One of Us

by   August 23, 2022 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

My husband’s mom is one of the sweetest, funniest, most determined people I have ever met. When her son & I married, she hugged me and called me her “other daughter,” stating matter of fact, that “daughter-in-law” was not a term that fit our relationship. How kind. And she has never treated me less than her very own daughter. Her hugs are like those of her son. She wraps me in her arms and locks down so tightly that I am left breathless; partly because I am overwhelmed with being loved so much, and partly because she is squeezing the life out of me. How rare are hugs like that?

We were in the family car between the funeral home and the cemetery on the way to bury her husband. As we drove by the Krispy Kreme, she noticed the “HOT NOW” light was on. She suggested to the driver that we lead the funeral procession through the drive through. There was no disrespect to her husband of over 50 years. He was certainly used to her off-beat humor. It was her way of making us feel better.

Did I mention that she is stubborn? That is actually an understatement. Because she is in her eighties, we worry that she will do something that will hurt herself, since she doesn’t know she is too old to climb in the attic or down into the creek. She has at least enough wisdom to ask someone to come “watch her” while she puts a ladder on the creek bank so she can climb back up after situating the rocks so that water won’t pool. One spring, her son asked her several times not to climb her rickety attic stairs to retrieve seasonal items. We noticed one day, that Easter had been taken up, and summer was upon us in the decorating sense. So he went over while she was gone and put screws into the attic door so that she could not get the steps down. On the string hanging from the door, he attached a note saying, “Pull all you want. They are not coming down. Call me if you need something.” He is a lot like his mom.

She told us one day, that her favorite word in life is steadfast. She says in that word is expressed all she strives to be. And yes she is, steadfast. Throughout her life of 86 years so far, she has always been faithful, steady, strong, loving, but unwavering on the things that matter. And funny trumps stubborn any day! She goes to a contemporary church on Saturday night. If the band is especially good, they get the OK sign with a little wink that says, “Well done!” Then on Sunday mornings, she attends her traditional church and enjoys their fine choir. She loves both. I respect so much that she is wise enough to understand that we are not in competition. And she never lets age, or the opinions of others hold her back!

You may feel that because of your age, you do not have anything to give. YES YOU DO! YOU MATTER TO THE BODY OF CHRIST! Put your unique background, experience, and expertise to work for Him! And again, someone really needs to hear your story!

Lord, help us look at people like You do, each one having great worth, no matter their stage in life. Help us, no matter our age, health, or background, to realize that You have a job for us to do. Strengthen us to be steadfast, and to faithfully carry out our part in Your great plan!

More: Psalm 92:14; Job 42:12; Isaiah 46:4; Jeremiah 29:11

1 Corinthians 15:58 KJV- “Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

PS: Our beloved Nina remained steadfast until she walked right into the arms of her Savior. Though she is no longer my neighbor, I will always think of her as one of my favorite people. She taught me so much about life and love. I miss her every day.

Jesus Loves Me

by   August 22, 2022 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

He was a little restless, and I knew he was about to cry, so I reached my arms out toward him, he smiled his award-winning smile, and for the first time ever, he reached his arms out toward me. I positioned him on my lap to where I knew he was comfortable and happy, and then pulled him close to my chest, while whispering softly, “I love you, baby.”

My little seven-month-old grandson then wiggled himself to the side a bit and turned his head just enough to look up at me until our eyes met. I began to gently rub my hand across the top of his head and whisper words of love ever so softly in his ear. I felt his little body completely relax and he seemed to melt into my arms. Somehow, I believe I melted, too.

I then did what I always do. Placing the side of my face gently on top of his head, I begin to softly sing these words:

Jesus loves Beckett, this I know. For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. They are weak but He is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves Beckett. Yes, Jesus loves Beckett. Yes, Jesus loves Beckett. The Bible tells me so.

With his head still against my chest, I could see his face as I sang those precious words.

Not once, not twice, not three times, but four times.

