Emergency Prayers

by   June 30, 2020 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Sometimes, going to the emergency room is our only choice. As I sat, I sensed a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness in the great crowd of people. Some slept in chairs. Some were covered from head to toe in blankets. Most were in obvious pain.

But I mostly remember the one who cried, “Help me! Please!” It was haunting and the begging for help was non-stop. Those in the waiting room tried to ignore it, but one person finally had all she could take and yelled out, “Will you stop?” He was silent for a second, but then the cry for help started again, and grew even louder.

Later, as someone called out his name, his relief was obvious. He cast away his blanket. He rose. He went to receive help.

I am not sure what happened next, but I imagine he was asked, “What can I do to help you?” I am sure he told them his need. And since I saw him leaving the hospital an hour later, I would imagine they had met his need — and told him to go home.

He had come to the emergency room. He cried out for help. Help came.

In Mark 10:46-52, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was in a crowd with a great number of people. He heard there was one who could help. He cried, “Jesus, have mercy on me!” The crowd yelled at him to stop, but he cried even louder, “Jesus, have mercy on me!”

Jesus called for him. Bartimaeus cast away his garment. He rose. He went. When Jesus asked what he could do for him, he asked to receive his sight. Jesus told him to go his way — his faith had made him whole.

Both men — the man in the waiting room and Bartimaeus — had gone to their emergency room in a time of desperation to beg for help.

In desperate and helpless times, scheduling an appointment for later is not good enough — our need for help is immediate. That is when we go to our emergency room, and beg, “Help me, please! Jesus, have mercy on me!”

The emergency room prayer is a sincere, short, heartfelt prayer that cries out for help from our heavenly father. It is a prayer that expresses our faith in God, as we ask him to deliver us from trouble. It often comes at a time that we feel we cannot even pray, for helplessness and hopelessness have overwhelmed. The emergency room prayer has few words — but many tears.

Have you been there? Yeah, me too. We have all been in our emergency room, and needed our emergency room prayer. God hears it. God holds it dear to his heart. God wants us to pray it.

Psalm 50:15 says, “Call upon me in the day of trouble. I will deliver thee.”

Rowan Running Again

by   June 29, 2020 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Usually spring and early summer in Rowan County are filled with weekend running events. Faith is always busy during the week leading to the Fourth of July with the town’s long running festival.

While most of the festival was cancelled, the Shiloh Missions 5K broke a four-month dry period for local road racing on Saturday with pleasantly cool conditions and the always challenging but rewarding course. 

Craige Farmer, 53, of Salisbury, ran his fastest 5K yet as the overall winner at 18 minutes and 19 seconds. Meredith Bonner, 16, of Rockwell, ran a sizzling time of 21 minutes and seven seconds to pace the women. Bonner has taken three minutes off her time from last year’s Rowan County High School Cross Country Meet. 

Race director Luann Fesperman was ecstatic with the support from the town of Faith as 64 runners crossed the finish line of the two loop course.

“I was happy to have so many from the running community come out and support our Mission 5K with all proceeds going to our mission teams at Shiloh Reformed Church of Faith,” Fesperman said. “I had many of the runners say that they were so glad just to have a race to attend. We couldn’t do this without the town of Faith and the police department.”

Fesperman heads up the church’s high school and adult mission teams.

Dual race starts, one for men and another for women, were used to separate the crowd, and plenty of room was available for social distancing. Though runners said they simply enjoyed being back in their environment.

Steve Staley, of Charlotte, said after over 1,400 races total, Saturday’s was one of his top five.

“What a fun morning I had in the small town of Faith, N.C. Make no mistake about it, my address may be in Charlotte, but my heart and soul were in Faith this morning,” Staley said. “These hard-working, true Americans shined a light on me today. I was amazed at the number of American flags I saw while leaving your great town.  Lots to be proud of there.”

Top sponsors included Salcoa Contracting, Inc., Teresa Courtney, F&M Bank and McCombs and Company. The Salisbury Rowan Runners timed the event. Complete results can be found at salisburyrowanrunners.org.

