October 2022

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About

WRITERS

Dr. Alan Hix

Angie Bishop-Forsyth

Brenda Dedmon

Brent Goodge

Candyce Carden

Cheryl L. Dunson

Chuck Cleveland

Danette Reeves

David Huff

Deck Cheatham

Faith Miller

Jodi Varnado

John Garrod

Jonathon Wright Judy Hood Kristen West Reagan Marsh

Rick Hughes Sandra Gilmore Susan Lavigne

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Email: dalton.goodnews@gmail.com

DESIGN

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Email: art.goodnews@gmail.com

PHOTOGRAPHER

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423-310-4207

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Hello Friends,

We want to take a moment to tell you who we are and what we are about. Our names are Matt and Bethany Ruckman and we have six beautiful children, Brendon, Kailey, Andrew, Leah Jean, Emma, and Cooper. We live in Cleveland, Tennessee, and love what this town has to offer! We have started GoodNews Christian Magazine because we feel that when God, family, and community are combined, lives will be changed.

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

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

Disclaimer

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

GoodNews from the Pastor’s Desk

6 Ask the Pastor: Can “the Law” Refer to More Than the 10 Commandments? by Rev. Reagan Marsh

GoodNews for Kids

8 Birdseed Ornaments by Jodi Varnado

GoodNews Money Matters

10 Could Your Taxes Double Soon? by Rick Hughes

GoodNews for Men

12 Like Father, Like God by Chuck Cleveland

GoodNews for Women

14 Not Now, But Soon by Candyce Carden

GoodNews for Everyone

18 The Trials and Trophies of Hospice by Cheryl L. Dunson

GoodNews for Life

20 Be Like Mark by Kristen West

GoodNews for Everyone

22 When Life Gives You a Bag of Rocks by Dr. Alan Hix

GoodNews for Parents

24 Instant Parent Success by Brenda Dedmon

GoodNews Cover Story

26 Bradley Wellness Center Celebrates 36 Years

GoodNews for Everyone

28 The Impossible Mission by Brent Goodge

GoodNews for Everyone

30 Psalms 136: A History of God’s Greatness and Mercy by Jonathon Wright

GoodNews for Everyone

32 Faith In Action by David Huff

GoodNews for Everyone

34 Walker’s Boys by Deck Cheatham

GoodNews for Everyone

36 Scaling A Mountain by Susan Lavigne

GoodNews for Everyone

38 He Is Enough by Danette Reeves

GoodNews for Everyone

40 Small Beginnings by Sandra Gilmore

GoodNews for Everyone

42 Unplug by Angie Bishop-Forsyth

GoodNews Poetry

44 I See Angels by Judy Hood

GoodNews for Everyone

46 Finding Happiness by Faith Miller

GoodNews for Everyone

50 You Belong Here. Yes, You. Here. by John Garrod

Ask the Pastor: Can “the Law” Refer to More Than the 10 Commandments?

by Rev. Reagan Marsh

Q.I have a question about terminology. We can call the 10 Commandments “the law,” “the moral law,” or “the summary of the entire moral law.”

But as for the Old Testament writings, doesn’t Jesus denote some of the other books outside of the Pentateuch as “the law?”

See John 10:34 and John 15:25 where he quotes Psalms and calls it “the law.”

In other words, is it helpful or confusing if I quote Scripture to someone and say something like, “The law says, ‘Anyone who turns his ear away from hearing the law, even his prayer becomes an abomination’” (Prov 28:9)? Clearly this is found in Proverbs, not in Moses. My desire is not to confuse people, but in my evangelism, I do want to convey properly that they are under obligation to God’s standard in His word.

A. Terrific question! Let’s consider 4 points briefly in response.

1. The Old Testament (“OT”) has three primary categories.

Jesus used a very common classification when He spoke of “the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44)—Torah (the Law), Nevi’im (the Prophets) and Ketuvim (the Writings, which begin with the Psalms). Theologians have often termed this the threefold division of the OT (Law, Prophets, and Writings/Psalms) when discussing specifics related to genre.

2. Broadly considered: we can use two categories.

There’s a broad sense in which we can speak of “all the law and the prophets” (Matt 22:40; Acts 13:15; Acts 24:14) as encompassing the whole OT. Quite similarly, the OT speaks of “the law and the testimony” (Isa 8.20) which simply means Moses + the rest of the OT.

3. There’s also a dual sense: one category, used two ways.

“The law” can certainly encompass the 10 Commandments (Rom 3:2; Rom 6:15; 1 Tim 1:8-10), though we also note a final sense in which we may consider “the law” as meaning “the whole OT” in a broad usage (Luke 16:17). John 10:34 and John 15:25 fall into this category, and it’s what Prov 28:9 has in view. We rightly understand the NT to have expanded that verse’s weight and scope: a man who won’t hear the Bible, won’t hear

God. He has no reason to expect God wants to hear him either. Note the same principle applied in Matt 6:15.

4. Don’t overlook a similar usage: “the Scriptures.”

That dual sense is roughly what Paul’s using when he says Timothy has known “the Scriptures” from his infancy (2 Tim 3:15)—that is, the OT…the NT was still being written! —though perhaps the Torah was specifically in view there. We also observe Peter using this same term collectively, to encompass the whole OT and to recognize Paul’s letters as properly considered part of the inspired biblical canon (2 Pet 3:16).

So, “the law” can mean the 10 Commandments, the Pentateuch, or the whole OT. When evangelizing or engaging

someone who doesn’t know much of the Bible, I usually just speak of “the Scriptures” for clarity, though I don’t hold that as a hard-and-fast rule. Talk to the person in front of you— apply the Law as needed—and point them to Jesus, who alone is Lawgiver and Law keeper. He was obedient unto death, the death of the Cross, for us and for our salvation! Guilty consciences convicted by His law can be cleansed by His grace.

I’m always happy to hear from readers. Please feel free to submit your question at reformationdalton.com.

Reagan Marsh is husband to Kara, daddy to RG and AG, and founding Pastor-Teacher to Reformation Baptist Church. A biblical counselor and Th.D. student in Puritan Studies, he has served in gospel ministry since 1998. Learn more at reformationdalton.com.

About The Author

Birdseed Ornaments

by Jodi Varnado

Autumn is my favorite time of year to play outside! I love walking through my neighborhood, collecting leaves on the ground along the way. I enjoy riding my bike around the park, smiling at happy families walking their dogs along the path. But my very favorite thing is admiring all the beautiful birds perched on the tree branches or hopping through the grass. These birds remind me of how generous our God is. He created these birds, with so much variation, for us to enjoy—simply because He loves us! Job 12:7-9 reads, “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?”

ornaments look charming hanging from the branches in your yard. You can enjoy watching the birds gather while you help your parents rake the leaves or glance at them through your window while enjoying a nice snack. These ornaments also make a thoughtful gift for your grandparents or neighbors!

Materials:

• ¼ cup of unflavored powdered gelatin

• ½ cup of cold water

• ½ cup of boiling water

• 2 ½ cups of birdseed

• Nature-inspired cookie cutters

• 1 straw

• Biodegradable twine

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, mix together ¼ cup of gelatin and ½ cup of cold water. Then, add ½ cup of boiling water and mix together until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Next, add the birdseed (about 1 cup at a time) and mix well until the gelatin coats each seed.

As a way to nurture God’s Creation, I like to gather my friends or siblings and make birdseed ornaments! These ornaments can help nourish birds during seasons when their natural food sources might be scarce. This craft is a wonderful sensory experience for little hands. It also allows everyone the chance to connect with nature and share a time of thanksgiving for what God has created. Plus, these

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange your cookie cutters on top. Fill each cookie cutter three-quarters of the way with your birdseed mixture. Use your fingers to firmly pressed the mixture into the cookie cutter to fill the shape. Slowly add more birdseed mixture until your cookie cutter is full to the top edge. Next, using your straw, make a hole at the top of your cookie cutter, but be sure to leave a thick edge between the top of the cookie cutter and the hole.

3. Place your baking sheet in the refrigerator for a few hours, until each ornament has hardened. Once they are set, remove the ornaments from the cookie cutters by gently pushing at the edges of the cookie cutters. Finally, thread your twine through the holes and hang the ornaments from the tree branches in your yard!

Could Your Taxes Double Soon?

Money Matters

Everyone thinks about taxes because taxes impact everyone’s wallet. But have you thought about the impact an increase in taxes could have on your future?

