Beginnings

by   September 8, 2019 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

It was quite a nice conversation we had going on as a family. I had just told them my favorite Bible verse, when my then 8 year old grandson said, “My favorite Bible verse is Genesis 1:1. Just the first 3 words.” We all looked at him, nodded, and kept nodding, since no one had to open our Bible to look that verse up. I was thinking maybe it was the only verse he knew. But, he awaited our response, and then felt the need to explain, “Because that is where it all began – in the beginning – and without the beginning, there would be nothing. God is where everything starts.”

We were pleased hearing his explanation of the scripture, but even more pleased when he said, “But when you add in the 4th word and then it says, In the beginning God, that says it all, because without God there would have been no beginning. God is where it all started.”

Somehow, the simplicity of that comment seemed to carry great wisdom in it.

In the beginning God…

What a beautiful four words to hang our hats on – I mean – to hang our hopes on.

We have a lot of beginnings, don’t we? Beginnings are defined as the point in time or space where something starts. The beginning of a new job, beginning a new school year, beginning a family, beginning a diet, beginning a savings account, beginning to build a new home, beginning to heal, beginning a new commitment… the list is full of promise. Because…the beginning is where it all starts.

Think for a minute about a beginning in your life. Or in the life of a loved one.

Got it in your mind? See if this is some of your experience:

*God was there in the beginning. And… God is there in our beginning. He would not have brought us to it, if He could not bring us through it.

*Our present circumstances do not determine where we go – they only determine where we start.

*We had to do as Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”

*What sometimes may have seemed like the end was really just a new beginning.

Facing a new beginning?

You can do it.

God is in our beginnings.

Ready? Set? Begin…

Ann is a speaker and teacher. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com

Reflection and Renewal

by   September 7, 2019 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            I know that many churches have renewal and revival services. Some last all week, while others have them over a weekend. A special speaker is chosen who will bring a fresh perspective to the congregation. It’s a time when we can stop and take a spiritual inventory and work on rekindling the fire of our faith.

            Last weekend we had a special speaker at our church. I had been looking forward to his coming. We’ve had him before and he is so refreshing, encouraging, challenging, and inspiring. He helps stir up our faith, and makes us reconsider our priorities. He makes me want to draw closer to God.

            We had two sessions with him on Saturday, and then he led the service on Sunday morning. In one way, it doesn’t seem like much time, but in another, he deposited so much in us. I have reviewed my notes and listened to some of the messages again because there is much more than you can grasp in one sitting.

            We got the chance to talk over the weekend, and he picked up on something that I didn’t realize about myself. He said that I was a detail person. I like specifics and want to know everything. At one point while he was teaching he was covering some detailed background to his story and he looked over at me and said, “You must be loving this.” I was eating it up. He shared details about relationships and places from the scripture that I found completely fascinating.

            Throughout the whole weekend he shared some insights and perceptions he felt from the Lord about our church and its place in our community. That’s something we all need to realize, that God has a specific purpose for our church to fulfill in the community. Then to take it a little deeper, what is our individual role in fulfilling our church’s purpose? When God calls us to attend a specific church, then He has a reason for us to be there.

            When we get the chance to attend a conference, we have to work to protect the seed that was sown. The enemy wants us to quickly forget what we learned and return to our routines. That means we have to reflect on what we heard and figure out how to apply it.

            In our conference we learned that the purpose of a church is to help raise up the next generation. God wants us to grow in our faith and trust in Him. He wants us to draw closer and to open our hearts to His great love. But He also wants us to find a way to reach the next generation with the Good News of his gospel.

            To me that means we have to look around and ask, “Are we attracting the younger generations to our church?” Consider where you go to church. Do you have young families that attend? If not, how can you pass the torch to someone who isn’t there? We may have to consider doing somethings differently in order to attract them.

            I know that thought may be unpleasant. I understand; I don’t like change either. But if what we are doing now doesn’t bring in the next generation, how are we going to pass on what we have learned about God? Some churches offer different services with different formats to meet the various needs. That’s great. The only question that lingers in my mind is how will the older generation pass on their wisdom if they never meet the younger generation?

