OPERATION
CHRISTMAS CHILD
DAVID A.R. WHITE HEAVEN & HOLLYWOOD BETWEEN
CONTENTS
Publisher
Kristen Bland
10 DAVID A.R. WHITE The story behind his book on pursuing your God-given calling
14 OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD A life transformed by a simple shoebox
6 32 DENTAL The importance of timely treatment in the event of a sports injury
15 THANKSGIVING Thankfulness is a choice that changes how you experience life
8 LOCAL EVENTS Find upcoming events near you
16 THE ART OF COMPLAINING Complaining is detrimental in ways that many of us don’t even realize
12 GRACEPOINT Ribbon-cutting ceremony on new location for dyslexic learners
18 GOODlife TRAVEL Sweetwater Creek State Park: Connect with nature without ditching the city
info@goodlifemagazine.org
13 DAILY DEVOTIONS Reaping these six benefits in your quiet time
19 GOODlife RECIPES The Encore: A gourmet curtain call to your Thanksgiving feast
Creative Director
Damien Parodi Managing Editor Gabriel Bland Editor
Autumn Burr Advertising
770.656.4400
Damien Parodi
Graphic Designer Matthew Button
Contributing Editor Krista Messic
facebook.com/goodlifemonthly @goodlifemonthly
COVER CREDIT GOODlife Magazine features David A.R. White, actor, producer, and founding partner of PureFlix. For the full story, see page 10.
GOODlife Magazine is a monthly publication distributed throughout Atlanta and Metro Atlanta. Entire contents, including design elements and logos, are copyrighted and may not be reproduced in any media without the express written consent of the publisher. GOODlife Magazine, LLC reserves the right to edit or reject any editorial or advertising content. Advertisers assume liability for content of all advertisements. All information herein has been checked for accuracy to the best of our ability. Not responsible for deletions, omissions, errors and or inaccuracies. 2016 GOODlife Magazine, LLC. All rights reserved.
Reasons to participate in sports and physical activity are many, such as pleasure, relaxation, competition, team building, a structured environment, character building, maintenance, and improvement of fitness and health. A negative aspect of this active participation in sports and recreational activities is an increasing number of childhood and adult sportrelated injuries. Being educated and choosing the right tools, such as a proper-fitting helmet and mouth guard are key to preventing or reducing the impact of an injury. Our passion here at 32 Dental is educating our patients and helping aid them in prevention. Dr. Lan Vo and Dr. Sean Breckley love to serve the Cobb County Community. Dr. Vo and Dr. Breckley are on staff as Team Dentists for all Kennesaw State University Athletics. They both have experienced dental injuries first hand while standing on the sidelines cheering on the KSU Owls. Orofacial injuries can have a significant negative impact on esthetics, function, and even psychological aspects for both children and adults. The majority of dental injuries usually result in fractured teeth, tooth avulsion (tooth is knocked out), tooth subluxation (loose tooth), jaw fracture, or jaw displacement. Research indicates that the use of mouth guards among football players prevents about 200,000 mouth injuries a year—and that is just one example. The nature of the injury, the length of time from the injury to the treatment, how your tooth was cared for after the injury, and your body’s response all affect the long-term health of the tooth. Timely treatment is particularly important with tooth avulsion and tooth subluxation. When tooth avulsion occurs, it is best to place the tooth in Hank’s buffered saline solution. If you do not have buffered saline, the next best thing is milk. We advise not to scrub or clean the tooth prior to placing it in the recommended solution. For best results, a dentist must place the tooth back into the socket within 45-60 minutes after the trauma. Contact 32 Dental and we will help guide you in the best treatment for your injury. 32 Dental is available to help you and your family should any dental emergencies occur. We are a Family Dental Practice offering many services to meet your needs. Chastain Location 600 Chastain Rd., Suite 422 Kennesaw, GA 30144 www.thirty-twodental.com 6
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Contact Us Today! 770.423.1132
to receive 10% OFF your sports mouth guard and to learn more about Hank’s buffered saline.
