Everyday Miracles

by   September 28, 2025 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

“If you believe you’ve ever experienced a miracle, we invite you to click here and share your story with us.” Thus read the email from a ministry that I subscribe to. I knew what they were going for – a sensational moment where a supernatural event happened, maybe a healing or evidence of God intervening in a spectacular way. 

Though the word “miracle” can often be used too freely to explain some events, I do believe that we can encounter miracles every day. We may think of a reversal of events and situations when we think of miracles. If the biblical definition of a miracle is when a supernatural being (God) intervenes in an inexplicable way beyond natural phenomena, could we include radical reversals in that definition? 

I think we could, and I have witnessed numerous radical reversals in life, even though I cannot recall a specific healing event that I have seen. I remember a shy, grieving young girl who felt alone becoming a bold, passionate witness who feels loved and healed by a loving Father. I know a story of a boy hurt by divorce when he was young, without a model of a faithful husband and father, who became a man in love with a Savior who transformed him into a man who would be a godly husband and dad. There’s a story about a boy also hurt by grief who turned to vices that threatened to drag him down into a life of loneliness and misery, but surrendered to a Rescuer who brought him joy and a family. There’s a story of a young woman who was searching – everywhere – to find meaning and answers, and Someone found her and brought her peace beyond explanation. 

There are also the stories of those who joyfully found the Savior at young ages and instantly loved the comfort and peace and never looked back. Yes, these are salvation stories. They usually don’t fall under the category of what many would expect as a miracle. They do not seem sensational. Yet, if one were able to follow the potential trajectory of their lives without the power of the Holy Spirit, there would be no such radical transformation. 

Today, many are looking for a divine experience –  a miracle – to prove that God is real. “Just show me a miracle, and I will believe!” Perhaps the one who is witnessing their salvation story to you is the walking miracle you are looking for. How do they navigate hard times differently? Have you reconnected with a former schoolmate or coworker who went a very different route in a relationship with Jesus and now lives like a different person? 

Everyday miracles. Inexplicable things that would not have otherwise happened without the supernatural intervention. Have you witnessed a miracle?

Ashlie Miller is an everyday miracle and knows many. You can share your miracle story with her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.

Serving is Not a Duty

by   September 27, 2025 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

Serving is not a Duty

            It seems like we aren’t getting as much mail lately. The trip to the mailbox is often fruitless. The bill collectors regularly keep in contact with us, though. I don’t mind because I like having power, water, and all the other services they provide. Every once in a while, you will find a letter in your box that you wish had gotten lost in the mail. I received one of those letters recently. It was a thin letter. In the upper left hand corner I saw it was from the Clerk of Superior Court. I knew without opening it that I had jury duty. I stood in my driveway and opened the letter to see when I would have to serve. I, like anyone else who receives such a letter, was frustrated and wished I could make it go away. I took a few breaths and let the frustration go.

            I love our country. One of the responsibilities of living in this great land is that sometimes our country needs our help dealing with legal issues. Someone needs us to listen objectively to their situation and determine whether they are innocent or guilty. Any one of us could find ourselves in that situation one day. We would need twelve people plus two alternates to listen to our story and determine our destiny.

            We all might consider jury duty an inconvenience and we may wish we were somewhere else, but for a period of time our country and an individual needs us to help bring about justice. When you consider all the cases that come before our court system and all the people who have served on jury duty to help bring about justice…it is truly amazing. Our system of justice works better than many other places around the world.

            Serving is actually quite interesting. They show you a video explaining how the jury process works. That video should be required viewing for every high school student before they graduate. They explain that we don’t have jury duty, but rather jury service. It is each citizen’s opportunity to serve our country so we can have a fair and equitable legal system. I understand that it is something that we would prefer not to do. However, if we want our system to work, each of us has to be available to serve.

            Serving is a vital part of every organization. We all know that it is normally a handful of people who do the majority of the work within most organizations. Sadly, the same thing applies to most churches. The majority of the church’s work is done by a handful of people. Many people do very little to help build, grow, or encourage the church.

            Many people think it is the pastor’s and staff’s job to take care of everything at the church. The Bible teaches us that it is the pastor’s job to equip the church to do the work of the church. Pastors are supposed to be the mentors and trainers in the church and the members are called to do the work within the church. The members are also called to do the evangelical outreach of the church. It’s the members’ job to reach out and help in our communities.  

