November 2022

Nestled in the rolling foothills of Northwest Georgia. Conveniently located between Chattanooga and Atlanta, our family farm offers unrivaled beauty and serenity with just the right touch of rustic charm and modern amenities. Our lush grounds frame tranquil ponds. Cascading willow trees sway majestically in the mountain breezes. Cattle and llamas graze in nearby verdant fields as ducks and swans paddle peacefully atop shimmering waters. Aside from the pristine countryside, we offer a barn, a pavilion, two gazebos, an open, flat grassy area, and a fire pit for your special occasion. Whether you need indoor or outdoor settings for your next event, look no further than Willow Tree Farms.

About Us

WRITERS

Dr. Alan Hix

Beth Penny Brent Goodge David Huff Donald Cantrell Granger Hughes Jodi Varnado Judy Hood Katie Loveless Kenneth E. Ware Matt Jensen Regina Law Smith Sandra Gilmore Stephanie Daniels Terrie Ruff Zebbie Brewster

SALES

Shane Franks 706-270-2410 Email: dalton.goodnews@gmail.com

DESIGN

Prytherch Email: art.goodnews@gmail.com

PHOTOGRAPHS

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, Christian lifestyle publication. You can find us throughout the community in retail establishments, churches, restaurants, and more. Our magazine opens the door for Christians to work together to grow and strengthen our community through relevant editorial and effective advertising.

GoodNews Christian Magazine is written by men and women in the community who love and serve the Lord. Our hearts are open and willing to be used by God to reach out to the community to spread the GoodNews!

Disclaimer

All of the content in the GoodNews Christian Magazine is for general information and/or use. Such contents does not constitute advice and should not be relied upon in making (or refraining from making) a decision. Any specific advice or replies to queries in any part of the magazine is the personal opinion of such experts/consultants/persons and is not subscribed to by GoodNews Christian Magazine. The information in GoodNews Christian Magazine is provided on an “AS IS” basis, and all warranties, expressed or implied of any kind, regarding any matter pertaining to any information, advice or replies are disclaimed and excluded. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement or article we deem inappropriate.

GoodNews from the Pastor’s Desk

6 The Family Supper Table by Donald Cantrell

GoodNews for Kids

8 Count Your Blessings by Katie Loveless

GoodNews Money Matters

10 How Long Will My Money Last? by Granger Hughes

GoodNews for Men

12 Did God Really Say...? by Brent Goodge

GoodNews for Women

14 I Finally Got Over Myself! by Terrie Ruff

GoodNews for Grandparents

18 Thank You Lord by Zebbie Brewster

GoodNews for Everyone

20 PS138V8 by Regina Law Smith

GoodNews Cover Story

22 Compass Advisors: Helping You Navigate the Medicare Maze

GoodNews for Everyone

24 Objects In the Mirror Are Smaller Than They Appear by Beth Penny

GoodNews for Everyone

26 How Do You Pray? by David Huff

GoodNews Poetry

28 Thanksgiving Day by Judy Hood

GoodNews for Everyone

30 Are You Tilting at Windmills? by Dr. Alan Hix

GoodNews for Health

32 Hamilton Health Care System New Telehealth Service

GoodNews for your Taste Buds

34 Thanksgiving Sweet Potato Casserole Boats by Jodi Varnado

GoodNews for Everyone

36 Is God One Person? by Matt Jensen

GoodNews for Everyone

38 While He Was Thinking by Sandra Gilmore

GoodNews for Everyone

40 Rejoice In Your Harvest by Stephanie Daniels

GoodNews for Everyone

42 Standing Firm in The Last Days by Kenneth E. Ware

The Family Supper Table

by Donald Cantrell

Iremember it as if it happened yesterday. My daughter called my wife late at night in November 2019 and told her she felt as though she was going to die if she did not go to the E.R. My wife took her to the E.R., and while there, they treated her for an unknown illness—which would soon be known as Covid-19. After two trips to the doctor’s office and two trips to the E.R., Whitney finally got better, but they still had no clue as to why she was sick. It was during the spring of 2020 that news of the virus began to take hold of the world and life as we knew it seemed to change forever.

Due to the world being on lockdown, something good happened within our family—we were re-introduced to the supper table. As a pastor, I have had the good fortune of being able to work from home for the last twelve years. Because of that, it has been my pleasure to become a “cook.” Since most of the local eating places were off limits, I became the family chef, as I would have supper ready and waiting for everyone to come eat at our house.

Though the world was facing death and danger, our family of five found an oasis within the confines of our house, sitting around the supper table. Once everyone left work, they would arrive at our house one by one until my wife, daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter were safely and happily eating and laughing at the table.

To be completely honest with you, I am not a chef because my forte is baking bread and crafting sumptuous desserts. During the past few years our family has tried all sorts of beans from the crockpot, pork chops that were baked in the oven, and even a “Tim Tebow Pizza” (although,

only my wife and I were fans of this awesome pizza; some people in my family are not cultured).

The beauty in all of this was simple—it was not about the food. The blessing of the virus driving the world into isolation was that our family became even closer as we would sit down each and every evening and share stories about our day. There was a sense of peace and pleasure in seeing everyone’s car pulling into our driveway because I knew that, once again, they had survived.

It was a blessing to sit around the family supper table watching as everyone set their worries and frustrations aside while eating some “good meals” and some “not so good meals.” One thing that was established within our family was once we sit down to eat, there is to be no talk of the virus. We celebrated another day of living. We live in a world of advanced technology, but one of the greatest inventions known to mankind is the family supper table.

About The Author

Donald Cantrell is a lifelong native of Murray county and has been pastoring and preaching since 1980. He has had the honor of publishing over thirty books and his sermon material is sold all over the world by various online companies. If you visit his house any weekend in the fall you will find them watching the “Florida Gators or the New England Patriots… Chomp Chomp.”