Brookstone Location 1725 Dennis Kemp Lane Kennesaw, GA 30152 contact@thirty-twodental.com
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Nov 4 - Casting Crowns: The Very Next Thing Tour WHERE First Baptist Woodstock 11905 Highway 92 Woodstock, GA 30188 TIME 7pm DOORS OPEN 6pm www.fbcw.org Nov 4 - David Phelps in Concert WHERE Piedmont Church 570 Piedmont Rd Marietta, GA 30066 TIME 7pm - 9:30pm piedmontchurch.tv Nov 5 - 14th Annual Holiday Market, Bake Sale & Silent Auction WHERE Due West UMC Preschool TIME 9am - 2pm in the Family Life Center! More than 40 Vendors! Unique holiday gifts, crafts, creative children’s gifts, original jewelry, gift baskets & more! Extensive Silent Auction! Local restaurants, get-aways, sports memorabilia and many other fabulous gifts! Holiday Bake Sale! www.duewest.org Nov 11 - Marietta Veterans Day Parade WHERE Roswell Street Baptist Church 774 Roswell St NE Marietta, GA 30060 TIME The parade begins at 11am From the church, it loops through Marietta Square, and ends between the new Cobb Courthouse and Marietta City Hall. The patriotic parade includes marching bands, drill teams, floats, military vehicles and veterans’ organizations. 8
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Nov 11 - Kennesaw Veterans Day Free lunch WHERE Ben Robertson Community Center 2753 Watts Dr Kennesaw, GA 30144 TIME 12 - 2pm American Legion North Cobb Post 304 is partnering with Kennesaw city officials to host a lunch honoring all service members, past and present. All military service members are invited to attend and no identification will be required. Nov 18 - Marietta Square Winter Wonderland – ice skating begins WHERE Marietta Square TIME See website for times: www.winterwonderlandmarietta.com Winter Wonderland is returning to the Marietta Square with ice-skating in Glover Park. Viewing areas have been expanded and great care has been given to see that the experience is exceptional. Due to the overwhelming response last year, ice skating is currently planned to be available through January and February. Nov 19 - The Annual Acworth Turkey Chase 5K Fun Run & 2K Walk WHERE Race will start & finish on Main Street in Downtown Acworth TIME 7am - Registration begins. See website for more details: www.acworthturkeychase.com Enjoy an exhilarating 5K run through Historic Downtown Acworth and along the shores of beautiful Lake Acworth. Walk, jog, or run. Participants of all ages and abilities are welcome. All participants must bring a non-perishable food item on race day to receive their race number. All non-perishable food items and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Tackle Hunger program.
Nov 24 - Gobble Jog - MUST Ministries WHERE The start and finish line is on the Marietta Square TIME See website for details: GobbleJog.org MUST run to stop poverty. 10K run, 5K run, 5K walk, 1K run/walk, Tot Trot. Sign up as an individual, family or form a team. Register Now! GobbleJog.org Nov 24 - Dec 31 - Christmas and Holiday Lights at Life University WHERE Life University 1269 Barclay Cir Marietta, GA 30060 TIME Nightly 6pm - 10pm The annual “Lights of Life” holiday display at Life University takes place every night from Thanksgiving evening through New Year’s Eve. The event features more than a million lights spanning across over a mile of campus. Nov 26 - Thanksgiving Dinner for Those Who Missed it WHERE Abiding Church 1370 Lockhart Drive Kennesaw, GA 30144 TIME 4pm Free Thanksgiving feast! Space is limited so register online today: www.abiding.church Nov 29 - Kennesaw Tree Lighting WHERE Tunnel Plaza (across the street from Revival on Main) TIME 6pm – 7pm Winter is a season filled with exciting activities and time-honored traditions, including the City of Kennesaw’s tree lighting program. Join the Mayor and other City officials in downtown Kennesaw as they “flip the switch” to illuminate the City’s official Christmas tree.
