Be Like a Grandma

by   October 20, 2025 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Be like Grandma

 I wanted to be like Grandma. She is not my real grandma, but she quickly became someone I admired. I had only known her a few days, but the first thirty minutes was enough to know that getting a new role model – even at my age – was forthcoming.

 What made her so special?

 She prays.

I know. Most people pray, right?

Many of us are thought to pray daily to some extent and in some form.

But Grandma – prays abundantly.

Let’s see – prayer. There is asking the blessing. There is the bedtime prayer. We pray with and for the kids and family. Yes, many of us check off that prayer box daily. Grandma does, too.

But – Grandma has her own personal approach when she prays for others.

On this day she stood at the altar of the church as those in attendance lined up wanting her to pray for them. The line was long, but everyone was willing to wait. She prayed powerfully over each person.

*She CARED. As each individual reached out to her for prayer, Grandma grasped their hands in hers, looked at them directly in their eyes, and began to quietly listen to their request. She would nod her head in understanding, making them feel as though their prayer need was the most important  thing in the world. She CARED – and it showed.

*She COUNSELED. At some point – before or after her prayer – Grandma began to counsel. It was godly counsel from her heart and from the Word of God. It was personal counsel based on  personal or family needs. It was counsel based on spiritual battles. It was counsel on living for Christ. It was counsel on giving our lives wholly to Jesus, as we fully trust Him. It was counsel on how God DOES answer our prayers. It was counsel based on God’s Word. Grandma had a spiritual word for each individual before she prayed, even if it was simply, “I understand.”

*SHE CONNECTED. She began to PRAY. No one had to wonder if Grandma was connecting – you could tell. Still holding on tightly to the hands of the one being prayed for, sometimes, it was a whisper. Sometimes, it was much louder than a whisper. But always – it was a prayer from a warrior – which is defined as a brave or experienced soldier or fighter. You see – as a prayer warrior in her 80’s, she had been there. She had experienced the death of loved ones and family members. She had prepared many meals, worked hard for her family, served Jesus with her whole heart, and served in her church well. She understood what those of us in attendance had been through in our lives – and it showed.

Because she understood, she grasped the hands of those in our women’s ministry who stepped forward to join her for prayer. She began to connect with her heavenly father on each person’s  behalf.  Then she would grasp the next two hands – caring, counseling, and connecting with her heavenly father on their behalf. Then she would grasp two more hands and continue to care, counsel, and connect with her heavenly father on their behalf.

I call her a prayer warrior.

I was blessed to be there. Those being prayed for were blessed to be there. I am sure that Grandma felt blessed to be there, as well.

If I didn’t know better, I would say it was magical. Magical means an extraordinary power or influence seemingly from a supernatural source.

Hmm. The difference is that it was not seemingly from a spiritual, powerful source in a supernatural moment. It WAS from a spiritual powerful source in a supernatural moment!

Having grandma there in our midst made it even more special – because she had come to pray with us.The fact that she was in her eighties made it even more special – and made an unforgettable memory.

May we all be like Grandma.

Pray.

Pray again.

Pray without ceasing.

Lasting Fruit

by   October 20, 2025 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

While many are trekking to farms to select the perfect pumpkin, my family was behind on getting to the apple orchard. As my husband puts it, “You don’t go to an apple orchard because you need apples. If you need apples, you go to the grocery store.” This excursion was to connect with our adult son in Western NC at a midway point where we could enjoy lots of time together for the day – Hendersonville, NC. 

Because it is nearing the end of the apple-picking season, we should have considered the scavenger hunt that lay ahead of us. For several rows, it was more like a search for one good apple. Fermented, rotting apples blanketed the ground beneath the trees. They were beauties from a distance. Bright reds and supple greens. But for human consumption, they were less than desirable – riddled with holes, yellow jackets, other bugs, and mushy. 

After hiking several rows back and moving toward the center of the rows, we victoriously discovered ripe apples in abundance on the trees. It took no time for a family of 7 to fill up a bushel box. 

There are so many words to describe a delicious apple: crisp, tart or sweet, crunchy, juicy, delectable, rosy, or maybe golden, shiny, ripe. Those aren’t separate things, but multiple characteristics – each one as important as the other – of one fruit.