Count Your Blessings

by Katie Loveless

Have you ever heard the expression attitude is everything? Attitude really is important. The Bible says so in Proverbs 23:7, where we gain the phrase adapted from the KJV, “As a man thinks in his heart so is he.” We can believe the Bible. It tells us what is true about God and ourselves. The Bible tells us that the way we think will shape who we become and what we do. In other words, our thinking steers the direction of our hearts.

My middle son, Sawyer, came into my room with a Scholastic book. The book is written about different types of animal feet and has a very interesting cover of a boy with aardvark feet. Sawyer cannot yet read at four-years-old. He made an assumption about truth based on what he saw on the cover. He pointed at the animal feet, the boy on the cover, and the aardvark. He assumed the boy turned into an aardvark by touching the animal’s feet. That is not at all what the book says.

The book actually presents interesting facts about animal feet and stirs your imagination to think about what it would be like to have animal feet. In the case of the boy with the aardvark feet, he could quickly unearth buried treasure. However, we don’t need animal feet to uncover treasure. We can find it in our hearts by letting Jesus in. We can even find it in our own backyard by taking time to count our blessings.

My prayer for you as you take time to do this is for you to ask God to help you unearth truth. I pray you will dig into the word. I challenge you to learn from the Bible and its teachings so you can read for yourself what is true about God and you. Finding the truth is as simple as 1, 2, 3. If you are ready for adventure, take the 1, 2, 3 challenge below!

Challenge 1 Kids: Explore in your yard, at a park, or help a grown-up tend to a houseplant. As you do, take note of the shapes and edges of the foliage around you. Count your blessings for every point. For a leaf with 3 points, identify 3 things you are grateful for. For a leaf with 5 points, name 5 things you like.

Challenge 2 Jewels: Find a verse in the Bible that mentions counting, thankfulness, or discovery. What treasure did you find? What is the truth you found and want to keep?

Challenge 3 Keepers: Keep it in your heart. Pray about a person or thing you counted as a blessing. Make this month one where you ask God to bless and protect someone or something you discovered is a blessing in your life. Partner with a grown-up to help you pray or to talk about what God has put on your heart in prayer. Consider whether God is prompting you to serve with an act of kindness to keep the blessings coming.

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.

About The Author

How Long Will My Money Last?

Money Matters Granger Hugheswith

works with his father

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This is a tough question many of us will ask at some point in our lives as we face many obstacles when planning for things like long-term care, taxes, potential market downturns, and even longevity risk.

Men at age 65 today can expect to live until age 84 on average, and women on average, until age 87. About one of every four 65-year-olds today will live past age 90, and one of ten past 95.1

This poses a problem our parents or grandparents didn’t face—it’s a good problem, but a problem nonetheless. Let’s address strategies to combat these realities and work toward making your retirement income last 20 to 30 years!

Long-term care (LTC)

The average annual cost of LTC is $108,405.2 Someone turning 65 today has a 70% chance of needing some type of LTC.3 This means LTC is worth accounting for in our retirement plans. Let’s look at a few ways to do this.

Indexed universal life policy

This allows you to access the death benefit in the event you need LTC and are unable to perform two of the six activities of daily living (ADLs), like feeding, bathing, toileting, etc., and aren’t tied to certain care facilities. This money can also be used to build a handicap accessible home if you’d rather — it’s your choice.

Traditional LTC policy

This is a “use it or lose it” product with the potential of wasting money on something you may never need. A lot of these policies also restrict which care facilities you can use, which might be problematic for some.

LTC-focused financial vehicles

This would be utilizing an annuity with an LTC rider. This is a good option for someone who doesn’t want the “use it or lose it” strategy.

The key here is you aren’t qualifying from a health standpoint; however, if you tried to purchase an annuity and couldn’t perform two of the six aforementioned ADLs before you purchased it, the LTC rider wouldn’t be an option.

For example, let’s say you invested $300,000 that generated a lifetime income check of $2,000 a month. In the event you couldn’t

in the

those who may otherwise not be aware of

when

perform two of those six ADLs, your check would double to $4,000 a month for up to five years.

Taxes

We’ve been hardwired to reduce taxable income by loading our 401(k)s and other tax-deferred accounts, forgetting about our silent partner: the IRS. We must realize the risk of future tax hikes we may encounter with deferred funds due to outstanding and ever-increasing national debt. Here are some brief solutions.

Roth Conversion

You can convert money in a deferred account to pay the taxes now rather than later. There are no income limits to do this, but remember, you have to pay these taxes eventually!

Roth IRA

This takes a while to build up at $7,000 a year for those over 50 and comes with income limitations, which could be difficult for highincome earners.

Life Insurance Retirement Plan

This can be indexed and there are no contribution or income limits. Also, when you need the money, it can be withdrawn tax-free, if done correctly.

Market downturn

If you’ve been contributing to your retirement income for any amount of time, you know market downturn is always a risk. To better create a retirement income plan, it’s important to assess your risk tolerance by having your portfolio tested to discover your statistical risk versus reward. If you haven’t tested your portfolio, now is the time to do it. Many of us could be positioning ourselves to experience another 2008 and don’t even know it.

These are three key components to help ensure that we don’t run out of money. I urge you to take all into consideration when developing your retirement plan. Working alongside an experienced financial professional can help you explore your options and develop a plan that works for your retirement needs.

Remember: It’s not what we make, it’s what we keep that counts!

Did God Really Say…?

by Brent Goodge

There’s a story at the end of the book of Jeremiah that doesn’t often make it to the Bible bedtime storybooks. The story is touched on in five verses of 2 Kings (2 Kings 25:22-26), and the Chronicles don’t mention it. It’s the story of the “fortunate” Jews who survived the siege of Nebuchadnezzar and were not carried off to Babylon.