            There is a place for everyone to serve in the church. If you are musically inclined, not me, there is the choir and musicians. Churches need Sunday school teachers. Churches need greeters to welcome people. Churches need ushers to help people find seats and collect the offering. Churches need people to love the babies in the nurseries. Churches need creative people to help with the arts and crafts in the children’s area. Churches need people to pay the bills, run the office and create and manage the budget. Churches need people who love to cook for the meals we enjoy at church. Every church needs people to clean and maintain our facilities

            I want to encourage you to use your talents, skills, and abilities to serve in your church. God needs each one of us to do our part to help advance and grow His kingdom. It takes all of us, not just the pastor and church staff, to make a difference in our world. The church needs you! Jesus wants you to contribute and make your church a better place. No job is too small. There are plenty of behind the scenes jobs if you don’t want to get noticed. Find your place. Do your part! Let your light shine by serving God.

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

The Gospels of Rome

by   September 26, 2025 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

The Gospels and Rome

Jesus and the Empire of God

Warren Carter

Cascade Books, 2021

Carter wastes no time in explaining his use of cultural intertextuality avenue for reading and studying the Gospels. He reminds us that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John composed while Rome ruled: “The empire does not disappear from the Gospels just because an emperor or  governor or soldier or tax is not mentioned.” He then uses selected Gospel texts alongside Roman texts to create an opportunity for the reader to “make meaning in the intersections among them.”

Intertextuality is an interesting way to read the Gospels and while I had unknowingly done it in the past, I had not been aware of its wide range. For instance, one of the Gospel stories that Carter uses is the scene where Jesus instructs two disciples to go into Jerusalem and they will find a donkey with here colt tied. If asked, the disciples are to say that the Master needs them. Jesus then rides the donkey into Jerusalem.

Carter shows how this well-known arrival by Jesus, where he is greeted by the screaming crown, is like the manner a Roman ruler or victorious general would enter a city.  He cites many historical accounts to support and then compare the entry of Jesus with that of Augustus, Gaius, and Titus into Rome or other locations.

I enjoyed Carter’s examination of the Gospels by intertextuality because it directly shows the Roman world that Jesus lived in with all its problems: “Rome-sanctioned, Jerusalem-based local leaders, pervasive sickness, food insecurity, occupied territory, language of sovereignty, fantasies of revenge, and visions of a new and just world all interact with Roman imperial structures and [practices.” Carter in those words shows us the world in which Jesus walked and preached. It should give us encouragement for the world we face.

Memories of Good Times

by   September 25, 2025 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Memories of the Good Times

    I think about a lot of things while running. And I think about running when I am doing other things. Today included an afternoon of farm work, some hard and some not so much. Plenty of time to think and prepare this column.

     My best 20 minutes of running ever—Actually it was my first time breaking 17 minutes in a 5K with a time of 16 minutes and 50 seconds. The 5K was held at Davidson College when I was in my 30’s. I don’t remember much else about it except that it was very competitive. 16:50 running and 3:10 recovering while happy with the effort.

     My best hour of running— 58 minutes and 46 seconds completing the Winter Flight 10 miler. Yes, for a few years, there was a 10-miler associated with the historic race. I consider this my best race ever in a field loaded with a dozen or so regional class runners. I think I was about 18th in the race, showing the quality of the field.

    My best 3 hours of running—The Jacksonville Marathon (26.2 miles) in 1980 in Florida, the first of 16 sub 3-hour marathons, this one at 2:58.26 seconds. This was my second marathon, and the excellent time came after failing to break three hours in the 1980 New York City Marathon seven weeks earlier. This was the only time I remember tears coming while finishing a race. Jacksonville became my favorite marathon course, all flat with some dirt and packed sand next to the road, good for running.

   My best 4 hours of running—A tie between another NYC Marathon and a Memphis Marathon, both of them run with a longtime female friend. Good for us both that she didn’t make the long list of ex-wives. The Memphis Marathon had a photo opportunity on Beale Street and on a flatbed trailer in front of Graceland, both of which I still have.  

    Another best 4 ½ hours of running—An early Sunday morning run from home to Statesville in 1986 for breakfast (pancakes at Shoney’s) with my then wife and two daughters. At 32 miles, it was my first ultra-marathon distance. Running was so easy then!

