September 2015

Gò0dNews September 2015

Complimentary

Christian Magazine

Cleveland

• When Discouragement Hits p. 6 • Finding Family at School p. 20 • New Seasons Are Like New Slates p.52

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Writers

Pastor Samuel Burger Alice Abbot Andrew Lee Angie Parris Brittany Booher Chris Moser Darren Schalk David Gray David Thompson Deana Thompson Douglas Caywood Elizabeth Shreve Esmerelda Lee Jeremy Wallace John Kie Vining Julius McCarter Kelly McDonald Kristi Schalk Mark Wells Tammy Madden Terrie Ruff Tyler Shores Wanda Griffith William Lamb

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Caleb Prytherch

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About Us

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 three beautiful children, Brendon, Kailey, and Andrew. We live in Cleveland 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!

Letter from the Editor

M

odern technology supposedly makes our lives easier, but in many ways it adds to the frenetic pace of our lives, becoming the source of unhealthy stress. As we rush through the busy days of September with a cell phone or iPad in tow, we cannot afford to allow destructive behaviors into our lifestyles that will make it difficult to see God’s hand at work in our lives.

We also experience other distractions—nagging negatives, petty prejudices, exasperating expectations, desperately sought-after desires, and ferocious fears that I call hang-ups. These hang-ups can steal our joy and rob us of peace, weighing us down with a burden too heavy to see beyond ourselves. But God did not create us to become subject to our hang-ups. He wants us to be free—free to be creative, to grow and reach our highest potential in Him by overcoming everyday struggles and living a victorious Christian life. Elizabeth Shreve’s article (p. 22) describes how God gives us grace in this process of “Becoming Fearless.”

A tall order? Not for my God. It doesn’t take most of us long to realize we cannot live the Christian life in our own strength. This realization comes early with some, but, sadly, much later with others. Early or late, He promises help with our hang-ups. His Word instructs us: “Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us” (Heb. 12:1 NLT).

What a great solution to hanging up our hang-ups.

I’m running! How about you?

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.

Contents 12

30

46

GoodNews for Teens

GoodNews for your Taste Buds

by Deana Thompson GoodNews for Everyone

by Jeremy Wallace GoodNews on Money Matters

by John Kie Vining GoodNews for Everyone 28 The Power of Effective Communication

by Kelly McDonald GoodNews Cover Story

by Andrew Lee GoodNews for Men

by Wanda Griffith GoodNews for Couples

GoodNews from the Pastor’s Desk

6

When Discouragement Hits

by Pastor Samuel Burger GoodNews for Kids

8

Five Ways Parents Can Teach Doctrine to Their Kids

26 Sometimes Funny Isn’t Fun 42 Coconut Macaroons

10 The Source of Our Security 30 Southern Medical Hearing 12 No Matter the Weather

by Chris Moser GoodNews for Women

14 Baking Bundt Cakes and Building Posses of Poison

32 The Secret Marriage Healing Agent

by David Gray GoodNews for Seniors

34 Fit for a Bit or Fit for Life

44 Megan’s Journey Back

by Tammy Madden GoodNews for Everyone

46 The Spiritual Discipline of Listening

by Julius McCarter GoodNews for Everyone

50 Lucky or Blessed?

by Mark Wells GoodNews for Everyone

52 New Seasons Are Like New Slates

by Kristi Schalk GoodNews for Parents

by Esmerelda Lee GoodNews for Everyone

by William Lamb GoodNews for Everyone

by Brittany Booher GoodNews for Everyone

by David Thompson GoodNews for Everyone

by Darren Schalk GoodNews for Everyone

20 Finding Family at School

36 Having Issues with Your Wait? 54 A Thorn Full of Grace

22 Becoming Fearless

38 Love—Part 1

by Elizabeth Shreve GoodNews for Everyone

by Alice Abbot GoodNews for Everyone

I’m Not Happy

Is It Possible?

by Terrie Ruff

by Douglas Caywood

24 I’m Happy Even When

40 Vacation Bible School All Year?

56 An Invitation to Christian Service

by Tyler Shores GoodNews for Everyone

58 The View from the Back Seat

by Angie Parris

Gò0dNews from the Pastor’s Desk

When Discouragement Hits It’s not about how much you do; it’s about what God has called you to be.

by Samuel Burger

W

arren Wiersbe wrote: “Ministers are human beings, made of dust, subject to the same forces that discourage and destroy the men and women who sit in the pews. For some reason, many church members have the idea that their pastor is exempt from personal pressures and problems or that he has a secret system for overcoming the difficulties of life and ministry. He does not. George Morrison has said,” continues Wiersbe, “that God rarely allows His servants to see how much good they are doing, so you will have to work by faith and leave the results to Him. We’ll get the report and the reward when we stand before Him in glory, not one minute before”.1 Even Charles Spurgeon commented on personal discouragement in his life: “Knowing by most painful experience what deep depression of spirit means, being visited therewith at seasons by no means few or far between, I thought it might be consolatory to some of my brethren if I gave my thoughts thereon, that young men might not fancy that some strange thing had happened to them when they become for a season possessed by melancholy.

Be not dismayed by soultrouble. Count it no strange thing, but a part of ordinary ministerial experience. . . . Continue with double earnestness to serve the Lord when no visible result is before you. Come fair or come foul, the pulpit is our watchtower Warren Wiersbe, “Formula for Frustration,” Prokope, May-June 1987, 1-2 Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1972), ch. 11.

3 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NLT) 1 2

6 // September 2015

and the ministry our warfare; be it ours, when we cannot see the face of our God, to trust under the shadow of His wings.”2 As you may already know this very familiar verse of Scripture, I want to give you the formula of success in ministry: “For we live by believing and not by seeing.”3 If you measure success in ministry by what you see presently, you are not living by faith. I have found this verse of Scripture to be very helpful as a pastor.

I have experienced: • Uncontrollable weeping • Seasons of depression • A feeling of isolation and loneliness • Inability to even concentrate.

The list goes on, but the very thing to combat these things we go through is to contrast God’s promises against the enemy’s lies. The devil wants you to keep measuring your progress by what you see, but if you measure your progress by what God has called you to be, you are already successful. It’s not about how much you do; it’s about what He’s called you to be. Whether you are a pastor or not, God wants you to know who you are rather than trying to base your identity by what or how much you do. After all, our success in ministry is based on Jesus’ finished work.

We are already successful in Christ Jesus.

Samuel Burger is the pastor of Chestuee Baptist Church.

Feel free to contact him via email samuelbrgr@yahoo.com.

Gò0dNews for Kids

Five Ways Parents Can Teach Doctrine to Their Kids

Doctrine provides the foundation that helps children understand that the Bible presents one main theme—Jesus Christ.

by Jeremy Wallace

C

hristian parents have a responsibility to teach more than just Bible stories and character traits to their children. They also have a responsibility to teach doctrine. Bible stories and character traits are definitely important, but doctrine provides the foundation that can lead to lasting change in a life.

While many parents think that doctrine is important, others think their kids aren’t ready for it. The truth is that they are ready for it; parents just have to be intentional about how they teach it.

Here are several ideas for teaching doctrine to your kids: 1. Help children understand the doctrine in the songs they sing at church. If your church utilizes doctrinally rich songs, your children are already singing truth, but they might not be thinking about what they are singing. Throughout the week, ask them about a certain song.

See if they know what it means.

If not, take some time to explain it. The next time they sing that song in church, they will know the importance of its message.

2. Talk about the doctrinal truths in the stories that they already know. If your children have spent any time in church, they are probably familiar with many Bible stories.

Each of these stories contain deeper doctrinal truths or themes that are often not taught, however. Bring these topics up and discuss them. For instance, Noah and the ark is not just about the animals, the ark, and the flood. It is about God’s character, His hatred of sin, and His promise of deliverance. Teach truths, not just stories.

8 // September 2015

3. Read through the Jesus Storybook Bible with your children. The Jesus Storybook Bible is a children’s Bible, written by Sally Lloyd-Jones. The goal of this Bible is to relate all of the stories it presents to the work of Jesus Christ. This helps children understand that all of the Bible fits together to present one main theme that is connected to one main person—Jesus Christ.

4. Make doctrine practical. Actually, doctrine is already practical. It affects all areas of our lives. The problem is, we are often too busy to think about how. When visiting a widowed grandparent, help your children understand how God’s omnipresence (God is present everywhere) can be a help and an encouragement to your loved one. The next time a storm rolls through, talk to your child about God’s omnipotence (God is all-powerful). Doing this can help them see the practical side of doctrine.

5. Don’t be afraid of developing or using a catechism.

While catechisms have received criticism throughout the years, they can be a great help. No catechism replaces Scripture, but it can help children learn important truths in an organized fashion. Find a good one and work through it with your children.

While there are many other ways in which to accomplish this, these five ideas are a good place to start.

Consider how you can point your children to Christ by teaching doctrine.

Dr. Jeremy Wallace, pastor LifeSpring Baptist Church www.lifespringbaptist.org 423-892-8469

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Gò0dNews on Money Matters

The Source of Our Security The only true source of security lies in our faith in the saving grace of Jesus Christ to meet our needs.

by Andrew Lee

T

his month, the Social Security program turns eighty years old. Countless news stories have chronicled this historical milestone, and inevitably the stories remind us that Social Security is quickly going broke and likely will be unable in the near future to meet its full obligations to retirees and the disabled. Everywhere we turn, we are reminded that it is our responsibility to plan to save for our own retirement, rather than relying on the government to provide us with enough money to meet our needs after we stop working. I heartily agree with this warning.

We are encouraged to invest for retirement using the stock market— and, tellingly, another name for stocks is securities. Think about that.

We are encouraged to put our trust and future plans and dreams into pieces of paper known as securities.

And these days, we don’t even usually receive the physical piece of paper known as a stock certificate.

Rather, those certificates are held by some broker or other custodian, and we have to take the person’s word that we really do own some stock

10 // September 2015

some place, even though we’ve never actually seen or touched our stock certificates. But wait . . . there’s more.

How do we know how much money we have in our various retirement accounts, brokerage accounts, checking accounts, or savings accounts? Maybe we have an app on our cell phone that allows us to check our balances at any moment. Maybe we simply log on to the bank’s website to see more numbers on a screen, or perhaps we check the mail every month for a bank statement—another piece of paper. When it’s all said and done, we’re ultimately relying on a computer terminal somewhere to tell us whether or not we have wealth (money) in our accounts. Is that really the source of our security?

Should it be? Now don’t get me wrong. Anyone who has read any of my previous columns should know that I advocate investing in the stock markets for the long-term creation of wealth and to plan for retirement and other long-term goals. And I’m certainly not a fear-mongering doomsday prophet telling folks to pull their money out of the bank,

to buy gold, or to dig a bunker in the backyard and stock up on ammunition and firearms. (Frankly, those doomsayers annoy me. I’m an incurable optimist).

Rather, the purpose of my column this month is to encourage us to remember that our only true source of security lies in our faith in the saving grace of Jesus Christ to meet our needs and to secure our eternal salvation. Only in Christ will we find the surest sense of security and the peace that passes all understanding. Save and invest your money for the future— absolutely. But don’t pin your hopes and dreams on the flickering of numbers on a computer screen if, in the process, you lose sight of what’s truly important. As Jesus reminds us, “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matt. 6:20 NIV).

