A Good Time Was Had by All

by   September 9, 2026 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

Did you hear about the incident at the East Rowan Library? It was all about me. Yeah… apparently I am a big deal. My friend Brittney who works there invited me to speak about my vast experience in writing. The media got wind of it. A crowd gathered. Authorities were called. As we approached the venue with great anticipation, emergency lights flashed in the distance. David pulled our vehicle to the right side of the road so they could lead us through the mob. Evidently Rockwell paparazzi can get pretty rowdy. I guess I need to get used to it. The life of a famous writer can be rather intense.

Did I mention that I write fiction?

So what really happened was…

A few friends shared the event on Facebook. As we traveled toward Rockwell the person in front of us drove at the rate of 25 mph the entire way. But that’s perfectly understandable since he was busy texting. The joy I’d claimed earlier in the day turned to a fervent, heartfelt prayer.

“Lord Jesus, please help me not cuss…”

Apparently someone keeled over at one of the fast food joints and needed emergency personnel. As lights flashed in our direction we pulled to the right. Though I encouraged my beloved to pass the dude in front of us as soon as the ambulance cleared, he is not that guy. David does not bend the rules of the highway. The man is so righteous that he slams on breaks for caution lights. It’s a wonder our marriage has lasted so long.

Texting dude slowly made his way back onto the road, making the star of the show late. Well, not actually late. I guess I should say later than I wanted to be. David always leaves early enough to account for such aggravation.

When finally we got there, the place was packed! We had to park across the way in the gravel lot by the dentist. There were at least thirteen people there… if you count me and David… and the two librarians who hosted… plus my best friend and her husband… and the two who walked out during my riveting presentation.

Dang Millennials. Hey… old people know stuff!

Annyyywayyy… a good time was had by all. I got to meet Michael, who I called Matthew several times. I met Judy and Brenda and Brooke the hugger. My friend Vickie stopped by even though she had groceries in the car. Randall asked good questions which sounded pre-planned, except that I didn’t have answers. But I will next time.

Did I say next time? What I meant was… if I can work another event into my very busy schedule. I’m kind of a big deal.

Someday I’m going to invent a sarcasm font. Folks with my warped sense of humor would certainly benefit.

PS:

The next big event is this Saturday in Lexington, NC. Missions Pottery and More is hosting my new book release from 9am – 4pm. I’ll bring copies of all my books. No pre-order necessary. I’d love to meet you!

Signs of Things to Come

by   September 6, 2026 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

I saw it on Monday, the last day of August. I was out on a very early morning walk, and as I approached the neighborhood entrance, fallen leaves of gold adorned the path. I instantly felt a slight, brisk chill despite the early-morning humidity. You’ve likely seen signs of autumn coming as well – acorns or walnuts on the ground or maybe your local barista’s fall menu – without needing to look at your calendar.

In North Carolina, however, we know not to set our hopes up too high. Fall may begin September 22, but Carolinians understand we will likely have a cooler week before that date and still welcome fall with 85 degrees or higher. It’s just the way it is here – still too early to put out real pumpkins. That won’t stop many from preparing, though. Maybe you have already grabbed that first PSL (pumpkin-spiced latte) of the season. Perhaps you plan to put away those summer white skirts and pants. Others will continue living a North Carolina extended summer for 6-8 more weeks with no thoughts or interest in the changing season.

Also, this week, I was reminded of a passage in Matthew 24 where Jesus is preparing His disciples for His departure from them. They had questions about eschatology – the study of end-time things. Picture the kid in the back seat continually asking, “Are we there yet?” They wanted to be sure they would not miss it…or HIM! A fair question, considering the many turn-the-world-upside-down things that Jesus had been teaching them.

He assured them that no man would know the day nor the hour of His return. People would continue to live their lives, unalarmed, just like people were doing during the days of Noah – that time the earth literally was turned upside down in a global flood.