    Best day of running—The final day of my run across North Carolina from Murphy to Manteo while pushing a baby jogger loaded with my gear. I started on Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018, in Colombia, NC at about 4am. Colombia is black bear country, and one resident warned me, “You will see a bear if you leave early. Don’t carry any food!” With a group waiting for me in Nags Head, I ran/walked in the pitch-black early morning and prayed for the sunrise. I never saw a bear and made the Nags Head Pier about 12 hours later, completing 660 miles across NC as a tribute to longtime friend Ed Dupree. Daily average was 28.1 miles, more than a marathon a day.

    Best moment of running ever– With my granddaughter, Monroe “Booper” Bishop, completing 100,000 lifetime running and walking miles at Catawba College on April 18, 2025. This plateau came 11 months and 3 days after breaking my back in a farming accident.

    Second best was the successful first two-mile run on October 26, 2024, when I tried running after the kyphoplasty done by Dr. Eugene Eline stabilized my back.

   My latest book is Faith in the Miracle, One Man’s Quest to Complete 100,000 Running Miles After a Broken Back. It is the recap, beginning on the evening of the accident, of all the important moments during the most important journey of my life. The highlights include how God placed three important people there to help.  Father and Son’s Produce will again have the book locally within several weeks.

    Our next race locally is the Run for the Word 5K in Landis next Saturday, September 13th. The race benefits the South Rowan Bible Teachers Association, responsible for providing the salary and benefit package for three teachers who serve five schools. Once again, Barney Fife and Sheriff Andy will be on hand, with Fife actually running the race this year to get free ice cream available to participants.

    Look for this and other upcoming events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

Gotta’ Run: Memories of the good times

Mysterious Ways

by   September 24, 2025 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

I don’t typically think of hymn writers as comedic. However, listen to this line from William Cowper’s famous hymn, God Moves in a Mysterious Way.

“You fearful saints, fresh courage take, the clouds you so much dread;

Are big with mercy and shall break in blessings on your head.”

Is that a funny line or am I just losing my mind a little bit? He’s right though. The very thing we fear will often render the best blessing. Hold fast dear friend. That big ol’ dark cloud that’s been following you for days is about to burst. Showers of blessings will blend with all those tears you’ve shed in private to make something beautiful.

From Psalm 43:

Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. … For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, Your Savior. … You are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.

The God Who created us, Who loves us so dearly, never ever wastes pain.

A Tall Man Who Serves

by   September 23, 2025 with No Comments

Have you ever met a really tall person? I am relatively tall and when I meet someone really tall it catches my attention. The young man in this story is very tall and he has a beautiful, kind heart. He also has a heart to serve others. Watch is story and ENJOY!!!!

Rediscovering Church

by   September 21, 2025 with No Comments

By Ashlie Miller

The month has been overshadowed by much tragedy – horrific headlines, violence, and the anniversary of 9/11. The door is widening for conversation among young people in particular, and the door is being pushed open to go back to church. 

I am hearing stories from Christian friends and neighbors of peers and family reaching out to them, asking to read the Bible or to have conversations with them, or even to say yes to visiting their church with them.

Some are hesitant because of past experiences or stories on how churches seem to be closed off and unwelcoming. I cannot speak to each of those testimonies or on behalf of those churches, even as a pastor’s wife myself. It is disheartening to say the least. But we cannot let those stories or even our experiences be the roadblock. There have been plenty of those in recent years. 

After nearly half a decade of checking out physically and only checking in virtually, people are looking to visit church for the first time or get back into actual community. If I were in a position of having to look for a church, here are some things I would consider: 

Expository preaching. In a world that continually extracts sound bites to post on our favorite platform, we know how drawn we are to sensational statements or parts of phrases to boost our case, or in the case of our heart, justify our actions. When studying larger passages, we can learn original intent, and what we observe about God and His character, humanity, sin, promises, and much more. I need more than a sermon that makes me walk away feeling good about myself; I need truth that is not going to be twisted based on who is using it. 

Pastors who see the kingdom of God beyond their facility and position. I would want a pastor who has encouraging connections with other churches and ministries, celebrating their work. Look how he disciples and equips his leadership team. What are the marks of kingdom work like: evangelism, international and domestic missions, and connecting with neighbors?