By direct order of Nebuchadnezzar himself, Jeremiah was released from prison after the Babylonian army took Jerusalem. Given the choice to travel to Babylon as a guest of Nebuchadnezzar or to stay behind with the other remaining Jews, Jeremiah chose to remain in Judah. He moved to Mizpah to live. There he joined Gedaliah, whom Nebuchadnezzar had appointed governor of the remaining people.

Read Jeremiah chapters 40-45 to get the entire story. In short, Gedaliah was murdered and the Jews remaining were at a loss for what to do. Some favored staying in Judah. Others favored escaping to Egypt in fear that Babylon would come to destroy them for the murder of Gedaliah.

Thankfully, Jeremiah was yet among them, and he could relate God’s instructions to them. Their request to Jeremiah could hardly have been more respectful. “Please let our petition be acceptable to you, and pray for us to the Lord your God… that the Lord your God may show us the way in which we should walk and the thing we should do” (Jeremiah 42:2,3). When

Jeremiah promised to bring them God’s word, they added, “Let the Lord be a true and faithful Witness between us… whether it is pleasing or displeasing, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God” (Jeremiah 42:5,6).

Ten days later, Jeremiah brought them the word of the Lord. God instructed that the people stay in the land of Judah. God would move the heart of Nebuchadnezzar to spare them. Conversely, if they chose to go to Egypt, hardly any of them would survive to return. The devastation they were desperate to escape would find them in Egypt.

The leaders of the people, having already made up their minds to go to Egypt, proclaimed, “You speak falsely! The Lord our God has not sent you to say, ‘Do not go into Egypt’” (Jeremiah 43:2). Having already promised to accept the word of the Lord through Jeremiah, they denied that God actually inspired the words His prophet was sharing with them.

There is a much older story that reveals where this attitude originated. About 3,500 years before Jeremiah, a snake waited in a tree. The snake was eating fruit that Adam and Eve had been forbidden to partake of. His conversation began with “Did God really say…?” and quickly moved to “You shall not surely die,” in direct contradiction to the word of God. Then he added that, through disobedience, Eve could become like God (Genesis 3:15). Satan inspired the Jews who rejected the word of Jeremiah.

Satan inspires all those today who, by their words and deeds implies the question, “Did God REALLY say…?”

Brent Goodge lives in Whitfield County, and he wants the quote of his life to be like Jesus, “It is written…” rather than “Did God REALLY say…?”

About The Author

Add warmth to your kitchen with the soft glow

I Finally Got Over Myself!

“He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

by Terrie Ruff

Iwas so happy to see my friend Trish today! Her bright and cheerful smile is such a refreshing greeting as I pass by her department or as she enters my office. The joy of the Lord is all over her! As we made plans for lunch, I was excited because whenever I spend time with her, I always walk away with food for thought, and today would be no exception. In a timely manner, I completed my morning tasks and hurriedly gathered my lunch bag and headed towards Trish’s office. From there, we made our way to a quiet spot in the cafeteria.

As we sat down, she began sharing how God had been blessing her and her husband. He had been leading and guiding them as they were making life-changing decisions. She talked about wanting to do more for God and how she was more ready now to do whatever He asked of her, to go wherever He asked her to go, and to be bold for Him and not concerned with what others thought. Wow! I look at her enthusiasm with amazement, and before I could ask her the “how” question, she answered my silent questioning. “Terrie, I finally got over myself. Now I can really serve God.” Her laugh was evidence of the new found freedom and joy she had in emptying herself completely for God to fill her to overflow, so that she could be His vessel and used as He pleased.

Wow! Like Trish, I want to follow the example that Jesus left for us. He gave all as He poured out His life to fulfill God’s plan for the salvation of humanity. He got over Himself and His sole purpose was to glorify His Father and edify others. I, too, have determined to get over myself in surrender to God’s purpose for my life. Daily, I give Him all. Daily, I die so that I can live for Him. Trish, I get it, and like you, I finally got over myself too!

Humility! What does it look like in your life? Do you think of others before yourself? Do you serve, pray or worship in a spirit of humility? Reflect on ways that you can develop a humble spirit in practical, everyday ways.

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.

About The Author

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

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

for

Grandparents

Thank You Lord

by Zebbie Brewster

Ihad gone to my husband’s doctor’s appointment with him. As I followed behind him, trying to find his doctor’s office, a sign in another doctor’s office caught my eye. It was a simple sign, but to me, it spoke volumes. It said, “Work Hard, Stay Humble, Be Kind.” I thought to myself, is that the secret to a successful life? I knew in my heart that I had fallen way behind in following those simple directions. The Bible tells us in Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Seeking God’s way for my life was always the right road to travel on, even though I knew there had been times I had veered off that path. My grandfather set the example for me as a child for how to walk with God and be successful for God.

My grandfather was always working hard at whatever job he was doing. From working in the hay field, to cutting fire wood, he worked hard at it. He was no shirker and got the job done. I loved to listen to him talk to God in prayer. He always said, “Thank You Lord, that everything is as well with us as it is.” As a child, hearing him say that in his prayers, I never fully understood the meaning behind it.

Life was not always easy, yet God was real in my grandfather’s life. He loved God and his family, and stayed faithful to the God who was faithful to him.

I remember how he would often visit my family after I had a family of my own. It seems that he would often forget his hat, which he always wore. That gave him an excuse to come back to get it and visit again. My mom told me that she and her dad were prayer partners. They would meet and have

prayer together. What a blessing that was to hear about! Praying for them was important. It also helped increase our faith as we saw their prayers come to fruition.