He never moved a muscle and he never closed his eyes. He just listened.

We were both as still as we could be in that sweet moment, as my lips breathed out those precious words.

Don’t tell me that Jesus doesn’t speak to the hearts of our babies!

Don’t tell me that babies can’t feel the sweet loving presence of God in their lives.

For God is real. He speaks to us. He speaks to our children. And He will speak to their children.

Matthew 18:10 says, “Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father, which is in heaven.”

The angels of our babies always behold the face of our Father in heaven? Yes.

How does God speak to us? He speaks to our hearts.

He speaks to us through nature, through others and through the words in our Bible.

He speaks to us through the Holy Spirit.

And, it does not always have to be words that we hear, but it may be something that we feel.

As GG, which stands for Gorgeous Grandma, I am not with my grandchildren or my children all the time.

But one thing I do know — God is always with them.

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

Up Hill

by   August 21, 2022 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Today dawned with several possibilities. Ride Interstate 55 and hopefully make big time toward Cape Girardeau, or follow US 61 to see if it can find the river. Right now, both of them are designated The Great River Road but 61 would get close while I-55 would not. Here’s what happened.


   I left the town of Arnold after a wonderful night at the Quality Inn and headed for the real thing, US 61 without hesitation. After Arnold, I had almost no shoulder and not a lot of traffic usually. However endless hills, rollers one after another never stopped. So I was forced into traffic constantly and drivers waited behind me while I climbed. Then, US 61 added rumble strips, forcing me into the driver’s lane from there on out. Terrible riding!


   I passed through Bernhardt, Pevely and Festus. Only Festus had much to offer and it had everything. Then another tiny town in Bloomsdale. Up ahead, my map showed that we would get near the water at St. Genevieve and St. Mary’s.


   Stopping in St. Genevieve, I asked about the river. The welcome center lady told me that I would have to ride north on another road and I still wouldn’t see much. I didn’t. She also told me to forget St. Mary’s too because although the river used to run right past the town, it no longer did and had moved farther east. She told me to ride out on Kaskaskia Bridge and look at the dry river bed which I did. Those photos are my best of a poor day of river searching.


    At that point, I still had another 14 or so miles to get to Perryville and a room at Super Eight. Endless uphill riding in the traffic caused me to give in. I got the the opportunity to jump once again on I-55 and pedal the last six miles to Perryville. No problems and nobody seemed to care that I was finally out of the traffic lane and making good time at the end of 68 hard miles. Never a flat stretch all day.


   US 61 or I-55 both remain as options for tomorrow. It’s about 36 miles to Cape Girardeau, one of the focal points of my ride from the beginning. It has a magnificent bridge across the Mississippi, which I might take if time allows, fulfilling my need to at least touch Illinois.


    Home of Rush Limbaugh and a Roswell type alien crash, the city is loaded with other history. It is said to have a magnificent waterfront, which I will look forward to. I will take whatever time I need to explore it. Past that, I’m not sure. US 61 and I-55 both continue directly south and leave the river. Nothing on the Illinois side is close either.


   I will have some kind of plan by morning or will make it as I go. I busted two things today, a lock down straps on one of the bike bags that carries my gear and pedal cage. I can’t repair the bag here but can tie it shut. The pedal cage snapped, the one where my right foot goes. If the bike shop in Cape Girardeau has a set, I will get them. Otherwise I will make do.


   I’m enjoying the Field of Dreams game as I write this. I am looking for plenty more lasting memories as we approach the second half of the adventure. Better pictures are one goal for tomorrow and some more reasonable riding. Perryville is awesome and for the second night in a row, the things I need are close by.


   More good weather is forecast, not a hint of rain since Wednesday of last week. See you back here tomorrow as the adventure continues! Thanks, as always, for a being a part of the journey.