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Go back to the times when you were a kid, the days before you were told that the sky was the limit and when the stars still seemed within reach. When your dreams were limitless no matter how farfetched they were, you had decided that would be your future. When did that change? Not your dreams, mind you, for as all children grow and mature into adults, they discover new things to captivate their hopes and aspirations. No, the question is when did your dreams become limited by what the world says is “realistic”? This is not saying that every dream can and should be pursued, but rather to show that we were made to have dreams beyond ourselves. Not only that, but also that at some point along the way most people, in some way or another, walk away from that type of thinking, believing it to be childish or foolish. The incredible news is that we don’t have to walk away from chasing dreams, whether ridiculous or seemingly attainable. What’s important is identifying the dreams that God has placed within our hearts. To help people navigate this truth, David White, renowned actor and producer, authored the book “Between Heaven and Hollywood” to address pursuing your Godgiven calling, accepting challenges, and receiving the rewards that come with walking by faith. “Between Heaven and Hollywood” is a firsthand account of what finding God’s calling on your life can look like, played out in the life of David A.R. White. David and his works are among the most recognizable in Christian visual media. He has starred in more than 25 films and produced over 40 faith-based feature films, including God’s Not Dead, God’s Not Dead 2, I’m Not Ashamed (in theaters now), and more, in addition to being one of the founding partners of the largest indie-faith film studio in the world, Pure Flix. Looking at all these achievements, it can be easy to think, “He’s just lucky or special.” But just as with his namesake, King David, you would never have guessed the future ahead of this man by looking at his early days. At the beginning of David’s working career as a rock picker in the fields of farmers in Kansas, God looked at him and who He made him to be, not the circumstances that surrounded him. He placed in David a dream far bigger than the young man could ever achieve on his own. And He doesn’t do this only for a select few, but for every one of His children. Each dream is unique and requires fully relying on Him. Just like a shepherd boy being called to be king, it will be something that you cannot fulfill on your own, even if it appears as if 10
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you could. And as a result of learning to trust and rely on God to reach his calling, David has made his mark on mainstream media. He has done this by helping to give Christian media a professional look, and by affecting the lives of believers and non-believers alike with uplifting and encouraging films that inspire viewers to begin pursuing or to deepen their relationship with God. From the farms of Dodge City, Kansas to the production studios of Los Angeles, California, David’s insights and hindsights on learning to walk with the Lord in the dreams He has placed in our hearts are impactful for anyone who wants to pursue the life God has for them. He offers authentic encouragement for all readers by speaking biblical truth into the places that culture and the enemy have convinced believers wrongly about their dreams. “There is no one too common, too broken, or too sinful to be used by God to achieve his or her goals. We are here for a reason—and that reason, that unique destiny, is found in our God-given dream. God’s dream for us is more about what He wants for us and what He wants to accomplish through us.” Hoping to encourage others to avoid the mistakes that He has made, David addresses in his book the challenges that he has faced in his walk with God and offers insight about how to overcome such obstacles. Life throws many challenges at our relationship with Christ, and the heart of “Between Heaven and Hollywood” is to help direct people to trust God in the midst of the growing complications of life, and to faithfully pursue the dreams God has placed in their hearts.
David A.R. White with his wife Andrea Logan White
Addressing a gamut of topics such as fear, failure, obstacles, and patience, David’s story is one anyone can benefit from, no matter what phase of life they may find themselves in. For the new believer or a veteran of the faith, the principles David addresses are foundational to pursuing our God-given calling. With humor, wit, and wisdom, this book communicates important principles through the testimony of God’s faithfulness in the life of a Kansas boy who was called and empowered by God to help transform an industry, and through it, impact generations.
