Dogs don’t always have the best reputations when it comes to how they respond to delivery men. A UPS driver in New Orleans is proving that’s not always the case though by sharing photos with the friendly dogs he encounters along his route.
The Florida boy who was bullied for making his own University of Tennessee T-shirt will get to attend the college he loves, and he’ll do it for free.
A teenager with Down Syndrome in Mississippi is proving she’s got what it takes to be on her junior high’s cheerleading squad and inspiring her community in the process.
By Doug Creamer
I have been sitting here reflecting on what I did last week. That’s how I always begin a column, what happened and how that impacted my faith. I am not sure I want to admit how much time I spent last week following Hurricane Dorian. I follow any major weather story that could affect me. It could take months for officials to figure out all the damage from Dorian.
Someone asked me if I follow the Weather Channel. I go straight to the models. There are several websites that make the major models and the famous spaghetti models available. I watch them closely to make my own determinations about possible paths for the storm. I also follow a weather blogger and vlogger out of Florida whom I find entertaining and informing. To say that I am obsessed might be an understatement.
I also spent quite a bit of time last week considering and preparing for a new job. I know that I just retired, but I am too young to do nothing for the rest of my life. Don’t misunderstand, I am enjoying the extra time. But the job I have been looking into is teaching children in China how to speak English.
My sister has been doing this for a while now and she loves teaching the kids. It’s like tutoring children, but they are on the computer, not sitting right beside you. I have watched a lot of videos about how it works. It looks very interesting and rewarding. The only catch is the hours. You have to teach late at night or very early in the morning.
After lots of thought, prayers, and consideration, I think I am going to go through with it. Some of my time last week was spent setting up my virtual classroom. I have been thinking about what the student will see when I am on camera. Also, I have been spending some time practicing videotaping myself. Even though I have made a number of YouTubes, this is very different. It makes me feel very self-conscious. Thankfully, I have a few more weeks until I finish the hiring process and have my first students.
If it works out, I will still get to do something that I am passionate about…teaching. It will also help to keep our budget on track. But the most important thing is that it will still allow me to have more free time. That in turn will cause me to seek the Lord for how He wants me to use that time to further His purposes in my generation.
I want to serve God and I want to give my life to fulfill His purposes. From a business standpoint, I want to make investments that will pay off in eternity. Having more time gives me an opportunity to seek His face, to get to know my Heavenly Father better. I hope to learn more about Him and how I can invest my talents, skills, and abilities into His purposes.
Many people struggle to figure out their purpose in life. Our purpose is to know God, love His Son, and welcome His Holy Spirit into our lives. What we do with the time we have here on earth depends highly on what He shows us. God needs people in every occupation, in every place, to be light in the darkness. He may send us to places we don’t understand, but He may be trying to reach someone and we are the perfect person for the job.
If I go and do everything He tells me, will life be easy? Absolutely not. God will put challenges in front of us to make us grow and become more dependent on Him. How can we trust God if we haven’t proven that He is faithful? You can’t grow muscles (physical or spiritual) until you stretch and tear them. God will allow things that will cause you to run back to Him so He can and will meet your needs. He wants you to know Him as Father, Daddy, the one who loves and protects, the one who leads you and grows you into the man or woman of God that He made you to be.
I want to encourage you to consider your God-given purpose. He made you and He delights in you. You make Him smile and laugh. He can’t wait until you wake up each morning. He wants to spend time with you. He wants you to get to know Him because He already knows everything about you. Open your heart and discover who you are and your purpose in His eyes.
Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com
By Lynna Clark
Did you hear about the incident at the East Rowan Library? It was all about me. Yeah… apparently I am a big deal. My friend Brittney who works there invited me to speak about my vast experience in writing. The media got wind of it. A crowd gathered. Authorities were called. As we approached the venue with great anticipation, emergency lights flashed in the distance. David pulled our vehicle to the right side of the road so they could lead us through the mob. Evidently Rockwell paparazzi can get pretty rowdy. I guess I need to get used to it. The life of a famous writer can be rather intense.
Did I mention that I write fiction?
So what really happened was…
A few friends shared the event on Facebook. As we traveled toward Rockwell the person in front of us drove at the rate of 25 mph the entire way. But that’s perfectly understandable since he was busy texting. The joy I’d claimed earlier in the day turned to a fervent, heartfelt prayer.
“Lord Jesus, please help me not cuss…”
Apparently someone keeled over at one of the fast food joints and needed emergency personnel. As lights flashed in our direction we pulled to the right. Though I encouraged my beloved to pass the dude in front of us as soon as the ambulance cleared, he is not that guy. David does not bend the rules of the highway. The man is so righteous that he slams on breaks for caution lights. It’s a wonder our marriage has lasted so long.
Texting dude slowly made his way back onto the road, making the star of the show late. Well, not actually late. I guess I should say later than I wanted to be. David always leaves early enough to account for such aggravation.
