several weeks and it has, like all plants, taught me a lesson.

Although the browned and dead flowers from last summer are not attractive, Mary Ann prefers to leave them attached to the stems even though they could be snipped off. Thus, as I have been riding each morning, I sort of wished that she had removed the unsightly, spent blooms. However, I now understand that her decision has helped me see the cycle of nature.

The lime hydrangea does what it is designed to do. It grows by feeding from the past cycles of its life. As I look each morning at the brown and dead blooms, I also can see small, green leaves emerging on the stems that hold those dead blooms. Soon those small green leaves will be in full splendor and new, deliciously lime colored blooms will emerge. The old will be gone, and the new celebrated. Soon.

Living under self-quarantine because of the COVID-19 virus, I think of the lime hydrangea and it’s gaining the new from the old. So often in our belief that we, mere humans, are in control because of our 401k’s, our superhighways with fast cars, our 10,000 square foot houses, and more, we lose our way. We lose sight of how frail we really are- think of the TB sanitariums of the 1930’s, and other examples besides this virus which is just beginning for us.

Yet if we accept the fact that we need to come together and “be our brother’s keeper”, we will continue.  Like the simple plant that makes new by using all its parts and history, we need to band, to do what is best for the tribe, not any individual. This is not the time to think individually, but the time to think together. And when we think of the tribe, we each will give up some things or many things. So be it. To bloom again. Gloriously.

What does a Race Director do?

by   September 24, 2026 with No Comments

By David Freeze

What does a race director do and how to be a good one?

  In Rowan County, we have 32 races scheduled for this year and add to that a bunch of middle school and high school cross country races too. All of these must have someone who organizes them and is the final decision maker. I spent the late morning on Wednesday measuring and marking the 5K course for Saturday’s Run for the Word 5K and Fun Run, all held to help fund the South Rowan area Bible teachers. Lynn Furr is one of those good race directors, and she went along to make sure the course was right.

    Race directors have a long list of things to do, in fact SRR shares a couple lists of to- do guidelines. Race planning usually starts 4-5 months ahead of the event. The first things done are to name the race, set a date, secure a course and start finding major sponsors. Hopefully the aspiring race director has plenty of help in the first year, especially when all of these things are new. If the race has been held before, most of these major tasks are ready to go, especially if the race met participant and proceed expectations during the previous year.

     Then comes the second round of tasks which include getting the basic race information out by posting to runsignup.com, the major race registration vehicle currently available. As the second tier of sponsors are secured, they are added on all registration websites and social media. At this point, social media becomes a big place to share what is unique about the event. Shirt colors are chosen, and shirt size amounts are ordered. Awards are ordered and made. A printer for the shirts is secured and will wait for artwork and graphics which are also underway at this time. Race logo and date go on the front, and sponsors on the back, but the shirt is not printed usually until about a week before the race date.

    Then it is time to start on the third tier of to-do’s. Tentative plans then become real with police and fire departments and a slew of volunteers who work the course on race day. At that point, volunteers to work registration, finish line, pick up refreshments and other day of event duties are secured and assigned. Porta johns arrive. Race bibs are prepared the night before, shirts are divided by size and last-minute contacts with police or fire take place, and race day is ready to go.

    On race day, registration starts things rolling early while the course is set up. Participants and volunteers arrive and action ramps up. Good race directors either manage or delegate pre-race activities like the National Anthem and prayer. The race absolutely must start on time after participant instructions. When it does, the scene shifts to the finish line. Runners and then the walkers finish, awards and door prizes are given way. Then breaking down and packing up completes the event.

     A good race director doesn’t do all these things, but he or she makes sure they get done. It is truly a load of work that for most races lasts about four months, building in intensity to race day. In fact, most good race directors celebrate with a good afternoon nap.

     A successful race director is personable and people like working for and with them. This person can handle multiple talks and incoming details that make each day faster until race day is done. They manage time well too and prioritize with the best. And finally, they take the time to improve their practices, often by learning from other races and experienced race directors,

     Speaking of race directors, Tab McAllister manages the Sisters in the Fight 5K and Fun Run, set for 8:45am at Overton Elementary School on September 26th. McAllister says, “All 5K proceeds will directly impact local families in crisis.  Every step you take, and every dollar raised will help us provide food, clothing, household essentials, emergency support, and help supplement the cost of medication for those battling cancer and heart disease. Together, we can ensure that no woman or child faces their vulnerable moments alone.  Every step makes a difference!”

     SRR’s Beginning Runners Class is off to a great start, and participants can still join on Tuesday. Look for these and other upcoming events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

Gotta’ Run: What does a race director do and how to be a good one?
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