Such is the case with the fruit of the Spirit. Rather than some Christians having one variety of fruit and others having another, each should be growing in all aspects through their journey of sanctification. At first glance, Galatians 5:22-23 looks like a list of things a Christian should achieve by hard work. But another list, the works of the flesh in verses 19-21, are the exhausting works of sensuality, never bringing the satisfaction of the fruit that God brings forth in the life of a Christian believer. 

“Ah, but I know many nonChristians who display love, joy, patience, etc.” God, in His goodness, has given common grace to all humanity. After all, God made each of us in His image. Since He is a God of love, joy, patience, etc., it is only natural that His creation would display some of those qualities. But much like the rotting fruit on the ground, separated from the tree, those qualities eventually disintegrate. An earthly, temporal display of love and goodness is not the same as an enduring, eternal fruit of love and goodness. 

Further, when we focus on the fruit rather than God, we work by our own efforts to have something that resembles fruit. And that work leads to sins of debauchery and taking things into our own hands to manipulate what looks like love, joy, and goodness. In the upside-down world we manifest, that ends up looking like perversions of love, spiritual efforts that deny God’s authority, and a multitude of offenses in our relationship with others (again, see Galatians 5:19-21 for that list). 

Works of the flesh are exhausting and unfulfilling because it is a result of my own narcissism. It pretends to care about others, but really, it is an effort to heal myself or prove myself to others by my own efforts. Fruit is evidence of the submission of the work of the Holy Spirit when I focus on God first and then others. One of these things pretends to love others but idolizes self at the expense of others; the other is true selfless, sacrificial love that trusts God to provide all good things to and through us as His children.

Needing Help

by   October 18, 2025 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

Needing Help

            There is one thing that most people do not want to admit: I need help. We all want to be able to take care of our own needs. We will work hard to figure out how we can do a task all by ourselves. If we can’t see the solution immediately, we will keep thinking about how we can do it on our own. We struggle to accept help in order to get things done.

            The trouble is, especially as we age, that sometimes we need help to do a task. The question becomes, who do we ask for help? What kind of relationship do we have with a neighbor or co-worker? Can we ask them for help? What will they think? Will we feel like a burden to them? Do they feel obligated to help or are they helping out of kindness?

            I find it easier to offer help than to receive it. If a neighbor or co-worker needs help with something I will be there to give them a hand. Sometimes I will do something to help a neighbor without being asked; that’s what good neighbors do. We look out for each other and we care about each other. So why is it difficult to receive that same kind of help?

            I had some tasks that I needed to do outside that twenty years ago I would done without asking for help. I might have had some sore muscles, but it would have felt good to have the tasks done. After hurting my back in the spring, I am a little more cautious. While I feel like I have fully recovered, I decided it would be nice to have a little help to get these things done.

            A friend from church was willing to come give me a hand. In just under four hours we were able to knock out my list. It felt great to get those things done. As a bonus, we got to enjoy some good fellowship and share some great laughs. I enjoyed the opportunity to get to know my friend a little better.

            I will ask the question again, why do we struggle so much with asking for help? Could it be a matter of pride? No one wants to admit that we are getting older or need help. I know I sit down to rest more often when I am working outside. I also make sure I am using my legs to lift and not my back. Regardless, I still want to do things on my own and not have to ask for help.

            Imagine how this translates to our spiritual lives. We want to be spiritually strong and independent. But the Body of Christ is designed so we are dependent on each other. We are the family of God and we will have to lean upon each other from time to time. God designed us with strengths and weaknesses. Each of us has different talents, skills, and abilities. No one can do it all. We need each other for support and encouragement.

            If the Body of Christ was dependent on me for singing, we would be in terrible trouble. I love to sing, but I know that I do not have a good singing voice. God has given me the gifts of teaching, writing, and encouraging. I am good at these things and people need me to use my gifts and talents to build up and encourage the Body of Christ.

            We will all find ourselves going through difficult times at some point. Maybe you are going through the loss of a loved one, maybe you are facing financial struggles, or maybe you have recently given your life to God and you need help growing in your faith. Whatever you are struggling with, especially if it’s medical stuff, there is someone in the family of God who made it through that same situation who can pray with and for you as you walk on your journey. God wants us to help each other and to accept help from each other.

            I want to encourage you to be willing to accept a helping hand when you find yourself in the place of need. I know you might prefer to be the helper instead of the one receiving help, but it is God’s design that you need to learn to receive as easily as you give. We need to let someone else use their gifts and abilities to be a blessing and learn to receive that blessing from them. I know it is a hard lesson. I have much to learn. It is part of the beauty of the Body of Christ, blessing and being blessed.

