Gò0dNews May 2022
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About Us WRITERS
Andrew Lee April Engstrom Beth Henderson Chris Mullis Chuck Cleveland Greg Grotewold Danette Reeves David Huff Jodi Varnado Jordan Burchette Judy Hood Katie Loveless Kaye Stein Kristen West Leslie Bennett Monica Gambrell Reagan Marsh Terrie E. Ruff
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Shane Franks 706-270-2410 Email: dalton.goodnews@gmail.com
DESIGN
Caleb Prytherch Email: art.goodnews@gmail.com
PHOTOGRAPHER Paula Knipp 423-310-4207
Hello Friends, We want to take a moment to tell you who we are and what we are about. Our names are Matt and Bethany Ruckman and we have six beautiful children, Brendon, Kailey, Andrew, Leah Jean, Emma, and Cooper. We live in Cleveland, Tennessee, and love what this town has to offer! We have started GoodNews Christian Magazine because we feel that when God, family, and community are combined, lives will be changed. GoodNews Christian Magazine is a complimentary,
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Contents M AY 2 0 2 2
GoodNews from the Pastor’s Desk
6 Ask the Pastor: Is Anger Sin? by Reagan Marsh
GoodNews for Mother’s Day
8 A Joyous Memory of Mother by Chuck Cleveland
GoodNews Money Matters
GoodNews for Everyone
26 Run Your Race by David Huff
GoodNews Poetry
28 Is Your Name Written by Judy Hood
GoodNews for Everyone
10 Be Average—And Become a 30 Come To Me and Rest Millionaire
by Andrew Lee GoodNews for Men
12 Move without Moving by Greg Grotewold
GoodNews for Women
14 For The Joy
by Katie Loveless
GoodNews for Mothers
18 Am I A Good Mom? by Jordan Burchette
GoodNews for Life
20 Learning to Focus: Droop Teaches Diligence
by Beth Henderson GoodNews Cover Story
22 A & A Optical
by Jodi Varnado
by Chris Mullis
GoodNews for Parents
32 Naked at Prater’s Mill by Monica Gambrell
GoodNews for Everyone
34 May Flowers Bring God’s Faithfulness
by April Engstrom GoodNews for Teachers
36 What I Learned in Kindergarten
by Leslie Bennett GoodNews for Everyone
38 A Story on Proverbs 3:5-6 by Danette Reeves
22
GoodNews for Everyone
40 Blueprint
by Terrie E. Ruff
GoodNews for Everyone
GoodNews for Everyone
by Kaye Stein
by Kristen West
24 Hang On, God’s Texting
8
42 Dealing with a Bully
34
Gò0dNews from the Pastor’s Desk
Ask the Pastor: Is Anger Sin?
A
by Reagan Marsh
s a pastor and biblical counselor, I receive many questions about the Bible’s application to life. Here’s one. Q. MOUTH SHUT, MOUTH SHUT, MOUTH
SHUT!!! Is anger sin? Can I just throw a table at someone? (Asking for a friend!) A. An excellent question and a challenging struggle, for sure. I must confess that sinful anger is one of my besetting sins, a favorite way to dishonor God, so I write as one still working to put it to death by the Spirit’s grace (Romans 8:5-8, 13; Ephesians 4:22-24). Anger itself isn’t sinful. Jesus was angry at both cleansings of the Temple (John 2:13-17; Matthew 21:12-17), God is angry with the wicked every day (Psalm 7:11), and Scripture requires that in our anger we do not sin (Ephesians 4:26). Unless we’re prepared to assert 1. that Jesus sinned (1 John 3:5), 2. that God habitually sins (Habakkuk 1:13), and 3. that God also commands us to sin (James 1:13), anger itself cannot be sinful. Anger becomes sinful when it’s not grounded in “zeal for the
mourn and grieve, even passionately, over my own sinful response
Father’s house.” The sense of John 2:17 is an all-consuming desire for
to their sin against me, others, and God (Matthew 5:4)—but it is
the glory of God. By contrast, most of my anger is an all-consuming
wrong to sit there feeding my anger, stoking its fires, rehearsing
zeal for my name, agenda, or preference, but not God’s glory.
the wrong, replaying the conversation, or engaging the “if only’s”
If I’m honest, I want my name magnified. Sinful anger is my
or “if I could do it again’s.” Such activities tempt to further sin and
response to my wife, kids, or others not giving me the worship,
strengthen it (Ephesians 4:27), invariably defiling others (Hebrews
fear, reverence, and obedience owed to God alone. I respond by
12:15). I must respond by repentance, humility, and renewing my
various protests—see Ephesians 4:29-31—demonstrating my zeal
mind by Scripture, prayerfully wrestling (Psalm 57:2; 2 Corinthians
for honoring the greatness of my name. Sinful anger is ultimately a
10:5) to exercise godly self-control (Galatians 5:16-26) and godly
response to idolatry and self-worship, of having another god besides
thinking (Philippians 4:8-9).
God (Exodus 20:3)—in this case, me. Righteous anger is God-given energy to be directed against
Ultimately, anger drives us to the Cross, because it’s there we see God’s holy anger against our sins poured out on the One who
problems, not people, so issues are handled promptly and
was righteously zealous for the glory of his Father (John 2:17). It’s
righteously (Ephesians 4:26-27); sinful anger reacts and attacks
there we see him enduring such shamefully wicked sinners so we
others directly or indirectly (Ephesians 4:29-31). We prefer a tidy
don’t lose heart (Hebrews 12:3) …there we’re instructed as to our
renaming of sinful attitudes and actions in modern psychologized
own response under unjust treatment, accusation, or suffering (1
circles, but Scripture presents a different picture. Bitterness exposes
Peter 2:21-25) …there that all my guilt must be laid on him as the
itself in irritability or manipulation; wrath reveals itself in rage
only atoning sacrifice which makes me acceptable to God (Acts
or outbursts (rage rooms, anyone?); anger presents in settled
4:12; John 14:6).
indignation; clamor rattles around the house in loud voices or brawling attacks; slander speaks in profane or abusive words, and malice nurses desire to harm. What’s common to all such sinful anger? Self-centered, godless reactions to things that displease me
From one sinner to another: there’s hope and mercy in Christ. Let us look to Him alone to find rest for our souls (Psalm 62:5). Feel free to submit your questions at reformationdalton.com—I’ll seek to answer them from God’s word.
or disrupt my little kingdom.
51:4) …a sobering and quieting realization. It’s not wrong to
6 // May 2022
About The Author
By contrast, righteous anger grasps that when someone has sinned against me, they’ve ultimately sinned against God (Psalm
Reagan Marsh, MATS, MDiv (eq.) is husband to Kara, daddy to RG and AG, and founding pastor-teacher to Reformation Baptist Church of Dalton, GA. An SBTS graduate, certified biblical counselor, and Th.D. student in Puritan studies, he has served in gospel ministry since 1998.
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Gò0dNews for Mother’s Day
A Joyous Memory of Mother
H
by Chuck Cleveland
ad she lived, she would be celebrating being
so-good news is I informed God it was a bad idea and
108 years old in 2022, and this incident, I trust,
would do no good.
would have been the highlight of those years.
