All Hands on Deck

by   July 29, 2026 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

My daddy is a great story teller. In honor of his eighty-fifth birthday, I’m retelling one of his. I naively asked one day if the ocean ever got rough enough to be scary when he was out to sea.
“Oh yes.” He replied with a laugh.

I figured that on a huge aircraft carrier he might not even notice a storm. The few times I’ve been out on the ocean I quickly realized that the sea is not for me. I recall praying something similar to “Lord, if You will just get me back to land, I will never gripe or complain again.” He answered my prayers even though He knows I’m a liar.

My question prompted daddy to tell us a story we’d never heard. His ship was near the Arctic Circle along with a fleet of US Navy vessels. Together with the British Navy they were doing maneuvers during the Korean conflict. All their planes were in the air when suddenly a thick fog rolled in. It settled in and stayed for a very serious amount of time.

“It was so thick you couldn’t see any of the other ships. We were in real danger because planes were running out of fuel and the pilots couldn’t see to land. The captain came over the ship’s loudspeaker and called ‘ALL HANDS ON DECK!’”

“Once we were assembled, the captain gave an order. It was really more of a request. He asked us to pray. Everybody bowed their heads. Within about ten minutes, the fog cleared and planes came dropping out of the sky. You’ve never seen such a swarm! It didn’t matter if they were Brits or American, they were scrambling just to land on any vessel before that fog rolled back in. There were over a hundred planes in the air above us that day. We didn’t lose a single one.”

It’s good for us to feel helpless at times. It’s important to recognize that we cannot control each situation to our liking. It’s wise to realize that in the grand scope of things, we are actually very small. Like tiny vessels tossed in an enormous angry sea we know in our soul that we need help. How amazing that the One Who created the vast ocean has invited us to call on His Name, and He hears us! With just a Word, the winds obey Him. The waves are still. The fog is lifted and suddenly, through no power of our own, we find ourselves safely home.

The age old request “LORD help!” is a very powerful prayer. Only when we come to the end of our own wisdom and resources, can we fully appreciate Who He is. And He doesn’t even wait for us sailors to clean up our lives before He answers.
How great is our God!

“’LORD help!’ they cried in their trouble and He saved them from their distress. He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves. What a blessing was that stillness as He bought them safely into harbor! Let them praise the LORD for His great love and for the wonderful things He has done for them.” -Psalm107:28-31

Christmas in July

by   July 26, 2026 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

Christmas in July is something I have shared previously. It served to boost my family’s morale in the midst of a very rough year. Turns out, it is not a newer tradition – a recent issue of the magazine Our State shared a piece of the possible origins at Keystone Camp in Brevard, NC, during the 1930s.

Yes, thoughts of cooler seasons in the midst of too many days in the 90-degree weather is a welcome embrace. Enjoying treats, Christmas movies (or even an entire channel dedicated to the genre), and summer-equivalent tradeoffs for Christmas bucket-list activities brings a smile to many faces. Pass the red and green watermelon, a snow cone, and maybe some lemon-iced sugar cookies.

But why stop there?

Each year, I am blessed to receive emails, books, pamphlets, and more with advent reading plans, devotions dedicated to the season, and suggestions for acts of kindness to perform with the family. Just last week, in a Little Free Library at the local park, I picked up a book titled “How Far to Bethlehem” by Norah Lofts, who wrote many historical fiction titles. Sadly, there is not enough time in December to relish these thoughtful liturgies.

Our church is in the midst of a daily Bible-reading plan this year. We transition this weekend from the Old Testament and its prophecies to the arrival of Christ in human flesh in the New Testament. What timing! It really can be a Christmas in July celebration in our spirit. How refreshing!

I plan to read through some of the gift books we have received over the years for Christmas while on the porch, perhaps sipping some ice-cold sweet tea. These longer nights with the twinkle of lightning bugs and the hanging strand of lights in the backyard are the perfect backdrop for a birth that was likely not in a bleak midwinter we like to imagine. Instead of carols, wind chimes, birds chirping, crickets, cicada, and toads are the soundtrack.

Yes, the lazy, dog-days of summer may be just what my mind and spirit need before life cranks back up with school, schedule changes, and too many plans stacking up at the end of the year like a multi-car pileup.

Reminders of the first advent resonate with our heart’s longing for a second advent of Christ – and the December calendar does not have to have the market on stirring our hearts towards that story.

Do you have a favorite Christmas book or devotional? I’d love for you to share it with me.

Ashlie Miller lives in Concord, NC. You can email her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com

What Are You Growing?

by   July 25, 2026 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

What Are You Growing?

            A friend asked me the other day, “How are the weeds growing in your garden this year?” I was a little surprised by the question but then I laughed and said, “The weed crop is doing wonderful. I have lots of varieties growing and they are producing copious amounts of seeds.” My garden is actually growing well this year and we are enjoying some tasty treats.

            There are problems in the garden every year. This year it has been so hot that I don’t want to go out there and work on the weeds. The dry weather hasn’t helped either. I have watered my garden but that didn’t help the corn. I pulled some the other day and the ears were small but the corn looked pretty. When I tried to eat it off the cob it was dry and not very tasty. We creamed some of that corn and that was better.

            Weeds can be a problem in both the vegetable and flower gardens. I have sprayed some of the weeds and others I have pulled, but when the weather gets so hot I want to stay inside. Weeds need constant attention and they seem to grow and flourish under all kinds of conditions. The vegetables and flowers that I want to grow are struggling with the hot and dry conditions. I wonder why the things I want take so much effort and the things I don’t want seem to do well even when neglected.

            When you stop and think about it this applies to many areas of our lives. Staying physically fit takes time and effort. We have to be diligent to get out there and exercise because if we choose to stay in the nice cool air conditioning lots of lazy bad habits will develop. I haven’t been out walking as often with the high heat and humidity, and it’s easy to talk myself out of going out for walks, which I know are good for me.

            It applies in similar ways to our food intake. Summertime is a great time for salads with all the fresh stuff around. With the news of a parasite on the loose I have been a little cautious of eating salads until they figure it out. Eating the things that are healthy becomes challenging. A cookie sounds better than an apple, right? Things out of our gardens should be safe, let’s eat those good things while we wait for the parasite problems to go away.

            These same things apply to our spiritual lives. It is easy to skip reading the scripture or to decide to pray on the go. Our spirits need the intake of reading the Bible and the connection with God through prayer. When we choose to skip quiet time with God we will grow a little weaker and become more disconnected.

            Time is a precious gift from God. We need to think about how we use this gift. We can fill our time with all kinds of unspiritual things quickly. There is nothing wrong with enjoying watching TV or scrolling social media, but if we do that instead of spending time with God then we are starving our spirits. Like the weeds, it is easier to spend time with the TV, social media, or texting with friends. Our spirits need connection with God, and that happens best in a quiet place where we can hear His still, quiet voice.

            I want to choose to grow spiritually and pull the time-wasting weeds out of my life. I am not suggesting that I am going to stop being on social media or give up TV, but I want to make choices about how I use my time. Saying no to the easy things, the weeds, will help me make a better connection with my Father. I want to hear His voice and let His love and peace permeate my life. Then I want to listen to His voice and do the things He wants me to do.

            I want to encourage you to look at your life as a garden. Now consider what you are growing. When God walks through the garden, what will He find? Will there be fruit and vegetables, or will He discover weeds? Don’t feel guilty; we all have weeds that need attention. We all can work on cultivating a closer walk with Him. He loves spending time with each one of us because He loves us and He likes us. Take small steps and find little ways to connect deeper with God then watch how it grows. Happy spiritual gardening!    Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

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