Dr. Andrew Lee is professor of English at Lee University. He also serves as a coordinator for Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. He and his wife Esmerelda have three children.

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Gò0dNews for Men

No Matter the Weather Be thankful and teach gratitude to your children for the little things.

by Chris Moser

M

an, it is just too hot out there! I would

be thankful for the heat, the rain, the cold. All the

be so happy if it wasn’t so cold. Can you

elements that make up our beautiful and magnificent

believe all this rain we have been getting?

world should be seen as wonderful, and we should

I can’t wait until spring; I can’t wait until fall, or I

show gratitude. These lessons are mostly caught and

can’t wait until summer. When was the last time you

not taught, though.

were thankful? When was the

The next time you are

last time you said “Man, it is

about to complain about some

just beautiful out here today.

aspect of the weather, why not

Thank you, Lord, for this

ask yourself: Do I want to teach

wonderful day!”

negativity to my children about

Raising two boys comes

something I have no control

with all sorts of worries and

over? Or do I want to show my

stress. You are, on one hand,

child that I can be as the apostle

drudging through the long

Paul said in Philippians 4:12:

days of soccer practice, music

“I have learned the secret of

lessons, and homework. While

being content in any and every

on the other hand, you are

situation. . . .” (NIV).

working to teach them about

Men, let’s lead by

life and how to be the man

example. The next time your

God wants each one to be.

golf game gets canceled by

One of those things

rain or the fish aren’t biting

we should be teaching

because of the heat, find

our children is how to be

something about that day to

thankful—not just teaching

be thankful for. Let’s teach

them to thank God for their

our children that no matter

food before they eat or be glad that they have a roof

the weather, we will praise the Lord for another day

over their head. Those things are important, but what

to live—especially here in the Southeast Tennessee

about the little things? What about being thankful for

Valley. We have so much beauty around us to praise

the break in 90 degree heat, or thankful for the rain

our Creator for. Τhank Him for the magnificent

when it comes instead of cursing it for the plans that

mountains, the rivers, and the rolling hills of East

it may have ruined? Weather is one thing that we all

Tennessee. Even in the rain, fog, heat, and the cold,

complain about; yet, it is something that no one can

this is a wonderful place to live. So be thankful and

do a single thing about by complaining.

teach gratitude to your children today.

This is not an article about climate change or some political call to fix the environment. This is a simple call to all men to teach your children to

12 // September 2015

Chris Moser is a lifelong resident of Cleveland, Lee University graduate and Court Liaison Team Leader at The State of Tennessee Department of Children’s Service.

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Gò0dNews for Women

Baking Bundt Cakes and Building Posses of Poison

R

When life treats you unfairly, make a choice to look beyond your mistreatment and sing a song to Jesus.

by Kristi Schalk

ecently I attended a seminar

her life, when her phone suddenly

those government officials were wrong.

where the speaker was

plays your ringer (likely “Every

I would have been whining about how

discussing negativity in the

Rose Has Its Thorn”), giving her the

I’d been treated unfairly. I would have

workplace. He spoke of a former

warning she doesn’t need to answer.

thrown as much negativity around the

colleague who would prey upon new

She answers nonetheless—because

prison as I could! But that’s not what

employees by bringing him or her a

she’s a good friend. Then we inject our

they did.

Bundt cake, coaxing the person into

poison as we dive into all the horrible

relaxation and security, and then

things that have happened, or been

around them with negativity, they did

spreading her negativity to this sad

done to us.

just the opposite—no complaining,

soul. He stated that she had built her own “Posse of Poison.”

I have always been a positive

Instead of injecting everyone

no grumbling, and no venting. They

person and tried to be a cheerleader

found the willpower to ignore their

for those around me. Last year, I

mistreatment and simply sing a song

throughout the body, quickly

had a rough few months. I drank the

to Jesus. In the end, God miraculously

damaging internal organs. As women,

poison and began to allow it to seep

freed them. But perhaps the greater

we carry a deadly poison, and all

out of me into others. At some point, I

miracle was that the jailer who wanted

too often, we inject our friends and

apparently made a choice to run with

to kill himself, decided instead to give

colleagues. The poison we often spread

my negativity and spread it to anyone

his life to Jesus. Do you think he could

Poison can be lethal. It spreads

who would listen. It made

have made that decision if Paul and

for a rough few months.

Silas had mumbled and complained

we call when in need of some good

And while I tried to blame

rather than praised?

ole commiserating. The poor friend,

everybody else; the truth is, I

If you’re having a bad day, the

made a choice to focus on and

Enemy expects you to gripe, moan, and

faster than 4G is negativity.

We all have one or more friends

though, could be having the greatest day of

spread my negativity. I could have chosen to do otherwise.

And as I ponder this poor choice from many moons ago, I

listen. Instead, do what Paul and Silas did: sing praises.

Bake your friend a Bundt cake,

consider the Biblical story of Paul

and then, instead of venting about

and Silas as they were locked-up in

how horrible your day/friend/boss/

prison in Acts 16. What if Paul and

coworker/spouse (fill-in-the-blank)

Silas had made the same choice as I

treated you yesterday, tell them how

had made? What if they began to tell

great God’s been this week. Rather than

everyone the negative side of their

injecting a lethal dose of negativity,

story? If it had been me, I’m pretty

maybe we can inject a healthy dose of

sure I would have been telling all my

“How Great Is Our God.”

fellow inmates about how I had been treated unjustly, how I was right and

14 // September 2015

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Cleveland Church Directory

Assembly of God

Grace Assembly 1976 Westland Dr SW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-7729 Triune Assembly 301 Sunset Drive Cleveland, TN 37312

Baptist

Beacon Baptist Church 505 Corvin Rd NE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 472-7056 Big Spring Baptist Church 1415 Hardwick St SE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-1101 Bellefounte Baptist Church Pastor Lake Walker 132 Bellfounte Rd NE, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 336-2312 Bethel Baptist Tabernacle Pastor Johnny Townsend 3165 Buchanan Rd SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 479-5820 Blue Springs Baptist Church 699 Blue Springs Church Rd SW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-0932F Candies Creek Church 294 Old Eureka Rd Charleston, TN 37310 423-479-3731 candiescreekchurch.com Cedar Springs Baptist Church 723 Cedar Springs Church Rd SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 479-5506 Center Point Baptist Church 167 Monza Ln NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 336-2133 Cleveland Cowboy Church Pastor Wally Varnell 3040 Blythe Rd. Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-7936 or clevelandcowboychurch.com Cloverleaf Baptist Church Pastor Michael Coleman 2290 Waterlevel Highway Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 339-3617 Clingan Ridge Baptist Church 2412 Georgetown Road, NW Cleveland, TN 37312(423) 472-3511 or www.clinganridgebaptist.com Church At Grace Point Pastor Phil Griffin 2595 Old Freewill Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 728-5050 or grace-point.com Covenant Baptist Church 249 Calhoun Rd SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 559-2653 Dalton Pike Baptist Church 3055 Benton Pike NE,

16 // September 2015

Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 472-7606 Elkmont Baptist Church 4030 Old Freewill Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 479-4600 Emmanuel Baptist Church 1227 Powerline Dr NE, Cleveland, TN 37323 East Cleveland Baptist Church 1145 Arnold St NE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-8728 Farmland Community Church Location: YMCA 10:00am Fairview Baptist Church 5545 Runway Dr NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 790-5353 First Baptist Church Co-Pastor Allan Lockerman, Co-Pastor-Jim Gibson 1275 Stuart Road Cleveland, Tennessee 37312 (423)709-9100 or clevelandfbc.com Galilee Baptist Church 665 Old Chattanooga Pike SW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 496-2019 Henegar Baptist Church 7423 Mouse Creek Rd. Cleveland Tn 37312 Hopewell Baptist Church 188 Old Georgetown Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 479-3763 The Journey Church 1668 S Lee Hwy, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 728-4100 Lebanon Baptist Church 1411 Old Parksville Rd NE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 479-6700 Macedonia Baptist Church 3119 Spring Place Rd SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 479-1713 Maple Street Baptist Church 1700 Maple St NE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 478-3622 Maranatha Baptist Church 453 Blue Springs Ln SE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 614-8991 Michigan Avenue Baptist Church 2741 Benton Pike NE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 472-8891 Mt Carmel Baptist Church 7619 Blue Springs Rd, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 479-1620 New Friendship Baptist Church 1344 Chatata Valley Rd NE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 476-6007 North Cleveland Baptist Church Pastor Dr. Jay Mccluskey 2815 Ocoee St N,

Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 476-8524 or northclevelandbaptist.org Oak Grove Baptist Church 4452 Bates Pike SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 479-9125 Old Pathway Baptist Church 224 Rymer Rd NE, Cleveland, TN 37323 Parkway Baptist Church Rev. Shane Lawson 185 Meadow Ln SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 339-5522 or www.parkwaybaptist.info Philadelphia Baptist Church 910 30th St SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 Philippi Baptist Church 2325 Old Harrison Pike NW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 479-5385 Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church 799 Inman Street East Cleveland, Tennessee 37311 (423) 476-4081 Ridgeview Baptist Church 1501 S Ocoee St, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-5119 Rolling Brook Baptist Church 1675 Greendale Dr NE Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 472-0612 Samples Memorial Baptist Church 371 Samples Chapel Rd SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 476-2329 Shenandoah Baptist Church Pastor Brent Coley 138 Osment Rd Se, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 339-0103 or www.sbcministries.com Shiloh Baptist Church 3406 Blair Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 479-5755 Stuart Park Baptist Church 850 17th St NW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-6741 Tasso Baptist Church 164 Old Charleston Rd NE, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 559-2114 Temple Baptist Church 3070 Harrison Pike, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-6813 Thompson Spring Baptist Church 5660 Bates Pike SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 790-1823 Union Baptist Church 797 Hughes Lake Rd SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 559-1720 Valley View Baptist Church Pastor David Tuten 4657 Spring Place Rd SE,

Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 472-7707 or vvbaptist.org Washington Avenue Baptist Church 1720 Perry St SE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-0489 Waterville Baptist Church Pastor Allan Lovelace 4555 Dalton Pike SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 472-5582 or watervillebaptistchurch.org West Cleveland Baptist Church 1959 Westland Dr SW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-8927 Westwood Baptist Church Pastor Steve Smartt 4001 Georgetown Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 472-1534 or www.westwoodlife.org White Oak Baptist Church 2043 White Oak Valley Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 559-2359

Catholic

St Therese Catholic Church 900 Clingan Ridge Dr NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 476-8123

Charismatic

Cleveland Christian Fellowship Pastor Mark Strickland 695 S Ocoee St, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-2642 or ccfchurch.us

Church of God

Agape Place Church of God Pastor John and Melanie Arias 2611 Blue Springs Road SE Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-8691 Cornerstone Church of God Pastor Rick and Lori Sentell 2823 Lee Hwy, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 478-0006 Church of God Sanctified, Inc. 746 First Street N.E. Cleveland, TN. 37311 (423)479-3895 East Cleveland Church of God Pastor John A. Lombard Jr. 900 15th St NE Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 479-3389 Fellowship of Praise Church of God Pastor Selma Hall 931 Inman Street East Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 479-3121 or fellowshipofpraisecog.org Grace Community Church of God Pastor Kevin Mendel 4745 Mouse Creek Road NW, Cleveland, TN 37312.