It certainly was for me. Both my parents had gone to church in their youth,
but there was no discernable evidence to suggest either
Miraculously, when Mother was brought to the phone, her mind was clear. After a short delay to gather myself, I presented the gospel as to how “we” could be forgiven. “You too?” she asked.
was born again. We went to church a few times during my teenage years, but nothing was ever said about how to be saved. Nevertheless, about a year after my father passed away, I became a Christian at the age of 24. My mother was not at all receptive to that news, and we drifted apart over the next 17 years. The situation went from bad to worse when Mother developed dementia, whereby she became unable to think logically. I despaired of her condition, thinking she would never be able to
Her question was the key to my belief that real
understand and respond to the gospel. My younger
spiritual business was transacted. She was clear-
brother moved Mother from Florida to California
headed enough to ask a logical question—why,
(where he lived) and placed her in a nursing home.
indeed, would someone who had already become a
I called many times in the next few months, but
Christian need to do so again?
she was always incoherent. One Sunday morning,
Mother prayed to receive Christ that afternoon,
I was reading in the first chapter of James when I
but it was the last time we spoke intelligibly before her
encountered, “Religion that God accepts as pure and
death. Fortunately, we can speak again in heaven.
their distress” (1:27). The message was clear to me— call my mother. The good news is I did so. The not-
8 // May 2022
About The Author
faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in Chuck Cleveland lives in Newnan, GA and has written for three area magazines, as well as the local newspaper. He has been a Christian for over 50 years.
LLC
TRACY LEE
BONNIE HOOD
DEEANN STURDIVANT
HAVEN COX
MARTHA ALEXANDER
LISA HEADRICK
STAN HOOD
NATHAN PHILLIPS
SHELLIE TYRRELL
DEAN BOTTING
CHUCK WILLIAMS
TYLER PAYNE
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Be Average—And Become a Millionaire MONEY MATTERS
WITH DR. ANDREW LEE Dr. Andrew Lee is professor of English at Lee University. He also serves as a coordinator for Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. He and his wife Esmerelda have three children.
I
n the book Lake Wobegon Days, humorist Garrison Keillor created a fictional place where “all of the children are above average.” Setting aside the stark reality that the word “average” suggests that the majority fall into this category, many Americans resist the suggestion (even the implication) that they are “average” in any way. In numerous surveys, men and women report that they are “above average” in nearly every category—driving, physical condition, intelligence, romantic relationships, you name it. Who wants to be average? But maybe we could benefit simply by being average. First, let’s substitute the word “average” for the more accurate term “median” which means “in the middle.” Median income is a more accurate measure of the majority, because “average income” includes the income of the super wealthy, thus artificially inflating the numbers. In 2022, the median household income in Tennessee is roughly $53,000 (and most states in the South fall in the $50,000-$58,000 range for 2022). In addition, the median price for a singlefamily home in the U.S. as of this writing is approximately $270,000. Some areas of the country will be lower than this home price, while some areas will be much higher, but let’s use this median home price for our example. Let’s say you earned a median household income of $53,000, and obtained a mortgage (loan) of $270,000, and let’s say you’re 25 years old. What if you don’t believe a $53,000 household income is realistic at age 25? By age 25, many who enroll in college have earned their bachelor’s degree and launched into a full-time career. If they didn’t attend college, they most likely entered the labor force earlier than age 25, including opportunities for promotions and raises (especially in today’s red-hot labor market where
10 // May 2022
wages and salaries are rapidly rising). And remember, “household income” includes two adults if they’re married. Earning this median income of $53,000 would mean each spouse is earning $26,500 per year—this is realistic and achievable for nearly anyone working full-time today. So, you earn the median income and live in a median-priced house—now what? Now you invest ten percent of your gross monthly income into your employer’s 401k plan, or into a Roth IRA account if you have no retirement plan where you work. Since your modest plan is to just be “average,” you invest your retirement money into inexpensive stock index funds; you’re not trying to “beat the market” with expensive, actively-managed funds. You just want that average 10% yearly return of a broad stock market index. If you started investing at age 25 and continued for the next 40 years, by age 65 you’d have $2,127,000 with this “average” plan. Even if you stopped working and investing after 30 years at age 55, you’d have $787,000. What about that “average” home you live in? After 40 years of appreciating just 2.5% per year, when you’re age 65, your home would be fully paid off and worth $724,000 after 40 years. If you stopped after 30 years when you’re age 55, your home is paid off and worth $566,000. Combining your retirement investment accounts and your paid-off home, your net worth will be $2.8 million at age 65, or $1.35 million at age 55. By being totally “average,” you’ve become a millionaire without really trying! And these numbers are based on you never getting a raise during your entire working lifetime! “I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think” (Romans 12:3). Be average and become a millionaire.
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Gò0dNews for Men
Move without Moving was convinced she was violating the Eighth Amendment’s cruel and unusual punishment clause. If this wasn’t the type of torture the nation’s founders were trying to mitigate when drafting this key component of the amendment and adding it to the Bill of Rights, I don’t know what was. Indifferent to my civil liberties as a citizen of this great country, Mrs. Elliot (a fictional name to protect the true identity of the guilty) mercilessly forced me to sit perfectly still for sixty minutes as she day in and day out spewed the central components of proper English composition. What in the world does subject-verb agreement have to do with hunting, fishing, and baseball, the cornerstones of this prepubescent’s life? Nothing, I concluded with uncompromising resolve and conviction. Absolutely and unequivocally nothing! Any form of outward civil disobedience on my part, however, would have landed me in big trouble both with the principal and my parents. Consequently, mine was a silent resistance. I was able to perfect a posture and a particular rotation of facial expressions that made it appear as if I was listening when in fact I wasn’t. As she spoke her pronoun and preposition propaganda, the façade allowed me to go to my happy place and joyfully run through in my head a myriad of tapes from past baseball games and hunting/fishing trips. There’s a bit of irony in my so-called righteous indignation as a youth. I spend a considerable amount of time as an adult trying to achieve the very thing Mrs. Elliot was attempting to teach. Avoiding unpleasant but necessary things was a pattern of mine as a kid. Rather than endure and remain engaged, I emotionally escaped only to return once the dust settled. Unfortunately, the pattern carried over into adulthood. As you might gather, this raised (and continues to do so to a degree) all kinds of challenges given the increased gravity of what constitutes as an adult an “unpleasant but necessary” circumstance. But I’m hopeful. If you believe that the Lord superintends all of life, and if you believe that everything which happens to the blood-bought believer is for their
12 // May 2022
ultimate good, there’s no reason to run. There’s a better way to deal with hard realities. It requires, however, being present. We must wait, hold tight, and stay in the moment. But what does active stillness look like? While I’m not sure I completely know—as my poor track record proves—I am starting to catch on to a couple of key components. One of them is a daily acknowledgment of my utter dependency upon the Lord. I find the more readily I admit such helplessness, the more readily I surrender to His care. Moving without moving also requires me to lean on, abide in, and cling to Jesus.
When I do these two things—acknowledge and pursue—it tends to reframe how I look at the circumstance. I am more inclined to see God in the midst of the difficulty. This is vital, for it tells me there is purpose in the pain. While I may not know God’s exact aim, recognizing the fact that He has one springs a sense of hope. If your bent is like mine, I want to encourage you to resist emotionally vacating the next trial you face. Running does absolutely nothing. While the blessing attached to any difficult situation may not take shape in the manner or timing you expect, it will take shape. The Lord is a promise keeper, and He will sovereignly use the trial for His glory and your benefit if you wait for Him with an active stillness. May our hearts take courage as we move without moving. About The Author
I
by Greg Grotewold
Greg Grotewold lives in Oakdale, MN, with his wife, Sandi, and their two sons, Luke and Eli. He is a deacon in his local church and greatly enjoys serving in this capacity.