            The solution is… I don’t know. How do we reach the lost and disengaged? All of us have relatives who are unreached. Don’t we want a local church to reach out to them with the love of God? We have to realize that others are praying for us to reach out to their family members who aren’t saved. If what we are currently doing is not reaching out to the lost, then we have to change, to do something that will attract them.

            I want to encourage you to consider how you came to know the Lord. Most of us would have to admit our lives were in a mess. That’s where God chose to meet us, when we were at our worst. So, in order to reach the lost, we are going to have to open our hearts in a different way to receive the broken, discouraged, the hurting, and those who have all kinds of problems. Jesus came for them and He wants to use us. They will be the ones who will carry the torch into the future.

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

Big News!

by   September 6, 2019 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

Happy Happy Joy Joy!  My new novel The Weakest Reed is about to be released on Amazon! I hope you love it! So many things happened to prevent the publishing. But the Lord graciously did for me what I could not do on my own. I love His kindness! If you’d like to read a snippet, see below or go to Amazon. If you buy the printed version the ebook is free. As always, I really appreciate your encouraging comments, likes and shares, and especially your reviews. They’re so important! Thank you! Can’t wait to hear what you think!

Here’s a preview:

There once was a lovely girl who was the delight of her parents. She was obedient almost to a fault. Often we wondered if she’d ever think for herself. When she finally did, one poor choice changed the entire direction of her life.

As her father I watched helplessly as she struggled to overcome the odds. Her natural personality as an introvert became exaggerated. Fear took over and became her closest companion. Seldom did she smile and rarely would she leave the house.

So we prayed.

Night and day her mother and I lifted our daughter up to the Lord. She seemed broken beyond repair. I held tightly to a promise in Scripture and did my best to believe it.

“He will not crush the weakest reed nor put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.” –Isaiah 42:3

This is her story.

Our beautiful Laurel… the weakest reed.

The Challenge of a Tree

by   September 2, 2019 with No Comments

By David Freeze

   I have lived on a farm nearly all my life. Born into a small dairy farm family, I now own another small farm. One constant in all that time has been chainsawing trees. When I was small, I remember my dad using a chainsaw but I also remember him trying to cut down trees using a two man saw. If you haven’t seen one, the thing has two big wooden handles, giant teeth and preferably two men to pull it back and forth to eventually fell a tree. It doesn’t work as well with a grown man and a spindly kid.

    When I was in college and shortly after, I spent several years cutting trees to sell firewood for extra money. It was a lucrative side job and as you might have guessed, I loved the exercise involved. Sawing the tree down, cutting it into certain lengths, manually splitting the thicker pieces, and loading trucks for delivery had a certain manly appeal.

   On my farm now, occasionally trees fall and need to be cut up. I know of two along the creek that need attention now. A least a couple saws are usually ready to get some action. Almost never do I cut a tree that is healthy. Most of my experience has to do with trees that need to come down or have fallen on their own.

    Such was the case with one certain pecan tree on Millbridge Road this morning. The tree had outgrown its area and a portion of it was hanging over the owner’s house. She called and wanted me to take it down, so I went early last Sunday to check it out. Just a little touchy in spots on whether the falling tree would hit the house, I planned to use experience, a quality helper, a good saw, a tractor and a stout rope to make sure the tree didn’t damage the house.

     Yes, I’ve taken down trees that worry me before. One of the most interesting situations involved a good-sized tree that likely would fall on an ex-mother in law’s house. I thought I could take it down safely and she and her husband didn’t want to pay the high price of a tree company. And the biggest thing—I wanted the challenge to get it down.

     Licensed tree removal companies should have insurance to cover the damage of a mistake. A farmer with a tractor, a saw and some rope likely doesn’t. But the price is right. That was the situation this Saturday morning as I started removing low hanging limbs about 8am. My nephew joined me about 10am as we used a tractor and front end loader to take off some limbs that would counterbalance the way I wanted the tree to fall.