Our Purpose

by   August 20, 2022 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            All Christians should look forward to the time when we will be in heaven with Jesus. The trouble with getting there is that we have to take that big step between here and eternity. It’s the mystery of the unknown that keeps us here; besides, God has a very important purpose for us while we are still alive.

            Our purpose is to know Him and tell others about God’s love. I personally believe that God calls every person into a relationship with Him. Many people turn away from God. So God, not wanting to give up on anyone, wants to use you and me to reach out to them. God persistently keeps trying to reach everyone because He doesn’t want anyone to miss heaven.

            When God first found us, we were a mess. The good news for us is that we heard His voice and responded to His call. We ran into God’s arms and accepted His love. We needed to be cleaned up so He washed us in the blood of Jesus. The cleansing power of the blood of Jesus can wash away every wrong-doing that we have ever done. Even the best people you know need the blood of Jesus to find forgiveness. No one can do enough good to wash away the bad that we are all guilty of committing.

            Once we are clean, God can begin the process of healing our broken hearts and lives. If you live in this world your heart has been damaged by the people in your life. Damaged hearts create ruined lives. God can heal all the brokenness in our lives if we will turn to Him for help. It’s hard to expose your sin and brokenness to God, but that is the path to healing.

            God has seen everything you have ever done. The good news is once you turn and confess your sins and failures to God, He promises to forgive you and to forget you ever did those things. He wipes them from His memory. We can remember them so we have to forgive ourselves. It’s very hard to forgive ourselves, but if God forgives you then you can forgive yourself. You are a broken human being that needs God’s love, forgiveness, and healing.

            We have two main purposes once we accept all that God has done for us. Our first purpose is to spend time getting to know God. How do you get to know an invisible God? He wrote you a love letter: the Bible. That’s His story. There is so much in the Bible about who God is and how He interacts with people. You can learn about His love, mercy, and character. The Bible is God’s story.

            We can also learn about Him when we pray and talk with Him. Some people think that prayer is only a one-way conversation. We go to God and tell Him all our concerns. Well, He does want to hear our concerns, but He also wants to talk with us. He talks to us through the Bible, but He also wants to talk to us directly. He speaks to our spirits to guide and encourage us through life. We need to turn off all the noise of this world so that we can hear Him.

            Our second purpose is to tell others about what God has done for us. Remember, I said that there were many people who chose not to listen and respond to God’s call to them. He’s hoping that they might listen to our story. There are many people in the world who have been broken by the world in the same way we were broken. When they hear our story of how God healed, forgave, and restored us then they might turn to God and discover those same things for themselves. God wants to speak through us. I promise there are people in your life who will respond to your story of forgiveness, healing, and hope.

            I want to encourage you to share your story. God has done a miraculous thing in your life and people need to hear about it from you. God has interacted with you in a unique way and the people in your life will see the evidence of the goodness of God. That evidence, a changed life, may cause them to finally find the courage in themselves to turn to God. Your Father is hoping you will share your story so those who are lost and still searching will find Him. Then they will be forgiven, healed, and have their own story. To know Him and share our story, that’s our purpose.

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

Name, Image, Likeness

by   August 19, 2022 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

The freedom for college athletes to make money by sponsorship opportunities has begun. While that is an on-going active discussion concerning how being paid through an NIL will affect college sports, some folks are preparing for NIL’s seeping down to high school or even lower athletic programs. One of those folks who is getting prepared for that seepage is Henry Jolly III who has two sons he is packaging in order to take full advantage of the NIL’s. Jolly has created a family logo, “Born to Go Pro” and his sons wear headbands that read “Jolly Boys.” The boys are 9 years old.

According to the Washington Post,  Jolly has taught his boys that everything they do is part of their brand — from the way they play to their shoulder-length brown braids, which their father has made clear must be allowed by any middle school or high school coach recruiting them. He curates their social media feeds, spends hours editing their YouTube highlight videos and sometimes wears a T-shirt he made with the logos of seven youth basketball rankings websites, all of which have rated his sons the top second-graders in the country. The father is quoted, “That’s part of my strategy: Build their name up, build the expectations up, build their skills up, build their bodies up, so that by the time they get to high school, these companies are going to pay them to play. We want to do it as early as possible. I believe we’re going to be the pioneers.”