DAVID A.R. WHITE
ACTOR AND PRODUCER OF THE BLOCKBUSTER MOVIE
“Between Heaven & Hollywood” is David’s inspirational journey from the wheat fields of his Mennonite home outside of Dodge City, Kansas, to the bright lights of Los Angeles. This story of perseverance will assure you that your dreams aren’t frivolous. They might be the most important part of your life. Available in stores and online October 25th. facebook.com/DavidARWhite
@DavidARWhite
youtube.com/user/davidarwhite
@davidarwhite november 2016
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GRACEPOINT CEREMONY
GRACEPOINT School, located in Marietta, officially opened its newest location at Piedmont Church, 570 Piedmont Road, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 18, 2016. GRACEPOINT School opened in August of 2012 and began serving dyslexic students in grades 1-8 in a Christian setting. GRACEPOINT began its journey meeting at Riverstone Church in Kennesaw. After four years of steady growth, GRACEPOINT outgrew the space at Riverstone and moved in August of 2016 to a newly renovated building at Piedmont Church, which is centrally located in Marietta. GRACEPOINT is a place where the teaching style meets the need of the dyslexic learner while bringing out their brilliance. The mission of the school is to equip dyslexic students with the skills needed to develop into independent and confident learners through sequential, systematic, and multisensory instruction—giving them the ability and skills they need to transition back into public/private educational opportunities. The founding Board was led by the Executive Director of the Georgia Educational Training Agency (ETA) and Board member of the Georgia International Dyslexic Association, Brenda Fitzgerald. The current Board chair is Dr. Deborah Davis, and the head of school is Joy Wood. 12
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Private devotions aren’t magic. We know that (for the most part). But still, we can be tempted to think that if we just figure out the secret formula — the right mixture of Bible meditation and prayer — we will experience euphoric moments of rapturous communion with the Lord. And if that doesn’t happen, our formula must be wrong. The danger of this misconception is that it can produce chronic disappointment and discouragement. Cynicism sets in and we give up or whip through them to alleviate guilt because devotions don’t seem to work for us. Our longing for intimate communion with God is God-given. It’s a good thing to desire, ask for, and pursue. The Spirit does give us wonderful, occasional tastes. And this longing will be satisfied to overflowing someday (Psalm 16:11). But God has other purposes for us in the discipline of daily Bible meditation and prayer. Here are a few:
“Your devotions may have seemed ordinary today, but God is making something extraordinary through it.”
1. Soul Exercise (1 Corinthians 9:24; Romans 15:4): We exercise our bodies to increase strength and endurance, promote general health, and keep unnecessary weight off. Devotions are like exercise for our souls. They force our attention off of self-indulgent distractions and pursuits, and on to God’s purposes and promises. If we neglect this exercise, our souls will go to pot. 2. Soul Shaping (Romans 12:2): The body will generally take the shape of how we exercise it. Running shapes one way, weight training shapes another way. The same is true for the soul. It will conform to how we exercise (or don’t exercise) it. This is why changing your exercise routine can be helpful. Read through the Bible one year, camp in a book and memorize it another year, take a few months to meditate on and pray through texts related to an area of special concern, etc. 3. Bible Copiousness (Psalm 119:11; Psalm 119:97; Proverbs 23:12): A thorough, repeated soaking in the Bible over the course of years increases our overall biblical knowledge, providing fuel for the fire of worship and increasing our ability to draw from all parts of the Bible in applying God’s wisdom to life. 4. Fight Training (Ephesians 6:10–17): Marines undergo rigorous training in order to so ingrain their weapons knowledge that, when suddenly faced with the chaos of combat, they instinctively know how to handle their weapons. Similarly, daily handling and using the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17) makes us more skilled spiritual warriors. 5. Sight Training (2 Corinthians 5:7; 2 Corinthians 4:18): Jesus really does want us to see and savor him. Savoring comes through seeing. But only the eyes of faith see him. “Blind faith” is a contradiction, at least biblically. Faith is not blind. Unbelief is blind (John 9:38–41). Faith is seeing a reality that physical eyes can’t see and believing it (1 Peter 1:8). And “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). So if we’re going to savor Jesus, we must see him in the word he speaks. Faith is a gift (Ephesians 2:8). And like most of God’s gifts, it is intended to be cultivated. Daily devotions are an important way to train our faith-eyes to see the glory of Jesus in his word and to train our emotions to respond to what our faith-eyes see. Keep looking for glory. Jesus will give you Emmaus moments (Luke 24:31–32). 6. Delight Cultivation (Psalm 37:3–4; James 4:8; Psalm 130:5): When a couple falls in love, there are hormonal fireworks. But when married, they must cultivate delight in one another. It is the consistent, persistent, faithful, intentional, affectionate pursuit of one another during better and worse, richer and poorer, sickness and health that cultivates a capacity for delight in each other far deeper and richer than the fireworks phase. Similarly, devotions are one of the ways we cultivate delight in God. Many days it may seem mundane. But we will be surprised at the cumulative power they have to deepen our love for and awareness of him. There are many more benefits. You could certainly add to this list. But the bottom line is this: Don’t give up on daily devotions. Don’t whip through them. Don’t let them get crowded out by other demands.
“It’s okay if there was no special spark in your Bible reading today. In fact, ordinary devotions are a good thing.”