    With all that done, one major limb still hung over the house and could spin the tree once it started to fall. With the rope tautly stretched to the tractor and my nephew set to pull it north as it started to fall, I circled the tree a couple times to make sure where I wanted to cut next. The base of the tree was about 17 inches thick, meaning that the 20 inch bar would be almost fully in use.

     I took time for prayer twice during this adventure, just to ask for God’s to help me make the right decisions. At the last minute, I changed positions to cut from the uphill side of the tree. The saw ran perfectly and hit the pre-cut notch just right while the rope and tractor pulled forward after I signaled my nephew to do his part.

     I run for fun and my heart is used to a good workout. Once I saw the chainsaw cut start widening, I knew the tree was slowly starting to fall. We had already cleared out good exit routes in case the tree twisted as it fell. I jumped up and ran up uphill, then turned to see the tree fall perfectly as was planned.

     My heart was pounding, but all was well. Faith in my own experience and equipment, but a much greater faith in the power of prayer helped me to move forward. Similar situations occur often in life. Trust yourself and then trust God more. Move forward, dream and then be encouraged to achieve. You can do it with God’s help.

Labor of Love or Just Labor

by   September 1, 2019 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

So funny. I was in the grocery store and there was a man standing at the back of the store – with maybe 5 items in his buggy. He was talking on the phone. As I walked by, I heard him say in an irritated voice, “I’m IN the checkout line right now, but I will get OUT of line and go back and get IT for you!” (You can hear that tone of voice as you read, can’t you?)

Now, the man was nowhere near the checkout line and he knew I heard him, but all I got when we made eye contact was an irritated look to go along with the irritated voice. I, however, smiled brightly, and came very close to laughing. Oh, the wife (my assumption) was going to receive the item she had called him about, but he WAS going to make sure that she knew that he did NOT want to go ALL THE WAY to the other side of the store to get it. This is not what I would describe as a LABOR OF LOVE. Yes, he was willing to labor, but he was not showing the love.

The reality of my grocery store visit insight was that it brought me to a place where I examined my labor. Is it a labor of love or is it just labor? Does my conversation and demeanor show that I am laboring in love? Or, does my conversation and demeanor show that- yes, I labor for others, but I want to be sure they know how hard it is for me? Good question.

Where can we show our labor of love? Children, spouse, family, friends, the workplace, home, community, organizations, the church… In general, it is anywhere that we spend our time. Labor can be done with a spirit of love and purpose, or it can be done with a spirit of negativity. (Yes, ‘negativity’ is exemplified by the guy in the grocery store.) And, those we labor for can usually discern the spirit that we labor in….

God’s Word gives us great insight about our labor:

*Power of Labor- Ephesians 4:28 – Let him labor, work with his hands the thing which is good,   that he may have to give to him that needeth. (Yes, our labor helps us help others.)

*Promise of Labor- 1 Thessalonians 1:3 – Remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love. Matthew 11:28 – Come unto me all that labor and I will give you rest. (Yes, our labor of love will be remembered and God will give us rest.)

*Profit in Labor- Proverbs 14:23 – In all labor, there is profit. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 – If a man will not work, he shall not eat. (These two verses are pretty clear.)

*Prayer is Labor- Colossians 4:12 – Epaphras always labored fervently in prayer for others. (Let’s not forget to labor in prayer.)

I love the story where a little boy was carrying a heavy load of books. When the load became too heavy, he dropped them. His dad reached down, picked the books up, and put them back in his son’s arms. He then picked up his son and carried him. That is the same way God works in our lives as we labor. We may become weak, but that is when He actually makes us strong.

No, the ‘wife’ did not know that her husband was not already in the checkout line when she called, but she did know that he was not happy about having to pick up an additional grocery item for her. Dear man in the grocery store, here is a better response: “Yes, I’ll get it.” Translation: I love you, and I will show it- as I labor in love for you.

Now that I think about it, do we even need to call it labor? Let’s just call it love.

