Steve Hartman tells the story of how one father’s persistence paid off in an incredible way. You have to see the story to believe it. ENJOY!!!
A Father’s Persistence
July 15, 2025
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One More
July 14, 2025
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By Ann Farabee
One more
Most of us were aware of it.
Many of us prayed about it.
Help them find one more, Lord.
They were young girls at a Christian camp in the middle of the night, as a flood carried away their cabin, every person, and every thing inside of it. Quite frankly, it is hard for me to fathom. As soon as I typed the word fathom, my eyes blurred with tears, and I looked up the definition to make sure the word was strong enough to express how I feel. Yes, it is hard to fathom, for sure.
If I knew the definition, I had forgotten it –
Definition 1. Noun – A unit of length equal to six feet, mostly used in reference to the depth of water.
Definition 2. Verb – Difficult to understand after much thought.
As I often do during a tragic event, I watched TV coverage non-stop, hoping for just one more person to be found alive. When that did not happen, I began to hope for just one more body to be found.
Yes, many of us who watched the coverage were praying for the same – one more!
A tragedy is defined as an event causing great suffering, destruction, distress, and sometimes death. How tragic it is for those who lost their lives in that unimaginable circumstance.
The ‘one more’ I was hoping for from the Texas flooding was not found.
I had written down the words ‘one more’ in my sermon notes the previous Sunday at church during the pastor’s message.
The phrase has stuck with me. A few years ago on a mission trip to Jamaica, people of all ages accepted Christ, and we found ourselves praying for just one more. In our everyday lives, reaching the thousands is unlikely, but reaching one more is very likely IF we make the effort.
While in Jamaica visiting many churches and towns to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I was a little surprised on our last day there, when the bus driver who had been taking us everywhere, watching and waiting for us at each stop, turned toward those of us loaded on the bus – and asked if he could have a Bible.
We had ministered to hundreds that week, but the bus driver became our one more.
As the writer of this column, I feel blessed to reach thousands each week. One day, a reader emailed me that she had accepted Christ as a result of reading my columns. She was my one more!
Sometimes, for all of us as Christians, as a result of our testimony and God’s grace and mercy, there is one more. And maybe another one more.
What greater victory can we have in our lives than to experience the spiritual salvation of those we cross paths with along the way?
I am praying that God will send us all one more!
Where Two or Three Gather…in the Backyard
July 13, 2025
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By Ashlie Miller
I remember the excitement of sharing school yearbooks at the end of the school year. More often than not, someone would write, “Have a great summer! See you next year!” We were at the mercy of our working parents’ schedules, so we often wouldn’t see many of those friends until the next school year. But, when we did get to connect over the summer, what a great joy that was!
One does not have to be a student or a teacher (homeschool or brick-and-mortar) to relish summertime. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the summer season offers a nice break in routines. There is a season for everything, as Ecclesiastes states. Summer is a wonderful time of year to have friends and neighbors over. The idea of sharing a summer meal together with outdoor entertainment – whether it be the pool, corn hole, frisbee, or a late-night outdoor movie on the sheet spread across a couple of trees – is too good to pass up.
My husband and I have delighted in opening our home each week this summer to members/regular attendees of our church-plant congregation. We usually invite a couple of households to come share a meal, sit around the table, let the kids run all over the yard and cul-de-sac, and share our life stories along with our hopes and dreams. We ask questions like: tell us about your journey to Jesus, what special gifts has God given you to build His Kingdom, what are you excited about being able to do for others as you share the hope we have? The answers have been riveting at times. As one older gentleman shared a gripping testimony of repentance and forgiveness, my youngest son (7) proclaimed quietly to me as he grabbed a seat on the bench beside me, “Oh, I’m here for this!”
It reminds me of sitting around summer campfires with other families in my youth, listening to them not only share the hilarity of stories we had all heard before, but also conveying the goodness of our great God in their lives as they recounted special church services or making it through difficult times together.
Summer is also a time to have cousins over for special adventures. Laughing at inside jokes or sharing a little harmless mischief. It’s also the season to invite friends to the pool for a play date, meet up with that long-time companion you always mean to catch up with, and pick the brain of an acquaintance with some experience or insight into something you are exploring.
Our church visits parks after church on some Sunday evenings in the summer. We play and share together, but we also invite others from the community to join our fun. Sometimes it ends in a gospel conversation, and other times it is simply sharing a good time.
Monthly Sunday potlucks continue in the summer, but people linger a little longer as the sun prolongs our days. It can sometimes be as leisurely as seeing Andy Taylor, Barney, and Aunt Bee sitting on the porch on a Sunday afternoon.