Brick upon brick a building is built. Lesson upon lesson a degree is earned. Stroke upon stroke a painting is created. Your devotions may have seemed ordinary today, but God is making something extraordinary through it. Press on. Don’t short-change the process. november 2016
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by Gabriel Bland Humanity was made in the image of our creator, and the implications of that are far beyond comprehension. But one thing that is clear is that we are made for love; love from our Father in heaven, and love from our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. The ability to give that love comes from God first loving us, and sharing that love is one of the greatest things we as believers can do for the broken and hurting world around us. Operation Christmas Child, a program sponsored by Samaritan’s Purse, seeks to share the love of Christ by meeting physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of children all over the world. Not only do children who have nothing receive a gift that’s all their own, but the gospel message of Christ is also presented along with the gift to impart the love Christ has for them. The transformational power of God’s love is giving children all over the world hope and joy that they have never before experienced. An incredible example of the profound impact a gift like this can have is the story of Livia Young. For ten years of her life, Livia’s home was a Romanian orphanage. The life she knew was destitute of love and compassion from her fellow orphans and from the attendants that oversaw them. And that was not only true of her own life as an orphan, but it was the common denominator of all the orphans living there. In sharp contrast to the lack of love that she knew, she vividly remembers the change, through a simple shoebox gift, that came into her life when she was 12 years old. Livia remembers feeling shocked that people across the ocean would care enough about her to send her gifts. Livia had always dreamed that she would possess hair clips of her own, and when the day came to receive her shoebox, she desperately hoped that she might get the hair clips she had so longed to call her own. Before the children opened the gifts, they were told the gospel truth of the love of Christ and the relationship He wants to have with each one of us. To Livia, this was an incredible truth to hear since she prayed to Jesus every day, but the idea of relationship with Him was so welcoming. Then the time came. The rush of anticipation was almost more 14
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than she could bear when all of the orphans counted together, “One, two, three!” and tore open their gifts. Livia couldn’t believe that sitting at the top of her box, among the much-needed hygiene items, was a pack of hair clips, the very thing she had yearned for as long as she could remember. She opened up the pack and enthusiastically placed every single clip in her hair. In her shoebox, there was also a friendship necklace. Livia asked a translator how to say “I love you” in English so she could share the phrase and half of her necklace with a volunteer and new friend, Connie Satterfield, who had traveled from Georgia to Romania for a mission trip and had handed Livia her shoebox gift. That love was reciprocated. And in a way that only God could orchestrate, in a process that spanned the next two years, Connie and her husband ended up adopting Livia as their own. Over the years, God has continued to draw Livia closer to His heart and teach her all the more about His love and loving others. Since 2005, Livia has traveled, speaking at events and churches to promote Operation Christmas Child. In 2004, she traveled with Samaritan’s Purse’s Youth Beyond Borders to Costa Rica to distribute shoebox gifts, and in 2010, she traveled back to Romania to share the love of Jesus with children in her native country’s orphanages and poor villages—all through a shoebox.
Every year at Thanksgiving, my wife wants us to go around the table and announce something that we are thankful for. It’s amazing how such a simple exercise can be so awkward, but for most people it is. I’m sure this has a lot to do with our inability to open up to others, but I also believe it is because we have created a culture where we don’t really express true thanks often enough. I’m not talking about saying thank you to someone for holding the door open for you. I am talking about being truly thankful for the things you have in your life, or even being thankful for the gift of life itself. Thanks is more than just an attitude you take toward life—it is a choice that changes how you experience life. Looking back at the Thanksgiving table, we aren’t comfortable expressing thanks because all year long we don’t practice thankfulness, we practice responsiveness. In other words, we spend all year responding to the way life makes us feel. When we are simply responding to life, we live at the mercy of our circumstances. But when we choose to be thankful, we take control of our emotions and our outlook on life. I have never met a thankful person who wasn’t also a happy person. Thankfulness produces happiness. So if thankfulness is a choice, that means happiness is also a choice. Even if things in life aren’t going exactly how you planned, you can still find a reason to be thankful. People who practice thankfulness enjoy life more than everyone else. My wife is a thankful person. I am always amazed at how she views life. When we go to a restaurant with a group of people and the hostess seats us at a small, cramped table, most of the group will moan, but she responds by excitedly saying, “This is perfect—we will make it work” and then she explains how it will draw us closer to each other. A thankful person finds joy in both the sunshine and the rain. But a person who is not thankful can find a reason to despise both. So choose to be thankful. The simple act of giving thanks changes how you feel. It changes how you see life and approach new adventures. And ultimately, thankfulness changes what you get out of life. Thankful people are more productive, and as a result, are more rewarded for their efforts. So don’t wait until the Thanksgiving table—look around you right now and find the things in your life you should be thankful for, and choose to give thanks.
