Open Caskets

by   May 27, 2022 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

In 1955 when the body of 14-year-old Emmett Till arrived home to Chicago, the only thing that identified him was a ring. His swollen body was missing teeth, an ear was severed, and an eye hung out after he had been kidnapped, tortured, shot, wrapped in barbed wire attached to a heavy fan, and dumped into the Tallahatchie River by two white men in Money, Mississippi.

His mother, Ms. Elizabeth Till-Mobley, saw the body of her only child and made a courageous decision. She told the mortician to leave her son as he was and insisted on an open casket so that all the world could see the horrific acts committed against her son by white men.

            Now, here we are all these years later and more children and their teachers have again been brutally murdered. Young, small, precious bodies in Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas so mangled by bullets that DNA is needed to identify some of them. Mutilated like the body of Emmett Till.

            The photographs we see of the victims are ones made in happier times like when a 10-year-old holds a certificate for making his school’s honor roll. Or a photograph of a smiling teacher likely taken for the school web page. Happy faces. Clean clothes. Life at its fullest. No photographs of mutilated bodies, body parts separated from their body, blood, and gore.

            Open caskets! Awful and even grotesque when they show the result of the carnage caused  against a 75-pound body by an AR-15 rifle.

            Perhaps it is time for another brave decision such as the one made by Ms. Till.

Acting on His Word

by   May 25, 2022 with No Comments

By Ed Traut

Matthew 14:19  And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.

  • Jesus initiated the miracle, but –
  • It was the disciples that actually distributed the food and acted out the miracle.
  • Often times it is just us acting on His word to see the miraculous in working.

Prayer:  Lord I surrender to You today that You guide me and instruct me that I can do whatever You say that I can see the miraculous power of God working.  Help me to step out always in faith.  Amen.


Ed Traut
Prophetic Life

Jesse Weber Chooses a different type Marathon

by   May 24, 2022 with No Comments

By David Freeze

Most runners want to run regular marathons, 26.2 miles on roads with reasonable courses. Jasen Weber goes a different way. Both of his marathons were unusual, and he said, “Probably because there seems to be an extra bit of adventure with the ‘unusual,’ they take place on paths less traveled. They’ve taken me to places even folks that live close by have never seen. Taking in the secluded nature is just wonderful!” 

I met Jasen when he showed up for one of our COVID pandemic prediction 5K runs at City Park last year. He said, “I was born in Virginia, but I bounced around quite a bit as a military brat. I lived mostly in Washington state and Maryland.  I’ve lived on both sides of the country and seen just about every state…just not on foot! I came to Salisbury shortly after my mother, Maria, and younger sister, Shaina, died in 2017 in separate incidents, I came out here to be closer to living relatives and explore where my mom grew up. Life has been good here.” 

Jasen started pursuing a healthier lifestyle at 30 years old when his doctor suggested adding some cardio regularly or his cholesterol would require medication. Jasen said, “So I started running on January 26th of 2021. Shortly after that I was all in!” 

He’s 31 years old and works in food service for Levy Restaurants, usually at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Jasen has called Salisbury home for five years.

Jasen’s most recent marathon was extremely unusual at  Pandora’s Box of Rox in Burnet, Texas. Packet pick-up had to happen within 30 minutes of start time and runners could begin the race whenever they wanted.  With no crowd of spectators, just a man and his cow bell sent each runner off into the dust. The terrain was brutal, running up, down, and around rock faces. Some areas were marked exceptionally well, others, not so. Jasen said, “I ended up off course a couple times and accumulated almost 2 more miles. It was so hard, but I loved every moment of it — so much that I plan on doing the race again next year with my brother.”

There were 53 total marathon finishers, male and female, and 10 DNFs. Jasen said, “I finished 19th overall on another multi-loop course.  My time does not reflect my typical marathon time, finishing at a whopping 5 hours 53 minutes. There were printed signs on some trees during the last couple miles and my favorite one read, ‘It’s OK to feel like quitting, just don’t.’ My brother was going to meet me back at the start line for the second loop to hand off my hydration pack so I could run ‘naked’ the first loop. He wasn’t there, so I just had to press on and rely on the aid stations. That was interesting because I had my pack set, planned, organized and ready for me after that first loop.” 

At an aid station called “Rock,” one of the only aid stations with a person present, Jasen met a guy who said he’d been guarding that aid station for the last eight years. Up in those rocks was his happy place, and he pointed out that he owned the giant boulder that sat in front of his canopy. 

Jasen’s first marathon was also pretty interesting. It was a 2.62 mile loop course mixed with trail and road. There was a 45-minute cut-off time for each of the 10 loops. Everyone joined in to start each consecutive loop together. Cumulative running time was tracked, not the waiting for others. This one is called The Carolina Reaper Challenge and takes place in Seneca, S.C., on a very hot July course.