The seep of money invaded the NCAA during the 1930’s and has, in my opinion, ruined the game. Instead of learning through sport, we now have “How much can I make?” By today, the seepage has slid lower, and we have parents all over the country like Henry Jolly III. While he is free to parent as he wishes, his parenting skills remind me of a meeting some years ago when administrators were discussing possible actions to help a struggling student. As we examined the comments and actions of his father a fellow administrator observed, “To get a dog you need a license, but anyone can have a child.”

A book I read has the  following words: “For the love of money is the root of all evil:…” Sadly, those words are often mis-quoted as “Money is the root of all evil.” If quoted correctly and followed we will view money as what it is- a commodity to be used by us, not use us.

Good Progress

by   August 18, 2022 with No Comments

By David Freeze

 Today was going to be a big question mark from the start. I love to study maps, real maps where you can see everything around as possibilities. Last night, I decided to follow US 79 as far it would go into the St. Louis area. Then I picked out a route, not knowing for sure where the bike could go. I had the Missouri map I am using to follow the less detailed Great River Road and the St. Louis area city map. It seems like at least a dozen suburbs make up the city.


   This morning I left out of Elsberry as the town was waking up. Another cool morning helped on the endless hills. Much of the time, I had no shoulder or a very poor one. A sign said US 79 would be repaved this fall. I had to ride in traffic and this was quite spooky at times.


   I passed through Foley and didn’t know when I did. But they did have a stop sign for no reason and a Dollar General. Then on to Winfield, a little bigger with a couple convenience stores. And finally Old Monroe which had little to offer except a better road. Good thing because the traffic was heavy as we neared the greater St. Louis area.


   I stopped at St. Peter’s and talked to Jerry at McDonald’s about this ride and the others while he was concerned about eating so much fast food and brought his lunch for the day. I followed my planned path and jumped on 364, not sure whether it’s more than a county road but it serves as an expressway across much of the city area. Simply put, I raced along on a good shoulder paying special attention to all the exit and entry ramps. The roar of the traffic was tremendous at times and almost overwhelming.


  By following 364, I was able to intersect with US 67, which led to a junction with US 61 which I will follow again for a couple days on the Great River Road. Briefly we also intersected with the Lewis and Clark route. Away from 364, the city is tremendously hilly.


    While all of this describes my day through mid-afternoon, it gets much better. I had made no plans for a room for the evening and made a call to a motel perfectly situated on my planned route. They were full, which left the only option as the higher priced chains. After the runaround at two of those places, I called the desk at the Quality Inn in Arnold, the second best situated motel. Tina gave me a great deal on a first class room and all I had to do was get there.


    Not sure if I could ride on the interstate highway in Missouri, Tina gave me a route that would avoid it. I got Siri involved and again she failed me by sending me on a longer route. I threw caution to the wind and pedaled right on to the I-55 ramp and on the highway. Up to 6 lanes of traffic was flying and so was I, in the breakdown lane. With my history of being stopped by officers over the years, I expected the same thing again.


   With just 4.5 miles to ride to get to the Quality Inn, I thought someone will have to hurry to stop me. I came flying down a hill and a police car was sitting on the side of the road with the door open. Turns out he wasn’t waiting for me but had what looked like sobriety problems with a driver. The officer never looked at me.


   My ride ended at a fantastic motel, surrounded by almost every chain store I ever enter. I stopped at Walgreens and got a fantastic meal at Waffle House. I may go to Target later. Bottom line, I did spot two smaller rivers today but not the Mississippi. There will be at least two more full days in Missouri, with Cape Girardeau the next main target. That is probably the next real sighting of the river.