Fewer programs and more equipping. Before asking for suggestions of a church to visit and then requesting specific programs, consider reframing that to: How is the church equipping the congregation? Is it a community of hospitality? How are people being discipled toward growth, encouragement, and accountability? Do they excel in entertaining or equipping?

Reevaluating my preferences. If a church lacks a program I desire (children and youth ministry seem to rank as the top request, followed by lively music), what is it that they are really doing well? What are they investing in instead? How could God use a church quite different from what I want to cultivate maturity in my life?

And give each church a fair chance. It is amazing how we will subject ourselves to abuse of miserable service and experiences in almost any other area of life except the one that matters most. That is very telling, isn’t it?

Ashlie Miller is a pastor’s wife of a church plant in the University City area. You may contact her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.

Finding God in the Everyday

by   September 20, 2025 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

Finding God in the Everyday

            I like going for walks, working in my garden, and reading on my front porch. These are peaceful activities that allow me to quiet my mind, spirit, and soul. The world is loud. The world is crazy and getting crazier all the time. The news is mostly negative. Some people can be angry and impatient. Worldly pressures push me towards being quiet. It all seems counter to my personality, which is more outgoing and positive.

            When I meet someone new, I always seek to find the good in them. I believe that there is good or at least the capacity for it deep inside each one of us. Sometimes life struggles and circumstances have caused people to bury the goodness. It’s there waiting to be called out. We are created in the image of God and He places the seed of His goodness inside each one of us. We have to choose to let that seed grow within us.

            I think it comes back to what we are feeding ourselves. If we listen to the news all day long we are going to struggle with depression because the news is depressing. If we listen to music with angry lyrics then we are going to be angry. If we spend hours scrolling through social media and see how perfect everyone’s life appears compared to ours, then we are going to be discouraged. We tend to forget that people only post their best moments.

            If we feed our hearts and minds these false impressions of the world around us then it’s going to give us a negative outlook on life. True, there really are some bad things going on in our world. True, some people may get to take great vacations. True, we might need to examine our choice of music and not allow the negativity to infect our spirit. We need to stop and consider what we are feeding ourselves.

            When I go for a walk I can see and appreciate the beauty God created. I can also stop and meet my neighbors. We have great neighbors who are kind, friendly, like to laugh, and are real people with joys and sorrows. Meeting the neighbors removes the mystery and helps me discover the goodness of God in their lives and gives me the opportunity to be a blessing or sometimes to be blessed.  

            I believe the goodness of God is just waiting to be discovered in our neighbors, in the beauty of nature around us, and even in the mundane things of everyday life. Many people see the goodness of God in the beauty of fall as trees put on their magnificent show of color. People will travel long distances to drive through the mountains and take in the beauty. It is hard to deny the creativity and majesty of God when spring begins to wake up in all of its splendor. Most of us can see God’s fingerprints in nature.

            How do you find God during the mundane moments of life? I think God is with us all the time; the problem is that we are unaware of His presence. I like to talk with Him while I am washing the dishes or cutting the grass. I believe He is with us when we are cleaning the house, doing laundry, pulling weeds, washing the car, and driving to work. The Bible tells us that He will never leave or forsake us, so He must be there but we just aren’t paying attention.

            Some people might say we need to tune our spirit to His so we can receive His presence. I believe God wants to draw close to us and in fact He is very close to us. We are simply too distracted by our daily tasks to realize He is right there with us. He cares about us and for us. Recognizing His presence and opening our hearts to Him can turn the mundane tasks into a time of sweet fellowship with Him.

            I want to encourage you to open your hearts and minds to God’s presence in the midst of everyday tasks. He doesn’t live in your church; He lives in your heart. He is as close as your every breath. When you begin to look for Him, I believe you are going to find Him. Look for His hand as you watch the leaves turning. See his handiwork in the next sunrise or sunset. See if you can find Him the next time you wash the dishes or cut the grass. He is waiting to be discovered in the wonders of nature and in the everyday activities of your life.