I haven’t Got Time…

by   June 27, 2020 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

I haven’t got time…

            I had a wonderful great-aunt and uncle. They were almost like an extra set of grandparents and we traveled to see them several times a year. My uncle was a jokester. He had lots of fun pulling pranks on me and the memories he created have lasted a lifetime.

            They had an above-ground pool and we used to like going there for a few summer days. My uncle would take my brother and me fishing on his small boat. Sometimes we would get a bushel of crabs and eat them at the picnic table under a tree. At night we would gather around the table and play games. There was always laughter and lots of fun.

            My aunt kept us well fed. There was always something good to eat; we especially enjoyed her homemade applesauce. She kept full candy dishes around the house and I know I snuck more candy than I was allowed. Some nights we would get a huge watermelon and we would wipe it out.

            If you asked my aunt, “Is today Saturday?” She would always answer, “All day.” I remember thinking how good life looked for them in retirement. I would make some wide-eyed comment about how wonderful old age and retirement looked and she would say to me, “Douglas, old age doesn’t come alone.”

            I didn’t understand what she was trying to tell me. My mom tried to explain to me that there are aches and pains with old age. I looked at them and they didn’t act like they were in much pain. They were active, laughing, having fun, and enjoying life.

            I thought of my aunt the other day. I woke up thinking about all the things I wanted to get done. I lay in bed a few extra minutes, enjoying the comfort. When I finally rolled over I noticed I was feeling a little stiff. I stumbled out to breakfast and thought that when I got something to eat, I would feel better and be ready to go.

            Before breakfast was over, I was beginning to have some sharp pains in my lower back and hips. I did some stretching exercises that usually help. I applied an icepack. My wife found me on the floor with a pillow under my back. When I finally reach for Advil, I’m in trouble. It took most of the day for the pain to finally settle down. The list did not get done.

            I talked with a friend who told me his back went out when he was playing with his child, and he is much younger than I am. One time mine went out while I was washing my hands. I guess my aunt was right, older age doesn’t come alone.

            In moments like that, we all learn to pray. Lord, we need a miracle. I know people who have experienced a touch from God in that kind of moment. More often than not the answer comes back, “My grace is sufficient for you.”

            I believe in the miracle power of God. I have witnessed it and experienced it. I know God can and will move to bring about the miraculous. That’s why I firmly believe in the power of prayer to make a difference in our lives.

            Sometimes God chooses to walk with us through our pain. This is when we lean on the promises in the Bible, such as: “He will never leave or forsake me.” There are many scriptures that teach us that God is our healer, comforter, and friend. A friend stays with you through the difficult times in life. They listen to you whine and complain and they are still there.

            Isaiah 43 promises that we will walk through the river and the fire and we will get through to the other side. Jesus took His disciples on a boat where He slept. A terrible storm blew up and they thought they weren’t going to make it, but they got through to the other side. He keeps His promises and walks with us THROUGH the storms of life.

            I don’t know what you are facing; pain, sickness, loss of a loved one, financial stress, a child who has gone wayward, a loved one suffering from dementia, whatever you are facing…I want to encourage you that God will walk with you through your situation. I know it is hard and you might be struggling with doubt, but I promise God is right there with you. You are not alone. I know His eye is on the sparrow and I know He is watching you and me. Lean on Him because I know you are going to make it.

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

Smart Exercise in the Heat

by   June 25, 2020 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Last week’s column about my struggle with dehydration during heat and humidity generated considerable response. This issue can derail nearly everything we do including overall health. The very worst dehydration issues for regular exercisers are increased by heat and humidity. So, what can we do to keep exercise going from May through early September? 

With summer in full effect, I have noticed my runs have begun to feel different. What should be an easy pace now sometimes feels like running in mud and working harder to get nowhere fast. The warmer the weather, the harder your body has to work to keep cool. Your heart rate will be higher and breathing more difficult. The reason why is your body is directing blood to the skin to cool you off through sweating. That means there’s less blood available to transport oxygen to your muscles. What would usually be an easy-paced run often feels more like a max all-out effort.