Yes, the reality of Acts 2:46 looks a particular kind of way in the summertime – “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts.” Don’t we love it?
Maybe for your family, friends, and community connections, it looks like family reunions, big family vacations, attending parades, festivals, and fairs, camping trips (mountains or beach), participating in summer sports leagues, block parties, volunteer opportunities, or enjoying outdoor movie nights. It could be planned weeks ahead or spontaneously thrown together.
The calendar is a little different. There is a respite if we do not overschedule, but there is also ample time to prioritize those friends and neighbors whom we get too busy to see at other times of the year.
Don’t wait to see if your friends had a great summer. Spend some time together to make it a great summer.
Ashlie Miller is wife to Chad Miller, pastor of Mission Bible Church in the University City area of Charlotte. They raise their family in Concord, NC.
Rescue Mission
July 12, 2025
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By Doug Creamer
Rescue Mission
We’ve all seen the pictures and videos coming out of Texas of the flooding they have endured. It brings back memories of what the folks in our mountains went through last year. I have watched videos where people were miraculously saved and others that left me wondering if the people survived. In one, the house is picked up off its foundation and begins floating down the river and flashlights can be seen inside the moving house.
The Piedmont of North Carolina experienced some flooding over the weekend due to the remnants of a tropical storm. I saw stories of many road closures and even the interstate was closed due to flooding. I saw pictures from that area that showed businesses and people’s homes under water.
I watched some videos of swift water rescues. It is amazing to see those guys work together to reach someone who is trapped in a car or clinging to a tree. They work cautiously, deliberately, and bravely to help stranded people. I find myself cheering when I see them complete their mission.
People aren’t the only ones being rescued; I have also seen pet rescues. I have the upmost respect for those who run towards danger in hopes of saving both people and pets. Swift water rescues look so dangerous.
Some videos show guys going into flooded areas to rescue people who are trapped on the roofs of their homes. Some rescues look like they are being done by average guys, not the professionals. That made me think of some of the guys at my church who love to fish. Several of them own boats and I can easily imagine them using their boats to go rescue people who are sitting on their roofs. They would be out there helping in any way they could if we were in situations like those in Texas and the Piedmont of North Carolina.
That got me to thinking about people who are in trouble spiritually. Some people have found themselves trapped in the middle of the storms of life and they are sitting on the roofs of their spiritual homes needing someone to rescue them. Some people are trapped by drugs or alcohol. They are looking for an escape because they are overwhelmed by life. Others are trying to ease some pain in their lives.
People who are trapped in drug and alcohol abuse are calling out to be rescued. They need someone who can lead them to Jesus so they can discover the healing, forgiveness, and restoration that only He can provide. The question becomes who is brave enough to share their faith with the people who are stuck living in the darkness.
All of us know people who are lost spiritually. They don’t believe in God and only use His name in a profane way. When we die there are only two options: heaven or hell. If we understood what hell is going to be like with no love and eternal suffering, then we would be eager to reach out to the lost. If someone still has breath in their body, there is still hope. Can we find the bravery needed to share the love of God with the lost?
I know and understand that reaching out to broken and lost people is difficult. Some will reject you. Some will curse you. Some will stop being your friend. The risk and price are high. But sometimes reaching out can be as simple as being kind. Can we love those who feel unlovable? I don’t think we have to shove the gospel down someone’s throat. We can live the gospel and be lights in the darkness. Allow them to be attracted to us and see that there is something different about us. It will require words, but it might begin with a warm smile, a helping hand, something good to eat, or just hanging out and listening.
We all know people who need rescuing, so I want to encourage you to take the first step towards winning them to faith: pray for them. Pray and ask God what you can do to help win those who are lost. God knows what they need and He can reveal it to you. Be obedient to what God shows you even though it might be scary. Be kind; kindness is often irresistible. Imagine it this way: you own a boat and there are people sitting on the roofs of their houses crying out for someone to come and help them. Will you be brave enough to help? They will be eternally grateful for your courage.
Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com
Others…..
July 11, 2025
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By Ed Traut
Philippians 2:4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
- It is the nature of God in us not to consider ourselves first.
- Love is kind and generous and seeks not its own – let us always be considerate.
- Even when we are busy we should take time to be concerned, interested and focused on other people too and their needs – it is the way of the cross.
Prayer: Lord I yield myself to You today that Your Holy Spirit may create Your nature inside of me continually that I would be focused and concerned for other people’s needs sincerely and want to help. Lead me Holy Spirit to want to be that person that cares for others. Amen.