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

Cost of Following Him

by   October 17, 2025 with No Comments

Luke 14:26-27 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters–yes, even his own life–he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

  • To follow after Jesus means that He gets first place in every way.
  • To be His disciple means that He is our first love and all our decision making is based on that relationship.
  • God wants us to have all these loved ones around us, but He wants to be first in every way so that we can be His disciples.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus I do choose in every way to be Your disciple. I commit my heart and my life to You.  I choose You above all and everyone and everything.  You are the love of my life and You loved me when no one else did. You always carried me and watched over me.  I praise You today and I sing a new song to You today because You are my Savior and my Lord that I follow.  Teach me Your ways I pray.  Amen. 


Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

Lynna’s U

by   October 15, 2025 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

“Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.”-Psalm 143:8

The older I get, the less I know. However this one thing always proves wise. Take one thing at a time. One day, one step, one problem and don’t overlook the joy that the Lord sends each morning. Listen for His Unfailing Love as you trust Him for the next step. Give yourself to Him and ask Him where to walk.

“Let the heavens be glad, and earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout His praise! Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise before the LORD, for He is coming!” ” -Psalm 96:11-13b

Sportsmanship!

by   October 14, 2025 with No Comments

What would you do? You discover an error that changes…everything. Steve Hartman tells a story of true sportsmanship. You gotta see it to believe it. ENJOY!!!

Thankful for Wasps and Fleas

by   October 12, 2025 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

“I’m very thankful for the wasp nests that were on our dryer vent,” my husband said at the dinner table this week as we all thought back on the busy week (and it was only Wednesday). We all nodded in agreement. We have something called a “graticube,” a wooden hexagonal cube with gratitude prompts to encourage positive family discussions gathered around the table. 

Earlier in the day, a dryer vent cleaner company inspected our vent system. Our biggest concern was the wasp nest we could see building just outside the attic. We noticed it at the end of last winter but were assured by others that the wasps likely died out and would not come back to this nest. However, we began noticing wasps again recently. 

After attempting to remedy this ourselves (thanks to Google and YouTube), we finally called in the professionals. We learned that our issue was bigger than wasp nests (yes, plural, they discovered). The central hose leading out evidently had not adequately been installed, then disconnected sometime since we moved in, resulting in a heavy dusting of – you guessed it – lint dust!

While we certainly were not delighted with the estimate for repair and cleanup, we understood why my husband was thankful for the wasp nests. They could have chosen any spot around our home and wooded back yard, but chose the one place that had a bigger issue that needed our attention.

It reminded me of Corrie ten Boom’s story about fleas. For those unfamiliar, her family, who were watchmakers, famously hid Jews in their home during the German occupation in the Netherlands to protect them from arrest and being sent to prison and concentration camps. Eventually, Corrie’s family, including her sister Betsie, was sent to Ravensbrücke – a concentration camp with filthy, overcrowded barracks. Things were very bleak, but the sisters secretly shared portions of the Bible with their many bunkmates, an act and book completely forbidden. Still, finding things to offer praise and gratitude for was minimal.

In the midst of their intense suffering, Betsie reminded her sister that they should be grateful in all circumstances, a challenge Corrie found impossible with the brutality of the soldiers, worse than poor living conditions, and the bleakness of the situation that offered no hope. Corrie reminded her sister that even their mattresses were full of fleas and lice. “I simply cannot be grateful for fleas and lice,” she said. Betsie responded, “But you must.” A short time later, they learned that the reason the guards never visited their overcrowded room was that they were disgusted by the prospect of catching lice or fleas. Who knows how many women received hope and encouragement through the gospel because of this blessed misfortune? 

So, there’s a challenge for the coming week – what minor annoyance (in the grand scheme of things) actually was for your good or a blessing to others? Can you see where God permitted things that are ultimately results of our broken and fallen world to draw your attention to bigger issues or a greater blessing? 

Ashlie Miller counts her wasps, er, blessings with her family in Concord, NC. You may email her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.

Testing Us

by   October 11, 2025 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

Testing Us

            I enjoy my job at the community college where I am helping students earn their high school equivalency. There are four tests students must pass in order to earn their diploma. Students have to become proficient in language arts, math, science, and social studies. We have daytime classes in person and online. There is also an online evening program. We push the students to grow in their knowledge and skills so they can pass the tests and graduate.