Slices of the Pie

Driven by a passion to educate, inform and prepare future retirees, Mr. Hughes founded Hughes Retirement Group in 2007. His main interest is helping his clients in reducing their taxes.

When I worked at a Fortune 500 company, the CEO told me no matter how we slice it, there are still only 100 pennies in a dollar. What did he mean by this? Everything has limits, including our national economy and debt.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, our nation spends 90% of our annual budget to pay for Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and the interest on national debt.1

Think about that. If you had 100 pennies representing America’s annual budget, 90 cents would go to just those areas. That’s a pretty big slice of the pie.

As you know, we have many other programs to fund, including the military, food stamps, education, federal pension programs, national parks, and much more. But with only 10% (10 pennies) left, how much can actually get paid?

Something has to give. Choosing to reduce spending translates to cutting programs; instead, history shows that the government typically chooses to either raise taxes or not live within our country’s means. The latter option means operating above budget. If you spent more than you brought in each year, what would happen? That’s right, our national debt is climbing.

Currently, the national debt is $31 trillion and counting.2 We’ve reached the point where we don’t pay much attention to the debt, and we don’t even realize what a trillion means. This must be addressed or our county will be in serious danger. One day, credit will run out, and we as a country will face a crisis we may not be able to handle. I wish I could confidently tell you our leaders will wise up and take a serious look at the budget and program cuts, but I fear their solution will instead be raising taxes.

Could your taxes double or even triple soon? Let’s look at history for our answer. From 1960 to 1963, the tax brackets started at 20% and quickly skyrocketed to a 91% tax rate for the richest. For context, our tax brackets today are between 10% and 37%.3 So how can you prepare for potential tax hikes?

Seed or Harvest?

When I teach financial classes, I talk about three buckets of income: taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free income.

The tax-deferred bucket holds 401(k)s and 403(b)s. We’re encouraged to put money into this bucket because it will reduce our current taxable income. While this is correct, at some point, you will begin to withdraw money from this bucket, especially during retirement, which generates a taxable event. No one can say for sure, but it’s very likely you could fall into a much higher tax bracket by then.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t invest in your 401(k). In fact, if your employer offers a matching program, you should take full advantage of that. But I wouldn’t recommend putting in any more than the match.

I leave you with this question: which would you rather pay taxes on, the seed or the harvest? By seed, I mean the money going into your tax-deferred account, and by harvest, I mean the money you withdraw from it. Your answer will determine where you should invest the most.

It’s reasonable to say taxes will need to increase drastically to continue all our programs. When that happens, will you be ready? If not, start looking for strategies today that will allow you to keep more of your money tomorrow.

1. https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/114th-congress-2015-2016/reports/49892/49892-breakout-Chapter3.pdf

2. https://www.usdebtclock.org/

3. https://taxfoundation.org/historical-income-tax-rates-brackets/

Rick Hugheswith

Like Father, Like God

by Chuck Cleveland

It is commonly accepted in Christian circles that people tend to attribute the characteristics of their parents (especially our fathers) to God, and often that’s a bad thing. It certainly was for me.

My earliest childhood memory is that of my parents concluding an argument in the kitchen, with my mother retreating into their bedroom, crying. I joined her and attempted to comfort her (at least as much as a three or four-year-old could for an adult). My father entered the room, made a disparaging comment, and quickly departed.

The memory ends there, but the effect did not. Given occasional reinforcement through the years by other criticism, the message was indelibly stamped on my soul: My father is disappointed with me.

Lacking the emotional ammunition to combat that early impression, I limped through life trying to construct my own psychological support system. Unfortunately for me, my limited successes were insufficient to overcome that sense of fatherly rejection.

I had eventually given up on receiving unconditional acceptance from my father, and I transferred that negative expectation to the Lord. I was inclined to think of myself as disappointing [you see the connection] to the heavenly Father because I did not constantly measure up to what a “mature Christian” should be.

For years I functioned as if there were a sliding scale for that nebulous state, and its attainment involved

a little more love and obedience than I was currently demonstrating. It was as if I were approved by God on a probationary basis, and the probation would last as long as I did.

So how was a substantial measure of success obtained over the spiritual struggle I’ve been describing? Simply put, it was by establishing in my soul that God the Father fully accepted me in the Lord Jesus, and I was secure in his love.

The process of healing began by bringing feelings of fatherly rejection into conscious awareness. After identifying those painful feelings, I was able to be more accepting of my earthly father. Afterward, I was freed to receive, unfiltered, the good news of God’s acceptance of me.

To reinforce that thought, I’ll share selected verses from the first chapter of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, which I’ve expressed in the first person.

Praise be to the God and Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed me in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose me in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In him, I have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. There’s one final point. Before my father died, he wrote me, saying, “If I don’t make it, I want you to know I am proud to have you for a son. I have and do love you.”

Amen and amen!

Chuck Cleveland lives in Newnan, GA and has written for three area magazines, as well as the local newspaper. He has been a Christian for over 50 years.

About The Author

Not Now, But Soon

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Romans 8:25 ESV)

by Candyce Carden

My every footstep sank into a mound of sand, making my early morning beach stroll feel more like a mountain climb. The sun was already hot enough to bake cookies. By the time I reached the boardwalk leading back to the airconditioned condo, I panted with exertion. I could taste the icy cold water waiting for me.

As I crossed over the pond, squawking geese greeted me; I scowled at them as if they were to blame for fall’s absence. It was October, after all. Determined to cling to my bad mood, I trudged on. But when the regal cattails lining the pond on the other side beckoned me, I stopped. The cattails stood at ease in utter stillness. Instead of fretting about the heat, they appeared cool and calm.

What I noticed next lifted my heart. A few of the cattails were covered with whitish gray fuzz. As the summer life cycle of this plant ends, it produces new seeds. Each is connected to a bit of white fluff which travels in the wind to another spot where it grows come spring. A sure sign of fall!

My grumbling spirit changed to one of gratitude. I bowed my head to thank God for His powerful reminder. Although the temperatures were still summertime-hot, God’s plan was in place and would continue. Through the promise I found in the marsh, I remembered God’s love is steadfast. He walks with us through every season of life, no matter how long they might last.

“But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Romans 25:8 ESV).

To hope for in this verse means to expect and trust, while patience means cheerful endurance. How many blessings have I missed out on as I’ve rushed

through life, being neither trusting nor cheerful? In my impatience for fall I almost overlooked the cattails, which, to me, signified God’s promise of eternal life.

God used His gift of creation to shift my focus off myself as He whispered, “Not now, but soon.”

The longing to bypass God’s timing is useless.

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14 ESV).

What is God asking you to wait for during this season of life?

What is the greatest challenge you face as you wait?

A retired teacher and beach lover, Candyce Carden writes devotions for CBN, Refresh Magazine, The Quiet Hour, and Reflections among others. She’s currently at work on Waves of God’s Glory, a devotional set at the beach. Follow her blog at CandyceCarden.com.

