Me Hold You

by   July 10, 2023 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Even indoors, the boom of thunder was frightening — especially to my little granddaughter. She dropped her toy, looked my direction, then ran to me, while screaming, “Me hold you! Me hold you!”

She melted in my arms as she jumped up on me, leaned in close, put her head on my chest, then calmly whispered, “Me.. hold.. you.”

Along with the storm, I sensed that a “God moment” had just blown in…

As I was holding her, I felt such a sweetness. My mind whispered this question, “God, does it feel this good when I come running to You and jump up in Your arms?” I heard — and felt — His gentle and loving response, “Yes.”

Watching a child’s fear turn to faith as I held her, and seeing her complete trust in me, transcended me past the earthly moment, and showed me a glimpse of God’s Eternal Heavenly Love for us.

Psalm 119:117 says, “Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe.” Hold me, Jesus. No words seem to be any more powerful than those — an image of Jesus — holding me in His arms.

In Colossians 1:17 are the words, “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” When the thunder crashes and the storms arrive in our lives — and they will — we run to Him, crying, “Me hold You.”

We melt in His arms, lean in close, put our head on His chest, and softly whisper, “Me.. hold.. You.” And we then realize we get something that feels even greater than holding on to Jesus — and that is Jesus holding on to us.

She did not need to be scared that day. I was with her the whole time. She knew that the closer she was to me, the safer she felt. I’m not sure if she was holding me or I was holding her, but it sure felt good.

We do not need to be scared during the storm. Jesus will be with us the whole time. The closer we get to Jesus, the safer we will feel. We hold on to Jesus, and Jesus holds us. It sure feels good.

Many years ago, it was written in Mark 10:16 that Jesus took His children in His arms. Jesus still takes His children in His arms. Hold me, Jesus. It sure feels good.

Lord, thank You for holding us in Your arms!

It sure feels good.

Amen.

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

Like Sands on the Beach

by   July 9, 2023 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

As is true for many North Carolinians, our family’s official summer vacation kicked off with a recent trip to the coast. For many of us, it is a place to relax, clear our heads or pray as we meander through sea foam, pebbles, shells, sharks’ teeth and sea glass. Maybe it is because we can finally pause and, on a tiny scale, see the vastness of our Creator that this vacation spot holds a special place for many of us. I can imagine the hundreds of thousands of pieces of sand I have scooped in my hand while forming a drip castle. How many more millions and billions of pieces have I walked upon? How many more are hidden under the shores?

As I build sandcastles with my children, I am reminded of Psalm 139:17-18, which became a favorite passage from the Bible many years ago:

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!

If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.

How astounding — the God of all Creation has an abundance of thoughts for me! Not just a few, lumped into a pile of common thoughts for humanity, though that is important, too. He has unique ideas for me, Ashlie Miller. After our trip, one of my sons mentioned an online article he found showing macro lens photos of grains of sand. The miniature pieces of geometric art, each piece varying from the next, amazed him! How much more so, the idea that God has a vast array of thoughts, plans and love for us. He is much more than the God of deism, far removed from regularly intervening and being involved in the small nuances of our lives.

This verse from Psalms ends with the idea that if we fell asleep counting all of His thoughts for us, we would wake up still counting them. What love He has for you and me! What love I long to have for One who would love me like that! My love will never match His magnitude or scope for me, but I want to live my life showing Him how much I love Him.

I hope you have a lovely summer and venture to one of our beautiful North Carolina beaches. Be prepared to be overwhelmed by God’s goodness and share it with others. I cannot wait to share more thoughts from my coastal meanderings over the coming months.

Ashlie Miller might be spotted beach combing along the North Carolina coasts this summer when she is not home with her family of 7 in Concord.

To the Class of 2023

by   July 8, 2023 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            I went to thirty-plus high school graduations in my career. I enjoyed them because I knew that the school year was coming to a close and summer vacation was on the horizon. I also enjoyed the speeches that the students and principals gave during the ceremony. In the latter years of my career I would often write about the positive and encouraging words that were shared.