(423) 614-0708 or www.gracecleveland.org Heritage Fellowship Church of God Pastor Steve Gilbert

4635 S Lee Hwy McDonald, TN 37353 (423) 476-6316 International Worship Center Centro Internacional de Adoración 533 Central Ave. NE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-1977 or www.iwcchurch.com Lakeview Church of God Pastor Dustin Wilds 105 Pound Street S.E. Cleveland, TN 37323 (423)-790-5805 or lakeviewcog.org North Cleveland Church of God Pastor Mitch Maloney 335 11th St NE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-5513 or nccog.org Michigan Avenue Church of God Rev. David B. Boles 515 Minnis Road N.E (423) 584-3663 Mt Olive Church of God 3522 Harrison Pike, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 479-3381 Mt View Church of God 210 Roadway Dr SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 472-6925 South Cleveland Church of God Pastor Chris Moody 1846 Volunteer Dr SW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-6382 or southcleveland.org Westmore Church of God Pastor Kelvin Page 2412 Wolfe Dr NW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 559-9646 or www.westmorecog.org Zion Assembly Church of God Pastor Kim Erwin 5512 Waterlevel Hwy, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 476-3337 or zionassemblychurchofgod.com

Church of God of Prophecy

Cleveland Spanish COGOP 2610 Grove Ave. Cleveland, TN 37312 (423)473-7199 Durkee Road COGOP 201Durkee Rd. Cleveland, TN37312 (423) 472-4384 Keith Street Ministries COGOP 4000 Keith ST. NW Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 476-2448 Peerless Road COGOP 3301 Peerless Rd. NW Cleveland, TN 37312 (423)303-2680 Spring Place COGOP 2530 Spring Place Rd. Cleveland, TN37311 (423)476-6414 Wildwood COGOP Bishop Winston Reid 140 Wildwood Ave Cleveland, TN 37311 (423)479-6584

Episcopal

Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church 320 Broad St NW, Cleveland, TN 37311

Lutheran

First Lutheran Church 195 McIntire Ave NE, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 472-6811

Methodist

Big Spring United Methodist 1196 Hardwick St SE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-5242 Black Fox United Methodist 1820 Old Chattanooga Pike SW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 339-1908 Broad Street United Methodist 155 Central Ave NW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-5586 First United Methodist Church 3425 Ocoee St N, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 476-4504 S. Cleveland United Methodist 1165 Church St SE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 507-5760 Tasso United Methodist 1106 Tasso Ln NE, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 479-4457 Riverstone Church 85 Central Ave NE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 790-5956 Trinity United Methodist Church 731 1st St SE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 614-7900 Valley Head Methodist Church 920 Mouse Creek Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 472-0575 Wesley Memorial Methodist 3405 Peerless Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 472-9578

Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 4200 Pryor Rd N.E. Cleveland, TN 37312 423-503-6394

Pentecostal

Faith Memorial Church 910 17th St NW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-6281 First United Pentecostal Church 4095 Peerless Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 476-9436 Full Gospel House of Prayer Pastor Michael Ferree 1500 Wildwood Ave. Cleveland, TN Set Free Christian Fellowship 1175 King Edwards Ave. Cleveland, TN

Nazarene

Cleveland First Church Of The Nazarene Pastor BJ Miller 2712 Henderson Ave. Cleveland, TN 37312-5225 423-472-7371 New Hope Church of the Nazarene Pastor Scot Carraway 2018 Washington Ave Cleveland, TN 37364 (423)479-7343

Non-Denominational

Christian Fellowship Ctr 895 6th St NE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 479-9591 Church Alive Ministries Cleveland, TN 37353 (423) 559-1371 Cleveland Community Chapel Pastor Tazz Reid 1823 Forest Ridge Dr. Cleveland, Tn. 37311 Cleveland Cornerstone Church 533 Broad St NW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 479-1775 Cornerstone Family Church 4997 N. Lee Highway Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 380-9160 cfctn.net Community Hall Church 1305 6th Street Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472 2178 Dwelling Place Church Pastors Jamie and Judy Jacobs Tuttle 523 Urbane Rd. NE Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 790-5200 DPCI.TV Evening Light Gospel Dr. Donald E. Smith, Jr. 200 20th St SE Cleveland, TN 37311 Freedom Fellowship Church 3555 Blue Springs Rd, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 478-0654 God’s Family Fellowship Pastors, Doug & Patsy Bell 197 Neely Circle NE Cleveland, TN 37312 Phone (423) 790-7533 www.godsfamilyfellowship.net Graceway Chapel 221 14th St NW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 728-2226 Living Word Church Pastor Evan Cockerham 930 25th Street, NW Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 339-3028 or thelovingchurch.com Norvel Hayes Ministries 155 S Ocoee St, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-3882 Restoration Fellowship 211 Trewhitt Dr SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 479-4249 The Simple Gospel

850 Elrod St SE Cleveland, TN 37311 423-650-9572 www.pointing2jesus.com Shema Israel Ministry 850 Elrod St SE Cleveland, TN 37311 423-994-8553 Tasso Christian Church 1135 Tasso Lane, Cleveland, Tn. 37312 (423) 479-2705 The Sanctuary Pastors Mike & Elizabeth Shreve 1203 Smith Dr. Cleveland, TN 37311 (423)478-2843 / shreveministries.org United Christian Church Pastors Charles and Margie Poteat 2200 Peerless Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 479-4277 Unity Christian Ministries Pastor Aubrey Ector 2419 Georgetown RD NW 37312 423-473-9338 Walker Valley Community 787 Lauderdale Memorial Hwy Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 336-9696

Presbyterian

Charleston Cumberland Presbyterian Church 8267 N Lee Hwy, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 336-5004 First Cumberland Presbyterian 161 2nd St NE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-6751 First Presbyterian Church 433 N Ocoee St, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-5584 Flint Springs Cumberland Presbyterian Church Rev. Kevin Wilson 515 Flint Springs Rd Cleveland TN. 37323 423-284-6397 or Facebook Prospect United Cumberland Presbyterian Church 310 New Murraytown Rd., NW Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 476-6181 St James Cumberland Presbyterian 151 Short St NE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-5762 Trinity Presbyterian Church 1780 Stuart Rd NE, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 559-9595

Seventh Day Adventist

Ladd Springs Seventh-Day 5860 Bates Pike SE Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 476-1889 Bowman Hills Adventist 300 Westview Dr NE Cleveland, TN 37312 East Cleveland Seventh-Day 801 Howard Circle SE Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-9299.

issuu.com/goodnewscm // 17

Athens Church Directory

Assembly of God

Abundant Blessing 2613 Cardinal St Athens, TN 37303 423-435-5867

Baptist

Antioch Baptist Church 218 Canal St. Athens, TN 37303 423-745-3332 Central Baptist 13 Nash Dr. Athens, TN 37303 423-745-0400 Clearwater Baptist 964 County Rd. Athens, TN 37303 423-744-7147 Covenant Baptist 241 County Rd Athens, TN 37303 423-263-1569 East Athens Baptist 301 Central Ave Athens, TN 37303 423-745-1394 Fairview Baptist 251 County Rd. 128 Athens, TN 37303 423-649-0346 First Baptist 305 Ingleside Athens, TN 37303 423-745-5441 First Bible Baptist 1819 Old Niota Athens, TN 37303 423-745-0765 Freedom Baptist 2207 Velma Rd Athens, TN 37303 423-746-0193 Mount Pleasant Baptist 414 Chester St. Athens, TN 37303 423-745-6510 Idelwild Baptist 118 county rd Athens, TN 37303 423-746-0002 Lakeview Baptist 182 County rd. 126 Athens, TN 37303 423-745-0451 Mount Pleasant Baptist 414 Chester St. Athens, TN 37303 423-745-6510 Mount Verd Baptist 251 County Rd 249 Athens, TN 37303 423-507-1286 New Hopewell Baptist 197 County Rd Athens, TN 37303

18 // September 2015

423-744-0940 New Zion Baptist 393 County Rd 616 Athens, TN 37303 423-263-9841 North Athens Baptist 402 Tellico Ave Athens, TN 37303 423-745-3813 Oak Grove Baptist 1212 County Rd. 100 Athens, TN 37303 423-744-9986 Parkway Baptist 1701 Velma Rd Athens, TN 37303 423-745-9709 Rocky Mount Baptist 1002 Rocky Mount Rd Athens, TN 37303 423-745-8758 Rogers Creek Baptist 510 County Rd 180 Athens, TN 37303 423-744-0295 Short Creek Baptist 892 County Rd. 50 Athens, TN 37303 423-336-5089 South Liberty Baptist 505 County Rd 655 Athens, TN 37303 423-745-5124 Union Hill Baptist 258 County Rd Athens, TN 37303 423-745-1241 Unity Baptist 162 County Rd 750 Athens, TN 37303 423-744-0420 Valley View Baptist 323 County Rd 370 Athens, TN 37303 423-745-5159 West End Baptist 803 Clark St. Athens, TN 37303 423-744-8274 West View Baptist 2707 Highway 39 Athens, TN 37303 423-745-2193

Catholic

St. Mary Catholic Church 1291 E. Madison Ave. Athens, TN 37303 423-745-4277

Christian

Athens Christian Church 802 S Matlock Ave Athens, TN 37303 423-745-5791

Church of God

Aoh Church Of God 501 Ohio St Athens, TN 37303 423-745-1279 First Church of God 200 Fisher St. Athens, TN 37303 423-887-5855 Woodward Church of God 507 Woodward Ave Athens, TN 37303 423-745-1618

Community

Christ Community Church 14 Congress PRKY S. Athens, TN 37303 423-745-8185

Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) 508 Cedar Springs Rd Athens, TN 373 423-745-0102

Nazarene

Athens Church of the Nazarene 1908 W. Madison Ave. Athens, TN 37303 423-744-3017

Episcopal

St Paul Episcopal Church 123 S. Jackson ST. Athens, TN 37303 423-745-2224

Lutheran

Athens Lutheran Church 710 Forrest Ave. Athens, TN 37303 423-745-9419

Methodist

Keith Memorial UMC 600 W Madison Ave. Athens, TN 37371 423-745-2612 Piney Grove UMC 767 County Rd. 750 423-462-2130 Athens, TN 37303 Riceville 2519 Cindy St Athens, TN 37303 423-462-2130 St. Mark Ame Zion Methodist 707 N. Jackson St Athens, TN 37303 Tranquility UMC 135 County Rd. 177 Athens, TN 37303 423-334-3062 Trinity UMC 100 E. College St Athens, TN 37303

423-745-0452 Vine Grove UMC 517 County Rd. 778 Athens, Tn 37303 423-507-5760

Non- Denominational

Ascension Life 935 Rocky Mount Rd Athens, TN 37303 423-829-5102 Christian Freedom Wrshp Center 109 Cherry St Athens, TN 37303 423-745-8999 Emmanuel Church 1905 Congress Parkway S. Athens, TN 37303 423-745-0851 Freedom Chapel 815 Cleveland Ave. Athens, TN 37303 423-745-8079 Great Deliverance Ministries 2329 Clearwater Rd Athens, TN 37303 423-745-7575 Liberty Church 3328 Hwy 11 Athens, TN 37303 423-745-9248 Overcoming Faith Christian 14 Carter Rd Athens, TN 37303 423-745-3105 Restoration Church 3115 Hwy 39 Athens, TN 37303 423-745-7777 Sanctury 9 S. Kilgore St. Athens, TN 37303 423-745-8900

Pentecostal

Crosslife Ministries 817 S. White St Athens, TN 37313 423-368-7197 Athens United Pentecostal 2820 Hwy 11 Athens, TN 37303 423-744-7159

Presbyterian

First United Presbyterian Church 321 N. Jackson St Athens, TN 37303 423-744-9073 Mars Hill Presbyterian 205 N. Jackson St Athens, TN 37303 423-745-1403

Seveth-Day Adventist

Seveth-Day Adventist 230 New Englewood Rd Athens, TN 37303 423-745-2335

Church Activities & Events First Baptist Cleveland Moms Nurturing Moms

10:00 am – 12:00 pm 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm Main Campus Moms Nurturing Moms is a gathering for mothers of all ages to come fellowship, learn and share together. Moms have the opportunity to spend time together, make crafts and hear from other mothers about special topics of interest.