Just this last week had two extremes for summer running. We had more of the previous week’s heat and humidity, and we have a couple of strangely cool days with rain. My own running results followed the temperature, but with higher temps the humidity becomes the culprit too. 

Here are a few things we can do, garnered from 40 years of experience, to make outside exercise a little bit more comfortable during the next few months. Most of us have had enough of being inside already. 

Morning temperatures are usually the coolest during the summer. It also will give you a break from the strongest hours of sunlight. The humidity can sometimes be high in the morning, but at least you won’t see the blazing sun. And you may even get the treat of a gorgeous sunrise. You want to be sure to avoid the middle part of the day, which will be the hottest. Some science supports that strong sunshine cuts time to exhaustion by half. 

Wear as little clothing as legally possible. If you are the sports bra only or shirtless kind of person, do that. Stick to light-colored, loose, wicking materials. Now is not the time for wearing all black or cotton. No matter what fabric you are wearing, Body Glide works for preventing chafing.

 Some runners use sunscreen even for early runs or late runs since the summer days are brighter early. Just be sure it’s sweat proof, avoiding the pain of sunscreen and sweat in their eyes. A hat or visor will not only protect your skin from the sun, but it will also help to keep your face shaded while making a rainy run more fun. Soaking the hat or visor in cold water before heading out the door can help to lower body temps to feel cooler.

We should start off slower than during the cool days. You’ll want to gradually increase your heart rate rather than starting out too fast. Same thing for the end of the run. Consider a gradual slow-down that includes some time for a moderate walk. It will help regulate your heart rate and cool your body a bit. With most of my individual running clients, we include a relaxing and contemplative walk at the end of the workout. 

A short revisit to hydration includes a couple things I should have added last week. Hydration is one of my favorite subjects with lots of theories on how much water we need. My all-time favorite is a simple one; half the body weight daily in ounces. For a person who weighs 150 pounds, they need a minimum of 75 ounces of water daily, not counting how much you add for exercise. Drink up until thirst disappears afterward. Start your exercise hydrated, because another rule of thumb says you will never catch up while working out. 

The American College of Sports Medicine says any high intensity sporting event with a temperature above 82 degrees should be canceled so it’s OK to back off a little. 

Your outside exercise results will change as a function of how hot and humid it is, your degree of effort, and how you’re dressed. But highest among all of these remains hydration. Get it right and summer exercise can be done!

Get updated information on upcoming events including Saturday’s Shiloh Missions 5K in Faith at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.

Who’s Following You?

by   June 23, 2020 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Do you remember learning how to ride a bike? Me, too. I balanced myself for a second — and my mother let go. I kept going, the wind in my face, completely free. But the driveway was about to end, my bike began to wobble, and fear set in. The crash was coming. That is when I realized I had been followed by my mother — the entire 10 seconds. She grabbed the bike just in the nick of time to keep me from falling.

I remember my little ones learning to walk, as I followed along behind them, hunched over, leaning down toward them in order to catch them if they fell.

I remember my children a few years later, walking excitedly around an amusement park, becoming oblivious to the fact that they needed to stay with me. When they realized they had walked away from me, they looked back, fearful that they were lost. But, I had been following them the entire time.

These were special times — my mother following me — and me following my children.

But they pale in comparison to the promise of being followed in Psalm 23:6.

For it says:

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.

Just for us — I am going to break the verse down, so we can savor every ounce of it:

Surely — surely means we are believing with assurance and confidence that what is being said is true. How in the world could anyone doubt it?

Goodness — God is not only good, but is good to us. He helps us avoid evil. He helps us when we begin to wobble or fall, and supports us when problems arise. He surrounds us withgoodness.

And — not only is there goodness, but there is goodness and mercy. And joins them to let us know we can have both.

Mercy — mercy is compassion and forgiveness. It delivers us. It comforts us. It restores us. Our sin is not greater than God’s mercy. Does it ever run out? No, it is new every morning.

Shall — shall means it is inevitable that it will happen.