            I’ve been retired for four years now…where did that time go? There is a little part of me that misses the prom, where you see the students dressed up and acting grown up. I really miss the DECA club and taking the students to competitions at the local, state, and national levels. In a small way, I miss hearing the inspirational speeches at graduation.

            Graduation speeches offer a hopeful look into the future. I still believe that people can and often do choose to be kind and helpful, especially in times of great need. I hope the youth who are taking their first steps out into the world will maintain their sense of optimism.

            This new generation faces many challenges. The world is not very peaceful. Wars and conflicts abound across the globe. There are many environmental issues that need addressing, from wildfires, extreme weather, and climate change. This generation is inheriting a very politically divided nation. I hope they will find common ground and learn the art of compromise so we can recover our national unity. There are also many health challenges that they will have to figure out as our population ages.

            There are many other social, moral, mental, physical, and spiritual challenges that face our new graduates, whether from high school or college. But I believe God can inspire them to figure out how to solve the many problems we all face. When a generation rises up and seeks God, I believe God will help that generation discover the hidden truths that will unlock the answers our society and world need. I look to this next generation of scientists, engineers, teachers, doctors, politicians, and religious leaders to rise up and lead us into a hopeful and prosperous future. 

            I often wonder what kind of inspirational words I might offer a graduating class. Here are a few for the Class of 2023:

            The world wasn’t perfect when you arrived and it won’t be perfect when you leave. But I believe you have a unique opportunity to change your little corner of it. Some of you will impact the world with the next big thing we all must have or a medication that will improve our lives, but that will not be the case for all of you. The challenge I offer you today is to make a difference where God has placed you.

            God has given each of you special talents, skills, and abilities. He expects you to use those gifts to touch and change the world around you. If each of you will endeavor to make a positive impact in your community, the world will be a better place. I know you can’t help every person you meet, but help those you can.

            Look for the good in other people. Embrace differences because that creates a richer society. Take time to appreciate the beauty around you: a beautiful sunset, a rainbow, snow gently falling, walks on the beach, birds soaring, a meal with your family, and everything that brings joy and peace to your soul.

            When you become parents, pass along the gifts of kindness and love. Teach your children to seek their passions. Teach them to accept others and try to understand their point of view. Teach them to have compassion for the less fortunate. Teach them right from wrong, and that there are consequences to their actions. Teach them to love, honor, and respect their elders.

            You are graduating into an uncertain world. I believe God has planned a wonderful future for you. It will come with some challenges along the way. Challenges and difficulties are not bad; they are designed to make you a stronger, better person. Be sure to grow and maintain your faith because it will guide you through life.

            Finally, remember that no one accomplishes anything alone. We need each other. God has gifted you with unique abilities and He needs you to do your part. Keep your family and friends close. These things will make your life great: having gratitude and showing appreciation will keep your mind positive, faith and hope will sustain you through the hard times, and finally, let your heart be filled with love and forgiveness, because we all need more of both.  

Peaches

by   July 7, 2023 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

The cardboard box is marked “Southern Peaches” and made to hold ten ripening peaches.  Now empty of  its delicious fruit, it sits on the floor below a side table holding whichever of our five cats gets in it to sleep, a purpose for which it was not intended, but our cats do not know that, nor did any of them savor the sweetness of its contents.

I waited. Each morning I surveyed the ten in the bowl where Mary Ann my wife had placed them. My patience weakened as the peaches turned redder and softer. After a few days my wait ended, and I removed one from its resting place. I washed it and carried it to the round oak breakfast table in a paper towel. Setting it on the table, style down, I removed the peduncle and using my thumbs opened it to reveal a seed coat surrounded by pink mesocarp overflowing with sweet juice. The seed and its coat came out easily, and I  took my first summer’s taste of a South Carolina  peach. Only a peach, with its juice flowing between my fingers and onto the paper towel, it stirred memory.

We lived poor but for our mother. The little, green house where our mother reared my five siblings and me had an outhouse at the end of its long, sloping yard. It was a bare house. Mother’s wage hemming washcloths in the local cotton mill was not enough for many things, but she persevered, and we learned in her shadow.