Jury Duty

by   August 31, 2019 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            On the day I returned from vacation, I went to get the mail. There were several letters, so I glanced through them as I walked up the driveway. Bill, bill, a piece of junk, and… a summons to jury duty! Are you kidding me? This was my third time to be called. I was NOT excited.

            I looked to see when I was to report, and ironically, it was to be the same time I would have reported back to school. I wondered if God was punishing me for retiring. I have to admit, I was pretty grumpy for a few days.

            The letter stated that I was to call the night before to see if I had to show up. I called, and of course, I did. I had a sinking feeling that not only would I have to show up, but that I would be one of the people selected to be on the jury. I just hoped it wouldn’t be a huge trial.

            I arrived and checked myself in. As I sat down and looked around the room I sensed that none of us were very excited about being there. I decided right then that I needed to change my attitude. I am a citizen of this community, and in order for justice to exist in a fair and reasonable way I needed to do my duty with a positive attitude.

            I prayed and asked God to forgive me for my negative attitude. There was a person on the other side of that courtroom door that needed someone who would listen with an open mind to all the evidence presented, and make a fair and impartial decision. God touched me and my mind, heart, and attitude were instantly corrected.  

            The clerk of court showed us a video about what an honor it was for us to serve and what our role would be in the process. A few minutes later, we were called into the courtroom and the jury selection process began. They called twelve people to come and sit in the jury box, and I was selected.

            The assistant D.A. and the attorney both gave us some general questions and then talked with each one of us. It was a very interesting process trying to determine who would stay and who would be dismissed as jury members. I was very interested in the compassion that was shown to people who were caregivers or to those with health concerns.

            The crime was a felony, but in the grand scheme of things, it was a minor crime. What impressed me the most was how professional everyone acted and how the individual was treated with dignity in spite of the charge. The details of the case and the outcome are immaterial, what matters the most is that the judge and jury gave both parties a fair chance at justice in this specific case.

            I walked away with a renewed appreciation for our judicial system. If the same care is put into major cases as was in this case, then maybe we can hope that our system works. I am sure that mistakes are made because we live in a fallen world. There are certainly some people in every profession that do not always give their best, and we know that sometimes people don’t always tell the whole truth. But I still contend that my faith in our system was renewed by this process, and I am glad that I had this opportunity.

            I am also glad that God’s system of justice is different in two key ways. First, all of us deserve to be sentenced to a life separated from the love of God. But if we are willing to repent, God, who is the fairest and best judge, will forgive us for all of our sins and failures. The gift of eternity with God is free for all who would receive Jesus as their savior. Second, if we have been wronged in life and we can find the strength to turn to God and give Him our case, He will take care of the situation and deal with those who wronged us. God’s justice far outweighs anything we could ever do.

            I want to encourage you to open your hearts to God’s love. You may have committed unspeakable crimes, or you might think that you are a good person, but all of us are in need of God’s forgiveness. The only way to find God’s love and forgiveness is through repentance. God stands ready, arms wide open to you…run to Him while there is still time. Today is the perfect opportunity for you.

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

Waiting

by   August 30, 2019 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

This is my gardening bench, patiently waiting for Spring. Pots are ready. Dirt is on standby. Spades long to be picked up and used for good. Nearby chairs rock slightly with the winter wind. Even though the sun is shining, the calendar reports that it’s only February. Wait we must.

I could force the issue. My indoor starter plants beg to keep my potting table company. Roots of sweet potato vines and Wandering Jew would feel much more at home in dirt than in the bottles of water on my windowsill. Sunshine can be a deceptive friend. She calls out, “Come! Why wait? Let’s take charge of this day!”

Experience warns that sooner is not always better.

So we wait.

And pray.

Lord, please fill these hands… these pews… these hearts… this table… my empty bed… my life… this crib.

The hope we once had disappears behind the dark cloud of disappointment. And we continue to wait. And pray.

“I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”*

Then one day, winter becomes a distant memory.