Craig and Janna Jones are the senior pastors of Abiding Church located in Kennesaw, GA. Learn more at www.abiding.church november 2016
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It is the one thing that we all do so very well. Some have made a career of it. Others have mastered all of its nuances. A day doesn’t go by without us complaining about something. I don’t care if you think that you are the most well-adjusted, caring, joyful, and easy-going person alive, you complain daily! Here are some words that describe different ways of complaining… accusing, bellyaching, bewailing, charging, critical, deploring, disapproving, discontented, dissenting, fretting, grumbling, lamenting, malcontent, moaning, mourning, murmuring, peevish, protesting, querulous, regretting, repining, resentful, weeping, and whining. In the Old Testament, it wasn’t called complaining, but murmuring. Murmuring was one of the sins that the Israelites did after God brought them out of Egypt. They complained about the food that God provided for them daily, about their surroundings, their living conditions, their journey around the mountain. They complained how they missed the meat and spices of Egypt and how their lives weren’t all that bad back there—you know the beatings, the slavery, the torture, the mistreatment. When God brought them out of Egypt, they were all healed and no one was even lame. They left with all the gold, silver, jewels, and plunder of Egypt. Their clothes and shoes never wore out, even after 40 years in the desert. All their complaints were against God, His servant Moses, and His provisions. During prayer this morning, God put this on my heart as a challenge: not to complain at all. So I said “Sure, I will do it for the next four days.” I, of course, wanted to clarify the difference between being concerned and complaining. Then it came to me. At work the day before, my assistant, Wayne, told me that the two small phillips screwdriver tips that we use were both missing. I started searching for them, but couldn’t readily find them. That part of my behavior was showing my concern. But that concern eventually turned into complaining. I started getting frustrated that they were gone, and the more I couldn’t find either of them, the more angry I became. “I don’t understand how they can just disappear? We always put them back and now they are both gone. Great, I will have to get two more so we can lose them too!” Now I understood the difference. Okay, I felt that this was doable, so the first thing I thought of was my temper when I drive—not full blown road rage, but simmering lava for sure. So I prayed for the Holy Spirit to help me get through this and to remind me each time I blew it. This morning seemed to be going okay without any major problems. Next, the drive to work. So far so good until I pulled out of the Wal-Mart parking lot. Some “idiot” wasn’t paying attention and was driving down the middle of the aisle, so I had to stop and wait for him to wake up and finally move over. ”Tourist!” Instantly the Holy Spirit reminded me of my slip, and I repented right there. Continuing onto work, I realized it wasn’t going to be as simple as I had thought. Within the next couple of hours, the Holy Spirit had to remind me several more times. I stopped and prayed that if I could just get through this day instead of worrying about the next four days that I would fare better. Time and time again, it happened. I finally stopped and prayed that maybe if I could just get through the next hour that I could do better. That is when it hit me like a ton of bricks. In the matter of just a few hours, I had gone from a challenge of four days down to one day and then down to one hour—and I wasn’t even doing well at that. How very sad! 16
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Complaining leads to more complaints which will lead to other problems. In most cases, it all starts out the same way. First, it is a concern that grows into a worry that grows into a complaint that continues to grow into frustration that turns into rage—a five-step process that almost without fail brings disaster. Some have mastered it so well that they can go straight from concern to rage without much prompting. If you stop to think about all of the world’s troubles from an individual’s point of view, you clearly see how complaining plays a big role in their decisions—the most glaring being divorce! More divorces result from arguments stemming from complaints. In fact, married couples are less tolerant of each other than they would be of a roommate. No marriage is perfect regardless how long you have been married. It all has to do with how you treat each other on a daily basis. The Bible warns us not to worry or be afraid. The reason has to do with the outcome if you continue to do so. Again, worry and complaining often go hand-in-hand. Complaining is detrimental in ways that many of us don’t even realize. It can affect your faith, beliefs, relationships, and your health. It can have negative effects on every part of your life. It can cause you to become enraged, cause you to make hasty and poor decisions, cause you to spill your anger over onto loved ones who are not even involved. It can convince you that you need to make changes that can really cost you deeply, and worst of all, cause you to doubt your God and lose your faith. Complaining doesn’t come cheap. It can cost you your health, your friends, your family, your spouse, your blessings, your future. Matthew 6:25-34 says: Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. And 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says: Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Give thanks in all circumstances, which includes the good, as well as your concerns, troubles, cares, worries, and problems! Being concerned is not a sin, but it will turn into sin if you let it get away from you. Complaining is the opposite of rejoicing and thankfulness. Let’s make the decision to cut out the complaining in our daily lives—even if it’s one hour at a time.