            We have some practice tests to help students prepare for their testing experience. Nerves can get in the way. Sometimes students struggle with the tests. We are there to encourage and support them through the process. It is so exciting to see our students pass tests and achieve success.

            Despite all the instruction and preparation, sometimes our students come up a little short on the tests. It’s hard for them and we feel it too. We sit down with them and work on areas that need reinforcing. We have been seeing some great success with our students. It is very rewarding when students pass their tests. The excitement spreads like wildfire to the other students.

            When it comes down to it, most of us don’t like tests, especially medical tests. The reality is that we will all face a variety of different tests in life. Some will come out good while others will prove to be challenging. It’s okay to admit that you are scared or don’t like change. We have to own up to our weaknesses and develop strategies for improvement. With faith, grace, and change we will push through and overcome.

            Tests and changes reach beyond the classroom to our professional lives. Teachers and doctors take tests to maintain their licenses. Most professionals that require state licenses will require professional development and often tests. It’s hard to avoid being tested.

            I believe that God is in the testing business, too. God wants to know if we trust Him. The best way for Him to figure that out is to put us in situations where we have to trust Him. When we can lean on Him and believe that He has our best interests at heart, He knows that we trust Him. Can we walk through difficult circumstances while trusting God?

            One specific way is to see if we believe God is our provider. He will allow circumstances in our lives that will test us to see if we believe that God will provide for us. Our bank accounts may not sustain us through a financial crisis, but will we trust God or lean on our own understanding? I have seen God come through for us so many times and provide in what seemed to me to be miraculous ways. Don’t think that I didn’t struggle with doubt and worry…I failed those tests…but I have seen God’s faithfulness time after time.

            God also wants to know if we will be obedient when we are facing odds that are against us. In the Bible, we are told of huge armies that came against Israel. God would tell the people what to do if they wanted to see victory. One time, they sent the musicians in front of the army. Another time, they marched around Jericho for seven days and then God made the city walls come crashing down. And a young boy named David defeated a giant with a small stone. Have you ever faced insurmountable odds and seen God come through for you?

            God knows that the only way to grow your faith muscles is to test them and stretch them. He has to give you chances to trust and lean on Him in order for you to turn to Him in your challenging moments. He wants to come through for you and confirm in you the depth of His love for you. He wants to prove to you that He has an eye on your situation and that He knows every detail. There is no need to worry or live in fear because He’s got you.  

            I want to encourage you to trust in God with every circumstance or situation you are facing. He has a plan that is unique for you. He sees you on the other side. He knows how you will find victory and build a deeper faith and trust in Him. He hasn’t forsaken you. He is walking with you through your situation. There is nothing too difficult for Him. You will overcome because He made you to be an overcomer. He wants to build a testimony in your life to His goodness. So let the tests come, you will pass them one by one.

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

Letting Go

by   October 10, 2025 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

The other morning I was scratching the grey-haired head of Nolan, my wife’s hound dog who found her twelve years ago at the county animal shelter. I  talked to him as we humans like to do and scratched his head and behind his large hound dog ears, and something about the time caused me to remember Fred, a cocker type black dog that I found wounded under the house in which I lived while a sophomore in college. He had been hit by a car and his left back leg was damaged. After coaxing him out from under the house, I took him  to a local veterinarian who repaired the long-ago damaged leg as best as possible. However, for the rest of his life Fred walked with a distinctive limp, but his damaged leg never kept him from living a full, rich, and loving life. As I remember, I kept him for the rest of that school year, and he went home with me for the summer. After those few months living with my younger sister and mother, he decided not to return to the college, but to stay with them and live their way. While he and I shared times together when I came  home on vacations after that, he was now their dog, and when I  left my hometown to begin a career, he remained where he had chosen to be. So, when I thought of him on that recent morning, I  asked my sister to fill in the gaps of his life with them.

“You know,” she said, “after you went back to school, Fred became my dog. Yes, he and mother liked each other, but until I enrolled in Western Carolina, he was mine. But, after I went to college, he and mother formed a special bond because they both were now alone. She worked the second shift then, but they shared each day, and he stayed awake until she got home after her shift in the mill. He would ride with us when she drove me back to Western, and  when he heard the mailman step  onto the porch, he thought it was me coming home for a visit and would run to the front door. But, the most remarkable thing about mother and Fred was his leaving.