I am thankful God blessed me and allowed me to be born into a Christian home. Thank You Lord, that everything is as well with us as it is. For Lord, You truly are worthy of all our love and praise.

About The Author

Zebbie Brewster resides in Summerville, Georgia. She is an active member at Perennial Springs Baptist Church.

Church Activities & Events

Westwood Baptist Church Mac Powell & Friends

Friday, November 4 | 8PM

4001 Georgetown Rd NW, Cleveland, TN

United Christian Academy Glow Run

Friday, November 11 | 12PM

2200 Peerless Rd NW, Cleveland, TN

The Ramp At OCI

“Pursuit” Women’s Conference

Friday, November 11 | 7:00AM - 9:30PM

410 Urbane Rd NE, Cleveland, TN

Unity Dance Troupe Dreamer The Diary of Joseph

Sunday, November 13 | 5PM

2440 Legacy Pkwy NW, Cleveland, TN

for Everyone

PS138V8

by Regina Law Smith

Ihave always believed that God provides everything we need. He may not answer our prayers in the ways we want or on the timelines we expect, but He does answer. And every now and then, in the midst of daily living, we are allowed a powerful glimpse of our Father’s hand at work.

I’ve certainly seen His hand in my life. One morning on my way to work, I was troubled and crying so hard I was heaving. Suddenly, a car swerved in front of me. I can’t tell you the make, model, or color of the car, but I’ll never forget the license plate: PS138V8—Psalm 138, Verse 8—which says, “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me” (KJV). Well, what else could I do but dry my eyes, blow my nose, and give a prayer of thanks to God?

ways,” he said. “I had been praying for some extra money for my business license and insurance, with no idea where it was going to come from. Today, I went to the mailbox and found a check for $2,000 from online classes I had dropped weeks after the refund date. But somehow, someway, the refund was processed and sent to me. Prayer is an amazing, amazing thing!” The assurance that your children know God is priceless.

NOV

He is present in the workplace, too. My niece, a single mother of two, arrived at work not long ago with her gas tank on empty. “Okay, God,” she prayed at her desk. “You promised to take care of my needs, and I need gas!” Before my niece could complete her prayer, a coworker asked for a lift home that entire week. In exchange? The co-worker offered to fill up the gas tank.

God has been active in my co-workers’ lives as well. When I was on an out-of-town training assignment, a colleague became disoriented. Two other co-workers took her to the emergency room. One co-worker recognized her symptoms as those of a stroke, and the other knew just where to find the nearest hospital. My ailing colleague made a full recovery, and says we were her “angel family” placed by God in her path that day.

It warmed my heart recently to receive this voice message from my grown son: “God works in mysterious

I was most aware of God providing for my needs one December long ago. It was one of those months when there was more month than money, and I knew with Christmas just a week away, I wouldn’t have the means to buy presents for my young sons. I spent the night pondering ways to help them understand that the birth of Jesus Christ is the true meaning of Christmas and the only gift we need. The next morning, a friend from church called and said, “Just hear me out. My husband and I want to give you $250 to help with Christmas for your boys.” Through my tears, I whispered, “Thank you” to my friend—and to my Father.

It was I, not my sons, who needed to understand the true meaning of Christmas that year. I was reminded in a powerful way that God knows our needs more than we do.

And, through the birth of Jesus Christ, He has a divine plan to provide for all of them—in ways that are beautifully clear to our humble human hearts.

About The Author

Regina Law Smith is presently married and God blessed her with the opportunity to raise six sons and one daughter. Her life experiences are of immeasurable value to this world and her community. It is no surprise that her favorite quote is, “Believe what you want to believe, but know the Truth.”

G A

Compass Advisors: Helping You Navigate the Medicare Maze

Medicare Maze

Jeff and Regenia Harris, owners of Compass Advisors, has over fourteen years of experience in the Medicare insurance industry. Jeff became an agency owner in 2008 and has continued to serve Catoosa, Dade, and Walker Counties with his guidance ever since. As a licensed broker, Jeff offers most local Medicare plans to clients in North Georgia, including Medicare Supplements, Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Drug Plans. With the apt tagline, “Helping you navigate the Medicare maze,” Jeff helps individuals and families throughout our community identify, understand, and select the specific Medicare plan that works best for their needs. Do you find yourself asking these questions: Am I eligible for Medicare? What plans am I eligible for? How do I know what coverage I need? Do I need a Medicare Supplement plan

or a Medicare Advantage plan? Approaching Medicare can often be intimidating, time-consuming, and confusing, especially when there are so many options to choose from. But there’s no need to tackle this complicated process alone. Compass Advisors is here to help!

New Opportunities

The Medicare annual enrollment period opens on October 15 and closes on December 7. This Medicare enrollment period is particularly important for North Georgia residents, with long-awaited new opportunities available for the first time this year. “Our North Georgia counties have always been a little left out, especially Walker County, from the number of plans available for individuals. The really big news for North Georgia this Medicare enrollment period is that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee has expanded to the Georgia market and

Humana has introduced an entirely new line-up of Medicare Advantage Plans,” said Harris. It’s critical that every resident of North Georgia conducts a full review of their current Medicare plan to evaluate if a better option is now available. Jeff has operated his Medicare consulting service from his home office since 2008 but on October 3, 2022, he celebrated the grand opening of his local office in Walker County. “With the very new Medicare opportunities for our community, I am excited to welcome face-to-face consultations in the new office this year,” said Harris.

Compass Advisors is now located at 56B Fieldstone Village Drive, Rock Spring, Georgia 30739.