By the time I began to eat the second half of that sweet peach, I was hearing mother’s voice over sixty years ago as she would almost sing to her six, young children, “Just wait, the South Carolina peaches will be here soon. We’ll get some.” She then would explain how she had arranged for a coworker in the mill to bring us a bushel basket of fresh peaches.  Then for days on end she would tell us to be patient, that soon the peaches would  arrive. And they did, almost like the manna from heaven. Finishing the second half of the peach, I sorrowfully wiped the juice from my hands and threw the seed away. Washing my hands, I thought of my mother’s struggle in rearing us six. No car. Living away from town. Low wages. A divorced woman during the 1950’s in a southern town. Religious. Aware.

Finished, I sat quietly and tried to image, once again,  my mother’s life. But that, as I had discovered numerous times before, was not possible. Her struggles and accomplishments were above me, but some things, like the soon-to-arrive peaches, I finally came to understand in my adult years, or least I thought I had. You  see, our mother knew the bareness of our life, but she gave us hope every chance she could. And she taught us to anticipate the good from life. South Carolina peaches were one way that she had to give us something special, and she did. Somehow.

Continuing Northeast

by   July 6, 2023 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Excited to see more of N.C., I drove to Halifax. Having left Warrenton and its pre-Civil War history, I immediately arrived at the “birthplace of freedom” ahead of the Revolutionary War. Established in 1757, Halifax was named for George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax, president of the British Board of Trade from 1748 to 1761 and a friend of the Colonies. In January 1759, Halifax became the county seat of the new Halifax County. The town developed into a commercial and political center ahead of the American Revolution. North Carolina’s Fourth Provincial Congress met in Halifax in the spring of 1776, and on April 12 adopted the Halifax Resolves supporting the Continental Congress as it moved toward independence from Britain, the first colony to do so while encouraging other colonies to follow.

Halifax is located at the navigational head of the Roanoke River, making it an important colonial town. Its rich soil helped plantations flourish. By 1769, about 60 buildings had been built, making it one of the premier cities in the colony. Halifax County had a population of about 3,000, both black and white. Not all the Blacks were slaves, as some were freedmen and skilled craftsmen.

During the war, Halifax was a major supply depot for the Continental Army. Halifax Minute Men were involved in the battle at Guilford Courthouse, a hard-fought British victory. British Commanding General Cornwallis eventually brought his army of 1600 redcoats to occupy homes and plantations in Halifax and surrounding plantations. After about a week, the British army headed north to engage Washington before eventually surrendering on Oct. 19, 1781. Washington visited Halifax on his southern tour on April 16, 1791.

After a stop at the visitor center and a brief movie, I took a walking tour of the town and about 20 sites, noting that Halifax is very quiet with little traffic, which seemed perfect for such a history laden town. Several buildings are open for touring before 4 p.m. The imposing Halifax County Courthouse, finished in 1910, and a small business area offered a more recent perspective.

Next stop was Jackson, county seat for Northampton County. The very quiet and small town had little traffic and less information available. The town was called Northampton Courthouse until it was renamed Jackson in 1826 in honor of former general and then President Andrew Jackson.

By the time Jackson became the county seat, horse racing and breeding had brought Northampton County national attention. In 1816, the famous racehorse Sir Archie was brought to Mowfield Plantation just west of Northampton Courthouse. Sir Archie reportedly beat all other horses in his specialty four-mile races. His bloodline sired Secretariat, Seabiscuit and many other famous racehorses.

Revolutionary War hero French General Marquis de Lafayette visited Jackson in 1825 and was met by a state delegation here. The current Northampton County Courthouse was built in 1858, A small Civil War confrontation occurred here in 1863.