Follow — when one follows someone, that means they travel behind them, run after them, or pursue them. Goodness and mercy are following us.

Me — me means me — and you.

All the days of my life — all means all — in all the days — and in all the seasons — of our lives.

God sends goodness and mercy to follow us — because we are his children.

Being followed by goodness.

Being followed by mercy.

For how long?

All the days of our lives.

That’s a promise we can cling to.

Moving

by   June 20, 2020 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            I have moved a lot in my lifetime. It’s not fun. It may be exciting because you are buying a new house, but it’s still not fun. When you are young and energetic it can be manageable. As you get older and have collected more stuff, moving can be a challenge.

            Last week my pastor moved out of his house and I offered to give him a hand. Thankfully, he hired movers to take care of all the heavy lifting. A number of members of our congregation showed up at different times to offer help.

            The family is not moving directly into a new place. They are moving into a house temporarily until they can find where God is sending them. Part of the reason for the move was to downsize. They moved most of their stuff to storage and only took the bare necessities to the temporary place.

            My pastor’s wife, like my wife and I, loves to grow things. She has quite a few plants in pots that she didn’t want to lose in the move. My wife and I decided that we would adopt her plants while they are in transition. A few more plants here are no big deal. As I was packing the plants up, I heard a sound. I jumped back as something moved. There was an old toad among the plants.  I had to stop and take a picture. The toad was not invited to come along.

We know they will be moving again soon. There is a wish list for their next place and hopefully the Lord will open those doors quickly. They know God has a purpose for this temporary stop and they want to discover and fulfill it. Waiting on God and being obedient are never easy things.

            As I was driving a load of plants to my house, I was thinking about the high cost of obedience. Abraham was called to leave his home and travel a long distance. God showed him the Promised Land, but Abraham never got to own any of it. He had to trust the Lord and live in obedience so that one day his descendants would possess the Promised Land.

            The Bible calls us to a life of surrendered obedience. When we invite Jesus into our hearts, we no longer live, but Christ lives in us. If we allow Christ to fully live in us, we might do things sometimes that seem illogical. Jesus is looking at the whole kingdom and may need us to play a role in a place for a period of time to reach a lost or discouraged soul. Consider the lengths God went for you. Sometimes He might need us to go the distance for one of His lost sheep.

            My pastor has been teaching us about being inconvenienced. When we are about Kingdom business, we are going to be inconvenienced at times. Jesus was inconvenienced when He left heaven to come to earth to provide the way for salvation. It’s not hard to conceive that He would inconvenience us in order to take His message of love to a lost and dying world.

            Following Jesus often involves waiting. I hate to wait on God. He seems to move slower than molasses at times. But sometimes God’s plans involve waiting as He works out all the details. That means that He has to work on people’s hearts to get them to the place where they will walk in obedience. He is patient with people, giving them the opportunity to come around, which means that other people are forced to wait on God.

            God is always working behind the scenes to bring about His purposes and plans. We can’t always see His hand at work because He has to do the delicate work of changing someone’s heart. He is patient, kind, gentle, and willing to work slowly with us as He is with others. That’s why we have to wait. That’s why we might be inconvenienced. That’s why it is so important for us to be obedient. Someone’s eternal destination could depend on it.

            If you feel like God is calling you to obedience, to be inconvenienced, or to wait on Him, I want to encourage you to hang in there. God is doing something marvelous. The details often take some time to work out. Trust Him with every area of your life and He will do great things in you, through you, and for you. You may have to wait a little, be inconvenienced, and you will definitely have to be obedient if you plan to enter in. I believe God has a great future for you.

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

WHOOPEEDAW!!!

by   June 18, 2020 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

If I were ever nominated for sainthood I’d have to decline the honor. I remember vividly one day years ago when our three daughters were young enough to toss into the tub together. We were in a very small rental and I was struggling physically. I thought that if the girls would play in the tub maybe I could sit in a chair and rest for a few minutes. When I stepped in to check on them the lovely green shag carpet squished beneath my feet. The floor was saturated with at least two inches of water.