I thought about that phrase “in the days of Noah.” Like any preschooler who attends church or has ever been in a nursery, the first image you probably envision at the mention of his name is the ark that Noah built. If you have seen the replica in Kentucky, you know how large the original vessel was. It was not easy to miss. Depending on the theologian you follow, the building of the boat took anywhere from 50 to 120 years! Again, word would have gotten around – not an easy project to miss. Yet, somehow, they did miss it – the message. They continued living their hedonistic lives, knowing full well what Noah was up to. They mocked him for it or willfully chose to ignore him – until it was too late.

That is what the coming of Jesus will be like. Many world events indicate that the stage has been set maybe for quite some time. Sometimes it is as evident as a massive boat under construction for almost a lifetime. Jesus’ soon coming is, well, sooner than it was before. There are warnings and calls for repentance, but we continue living complacently or willfully choosing to reject or mock the warnings.

Do we really need to know the date of Christ’s return to know that He will? We still live ordinary lives, but perhaps we should live them differently, knowing something extraordinary is coming. Can we ignore the evidence of a coming season because we do not know its arrival? The signs of a season do not announce a date, but they do tell us a change is coming, whether we are ready for it or not. Are you?

Our Reputation

by   September 5, 2026 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

Our Reputation

            You have to be living off the grid to not be aware that Dolly Parton passed away. She was an American treasure. She was a kind and giving person. I did a little digging and discovered that she gave away about half of her wealth to people in need. That is hard to imagine. I heard that she hosted Saturday Night Live and only gave them two rules about her appearance on the show. She would not use profanity and she would not make fun of Jesus. 

            The way we live matters. Notice I didn’t say that the way people think about us matters. There will always be people out there that put others down. The Bible even tells us that this will happen. It then instructs us to live in such a way that their accusations will fall to the ground because everyone will be able to tell they aren’t true. If we live in a way that honors God, we can be assured that He will take care of our reputation.

            Most of us face a much bigger problem than the way others see us; our problem lies in the way we see ourselves. Some people think way too highly of themselves, but honestly, that is not most of us. Most of us think too little about ourselves. We think bad thoughts about our character. We assume our failures and sins define who we are in God’s eyes. We focus on our flaws and shortcomings and fail to see ourselves the way God sees us.

            If we have confessed our sins, God promises to forgive and forget them. God does not remember any of your sins or failures. He only sees Christ in you and who you will become. God has many great plans for your future and He sees you fulfilling His purposes in your generation. He sees you as His son or daughter. He sees you as His servant and His best friend. He sees the potential locked up inside of you and wants to bring that out. He sees you as an overcomer.

            If God sees us that way, why do we get stuck seeing ourselves in such a negative light? We live in a fallen world and often forget that the resurrection power of Jesus lives in us. While our thoughts and the devil’s lies try to keep us down, God and a great crowd of witnesses are cheering us on. We have to stop looking in the mirror and seeing the flaws and start looking with eyes filled with faith toward our Heavenly Father. We need to learn to see ourselves through His loving eyes.

            We should work hard to protect our reputation. The Bible teaches us that a good reputation is more valuable than gold. That means that when we are at work, we should look at our work as working for God, not the customer or our boss. We should give our best to the things we have been given to do. We want our work to bring glory and honor to God. If we cut corners, do poor work, and rip people off then our reputation will suffer. When our reputation is tarnished our reflection of God is impacted.

            What do we do if our reputation has been tarnished by our past? First, we need to have the integrity to take the responsibility. Then we will have to work diligently to repair the damage. Hard work pays off in the long run. I think true humility and honesty about your abilities and skills will help build a positive image. Learning from others with more experience will help you build a stronger reputation. Let others know they can trust you and that you take your work seriously. If you break your trust, fail to perform as expected, it takes a long time to rebuild it. A strong work ethic takes an inner commitment that will be proven over time.

            I want to encourage you to consider your reputation carefully. What do people say and think about you? Does your work and the way you lead your life reflect positively or negatively on God? Are people attracted to God when they spend time with you or are they repelled? God wants us to be lights in a dark world, helping those who are far from Him to find their way home. Love and forgiveness open the doors to people’s hearts. That’s why Jesus taught us to love our neighbors. Our reputation can help people make a vital connection to God or it can close the door. How we live really does matter if we hope to reach people who are looking for God.

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

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