“I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends. His mercies never cease.” **

Dear sweet Lord of heaven and earth, please strengthen us in the waiting. Help us give You glory, knowing You love us and care about our lives. You have given us the desires that wait in our hearts. You’ve told us to ask and never give up.*** Thy will be done. We love and trust You ever more.

*Mark9:24

**Lamentations3:20-22

***Luke18:1

Worth The Time

by   August 26, 2019 with No Comments

By David Freeze

    Only on a rare occasion will I do a movie review, mostly because I don’t see as many as I used to. Plus, I am probably a harsher critic than most. Books often move me more than a movie because I have found out much more about the characters by the time the story concludes. Rarely now do I feel an intense connection to a movie plot. Today, I was totally immersed in a movie that looked especially interesting as soon as I saw the trailer.

      During my own extensive travels, I find the hype of places and things often disappoints once seen in person. This movie was my Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls, the rare sightings that are even greater than expected.

    “Overcomer” came out today (Friday, August 23rd) and I saw it during the first showing at Tinseltown in Salisbury. Two screens were showing the movie and regular TV commercials had promoted it. Nothing about those two statements would make me go see a movie otherwise, as I’ve found the better ones often don’t get such attention. In this case, I just couldn’t wait to see the movie.

     What grabbed me was the story although I won’t begin to give away the plot. I’ve been known to nod off in a theatre and miss a third of the early action or lack of it. Overcomer didn’t lose me at all and will be hard to ever forget. Reflecting on the plot, every main character had something to overcome, just as most of us do. Within the plot of the movie, all of them succeeded in some measure. Some greater than others, but still they all moved forward.

      The movie trailer tipped me off to some of the action, just as it should. The successful basketball coach and history teacher, his wife, their two sons, the cross-country runner and her family and the school principal, all important throughout.  

     Yes, cross country and running in general are a huge part of the story and the first things that drew me in. I love running, have been at it many years, and everything related to the training and races was especially well done.

     One question asked several times in the movie was, “How do you define yourself?” And at what point does Christian make that list? We can relate, at least I know I can. What do the first two chapters of Ephesians tell us about how God sees us and why He sent His son to die for our sins? What does His love guarantee us once we place our faith in Him?  

     For the rest of the day, my thoughts haven’t left the movie for long. I’ve told many others to make sure they see it. A sure sign of a great movie—when it ends, nobody moves. And while the long lists of credits play, much about things and people we don’t know or fully understand, people still linger and take time gathering themselves.  

    Go see this movie! You’ll laugh, cry (a lot), be motivated and desirous of hammering out your own identity in Christ. Take everyone you know. And be ready for deep reaching discussions afterwards.

    As a person who has sought adamantly His help in difficult situations, often with humor and hope, my own hope is that this movie draws you in and intersects with your own story, just as it did mine.   

I Got My Permit

by   August 25, 2019 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

I got my permit! Those four words may very well be the most exciting words a 15 year old will ever say to their friends.

A permit is defined as the official documentation or authorization to do something.

But… the emotion that goes along with that permit, may pale in comparison to how the parent feels about relinquishing the driving of their 3000 pound vehicle to them while they practice.

And it does not get any easier when they are allowed to practice at night.

However, even though my preferred bedtime is 9:30, I willingly got in the car and traveled on the passenger side to purchase a much-needed milkshake at 10:00, because my 15 year old wanted to practice driving in the dark.

I reported to my passenger seat duty – ready to alert him to any – and all – pending obstacles.

The first comment he made after driving a few minutes was, “Look how the light lets you only see what is right in front of you. We are completely surrounded by darkness everywhere else.”

I felt a ‘God moment’ may have come, so I dared to shift my line of vision from the road in front of us and took a look around me.

He was right. We were enveloped by darkness – except for the light shining out from our vehicle.

I think I actually felt the darkness. To the right. To the left. Above. Behind. It was everywhere. Except in that one place – the direction we were heading – where it gave us all the light we needed to see the way.

Then, a few seconds later, a car was coming from the opposite direction without their lights on, and it honestly seemed a little scary for us both. That was when my 15 year old asked this wise question, “Why would they do that?”