Signup for morning or evening events to help with a busy schedule. The event is free, but registration is required for childcare. _______________________________________

Peerless Road Church

September 5th & 12th : Serve Ministry Food Distribution 12:00 p.m. In the Gymnasium

_______________________________________

Clingan Ridge Church "Fall-O-Him"

Saturday, September 26 6:00pm-8:00pm CRBC Fellowship Building Ladies' Ministry Event...all ladies are welcome!

Childcare is provided. _______________________________________

Candies Creek Academy A Christ-Centered Classical Education Enrolling K4-12th 2014-2015

294 Old Eureka Rd., Charleston, TN 37310 (423) 479-3731 candiescreekacademy.com

Gò0dNews for Parents

Finding Family at School

We didn’t know how much our lives would change when we found our children’s school and discovered the love the teachers have for what they do.

by Brittany Booher

W

e moved from Ft. Pierce,

following Monday. Whew! We knew

never expected. Our children blossomed

Florida, to Cleveland,

that it was only possible because of God

and made friends. My husband knew no

Tennessee, in the summer of

Instantly, we fell in love with

one, but because of UCA, we now have

2012. The only person we knew here was

Cleveland! The first year here I

people we can count on. This school

my husband’s boss. We are asked often

home-schooled our oldest son as we

gave our family so much more than we

why we would move from the beach

researched different schools and got to

can ever give them!

to here. Cleveland has been a breath of

know our new town. We wanted to keep

fresh air. Little did we know how much

our children in a Christian school. After

my children asked when they could see

our lived would change when we found

that first year, we toured our first and

their teachers again. Why? It’s because

our school.

only choice—United Christian Academy.

the teachers developed a relationship

We worked for a Christian school in

By the third week of summer break,

I had no idea how much my

of nurture and care. They encouraged

Florida. My husband taught the youth,

children would bloom! My oldest son

them, set goals, and helped to see that

and I taught for nine years when we felt

was an average student and kept to

the goals were met. It’s not only the

God leading us in another direction. The

himself, but he was terrified of being on

education that is great, it’s the love the

ministry we worked for could not afford

stage. Our second son was outgoing and

teachers have for what they do. The

to have a school. We knew the door was

had lots of energy. This was his first year

principal knows each child. She looks

closing, but where would we move? We

to be in a school environment. Within

for ways to praise the students.

have three precious children. Having a

one month, we knew we had made

If you are new to Cleveland—

life-altering conversation is very hard

the right choice! Our oldest son was

welcome. You are going to love it here!

with three little ones around. God was

transformed before our eyes. The next

There are many schools here to choose

going to do big things in our lives in

report card, he had straight A’s. Our

from. Our family found ours. May

unexpected ways.

second son started maturing more. The

you be blessed to find a great school

next year our daughter joined UCA’s

“family” like we did!

Beginning when our daughter was three weeks old, my husband underwent

preschool where she matured greatly!

cancer testing and had many medical

My oldest son went from

procedures. Six months later, we learned

stage fright to having a

that he has a severe allergy to dairy that

small solo in the Easter

goes way beyond lactose intolerance,

program. Our second son

sometimes requiring hospitalization.

graduated kindergarten

During these three-hour trips to the

with a maturity I

hospital, my husband and I prayed.

This was a rare time God gave us to be alone to talk about our future.

The Move

In July of 2012, my husband had

an interview. By the end of that week, our house in Florida was packed, we had a house in Cleveland, and he started his job the

20 // September 2015

Brittany Booher is the wife of Rich and mother to Joshua, Lee, and Madison. She loves taking care of her family, organizing, natural recipes, essential oils, and living each moment that God has given her.

UNITED CHRISTIAN ACADEMY An academy of excellence...

United Christian Academy

has excellent teachers who care— experienced teachers committed to equipping students with the skills to pursue their dreams and face the challenges of life with confidence.

In partnership with parents, we are dedicated to providing a strong academic foundation that recognizes the individual learning style of each child while promoting academic excellence, creativity, independence, and growth.

(423) 478-2500 ucacademyinfo.com

CHALLENGE!

OUR TEACHERS WILL SEE YOUR CHILD FOR WHO THEY ARE AS WELL AS WHAT THEY COULD BE.

423.478.2500 - ucacademyinfo.com

Gò0dNews for Everyone

Becoming Fearless

Almost every Christian has heard 2 Timothy 1:7 quoted: “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind” (NKJV).

by Elizabeth Shreve courage to do what you already know you can do.

G

journey toward perfection. The problem is, demons know it too,

True courage is displayed when you're afraid to do

and they do their best to remind us of our imperfections every

percent “not fearful.” It might mean being terrified, but jumping

We can be going along, serving God, doing good, stepping

in anyway, going forward when you would rather turn and run,

out in faith, then all of a sudden, without a reason, we'll have a

or holding on when you would rather let go.

day when a “fear attack” hits our minds. That's when we need

od really wants you to use that power! It doesn't take

something, but you do it anyway. Being fearless is not being 100

So many people are so afraid of making a mistake that they

God knows we aren't perfect, so He gives us grace as we

step of the way!

to echo the following passage:

don't do anything. Instead, they sit around saying, “What if I

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty

mess up? What if no one likes me? What if I fail?” Well, we're

through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting

human. We're going to make mistakes; however . . .

• Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker.

down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every

• Failure is delay, not defeat.

thought to the obedience of Christ. (2 Cor. 10:4-5 KJV).

• Failure is a small detour—not a dead end.

If there ever was a scripture that promotes bravery, it's

A common mistake we make is thinking we must be

this one. If we are truly going to be fearless, we must realize

perfect all the time. You should say this out loud, “If I fall seven

we have weapons that are mighty. God has not left us on the

times, I will stand up eight.”

battlefield with nothing to protect ourselves. We must take

We can be so afraid of being judged, criticized, or laughed at that we become completely paralyzed. The main thing fear

control of our minds.

That's where victory begins. What you give power to, has

does in our lives is hinder our progress. Everything we want is

power over you. Take control of your thoughts by speaking

on the other side of fear. Fear appears like a big, dark wall, but

words of faith. Dare to declare, “I am powerful in Christ! I am full

when we walk through it, we find out it was only a dark curtain.

of faith! I cannot be stopped! I am FEARLESS!”

We must learn to stand before the people we fear and speak our minds, even if our voices tremble. This is called overcoming.

22 // September 2015

Elizabeth Shreve is the wife of Mike Shreve. She has a bachelor’s degree in theology from Beacon School and is an effective speaker and singer and has been ministering primarily in various women's groups.

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Gò0dNews for Everyone

I’m Happy Even When I’m Not Happy

by Terrie Ruff

“Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” (Phil. 4:11, NKJV).

I

t was lunchtime and I was ready to eat! It had been a

here for others.” Wow! Being happy even when you’re not

busy morning and I was highly engaged in my work

happy, I told Karen that was a beautiful sign of spiritual

when the loud growling sounds from my stomach

maturity, not to allow feelings to control her life, but in-

reminded me that it was time to take a break. As I entered the cafeteria, I greeted coworkers and the cafeteria crew

stead to be controlled by the Spirit.

What a wonderful example Karen is of depending on

and gave Karen her usual hug. As I did, she gave me her

God and allowing her life to be a reflection of His good

usual smile. I sat down and began eating lunch and reflect-

work in her. While I do not believe she is promoting others

ing on an article I glanced at before leaving my office. The

to ignore or discourage their true feelings and emotions,

article’s focus was on knowing God’s will for your life. As I

she has simply reached a point in her experience with God

thought about the key points, I felt impressed to ask Karen

where she has given even her emotions to His care.

how she knew God’s will for her life.

She smiled and told me, “I feel it. Sometimes I dream

Karen, you are a beautiful example of the contentment that is promised in God’s Word. You are at peace

about things, like when my mother was sick, I dreamed

and no matter what your situation is, you trust God’s will

she would be healed. I was so excited to tell her that I

for your life and the outcome you have left in His hands.

couldn’t sleep that night and she was healed!” We were

Thank you for sharing with me what contentment means

both laughing and affirming each other’s experiences of

to you. Thank you for being a woman of contentment.

God’s various ways of speaking to His children when I felt

It should be our goal to learn that whatever state we are

impressed to ask her another question. “Karen how do you

in, to be content, and like Karen, to be happy even when

stay content?”

we’re not happy.

Without hesitation, she came over to my table and

Challenge yourself today to NOT be controlled by

told me, “I’m happy even when I’m not happy. That’s my

your feelings or your situation; instead, allow God to con-

ministry to others, that’s the promise I made to God. There

trol your affairs and determine to be content! Be like Karen,

are plenty of times I’m not happy, but I don’t show it. I’m

learn to be happy even when you are NOT happy!

24 // September 2015

Terrie Ruff is originally from South Carolina but has been in Tennessee for approximately 23 years. She is a Licensed Master Level Social Worker (LMSW).

You can email her at Terrieruff@yahoo.com.

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Fresh Organic Juices & Smoothies @ Abundant Living 855 Keith St. Cleveland, TN 37311 614-7885

Gò0dNews for Teens

Sometimes Funny Isn’t Fun

A

Youth Counseling Service announces Chonda Pierce, a top-selling female Christian comedienne, as benefit entertainer.

by John and Su Vining

ll of us have experienced those “blue” days. For

Switch, Tennessee, and for six years, I impersonated Minnie

many of us, we watch a funny movie or tune into our

Pearl. I still love singing and I still try dancing—but comedy is

favorite comedian/comedienne. What if the person

my first love.”

experiencing a blue day is the comedienne? Chonda Pierce is

Growing up as a preacher’s kid in a Southern church

just such a person. Her real life experience with the dark side

provided Pierce with an arsenal of material that both church-

of depression would seem to be in stark contrast to the image

goers, and those who had never sat in a pew, found hilarious.

of being the top-selling female comedian.