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Gò0dNews for Women
For The Joy
G
by Katie Loveless
reat conversations happen in our family van. I
Just this week, God drove His point home to my heart
marvel at how organically they come about. Often,
again. Once more, we were on the road to the elementary
the most productive conversations are the ones
school when another cross came into view. This time, the
I don’t plan. In this wilderness season of my life, God is
cross was made of more than just emissions. It was made
showing me His wonders all around like treasure just
of wood, fashioned together with nails, and had a purple
waiting to be discovered. These great conversations are like
scarf draped over it. The cross at the end of my road came
manna from heaven. They nurse old wounds back to health
into view as I rolled up to the stop sign across from it.
and serve as reminders that God still has a plan and we are part of His wonderful plan. One such conversation unfolded as I had all five boys in the van and we were off to our first stop. It was unseasonably warm this particular winter day and the sky a magnificent blue. One of my sons commented, “The sky looks like water.” This, of course, drew our attention upward so that the next little miracle came into view for all of us to see. Right in front of us appeared a beautiful cross etched in the sky by a pair of airplanes. I had been longing for some sign of encouragement as I walk my personal wilderness with the future so unclear. My heart had been asking the question, “How do I keep going?” And there the answer was, right
Again, I heard, “For the joy.” By coming to a complete
in front of us. Like a whisper that comes from a dear
stop, I took in the beauty of the cross, and its message
friend, I heard “For the joy set before you.”
encouraged me to the core.
While sparing you the details, joy has been quite
I can stop and go, all for the glory of God. I can keep
evasive for me for the last few years. So, that sweet
it moving when it hurts to walk. I can look up as the tears
whisper caught my attention in a big way. As I continued
fall. I can praise God when my heart is heavy, and I can
to meditate on that truth, God, once again, used the sky
say His sweet name as my single, desperate plea over this
as His chalkboard. My four-year-old marveled that we
wilderness I am walking in. I can trust Him totally and
had come to a stop at the stoplight and yet the airplanes
completely with everyone and everything. I can trust Him
overhead did not. He wanted to know, “Why aren’t there
as I remain in flight until I reach a place to land. I can do it
stop signs in the sky?” We discussed that mid-flight would
all—for the joy. Doing so brings me just that—utter joy! Joy
not be an ideal time to come to a stop. I declared with
unspeakable and full of glory.
certainty, “It’s important to keep going once you are in flight. It’s not a stop-and-go kind of journey.” And I heard
Why is all this happening, you might ask? Perhaps, for the joy.
14 // May 2022
About The Author
again, “For the joy.” Katie Loveless is a social worker, wife, and mother of five boys. She is a student of grace who enjoys writing, gardening, and empowering others to pursue stability.
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Ringgold Church Directory Baptist Boynton Baptist Church 4093 Boynton Drive Ringgold, GA 30736 706-952-1551 Briarwood Baptist Church 26 Ellis Springs Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-965-9177 Burning Bush Baptist Church 2195 Burning Bush Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-866-1989 Calvary Memorial Baptist Church 518 Highway #41 Ringgold, GA 30736 706-891-9340 Catoosa Baptist Tabernacle 4994 Highway 41 Ringgold, GA 30736 706-935-4323 Cherokee Valley Baptist Church 1495 Cherokee Valley Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-935-6220 Christ First Church 1008 N. Beaumont Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-375-1008 Clearview Baptist Church 2183 Dietz Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-866-0164 Ebenezer Baptist Church 77 Hackett Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-965-7970 Faith Baptist Church 308 Boynton Drive Ringgold, GA 30736 423-509-5334 First Baptist Church of Ringgold 7611 Nashville Street Ringgold, GA 30736 706-935-2358 Friendship Primitive Baptist Church 851 Ooltewah Ringgold Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-935-2382 Gospel Way Baptist Church 31 Bowling Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-891-9866 Grace Baptist Church
16 // May 2022
7638 Nashville Street Ringgold, GA 30736 706-965-7969 Harvest Baptist Church of the Deaf 1314 Old Three Notch Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-375-7107 Video Call: 706-956-0445 Heritage Pointe Baptist Church 60 Dyer Bridge Place Ringgold, GA 30736 706-858-0976 Hickory Grove Baptist Church 5010 Houston Valley Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-673-6999 Keith Baptist Church 1573 Keith Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-450-0963 Living Faith Baptist Church Highway 41 Ringgold, GA 30736 706-891-1817 Midway Baptist Church Highway 41 North Ringgold, GA 30736 706-937-2317 Mount Peria Baptist Church 341 Sparks Street Ringgold, GA 30736 706-935-4887 Mount Pisgah Baptist Church 66 Westbrook Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-935-3031 Mount Vernon Baptist Church 1006 Mount Vernon Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-935-3872 New Bethel Baptist Church 1635 Salem Valley Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-965-3500 New Friendship Baptist Church 3833 Salem Valley Road Ringgold, GA 30736 New Heights Baptist Church 158 Ooltewah Ringgold Rd Ringgold, GA 30736 706-965-9838 New Liberty Baptist Church 923 Graysville Road
Ringgold, GA 30736 706-937-4754 Peavine Baptist Church 1089 Peavine Road Rock Spring, GA 30739 706-375-4721 Philadelphia Baptist Church 1065 Pine Grove Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-891-5683 Pine Grove Baptist Church 46 Pine Grove Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-891-2427 Pleasant Grove Baptist Church 7769 Alabama Highway Ringgold, GA 30736 706-935-3348 Pleasant Valley Baptist Church 1995 Ooltewah Ringgold Rd Ringgold, GA 30736 706-537-3633 Poplar Springs Baptist Church 422 Poplar Springs Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-965-4461 Salem Baptist Church 1947 Keith Salem Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-965-3907 Welcome Hill Baptist Church 223 Inman Street Ringgold, GA 30736 706-965-4814 Church of Christ Cohutta Road Church of Christ 2233 Mount Vernon Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-935-3884 Ringgold Church of Christ 4099 Nashville Street Ringgold, GA 30736 706-965-2820 Church of God Boynton Church of God 1956 Three Notch Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-937-6300 Indian Springs Church of God 2256 Highway 41 North Ringgold, GA 30736 706-937-3599 Noble Church of God 75 Glass Rd
