Peace & Rest

by   March 1, 2025 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            I sat outside and ate my lunch today. A week ago we had snow on the ground. I have heard it said so many times, if you don’t like the weather in NC then give it a couple of days and things will change. The only time I don’t think that is true is during summer. We can have some long streaks of hazy, hot, and humid weather.

            I enjoyed last week’s snow. My fellow snow-lovers got to enjoy watching it fall on two different days. Others were glad at how quickly it was gone. I went out for two walks while it was snowing. One of the things I love is how peaceful it is when it is snowing. The snow muffles sound and creates a beautiful bubble of peacefulness.

            The truth is my plate was feeling a bit full the last couple of weeks. I was constantly watching the storm’s progress on the weather models. I was preparing for some speaking engagements in the community. I was trying to get extra things done around the house. I wasn’t getting proper rest or exercise. I was beginning to feel a little anxious. 

            Being enveloped in the peacefulness of that snowfall calmed my mind and spirit. I was so happy to see the snow. My friends and family were checking with me to make sure it was snowing at my house. My joy was overflowing. The snow reduced my anxiousness and helped to restore my peace.

            I took some pictures of the snow. I loved seeing the flowers poking through the snow. Our daffodils weren’t blooming in the snow, but they sure are putting on a show today. I have some other spring bulbs that are budding. The pansies and violas look great. I guess I am feeling torn by the desire to see more snow and the hope of watching spring unfold and bring its beauty. I know most people are looking forward to spring.

            I have been thinking about the peacefulness I experienced walking in the snow. We live in a loud world. Cars and trucks are humming down the road. There is the sound of lawn mowers and leaf blowers. There were some chainsaws running in our community after the recent storms. There always seems to be noise and distractions. On top of everything else, our thoughts can clamber for attention, disturbing our peacefulness.

            I find myself hungry for the peace that surpasses all understanding. The troubles and problems of this world ebb and flow in our lives like the waves on the shore. When a wave of problems rolls in what do we do? We can all feel overwhelmed by life’s problems. We can even find ourselves wondering where this elusive peace can be found.

            I believe part of the problem is that we are looking to ourselves to solve life’s problems. While God does expect us to deal with life’s issues, He wants us to look to Him for wisdom and guidance. This is where it gets sticky. We have to learn to trust Him. His solutions are not the way we would handle them. His ways are not our ways. The peace we are looking for will only come when we are willing to lay down our ways and walk in His.

            Our lives are His. Our homes are His. Our cars are His. Our kids are His. Our church is His. Our jobs have been assigned to us by Him. All our money is His. When we begin to see that everything in our lives, including our schedules, belongs to Him then we can turn all those things over to Him. He will direct us. He will guide us. He will watch over us. He will help us find peace even when circumstances seem impossible because we can trust that He is in control.

            If you find yourself lacking peace of mind, I want to encourage you to run to Him, seek His face, and give everything to Him. We can live in peace in spite of our circumstances if we will trust Him with every area of our lives. Don’t think that I have this mastered, I find myself struggling too. I want to live in His peace, but I find the world crowding in. The peacefulness I experienced while walking in the snow stirred this desire in me that I know He will satisfy. When we choose to walk with Him and follow His leading we will discover His peace. In the good times and when problems are rolling in, we can live in His perfect peace.  

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

Just Dust

by   February 28, 2025 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

“The Lord is like a father to His children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him. For He knows how weak we are; He remembers we are only dust.” -Psalm 103:13,14

Sometimes we get the impression that God is a demanding old grouch who expects too much from us. This passage sure does make me happy. He knows how very weak I am. He knows what I’m made of. And it is not rainbows and sunshine. He knows because He made me. I am just dust. So any good thing I accomplish in my life is a joy. For how much expectation would He place on dust?

God’s Good Plan for Us

by   February 28, 2025 with No Comments

By Ed Traut

1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

  • God has always had an amazing focus and plan for His church.  
  • It is and was not God’s plan for us to suffer or go through difficulties, but rather be victorious, because of the price Jesus paid.
  • This salvation that Jesus paid such a dear price for compares to nothing in this world.  It is the most amazing gift of God ever.

Prayer:  I lift my hands to rejoice and worship You for this wonderful salvation that You have given to me.  Help me to share it today with someone that they may hear the gospel and receive eternal life.  I praise You Lord that I can expect blessing and Your favor each day.  Amen. 
 

Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

Beginning Runners Class Ahead

by   February 27, 2025 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Beginning Runners Class Just Ahead

    With all the cold of recent days, the warm spell last week had me thinking of spring. The cold was back on Wednesday morning when I went out to run in the steady rain, darkness and wind. At 32 degrees, I had plenty of preparation in place to stay dry and warm once I stepped out the back door, that step being the hardest one on such a morning.

    I only wear a bright yellow rain jacket when the rain is steady, and this Wednesday morning filled that bill. Water standing in the road occasionally gets me sprayed by passing cars. When both cold and raining, I wear mittens with Food Lion bags tied around them to keep the rain out. A warm toboggan and a rain repellent ball cap over it both work well to stave off a wet head. My bare minimum distance since returning to running has been 3.5 miles and Wednesday totaled just 3.6. I’ll make it up.