Running goals include Jasen’s first ultra, a 50K in October. He plans to complete his SRR mileage club goal of 1,500 miles for the year before attempting his biggest, and wildest goal to run to the state of Maryland.

Jasen’s family members are his dogs, Sam and King. He has a cousin, Jana, a brother, Bobby, plus all the kids that surround them provide many second cousins, nieces, and nephews. Jasen remains very active with Rowan County running.

The next race locally is the Bare Bones 5K at Knox Middle School. It benefits Relay for Life.You can visit www.
salisburyrowanrunners.org for more information.

I’m With Him

by   May 24, 2022 with No Comments

By Lynna Clark

Do you have a Charlie in your church? Charlie in our church faithfully made coffee for every service. And he’d be on a mower in the heat of summer, taking care of the church yard, no matter how bad his health got. We had a week-end message where no volunteers were used, except for kids club, just to show how much we need each other. Charlie was all in a tither because he did not want us going without coffee.

Nehemiah 7:2 says “I gave the responsibility of governing Jerusalem to my brother Hanani,… for he was a faithful man who feared God more than most.”

Faithful. Do you know someone like that, always faithful, no matter what? Some people you can just count on. Like the one who sets up tables and cleans up after a meeting; others work on making the sound the best it can be; some keep the nursery or work with kids club; [there’s a golden crown in Heaven for those brave souls!] Some practice hard to make the music just right; and then there are those who smile a big ol’ smile and greet you like you are somebody. You always feel better when they’re around! Are you looking for your name in that list? Consider it there! Your church is full of faithful people just like you.

Where was Charlie before church? If I remember correctly, he was outside one day at his house. Not a lot of good going on in his life. A faithful man stopped by and talked to him about mowing the church yard… and about eternity. From then on Charlie was the Lord’s, and ours. When he died, I remember the sadness and grief and the realization he would no longer be puttering around fixing things. Since Charlie is with the Lord now, I wonder if they sit and chat about our church. The book of Job shows a scene from Heaven where God asks Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job: He is the finest man in all the earth- a man of complete integrity. He fears God and will have nothing to do with evil.” And then the crud really did hit the fan. But God knew that it would. And He knew that He would still have bragging rights on His boy Job in the end.

Once when we were going through a particularly rough patch, I said to my husband, “Why in the world do you think the Lord is allowing us to go through all this at once?” He replied something I will never forget. “If the only reason is so God can brag on us a little, that is enough.” What a beautiful image, God bragging on us. I wonder if He speaks with those gone before us, proud of the people at our church. I wonder if He says to Charlie, “Don’t worry. Scott’s making coffee.”

Today our simple prayer is that God will keep us faithful. Although it is a simple prayer, it is vital to our ministry. Pray for us all to be [as the verse says] “faithful, fearing God more than most.”

More: Proverbs 28:20; Matthew 25:20-22; Job 1

A verse I think of as my Charlie verse is Acts 4:13 that says in part, “for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.”

It was easy to see that Charlie had been with Jesus.

Get To Work

by   May 23, 2022 with No Comments

By Ann Farabee

Get to work!

It was 1972. I had just graduated from high school and had been offered summer employment at Cannon Mills. I would be a twister in #7 Spin. I was ecstatic!

The fact that it was 3rd shift did not deter me. I was going to be earning a ton of money that summer – or at least it felt that way.

Shortly before the 11pm mill whistle would blow, I would find a parking spot, take a deep breath, and head in through the guarded gate that would soon shut behind me.

For five nights a week, I would remain there until 7am. My days were short. My nights were long. Summer break was definitely not a break. The twister room ‘loomed’ large with row after row of huge, loud machines. The sound was deafening, but it was muffled by my required earplugs.

For the entire 8 hours, I focused on my work, although I knew the rest of Kannapolis, NC was sleeping. My role was to tie up threads that broke and to replace spools that needed to be replaced. I loved the challenge of walking up and down the rows, keeping my machines running at 100% efficiency.

As daylight arrived, the mill whistle would blow again and I would walk out through that same gate, happily passing by those who were heading into work to begin their shift. I knew it was time for me to rest.

It was one of my most eye-opening and meaningful life experiences.

Little did I know it was also a foreshadowing of the rest of my lifeI

During college, the jobs changed, but I still worked. Flipping burgers at the Snack Shack, cashier at Rose’s, a waitress at the Pizza Inn, and as an employee who knew how to do it all at McDonald’s.

Then, one day, I graduated from college and began my teaching career.

The next 40 years sure did fly by.

Work – whether for a salary or not – is a beautiful thing.

Should we work? Did God work?

Of course! God created all things! That was definitely work! 

But remember this – on the seventh day – he rested.

What does the Bible say about work?

*Genesis 2:15 tells us that God created man, put him in the garden of Eden, and told him to work.

*2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 tells us that if we are not willing to work, neither should we eat. It also tells us that we are to work quietly and earn our own living.

*Colossians 3:23 says that we need to work heartily, as for the Lord.