About The Author

Dalton Church Directory

Assembly of God

Christian Fellowship Assembly 3656 Chattanooga Road, 30755 706-280-7594

The Sanctuary 515 Reed Rd NW, 30720 706-270-2088

The Healing Center Church 515 Reed Road, 30720 706-229-9456

Baptist

Abundant Life Baptist Church 811 J and J, 30721 706-278-5289

Antioch Baptist Church 1205 Antioch Road, 30720 706-278-1305

Beaverdale Baptist Church 2496 Beaverdale Rd NW, 30721 706-259-7089

Calvary Baptist Church 2115 Chatsworth Rd, 30721 706-278-6324

Carolyn Baptist Church 2305 Cleveland Highway, 30721 706-259-8142

Centerpoint Baptist Church 420 Centerpoint Drive SE, 30721 706-277-2100

Christ Reformed Baptist Church 1378 Dug Gap Rd, 30720 706-226-3026

Concord Baptist Church 1054 Hopewell Rd, Cohutta 30710 706-694-8618

Cove Baptist Fellowship Church 461 Carbondale Rd SW, 30721 706-277-3484

Crown View Baptist Church 502 West Tyler St, 30720 706-278-7422

Deep Springs Baptist Church 1660 Beaverdale Rd NE, 30721 706-259-3255

Dug Gap Baptist Church 2031 Dug Gap Rd, 30720 706-278-2377

Eastbrook Baptist Church 204 Hill Rd, 30720

Eastside Baptist Church 913 East Morris St, 30721 706-278-8553

Eleventh Avenue Baptist Church 2550 South Dalton Bypass, 30722 706-278-7020

Emmaus Baptist Church 4268 S. Dixie Rd, 30735 706-483-5251

First Baptist Church 802 Kenner St, 30721 706-226-9681

First Baptist Church of Dalton 311 North Thornton Ave, 30720 706-278-2911

Grace Baptist Church 2049 Lower Kings Bridge Rd, 30721 706-537-6884

Good Hope Baptist Church 2525 Lake Francis Rd, 30721 706-259-3719

Grove Level Baptist Church 2802 Cleveland Highway, 30721 706-259-8519

Good Samaritan Baptist Church 3137 Cleveland Rd, 30721 706-259-7239

Gospelway Baptist Church 336 Jupiter Cir, 30721 706-278-1424

Grace Baptist Church 2049 Lower Kings Bridge Rd, 30721 706-537-6884

Harmony Baptist Church 187 Lower Dawnville Rd, 30721 706-226-5521

Harvest Baptist Church 3986 Cleveland Hwy, 30721 706-694-8951

Hill Crest Baptist Church 1901 Cityview St, 30720 706-279-1267

Hopewell Baptist Church 3527 Airport Rd, 30721 706-226-5987

Kinsey Drive Baptist Church 2626 Kinsey Drive,30720 706-277-3505

Lakeshore Park Baptist Church 12 Crescent St, 30720 706-275-6050

Liberty Baptist Church 506 South Pentz St, 30720 706-226-5535

Lindsey Memorial Baptist 706-673-7650

3503 Lindsey Memorial Rd. Rocky Face, Ga. 30740

Macedonia Baptist Church 1355 Dawnville Rd NE, 30721 706-259-9220

Maple Grove Baptist Church 347 Maple Grove Rd, 30721 706-483-6300

McFarland Hill Baptist Church 307 Brickyard Rd, 30721 706-277-5521

Mount Rachel Baptist Church 332 Haig Mill Lake Rd, 30720 706-278-5192

Mount Ridge Baptist Church 1401 M L King, Jr. Blvd, 30721 706-278-0335

New Hope Baptist Church 900 Roan St, 30721 706-226-2093

New Hope Baptist Church 706-673-8050

2105 Tunnel Hill-Varnell Road Tunnel Hill, GA 30755

New Life Baptist Church 2620 Old Grade Rd, 30721

Northwest Georgia Baptist Church 222 North Pentz St, 30720 706-463-3490

Olivia Baptist Church 1817 Guy St, 30720 706-278-3507

Pine Grove Baptist Church 4004 Airport Road, 30721 706-264-8630

Poplar Springs Baptist Church 897 Poplar Springs Rd, 30720 706-259-8727

Reformation Baptist Church 244 N. Hamilton St, 30720 706-314-8711

Rocky Face Baptist Church

1544 Rocky Face Railroad St, 30740 706- 226-5751

Salem Baptist Church 1448 Pleasant Grove Dr, 30721 706-259-7045

South Dalton Baptist Church 498 Lakemont Drive, 30720 706-278-4946

Shiloh Baptist Church 2014 East Waugh St, 30721 706-226-5981

Temple Baptist Church 2310 South Dixie Hwy, 30720 706-226-6785

Valley Baptist Church 2907 Old Rome, 30720

Welcome Hill Baptist Church 2772 E Welcome Hill Circle, 30721 706-278-0368

Whitfield Baptist Church 2134 Dug Gap Rd, 30721 706-278-6776

Bible

Fellowship Bible Church 2044 Dug Gap Rd, 30720 706-278-6269

Catholic

Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church 968 Haig Mill Lake Rd, 30720 706-278-3107

Christian

First Christian Church 1506 Dug Gap Rd, 30720 706-278-7244

Church of Christ

Central Church of Christ 515 N. Tibbs Rd, 30720 706-278-8051

Riverbend Church of Christ 2218 S Riverbend Rd, 30721 706-226-0819

Church of God

Church of God of Union Assembly 2311 South Dixie Rd, 30720 706-275-0510

City View Church of God 3688 Chatsworth Hwy, 30721 706-226-6686

Crosspointe 2681 Underwood Street 30721 706-278-2649

Lifegate Church 2744 Cleveland Highway, 30721 706-259-0016

Valley Brook Church of God 1474 Mineral Springs Rd, 30720 706-279-3296

Community

Church on the Hill 1035 Abutment Rd, 30721 706-278-9208

Community Fellowship Church 409 North Fredrick St, 30721 706-278-3204

Freedom Community Church 908 Elk Street, 30720 706-463-2690

Rock Bridge Community Church 121 W Crawford St, 30720 Episcopal

Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church 901 West Emory St, 30720 706-278-8857

Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

610 Shugart Rd, 30720 706-278-5295

Lutheran

Christ the King Lutheran Church

623 S Thornton Ave, 30720 706-278-3979

Methodist

Bethel AME Church

620 Spring Street, 30720 706-226-2714

Bethel UMC 123 Bethel Church Rd, 30721 706-278-3309

Dalton First UMC 500 South Thornton Ave, 30720 706-278-8494

Dawnville UMC 1529 Spring Ln NE, 30721 706-259-5342

Fairview UMC 735 Riverbend Rd, 30721 706-996-5057

Five Springs UMC 2823 Five Springs Rd, 30720 706-277-3928

Mineral Springs UMC 4079 Airport Road, 30721 706-517-0200

Mt. Vernon UMC 597 Lafayette Road Rocky Face, GA 30740 706-673-4667

New Haven UMC 4040 South Dixie Highway, 30721 706-217-1879

Pleasant Grove UMC 2701 Cleveland Highway, 30721

Sugar Valley UMC 503 Murry Hill Dr, 30720 706-280-9112

Trinity UMC

901 Veterans Dr, 30721 706-278-4042

Tunnel Hill UMC 706-673-4022

121 North Varnell Road Tunnel Hill, GA 30755

Varnell United Methodist Church 3485 Highway 2 Cohutta, 30710 706-694-8023

Wesley Chapel UMC 808 Jamestown CT, 30721 706-270-2331

Nazarene

First Church of the Nazarene 2325 Chattanooga Rd, 30720 706-278-8428

Grace Church of the Nazarene 1111 Nelson St, 30721 706-278-1171

Non-Denominational

Abundant Life Bible Church

901 Chester Road, 30721 706-270-9733

Bridging the Gap Ministries

514 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, 30721 706-277-7575

Relentless Worship Center

879 College Dr, 30720 Conference Room 3 706-313-1129

Cornerstone Family Church

1240 Dawnville Rd, 30721 706-259-8509

Dalton House Of Prayer 897 College Dr, Conference Rm 3, 30720 706-915-6545

Good Neighbors Church

910 South Thornton Ave, 30720 706-226-0846

Gospel Light Tabernacle 804 Sheridan Ave, 30721

Grace Fellowship Ministries

620 N Glenwood Ave 2&3, 30721 706-280-1375

Northwest Christian Fellowship 272 Main St, Varnell, GA 30756 706-694-9830

River of Life Church of Dalton 2919 East Walnut Ave, 30721 706-965-6683

Saint James Overcoming Church 400 North Fredrick St, 30721 706-278-0319

Pentecostal

Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal Fuente de Agua Viva 1007 Underwood St, 30721 706-278-4963

La Senda Antigua

308 East Matilda St, 30720 706-270-8826

True Gospel Pentecostal Church 109 South Henderson St, 30721 706-278-5696

Shadow Ridge Worship Center 122 Wheat Drive Varnell, GA 30721 706-280-4546

Presbyterian

ChristChurch Presbyterian 510 South Tibbs Rd, 30720 706-529-2911

First Presbyterian Church 101 S. Selvidge St, 30720 706-278-8161

Grace Presbyterian Church 2107 Threadmill Rd, 30720 706-226-6344

Salvationalist

Salvation Army 1109 N. Thornton Ave, 30722 706-278-3966

Seventh Day Adventist

3 Angels Hispanic SDA 701 E Morris St, 30721 706-618-1182

Dalton Hispanic SDA 112 W Long St, 30720 706-275-0523

Dalton SDA Church 300 South Tibbs Rd, 30720 706-226-2166

Chatsworth Church Directory

Baptist

Blue Ridge Primitive Baptist Church 706-517-9849

134 Hyden Tyler Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Calvary Baptist Church 706-695-7747

Highway 225 North Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Center Hill Baptist Church 706-695-7988