Lafayette, GA 30728 Ringgold Church of God 117 Emberson Drive Ringgold, GA 30736 706-935-2056 Wallaceville Church of God 236 Harp Switch Road Chickamauga, GA 30707 706-375-2736 Community Green Pasture Community Church 1008 North Beaumont Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-375-7333 Lee’s Chapel Community Church 3253 Catoosa Parkway Ringgold, GA 30736 706-935-9928 Rock Bridge Community Church 102 Remco Shops Lane Ringgold, GA 30736 706-279-3175 Full Gospel Yates Spring Full Gospel Church 1300 Yates Springs Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-638-2305 Methodist Boynton UMC 4246 Boynton Drive Ringgold, GA 30736 706-866-2626 Graysville UMC 2331 Graysville Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-891-9253 Ringgold UMC 7484 Nashville Street Ringgold, GA 30736 706-935-4777 Woodstation UMC 13198 Alabama Highway Ringgold, GA 30736 706-965-3360 Non-Denominational Battlefield Church of Faith Highway 41 South Ringgold, GA 30736 706-937-7729 Calvary Chapel Ringgold 548 Boynton Drive Ringgold, GA 30736 706-952-1502
Church of Living Faith 7623 Alabama Highway Ringgold, GA 30736 706-937-5673 Crossroads Church 7638 Nashville Street Ringgold, GA 30736 crossroadsringgold.com Faith Builders International 8309 Highway 41 Ringgold, GA 30736 256-338-5031 Grace Memorial Church 118 East Nashville Street Ringgold, GA 30736
706-965-7969 The Gathering 2501 Pine Grove Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-841 0161 Light House Church 1201 Lafayette Road Rossville, GA 30741 706-861-2715 Messianic Ministry To Israel P.O. Box 22654 Chattanooga, TN 37422 New Life Church PO Box 1973 Ringgold, GA 30736
706-866-7799 Venue Church 3969 Cloud Springs Road Ringgold, GA 30736 423-637-7100 Presbyterian Chickamauga Presbyterian 700 7th Street Chickamauga, GA 30707 706-375-3432 Christ Fellowship 1176 North Three Notch Rd. Ringgold, GA 30736 706-937-4115 Morton Memorial
560 Red Belt Rd. Chickamauga, GA 30707 706-338-7176 Seventh-Day Adventist Ringgold Seventh-Day Adventist Church 124 Kittle Street Ringgold, GA 30736 706-935-3741 Battlefield Community Seventh-Day Adventist Church 96 Hillman Lane Ringgold, GA 30736 706-861-5999
Fort Oglethorpe Church Directory Baptist Anchor of Hope Baptist Church 2613 Lakeview Drive Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 706-866-8318 Battlefield Baptist Church 178 South Cedar Lane Oglethorpe, GA 30742 706-866-1316 Burning Bush Baptist Church 2195 Burning Bush Road Ringgold, GA 30736 706-866-1989 Calvary Memorial Baptist Church 2 E Gate Drive Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 706-866-6183 Cloud Springs Baptist Church 207 Cloud Springs Road Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 706-866-0164 First Baptist Church Ft. Oglethorpe 2645 LaFayette Road Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 706-866-0232 Moriah Baptist Church 2864 Battlefield Parkway Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 706-866-8843 Nellie Head Memorial Baptist 2379 Catoosa Parkway Tunnell Hill, GA 30755 706-935-5236 Old Fort Baptist Church 18 Van Cleve Street Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 706-861-2807
Parkway Baptist Temple 65 Stuart Road Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 706-866-0325 Victory Baptist Church 1013 Layfayette Road Rossville, GA 30741 706-866-0371 Catholic Saint Gerard Catholic Church 3049 Lafayette Road Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 706-861-9410 Church of Christ Fort Oglethorpe Church of Christ 6 Harker Road Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 706-866-4124 Community Battlefield Ministries Church 64 3rd Street Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 706-866-9090 Episcopal Church of the Nativity 1520 Cross Street Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 706-866-9773 Methodist Fairview UMC 2112 McFarland Avenue Rossville, GA 30741 423-653-1043 Fort Oglethorpe UMC 1733 Battlefield Parkway Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 706-820-6314 Newnan Springs UMC
78 Monanaw Avenue Rossville GA 30741 706-866-6724 Nazarene Battlefield Parkway Church of the Nazarene 3220 Battlefield Parkway Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 706-866-9838 Non-Denominational Battlefield Praise & Worship 1337 Battlefield Pkwy, Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 706-913-0531 Chosen Generation Ministries 92 W Patterson Avenue Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 423-779-6777 Living Waters Ministries 1337 Battlefield Pkwy Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 423-255-8655 Ridgeland Point Church 1417 Happy Valley Rd. Rossville, GA 30741 RockPointe Church 1278 Cross Street Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 706-820-6523 Untethered Church 2473 Lafayette Road Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 423-991-6067 Presbyterian First Presbyterian Church 1 Harker Road Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 706-866-0232
List/Update Your Church Listing (423) 478-6484
goodnewscm.com // 17
Gò0dNews for Mothers
Am I A Good Mom?
M
by Jordan Burchette
other’s Day is quickly approaching, and it has caused me to reflect on a crucial question when it comes to my mothering.
When I am sipping delicious coffee with a fellow mom or thinking about the wonderful mothers in my life, I can’t help but think of this question we all ask ourselves. Am I a good mom? Even if you’ve never audibly asked yourself this question, I am confident that you’ve thought about it. Perhaps you’re worried you’re simply failing your children. When everyone is peacefully sleeping at night, and you’re struggling to fall asleep, you worry about them. Did I feed them meals that were healthy enough? Did I listen to them enough? Did I spend enough time with them today? Did they get the fully present or just a watered-down frazzled version of me? Our wandering minds cause our hearts to palpitate faster as we start to doubt our abilities as mothers. The guilt begins to knock at the door of our soul, threatening to take us under for the I believed that I was only a good mom when I did all of the “mom things” right. If I prepared the best meals, planned the best activities, and followed the fantasy Pinterest Mom recipe for a good mom, I felt as if I could confidently say I was a good mom. On the days when everyone ate boxed macaroni and cheese, I raised my voice too many times, and no one could find a clean pair of underwear, I was convinced that made me a bad mom. Perhaps you’ve placed this pressure on yourself as well? I have come to learn the longer I mother my children, the more I realize that even my best day as a mom is only possible because of Christ. The days where we are preparing the best meals, pointing them
18 // May 2022
to Jesus, lending a listening ear, and parenting without an ounce of frustration are only made possible because of Christ in us. Even when we climb on our pedestal, convinced we have motherhood figured out, we must remember we are only good because of Him. He gives us the wisdom and grace to parent our children the way He instructs us to in His word. So, to answer the question, yes. You’re a good mother. But not because you do everything perfectly but because you’re doing your best and trusting God to give you grace each day.
About The Author
second time this week.
Jordan Burchette writes stories to encourage, inspire, and challenge others. When she isn’t writing, she is running her small business, enjoying time with her family, and drinking coffee. You can follow her blog at www.thewordsofjordannoel.com.