“I come straight from the world of wooden pews and hell-

What makes Chonda Pierce the best-selling female

fire preaching. Some of it probably did a little damage (that’s

comedian ever? It could be her

where I get my warped sense of

hilarious insights on marriage and

humor), but most of those days gave

the unending trials of parenthood,

me solid roots,” she says.

modern life, and aging. Chonda

Despite her popularity as a top-

draws us close as she relates tender

selling comedienne, Chonda knows

stories of loss, depression, and

all too well the pain of loss. After

an amazing God who pulled her

losing her two sisters at an early

through the darkness. She endears

age, watching the breakup of her

herself to audiences everywhere

parents, and most recently losing

as she opens up and publicly deals

her husband of thirty-one years,

with real life—our life. Whether she

Chonda has a deep understanding

performs to thousands in arenas or

of emotional trauma. “You learn a

hundreds in more intimate settings,

lot from your past—what to weed

Chonda always delivers comical

through and throw out and what

and heartwarming tales that has

to hold onto forever.” Sometimes,

audiences laughing so hard their

funny isn’t fun.

faces hurt!

Chonda will appear in

Armed with an abundance

Cleveland as the headliner for this

of unpretentious Southern charm

year’s benefit fundraiser for Youth

and laser-sharp wit, Chonda Pierce has been entertaining

Counseling Service (YCS), a non-profit, licensed mental health

audiences from coast to coast for more than a decade. She has

counseling agency serving the Ocoee region of Southeast

authored eight books and numerous DVD’s. She continues as

Tennessee. Counseling services are provided for children,

a frequent guest at the Grand Ole Opry and has received five

youth, and adults.

Daytime Emmy nominations.

Pierce got her first break working at a theme park in

Tickets are available at www.chonda.org or by calling YCS at 423-476-1933. General admission is $22.00. Groups of ten or

Nashville where she performed as Grand Ole Opry star

more are $20. Limited VIP tickets for a special preshow meet-

Minnie Pearl. “I was a college student when I auditioned

and-greet and reserved seating are $50.

at Opryland USA and was cast in a music and dance show called Country Music USA. Trouble is, I was a terrible dancer!

Southern preacher’s kids can’t dance. My boss told me I had better come up with another talent. ” She laughs. “In order to keep my job, I memorized three pages of jokes from Grinders

26 // September 2015

Dr. John Kie Vining is the director of Youth Counseling Service, a non-profit, licensed mental health counseling agency located in Cleveland, TN. He is the author, editor, or contributor to more than 20 books. He and his wife, Dr. Su Vining, conduct marriage and family seminars as an extension of their counseling center. He can be reached at 423-476-1933 or johnkvining@gmail.com.

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Gò0dNews for Everyone

The Power of Effective Communication

by Kelly McDonald

C

Now the whole earth had one language and one speech.

Genesis 11:1 (NKJV) ommunication can be complicated. In fact,

the believers were one in heart and mind” (4:32 NIV).

human conflict can easily originate with

The Lord united mankind through the Holy Spirit. The

the inability to properly communicate our

Holy Spirit allows us to communicate spiritual truths

thoughts and feelings. This has a great influence on our

to others. Consider the great miracles that happened in

relationships. When we speak, we understand what we

Acts. The Gospel went forth with speed and efficiency.

mean, but does the other person interpret our message

They had effective communication that united them,

the way that we intended?

which came through God’s Spirit.

In Genesis 11:1, the Bible tells us that “The whole earth had one language and one speech.”

At this time, the entire world not only had the same language;

This requires humility on our part. There is a temptation to rely on human understanding to figure everything out. Consider

they had a similar culture.

the church at Corinth. It

People understood each

was a church divided

other better. In verse 6,

on many issues.

the Lord said, “Indeed

Personal agendas

the people are one

quenched the

and they all have one

Spirit of God from

language, and this

allowing effective

is what they begin to

communication among

do; now nothing that

the members. The

they propose to do will be withheld from them.”

At this point, God confounded language and speech. He confounded not just the words humans

problem in this particular church goes back to Genesis 11. People were trying to build a tower that reached up to heaven. Paul told the Corinthians to be

use (denotation), but the way they would perceive the

in agreement in speech, mind, and thought (see 1 Cor.

use of words (connotation).

1:10). Personal motives had to be sacrificed.

It is astonishing that people could reach such

Believers can come together in unity. The same

a unity that the God of the universe would say,

Jesus died for us all. God desires to see the unity

“. . . now nothing that they purpose to do will be

that was exhibited in Acts. With this unity will come

withheld from them” (Gen. 11:6 NKJV). What if we

miraculous events from God and true revival. The goal

could communicate clearly today? Would not human

is not to come together and build up toward heaven as

relations worldwide be better off? What could the body

in Genesis 11. Instead, we should come together and

of Christ accomplish if we effectively communicated

humble ourselves so that the Kingdom of heaven comes

with one another?

down as in the Book of Acts.

In Acts 2:1, the Bible informs us that “When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place” (KJV). Later we read, “All

28 // September 2015

Kelly McDonald, Jr. is an ordained evangelist with Hungry Hearts Ministries. He has written 15 books and booklets on Christian Living. www.hungryheartsministry.com

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Southern Medical Hearing Centers

Hearing loss is a silent disability that affects more than 31.5 million people in the U.S. Fortunately, according to the American Speech Language Hearing Association, about 95 percent of those suffering from hearing loss can be helped with the use of hearing aids.

by Wanda Griffith

T

he staff of Southern Medical Hearing Centers is dedicated to helping patients enjoy a lifetime of sound. They service the Chattanooga and Cleveland areas by providing comprehensive hearing solutions and services to children and adults, which includes diagnostic assessment, appropriate recommendations, and comprehensive rehabilitation. With the latest in digital hearing-aid technology, patients can enjoy life fully, regardless of their degree of hearing loss.

Their Mission

Education, counseling, coupled with a highly trained staff enables Southern Medical Hearing Centers to ensure complete patient satisfaction. Their mission is to change patients’ lives by providing exceptional service and outstanding hearing healthcare. The means to these objectives lie in the talent and commitment of their employees through impeccable service and expertise.

“We are a local, independently owned audiology practice with highly trained professionals who are dedicated to providing personalized care and attention to each patient we see. We offer the highest quality hearing technologies that our patients need and deserve at the lowest possible price. I became interested in audiology

30 // September 2015

because that is what my father did,” states Dr. Lynda Klee, audiologist and owner. “I loved that he was able to help people. I have been an audiologist for more than thirty years, and one of the challenges, but also the most exciting thing, is the way that hearing aids have changed over the years. Imagine a world filled with silence.”

The reason Southern Medical Hearing was created was because there wasn’t a service that would offer a higher level of customer satisfaction with the best prices and the highest level of service and warranties. They give free hearing tests that most people in the industry do not offer. The tests are at no charge, and no one is turned away.

They will find a way to help everyone in all budgets. They do in-house financing to help those on a tight budget.

Buying factory direct keeps their prices low, and all major insurance plans are accepted. In addition, they offer a free seven-day trial for any hearing aid that most other companies do not offer.

Custom Hearing Protection

Southern Medical Hearing Centers also specialize in hearing protection for local musicians and hunters.

They partner with several custom ear-mold labs to offer products that include musician filtered earplugs, in-ear

monitor systems, custom ear buds, sleep plugs, and custom electronic shooter plugs.

“When I first began to help people hear, hearing aids were so very different from the choices we are able to offer today,” remarks Dr. Klee. “Hearing-aid technology continues to improve in quality, which means that we are able to help people at an earlier age than in the past with our best price promise. In order to keep up the changes in technology, continuing education is a must.

“My toughest struggles and greatest accomplishments would have to be my patients,” continues Dr. Klee.

“Helping someone to hear well is so rewarding, especially when they are able to hear their grandchildren again, enjoy worship, or continue to work at a job they love. The biggest struggle would be when people wait a very long time to get help. It can be more difficult to help them, but we will take the time to work with them. As a company, I feel that our philosophy is to provide hearing health to anyone we see. We want them and their families to enjoy the fullness of life.”

The Gift of Hearing Program

Because of various financial hardships, many hardof-hearing individuals are not able to afford proper treatment. Desiring to give back to the community, they have created the Gift of Hearing Program, where a portion of all hearing aids sold goes toward providing hearing technology to those in need. Their goal is to donate a free pair of hearing instruments and provide service to two deserving people each year. Participants will be selected based on the following: • Hearing need/degree of hearing loss • Financial need • Opportunity to impact a recipient’s life “This is our way of giving back, and it is a great opportunity to change the life of someone living without the joy of sound,” states Dr. Klee. “I am honored to have the resources and the ability to make a difference in someone’s life. It’s the best way I know to give back to our community.”

are obtained to estimate the loss of hearing pertaining to clarity of word recognition ability of the ear. Speech testing is performed both in quiet and with background noise to assess hearing ability in both environments.

As a multi-line medical hearing center, Southern Medical Hearing provides the highest level of service at prices people can afford. They carry the newest, most up-to-date technology in the industry. The director of audiology is a former top-producing factory rep for the largest hearing aid manufacturer in the world. They know the hearing industry better than anyone in the market by having the ability to treat any hearing loss and any patient.

No one else has the level of skills they possess!

Assistive Devices

In some cases, hearing aids are not the sole answer to communication difficulties. Many other devices are available to help you in difficult listening environments.

These devices include television listening systems, special doorbells, vibrating alarm clocks, amplified telephones, mobile phone solutions, and many others.

The staff at Southern Medical Hearing Centers knows how important hearing is to a person’s overall health, sense of well-being, and the ability to provide for oneself. If they can help someone you love, please give them a call at one of these convenient locations: Southern Medical Healing Office Towne Center Plaze—Target Shopping Center 4488 Frontage Road, Cleveland, TN 37312 SMHC 1 209 Panorama Drive Suite 105 Chattanooga, TN 37421 SMHC 1199 Burleyson Road Dalton, GA 30720

Comprehensive Audiological Evaluations

The main concern of Southern Medical Hearing is the patient’s well-being. They take a comprehensive approach to testing in order to get the most accurate results. The audiometric evaluation consists of testing with both speech and pure tones. Testing with pure tones is performed to determine the amount of hearing loss at different volumes. More importantly, speech discrimination scores

Wanda is a writer, editor, and conference speaker who works from home. She posts devotions on her Web site: www.wandagriffith.com.

issuu.com/goodnewscm // 31

Gò0dNews for Couples

The Secret Marriage Healing Agent

R

The Bible instructs the husband to care for, attend to, and bring healing to his mate just as Christ does the church.

by David Gray

ecently I was rewiring a new outlet in our house.

I realize that for many, this may seem like a simple assignment. However, I am certainly no professional electrician. So this little job was more of an adventure than it was a routine task. First step: remove the outlet cover. Simple enough. Next, I removed the screws that held the outlet inside the electric box. Done.

At this point, I was feeling pretty confident. The next step was to pull the outlet out far enough from the wall to loosen the screws that held the electrical wires to the outlet. So I did the obvious: I used my index finger and my thumb to grab each side of the outlet.