65 Berry Bennett Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Cisco Baptist Church 706-695-9270

Highway 411 North Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Cool Springs Baptist Church 706-517-5388

Holly Creek Cool Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Fellowship Baptist Church 706-695-2626

4396 Highway 52 Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

First Baptist Church 706-695-2112

121 West Market Street Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Flat Branch Baptist Church 706-695-2663

3443 Highway 286 Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Free Hope Baptist Church 706-695-3717

4176 Highway 76 Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Holly Creek Baptist Church 706-695-8522

422 Holly Creek Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Liberty Baptist Church 4221 US-76, Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Little Consauga Baptist Church 706-517-5733

1100 Sugar Creek Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Maranatha Baptist Church 706-695-6330

Highway 225 South Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Mount Pisgah Baptist Church 706-517-8944

2309 Old Highway 411

Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Murray Baptist Church 706-695-9712

508 West Peachtree Street Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

New Hope Baptist Church 706-517-3089

1273 New Hope Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

New Prospect Baptist Church 706-629-9521

7629 Highway 225 Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Old Fashion Baptist Church 706-695-5420

885 Ben Adams Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Open Air Ministries 706-386-484

1058 Mtn Crest Dr. Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Prayer Baptist Church 706-624-9216

10859 Hwy. 225 South Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Shinning Light Baptist Church 706-517-1739

801 North 5th Avenue Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Smyrna Baptist Church 706-695-5815

1913 Smyrna Church Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Spring Place Baptist Church 706-695-5532

441 Highway 225 South Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Strait Way Baptist Church 706-517-2861

508 West Peachtree Street Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Total Praise Baptist Church 706-695-6441

1461 Greeson Bend Rd, Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Zion Hill Baptist Church 706-517-5913

Highway 225 North Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Bible

Grace Bible Church 2599 Leonard Bridge Rd. Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Church of Christ Woodhaven Church of Christ

706-847-7400

508 West Peachtree Street Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Church of God

Chatsworth Church of God 706-695-9388

Highway 411 South Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Central Community Church 706-695-4242

60 Pine Hills Drive Chatsworth, GA 30705

Spring Place Church of God 706-695-8000

717 Tibbs Bridge Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Full Gospel Faith Worship Center 706-695-6866

189 Hyden Tyler Road Chatsworth GA 30705

House Of Prayer

616 Jenkins Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Methodist

Casey Springs UMC

7250 Chastworth Highway South Chastworth, GA 30705

Center Valley UMC 706-971-4646

5394 Highway 225 North Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

First United Methodist Church 706-695-3211

107 W Cherokee Street Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Fullers Chapel UMC

532 Cook Drive Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Mineral Springs UMC 71 North Way St Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Spring Place UMC 706-695-5143

Po Box 248 Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Non-Denominational God’s Light House

784 Smyrna Church Road Chatsworth, GA 30705

The Church of God of the Union Assembly at Chatsworth, GA 706-695-7335

Highway 52 Alternate Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Liberty Tabernacle 706-517-3140

2196 Smyrna Church Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Living Word Christian Fellowship 706-695-5005

960 Cherokee Drive Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

New Beginnings Ministries 706-695-6067

646 Floodtown Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

North Gate Church 706-548-4967

7727 Highway 225 South Chatsworth, GA 30755 US

Tabernacle of Praise 706-517-0377

1435 Leonard Bridge Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Wings Of Faith Ministries 706-695-1527

1122 North Holly Drive Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Pentecostal

Victory Tabernacle

706-517-1458

355 Ellijay Street

Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

A Place to Worship 706-517-8568

259 Old Landfill Rd Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Presbyterian

Sumach Presbyterian Church 706-695-4773

2089 Sumach Church Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Seventh Day Adventist

Seventh-Day Adventist Church 706-517-5124

1115 Highway 52 Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

The Trials and Trophies of Hospice

by Cheryl L. Dunson

It wasn’t until my father was diagnosed with incurable cancer and delivered into the gentle-but-capable hands of Suncoast Hospice in St. Petersburg, Fla., that I truly understood and appreciated what this organization accomplishes on a daily basis.

I remember the day my father passed away. We made the call to hospice’s Purple Team to inform them Dad was gone. Renee, his nurse, and Steve, his social worker, arrived at my parents’ condo to prepare Dad for his journey to the funeral home. Wearing a compassionate smile, Renee tenderly bathed my father and, then, dressed him in one of his beloved Florida Gator outfits. As we waited for representatives of the funeral home to arrive, Steve sat among us, readily available to listen, to share a word of comfort, and to be a supportive presence in a time of great loss and sorrow.

Throughout the four-month ordeal leading up to my dad’s demise, Renee patiently accepted his stubborn resistance to use a walker and exchanged playful banter with him when he told her he didn’t need her medical attention. (My father was so proud and independent.) I wondered at the time, “How do these people do what they do, day in and day out, knowing the end of life is imminent?”

Two years following my father’s passing, and after much prayer and careful contemplation, I took the steps to become a hospice volunteer. I entered a world many people only see from the periphery. During my two-anda-half years as a volunteer, I met benevolent caregivers whose faces lit up when they spotted me at their loved ones’ funerals. Unaware at the time, I had the privilege of

comforting a legend among Lee University’s faculty during the final weeks of her life. I delivered meals to appreciative family members and patients. I had the honor of praying with terminal patients and their roommates, and I had the pleasure of forming new friendships with hospice staff members and volunteers. And, yes, I’ve watched life slip away slowly, cruelly, and unforgivingly.

October 8th is World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, a day when hospice encourages people who have the time and believe they could be of service to sign up to train as hospice volunteers. The Hospice of Chattanooga Cleveland Team is a staff of friendly and compassionate nurses, volunteers, chaplains, and social workers. Volunteering is a great way to learn about hospice and palliative care and to accompany patients and families through the most difficult stage of life.

During a challenging time with a particular patient, I sought some Godly counsel from my pastor. He told me, “Volunteering is not for everyone, but it’s needed and it’s necessary.” Yes, you’ll be tested, but you’ll also reap some sweet and lasting rewards.

Be Like Mark

by Kristen West

Ihave a friend named Mark. Mark has stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. This is the third time in his young 48-year-old life that he has wrestled with some form of cancer. But, here’s the thing. Mark is, hands down, the most inspiring person I know.

He lives in the moment. His joy is overflowing. His outlook is positive. His words are full of hope. He

life is ablaze with one mission—to love his Maker, his Best Friend, and King with every minute he’s been gifted and to tell as many other “terminals” about Jesus.

Mark knows that this diagnosis is not the end. It’s temporary. It’s earthly. He has complete confidence in the certainty that Heaven will bring fullness of healing, joy unspeakable, and eternal fellowship with his God. That is his hope and future, and because of that, Mark walks out his temporary existence knowing his eternal future is secure. Mark has no clue when God will call him home. Do any of us?

In the meantime, God encourages all of us to make the most of our time and to redeem it (Ephesians 5:16).

purposefully uses every minute. He understands he’s terminal. But, more importantly, he understands we ALL are terminal.

From the time we were born, the countdown began. Our days are numbered (Job 14:5; Psalm 139:16), and our life is like a vapor (James 4:14; Psalm 144:4). Most of us don’t want to think about that. We certainly don’t want to talk about it.

Not Mark. He walks in the undeniable truth that to live is Christ, but to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). Mark has a clear and deep understanding of his purpose. His

Temporary pain can’t stop us. Physical discomfort can’t stop us. Dismal circumstances can’t stop us. We serve a God who endured all of those things and so much more in order to have fellowship with us, so that we could spend forever with Him.

Mark embodies Paul’s command to, “follow me as I follow Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Today, I pray that your heart and soul would be on fire for Jesus and that you would know, like Mark, that nothing can separate you from Him (Romans 8:38-39).

Kristen West works at Rock Bridge Community Church with a heart for staff leadership, development, and care. She is a communicator with a passion to inspire, encourage, and challenge others in their daily walk with Christ. She writes and publishes weekly content on her blog at kristen-west.com.

About The Author

When Life Gives You a Bag of Rocks

by Dr. Alan Hix

One of our family’s October traditions is to watch the classic Peanuts show “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” during Halloween week. As I was only six years old when it was first broadcast in 1966, I have literally grown up with this yearly visit with Charlie Brown and his friends as they navigate another Halloween. As the children go out trick-ortreating, they periodically stop and take stock of their “treats.” Each child celebrates the candy they received until we get to Charlie Brown. No matter how many houses they visit, poor Charlie Brown laments that all he got was a bag of rocks. For him, trick-or-treating was only a “trick.”