Church Activities & Events Chattanooga First Seventh-day Adventist Church Evangelism Training
Saturday, May 7 | 2PM 7450 Standifer Gap Rd, Chattanooga, TN
Tennessee Riverpark Jfest 2022
Saturday, May 21 | 11AM – 11PM 4301 Amnicola Hwy, Chattanooga, TN
First Baptist Church of Chattanooga
GriefShare Grief Recovery Support Group Tuesday, May 24 | 6:30PM – 8:30PM 401 Gateway Ave, Chattanooga, TN
Welcome Hill Baptist Church Fields of Grace
Sunday, May 29 | 11AM 4528 Ooltewah Ringgold Rd, Ringgold, GA
Gò0dNews for Life
Learning to Focus:
Droop Teaches Diligence ’m pretty sure God gave us animals to teach us about Himself (see Romans 1:20). At least, He recently revealed “His power and divine nature” to me one day as I watched my dog, Roscoe, and his friend Droop. God knew I needed a lesson, a reminder, an encouragement this particular day because I’d been feeling like I had a lot on me. It feels like I’m living in a pressure cooker right now. I’m sure you’ve been there, too. Every time you turn around something else is broken, someone else is sick, some effort you’ve made has failed, the world is doing what the world does, etc. I was dwelling on these things this specific morning as I was leaving my house for work, and God showed up to remind me I needed to be dwelling on something—someone—else entirely. You see, I keep dog treats in my car, because…well, why not? Our dog knows this, and he has trained me to give him one each time I enter my car, and each time I exit my car. It’s a wonder he’s not fat. This morning he arrived faithfully beside me, half his body inside my car, head bobbing as he sniffed excitedly for the promised treat. True to form, I retrieved the treat from the package and handed it to my anxious pet. He promptly dropped down beside the car onto the driveway and began to eat. About that time, I saw Droop. Droop is the old Basset Hound that lives next door. Understand, for Droop to reach that point in my driveway is no small accomplishment. My driveway is about 400 feet, most of it straight up. Plus, in addition to the trip down the road, the steep climb up my driveway, his advanced years, and his low, heavy body, one of Droop’s legs is crooked with arthritis, and his little paws are knotty. It seems like just getting around is a challenge. Climbing that big hill is nothing short of miraculous. But there he was. And he was headed our way. Roscoe, who is young, noticed Droop about the same time I did, and immediately left his resting place beside my car and ran to rescue some favored toy lying in our front yard. He was clearly afraid Droop might want what he had. Droop just kept coming, though, with no more than a sideways glance at Roscoe and his toy. Ah, I thought,
20 // May 2022
he wants a treat. Apparently, he has me trained, too. But he never even shifted his eyes in my direction. He never stopped looking toward his destination. Droop’s gate was steady. Determined. Unwavering. He was not anxious, although I’m sure he was hurting. He’d just about have to be. I never actually saw where he ended up. It’s strange, isn’t it? How the Lord brings scriptures to mind just when you least expect them. I could not help but think: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed…Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9, 16-18). What is it for you today? Will you run to keep what this world offers held tightly in your hands? Will you let the aches and pains and pressures of life distract you from that “for which God has called you heavenward?” Or will you take the next step, and then the next, toward Jesus?
About The Author
I
by Beth Henderson
Beth Henderson is a lifelong resident of Cleveland and has been on staff at New Hope Pregnancy Care Center for 8 years. She currently serves as director of operations, and is a certified Life Affirming Specialist. She has been married to her husband Philip for 26 years and they have two daughters, Jamie and Jessie.
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A & A Optical A
by Jodi Varnado
& A Optical, a private practice in Fort Oglethorpe,
With a history in corporate optometry, Sulicia slowly
Georgia, is rooted in passion for individualized,
realized her desire to open a private practice—one that
intentional service to everyone in their community.
offered individuals affordable, personalized options for lenses
Sulicia Jones, half of the visionary pair who revitalized A &
and frames. With the encouragement from her husband and
A Optical, states that their care for individuals stems from
new friend Kim, Sulicia began to pray for a path forward. “I
the concern with the way people see the world. This care is
crossed paths with Kim and I knew that God was making a
evident from only a brief conversation with Sulicia, as she
way,” said Sulicia. Mandisa’s hit-song “Way Maker” comes to
exposed her heart for customers and their vision needs.
mind when Jones describes their meeting:
A & A Optical was established in 1987 by Optician
By faith, I believe that
Polly Fisher in Fort Oglethorpe. Fisher’s daughter, Gloria,
Even when I don’t see it, You’re working,
eventually took over her mother’s business and relocated
You never stop
to Ringgold, GA. This office served as a place of training
You never stop working.
for Fisher’s niece, Kim Bates. Ultimately, Gloria retired
God is always fulfilling a plan and ordering our
and closed the practice in 2017. Two years later, Kim and
steps, sometimes in ways we never could have expected.
Sulicia re-opened A & A Optical, moving it back into the
This is true for Kim and Sulicia, who together have been
original Fort Oglethorpe community. Today, this practice
serving this Georgia community for over three years. A &
tells a story of God’s power to unite, restore, and strengthen
A Optical has come full circle, with the same level of care
individuals and communities alike.
distinguished thirty-five years ago.
22 // May 2022
the value of supporting fellow small business owners. Thus, their selection is unique. Their selection of frames caters to everyone, from budget-minded shoppers to those who prefer luxury lines. A & A Optical even specializes in children’s wear, housing selections for even the most delicate eyes! Kim and Sulicia utilize up-to-date technology, while still remaining cost effective. A & A Optical works with most commercial insurance plans, including Medicaid—an often-underserved clientele. Kim and Sulicia are both licensed Dispensing Opticians (LDO) in Georgia and Tennessee through the American Board of Opticianry (ABO) and the National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE). Sulicia is also a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA). Together, they have fifty-two years of experience in the optometry field. Joining their team is licensed, board-certified optometrist, Dr. Katherine Cox, O.D. Dr. Cox provides exams, diagnoses, and treatments for all A & A Optical customers. A & A Optical is known as hometown optical, a term that applies to the comfort and quality service you will find when you walk through the door. Kim, Sulicia, and Dr. Cox are here to listen to your concerns, assess your needs, and individualize products to fit them. A & A Optical has thousands of lens options and is able to customize frames to suit your preferences. After the practice closes each day, Kim and Sulicia will sit down and review your requests, making sure to order the perfect fit for your distinct needs. With time, thought, and expertise, A & A Optical can find exactly what you’re looking for. A & A Optical loves to say yes, we can. With the ability to customize lenses and frames, A & A Optical stands apart from big-box stores with limiting options. A & A Optical also strives to house independent frame lines, as they know
Kim and Sulicia love serving the community of Fort Oglethorpe and surrounding areas, and have big plans to continue that service. Sulicia has begun creating a non-profit organization named Herschel’s Helping Hands. The mission behind this project is to supply children the eyecare they need through local school systems. With many hours of dedication and care, Sulicia is excited to share this ministry with the community in the future. A & A Optical is also hoping to expand their office services, including adding a full-time Optometrist to their team. If you find yourself in need of personalized eyecare, you can look no further than A & A Optical. Their office is located at 1670 Battlefield Parkway, Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742. The office is open Monday, Thursday, Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. To make an appointment, you can call the office at (706)-866-2111. You can also reach any team member at healthyeyes@aaopticalga.com for any questions. You can also visit their website for more information, www.aaopticalga. com. We hope to see you there!
goodnewscm.com // 23
Gò0dNews for Everyone
Hang On, God’s Texting by Kaye Stein
F
ather, I thank you today…Max stop barking…Lord,
agree with this. You can’t go back, only forward. For the
thank you…what was I supposed to do today? Oh, thank
believer, our goal is to always head towards the mark
you Lord…good grief that cat is so annoying…oh, that’s
which Christ has set for us. Delving into that scripture,
my phone…Lord, I got to get this because it might be the baby
you begin to realize that God created us for a purpose.
coming…where were we? Thank you, Lord, for loving me and my
He knows everything about us and has set our course.
crazy self? I know you understand me because you created me, but
Yet, He has also given us free will so that we may choose
I am thankful that you haven’t given up on me yet!
to seek Him. Now, given that we have a purpose and our
Does anyone else have trouble concentrating or trying to find quiet time for your Bible study and prayer time?
days are numbered, how should we be looking at the minutes in our day? Proverbs 4:5, “Get wisdom, develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.” 2 Timothy 4:5, “But you should keep a clear mind in every situation.” Why? He goes on to say that we are to be telling others about the Good News! Jeremiah 6:10, “To whom can I give warning?” Are you listening to the right source? There are two sayings that are contradictory: “Out with the old and in with the new” and “What’s old becomes new.” Either way, the important thing is to be concerned with what you are putting in your mind. The human brain has a natural,
According to Statista and DigitalMarketing.com, the average
intrinsic capacity to learn. The brain is a supercomputer.
person spends 145 minutes per day on social media.