Not thinking, I placed them squarely on the wires on either side of the outlet. Zap! A jolt blasted through my hand! I immediately jerked my hand back, and without thinking, I jammed my fingers into my mouth to sooth the instantaneous tingling, burning sensation. Surprise!

I forgot to flip the breaker that supplied power to the outlet. Whoops . . .lesson learned!

Here’s the real lesson: It is a natural response to sooth and heal wounds within our own body. Wounds almost never heal without some intentional attention and care—especially deep wounds. The deeper or more severe the wound, the more care it needs.

In the midst of his exposé concerning the relationship between husbands and wives, the apostle Paul made an amazing statement that often may be overlooked.

He explains: “Husbands should love their wives as they love their own bodies.

The man who loves his wife

32 // September 2015

loves himself. No one ever hates his own body, but provides for and takes care of it” (Eph 5:28-29).

The reality is all of us are broken. All of us are wounded in some way. The way I read this passage is that it is our job to care for, attend to, and minister to our spouse’s woundedness. It is our responsibility to attempt to sooth and bring healing to our mate. It might even be possible that the reason the Lord put us in their lives is to attend to their healing.

Unfortunately, many times we respond to our spouses out of our own woundedness. We tend to react out of self-preservation rather than service. As a result, instead of healing, we often cause further damage and deepen the wound. We know he needs affirmation but instead we criticize, further damaging his ego. We know she needs understanding, but instead we snap, further damaging her self-esteem. But I believe part of God’s call on my life is to recognize my wife’s woundedness and respond and react to her in a way that brings healing—not further damage.

Imagine how different our households would be if we actually did what Jesus said we should be doing, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:35 NIV). Jesus came to “bind up the brokenhearted.” If we are truly to love one another as Christ, then attending to one another’s healing might be a top priority. Things to think about.

David Gray is the store manager at Habitat Restore on Grove Ave. He and his wife Kendra have four children and two grandchildren.

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Gò0dNews for Seniors

Fit for a Bit or Fit for Life

R

Today mature adults can access information that tracks their personal lifestyle goals and progress, applauds their success, and gives them answers.

by Esmerelda Lee

ecently, I noticed many people around me wearing what is called a Fit Bit. They come in several colors and look like a slim hightech watch that tracks a person’s sleep pattern, number of calories burned, activity, and alerts cell phone messages received.

A friend proudly displayed her sleep pattern to a group and demonstrated that she was able to sleep deeply for merely four hours during the night; the rest was spent burning calories as she tossed and turned in a

34 // September 2015

restless sleep. Since active, mature adults are part of my life, this started me thinking that seniors could benefit from a Fit Bit or similar application.

My research led me to several smart phone apps. The iPhone has an app called Argus, which is free for iPhone users that serves as their own personal trainer. Argus tracks every move—including meals and sleep patterns—by creating a health chart that tracks personal health goals. In addition to these apps, mature adults can also monitor their daily routines to assist them in improving their health.

When my children were younger, my husband and I purchased a Noise Maker that mimicked my heartbeat.

Since babies become familiar with their mother’s heartbeat during gestation, it stands to reason that hearing the soothing sounds of her heartbeat would relax them and give them a deep, restful sleep. Smart phone Apps similar to Relax Melodies, and many others, do the same thing—only adults get to create their own mix of soothing melodies.

There are now applications for brain games that exercise and stimulate the brain. For example, Luminosity is free for the iPhone, as well as medical apps that can access health information. Urgent Care and MedCoach (free for iPhone and Android), apps track your medical symptoms, and others assist you in meditation—all serving as a lifestyle coach.

While giving power and control to the individual, these applications are

only as good as the data input by the user. Fit Bits and smart phones are very useful, but the responsibility still lies with each individual. Those who spend the day watching television until late at night will find that no amount of soothing melodies will allow them to enter into restful sleep.

Choices are still ours to make. Bob Sliger, a ninety-year-old resident at Garden Plaza, walks three miles a day on our community Greenway. During inclement weather, he walks the hallways of Garden Plaza Cleveland to meet his goal. While we cannot all be like Bob, we can choose our own goals.

I know friends who use their weekly game of Bridge to exercise their minds; others that use their Wii Fit to play tennis, and many who continue with Pickle Ball at the local YMCA. I love the idea that I really don’t need to pay for a sleep study to tell me that my sleep patterns are irregular or pay for a personal trainer or personal chef. Applications through smart phones, iPads, and the Fit Bit can track and assist throughout this journey.

While I personally do not enjoy being hooked to my smart phone and have no plans of purchasing a Fit Bit, I believe that whether you use a good oldfashioned journal and a great friend as your personal lifestyle coach, an app, or a Fit Bit, you can be your own version of fit for life. It’s your journey . . . if only for a bit!

Esmerelda Lee is campus manager for Garden Plaza of Cleveland, an independent and assisted living facility for seniors. She and her husband Andrew have three children.

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Gò0dNews for Everyone

Having Issues with Your Wait?

P

Good things happen to those who are patient and trust God.

by David Thompson

atience. Just saying the word hurts, doesn’t it—

Why do we so enjoy underdog stories in sports? Why

especially the way we love to live in today’s culture.

do we root for the ones who didn’t get the breaks and were

Information is a question to Siri away. We buy stuff

told over and over again that they weren’t good enough?

on eBay, eat our fast food while driving in the fast lane,

It’s because those people had to have patience! They

and speed date looking for the perfect mate. Consequently,

had to work hard every day for months, and sometimes

patience is a concept that is readily pushed to the side of

years, before they got what they wanted. And when they

our busy, busy lives.

make it to the end and their story comes out, they become

But there’s something about this whole “being patient” thing that nobody seems to get. People love looking at

overnight sensations!

How do grandmothers and grandfathers stay married

patience in others! Think about it. How come, in that new

for fifty, sixty, and sometimes seventy years? They have

blockbuster movie that just came out, the villain was so

lots and lots of patience. No matter the arena—sports,

much cooler and more amazing than the hero? Because the

politics, movies, or everyday life—sooner or later the

villain had patience. While Mr. Hotshot Hero was “flying

people with patience are recognized for what they have

off the handle” trying to save the day in five seconds,

because what they have is rare.

the bad guy had a plan that he (or she) had spent years

So people love patience in others, but here’s the kicker:

perfecting, and he was willing to wait as long as it took to

God loves patience. It is one of the nine parts of the Fruit

reach a goal. That’s patience—and audiences love it.

of the Spirit. In the Bible, how many times does God cut corners and give people what they want, when they want it? Somewhere around zero. Think of David who had to wait years in the wilderness after becoming God’s anointed one. Moses had to walk around in the desert for forty years.

Even Jesus waited until He was thirty before He began calling His disciples. As a wise man once said, “Life is a process. It’s not a sprint; it’s a marathon.” And obviously, a godly lifestyle includes large amounts of patience.

God wants us to be slow to speak and slow to anger.

He wants us to wait on the Lord to renew our strength.

And when we have patience, good things happen!

Understand this: God knows everything, and His plan for your life would blow your mind if you saw it all right now. That is why He only lights your path right at your feet. He wants you to trust that He knows best. When you do that, you will be swept off your feet by all the intricate details He has been working on and bringing to perfection from your first breath until now. So trust God, and have patience. It’s worth the wait.

36 // September 2015

David Thompson is a freshman sports communication major at Shorter University. His interests when not writing for GoodNews Magazine include football, reading, and playing guitar.

BR: Laurie Hallenberg, Phil Jacobs, Robert Thompson, Matthew Coleman FR: Ken Miller, James F. Logan, Jim Thompson, Rob Norred

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Gò0dNews for Everyone

Love—Part 1 Love requires relationship!

by Alice Abbot

L

ove is mentioned a total of 538 times in the Bible, but

unto it, Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two

have you ever stopped to think about what love really

commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (KJV).

means? We use the word throughout the day without

paying a great deal of attention to what we are really saying.

A lot of the time the word love is used completely out of

Let’s take a closer look at this Scripture and ask the following questions: • Who are we to love first?

context of its true meaning. For example, someone might say

• How are we to love Him?

to you, “Oh, I love that sweater,” or “I love your new car.”

• What did Jesus say about loving Him?

What they really mean is that they strongly like something to

• Who did Jesus say we were to love next?

the point of feeling emotion. You cannot love things because

• How are we to love each other?

love requires relationship.

Let’s look at what love is and what it really means. To begin, let me briefly describe what love is not. Love is not the “warm fuzzies,” nor is it emotions. It is not a feeling.

Now we can learn what love is and what it means. Love is an action that is presented in Scripture

Looking Up and “Love is an action that Looking Out Verse 40 says, “On these two is presented in Scripture commandments hang all the law as the very nature of and the prophets.” In these two God and the greatest of commandments lay the responsibility that is to govern our lives and Christian virtues.”

as the very nature of God and the

relationships. God’s law has two

aspects to it: looking up and looking

greatest of Christian virtues. First John 4:8; 16 tells us that

out. Loving the Lord is our vertical responsibility, and loving

God is love. Therefore, the term true love can only come from

our neighbor is our horizontal responsibility. His law spells

knowing who God is. While this Scripture tells us what love

out in detail what it means. Read Exodus 20:1-17. As you

is, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 tells us what love is not. Love is never

read this Scripture, keep the two great loves—vertical and

impatient, unkind, jealous, forceful, boastful, rude, selfish,

horizontal—in the back of your mind. I believe it will help you

quick-tempered, or thinks bad of others.

to see the Ten Commandments, and all of God’s Word in a

Love has no definition in the Bible accept that of its attributes. It is the very heart of Christianity, which is essential

whole new light and give you a deeper understanding of love.

Next month we will discuss the different types of love in

to man’s relationship to God and to others. Matthew 22:37-40

reference to our horizontal love. Until then, may God open

“Jesus said unto him, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with

hearts and minds for a closer walk with Him.

all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like

38 // September 2015

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Gò0dNews for Everyone

Vacation Bible School All Year?

Is It Possible?

by Douglas B. Caywood

T

he summers are filled with children attending fun and exciting Vacation Bible School activities.

Churches are planning, building props, making costumes, preparing crafts and games, and praying for a week-long intense time of sharing the Good News with children of all ages. Is it possible to have that excitement, preparation, elaborate props, and desire to spread His Word all year? Could there be a ministry tool that is available throughout the year and is developed, built, and supported by the churches in our city and region?

Trek Thru Truth, dba Christian Discovery Museum, is an emerging museum for Cleveland that does exactly that. This ministry began as a vision in 2005 and has developed into a project that would tell fifty-two Bible stories from Genesis to Revelation through interactive exhibits, activities, and displays for children to explore.

This 501c3 nonprofit entity has developed a business plan and preliminary design concepts for this facility.

The projected 60,000-75,000 square-foot facility would include fifty-two permanent Bible Story exhibits, a temporary exhibit area, gift shop, café, recycle store, meeting/theater rooms, and administrative areas. The temporary exhibit area would be for rotating exhibits that would focus on topics such as “Bugs in the Bible,” “Transportation in the Bible,” and so on.