   The day was perfect, about 80 degrees and a slight tailwind. I honestly felt exhilarated by the whole day! Join me tomorrow for a further journey south on US 61. I hope I get situated in time for tomorrow’s Field of Dreams game, and that you join me again tomorrow right back here!

There is ALWAYS hope

by   August 17, 2022 with No Comments

By Ed Traut

Psalms 42:5-6 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon–from Mount Mizar.

  • Certainly, hope deferred or hope lost makes the soul sick.
  • The enemy tries to steal our hope which we may never give up, because while there is a God there is always hope.
  • We remind ourselves of who God is and what He has already done in our lives and soon our hope returns and even our confidence and faith.

Prayer:  Lord I look to You today and I even lift my face and eyes to the heavens as a symbol knowing that You are always there for me and know that You will always help me. I rejoice in You and praise Your holy name because there is no one like You.  Amen.

Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

Emergency Hotline

by   August 16, 2022 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Emergency hotline!

Need help? Call Hebrews 13:6 — “The Lord is my helper. I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Help is on the way!

Angry? Call Ephesians 4:26 —“Be angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down on our wrath. If we become angry and fail to handle it properly, we may hurt others and destroy relationships.”

Burdened? Call Psalm 55:22 — “Cast our burdens on the Lord — He will sustain us.” Cast means to throw or to hurl. Sustain means to carry, support, and hold up.

Afraid? Call Psalm 27:1 — “The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear?” The Lord is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?

Away from God? Call Jeremiah 3:22 — “Return ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backsliding.” I am the Lord your God. Are we a child of God who has been away from Him? We can return — and be healed.

Problems with the kids? Call Psalm 127:3 — “Children are a gift from the Lord.” Children are a gift from the Lord. (Repeat as needed.)

Need rest? Call Jeremiah 6:16 — “Thus saith the Lord, Stand in the ways, and see and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Don’t understand? Call Proverbs 3:5 — “Trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not to our own understanding.”

Weak? Call 2 Corinthians 12:9 — “God’s power is made perfect in weakness.” God uses us when we are weak! Are we weak enough for God to use us?

Sad? Broken-hearted? Call Psalm 34:18 — “The Lord is near to those who are of a broken heart.” Amazing! The Lord is even closer to us when our hearts are broken.

Faithless? Call Matthew 17:20 — “If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Remove to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Nothing is impossible — all it takes is a little faith.

Does God Care? Call Psalm 139:17-18 — “How precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand.” God thinks of us more than there are grains of sand?! Yes, God does care!

Need victory? Call John 16:33 — “Be encouraged! I have overcome the world!” There is victory in Jesus!

Call the emergency hotline now — Jesus is on the mainline!

Email one of your personal favorite emergency hotline numbers to annfarabee@gmail.com. I will add them to my emergency hotline numbers and email the updated version to you! I look forward to hearing from you!

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. 

Knowing God’s Will

by   August 15, 2022 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

Yesterday we noticed in Nehemiah 8:9 that as the people heard the Word of God they were weeping. It seems that as the Word was read and explained, they understood God’s desires toward them. Maybe they understood His love. Maybe they realized their sinfulness. Maybe they were overwhelmed by His provision and care, especially in light of all He had just accomplished through them.

Hebrews 4:12 says, “The Word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are.” WOW. God’s Word is so powerful! It will reveal to us exactly what God wants us to know and do and feel. It will show us the junk we need to be rid of, and the stuff we need to hang onto to use for His glory. Then we can have a Psalm 32 experience:

“Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of sin, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! Verse 8: “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”

Do you ever struggle with knowing the will of God? What to do, what to do? These verses offer a key to understanding. Give it up. Confess and get rid of whatever the Word reveals is blocking your friendship with your beloved Father. Draw so near that it is not a strain to call Him “Abba,” Daddy. There is nothing worth hanging onto at the expense of losing your closeness with Him. He longs to bless you. But sometimes we are just too far away to hear His voice, His sweet invitation to dinner, His gentle reminder that He loves us like the son or daughter we are.