“HOW DID YOU GIRLS MAKE SUCH A MESS?!”

[In case you’re wondering, the caps aren’t locked. I was screaming. Generally I’m not a screamer but at that particular moment I made an exception.] Three cherub faces went from exceeding joy to fearful explanation. “We were just playing Whoopeedaw.”

“WHAT THE BLANK IS WHOOPEEDAW?!!” [Yes I was swearing. Until that point the girls had only heard that word in Sunday school in the Biblical context.]

Tearfully the eldest explained. “You know… WHOOP-ee-daw! That’s when we slide to the front, then slide to the back, and a big wave comes and we yell ‘WHOOPEEDAW!’’ By then all three of them were sitting quietly trying to suck tears back into their faces. It’s funny today, but at the time I thought I might lose my ever-lovin’ mind. Along with this episode and a few others which shall remain unconfessed, I nullified my chance at mother of the year.

Have you noticed the current trend? On Mother’s Day we extol the virtues of those who’ve raised kids to near sainthood. But on Father’s Day, woe to the man who ventures into church. Typically he will be chastised and berated for defects he may or may not have. Sadly it’s much easier to spot the shortcomings of others than the failures in our own lives.

Another current trend is all inclusive blame. ALL democrats are blank. All Southerners are blank. All men are blank. It’s gotten so bad I feel guilty for being alive. Can we just stop it? What if we lived without condemnation and allowed others to do the same? I doubt seriously that any of us really qualify for sainthood. Remember that time YOU made a mess for someone else to clean up? Remember that time you said hateful words while you were angry? Remember that time you got aggravated at church and wished you were on the golf course? Yeah… me too, except I don’t play golf. Let’s take a step back and realize that in the grand scheme of things, we’ve got it pretty good; even if our green shag carpet is soaked beyond repair. The Lord, as usual, cuts to the chase with a few simple solutions. “This is what He requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” –Micah 6:8b

I think it’s worth a try. WHOOPEEDAW!

A Good Talking to

by   June 16, 2020 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

A good talking to?

The sixth-grader was cornered. The parent-teacher conference had reached its conclusion, and truth had come out. He had been quite slack at school — and his grades were proving it. As they were leaving, his dad said, “He will be getting a good talking to when we get home.”

I have thought those words.

I have heard those words. 

I have said those words.

A ‘good talking to’ is an idiom that means a stern lecture or scolding.

An example is when I was a teenager, and my mother would say, “Get that chip off your shoulder.” I knew there was no actual need to look on my shoulder for a chip, but I got her point.

Sometimes, we may have to give ourselves a good talking to if:

• Our joy has not felt joyful.

1 Peter 1:8 says that though we have not seen him, we love him. We believe in him. We rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.  

Our joy is inexpressible and glorious. Joy is the kind of happiness that does not depend on what happens. 

• Our compassion has not felt compassionate.

Matthew 14:14 says that Jesus went forth, saw a great multitude, and moved with compassion toward them. Jesus went. Jesus saw. Jesus moved. How? With compassion. Where? Toward them.

 We go. We see the multitude. We need to move — with compassion — toward them. Compassion is passion with a heart. It is about giving all you’ve got.

• Our words have not been sweet.

Ecclesiastes 5:2 says to let our words be few. Proverbs 16:24 says that pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweet to our soul, and health to our bones. 

Words can encourage. Words can destroy. Choose them carefully. Talk less. Use pleasant words when we do.

• Our labor has become laborious.

Ecclesiastes 5:18 says that it is good and pleasant for us to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all our labor. Verse 19 says we are to rejoice in our labor. It is a gift from God.

Enjoy our labor. Rejoice in it. It is a gift.

The ‘good talking to’ between the dad and his son may — or may not — have brought great results. My mother’s warning about the chip on my shoulder may — or may not — have brought great results. But, being talked to from God’s word always brings great results.

Ready for action?

Write this down:

Have joy.

Have compassion.

Use sweet words.

Rejoice in labor.

Let’s carry it with us as a reminder.

We never know when we may need to give ourselves a good talking to. 

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