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Sweetwater Creek State Park Fall in Georgia is a special time to see the beauty of God’s creation. Despite the general unpredictability of Georgia’s weather, Sweetwater Creek State Park is an ideal spot to keep in mind for a day to unwind and escape into nature without having to travel all that far. Situated 15 miles west of Atlanta, this park has something for almost everyone who enjoys getting some fresh air. There are 12 miles worth of dog-friendly trails for a nice hike. The trails themselves are easy to moderate difficulty, ranging from one mile to a five-mile loop hike. Taking you along Sweetwater Creek, which during lower waters actually allows for walking out into the creek along the tops of the rocks, the trails will give you access to the George Sparks Reservoir (a 215-acre lake), a visitor center with a few Native American artifacts, a bait shop, a gift shop, and the ruins of the New Manchester Manufacturing Company (a textile mill that was burned during the Civil war). FUN FACT: Scenes from the movie Mockingjay were shot here, giving a view of the ruins of the mill in the background. There are many activities besides just hiking to enjoy: fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and stand-up paddle boarding on the lake (rentals available seasonally). For those who are interested, there is also an abundance of plant and animal life to be seen. Campers can reserve one of the five standard campsites, or if they would like to “glamp it up,” the site also offers ten yurts for rent as well. But if you would prefer just to spend a day in the park rather than all night, there are eight picnic shelters, plus a group shelter with a BBQ pit that seats up to 150 people for larger events. And if you still want the scenery but in an indoor setting, you can rent a 40-person window-lined conference room for your next meeting. In all, whether you want to make a weekend out of it or just take an hour or two to enjoy the beauty, this 2,549-acre park is a perfect escape from the city without having to spend your entire day off just trying to get there. Nature-lovers will find a little bit of everything to do at this park. With the leaves and temperatures changing, there isn’t a better quick escape than Sweetwater Creek. 18
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2,549 acres 215 acre lake Hiking - 12 miles of trails Fishing - electric motors only Kayak, Canoe, Stand-up Paddleboard & Aquacycle Rental - seasonal Park Paddlers Club Boat Rental - seasonal Picknicking Geocaching Playgrounds Weddings - park approval required Family Reunions - park approval required Visitor Center Museum 10 Yurts (“Glamping” Facilities) Group shelter and BBQ pit 5 campsites
I love Thanksgiving leftovers. I really do. Give me a couple of slices of mountain bread, some mayo, and leftover turkey, and I am golden. The problem is I can’t serve my out-of-town company plain old turkey sandwiches. It just doesn’t feel right. With that in mind, I came up with this delicious sandwich that looks and tastes like you created a gourmet curtain call to your beautiful Thanksgiving performance.
Turkey Cranberry Sauce Dressing Tuscan Loaf Bread French Brie (brought to room temperature & sliced) Butter (I used Rosemary Herbed Butter) Salt and Pepper
Heat a cast iron pan over medium-low heat. In the microwave, gently warm the turkey, dressing, and cranberry sauce. Slice the bread, and butter the outside of the slices with the herbed butter. Place one slice of bread in the pan butter-side down. Place French brie on top of the slice of bread in the pan. Layer the cranberry sauce, turkey, dressing, salt, pepper, and second slice of bread butter-side up. Grill the sandwich until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melting. Enjoy the wonderful explosion of Thanksgiving goodness! november 2016
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