Shop Local

During this year’s Medicare enrollment period, be cautious of telemarketers, tricky mailers, and most of all, television advertisements from big

UNDERSTANDING THE COST OF LONG TERM CARE, MEDICARE, AND MEDICARE SUPPLEMENTS... MEET AND TALK TO OUR EXPERTS.

companies. “These companies are not aware of local happenings and network issues. It’s always a good idea to shop small and locally,” said Harris. “When I started Compass Advisors, I wanted to build a business model that reflected the challenge of The Great Commission. My approach with Compass Advisors is to help each and every person find the best possible Medicare drug or health plan for their individual needs and then continue to service them. In return, that client would refer me to their friends and family. It has worked and God has blessed the effort put into my business by the number of calls I receive from individuals referred by my clients. When you call me, I simply shop local insurance companies to find you a better rate or plan that fits your medical needs best. If I determine that you are in the best plan, I simply tell you to stay in place. I have testimony after testimony about how my process has saved clients a lot of money or given an individual peace of mind that they are in the best plan for them.”

Don’t face Medicare alone, call Compass Advisors today to schedule a consultation with Jeff at (423)-488-3323.

Compass advisors

Helping You Navigate The Medicare Maze

Medicare

Everyone

Objects In the Mirror Are Smaller Than They Appear

by Beth Penny

There are so many pivotal moments in our lives that imprint on our memories. One of those for me will always be the day I turned sixteen and got my driver’s license. For me, as for so many others, being able to drive alone was the first step in young freedom and independence. It signified so much more than that little piece of paper you receive that says you passed a test. But learning to drive, on the other hand, was full of so many more issues. Learning to be totally aware of your surroundings proves difficult until it becomes second nature. One of the first driving lessons my dad gave me was learning to use the mirrors. The side mirrors and rearview mirror have their own purpose, and we have to learn to use them to aid the process of driving. However, they aren’t the most important thing to help us drive.

As we drive, we glance in the mirrors to look for things beside us, right behind us, or even further behind us. We use those to help us know our surroundings or potential dangers. We don’t, however, continuously drive while looking through the rearview mirror. There is a reason the windshield is bigger than the rearview. We always have to look forward to where we are going and be aware but not focused on what is behind us.

In life, we have to remember the same lessons. We have to be aware of what is behind us but not let it control what is in front of us. We have to continue to look

forward and move forward as we understand that the past has a presence in our future but does not control it. My advice is to live life as you would drive a car. Look forward and move on from what mistakes or errors you have made in the past. Look forward and remember that God is always above. An old adage says, “If what is ahead scares you and what’s behind hurts you, just look up. He never fails to help you.”

Those words ring true. Just as the words in Psalm 121, “Look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth…The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade” (1-2, 5). Don’t let mistakes of the past guide what you can accomplish in the present. Remember that the windshield is bigger than the rearview.

Beth Penny has taught English at Model High School since 1997. There she is also the Yearbook adviser and the Special Education Department Chair. She and her husband, Chad, have four children.

About The Author

for Everyone

How Do You Pray?

by David Huff

Many people answer the question how do you pray like this: “I talk to God,” and that is exactly what we are called to do. How serious do you get with God? Do you talk to God as you would the person next to you, or do you talk to God as if you are hiding the ugliness that is inside of you? Exodus 33:11 says that Moses spoke with the Lord face to face and just as a man speaks to a friend. Let that sink in for a moment. Can we learn to speak with the Lord face to face? When we go into our prayer closets, do we pour our hearts out to the Lord, or do we check a box off the list—Okay, I prayed today?

When I was learning to pray, I thought you always had to bow down and get on your knees in a particular manner or fashion. I would hold back on the things I would say because I did not want to say anything offensive to the Lord. The truth is God already knows what is in our hearts. When we are spilling out all the thoughts that we have to Him, He will take those thoughts and work with them. God wants us to talk to Him as if He is our best friend, and He should be. If we are willing to spill out all the ugly details to our earthly best friend, why

would we not spill out the details to the one who can help us the most—God alone? If we were to approach God and tell Him everything that is in our hearts, how much healing could we receive?

In Matthew 18:3-4, we are told to become like little children and to humble ourselves like a child. Why would God want us to be like a child? The answer is that children are honest. They will tell you anything and everything, and the faith that a child has is unquestionable. Yet that is how we are called to talk to God: with child-like faith, where we are willing to talk to God about every aspect and every fear inside of us. God wants to be that intimate with each of us. When we tell our friends, family, spouses, or whoever we are close to the hidden secret fears or things that are hurting us, we feel a relief come over us. Jesus says, “Come to me all ye who are weary and heavy laden” (Matthew 11:28). In these words, God is telling us to come to Him and to release everything that is on our minds or hearts. God loves it when we tell Him everything, and He wants us to be so comfortable talking to Him that we will tell Him everything.

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 and production team. I am also a senior at Liberty University.

About The Author

Thanksgiving Day

by Judy Hood

On this day of Thanksgiving

I thank you Lord for all you have been giving I thank you for the air I breathe

That gives life in and through me

If you had not given your life for me I would cease to exist, you see

I know my mom gave me birth

But you gave me rebirth

To save my soul

And make me whole

I wish everyone would give their life to you

But some people act like they don’t want any part of you

I’m glad we have a Thanksgiving Day

To thank you for each and every day

As I look up into the sky to praise you for being so good to me I honor you, for without you, I don’t know where I would be I know I have made many mistakes along the way

But I serve a big God that forgives me and brightens my day So, “Happy Thanksgiving,” Lord, thank you, for all you do Remind us before we judge people to try our foot in their shoe

for Everyone

Are You Tilting at Windmills?

by Dr. Alan Hix

As we approach Thanksgiving, are the day-to-day challenges of life making it hard for you to get in a thankful mood? Let me tell you a story.