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

Day 6 & 7 on the Great Lakes

by   September 18, 2025 with No Comments

By David Freeze

   Today, August 5th, has been the longest day of my Great Lakes adventure, and I don’t have much to show for it. I ran very early this morning in Belgium, Wisconsin. To those who saw my Day 5 report, I felt lucky to grab a reasonable room just at the interstate exit and north of afternoon rush hour traffic for Milwaukee and Chicago. Just as what happened in Detroit on the way north, my history has included getting caught in bumper to bumper, inching along traffic with people who do it every day! I dreaded Chicago. I have been in their traffic many times over the years and knew this time would likely be the same.

    The motel was good! I kept my watch on Eastern Daylight Time while everyone else in Wisconsin is on Central Daylight Time. I ran, showered, checked out, got gas, a breakfast biscuit and ice before 6:30am local time. Driving through Milwaukee’s interstate was a dream. No issues.

    I heard on the radio that three tractor trailers had collided overnight on the Dan Ryan Expressway, one of the major interstates around Chicago. Authorities were rerouting traffic, so my GPS sent me on Illinois 41. I was scheduled early to ride about 50 miles on the Dan Ryan. I got a two-mile notice to change to 41 and soon the radio started to tell others to do the same. After an hour of barely moving, I finally cleared the downtown area only to get stopped again by those brush and vacuum trucks that were cleaning the side of the interstate. Massive traffic that should have had three lanes had only one. One total hour added to my trip home.

     Then in Indiana on Interstate 65, a portion was closed for an accident cleanup. All traffic was rerouted for about six miles of country roads. Another hour added to travel time. But the rest of the day went well, and I am spending the night in Charleston, WV. Only about 253 miles of the 988 going home from Green Bay remain.

    Here are some thoughts on this wonderful trip. I saw over 1200 miles of shoreline or as close as possible from the nearest road. The weather was perfect every day. As always, the people were the real stars. The very first person that I met this time on the Great Lakes was Peter Ashwin Patel at his motel in Port Huron and the conversation was wonderful. The owners at the Gateway Motel in Newberry were fun too. Hard to beat was Steve Russell, the man who fixed my brakes while we shared thoughts on the world. But just like on a regular bike trip, I met nice people throughout.

    I ran and did some purposeful walking every day too! I didn’t want to come home after missing eight days of running as I am still chasing 2,000 miles for the year.  It was generally cool and comfortable but most often humid, which I am sure goes with the nearby mass of water. I didn’t get to ride the bike as much as I wanted to as time was always tight, but I found that I need more future miles to build up my pedaling muscles. I had not been on a bike for more than a year and a half. Porter at Skinny Wheels did a great job getting the bike ready for this trip.

     I did most of the planning the night before visiting a certain area, same as on an extended bike ride. I used my big and bulky 2023 Road Atlas and a Michigan Great Lakes guidebook that is filled with great information. Every day was filled with problem solving, including what to go see and making it work with available time. Big surprises were Marquette, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin for all there was to see and do.

     Every motel room has its own story, and I love playing the game! I am in a Quality Inn high rise motel in Charleston tonight. I spoke to the desk clerk on the phone before coming here and got a certain price. The same clerk was at the desk when I arrived but still tried to charge full price. I reminded her we had already agreed on a price. I have a nice 7th floor room. I can ride 100 miles a day on a bike but still must find the right motel deal to finish the day.   

     The lighthouses stole the show, just as I knew they would. Some I knew about as part of my early planning, others were surprises like the one in Manitowoc that I would have missed if not for a small sign on the interstate and Siri’s help. If you are wondering, I now have done about half of the Great Lakes shoreline over three trips, so there is much more to see. These are big lakes, and the rest of the shoreline will be high on my list!

     As the final exploration for this journey, I ran in Charleston on Wednesday morning. August 6th along the beautiful Kanawha River, something I always wanted to do. After checking out of the hotel, I went exploring around the magnificent West Virginia State Capitol building. I walked and took photos for 1.3 miles on the capitol grounds and saw my first ever black squirrel, and statues of Abraham Lincoln, Stonewall Jackson and one for the Union Soldiers of the Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln was the major player in helping to establish West Virginia, largely filled with his supporters after receiving fewer than 2000 votes from Virginia for his election in 1860. He signed the West Virginia statehood bill in December 1862.

    Another adventure is done! This one will total just eight days, including the first with all driving that didn’t count, and it was great fun! Final mileage covered on this adventure was 2669. I hope you find your own adventures and thanks for letting me share this one with you!

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