Like a supercomputer though, what you put in the
People 16-29 spend 3 hours per day on social networking
memory card will drive the brain. To achieve higher
platforms. People swipe, type, click, or tap their phone a
levels, you must develop higher skills like a video game,
whopping 2,617 times per day, but for the heavy user, over
right? Thus, what you are spending your time on is filling
5,500 times. There are 5.22 billion people worldwide using
your data, and guess what comes out by way of your
a mobile device, and 4.66 billion internet users, according
actions and speech? Exactly—what you are putting in.
to their data. That in itself is not really an issue. The Bible
Making sense of it all…use your time wisely! Guard
app reports it is on over 350 million devices around the
your heart and mind so that they may not sin against
world. So, what is the issue then?
God. Hang on, I’m getting a text from God!
Theophrastus, an ancient Greek philosopher, once You will never have more time. Even the unbeliever will
24 // May 2022
About The Author
said, “Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.” Kaye Stein was raised in North Georgia and is now retired. She lives with her husband in Rome, Georgia. She loves her Lord and her family time.
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Gò0dNews for Everyone
Run Your Race
W
by David Huff
hen I was a kid, I participated in track
so that we can finish our race. Paul goes on to say
and field and numerous other sports.
in 1 Corinthians 9:24, “Don’t you know that the
Track was something that I excelled
runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives
at, especially since I was a tall, slender kid. Most people think that everybody is super-fast, and in
the prize? Run in such a way to win the race.” For Christians, we all receive a prize, and that
a lot of cases this is not always accurate. Short-
prize is eternal life with Jesus Christ, but there is
distance runners are usually the ones who excel
still a race to be run here on earth. So, we have to
with speed, and they would beat me every time.
lose the chains and weights that hold us back from
However, when you take a short-distance runner
fulfilling the calling that God has given each one of
and put them in my area, which was long-distance,
us, and we will never fulfill that mission if we are
the tables turned. In long-distance running, the runner paces themselves and knows when to turn on the speed and when to coast. Long-distance running is more about endurance than speed. If you come out of the gate too fast, you will run out of energy, too slow, and you will fall too far behind. Knowing your endurance level helps you to run at the right speed. Paul talks about racing with endurance in Hebrews 12:1: “Therefore, since there is such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and
bound by the chains of the past. Our job is to reach
sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run the race
the unsaved by showing Christ-like character, and
with endurance.”
we cannot do that bound by weights and chains. So
Paul is telling us here that unless we lose the
run your race and show others the greatest prize
weight of the world and the things that hold us
there is to win is Jesus. No trophy or reward is
back, then we will not have the endurance to win the
greater than Him.
race in a world that wants to keep us captive to the saying to release them. Yes, some may be hard to do so, but it also allows our endurance to grow stronger
26 // May 2022
About The Author
pains, hurts, and hindrances that we have. Paul is My name is David Huff, and I am married to Brittany and together we have five wonderful kids. We attend Rock Bridge Community Church Calhoun where I serve on the prayer team, host team, and a small group co leader. I am also a senior at Lee University.
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Gò0dNews Poetry
Is Your Name Written by Judy Hood
The day had come when I stood before my King He opened the book and said, “What will this bring?” He said, “I know on earth you had lots of strife. But is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life?” I humbly looked at him with tears in my eyes This is a place where you can’t wear a disguise He looked at me with love radiating like none I’ve seen before And said, “Child, your name is here, you may walk through those doors I have a home prepared for you, it glistens and it shines I’m gathering all my children, not to leave anyone behind So, you go on and enjoy, for heaven is your home It is paradise, a new place for you to roam.”
28 // May 2022
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Gò0dNews for Everyone
Come To Me and Rest
“S
by Chris Mullis
o the creation of the heavens and the earth
the synagogue each Sabbath. He also took time to leave the
and everything in them was completed. On
crowds and His disciples to go away to be alone and pray.
the seventh day God had finished his work of
Work is important, but working too much can be an
creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed
addiction as destructive as alcoholism. We need to rest and
the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day
worship. Worship is when we remember the wonder of
when he rested from all his work of creation” (Genesis 2:1-3).
God and His goodness and express our gratitude. Worship
We live in a hectic world that values productivity. Studies
reminds us of our proper place in creation and opens us up
show that 60% of Americans don’t get enough sleep. Lack of
to the voice of God who reveals where we need to grow.
sleep increases the risk of obesity, heart disease, and breast
Are you weary from carrying heavy burdens? Are
cancer. It also leads to car accidents and medical errors. It’s not just a lack of sleep that plagues us. There is also
you working yourself to death trying to do too much? Are you weighed down with grief, guilt, worry, stress,
a lack of resting—a time when we just refrain from working. Studies show that 1/3 of Americans don’t take vacation time even when their jobs offer it. When people do take a vacation, they rarely use the time to “rest.” Instead, they fill the vacation with too many activities. Have you ever returned from a vacation feeling like you needed a vacation from your vacation? In our world, the idea that God rested and that He made “resting” a Holy commandment may seem alien. Yet, rest is essential to healthy living. God wants us to take time to “Be still and know that He is God” (Psalm 46:10). When we pause from our labors and other distractions, we have time to remember who we are and who God is and to just enjoy life. When we do not rest, we
loneliness, disappointments, shame, or anxiety? The grace
are less human than God wants us to be.
of God through Jesus Christ calls to you: “Come, and I will
The very first thing God calls “holy” in the Bible is the
give you rest.” Jesus wants to wash away your sins and
Sabbath rest. A weekly day of rest was so essential that it
give you a brand-new life where you don’t have to carry
became one of the most important religious laws in the
the impossible expectations of others or even your own
Bible. It was a day that God ordered teachers and priests
unrealistic expectations. Jesus wants you to use your time
and prophets to defend again and again.
reasonably. Jesus’ yoke fits perfectly and allows for work
In Mark 2:27, Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.” This is a reminder not to
and worship and rest so you can fully enjoy the amazing life God created in you and all around. So what’s stopping you from coming to Jesus today?
let religious devotion to the Sabbath outweigh common Sabbath is an incredible gift from God—something we need. The Bible tells us it was Jesus’ custom to worship God in
30 // May 2022
About The Author
sense or common decency. However, it also reminds us the
Rev. Chris Mullis is an ordained minister of the United Methodist Church with a Masters of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University. Pastor Chris’s ministry has spanned twenty years and four different churches in Georgia. Chris is currently serving God as the senior pastor of Pleasant Grove Methodist Church located at 2701 Cleveland Hwy in Dalton, GA.