Ed Traut
Prophetic Life
The Arrival of High Humidity Slows Running
July 10, 2025
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By David Freeze
The Arrival of High Humidity Slows Running!
No other single obstacle to running or any physical activity outside compares to humidity in warm temperatures. We’ve had a great spring so far, but the humidity hit us hard starting this past weekend and continues to linger.
Humidity refers to the amount of moisture in the air. In most weather apps and forecasts, humidity is recorded as a percentage. The percentage of humidity measures how saturated the air is with moisture.
The difficulty with humidity is that the measurement is relative to the temperature – the higher the temperature, the more moisture the air can hold. When the measurement is not absolute, it is difficult to compare. 90% humidity will feel entirely different in 50-degree temperatures as compared to 80 degrees. And we’ve just had some 70’s morning temps and upper 80’s to low 90’s humidity. Typically, as the day evolves and temps rise, the humidity does lower but several days this past week the air retained a level of 60% or higher.
Running in high humidity can make it feel difficult to breathe and we often struggle to settle into a rhythm throughout the run. You know it’s bad when your shoes get soaked with sweat inside. Enough humid miles make for a sloshing sensation. And a shirt and shorts left outside on the deck takes hours to dry.
Conditions are considered “ideal” when humidity is between 30-50%. When humidity creeps above 50%, running might begin to suffer. Humidity above 70% is sure to slow most runners down. According to Runner’s World, the average decrease in pace is about 30 – 90 seconds per mile when running in high humidity.
Runners who have already acclimated to a humid climate will find it easier to sustain their typical pace, whereas runners in our area who were thrown into humid conditions suddenly will likely experience a decline in performance for multiple days.
What can we do? Run early to beat the heat and direct sun. Reduce the intensity of the run. Be Ok by dialing the pace back to keep the run going. And even consider walking during some of the most oppressive times, remembering that the quicker the body acclimatizes to the conditions, the better the runs and walks will be.
Run in light and loose-fitting clothing, and as minimal as you feel comfortable dressing so that more skin can be exposed to the air. Run early enough to avoid the need for a hat and if sunny, wear a visor instead. Trapping warm humid air in a hat makes for a hot head.
Make sure to hydrate ahead of your run or walk. I don’t always get it done right but make sure to note each morning your urine color. I’m looking for clear or only slightly yellow, bringing the prospect of a better run. If not, I will drink another cold half bottle of water before leaving the house. Usually this brings an easier effort as the water catches up in my system. Drinking colder water helps to cool the body. If you are carrying water, consider adding ice to it.
If you can, just as I did on Sunday, manage your run so that you find any available shade and catch any breeze in the second half of your run. Just remember that any advantage gained will help you get past another workout, and get you more used to the humid conditions. That is the biggest issue of the first humid runs of the season,
Next up on the local race circuit is the 15th Annual Shiloh Run for Missions 5K at Shiloh First Reformed Church in Faith. This popular race begins at 8am and is a two-loop course, meaning that spectators can see the runners and walkers pass by the church twice on the way to the finish. Known for great awards and some of the best door prizes in the county, the race will benefit Shiloh mission teams that have served in various places in the US and abroad for 20 years.
Look for this and other upcoming events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org
In his steps…
July 8, 2025
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Steve Hartman tells a great story of a police officer following in another’s steps. ENJOY!
United Voices
July 7, 2025
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Steve Hartman shares a story that will make your spine tingle. A group of high school students who are all chorus members will teach us all a lesson. We are a UNITED country…no matter what the politicians try to tell us. ENJOY!!!!
Weapons of Mass Distraction
July 6, 2025
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By Ashlie Miller
Along with many teens eligible for their driver’s license, my niece joined the queue the last week of June at the local DMV, which meant sitting in the sun for most of the day waiting for her scheduled turn. Why were so many teens (or their parents) eager to get their license before July 1? New NC insurance laws just expanded the inexperienced drivers’ surcharge from three years to eight years.
At our home, as we celebrated our niece and cousin, we also discussed why we thought the stipulations had changed. What could studies have discovered as the potential cause for longer liability? My ten-year-old piped up – “Drivers are more distracted.” Nodding our heads in agreement, I asked, “What do you think is causing that more now than before?” “Phones!” she exclaimed. Indeed. Most family drives include teachable moments as we watch drivers regularly run red lights, cut off other cars, or seem oblivious to the presence of other drivers. More often than not, we can clearly see distracted drivers looking down at their smartphones.
Distractions are common today. But is this anything new? The Bible reveals many whom Satan attacked with weapons of mass distraction. He distracted Eve with questions about what is true. He helped her own imagination create false, destructive narratives. Today, we see many allowing their questions to take them not to a door of enlightenment but through an exit from the faith. Who do we take our questions to?