Have you had a time in your life where you felt like Charlie Brown—that all life has given you is a bag of rocks? How did that impact your faith? Did you ask God “why”? Did you find yourself questioning His goodness? Did you wonder if He understood the depth of your pain? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you are not alone.

To understand how we, as believers in Christ, should respond to these difficult times, we can look to the Psalms of lament. Here we can see how David and the other writers wrestled with the question: “Where is God in the midst of my pain?” In these psalms, we can find how to pose these questions through our faith.

The typical lament psalm begins with questions like, “Where are you God?” or “How could you let this happen to me?” Sound familiar? As we read through these cries of ancient Israelites, we follow them as they move from expressing their pain and feelings of being surrounded by enemies and feeling alone to a declaration of trust in God—on the basis of His character as loving, just, and compassionate. The psalmists can look past their pain and

despair and cast themselves in the loving arms of a God who can sustain them through all of their travails.

Several years ago, I sat at my wife’s bedside in ICU, listening to the rhythm of the ventilator and wondering with some trepidation what the future might hold for us. Would there be future adventures that we would share, or would I carry on alone?

It was in these dark moments I found comfort and encouragement in Psalm 13. David begins this psalm by crying out, “How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?” This cry echoes the cry of all those who have found themselves wondering if God cared about their situation. David continues by pleading with God to respond to his anguish. The psalm then turns from a cry of despair to an expression of hope. “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me.”

David helped me to see that our hope is not to be based on what God does, but on who God is. No circumstance, no matter how dark, can alter the character of God. That truth allowed me to trust my wife to God’s unfailing love. That understanding can turn our bag of rocks into a precious treasure.

About The Author

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

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Instant Parent Success

by Brenda Dedmon

There are so many resources available on “How To Do” most anything you could ever imagine. I was in a conversation with friends recently, and the question came up about the best way to choose paint colors. It was less than a minute when one friend had found ten best ways on her phone.

seems “everyone is doing it.” To avoid this situation, do not compare your family life to others. You have no idea what their journey is about, and you need to spend your time looking at what is best for your family. Where do you find help for this awesome and daunting task of being a parent? The best starting place is in the Bible.

We are reminded in Proverbs how teaching children leads to a productive life. “Teach a child how to follow the right way; even when he is old, he will stay on course” (Proverbs 22:6). The following are simple suggestions to begin this teaching process, but it is not instant and will involve an important word, TIME.

• Spend time in prayer asking God to guide you in discovering His plan for your family

• Create a family-safe place where a child is loved, valued, and accepted for who they are

• Develop a positive environment where every day your family is giving something good to others

I find this true with parents searching for the best way to be great parents. However, when it comes to parenting skills, there are no quick or easy answers. There is an abundance of ideas offering the perfect way. I hate to disappoint you, but there is not an instant way. This article will not give you instant answers either, but it will give ideas for what the child needs most from parents.

Children always need to feel loved and spend quality time with parents. If you stop and look at the actual waking hours spent with your child, would you be surprised at the number? Children are so involved in activities which require lessons, practices, and performances that it limits parent/ child interaction. I believe children should be involved in activities, but not so many that it takes away from your family time.

Parents often feel “parental peer pressure” to have their children involved in numerous activities because it

• Protect family time by learning to set boundaries for yourself and children

• Lead your family to process energy, enthusiasm, and empathy for life

• Involve your family in discovering their best selves and develop dreams and plans to accomplish those goals

• Practice living the motto, “The Best is Yet to Come” and “No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up”

As you continue in your parent journey, remember God has given you the best gift ever, your child. Psalms 127:3, “Children are a gift from God, they are his reward.” He will guide you in your journey to take care of His gift.

About The Author

Written by Rev. Brenda Dedmon, retired director of the CLC, First Baptist of Dalton and an avid BAMA fan.

Bradley Wellness Center Celebrates 36 Years

The idea for the Bradley Wellness Center (BWC) came to life when local physician Dr. Paul Bradley read a magazine article about a California company that had reduced employee health care costs by focusing on wellness—including building a fitness center.

“When he finished reading the magazine, he took it in, put it on (then CEO Norman) Burkett’s desk, and said, ‘We need to look at this,’” recalled Patricia Edwards, Bradley’s daughter. “And the rest is history.”

Since its opening in 1986, BWC has undergone two renovations and multiple updates to its services. Today, the center offers a comprehensive array of services and amenities, including a 25-meter indoor pool, indoor and outdoor tracks, basketball and racquetball courts, wi-fi connected cardiovascular machines, weight machines, tennis and pickleball courts, sauna and steam rooms, volleyball court, childcare, senior programs, yoga and cycle studios, group fitness areas and more than 50 classes a week.

“In addition to being a wonderful facility for exercise and quality programming, the staff is devoted to making our members feel welcome and are always willing to help,” said Tammy Wilson, Member Services Supervisor and a BWC employee for 32 years. “The staff here is highly trained and certified in their particular skill. We are continuing to reach out and reconnect people with the recent COVID-19 situation.”

That outreach applies to new members as well as long-time ones like David Bobst, who said he gained 40 pounds during the pandemic when his regular routines were interrupted and replaced with more sedentary ones. But when the center reopened after a period of closure, Bobst began going to work out seven days a week and has now lost all the extra weight. At age 84, his motto is “use it or lose it.”

“It sounds so corny, but it is truthful,” he said.

Bobst sees fitness center membership as a highly effective strategy for preventing unnecessary visits for other services provided at the BWC facility. Those include Hamilton Cardiac Rehabilitation and Hamilton Bradley Whiteside Rehabilitation, where patients receive physical and occupational therapy. Hamilton Spine Health & Sport, focusing specifically on spine rehabilitation, and Hamilton Sports Medicine, providing certified athletic trainers to area schools, are also located inside BWC.

Bradley was known in the community as someone who both lived and promoted a healthy and active lifestyle. He was among several doctors who donated land to build the current Hamilton Medical Center in the 1950s, and he was the first physician on the hospital board. Bradley was also very humble, Edwards said, and was surprised when the wellness center was named after him.

“He would say, ‘Usually, when they name something after a person, it’s because they’ve given a lot of money or they’re dead.

I’m neither,’” Edwards said. “Helping to have the best medical care possible for his patients and everyone in the area was his top priority.”

Bradley graduated from Dalton High School and went on to study medicine at Emory and complete his residency at Grady, Edwards said. After medical school, he served in World War II and met his future wife Ann Quinlan, a nurse at a military officers’ club in California. The family eventually came back to the Dalton area— when Edwards was 4 years old.

In Dalton, Bradley worked in general practice and delivered many babies. In the early 1960s, he was working toward becoming a surgeon, and commuted from Atlanta to Dalton to teach for a year at Emory as a way to prepare for boards. He then completed his surgical residency at Piedmont Hospital.

When he returned, he and another physician opened Dalton Surgical, one of the first specialty practices in Dalton. He remained there until his retirement at age 65. Over his career, he also supported the Whitfield Healthcare Foundation, hospice services, Royal Oaks, and other hospital system endeavors.

“My dad loved this community,” Edwards said. “He was the third of five generations of doctors in our family. The first was his grandfather, Richard Smith Bradley, a country doctor here in Whitfield County and beyond. Dad remembered driving him in his horse and buggy to see patients. My son is the fifth, Dr. Bill Edwards of Pediatrics of Dalton.”

Bradley was also the sort of man who earned wide respect and was known to command attention while remaining humble. “When dad said something, the room was quiet to listen,” Edwards said. “He did have a terrific sense of humor as well, and loved to fish— that was his outdoor therapy.” He also enjoyed traveling out west to a dude ranch, going out on the lake, having cookouts, gardening, hiking and swimming, and spending time with friends and family. A favorite Bradley family tradition he started is that everyone gets a bag of vitamins and minerals for their 40th birthday.

“Dad was a quiet, thoughtful, selfless man who was willing to help anyone, anytime,” Edwards said. “Dad knew that such a facility (as BWC) would dramatically improve the quality of life for all of us. He was excited that half the building would be devoted

to rehabilitation of patients after surgery or injury. The education services were and are a critical piece of the BWC vision. Everything a person needed to stay healthy would be under one roof and available to the average person. He was very pleased with that.”

Ricky Harrison, BWC Facility and Operations Manager, oversees the 70,000 square feet of space, which includes expansions completed in 1998 and 2015. The older equipment that was around when he first came on board has been replaced with treadmills and modern machines equipped with TV and internet access. Today, there are around 3,500 members. Memberships are beginning to increase again as more people venture back into their former routines, he said.