In Matthew 28:19-20, we are commanded to go and teach. Our community has excellent teachers, preachers, churches, and ministries. Our families are always searching for fun and exciting activities for our children.

We travel on day trips and vacations to explore and find those new and exciting adventures. What would be more exciting than a Trek Thru Truth, an adventure

40 // September 2015

through the Bible, where children were placed into an environment that presented the historical accounts of the Bible as well as how those stories relate to our lives today? No other museum or discovery center of its type exists in the Southeastern United States. Let’s let Cleveland exhibit the shining light!

Trek Thru Truth is an opportunity for us to go together and create a destination for families and groups throughout our region to come for this ministry to teach them about the Bible. To go and teach requires boldness, creativity, and thinking outside of the box as our society is constantly changing. What can we offer to our future generations? His Word.

The Next Step

The first board of directors will lead the capital campaign and be instrumental in helping to secure the site for this project. Our planning team has spent many hours in prayer and program development for this exciting project. We now need a strong group of leaders to forge ahead in bringing this vision to reality. We need the support from churches, pastors, ministry leaders, educators, and various other professionals who can take this to the next level. If you are interested in being on the board of directors, assisting in the capital campaign, working with the further development of the program, or volunteering, please contact Doug Caywood by email at ddsarchitect@hotmail.com.

Doug Caywood is president of Trek Thru Truth, managing principal of the Cleveland office for Lewis Group Architects and is pursuing his Masters in education at Lee University. He and his wife Jill have three sons and live on the family farm in the Valley View community. They are members of Samples Memorial Baptist Church.

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Gò0dNews for your Taste Buds

Coconut Macaroons

by Deana Thompson

C

hange is one word that causes many people (especially firstborns) to cringe. Yet, our lives

Coconut Macaroons

are full of change. Every few months, the season

changes, just like it is about to do in a few weeks. Twice a year, the time changes, and we have to get adjusted to the new one. Every year, children change grades in

• 2 c. unsweetened flaked coconut • ½ c. creamy peanut butter

school, which results in getting new teachers, learning

• ½ c. honey

new information, and meeting new people.

• 1 tsp. pure vanilla

Every few years, perhaps, a new baby is added to the expanding family, changing the dynamics of the

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

existing relationships. We change houses, or cities,

2. In a medium bowl, blend all the ingredients

or jobs. Friends come and go in our lives. After about twenty years or so, a mother experiences a change that she has dreaded for a while: her firstborn leaves the house. What has been seen as a futuristic event is now the immediate present.

That is where I am. I just dropped off my firstborn son at college. He is no longer around to interact with his siblings, to offer his brawn in lifting a heavy load, or to excitedly tell the latest stats of the current professional sports team. Yet, what I have learned is that God meets us where we are to help us through our change, to lessen its impact, and to cushion our emotions. So whether it is your five-year-old child’s first day at school or your graduate’s first time away from home, God is right by your side, waving to them right along with you while holding your hand in comfort. (And you can send some of these cookies with them as they leave!)

42 // September 2015

together with an electric mixer.

3. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place on an ungreased baking sheet, one inch apart.

4. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.

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Gò0dNews for Everyone

Megan’s Journey Back

A thirteen year old receives many miracles, including a new heart.

Today she rides horses and plays on the Miracle League Baseball team.

M

by Tammy Madden

y husband and I had been married seventeen years. We was told by doctors that it was impossible for me to ever get pregnant. So after seventeen years of trying, imagine our surprise when the very same month my husband got saved, I got pregnant! God is so good! Our precious Megan was born healthy at 12:40 p.m. on January 21, 2002, weighing 7 pounds and 11 ounces. She was perfect in every way!

On December 14, 2002, at eleven months old, Megan got a virus that went straight to her heart.

She was diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy. Her heart was huge! She spent two month in Chattanooga at the children’s hospital and they had to life flight her to Atlanta to CHOA because she needed a heart transplant.

They told us the day she got sick she only had two hours to live. She was still alive two months later and was flown to Atlanta to wait for a new heart. Megan was on every machine known to man to keep her alive, and she ended up on what is known as an ECMO machine, which was keeping her alive while waiting on a heart. Three days before she got her heart, she went into cardiac arrest and died so many times they quit counting.

Three days later while waiting for her heart, they felt they had to pierce the back of her heart to relive some pressure to save her, because her heart was ready to explode. During this process she began bleeding out. As fast as they could put the blood in, it came back out her chest tubes. I remembered my dad telling me about the verse in the Bible you are to go to if you are bleeding to death. It is Ezekiel 16:6. We went to this and prayed and claimed her bleeding would stop. Within

44 // September 2015

minutes, the blood stopped. The doctors told us then it was divine intervention, because there was no medical reason for the blood to stop. It was God indeed!

More Miracles

That night the call for her new heart came. Megan got her new heart on March 7, 2003. We thought then that it was all over, but it was only beginning! When they started letting her wake up two days later, we realized she had sustained a severe brain injury from losing so much oxygen, and at some point, she had a stroke. They told us she would be nothing but a vegetable the rest of her life!

She stayed in the hospital with many complications from the brain injury until they finally said, “Take her home and love her. She is blind, she is deaf, and she will never walk or talk.”

We brought Megan home and loved her, but that is not all we did! We prayed and God answered! Today Megan is a healthy, thriving thirteen year old.

She still has to use her walker, but God will let her run one day!

She rides horses! She plays on the Miracle League Baseball team of Whitfield County, Georgia, and she loves life!

Megan has never had one episode of rejection!

We met her donor family, and we love them with all our hearts! Megan has the heart of a three-year-old boy from Kentucky! (No wonder she loves horses!)

We have spoken to more than fifty churches about her testimony at no charge! We just love sharing what God has done in her life and ours!

Tammy Madden is a wife and mother but first and foremost a child of the King! She spends her days taking care of her beautiful 13 year old daughter. She is also a mentor for other parents facing heart transplant or brain injury. She and her husband are also volunteers for Lifelink of Georgia. They spread awareness on the importance of organ donation. It is her desire to one day write her daughter's story in a book. They live in Dalton, Georgia. and they attend City View Church of God. She loves the Lord and it is her desire to serve Him.

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Gò0dNews for Everyone

The Spiritual Discipline of Listening The most important ministry you do today may be to square your shoulders, make eye contact, and hear the pain of another.

by Julius McCarter

L

istening is one of the easiest things Christians will

hand in hand with the mind-set of Christ that flows from a

ever do and one of the hardest. In a sense, listening

humble heart. It looks not only to its own interests but also

is easy—or hearing is easy. It doesn’t demand the

the interests of others (see Phil. 2:3-5). It is patient and kind

initiative and the energy required in speaking. But engaging in the loving practice that is sacrificing time and attention in the way Jesus sacrificed for those whom He encountered is the hard way of the cross.

(see 1 Cor. 13:4).

Good listening asks perceptive questions. It is the fool who “takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in exercising his opinions” (Pro. 18:2), and thus “gives an

The charter text for Christian listening might be James 1:19: “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak,

answer before he hears” (18:13).

Good listening asks perceptive, open-ended questions

slow to anger.” It’s simple enough in principle and nearly

that probe beneath the surface (see Pro. 20:5). Good

impossible to live. Too often we are slow to hear, quick to

listening watches carefully for nonverbal communication but

speak, and quick to anger.

doesn’t interrogate and pry into details the speaker doesn’t

Learning to listen well requires discipline, effort, and intentionality. Becoming a better listener hangs not on one big resolve to do better in a single conversation but on

want to share. Good listening points the speaker to fresh perspectives through careful, genuine questions.

Good listening is ministry. For Christians, listening

developing a pattern to focus on particular people in specific

is a better service than speaking. God wants more of the

moments. I want to offer a few lessons I have learned about

Christian than just good listening, but not less. There will be

what it means for Christians to listen.

days when the most important ministry we do is square our

Good listening requires patience. Good listening requires concentration, which means we hear the other person out until he or she is done speaking. When we are quick to speak, it takes Spirit-powered patience to not only be quick to hear but to keep on hearing.

Good listening is an act of love. Poor

shoulders to some hurting person, uncross our arms, lean forward, make eye contact, and hear the pain of another.

Good listening prepares us to speak well. As German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, “We should listen with the ears of God that we may speak the Word of God.” While the fool “gives an answer before he hears” (Pro. 18:13), the wise person tries to resist defensiveness and listens from a nonjudgmental stance, not formulating opinions or responses until the whole story has been heard.

Good listening reflects our relationship with God.

listening rejects; good

Our inability to listen well to others may be symptomatic of

listening embraces.

a chatty spirit that is drowning out the voice of God. Good

Poor listening diminishes the

listening is not only a channel through which God continues to pour His grace into our lives, but it’s also His way of

other person,

using us as His means of grace in the lives of others. It may

while good

be one of the hardest things we learn to do, but we will find

listening invites

it worth every ounce of effort.

the person to exist and to matter. Good

46 // September 2015

listening goes

The Reverend Julius McCarter, Ph.D., is a minister and spiritual director who lives in Loudon, TN. He is the author of eleven books—most recently a theological commentary on the Book of Revelation.

His ministry, Sunergoi Ministries, maintains a blog at www.the-little-friar.blogspot.com.

423.336.3841 » 8466 Hiwassee St. NE » Charleston, TN

ò0 Mission Statement:

W

e 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.

Christian Magazine

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 fernando.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.

issuu.com/goodnewscm Phone: 423.503.1410

48 // September 2015

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Gò0dNews for Everyone

Lucky or Blessed?

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God. Psalm 146:5 NIV

T

by Mark Wells

hrough several years of progression with my

would probably have never had the chance to even say

spinal cord injury, many of my friends and

hi to if not for this injury. There is a bond that links

family have commented about how lucky I am to

my pain with theirs. I never try to compare my pain to

be as well off as I am and not as bad as people they have

theirs because being in pain hurts no matter where or

met or heard about. Don’t get me wrong, I understand

how you are hurting.

what they are intending to say, but I just have to share

I approached a man in a grocery store who had

my heart on the matter. I was never lucky with regards

two prosthetic legs and asked what he thought of me

to my healing. It all came from God. It is truly a blessing

having my legs amputated so I could have the balance

that I am able to walk. Although my injury has left me

that he did. I sat in my wheelchair and stared up at

permanently scarred and the gate of my walk does not

him in amazement, hoping one day that I too could

look the best, I am grateful. Is it luck that Christ took the

stand and walk. If I lost my legs from the knees down,

stripes for my healing, or am I blessed?

I wondered if I could walk. My thoughts raced at the

As I have been visiting with friends who have spinal

possibilities, but then he said I would have a whole

cord injuries, I often wonder why I’m not as bad off as

new set of problems that could be worse than being in

they are and have been given such an awesome blessing.

a wheelchair. We talked for over thirty minutes about

Yes, you heard me right. My injury is a blessing—a

pain and encouraged each other as we fight daily to be

blessing I use to share Jesus. I get to talk to people I

better or to be “normal.”

Four years later I am walking. I can’t imagine what life would be like if I had followed through with having my legs amputated. During that span of time, I have given my testimony to thousands of people. God knew what He was doing.