“He was not blind, but he could see only shapes. For instance, often he would mistake the white bathtub for the storm-glassed door and wanting out, he  would  walk into it, mistaking the white porcelain for the light of the door. Like us all, he aged, and mother sensed that his life was ending. For three nights she stayed home from work, but eventually had to return to her shift. But each night of that time, when she got home, she would sit on the floor and hold him  in her lap, they loving each other as they had for their years. But, he grew worse, and one morning when she let him out the back door, he would  pause on each step and look back towards her, then step to the next and look back. Finally, out of steps, he looked back one last time to her, hearing her tell him  it was okay,  before he crawled under those steps to die. Later that morning she called the mill refuge department telling the man who answered how there was a dead dog under her back steps. Could he come and remove it?

“You may not understand, brother, but I see mother’s act of letting her beloved Fred go the way he wanted as a courageous and loving act. As she had always done in her life, mother knew that she had done her best with Fred over the years and even now, so she had no regrets. He wanted to go his way, and she let him, no matter her pain with his choice.

“That’s what happened to Fred, and I hope when Nolan’s time comes, he will be given as much grace as was Fred. No dog’s last day should be his worse.”

The Joy of the Daily Run

by   October 9, 2025 with No Comments

By David Freeze

The Joy of the Daily Run and a Few Tips

    The heat and humidity of recent early morning runs have been a challenge for sure. I get up early and check a small weather station, but it doesn’t matter much what it says. I’m going for a run shortly afterwards and I’m excited! Granted, I have more reason to be excited about the daily run than most. Eleven months ago, I couldn’t run but I desperately wanted to. My broken spine wouldn’t allow it.

   On Tuesday morning, I celebrated a breeze at 5:30am. Wednesday out the door had 67 degrees. The still very high humidity seemed less oppressive because of that joyful breeze and cooler morning. The soaked air and building fog of recent mornings continues. I ran east and then south for the first three miles, just so I could run back into the north breeze and savor the cooling effects for the rest of six miles. Little things!

   But little things bring the most joy on a daily run. In late August, we have lots of super dark mornings at 5:30am. Good for views of the stars and the moon. I keep reading about the occasional meteor showers, but it seems we never get the big ones here. But any falling star is magical to me. I make a wish and follow it with a prayer while still running.

    Out here in the country, we don’t get a lot of traffic early, but I see many of the same cars each day. I can’t be sure since I can only see their headlight patterns. Sometimes, they forget to dim their lights but more likely I will get a light horn tap of recognition. I enjoy waving back.

    Get a good watch and soon you will know exactly what the time, pace and distance of your run is and likely a few other things worth noting. I don’t take time to analyze all the data, but the big three of time, pace and distance matter. I have been running almost daily for over 46 years, and I still get excited to turn on the watch each morning. The best watches suggest a workout and I also get excited when it suggests a rest day just before I click dismiss so we can go start the run.

    Even if you don’t run or walk in the super early morning like I do, wear good shoes and bright clothing. Good shoes don’t come from the big box stores, the best of them are in the stores where people know and specialize in running shoes. My favorite quote is “Don’t go to a store where the guy who sold shotguns yesterday then gets assigned to running shoes today.” Every runner or walker needs a good analysis of their feet and when done, you’ll be glad you did. Ralph Baker Shoes has the experts locally.

   The bright clothing matters. Be seen if you run/walk on the roads or sidewalks, or even in the parks. Wear bright shirts and reflective gear to increase your chances of being seen even if the driver is distracted. Let someone know your route and vary it so you won’t be predictable.

    Use that good watch to help yourself set and monitor goals. With good data, use it to challenge yourself.

   On the flatter ground past a mile, I usually enjoy kicking the pace up a notch. Some days, I can’t but I almost always try. Every run will be different and some of the best ones will be a surprise. The poor ones make you fitter and help you celebrate the better days.

   You’ll finish with a good sweat, better clarity and confidence and maybe a few problems solved. For sure, if you run in the morning, you’ll be ready to take on the day.

   We are ready to start the fall Beginning Runners Class on Thursday, September 4th at the Salisbury PD. We have plenty of room, wonderful speakers and encouragers. The temperatures will get cooler as the class continues for eight weeks. For more information and how to sign up, or for other event info, go to www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

Gotta’ Run: The joy of the daily run and a few tips
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