Don Quixote is a novel written by Miguel Cervantes in the early 17th century. In the story Alonso Quixano is a lowranking member of the Spanish nobility. As he approaches middle age, he imagines a life far more exciting than his mundane existence. Alonso dons a suit of armor and takes up a lance. In his new imagined life, he is a knight errant in search of adventure and glory.

In his quest for meaning and purpose, Alonso challenges peasants to duels and views inns as castles. In one of the more well-known parts of his story, he comes upon a group of windmills. However, for Alonso, they are giants that need vanquishing, so he charges them with his lance. You can imagine the outcome was not what he intended. Having been unhorsed, he believes that magicians changed windmills into giants to thwart his noble quest.

While we smile and chuckle at Alonso’s passion for a noble quest that exists only in his imagination, I wonder if sometimes we might find ourselves on an imagined quest of our own. I recently read a blog in which the author proposed that many Christians prefer a “comfortable” Christianity. He went on to argue that this longing for “comfort” can result in believers not being particularly excited about heaven or seeing God face to face.

I found myself saying, “Wait a minute; you can’t be serious?” However, the author argued that many Church members are too busy setting up their own “heaven on earth,” that they don’t have time to think about eternity. They busy themselves trying to check all the boxes on what they want out of life—impressive career, great marriage, good kids, perfect home, and countless other things. They find themselves imagining this is what life is all about.

Heaven and an eternity with God seem so distant that the issues of the moment take center stage in our lives.

As I sat down to write about Thanksgiving, this blog came to mind. When we focus on getting through the

challenges of a stressful work environment, difficult family situations, unrealized expectations, and a host of other things we pursue as we search for meaning and purpose in life, we imagine that this is what brings meaning and purpose to life, and we lose sight of God’s blessings and provisions. And like Alonso, we end up tilting at the windmills of earthly things that have no eternal value. No wonder we feel unfulfilled.

However, a thankful heart has a whole new set of priorities. When the Apostle Paul writes to the Colossian believers, he gives them—and us—a picture of what a life focused on eternal things looks like:

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Col. 3:15-17).

Now are you in the mood for Thanksgiving?

About The Author

Dr. Alan Hix is an Associate Professor of Christian Studies at Shorter University. In addition to being and educator, he has served churches as a pastor, been involved in mission trips to Africa, Canada, and Alaska, and participated in archaeological excavations in Israel for several years.

Hamilton Health Care System New Telehealth Service

Hamilton Heath Care System recently introduced Hamilton Community Health, a new way to connect with a healthcare provider through a smartphone, wherever they are.

for appropriate services, and the telehealth providers and support team will follow up with the patients.

Providers include Jessica Sanders, NP; Sherri Brooks, NP; Nancy Giammarella, NP; Kim Standefer, NP; and Amy Garner, NP. The Community Health Support team includes Kelly Smith, Bella Resendiz, and Yajaira Barrera.

“This new health option is designed to provide the right care at the right time, wherever you are,” said Tom Bledsoe, Jr., MD, Population Health medical director.

The hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, 365 days a year. Same-day appointments are available.

When patients need laboratory or imaging services following a telehealth encounter, they will be referred to the patient’s most convenient Hamilton location

Most health insurance plans are accepted, and self-pay options are available for those without insurance.

The service is available for new and established patients, and they may schedule their own appointments at their convenience online at HamiltonHealth.com/365telehealth. For more information, call 706-529-8862.

Tom Bledsoe, Jr.

your

Buds

Thanksgiving Sweet Potato Casserole Boats

by Jodi Varnado

Ilove gathering around a table with good food and good company. The Thanksgiving holiday grants us the perfect opportunity to foster this connection and fellowship. This twist on the classic sweet potato casserole only enhances the experience! This recipe is sure to bring comfort to your friends and family this Thanksgiving dinner. With only eight ingredients and one pan, you can present this sweet side dish and leave your guests impressed. (And don’t worry, they won’t know how easy it was it prepare. Your secret’s safe with me. )

Ingredients

• 4 medium-large sweet potatoes or yams

• 1 tablespoon of neutral oil

Toppings

• 2 tablespoons of butter

• ¾ teaspoon of ground cinnamon

• 2-3 tablespoons of brown sugar

• 1 cup of raw pecans, roughly chopped

• 2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup

• 1 cup of mini marshmallows

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Slice the sweet potatoes in half, but leave the skin on. Rub both sides with oil and arrange cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

3. Use a fork to poke holes in the back sides of the potatoes, then bake for 25-35 minutes.

4. Once tender, remove potatoes from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Then carefully flip the potatoes over. Use a fork to gently mash the insides of the potatoes until they are slightly pressed down and the surface is flat.

5. Swipe the top of each potato with butter. Then, shake a light dusting of cinnamon on each potato, followed by brown sugar, pecans, and maple syrup. Top with mini marshmallows.

6. Return to the oven for 8-10 minutes or until the toppings are slightly toasty!

7. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

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for Everyone

Is God One Person?

by Matt Jensen

Monotheism–the belief that there is only one God–has always been essential to the Christian faith. The early church steadfastly defended monotheism but ran into a difficulty–Jesus is equated with God in the New Testament. In fact, the deity of Jesus was a major reason that people wanted to kill Him (John 5:18; 8:58-59; 10:30-31). Desiring to hold to monotheism, some denied the full deity of Jesus. However, others desired to hold to monotheism and the full deity of Jesus. One solution proposed by men like Sabellius, Noetus, and Praxeas, was to say that the Father and the Son are actually not distinct persons. Like an actor playing different characters, God plays Father and then Son. This became known as the heresy of Sabellianism. Many strains of this error have surfaced over time, but its distinctive feature is that God is unipersonal. In other words, God is one God existing as one person, sometimes acting as different persons. Against this, orthodoxy confesses one God eternally existing in three persons. Here is what orthodoxy confesses. God is one divine nature.