To work heartily means to work zealously, sincerely, earnestly, cordially, and warmly.

Doesn’t that sound like a wonderful way to approach work?

And – since we are doing it as unto the Lord – that makes God our boss.

Our work is of God.

It is a privilege, an honor, and a blessing.

So – keep working – because work is worth it!

Three Lessons

by   May 21, 2022 with No Comments

By Doug Creamer

Three Lessons

            I received the opportunity to speak at church last week. When I started to plan what I might say, I reached back into my past. The more I prayed and thought about it, the more I felt like the Lord was leading in a different direction. He wanted me to talk about things that I was currently working through in my walk of faith.

            I wasn’t interested in sharing current issues, but you can imagine who won that debate. The more I tried to pull and change the direction which I felt the Lord leading me, the more I realized that I was fighting a losing battle. I would much rather talk about things that I had already overcome, places where I found the victory in my life.

            No one has arrived spiritually; I am no exception. I struggle to live out the faith that I profess, and the truth is that I fail along the way. The journey of faith comes with many ups and downs. If I am going to speak or write about my journey, I think I would prefer to focus on the times when things are looking up.

            I have shared many testimonies with people about how God brought me through some dark times of my life. In sharing those stories and testimonies I always end with my arrival on the other end. I like to share with people about how God helped me and the lessons I learned through the dark and challenging places in life.

            How do you share with people the lessons that you haven’t learned yet? You can’t tell your listeners, “Here’s how I made it through” if you are in the middle of those lessons yourself. All you can tell people is that this is the lesson I am trying to learn, and this is what God is showing me in the midst of this lesson. I can also point to the grace that God is extending to me in the middle of the lesson.

One of the best things I can point to as a teacher is those in the Bible who have learned the lessons I am trying to learn. God gives us plenty of examples of people who have gone through the lessons that we are trying to learn so we will have faith in Him through the process. Those biblical examples show us how to apply our faith to our current circumstances.

            By now I imagine your curiosity must be stirred about what lessons I am trying to learn. The first lesson involves the simple truth that we can’t fix ourselves. We have to find where God wants to work in our lives and join Him in the process. Sometimes He picks big things and sometimes He picks little things. The key is to find where He is working and work with Him.

            The second lesson is that we have to trust God. That sounds like an elementary lesson until God brings up areas of our lives where we like to be in control. We are His children and He is in control of all areas of our lives, or at least that is how it is supposed to be. Then He points to an area and tells you that you are trusting yourself, not Him. That’s when the work begins.

            The final lesson may seem a little ironic, but God doesn’t always feel like He needs to work on us. Sometimes God just wants to be with us. While there is always work that needs to be done, as long as we are on this side of heaven, God knows that we need to rest. Growth and change in our lives takes time. Strong solid growth takes time. God wants our faith to be solid so He is in it for the long haul to see us grow and mature in our faith.

            I want to encourage you in three specific ways. First, ask God what He wants to work on in your life. Focus your efforts there. Things will go more smoothly that way. Second, give yourself a break. God doesn’t expect you to be perfect, and He is invested in you for the long haul. He believes in you and sees a bright future for you. Finally, trust Him with the entire process. He knows exactly how to shape you into the image of who He has destined you to be. He knows what He is doing and He has your best interests at heart. These aren’t easy, and I can say that because these are the lessons He is trying to teach me. I am learning by His grace.   

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

Roots and Evil

by   May 20, 2022 with No Comments

By Roger Barbee

For five years we have endured the bumps in our driveway caused by,what we thought, were pine tree roots growing beneath the asphalt. One bump in particular was “admired” by neighbors and us as we watched it expand and begin to open at its top. It had expanded so much that, if I was not careful when driving in, my van’s frame would rub against it. However, yesterday the old driveway was removed by a skilled man using a Bobcat, and I eagerly asked him about what I suspected was a massive knot of pine tree roots heaving the asphalt. He said, “I didn’t have a bucket’s worth of roots. I’ve seen that before,” he continued, “when some little roots cause a lot of pressure in clay dirt where water collects. It’s the mix of water and clay that pushes up caused by a small root growing. Ain’t that something. Not even a bucket’s worth.”

Since that conversation with the Bobcat operator, I’ve been thinking about all the years my wife and I had adjusted to the bumps in our driveway, and how we even began referring to them as our speed bumps. We warned visitors about them because they were so large, and when we contracted for the new driveway, we hoped that the excavation did not kill any of our beloved pine trees by removing their roots. Yesterday’s conversation with the Bobcat operator calmed that worry, but the root’s reminded me of what I had known but forgotten.

The roots are a metaphor for evil. While the ones beneath the heaved-up driveway were smaller than anticipated, they had pressured the wet clay which in turn pushed against the asphalt, causing our speed bumps. They, like evil, had done their work: Slow and steady growth, often hidden from view, but persistently working to cause upheaval and damage in our lives.

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