After spending the night in Ahoskie, I made the short drive to Winton, county seat of Hertford County. I found Winton to be very small with few vehicles moving in the early morning of June 10 and I didn’t expect much. The courthouse is huge and new but located just outside of town. I found a great story as I began my journey around town and immediately spotted a Civil War Trails sign pointing toward the Chowan River, incredibly still and beautiful on this early morning. A small park commemorates an interesting engagement in 1862 when eight Federal gunboats steamed up the river to Winton. A significant Confederate force and battery were waiting in town and fired on the gunboats, soon forcing them to leave. That evening, the Confederate forces were fed and celebrated in town. Their leader marched the troops out of town afterward, ahead of the Union gunboats returning to shell the town. Troops onboard the gunboats torched Winton, making it the first North Carolina town to be burned in the war. Only the Methodist church and two buildings owned by Union sympathizers were spared.

I found an interesting burial plot on the grounds of the municipal building that I suspect served as the old courthouse. About 20 gravesites, including at least two Civil War soldiers killed at Chancellorsville, were interred there among several monuments.

Gatesville, county seat of Gates County, was next. First known as Bennett’s Creek Landing, from 1779 it was known as Gates Courthouse until its incorporation in 1830 as Gatesville, being named for Horatio Gates, a commander in the American Revolutionary War. As commanding general at the Battle of Saratoga in 1777, he delivered one of the most damaging blows yet felt by English forces in the war. However, in 1780 Gates’ failure at the disastrous Battle of Camden transformed him from one of the Revolution’s most esteemed generals into one of its most controversial.

Timber and agriculture drive the economy in Gates County. I saw it written, “The pace of life is slow. Take time to stop and talk to the people, have a bar-b-que sandwich and soda at one of the family restaurants. Hang out for awhile and just generally stop and smell the flowers.”

Small county seats made up the day, which is fine with me. I love finding new places to visit and roads to drive. The day saw 6.2 miles running and walking brought back some great photos. We’re at 58 counties done, 42 remaining. See you back here soon for some of the Inner Banks counties.

Don’t Be Alone

by   July 5, 2023 with No Comments

By Ed Traut

Ecclesiastes 4:12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

  • Being alone has many dangers in the natural and the supernatural and God always sent His disciples out by two’s.
  • When there are two, one can shelter and defend the other and help someone that has fallen.  There is a support system.
  • Three – in unity, make a unbreakable strength (God is three – Father, Son, Holy Ghost and we are three; body, soul and spirit individually.  The perfect number).

Prayer:  Lord, I thank You that You put the right people in my life.  Help me to be discerning enough not to be put off by things that my flesh does not like, but to be discerning and recognize those that You put into my life that I can fulfill Your purposes and recognize the healthy relationships that You have sent.  Help me to be that faithful to others too.  Amen.
 

Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

Not So Easy Button

by   July 4, 2023 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

Have you ever wished for Cliff Notes of the Bible? Like yesterday when I gave you all that Scripture and you started hearing, “Blah blah blah designer shoes blah blah …” Well, here ya go.

I came across a passage that sums it all up. In Matthew 22: 34-40, Jesus is being questioned by the religious experts of the day. These guys were careful to obey the details of the law down to the length of their sleeves. Trying to trick Him, they asked what He considered to be THE most important law. His reply is well known, but not well practiced. “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important. Love your neighbor as yourself.” Then He says it.

“All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” So here’s the scoop. If we get those two things right, all the other stuff falls into place. The God of details gives us an easy button. Well, at least He narrowed it down to two things. So should I take that job? Can I fulfill Christ’s royal law of love there? No? Then the money is not worth it. Should I work in the yard today? Will I in any way defeat the goal of loving God and loving people? No? Then go for it.

Just a little jump off the Nehemiah bus for today. Because if we bear down on these two things, Christ says we’re good to go. Love God. Love people. And it’s also amazing that He places loving others “equally important” as loving Himself!! Knowing that He is a jealous God and wants us to love Him with every ounce of our being, makes that statement even more astounding!

Can I be real with you? Loving Him and loving people is certainly harder some days than others. I bet you already knew that. Here’s what I prayed. You fill in the blanks where you have been.