• The divine nature is not shared by anything in creation.

• The divine nature is not divided among the persons (like three pieces of the same pie).

• The divine nature is not cloned three times (like three copies of the same picture). God eternally exists in three persons.

• The person of the Father:

Is unbegotten – He has His person from none

Is neither the Son nor the Holy Spirit

Therefore, He is truly the Father

• The person of the Son:

Is eternally begotten – He has His person from the Father alone

Is neither the Father nor the Holy Spirit

Therefore, He is truly the Son

• The person of the Holy Spirit:

Is eternally proceeding – He has His person from the Father and the Son

◦ Is neither the Father nor the Son ◦ Therefore, He is truly the Holy Spirit

It’s terribly important to confess that God is one God, but it’s vitally important to confess that this one God eternally exists in three persons, too. Here are a few reasons why:

It’s biblical – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). Sabellianism and orthodoxy agree that the Word was God (i.e. the one divine nature). However, Sabellianism can’t explain how the Word was with God. They must say something like “The Word appeared to be with God.” Orthodoxy can say that the Word was God (divine nature) and with God (person). Sabellianism also can’t account for passages such as Matthew 3:16-17. Orthodoxy can say that Jesus was baptized, the Spirit descended, and the Father spoke. Sabellianism turns the events of this passage into a charade.

God’s worship – This is the greatest reason. God has revealed Himself as one God eternally existing in three persons. Therefore, we must worship Him as one God eternally existing in three persons. The most serious theological errors we can possibly make concern God. He is not the unipersonal God of Islam, but the blessed Trinity in unity and unity in Trinity.

Our salvation and communion with God – Was it really the Son who came to save us? Was it really the Father who gave a people to His Son? Is it really the Holy Spirit who applies Christ’s redemptive work? Sabellianism must say, “No.” Can we really believe in Jesus (John 6:29)? Can we really pray to our Father in heaven (Matthew 6:9)? Can we really walk by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16)? Sabellianism must again say, “No.” If Sabellianism is true, our salvation and communion with God cannot be Trinitarian. We would be saved and commune with a God who is one person having multiple personalities. Thankfully, that is not the God who reveals Himself to us in the Bible. The one true God eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Author

Matt Jensen is a missionary from Reformation Baptist Church in Dalton, Georgia. He and his wife, Danielle, are preparing to move to Thailand soon with their son, Judah. They are also anticipating the birth of another son, Gabriel.

for Everyone

While He Was Thinking

by Sandra Gilmore

Have you been following this series? Check each month as we explore often-overlooked connections to Christmas and wind our way back to this sacred event.

His mind was anywhere but there. What was he going to do? How could he get out of this pickle?

He was a craftsman. Years of working with resistant materials had taught him a few things. He envisioned a use for a material that the material couldn’t even see for itself. He shaped the stone. He carved the wood. He avoided the delicate areas that could crack later, relying on the strength around it to achieve the goal, which was to transition something typically left alone or behind into something that would serve, something that would become a part of daily life. His work would bear his mark. His design and years of training, planning, working, and re-working would all be reflected in the craftsmanship of the final product.

Still, his day was ordinary. To a casual onlooker, his day would have seemed routine, no fuss, nothing unusual, until that evening. During the day, his hands were busy with the wood. He was carving, pounding, shaving, clearing shavings, staining, expertly crafting a resistant material into what he envisioned it to be. After years of honing his trade, his hands could maneuver without his mind engaged. And on that day, his thoughts took the focus while his craftsmanship ebbed out on autopilot.

Joseph had questions, sticky questions directed by society’s mores and religious considerations. He just couldn’t see a way out or a way in, for that matter. He was stuck with an urgent desire to run. He was running with a sincere desire to stay committed. What should he do? Everyone would know the baby wasn’t his. But he didn’t do anything wrong. And this girl genuinely believed God gave her this baby!

That evening The Master Craftsman worked with an immalleable material. The Lord expertly crafted the heart of a man who could have possibly been left behind by history into a role that would enter daily life for centuries to come. According to Matthew Chapter 1, the Lord sent an angel to Joseph in a

dream. This messenger delivered stout answers to Joseph’s sticky questions.

Matthew 1:20 states, “But while he thought on these things, behold an angel appeared unto him in a dream.” The angel assured Joseph about following through with his marriage to Mary, even affirming the child was indeed the Son of God.

The original language gives us insight into Joseph’s ponderings. This verb can be translated ponder, deliberate, and revolve in the mind. Another passage in the book of Acts describes, “While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him…” These two examples highlight the promise in Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you.”

Do you ever ponder with your mind stayed on the Lord? Does your heart yield to The Master Craftsman? Or do you worry with your mind focused on other things with a heart resistant and stiff? With our minds stayed on the Lord, we can invite the Holy Spirit to give us insight, answers, and direction. He brings peace. When we worry, we give the enemy of our souls an invitation to weigh us down, confuse us, or stagnate us. As we enter this season of thanksgiving soon followed by Christmas, the Lord is indeed our Immanuel, God with us. We can ponder, wonder, and even question with renewed hope and peace!

About The Author

Sandra Gilmore serves the Lord as wife, mom, and encourager, mostly through writing and speaking, occasionally through cooking, rarely through anything athletic and only because of the mercy and grace of Jesus. You can reach her by email: tandsgilmore@yahoo.com or her website: www.sandragilmore.org

for Everyone

Rejoice In Your Harvest

by Stephanie Daniels

Farmers are intentional about the seed they sow and the harvest they reap. They don’t plant apple seeds and expect cabbage. They put a specific seed in the ground and patiently wait for harvest season. They nurture and water the seed, then at the right time, a harvest grows up out of the fertile soil. Many people don’t realize how much our lives are like farming. Seed time and harvest time are a part of life. We sow seeds daily. The harvest we receive is based on what was sown.