When finally we got there, the place was packed! We had to park across the way in the gravel lot by the dentist. There were at least thirteen people there… if you count me and David… and the two librarians who hosted… plus my best friend and her husband… and the two who walked out during my riveting presentation.
Dang Millennials. Hey… old people know stuff!
Annyyywayyy… a good time was had by all. I got to meet Michael, who I called Matthew several times. I met Judy and Brenda and Brooke the hugger. My friend Vickie stopped by even though she had groceries in the car. Randall asked good questions which sounded pre-planned, except that I didn’t have answers. But I will next time.
Did I say next time? What I meant was… if I can work another event into my very busy schedule. I’m kind of a big deal.
Someday I’m going to invent a sarcasm font. Folks with my warped sense of humor would certainly benefit.
PS:
The next big event is this Saturday in Lexington, NC. Missions Pottery and More is hosting my new book release from 9am – 4pm. I’ll bring copies of all my books. No pre-order necessary. I’d love to meet you!
By David Freeze
After my recent bike trip to Canada and Alaska, most conversations get around to that adventure pretty quick, especially if I had not seen the other person in several months. It won’t be long until I will hopefully have a steady schedule of speaking engagements to talk about the most recent trip. One of the most interesting things for me is how often the word fear comes up in questions. Why does this happen?
A good many of my talks are done in churches. One of the first times, with my presentation done, I was taking questions. One lady said, “What kind of gun do you take along!” Even on the rides themselves, I get asked the same question by other cyclists. And this time, when crossing into Canada, the customs officer was adamant that I must have one.
Having now cycled in 49 states, I can’t think of a single time that I was genuinely afraid. Even on the last trip, when I was told that a grizzly bear was running after me, I was not worried. When riding through some of the worst parts of the several big cities, I feel confident. In times of the worst traffic, low on water or food, with many miles to go before the next town, I know that I will be OK.
On the very first day that I ever rode a bicycle on one of my long trips, I was waiting for my bike to be reassembled in Astoria, Oregon so that I could ride across the country. The bike shop owner told me two things. He said, “You’ll need a bike lock. It looks like you don’t have one.” He was right that I hadn’t even considered getting a bike lock. The owner showed me what he had and said I should get a thick cabled combination lock, one that weighed almost two pounds. I bought it, almost immediately dreading the fact that I did.
Once the bike was ready, the owner wanted me to go try out the bike. He said, “Ride around a little bit and make sure you go up the hill.” I found Coxcomb Hill, the only one in this coastal town and 595 feet in elevation. I rode the bike up the hill, struggled mightily and stopped to rest once. I wondered if I could in fact make this ride because there were mountains in the Rockies on my route, one at almost 12,000 feet. Was I afraid to go on the ride because of the challenges ahead?
On that first day in Astoria, after leaving the bike shop, I rode to my motel to load my gear on the bike. Remembering that I had struggled on the hill, I was now adding another 45 pounds to the weight that I had pedal up the rest of the hills.
The biggest challenge of my life was about to begin. Should I be afraid to ride over 4,000 miles all alone? Should I be afraid enough to need a gun or a big and heavy lock? Did fear have a place? Should I let fear keep me from attempting this huge event?
After loading the bike, already a couple hours later than I had planned to start riding, I sat down in the motel room and prayed. It was a special prayer whose words linger to this day. I said, “Lord, ride with me today!” Not a single day since, before mounting the bike, will I leave for the first pedal strokes of the ride without saying the same words. The most amazing peace rides with those words.
I never bought a gun and I mailed the bike lock home, totally confident that I had all the protection I needed in those five words. Put together your own comforting words and don’t let fear limit you. Plan something that you’ve been afraid to do and go be fearless!
By Ann Farabee
It was quite a nice conversation we had going on as a family. I had just told them my favorite Bible verse, when my then 8 year old grandson said, “My favorite Bible verse is Genesis 1:1. Just the first 3 words.” We all looked at him, nodded, and kept nodding, since no one had to open our Bible to look that verse up. I was thinking maybe it was the only verse he knew. But, he awaited our response, and then felt the need to explain, “Because that is where it all began – in the beginning – and without the beginning, there would be nothing. God is where everything starts.”
We were pleased hearing his explanation of the scripture, but even more pleased when he said, “But when you add in the 4th word and then it says, In the beginning God, that says it all, because without God there would have been no beginning. God is where it all started.”
Somehow, the simplicity of that comment seemed to carry great wisdom in it.
In the beginning God…
What a beautiful four words to hang our hats on – I mean – to hang our hopes on.
We have a lot of beginnings, don’t we? Beginnings are defined as the point in time or space where something starts. The beginning of a new job, beginning a new school year, beginning a family, beginning a diet, beginning a savings account, beginning to build a new home, beginning to heal, beginning a new commitment… the list is full of promise. Because…the beginning is where it all starts.
Think for a minute about a beginning in your life. Or in the life of a loved one.
Got it in your mind? See if this is some of your experience:
*God was there in the beginning. And… God is there in our beginning. He would not have brought us to it, if He could not bring us through it.