Strengthen me Lord to love You so much that I never doubt You again. When people hurt me and You are silent, help me rest in Your Word and believe You when You tell me You love me. When we both lose our jobs, both cars break down, the house has a tax lien, and medical bills mount up, [summer of 1990] help me remember that You love me. When I blow my cool and bless out the person I feel to be responsible for our job loss; when I slam the door so hard the windows are still rattling, [also summer of 1990] help me to know that You still love me. When I lose my strong and beautiful mother because she gets an illness that is so rare that only 3 in one million in the U.S. get it [winter of 2004]; When my very first grandson dies before I hold him in my arms, [summer of 2010] help me to rest in the fact that You love me. And when we come out on the other side of heartache with a stronger understanding of Your great love, help us use that understanding to love people better. Everyone is going through something. Strengthen me, and all of us today, to lighten someone’s load just a little; Because You love me while I am most definitely unlovable.


More: Ephesians 3:14-21; Romans 8:31-39; Matthew 22:34-40

How To Wait

by   July 3, 2023 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

It was one of those nights that my body began to awaken at 3 am, and I finally decided to let my brain join it. In the previous three days, I had begun writing five columns – and put them all away for later. More ideas crept into my head as I lay there. None stuck. But… like always, I knew the Lord would send me the words to write. I just had to be patient.

I got up. Got a cup of cream & coffee. Opened up my Bible. It landed here:

Psalm 40:1 – I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

*I waited patiently for the Lord. That adverb ‘patiently’ sure does make a lot of difference. Patiently is how we are to wait. Patiently means showing tolerance of delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious. That sure can be hard to do.

​*He inclined unto me. That verb ‘inclined’ sure does make a lot of difference. The Lord inclines unto us – that means He leans in toward us as we wait. I remember as I was sharing a burden with a friend once, she got up, walked over to me, sat down beside me, and leaned in toward me so that we would be closer. As soon as she did that, I was comforted. It is unfathomable to think that the God of this universe inclines toward us – leans in close – and comforts us while we wait.

*He heard my cry. That verb ‘heard’ sure does make a lot of difference. To hear means to perceive with the ear a sound made by someone or something, and to listen or pay attention to. We cry. God hears. When my children were babies, I would ‘hear their cry’ in the dark of the night many times. I even remember staying awake listening for their cry. Isn’t it good to know that God neither slumbers nor sleeps and hears the cries of His children?

So, what does God do after we have patiently waited, He has inclined toward us, and He has heard our cry?

Psalm 40:2-3 tell us — He brings us up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, sets our feet on a rock, establishes our goings, and puts a new song of praise in our mouths. Many will see it – and will trust in the Lord.

From our mundane daily needs – to the monstrous giants in our lives – and everything in between – the blessings of Psalm 40:2-3 are attainable.

How?

Wait.

Wait how?

Patiently.

Think I will give it a try. Care to join me?

A Good Name

by   July 2, 2023 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

Like a modern, online edition of the white pages, it is easy to learn someone’s family surname or maiden name, thanks to Facebook. You may find many family tree members through just a few clicks on sites like ancestry.com. Last names and family trees have always fascinated me – from where they are derived and their prominence in certain countries, states, and regions.

The family who welcomed me after my father died and my mother remarried was the Lawrence family. Most of my life, I recall seeing a framed, cross-stitched piece that said, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches… (Proverbs 22:1)” in my Grandparents’ home.

I have witnessed this truth within this family, well-known for embracing as family those who were not family by blood – foster children, adopted children, step-grandchildren, and close friends. If you speak this name in the towns nearby, you are met with a positive response. Every time. It is not a family of extravagant means, but there is extravagant love. There is integrity in this name, good character, and godly wisdom. 

But not all of us were blessed with “good names” in our family of origin. There may be generations of hurt, betrayal, and even hate that our family name connotes. Shame at mentioning the last name. Maybe an association with an infamous family name raises an eyebrow at the checkout line. You may avoid using that name when placing an order.

It could be that you have not rightfully earned the honor that comes with your family name of origin. You may live in shame for bringing disgrace upon those who have loved you well. When others find out to whom you belong, there is a moment of disbelief that you are their child or grandchild. You were brought up better, after all. 

Is there hope? Can we ever lift our heads? Yes! In Revelation 2:17, God speaks of giving to those who overcome (those who have trusted Christ as Savior and have endured) a white stone with a new name written upon it.