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Gò0dNews for Parents
Naked at Prater’s Mill
W
by Monica Gambrell
hen I had my first child in 1985, the fabulous
men…” (from a poem by Robert Burns). Things sometimes
Prater’s Mill Arts and Crafts Festival was
go topsy-turvy. How do you and I deal with things when
happening the first weekend of every May and
they go awry? How should we? It depends. Do we believe
October. People in Dalton, Georgia, know all about it, and
that God is God? In other words, do you believe that He
it has always been one of my favorite things to take part
has it all under control? You see, if He is God, then that
in. Every mother knows that with the first child, things are
demands and necessitates that He is in control at all times,
different than they are for subsequent children. I remember
and of all things. If God is in control, why fret when things
being very diligent to pack every possible thing that might be
go in a completely unexpected direction? Whether we
needed into that huge diaper bag before heading out. Rachel
acknowledge it or not, absolutely nothing ever takes God by
had been born in February, so she was only about three
surprise. Nothing! Not even when everyone is staring at my
months old for this outing. I knew it would be challenging to
poop-crusted, stinky-hot, naked baby on the way out of a
tackle Prater’s Mill with an infant, but I felt I had prepared
crowd of people probably judging me. Not even then.
well. I had nursed Rachel before we got to the admission gate and was in great anticipation of what I knew would be a fun-filled day. Let’s just say that things didn’t turn out exactly as I had planned. I had packed extra changing pads, extra burp cloths, twice as many diapers as needed, and four extra changes of clothes… of course, I was ready, right? Ummm, guess not. Rachel was the poopiest baby I had ever heard of, and she seemed to be on overdrive that day. It was hotter than the normal May day in Georgia, and that didn’t help matters. Normally, I would have stayed from midmorning until just before dinner, enjoying the wares of craftsmen from around the country, the old grist mill, and some amazing food vendors. But
“…and hope does not disappoint, because the love of
the unexpected challenges of meeting Rachel’s needs cut
God has been poured out within our hearts through the
things short. I had literally been through every diaper and
Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5).
every outfit that had been packed in only a few short hours. Rachel left there in my arms naked and wrapped in the last clean changing pad. Whew! I never tried that again! Someone once said that one of the only constants we can
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Father God, our circumstances may sometimes disappoint us—but hope in You never disappoints. You are
count on is change itself. How true! And how strange! You
more constant than the change in our lives because You exist
know the old saying, “The best-laid schemes of mice and
outside the realm of time, space, and matter. You see the
32 // May 2022
beginning from the end; You are never taken by surprise. And because we are Yours, we need not fret about anything.
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Gò0dNews for Everyone
May Flowers Bring God’s Faithfulness
“A
by April Engstrom
nd which of you by being anxious can add
Faith. Jesus lays it on pretty hard, “O you of little faith!”
a single hour to his span of life? If then you
I know each year I can count on one thing time will pass,
are not able to do as small a thing as that,
seasons will come and go. Often in the chaos of getting
why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how
ready for school in the morning, I have to remind my 6-year-
they grow: they neither toil nor spin…But if God so clothes
old son that we cannot get wasted time back. If he chooses
the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is
to spend his time not getting ready, then I cannot give him
thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O
more time. Time will pass, we cannot change that. We can
you of little faith!” (Luke 12:25-28, ESV).
anticipate what will happen in the future, school will end
One of my favorite things about spring is the flowers.
and Mom will no longer have to drag him out of bed, but
The roads, once surrounded by dead branches and brown
that doesn’t change the truth of today. God has given us
leaves, are slowly crowned by fresh blossoms of life.
the gift of today. He has a plan for your today and a calling
My personal favorites are the daffodils, dogwoods, and
for your life. He wants you to know Him intimately so that
redbuds, as they are the first indicators that spring is
He can get the most out of your todays. I think that’s why
officially here.
He’s so harsh in His admonishment of our wasting time.
I wrote previously about how we can be called out of
He who is outside of time knows just how fleeting our
our winter. How sometimes it takes the roar of a lion, but
time on this earth is. He knows how much He needs all of
we need to look to spring and the new growth God has for
our todays, and that’s why it hurts Him when we worry
us. Now, I want to address the anxiety that comes with new
about tomorrow. He is calling you to a life of faith, full
life and new growth.
dependency on Him and His truth in your life.
Anxiety. A word that plagues so many people, both
By the time you read this, the daffodils will have
believers and non-believers alike. I remember when I was
withered away for another season, the dogwoods will
first diagnosed with anxiety, it literally felt like my world
have lost their blooms, and the colorful redbuds will have
was closing in. One of the worst things to tell an anxious
turned green. Seasons change, time comes and goes, yet God
person is that they have anxiety. I have struggled, prayed
continues to provide. This is the truth that you can cling to
for forgiveness, and full-on battled with God over the verse
no matter what the season of life you are in brings you. Even
above. Why God, why when you promise a way without
though the lilies and the grass die, God still provided for
anxiety does it continue to be such a deep struggle?
them in their time, and He will provide for you too. Trust
34 // May 2022
About The Author
Him with your today and lay your anxiety down at His feet.
April Engstrom resides in Bradley County with her husband and two boys. She loves her family at the Church at Grace Point and exploring God’s creation. You can follow April’s blog at everlasting-evergreen.weebly.com.
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Gò0dNews for Teachers
What I Learned in Kindergarten by Leslie Bennett
I
n 1989, I began my journey in the world of
will never forget. You just never know what kids are going
kindergarten. My first seven years were spent as a
to say. It is always an adventure when you are dealing
special education assistant at Trewhitt Elementary. I
with children.
was blessed to work with several children with Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy.
Now let’s get back to the things I have learned. Number 2: The kids who are the most challenging are often the
Many days were challenging, but children are a
ones who need to be loved the most. Children who are in
blessing from God, regardless of their special needs. Often
desperate need of attention often act out. It is a teacher’s job
people would ask me how I did it every day. I always told
to give them the love and attention they need.
them that I treated the children just like I would want my own children to be treated. My next twenty-six years have been spent in kindergarten at Michigan Avenue Elementary, where I attended elementary school myself. I have had the privilege of getting to know the children in thirty-three classrooms, many of which I have kept in touch with over the years. There are a couple of things I have learned about children during my career. Number 1: They are brutally honest. They say exactly what they think. No filter! Like the time I was giving one of my students an AR test on the computer and she told me I smelled like her grandmother. I wasn’t sure
I am always reminded of the quote by Carl W. Burhner:
if her grandmother was in a nursing home, but I later learned
“They may forget what you said—but they will never forget
that her grandmother wore the same perfume I wore.
how you made them feel.”
On another occasion, one of my students asked me what
Teachers have the wonderful opportunity to make
was wrong with my eyes. I went to the restroom, looked
children feel loved and cared for daily. I am blessed to
in the mirror, and realized in my haste to get ready that
spend my days with the gifts God has placed in my life.
morning I had not put mascara on my bottom lashes. I did
I have been rewarded with many children over the past
look a little strange.
thirty-three years and I am better because of them.
And then there was the time a colleague told one of our little guys that he had his shoes on the wrong feet. He
“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him” (Psalm 127:3).
said, “But these are the only feet I have.” Epic. That’s one I
36 // May 2022
About The Author
looked down at his feet and looked back up at her and Leslie Bennett is a kindergarten assistant at Michigan Avenue School. She is a member of First Baptist Church and sings in the adult choir. She manages a blog at ohyesshedid.org.