*Our present circumstances do not determine where we go – they only determine where we start.
*We had to do as Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
*What sometimes may have seemed like the end was really just a new beginning.
Facing a new beginning?
You can do it.
God is in our beginnings.
Ready? Set? Begin…
Ann is a speaker and teacher. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com
With measles making a comeback in many upper-income countries including the United States and still rampant in some poorer nations such as Democratic Republic of Congo and Madagascar, a leading measles expert is warning of a danger beyond the spread of the disease itself: There’s mounting evidence that when a person is infected with measles, the virus also wipes out the immune system’s memory of how to fight off all sorts of other life-threatening infections – ranging from gastro-intestinal bugs that cause diarrhea to respiratory viruses that trigger pneumonia. From WFDD Radio
By Doug Creamer
I know that many churches have renewal and revival services. Some last all week, while others have them over a weekend. A special speaker is chosen who will bring a fresh perspective to the congregation. It’s a time when we can stop and take a spiritual inventory and work on rekindling the fire of our faith.
Last weekend we had a special speaker at our church. I had been looking forward to his coming. We’ve had him before and he is so refreshing, encouraging, challenging, and inspiring. He helps stir up our faith, and makes us reconsider our priorities. He makes me want to draw closer to God.
We had two sessions with him on Saturday, and then he led the service on Sunday morning. In one way, it doesn’t seem like much time, but in another, he deposited so much in us. I have reviewed my notes and listened to some of the messages again because there is much more than you can grasp in one sitting.
We got the chance to talk over the weekend, and he picked up on something that I didn’t realize about myself. He said that I was a detail person. I like specifics and want to know everything. At one point while he was teaching he was covering some detailed background to his story and he looked over at me and said, “You must be loving this.” I was eating it up. He shared details about relationships and places from the scripture that I found completely fascinating.
Throughout the whole weekend he shared some insights and perceptions he felt from the Lord about our church and its place in our community. That’s something we all need to realize, that God has a specific purpose for our church to fulfill in the community. Then to take it a little deeper, what is our individual role in fulfilling our church’s purpose? When God calls us to attend a specific church, then He has a reason for us to be there.
When we get the chance to attend a conference, we have to work to protect the seed that was sown. The enemy wants us to quickly forget what we learned and return to our routines. That means we have to reflect on what we heard and figure out how to apply it.
In our conference we learned that the purpose of a church is to help raise up the next generation. God wants us to grow in our faith and trust in Him. He wants us to draw closer and to open our hearts to His great love. But He also wants us to find a way to reach the next generation with the Good News of his gospel.
To me that means we have to look around and ask, “Are we attracting the younger generations to our church?” Consider where you go to church. Do you have young families that attend? If not, how can you pass the torch to someone who isn’t there? We may have to consider doing somethings differently in order to attract them.
I know that thought may be unpleasant. I understand; I don’t like change either. But if what we are doing now doesn’t bring in the next generation, how are we going to pass on what we have learned about God? Some churches offer different services with different formats to meet the various needs. That’s great. The only question that lingers in my mind is how will the older generation pass on their wisdom if they never meet the younger generation?
The solution is… I don’t know. How do we reach the lost and disengaged? All of us have relatives who are unreached. Don’t we want a local church to reach out to them with the love of God? We have to realize that others are praying for us to reach out to their family members who aren’t saved. If what we are currently doing is not reaching out to the lost, then we have to change, to do something that will attract them.
I want to encourage you to consider how you came to know the Lord. Most of us would have to admit our lives were in a mess. That’s where God chose to meet us, when we were at our worst. So, in order to reach the lost, we are going to have to open our hearts in a different way to receive the broken, discouraged, the hurting, and those who have all kinds of problems. Jesus came for them and He wants to use us. They will be the ones who will carry the torch into the future.
Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com
By Lynna Clark
Happy Happy Joy Joy! My new novel The Weakest Reed is about to be released on Amazon! I hope you love it! So many things happened to prevent the publishing. But the Lord graciously did for me what I could not do on my own. I love His kindness! If you’d like to read a snippet, see below or go to Amazon. If you buy the printed version the ebook is free. As always, I really appreciate your encouraging comments, likes and shares, and especially your reviews. They’re so important! Thank you! Can’t wait to hear what you think!
Here’s a preview:
There once was a lovely girl who was the delight of her parents. She was obedient almost to a fault. Often we wondered if she’d ever think for herself. When she finally did, one poor choice changed the entire direction of her life.
As her father I watched helplessly as she struggled to overcome the odds. Her natural personality as an introvert became exaggerated. Fear took over and became her closest companion. Seldom did she smile and rarely would she leave the house.
So we prayed.
Night and day her mother and I lifted our daughter up to the Lord. She seemed broken beyond repair. I held tightly to a promise in Scripture and did my best to believe it.
“He will not crush the weakest reed nor put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.” –Isaiah 42:3
This is her story.
Our beautiful Laurel… the weakest reed.