When we trade the identity we were born with for a new spiritual identity and are called “Christian,” we receive a name that we do not earn but one that is gifted to us by grace. When our Father looks at us, He sees His child. He bestows us love and blessing that we could not merit alone. We want to live in a way that reflects that name and brings honor. Sometimes, we may stumble and cause others to wonder in disbelief that we belong to Him, but He loves us and can transform us. 

Have you thought about not only who you are but whose you are? How has a “good name” brought you comfort and given you renewed purpose?

Ashlie Miller and her family of 7 of live in Concord, NC. You can share with her about your family story by contacting her on ashliemiller.com.

The Great Outdoors

by   July 1, 2023 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

                Everyone who knows me knows that I like to be outside. I will sit outside on my porch late at night on cool evenings. I love to go for walks. I enjoy working in my garden, which I really don’t consider work. I find inspiration in nature. I enjoy good fresh air and sunshine.

                I don’t like high heat and humidity. We have been enjoying a period of cooler temperatures and lower humidity this year and I have been thrilled. The high heat and humidity zaps my energy. I walk out the door and lose motivation as soon as the heat hits me.

                There is one place that I like summer’s heat and humidity…the beach. Most days when you are at the beach there is a nice breeze. Also, the temperature doesn’t seem as bad. But I have been at the beach on several occasions when there was no air movement and the sun was oppressively hot. Those are not enjoyable days.

                I went to Tidewater, Virginia last weekend where I spent time with my mother-in-law and my sister. My sister lives a block away from the beach. I couldn’t wait to go to her house. The forecast called for hot temperatures and thunderstorms. I was just hoping for a nice day and a little breeze off the water.

                We walked down to the water and she decided she wanted to face the sun and catch some rays. I wanted to face the water and watch the waves. We each faced the direction we wanted and enjoyed a long conversation. Her beach is on the Chesapeake Bay and I enjoyed watching several barges coming in the bay. There were also several pleasure crafts enjoying the great day.

                We talked about our families, work, good days, bad days, health issues, and good food. The conversation flowed like water and the closeness we shared was rooted in a lifetime of love. We laughed and people-watched. She made me a sandwich which I enjoyed while listening to the gentle waves washing up on the shore. I haven’t eaten lunch sitting on the beach since I was a kid. The memories flooded me while sitting there peacefully.

                My sister told me that our time was up and we needed to head back to the house. She was concerned about an approaching storm. I told her we still had some time and asked to sit quietly for a few minutes so I could let the ocean waves work on my soul. She agreed and I allowed the sound to work its magic. I didn’t want to leave but knew we needed to get going.

                On our trip we stayed with my mother-in-law. My mother-in-law is a great cook and always has plenty of wonderful food to eat. I am always looking for something I can do to help my mother-in-law while I am home. I prefer to work outside, including…yes…pulling weeds. I will also help out inside if there are some things I can do.  She tells me that she feels guilty that I stay busy while I am home, but I enjoy any opportunity to serve.

                I have become increasingly convinced of two things on this trip. First, I believe God likes it when we slow down and allow our spirits to be refreshed. He enjoys relaxing with us. Sometimes I struggle with the idea of slowing down because I feel like I should be getting something done. When I go to the beach I can easily let everything go and enjoy the peacefulness. Second, I think God is deeply pleased with us when we find ways to serve others, especially when we do things we really don’t like to do…like pulling weeds. Helping and serving others doesn’t and shouldn’t feel like work. When we can discover ways to serve others I believe it is God working through us to bless them.

                I want to encourage you to rest and serve others. Discovering ways you can refresh your spirit while at home and away are important if you want to be ready for opportunities that God brings your way. There are always things that we can do, but being busy is not what pleases God. When we apply ourselves to giving our best to our employers and seeking opportunities to bless and serve others…that pleases God. It seems ironic that God can be pleased in both our resting and our serving, but I truly believe that is true. In fact, I believe we can be refreshed while we are serving. Either way, resting or serving, we get the benefit of doing both with our Heavenly Father.

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

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