Luck you say? No! It is a blessing that I am able to share my tragedy and God’s healing in my life with others. Many people are after temporal blessings achieved here on this earth whether it be fortune, fame, or prestige. Not me. I am after blessings that will be tested and not consumed, blessings that have been provided through Christ and will withstand time and eternity. I am blessed!

50 // September 2015

Mark Wells attends Heritage Fellowship and works for Cleveland Utilities. He loves to give his testimony and can be contacted at: mark_wells@bellsouth.net

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Gò0dNews for Everyone

New Seasons Are Like New Slates We are called to help others and do so without regrets.

by William Lamb

A

s an educator, I look forward to this time of the year. Students are back in school. Parents are trying to get into the new schedule of long days and short nights while juggling work, family, school, church, and extra-curricular activities. Teen drivers are finding their freedom as they take their turn on the left side of the vehicle. Photos of first-year school pictures and first of the last year of school pictures bombard the social presence of our vast networks. Elementary, middle, high school, and college buildings are filled with noise once again! It is invigorating. It brings promise that life goes on. I love it!

Pause, wait for it because with these transitions also comes the stark reminder that not everyone shares in the excitement of change and new seasons. Some face these transitions with loss, pain, disappointment, worry, fear, embarrassment, brokenness, and so on. Some still prefer the safety of how it used to be. Some fear the uncertainty of how it will soon be. As educators we are called to reach all students regardless of their levels of highs and lows.

During my third year of college, I took a job driving a local school bus. My route crossed several territorial lines that included the gamut of differences among our local students. Over my ten-year tenure as a school bus driver and now twelve years working at the collegiate level, here is how I approach these new seasons: • Approach every situation as an opportunity to help.

Circumstances and people are different. Prefab answers do not always work in the human business. We are called to care and caring for others is often messy.

52 // September 2015

• Value every gift. Students are our gift from the creator. We do not drive empty buses and/or teach to empty chairs. Students matter. Regardless of their situation, they all matter. We are called to give students our best.

• Only one chance. I can still remember the faces of those students that I only had in my grip a short time. They came into my life and left as quick as they came. We are called to impact others, and sometimes it’s only for a season.

• No regrets. My wife, Angela, reminds our family often to “Live your life with no regrets.” With this reminder, she is telling us to enjoy the journey and to do good always. We are called to help others, so do so without regrets.

• Achieve well. New seasons often provide clean slates or do-overs. If you want to be better than you were last time, now is your chance. Make the good choice. We are called to excellence and excellence is a choice before an action.

Nearly each week I encounter a connection to someone that I met through my work in education— either as a bus driver or teacher. With each encounter, I am reminded that I can only control my contribution.

Remember: “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone. . . .” (Gal. 6:10 ESV).

Dr. William Lamb is a member of the administrative staff at Lee University (Cleveland, Tennessee) where he leads a diverse and global “service-learning” program for college students. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. William and his wife Angela, along with their children Tyler and Megan, Nick, and Ben, reside in Cleveland, TN.

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Gò0dNews for Everyone

A Thorn Full of Grace My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

1 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

H

by Darren Schalk ave you ever prayed for God to deliver you

Whatever you may be struggling with today, know

from a painful situation, only to hear Him say

that God’s grace is sufficient for you. Paul found grace

no? Unfortunately, I’ve heard this answer a

in the thorn. Maybe God’s got a thorn full of grace for

few times in my prayer life.

Today I’m reflecting on Paul’s thorn in the flesh

you, too. Maybe His “no” is His most gracious response.

I know I have a thorn or two. Of course, just

that God refused to remove (see 1 Cor. 12). Although

because God uses them in my life doesn’t mean I’m

it’s been hotly debated over the years, no one really

going to stop praying for Him to remove them. But

knows what the thorn was. Some speculate that it

then, He knows better than I do. So maybe—just

was a physical ailment, others wonder if it was an

maybe—I can trust Him even when I don’t have a clue

evil person taunting Paul. All we really know is that

what He’s doing.

whatever it was, it was a source of great pain and

Maybe—just maybe—you can too!

annoyance for Paul.

Three times Paul asked the Lord to remove the thorn, but God said no each time. Instead, God provided grace to deal with the thorn, stating, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (1 Cor. 12:9 NIV).

As I think about this, it strikes me that sometimes grace isn’t found in the exit, but rather, simply in the journey itself. Grace isn’t always found in the escape; it’s sometimes found in the prison. It’s not always found in the provision; it’s found in the lack. It’s not always found in the healing; it’s found in the pain.

God didn’t promise He’d walk us out of the valley of the shadow of death, but rather that He’d walk us through the valley of the shadow of death. “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me” (Ps. 23:4 KJV).

His presence doesn’t always mean the end of the difficulty. Rather, it promises that the fear caused by the difficulty will be completely erased. Scary circumstances don’t necessarily end when God shows up, but when God shows up, scary circumstances cease to be scary.

54 // September 2015

Darren Schalk is the curriculum editor for the Church of God of Prophecy and author of the book, Dear God We Need To Talk, from Charisma House. He has been featured on radio and television programs across the nation discussing topics of faith and discipleship. Learn more at DarrensChalk.com.

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Gò0dNews for Everyone

An Invitation to Christian Service Why should Christians serve? We express our love for God and participate in the work of Jesus by engaging in acts of service.

by Tyler Shores

I

n the context of my work at a Christian university, service is a popular topic. Elsewhere, I see many churches emphasizing service from pulpits and organizing church-wide service projects. It is good to see that we, as Christians, are embracing the fact that our faith is more than a list of beliefs, and we are beginning to realize our faith requires action. In what follows, I want to offer the reason I believe service to others is crucial to our Christian faith.

First, here are a few misconceptions about the Christian mandate to serve.

The Church does not serve to look good in the community, though when we engage in service, we will be looked upon favorably. The Church does not serve to attract more members, though our increased activity may draw people in our doors. Christians should not serve to make-up for our mistakes, because only grace can cover those. So if not for these reasons, then why should we serve?

We serve because it is mandated by God throughout Scripture. In both the Old and New Testaments, there are passages that encourage the faithful to take up the cause of the poor and the needy. In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus connects love for God with love for our neighbors. Love is more than just good feelings toward our neighbors, but it is seeking their best interests. We express love for both God and others in acts of service.

We also serve because it is an extension of the hospitality extended to us by God in Jesus. Jesus’ ministry consisted of more than teaching and preaching.

56 // September 2015

Throughout His time on earth, Jesus made a difference in people’s lives through healings, mass feedings, and on occasion, He helped catch fish. Today, the Church with the Holy Spirit continues the work of Jesus on earth by proclaiming the gospel and engaging in acts of service to its neighbor.

In service, we encounter God through our interaction with others. Everyone bears the image of God, meaning in some way they reflect God and have the capacity to reveal something about God. As we engage others in acts of kindness and hospitality, we can encounter God in a unique way. In Matthew 25:36-41, Jesus says that when we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the lonely; we do these things to Him. For the past two years, I have worked as a practitioner of service-learning at a Christian university where we require our students to participate in service. They often begin serving in response to a mandate so that they can fulfill their requirements for graduation. Some reflect on the grace they have received and seek further opportunities to serve others. A few cultivate a lifestyle in which they come to a place where they reach out to the stranger in service as if they are reaching out to Jesus himself. Ultimately, service is more than a mandate for the Christian; it is an invitation to the believer to participate in the work of Jesus and to encounter God in a unique way.

In both vocation and study, Tyler Shores and his wife, Jamie, desire to see the theory and practice of the Christian faith come together in the life of the believer and in the local church. Tyler currently works in the Lee University Leonard Center providing support and training to student leaders engaged in service on a daily basis. He is also enrolled in the graduate program at Lee seeking a Master of Arts in Theological Ethics. You can follow Tyler on twitter @tyler_shores.

OCTOBER 6–10, 2015 GET READY FOR THE ULTIMATE REFRESHING!

Perry Stone

Tony Stewart Mark Casto Chris Hill Micah Wood plus Larry and Gina Bean • Lee University’s Campus Choir

You are in for a double portion blessing!

You and your entire family are invited to attend the Main Event!

Our Annual Fall Festival will be held at the OCI Ranch on Friday, October 9th and Saturday, October 10th.

Come and enjoy the craft shows, the Kid’s Corner, and lots of good food from Pam’s Kitchen!

Additional events include Preach-A-Mania on Friday, and Gospel Singing under the pavilion on Saturday.

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No fee to attend. Registration is required online at perrystone.org.

Gò0dNews for Everyone

The View from the Back Seat

F

It is so easy to miss the beauty of God’s blessings when we continue to look at the same things.

by Angie Parris

or many years, I like to sit near the front of the building since I am easily distracted. Sometimes I cannot sit still when I am tired after a long day of work standing on concrete or tile floors. During those times, I easily can feel that I am the distraction when I shift in my seat. Last night, after a long weekend of work, I decided to sit in the back along the wall. The padded chairs are a little more comfy than the benches. I prayed that God that would allow me to see what He wanted me to see and nothing else.

What a sweet view He had for me. Before church began, I noticed a senior adult man speaking to a group of little girls that took on the appearance of a nest of hungry birds at feeding time! It was obvious the girls knew what the gentleman was up to. Reaching into his pockets, he presented each one with a piece of candy.

How sweet that was to witness.

At the beginning of this service, the students who had just returned from a mission trip shared their experiences.

This is always great to learn more about them as they speak about their time serving the Lord alongside other students. We learn about their fears, weaknesses, strengths, and get to cheer as they tell how God revealed Himself to them through specific occurrences.

A view from the back allowed me to witness parents and grandparents as their students spoke. Tears of joy, smiles of pride, and sometimes the look of uncertainty is revealed as they speak of God moving them to a distant place to work in that mission field. How sweet that was to witness.

During the service, I noticed a young lady who seemed a little sad. At one point, she went down for special prayer and was surrounded by loving folks to

58 // September 2015

pray with her. During this time I got to witness her mama and sister love on her ever so gently. Not smothering— but just a little hug here, a little pat on the back, and even a "You okay?" How sweet that was to witness.

During this fifth Sunday night communion service, a view from the back allowed me to witness all of my church family receive, serve, partake, and celebrate Christ our Lord. It is beautiful to witness parents explaining this to their children and see the child’s experience. It is beautiful to witness a group of godly men serve their church family by praying over those youngsters.

How sweet that was to witness.

After the service ended, many folks head out, but others didn't seem to be in a hurry.

As they gathered with friends, they discussed supper plans or maybe caught up on school, since it would be starting back the next morning. Some seemed to be making new friends or catching up with old ones. It is marvelous for this to happen in a church family. The need to bond together is important in building relationships. How sweet that was to witness.

Thank you, Lord, for showing me life from a different direction. Sometimes we sit in the same place in life and the view around us becomes just that—the view around us. When we see the same things, it is so easy not to notice the beauty of life. Change seats, walk a different path, take a different road. View life from the back seat.

What a sweet view He has for you!

Angie Parris is director of food services at Broad Street Methodist Church and has served for 21 years. She is Mom of four—Nana of eight and number nine is due in November 2015. Angie and Jackie Parris have been married 35 years and are active members of Clingan Ridge Baptist Church in Cleveland.

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