I responded, “They failed to turn their lights on, and they probably do not even realize they don’t have light. They will figure it out before it’s too late, I hope.”

As I said those words, I instantly became a distracted supervising driver, because that was when I remembered a Bible verse I had read that morning: Isaiah 45:7 – I form the light and create darkness. I make peace and create evil. I, the LORD, do all these things.

That Bible verse that had seemed unusual that morning sure was making sense on the dark road that night. It enveloped me – hovered sweetly in my mind – letting me know that my God created the darkness, but He also formed the light – and He watches over us in both darkness and light.

We may prefer to drive through life in the times of light, but we experience both light and darkness, don’t we?

And…both can help us to learn to be the person who God intends for us to be – and to serve the purpose that God intends for us to serve.

*And we do not have to be afraid of the dark because even when it seems to surround us, the light still shows us the way.

*So, I guess we all have our permit – if we know God – because He is the only documentation and authorization we will ever need. He is in control of it all!

Ann is a speaker and teacher. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com

School is Opening

by   August 24, 2019 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

            This is a very strange week for me. All of my former colleagues are heading back to school and I am not. Why is there such a big smile on my face as I type that? The truth is, I am going to really miss being with my former colleagues and friends. You get close to the teachers you work with on a daily basis. I will miss catching up with them and hearing about their daily lives.

            The first week back for teachers is one that is filled with meetings. There is very little time to actually be in your classroom preparing for the students. There is so much that needs to get done that most teachers stay way past quitting-time. There is the cleaning, decorating, getting handouts ready, and finding some time to actually start planning your lessons.

            The students in Stanly & Davidson counties arrive next week. Here in Rowan County, the students are already back. I always loved starting in early August because we got out in May. It is so hot in August, you might as well be in school. Late May and early June are so much nicer to be out of school. It is also nice to get first semester exams out of the way before Christmas.        I have lots of opinions about education, like the importance of work-based learning. I also believe in starting school later in the morning versus earlier. All these opinions are no longer important. The political powers will make decisions and schools will go on without me.

            I want to be very clear here. I believe in our public schools. They are great places for our kids. There are some awesome teachers out there who make a huge difference in the lives of their students. I never once felt unsafe at school, thanks to the SROs. I know so many teachers who give their hearts and souls to their students.

            I gave 34 years of my life to the public school system and do not regret one moment of it. I tried to always give my best to the students. I tried to reach the students using a variety of instructional methods. I know I wasn’t perfect and there is always room for improvement, but I worked hard and I loved my job.

            Are the public schools perfect? No. There are people in every organization and business who do not bring their A game to their jobs. That doesn’t mean that all schools are bad. It just means that schools are just like every other organization. For the most part, schools are filled with people who love and care about the students that they serve.

            To the parents of students, allow me to share a few thoughts. First, I know this is tough, but your little angel is not always so angelic. Children make bad decisions no matter how good of a parent you are. It’s OK. It’s better that they make the mistakes now where there is a good safety net. Support the teachers and schools because we all want the same thing…to see your child grow up to become a responsible adult in our community.

            To the parents, grandparents, and community members I have one request. Please pray for the students, teachers, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, staff, and administrators of your local schools. We need God in our schools. He will protect us. He will guide us. He will inspire and encourage us. He will give us wisdom as we face the many problems that are in our society. He will love and support us when times are tough. I will say it again: We need God with us every day in our schools if we hope to raise up the next generation.

            I believe in the power of prayer to change situations and circumstances. I promise you I prayed before I went to school. I also knew how important your prayers were to my success as a teacher. No one can do it alone. Schools and school systems need our prayers.

So let’s join our spiritual hands and lift up our local schools, asking the loving and gracious God of heaven to bless the 2019-2020 school year. I encourage you to support the schools in your community, especially if you have children or grandchildren going to school. Your prayers, cards, and encouraging emails are truly blessings to the teachers who are working on the front lines. May God bless you and our schools as they look forward to a great school year.

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

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