We were invited to our former pastor’s home for the week-end. They had moved to another state and we had kinda lost touch with these once very close friends. I really didn’t want to go. Don’t tell anyone, but I snore like a freight train. It’s so loud that I am afraid that those people they interview after a tornado that say with that deep hick accent, “It sounded jes like a frate trane!!!” actually did not experience a tornado. They probably just live within a two mile radius of me. Aannnyyyyway… we went for our visit. We had been going through so many trials, I had just about shut down emotionally; stuff too hard to recount here. Our beloved friends got us talking. They comforted us and listened without judgment or advice. They just took care of us and fed us some really good food. We came away wondering why we had ever lost touch. Why had I dreaded the trip? Why did I wait so long? They helped bear this awful load and lifted us back to the land of the living. My joy was restored!

The Lord is looking forward to lightening your load, and restoring your joy, if you let Him. James 4:8 reminds me to draw close to Him & He will draw close to me! Why in the world would I put it off?

Prayer for today: Dear sweet Abba Father, strengthen us to look daily in Your Word, so we can clearly see Your BEST pathway for our lives. Point out anything that is blocking our friendship with You. Draw us so close that we experience the deepest love we have ever known. We want to be the best we can be for You.

More: Psalm 32; Hebrews 4:12-16; Romans 12:1,2; Romans 8:15

Working Hard Today…

by   August 14, 2022 with No Comments

By David Freeze

  I am watching the minor league game from the Field of Dreams, loving the coverage and excited about Thursday’s major league game. A co-worker asked me the other day what had been the best thing about this adventure so far. It was easy to answer that I got to run the bases on the Field of Dreams and have a video to prove it.


   Last night, I decided to sleep on which way to go today. Options were going to Illinois, returning to US 61 or following the Great River Road on US 79. I expected all three to be hilly because that is what this area does. I chose US 79 in hopes of seeing more of the river than the other two would provide. Leaving Hannibal at 6:30am, I had the trip’s first cool and foggy morning and enjoyed it as the climbing began just past the famous Lover’s Leap. For 15 miles, I climbed half mile long steep hills, rocketed down the other side and climbed another one. US 79 was in the process of paving for at least 25 miles, an improvement definitely needed. Twice I passed scenic outlook signs, something I didn’t follow because more sideways climbing was required.


  The slow pace only had me at about 35 miles by noon. I arrived in Louisiana, Missouri, and took some photos of the river there. Then back to US 79 for a ride to Clarksville, Annada (with a population of 29) and on into Ellsberry, where I’m spending the night, after just 59 hilly miles. A long flat stretch started in Clarksville and I’ve been seeing trains ever since. My motel is across the road from the tracks. Tracks nearby mean flatter riding!


   I had two reasons for stopping here. There has been little to no cell phone coverage for AT&T and Verizon most of the day and I took a chance on the last room of the only motel in Ellsberry. I got the photos out to the Post editors and hope to get this story submitted on the less than stellar WiFi. The second reason was to set the distance for a doable ride through St. Louis.
   I had an ongoing conversation with the motel manager hoping she could free up a room. That part worked, but the details of me making a trip to Dollar General for cleaning supplies will be told in the book. All is well now and I’m hoping it stays quiet. By the way, Ellsberry is really small at about 2,000 inhabitants, but it has a huge DG complete with produce and lots more. I got my food and water for tonight and tomorrow there too.


  When planning this trip, I was going around St. Louis. With the Great River Road map in place, I am going there tomorrow and hope to spend the night on the southern side after battling their traffic. I will follow US 79 to the city and then find my way through using a city map which I will study shortly.


   I did get to see the river numerous times today but probably won’t see it at all tomorrow. The challenge will be finding a safe way through St. Louis, then we’ll resume getting as close to the river as possible.


   See you back here tomorrow!

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