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Gò0dNews for Everyone
A Story on Proverbs 3:5-6
P
by Danette Reeves
roverbs 3:5-6 states, “Trust in the LORD with all your
as closely as possible, intentionally and expressly focused
heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In
on Him. This intentionality is sometimes difficult because of
all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make
distractions, peer pressure, stress, and conflicts.
straight your paths.” We may quote this verse as often as
We finally get to the promise: “He will make your paths
John 3:16. It is essential to dissect these familiar verses, not
straight.” I wish He had said He would make our paths
just run through them, overlooking their wisdom. Only then
easy, understandable, or even clearly marked. He said
can we truly begin to properly understand how to apply
straight. When we trust Him and acknowledge Him, He will
scripture to our daily lives.
lead us straight to conforming to the image of Jesus. We will
It is imperative to understand the first word, “TRUST.” According to Webster’s Dictionary, trust is “assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.” We are given two commands in this verse: 1) trust in the LORD, and 2) do not lean on our own understanding. Leaning on our own understanding is in complete opposition to trusting the LORD. We cannot possibly understand why or how God does everything, but He tells us to trust Him with ALL of our hearts. Guess what ALL means. ALL means ALL. We are to not only trust Him when it makes sense to us but also trust Him when we cannot understand. Our understanding is skewed
look less like this world and more like Jesus. Romans 8:29:
by our emotions, circumstances, past experiences, and
“For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be
belief systems. We can trust in the LORD—the God who
conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might
never changes; the God who is omniscient, omnipresent,
be the firstborn among many brothers.” 2 Corinthians 3:18:
omnipotent. We can trust His character, ability, and
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the
strength. We are fickle; He is steadfast. We are limited in
Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one
our vision; He sees everything clearly and thoroughly.
degree of glory to another…”
Once we settle the trust issue, He then tells us to
That’s the straight path God has for us: Conforming
acknowledge Him in all our ways. Again, we see the
and transforming to the image of Jesus, thinking His
word ALL, not some. “Acknowledge” is to know Him, to
thoughts, living His example, being changed from one
recognize that God is the one who works in our lives with
glory to another.
Practically, how do we acknowledge God? We study His Word, and we apply it to our lives. We pray. We follow Him
38 // May 2022
About The Author
all wisdom, power, mercy, grace, love, and justice. Danette Reeves and her husband, Charlie, live in Cleveland, TN. They attend The Church at Grace Point. One of their joys is being Oma and Opa to four grandchildren. Her heart’s desire is to be a student and a teacher of the Word, and a consistent follower of Jesus.
Gò0dNews
Christian Magazine
Mission Statement:
W
Writer Guidelines:
e believe when people are equipped,
Who: Our writers range from pastors, professors, and
motivated, and passionately engaged in
professional writers to stay at home moms and dads,
living out their faith in Jesus Christ they
business professionals, and others who have a desire to
have the potential to be world changers. Our mission is to bring people into a dynamic
relationship with Jesus Christ—a relationship that empowers them to see how God can work through individual personalities, situations, and talents. Christ was an activist, he did not neglect the needs of the people as He brought His message. We strive to encourage everyone to look more like Christ by reaching outside of themselves to serve the needs of others—at home, at school, in communities, and across the world.
goodnewscm.com Phone: 423.478.6484
reach out to people through words of encouragement. What: We believe that it is important to laugh together, praise each other, encourage one another, and to offer biblical advice. Articles can be directed toward everyone, or from woman to woman, or man to man. We love to share recipes and family traditions as well. We ask that articles be kept to a 500 word maximum. We’d love to hear from you! Where: Please send submissions to articles.goodnews@gmail.com Why: Because God has not intended for us to just survive. We believe that we are intended to reach out to love and encourage each other. God has brought each of us through tough times, blessed us, and made the “impossible” possible. Let’s, together, share the love of Jesus Christ.
Gò0dNews for Everyone
Blueprint
“I delight to do Thy will, O my God: yea, Thy law is within my heart” (Ps. 40:8).
N
by Terrie E. Ruff
ine months ago, everything changed as I was
the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud
informed that my brother Mack had died
command, with the voice of the archangel and with the
unexpectedly on the eve of his fifty-fifth birthday.
trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
The shock was incredibly intense, as was the pain. I had to dig deeply into the resources of God’s grace. I leaned on Him, and I never asked why? —I asked what? What is the lesson? What do you want me to do? As I prepared for Mack’s funeral, God gave more clarity to my question. The what: tell everyone I meet about the good news of the gospel and its power to carry us through any loss we experience! And I did! As I talked with my nephew a few days after his father’s funeral, he said something so profound and powerful to me, “Auntie, my father left me a blueprint, now it’s up to me to follow it.” Spencer was also answering the what question. As my prince of a nephew spoke about his father, I smiled with pride as I knew He would follow Mack’s Godly blueprint. And he is! Here is Mack’s Blueprint: Man of God: love/commitment/witness (Matt. 28:18-20)
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught
Affectionate & Attentive: love for family (1 Cor. 13)
up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in
Caring: fun loving-laughter/love for people/helpful
the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore
(Prov. 17:22) Kind King: gentle giant/example of manly strength and tenderness (Prov. 11:24-25) “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be
encourage one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4: 13-18). Our hope! Our challenge! If we live consecrated lives, obedient to God’s calling, we will see Jesus and we will see Mack again!
uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do
During challenging times, I invite you not to ask why?
not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For
—but to ask what? I guarantee that you will be surprised at
we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe
what God has in store for you. If you allow Him, your life
that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep
will be a blueprint of His love for others to follow.
who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For
40 // May 2022
About The Author
in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we Terrie E. Ruff is a public speaker, soloist and inspirational author. She is an active member of the Orchard Park SDA Church in Chattanooga. Terrie can be contacted at Terrie.Ruff@lpnt.net.
LIFE IS FULL OF SURPRISES.
Gò0dNews for Everyone
Dealing with a Bully
I
by Kristen West
hit the crash bar on the door of the middle school
tactics all the time and are highly skilled at them.
and went running across the street. Finding
They spew threats, throw taunts, and lie to get us on
sanctuary in a public laundromat, I called my dad
the run—cowering in fear and cringing with worry
and asked him to come to pick me up. A bully had
as they slowly and methodically look to tear apart
it out for me. To this day, I’m not sure why. At the
our faith.
ripe old age of thirteen, I aimed to be as well-liked by
2 Corinthians 2:11 encourages us not to be “…
everyone as I possibly could but this specific girl just
ignorant of (the enemy’s) schemes.” Bullying is one of
wasn’t having it.
the devil’s most classic schemes, and to be clear, it’s
That particular night, as I sat with a handful
all he can do. But here’s the beautiful truth that, when
of classmates watching a seventh-grade boys’
seen clearly, will enable you to stand toe to toe with
basketball game, this girl spread the message that
any spiritual bully—everything they say is a lie.
she was going to “beat me up.” Needless to say,
Paul encourages us to “…take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Why? Because our minds (our thoughts) are where the war is waged. The devil knows he can’t strongarm us into doing anything we don’t want to do. But he has seen over the years how highly effective spouting lies and hurling threats can be, and when bullies find a hot button to push, they don’t tend to change their tactics. The solution? Examine those taunts and threats as you hear them in your mind and replace them with what’s true. Find those incredible verses that
the moment I saw her heading my way, I bolted. I
apply to your circumstance right now and pray them
huddled between the washing machines churning
over your life, your heart, and your mind. In doing
through their cycles until my dad arrived to rescue
so, you’ll turn the tables on those bullies and put
me. I don’t know if that girl even followed me to the
them on the run!
King Koin Laundromat that night. All I know was that
(Of course, calling your Daddy always helps, too!)
her threat alone sent me running. spiritual adversary as well. Have you? The devil and his devious cohorts use these tried-and-true bullying
42 // May 2022
About The Author
I have felt that way countless times with our
Kristen West works at Rock Bridge Community Church with a heart for staff leadership, development, and care. She is a communicator with a passion to inspire, encourage, and challenge others in their daily walk with Christ. She writes and publishes weekly content on her blog at kristen-west.com.
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