Satan knew that temptations could take the strong, mighty, and wise off course – Samson, King David, and King Solomon, for example. If the enemy knows where we are vulnerable, we must recognize our weaknesses and guard against temptation.
Martha was scolded by Jesus for being distracted by duty – serving Him, in fact – instead of worshiping Him. This weapon works covertly, almost like a double agent. We become busy or fail to say “no” to a good thing, all the while this weapon prevents us from engaging in the better thing – fully knowing and worshiping God. We can deflect this by making time to fellowship with God regularly.
Even Peter began to drown in the waves that Christ had invited him to walk upon once he took his eyes off of Him to look at the circumstances surrounding him. This tactic pulls down many of us. The moment we take our eyes off Jesus, we are deafened by the noise and wind of our circumstances and become engulfed by it. We can safeguard against this by being thankful in all circumstances and trusting that God is good.
Nehemiah was different, however. While rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, the opposition, Sanballat and Tobiah, unsuccessfully tried to distract Nehemiah with multiple taunts and plots. He was undeterred – he knew they were lying because he knew what was true, prayed to God, and created safeguards. We can wall against taunts and plots by regularly feasting on God’s Word (His truth rather than our truth), praying for protection, and practically setting safeguards.
Warfare is raging. Weapons are flying. I am not immune, and neither are you. But we can be on guard.
Traveling
July 5, 2025
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By Doug Creamer
Traveling
We went to visit my wife’s family last week. Traveling has become increasingly more challenging. It seems harder to get ready to go anywhere. The excitement of going someplace doesn’t seem to counteract the hurdles required to get there. I used to enjoy the drive, but now there are some people who drive excessively fast with no regard for others. Defensive driving is a must if you hope to arrive safely.
Being with my wife’s family always involves eating plenty of good food. I helped to wash the dishes while we were there. It seemed only fair after they worked hard to put nice meals on the table. There were lots of laughs and the sharing of our lives. It was nice to take life at a slower pace for a few days.
While we were there, I was able to spend an afternoon at the beach with my sister. There was a storm close by that we thought might ruin our time together, but it rained itself out before getting to us. We talked for a couple of hours and caught up on our lives while sitting near and wading in the cooling water. I didn’t want to leave. She sent me off refreshed by our time together and time sitting on the beach.
We arrived home late the other night, glad to see our own home and to sleep in our own bed. I like traveling and getting away from the routines of our daily lives. But I also like coming home to our house and enjoying the comforts of being in our space.
Traveling can be a fun and enjoyable activity. It can also be challenging if you run into trouble. Storms, broken down cars, and accidents can all lead to traveling nightmares. No one wants those kinds of problems. I am always thankful when we arrive home safely.
In a spiritual sense, we are all on journeys that we hope will lead us safely to our eternal home in heaven. Our spiritual journey is not taken on a highway. I prefer to be on a multi-lane highway when I am traveling, that way I have options if things go wrong. If we hope to find an eternity with God at the end of our journey then we are going to have to travel on paths, not highways.
The Bible clearly tells us that the way to heaven is found on a difficult path. The road to destruction and an eternity separated from God is wide and easy to travel. Most people find themselves on that road mainly because it is easy. You do what want and live the way you want. The path to heaven is filled with difficult choices living by biblical standards, which are contrary to the world standards. God expects us to live up to His ways.
Your journey on this path begins by making the choice to ask Jesus to be your savior. It is the best decision you will ever make, but it is also a challenging choice. You are choosing to leave your old life behind and agreeing to go on an adventure with God. While it will be difficult, God will take you on a wonderful, unforgettable journey. You will find forgiveness, healing for your brokenness, restoration of your self-esteem, and fulfillment.
God’s paths take you to places you never imagined. God will give you dreams and then the ability to fulfill those dreams. God will give you gifts and talents that will help to build His kingdom. He will show you the purpose for which you were created. Then you will need to apply faith to fulfill that purpose. He will change your destiny and make you a new person on both the inside and the outside. You will become the apple of His eye.
It doesn’t matter if you are ten or a hundred; God has a plan, purpose, and destiny in mind for you. I want to encourage you to take the first step and invite Jesus into your life. Put your hand in God’s hand and let Him take you on an unbelievable journey that might seem impossible to you today. Get on God’s path. It’s tough, but oh, so worth it. He sees you. He loves you. He sees what you can and will become. He is excited to take you to your destiny. This world has nothing to offer compared to eternity with God in heaven. You can do it! It’s not too late! Come join me on the path that leads to the heart of God.
Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com