“Something a lot of people don’t know is we’re a communitybased fitness center and open for anyone to join—not just for rehab or therapy,” Harrison said. “We offer a wide variety of services and programs that cater to members from 12 to 90 years old.”

Popular offerings today include group fitness classes, the indoor pool, personal training, childcare, hiking, massage and acupuncture. Wilson teaches a course called Liquid Fitness, one of many popular offerings. BWC has recently added a pickleball court, and there are monthly cooking demonstrations and tastetests taught by a registered dietitian. As a way to better reach those over 50, BWC is launching Forever Fit, a program that will be available to members for free and non-members for $15 a month.

“My father understood the important relationship between physical and mental health,” Edwards said. “Bradley Wellness Center has set the standard for being proactive about health issues. My dream is that it continues to set the pace for being healthy and fit in our community.”

For more information about BWC, call (706) 278-9355 or visit bradleywell.com.

The Impossible Mission

by Brent Goodge

Have you ever felt God was calling you to do something you couldn’t possibly accomplish? Doesn’t it seem unfair for Him to apparently set you up to fail?

One spring morning, Jesus was on the shores of Galilee preaching to a huge crowd when He asked Thomas a question. “Where shall we buy bread that these may eat?” (John 6:5). We can almost hear John laughing at the memory while writing the story decades later. “This He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do” (John 6:6).

What transpired is the famous story of the little boy’s lunch. Jesus took five biscuits and two fish and fed a crowd of perhaps fifteen thousand. There were enough leftovers for many to take some home to tell the story to those who missed out.

Jesus is calling His people today with a similarly impossible task, on an immensely grander scale. “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you” (Matthew 28:19). He said that we must do this work to prepare the way for His return. “This Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).

How easy is it to be like Thomas and blankly stare back at Jesus when we hear this impossible mission? There is zero chance that we can ever come through on this assignment. It feels like we are being set up for failure. We don’t have the talents, the time, or the resources to even begin to spread the Gospel to every creature, and that’s even if the population numbers were stagnant.

What does the rest of the message say? Before Jesus said, “Go ye therefore,” He had said, “All power is given

unto Me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). After saying the Gospel would go to all the earth, Jesus informed His disciple of the how. “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel

to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue and people” (Revelation 14:6).

The unlimited resources of heaven are at our disposal to feed Christ’s word to a starving world. “Whatever you ask in My Name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My Name, I will do it” (John 14:13-14).

We have been given an impossible mission. And, as Caleb said, “we are well able” to accomplish it (Numbers 13:30). “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:27).

About The Author

Brent Goodge lives in Whitfield County and needs to always remember that the Gospel will indeed go to all the earth. The invitation to be a part of the work is not a setup for failure, it is a blessed privilege.

Psalms 136: A History of God’s Greatness and Mercy

by Jonathon Wright

This Psalm, in a very unusual way, tells the story of Israel and drives home an important truth. When we read this history, we can understand the greatness of God and these miracles. Psalms 136 begins with God and the story of Creation and then continues with the story of how God delivered His people from Egyptian bondage and brought them into the promised land. The nation is celebrating God’s greatness in these things. But this Psalm also speaks of the love and mercy of God enduring forever in every verse. To understand how these two concepts fit together, we first must explore an unspoken back history. This back history reveals why they were so overwhelmed by the mercy and love of the Lord.

It all started shortly after the Parting of the Red Sea. During this time, the children of Israel defied the Lord’s command not to make idols or worship other gods. Moses was so furious that he threw the Ten Commandments tablet, which shattered on the ground. See Exodus 32:19. The people had agreed and made a covenant with God that they would not do this. Yet they did not keep their end of the bargain. When that happens today, people sue for breach of contract, but not the Lord. He continued providing them with manna to eat and water to drink while they wandered outside the promised land. See Exodus 16-17. And when that was not good enough, He even gave them quail that would come outside their tents.

But they continued to rebel against God’s leadership. First, they tried to usurp Moses and Aaron as their Godgiven leaders. See Numbers 12. Second, due to some giants they saw in Canaan, they were afraid and refused to enter the promised land. Yet, God did not give up on them. It took 40 years, but the Lord continued to work with them. See Numbers 13. They wandered in the wilderness and suffered years outside of God’s plan for their lives.

But God kept working. He looked beyond the situation and saw His plans for them and us. Remember, their descendants would bring Christ into the world. Now, as the nation is about to march toward the promised land for

the second time, they encounter two great Amorite Kings. This is very significant because Og of Bashan was not just the ruler of a large empire. He was also a giant, whose bed was enormous. See Deuteronomy 3:11. The Lord was helping the nation of Israel gain confidence. This gave them faith to defeat the giants they would encounter in Canaan. These victories struck fear in the heart of their enemies. God even allowed the Israelites to hear this from the mouth of a woman living in Canaan. See Joshua 2:9-11.

I am amazed at all the things God did to get and prepare the nation of Israel to go back into the promised land. I am also overwhelmed by what God has done in my life. Of course, our Christian faith should be filled with the greatness of God’s love, power, and forgiveness. He helped Israel overcome their fears and fulfill His destiny for their lives. He does the same for us today because His mercy endures forever, even into eternity because of the cross. Maybe, you, like me, have gone through a time of discouragement. But keep trusting in God’s amazing grace and learn from the mistakes of the past. Keep the faith so that you can move forward into your promised land and all that God has for you. His love and mercy endure forever.

About The Author

Jonathon Wright currently lives in Cleveland, Tennessee, and has been a member of the Church of God for about twenty years. He is a graduate of Lee University and Beacon University where he earned a BA and MA in Biblical Studies. He loves studying the Bible and has done so for over thirty years, but only now has God given him a desire and the opportunity to be a writer. Jonathon hopes to encourage people to read the Bible and take notes. You can find more from Jonathon at amazon.com/author/everydaynotes.

Faith In Action

by David Huff

As I was pulling into the grocery store, I saw a homeless guy sitting against a post. That was when I heard a little voice inside me saying, you need to speak with him. So, we went inside the grocery store and got what we needed, and as we were preparing to leave, we grabbed a gallon of water and a bag of chips to take to him.

We are doing the good, Christian thing by buying a few things for him to help him at least for the moment. Right?

He continued with his testimony of everything that has happened to him over the last few years leading up to him leaning on the pole. He finished by saying this: “This is a small price to pay for the sacrifice that Christ has paid for me.” Faith in real, live action. This guy had lost nearly everything that he had and yet, he was still glorifying Christ and now discipling me.

God in His infinite glory was using him to touch a place in my heart that needed to be touched badly. Philippians 3:7-8, “But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ.”

So, we pulled over next to him and I got out and went up to talk to him. I knelt down next to him and then proceeded to ask if I could pray with him. When I finished, I noticed that he had been sitting there writing, so I asked what he was writing about, and that was when the true blessing that this moment was designed for began to come out.

He was writing on fasting and being a disciple for Christ. Here he is, leaning against a pole, and all he has is the few clothes in a box next to him, and he is writing about how Christ disciples us. My ears are wide open now.

Here, sitting right before me, was a true living and walking testament to this very verse and I am now the one being blessed by him. I truly believe that God will use every tool at His disposal to touch and humble us when He is trying to get our attention, and I am thankful for this divine encounter. Jesus said, I have never found a faith like this. I can now say the same thing. In all my life and years on this earth, I have never seen a faith this strong before. God will use many situations to build our faith even stronger if we are obedient to Him and we listen to His direction. We have the opportunity to see and have an encounter that no one else may ever receive.

My name is David Huff, and I am married to Brittany and together we have five wonderful kids. We attend Rock Bridge Community Church Calhoun where I serve on the prayer team, host team, and production. I am also a senior at Liberty University.

About The Author

We are Walker’s boys.

Walker’s Boys

by Deck Cheatham

We came, embarking upon careers, searching for a foothold in golf, in the world.

We are the golf professionals hired by Walker Inman, Jr., the once Head Golf Professional at Scioto Country Club, home course to Jack Nicklaus, a Ryder Cup, PGA Championship, U.S. Amateur, a U.S. Open and two Senior U.S. Opens. Each of us passed through, taking what we could of wisdom and learning, each receiving the lessons needed in those early years when upward filled our vision.

On June 23, 2022, Walker Inman passed from this life into the life eternal.