    Part of a rainy morning run is a pair of worn-out shoes, since they will get wet, sometimes very wet. I have plenty of used up pairs of shoes around for this purpose. Those shoes that haven’t been used for yard or barn shoes and still have a little bounce to them are the best. The first step back into the warm house is the third-best step of the morning. The second-best step is the one that ends the run, just ahead of my morning prayer walk.

     After only missing one day on the road since being cleared to return to running by Novant Health’s sports medicine back specialist Dr. Eugene Eline on November 1st, I reached 430 miles completed on this challenging morning. A new pair of Brooks Glycerin shoes from Ralph Baker Shoes, my first ever of that model, has boosted my recent running pace. I still have some more improvement to do, but I try to push harder each day. Saturday is nine months since the accident.

     It is time for SRR’s Spring Beginning Runners Class signup. The new class, sponsored by SRR, Salisbury Parks and Recreation and the Salisbury Police Department, starts on Tuesday evening, March 11th at 6pm. Spring classes are usually well attended and have the benefit of lengthening daylight as the class run gets longer each week. We start walking/running a half mile on the first night, then we gradually increase to 3.1 miles for the graduation evening of April 29th. The pace for all the runs is very gentle and each has the intended goal of just covering the distance. Participants are encouraged to run at a pace at which they can run and talk at the same time. Some walking is permitted, especially during the first weeks of the class.

     Weekly meetings begin with a half-hour classroom session taught by local professionals on such subjects as shoes and equipment, running form, stretching and strengthening, injury prevention, nutrition and safety.  Each participant gets the 8 week class, a training shirt, membership in Salisbury Rowan Runners for a year and free entry in the Bare Bones 5K on May 24th. Cost for the class remains at $65. More information on registering for the class is available at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org. Both online and mail-in options are available, and sign-up can be done on the night of the first class. For more information, you can also call 704-310-6741 or 704-202=6601.

     Our next race is the Will Run for Food 5K and Fun Run at Centenary Methodist Church on February 22nd. All participants get a complimentary t-shirt and some fantastic homemade refreshments, plus a chance at overall and age group awards in addition to some cash prizes. Carla Kluttz, former NC State Champion brownie maker, is the race director and can be reached at 704-433-3755.  

Gotta’ Run: Beginning Runners Class just ahead

Lynna’s Letter “E”

by   February 26, 2025 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” -James1:17

What a thought! ALL the good things, all the blessings, every joy in our life is sent to us by God. And best of all, because of His unchanging character, this will never change. As the old hymn says, “Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not! Great is Thy faithfulness!

Tonight, focus with me on all the good things coming down from our heavenly Father.

Bonus verse:

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man the things God has prepared for them that love Him.” -1 Corinthians 2:9

Being led by the Heart

by   February 25, 2025 with No Comments

You really need to consult your wife before making BIG decisions… Steve Hartman tells the story that illustrates what family can be and that dreams sometimes cost us more than we realize… ENJOY!!!

Easy or Not?

by   February 24, 2025 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Easy or not?

How many times have I thought –

I need to find something easy to cook.

 I need to find something easy for the project I am working on.

 Is there an easy way to do that math problem?

Easy or not?

Probably not.

Remember seeing people at the fair or circus doing magic tricks?

Were those magic tricks easy or not?

Probably not.

They probably took some practice.

Have you seen a worker using an excavator to load up a ton of dirt? Well, it may not be a ton, but it looks like it to me. They swing that bucket around, move it here and there, and if we stay long enough, we will see them load up that dirt and dump it in just the right spot. Personally, I think it is worth stopping to watch.

Easy or not?

Probably not.

In the last several years, your family may have grown by a baby or two or even three.

One of the spouses may now stay home and take care of the baby.

Easy or not?

Probably not.

Worth it? Of course.

In the last several years, has your family faced hurdles or roadblocks?

We all run into those quite often.

If it is a hurdle, it must be jumped over.

If it is a roadblock, it must be gone around or broken through.

Sometimes, it must be picked up and moved out of the way.

That is not easy.

Doing hard things.

Is it easy?

Not likely.

But – is it worth it?

Of course.

Research shows that doing hard things in life brings results.

The unknown is that what is a hard thing for one person may not be a hard thing for someone else.

What about the things in life we wish we had done?

What about the things in life we wanted to do, but did not do?

Do the hard things.

We will grow as a person.

We will become a better person.

We will become more productive.

Doing hard things can actually be a time of joy.

Crossing a hurdle can seem difficult.

Going through a roadblock can seem almost impossible.

Life not only involves doing easy things, but it also involves doing hard things.

Interestingly, easy and hard can merge and blend into something that is no longer hard.

Having access to – and using – the right ‘tools’ makes all the difference.

Did Jesus do hard things?

You know the answer to that!

Romans 5:8 – While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

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