The Battle of Sin

By Jennifer Kearson

The obituary stated, “No braver soldier ever went into battle when the War Between the States arrived at the Battlefield of Chickamauga under the powerful leadership of Fighting Joe Wheeler.” Wow! What wonderful words about my great, great Grandfather I read while looking though my family heirlooms. His continued story shared a chapter of his life where he faced numerous tribulations but rose to final victory. Even though I never met him, the description created a vision of glory, honor and respect.

While reminiscing about those dreadful times at war, it saddened me and I wondered how mankind could produce such wicked fruit. Shamefully, many have shed their blood for others in order to mend our corrupted world. For many, comprehending the purpose of war has never been easy, fair or completely natural. In addition, history has shown us that while one war is coming to a close, another seems to constantly be unfolding in the distance.
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Praying for Others

By John T. McNeal

How many times have you been on your way out the church doors on a Sunday afternoon, when someone stops you to have a short conversation? These conversations usually include the general topic of what is going on in each other’s lives but, it is more than just trivial information in most cases. The other person is trying to lead you to the main topic of the conversation. At the pinnacle of the conversation, that person usually asks you, “Will you pray for me?”  

You agree to pray for them and their situation as you leave. As your walk toward your car, you reflect on the conversation that you just had and try to make some reference to remember to pray for that individual. By the time you leave the parking lot, your stomach reminds you that you haven’t eaten since breakfast. That’s when you strike up a conversation with your spouse or friends regarding where they would like to eat. Between the hustle and bustle of the rest of the day and the time you put your head on your pillow that night, you totally forget the commitment you made earlier.
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Reclaiming Our Joy

By Rachael Sales

The phone is ringing! The children are screaming! The dog is barking – loudly I might say! The light bulb just blew out as you were on your knees looking for that last blue hair bow to match your daughter’s freshly ironed Sunday dress. You know the dress that she just poured grape juice all over because of the sheer joy it brought her? Yes – that dress!  And all of this is just the start of your morning! As the day goes by, only heaven knows what you must tackle just to keep a handle on your sanity, your patience, your passion to be on top of life! By the time that you look up it is noon and you’ve only checked off half of the fifty tasks that were supposed to happen by 10 AM!   While motherhood may not be your reality, none of us are exempt from the requirements of life. Whether married or single, white collar or blue collar, male or female, the demands of life come for us all.

We are active in our ministries, active on the PTA’s and softball leagues, awesome care-takers of our church members.  Where does the time go? becomes our daily war cry, does it not!  At the end of the day, it is often hard to remember what really matters. As a minister and a wife, I am often reminded that I must put first things first. First for me, is the quiet time that I spend with my God. This article is a call for all of us to remember.
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Teaching for Christ

By Jennifer Kearson

As a child growing up, I moved to several places and never got the chance to connect with anyone for a long period of time. After my parents moved from South Georgia, we didn't get re-involved in church matters. Years went by before I was given an opportunity to really get connected with a church and gain a deeper understanding about Christ. 

My aunt has always loved being with children.  So, one summer she decided to teach Vacation Bible School. To my surprise, she had also planned on having me as her co-worker, no exceptions. Scared as I was, since I had no clue where to start, I watched carefully and curiously at the way she handled the situation.
     
I don’t know if it was the way she presented the lessons or how she read the scriptures but, I definitely realized what wonderful stories I had missed.  We took many trips to Burger King to get the crowns from there so learning about Kings was a treat.  Even though the children were younger than me, we still had a fun time.  They probably didn’t even realize how much fun I was having as we shared and learned together.

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Whine and Cheese

By Lisa Brewer Buffaloe

For a number of years, health problems have plagued a friend of mine named Nancy. The doctors finally diagnosed her with a disease I cannot pronounce, much less write. Yet, even through the frustrations of battling the illness, her faith has never faltered in God and His goodness.

During a phone call, we updated one another on our ongoing medical conditions. She was beginning a new round of medication and knew the side effects would be nasty — puffiness, hair loss, nausea, etc.

I was well on my way to a major pity party of my own. It had been two weeks since surgery on the shredded tendons and ligaments on my hip. The first week had been tolerable, thanks to massive doses of narcotics dispensed through the pain pump tethered to my leg. But now, with the pump removed, the excruciating pain had returned.

We both knew God would help us through, but the whine was strong. We decided we should get together… let me share the gist of the conversation.

Nancy: Let’s do a whine and cheese party.

Lisa: Can’t do cheese, I’m lactose intolerant – that would be a big whine. How about chocolate instead?

Nancy: Oh great! Okay, let’s get together and have coffee at Starbucks too!

Lisa: Great, a whine, coffee and chocolate party. Problem is I still can’t drive.

Nancy: I can drive. I’ll come get you.

Lisa: Great. But who will help us with our wheelchairs?

Pause…

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