And here we are, crossing a bridge we knew we would cross, but one none of us wished to cross. And so, on July 23rd, we gathered to honor a life well-lived, to carry on, to pass on the same love shared by Walker and say the words Jesus spoke, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

It all started with those words, “Pro, you’ve got the job.” And in hearing those words, life opened to us, trajectories changed, dreams blossomed into realities, new possibilities unfettered before life’s quagmires would come. We began, some naïve, uninitiated, not yet baptized by the world, and some, a bit more worldly, ready and willing. Each came to seize an opportunity, to take the brass ring and claim it as his own. Quarried from worlds apart—South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and more— each offering our rearing, our unique personalities and yetto-be-widened perspective. And in the taking, we received so much more.

When we heard those words, we did not know we would become part of a family. Yes, the Scioto family, but also adopted as an Inman. Walker, Georgia, Lisa, Natalie, Walker III, and Cara were as much father and mother, brother and sister to each of us as our own parents and siblings. Unrealized at the time, Walker chose us, as Jesus

chooses us, to enter this new beginning, loved and cherished in the same way parents love their children, as God loves us. Walker and Georgia knew no other way.

“I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength, and I stand and watch until at last she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sun and sky come down to mingle with each other. Then someone at my side says, ‘There she goes!’

Gone where? Gone from my sight—that is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and just as able to bear her load of living freight to the places of destination. Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone says, ‘There she goes!’ there are other eyes watching her coming and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, ‘Here she comes!’”

Gullah believe when someone passes, their soul goes to heaven but their spirit lives on. Walker’s spirit lives on through each of us.

We are Walker’s boys.

The Author

Deck Cheatham has been a golf professional for some 40 years. He lives with his family in Dalton. He is a guest columnist for the Rome News Tribune, The Daily Citizen, and the Calhoun Times. Email him at pgadeacon@gmail.com.

The Reverend Luther Beecher wrote these words:

Scaling A Mountain

by Susan Lavigne

Ienjoyed a variety of sports, including soccer, until I hurt my back at the young age of twenty-nine. It was then that I realized I needed to try some “less dangerous” sports, so I took up rock climbing. That may not sound “less dangerous” to some, but with the proper equipment, good safety instruction, and trustworthy people on your safety line, rock climbing is a very safe sport. There are four key components of rock climbing that relate to our everyday lives.

Balance

Rock climbing is more the art of balancing than climbing. Our lives are meant to be lived in balance too. As a physical therapist and wellness instructor, balance is an essential skill

I teach, especially to my older clients, to keep them from falling. There must be a balance

in the muscle strength of opposing muscle groups as well as flexibility for good posture. We are told to eat a balanced diet of vegetables, fruits, grains, and meat for a healthy diet, and we are told to balance our activities with sleep, work, and play for a healthy lifestyle. Support

Another essential part of rock climbing is having a person whom you can trust on your safety line. Everyone needs trustworthy people for those times when you feel like you are “hanging on by a thread.” Do you have people in your life readily available to help when you need them? Are you that person in someone else’s life? Ecclesiastes 4:12, “Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

Communication

A good rock climbing experience also relies on good communication. You must communicate with your climbing partner when you are climbing, and you need his/her full attention and knowledge of safety skills. Open and honest communication is essential for every type of relationship. Anchor

Finally, with life and rock climbing, it is important to have a secure anchor. In the case of rock climbing, you make sure that your rope is secured to the rock you are scaling. Anything less than a secure anchor and you can fall, really hurting yourself or the people in your climbing group. For Christians, that anchor should be none other than Jesus Christ. Isaiah 26:4, “Trust in the Lord always for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.”

So, the next time you feel like you are scaling a mountain in your life, check to see if you have proper balance, strong support, good communication, and a strong anchor in place. When your faith and hope are anchored firmly in Christ, you will increase your chance of surmounting any of life’s challenges.

Susan Lavigne attends Cornerstone Church. She is a Christian speaker and songwriter. Feel free to contact her at susanclavigne@gmail.com.

About The Author

He Is Enough

by Danette Reeves

You are enough. These words are everywhere: jewelry, billboards, bumper stickers, counseling sessions, songs, and even Bible studies. Believe in yourself because you are enough. You can do anything because you are enough. Don’t compare yourself to the world’s standards because you are enough. Be content with who you are because you are enough.

I understand the sentiment behind the words, but it is a lie. You are not enough. This flies in the face of everything culture is telling us today. Culture does not want us to feel wrong about anything we think or sin we commit. Culture teaches us there are no sins; we are free to act as we please. Why? Because we are right in our own eyes. Judges 21:25 states, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” This might be said about today’s culture. We have set “self” up as king? Why? Because you are enough (the lie culture sells to us).

Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (I’m not enough).

Psalm 118:8, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man” (I’m not enough).

John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (I’m not enough).

John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (I’m not enough).

Paul shared a great secret with us in Philippians 4. He is explaining that he learned to be content when he had abundance or little. In every circumstance, Paul had learned that he was not enough. He shared the truth in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Paul was not enough, but Jesus is. I’m not enough to get into heaven, but Jesus is enough when He covers me with His blood, death, and resurrection.

John 10:10 states, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I (Jesus) came that you may have life

and have it abundantly.” I’m not enough to give myself abundant life. Jesus is enough.

I’m not enough to provide myself with peace. Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Jesus is enough.

Brothers, sisters, and seeking friends, do not fall into the trap of independence this world tries to sell us. Proverbs 26:12, “Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” Without Jesus, you are not enough. With Jesus, you have everything you need because He is enough.

Danette Reeves and her husband, Charlie, live in Cleveland, Tennessee. They attend The Church at Grace Point. One of their joys is being Oma and Opa to four grandchildren. Her heart’s desire is to be a student and a teacher of the Word, and a consistent follower of Jesus.

About The Author

Small Beginnings

by Sandra Gilmore

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

It’s simply hard to tell. It’s hard to look too far ahead. It might not turn out like it starts. So go the thoughts of anyone who has worked with children or youth.

The same child who eats the glue could be on her way to gluing folks back together in an ER or filling her role binding a family together while odds predict otherwise. The same child who has a speech impairment could have days ahead in the pulpit or at a keyboard where inspiring words flow. The very child who hits, squeals, and throws things might be the counselor who coaches others to tout emotions effectively. We just don’t know what the Lord has planned for these little ones.

Just after the first Christmas, Joseph’s family fled the Bethlehem region for Egypt during Jesus’ nursery days. What if Mary had dropped off Jesus at the nursery while you were serving on Sabbath? Would you have asked them to fill out a visitor card? Who would be the contact? Joseph was the stepfather, and then again…you could hear him sheepishly explaining, “Well no, I’m the father but…well, it’s kinda complicated, ya see?”

What would you have seen? You would have seen an uprooted family who didn’t speak the language, know the culture, or plan to stay long in the area. Yet, they didn’t have a return-home date either. Those three were making limbo work, stalling in place with a child who was anything but stagnant. (Tots grow and change by the hours!) Given the awkward parenting roles and transplanted housing situation, would they have still found a warm reception in your nursery?

Just as God planned for salvation through the birth of Jesus, He has a plan for our days, (Psalm 139) “Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed, And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.”

Have you considered that you—as a nursery or children’s church worker—are fashioned into that design? You have a talent, bent, quirk about you that the Lord wants to weave into the design of the children in your care. Beyond the diaper changes, the calming rhythm of the rocking chair, or the cadence of reading a favorite book, you will leave a seed deep in the children in your care. Were it hope or creativity, silliness or stability, the seed will do what seeds

do and bloom someday, given the right set of circumstances. (Never worked in nursery or with young folks? Maybe this is your sign to start!)

These blessings in baby form are, in fact, purposebearers equipped with destiny and divine provision for their journeys. Children, as descendants and members of their family trees, serve as links from one branch of mankind to another, sharing shade and fruit, witnessing changing seasons and life cycles. What an honor that the Lord trusts us to care for such a tender treasure in His Kingdom.

Per Zechariah 4:10 we can “curse not the day of small beginnings.” We can surely bless—plant seeds, nurture, strengthen, delight in—these small wonders!

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

About The Author

Everyone

Unplug

by Angie Bishop-Forsyth

Would you agree that we mostly live entirely way too busy and too involved in insignificant things? Seriously, how much time do we offer to social media, trash TV, and browsing the internet for this and that, etc.? Way too much I say!