As we reflect on our lives over the course of the year, we can anticipate a harvest of all we have done. The greatest harvest of all is a harvest of souls into the kingdom of God. Jesus sowed His life so that anyone who calls on His name shall be saved. We can play a part in that wonderful harvest by simply sharing our faith. Sowing seeds of faith can be one of the most rewarding things a person can do in their lifetime. Matthew 9:37-38 tells us, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Another way to sow seed is

to give monetary gifts to your local churches, charities, or alms, giving wherever you see a need. Everything we do is a seed sown. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7). One of the wisest things we can do is sow good seeds. Sowing seeds of faith into the lives of others not only blesses them but it impacts us as well. Psalms 107:37 reminds us, “They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest.” We can ensure a good crop of favor and blessings in our lives by simply being intentional about what we say, do, and think. The word of God says, “As a man thinks so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). When we continuously think negative thoughts, it is just a matter of time before we speak negative things, which can result in negative actions. Negative thoughts, words, and actions can produce bad fruit in your life. Speak life over yourself and others, and meditate on the word of God to help keep your thoughts pure. These are just some of the things that can help produce a good harvest in your life.

So, whether you have sown time, money, shared your faith or planted a garden, expect God to give you a bountiful harvest. The apostle Paul explains that our righteousness comes from God, and He is faithful to provide seed to the sower. “Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness” (2 Corinthians 9:10). It is never too late to sow seed with intention and purpose. In this harvest season, expect God’s goodness and mercy to overtake you.

Gò0dNews

Christian Magazine

Mission Statement:

We believe when people are equipped, motivated, and passionately engaged in living out their faith in Jesus Christ they 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.

Writer Guidelines:

Who: Our writers range from pastors, professors, and professional writers to stay at home moms and dads, business professionals, and others who have a desire to 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.

for Everyone

Standing Firm in The Last Days

by Kenneth E. Ware

Stand up. Now, sit down. Stand up again. Now, sit down again. Now, stand up and sit down at the same time. Impossible right? Absolutely. You cannot stand and sit simultaneously. You can only do one or the other. Spiritually, Christians have the same choices in life. Faced with many moral challenges, social injustices, demonic attacks, and political issues, believers must not compromise their faith in Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul exhorted his fellow saints in Ephesus to stand firm amidst a pagan, Roman influenced society. Clearly, we too, are no different. We are faced with similar challenges in our generation. Laid out for us in the last chapter of Ephesians is the key to How to Stand Firm in the Last Days.

I. Stay Strong in the Lord (Eph. 6:10-11)

a) Be Strong in the Person of Christ (v. 10)

Believers are to keep growing in their strength in Christ. In order to do so, Jesus must not only be your Savior, He must also be your Lord. He must sit upon the throne of your heart to rule and reign as both Lord and King of your life. Many verses in the Bible command the people of God to be strong. For example, at least four times in the book of Joshua do we read, “Be strong and courageous…” (Josh. 1:6-7,9,18). King David exhorts, “Wait for the Lord, be strong…” (Psa. 27:14). Again, the Minor Prophet Zechariah admonished his contemporaries to “Let your hands be strong, you who are listening to the world in these days…” (Zech. 8:9).

b) Be Strong in the Power of Christ (v. 10b-11)

There are multiple ways to accomplish this great task. For starts, we will observe three ways to reach this goal of being strong in the power of the Lord.

1. Prayer—Five times in verses 18-19 is the term “pray,” “prayer” or “petition” referenced. The more you pray, the stronger you will become. The less you pray, the weaker you get. Prayer protects you from yielding to the strategies of Satan. Prayer guards your heart and mind with peace (Phil. 4:6ff). Prayer is essential to spiritual victory in your life.

2. Praise—Prayer, when combined with praise, equals power. King David prayed, “I love you, Lord, my strength” (Psa. 18:1-2). Moses wrote, “The Lord is my strength and my song…” (Ex. 15:2). Ezra encouraged the sons of Israel, saying, “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh. 8:10).

3. Pursue—If the lovers of Jesus Christ desire to grow stronger, then a pursuit of God’s Word must become top priority. Daily Bible reading enhances one’s knowledge of God, spiritual growth, and adds strength. The psalter said, “Strengthen me according to Your Word” (Psa. 119:28). In fact, it was our Lord Himself who cited the words of Moses, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4).

II. Stand Still in the Lord (Eph. 6:12-17)

c) The Spiritual Warfare (vv. 12-13)

Adversaries. At the moment of salvation, believers were immediately thrust into spiritual warfare. There are several adversaries that combat the children of God on a daily basis. It is important to understand that, “we wrestle not against flesh and blood” as clearly stated by Paul. So then, what exactly are we struggling against? Answer, the demonic hosts of Satan influenced in human governments of the world (Rulers, Powers, World Forces of Darkness, Spiritual Forces of Wickedness).

d) The Spiritual Wardrobe (vv. 14-17)

Armor. The armor of a Roman soldier was nothing short of intimidating splendor. In God’s economy, like the Roman Empire, believers are enlisted as soldiers of war. The saints of God must both “put on” (v. 11) and “take up” (v.13) the full armor of God. After all, the Lord Jesus Christ is the Armor believers must put on for spiritual victory over the flesh and the adversaries of this world (Rom. 13:14).

About The Author

Kenneth E. Ware, M.M., M.A.B.S., M. Div. is a husband, father, pastor of New Scholar Avenue Baptist Church, and graduate of Temple Baptist Seminary. Pastor Ware is also a Christian writer and an Expository Bible Teacher at Samford University Ministry Training Institute in Chattanooga, Tennessee.