I’m guilty, I admit it. Recently, I took on the challenge to let all that go for 40 days. No social media, no trash

I unplugged and cleansed my soul, and it was GOOD! Was it hard? Sure, some days it was, but it was worth it. It taught me the importance of relying on God to fill me up, rather than comfort in my own pleasures. The longer I journeyed through my 40 days, the more excited I became. I knew going in with the expectation to meet God and grow closer to Him was way better than all that other stuff!

Friends, we need to unplug from the world sometimes, and plug into God on a much deeper level. It is sweet! It is essential! This world beats us down. God builds us up! What I learned was how irrelevant things we think are of importance really are. God is relevant, Facebook and Instagram are not! God is useful, trash TV is inappropriate and useless. God is of great significance, and most internet searches for entertainment purposes can be somewhat senseless and meaningless.

TV, no secular music, and no internet searches for useless information and things. Here’s what I discovered when I replaced all that with time with God. Growth!

The social media anxiety was replaced with a peaceful atmosphere of being still in God’s Word, alone with Him. It’s lovely there. Trash TV was replaced with Godly programs and movies that blessed my soul, full of encouraging lessons and uplifting and inspiring messages. Secular music was replaced with nothing but praise and worship music. I lifted my praises to our King through songs that filled me up and gave glory to Him! Oh, how I loved that! The internet searches were replaced with Bible reading and faith-based Bible study books, which fed my hungry soul!

As believers, we should long for a meaningful relationship on a deep level with our Creator. We should not only long for it, we should run after it! Meet God halfway. He’s there holding out His arms, waiting for you to dive deep! Go! I truly believe it’s like a cup of cold water on a hot day—refreshing, invigorating, and electrifying to one’s soul! Our innocent earthly pleasures are not all forbidden, but should be done in moderation. They can become robbers of the time God deserves and we so desperately need with Him. But if you haven’t, let me encourage you to sometimes unplug from it all! That quiet break with God is a gift to recharge your body and soul.

“Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you” (Psalm 116:7).

Angie Bishop-Forsyth is a resident of Rome, GA. She is blessed with great family and friends. Angie is a member & attends church at Calvary Baptist. She yearns to share God’s message in hopes to encourage, speak God’s Truths, and point people to Jesus!

About The Author

I See Angels

by Judy Hood

As I stand on the hilltop

Looking out over the sea

I see a band of angels

Coming after you and me

They are clad in garments white as snow

As the angelic music flows

Gabriel’s trumpet soon will sound

We will all leave the ground

At the twinkling of an eye

We will fly through the sky

On heavens shore we will rest

Yes, we gave him our very best

Don’t slow down now

Just make a solemn vow

To always stand strong and true

One day he’ll come back for me and you

You can get Judy Hood’s newly released book, But For The Grace Of God Go I, through Amazon, Barnes & Noble or ebooks.

for Everyone

Finding Happiness

by Faith Miller

When was the last time you felt that you had everything you needed to be whole, happy, and joyful? For many people, if they are honest with themselves, the answer is one that they do not know. In modern-day Christianity, we have made up an idea in our heads that says we are only truly happy if things are going well in our lives. Many of us do not know how to rely on God for our happiness. Now, I know—easier said than done. But I want to ask you another question: When was the last time you had complete confidence in God’s unconditional love for you as His son or daughter? When was the last time you were able to anchor yourself in the truth that regardless of what you do, how well you perform, or how many times you read your Bible in a week, God’s opinion of you never changes? Even better, you never lose your title as His son or daughter. Think about it. No matter what you do, the fact that you are your parent’s child never changes. Why do we have such a hard time believing this with God?

I once had a friend named Jane. Jane loved God, served at her church, and worked very hard. But Jane had struggled with insecurity for most of her life and no matter how much she reminded herself that God loved her, she still found herself lacking in some way emotionally. She was constantly seeking affirmation that still would not fulfill her needs. Jane had a pure heart and was a good person, but because of her insecurity in her identity, she realized one day that she had not been content and joyful in a long time.

Jane spent most of her time wondering what people were thinking of her and whether they would accept her or not. She didn’t like thinking like this and she knew it was silly, but she found that she cared much more about what people thought of her than she ought to. These types of thoughts were exhausting and consumed much of her energy until one day, she heard someone at church preaching about this exact issue! It was as if the person

speaking was reading her journal out loud. This was the first time that Jane had heard this subject spoken of when the answer she heard was not to “stop caring so much about what people think.” The minister revealed that the core issue was insecurity and how you think God sees you.

She realized that the root of the problem was not that she lacked affirmation, but that she had not known of the multitude of affirmations she already had from the only person that she needs it from. Jane thought that because of

the mistakes she would make daily, she did not do enough to deserve God’s love and joy. She learned that God did not expect her to be perfect. Jane learned that she is a daughter of God and that means that she has everything she needs to be happy in her life because God is so pleased with her.

I think that many of us have been in the same place as Jane before. Something that we can learn from this story is that God gives us everything we need to have joy, peace, and satisfaction. God is pleased with His kids and that satisfaction has nothing to do with actions. It is who God created us to be. He made us because He loved us, even before we were born. When you let that be the motivation behind your life, your perspective will change.

Mission Statement:

We believe when people are equipped, motivated, and passionately engaged in living out their faith in Jesus Christ they have the potential to be world changers.

Our mission is to bring people into a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ—a relationship that empowers them to see how God can work through individual personalities, situations, and talents. Christ was an activist, he did not neglect the needs of the people as He brought His message. We strive to encourage everyone to look more like Christ by reaching outside of themselves to serve the needs of others—at home, at school, in communities, and across the world.

Writer Guidelines:

Who: Our writers range from pastors, professors, and professional writers to stay at home moms and dads, business professionals, and others who have a desire to reach out to people through words of encouragement.

What: We believe that it is important to laugh together, praise each other, encourage one another, and to offer biblical advice. Articles can be directed toward everyone, or from woman to woman, or man to man. We love to share recipes and family traditions as well. We ask that articles be kept to a 500 word maximum. We’d love to hear from you!

Where: Please send submissions to articles.goodnews@gmail.com

Why: Because God has not intended for us to just survive. We believe that we are intended to reach out to love and encourage each other. God has brought each of us through tough times, blessed us, and made the “impossible” possible. Let’s, together, share the love of Jesus Christ.

You Belong Here. Yes, You. Here.

by John Garrod

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation…” (2 Cor. 5:17).

When you come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ after a life spent way outside of it, you bring with you a lot of baggage. Trust me, I know. I got saved at twenty-eight after a dozen years of alcoholism, and I was full of preconceptions about the church. Most of those had to do with Christians, who I had all figured out already. You “church people” as I referred to Christians, well, you’d been all clean and proper all your lives; at the least, you hadn’t done any of the things I had done. I was relatively sure that your diapers didn’t even stink. (Having raised 6 kids as a Christian, I can now verify that this was completely false, by the way.) And I was very sure that you didn’t want the likes of me in your midst. It might have been a sunny Sunday morning in Florida, but I was looking for a lightning-laden cloud to drift over to keep me from entering the church. Because I most certainly did not belong in that church.

The devil, my friends, is a liar. And that lie he told me was and is one of the biggest lies he tells men with pasts: That you don’t belong, that you don’t qualify, that you’re not good enough to be in that house with that God who you know knows what you’re really like. If you’ve been raised in the church, got saved at youth camp at fourteen, and you were a Junior Bible Quiz Champion, then you know all of those verses that debunk his lies, but we men who limped in, scarred, traumatized, shamed by our sin, and fell at the altar in our late 20’s, 30’s, 40’s or later, we don’t come with those words imprinted into our brains.

We don’t know that He says we’re fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). We don’t know

that the sins of our wretched past have been separated from us as far as the East is from the West (Psalm 103:12). Nobody’s ever explained to us that once we are in Christ, we are a new creation; that old things (our record) have passed away, and that all things (our future) are made new (2 Cor. 5:17). We just know who we were. We need to learn that we belong.

This is why it’s important that we connect new men to the body of Christ. It’s not enough to wait and see if they find their place in the church. We need to go to them and each other as men and say, “Welcome to the family, brother! I’m glad you’re here!” We need to put our arms around shoulders and help them find their place of ministry. God has washed their sins; it’s our job to help them find their place at the table and feed them.

John Garrod is father of 6, husband of 1, an ESOL teacher in Dalton, GA, a Lee U graduate (c/o ‘19), a U.S. Army veteran and a member of South Cleveland COG.

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