Gò0dNews May 2022
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About Us WRITERS
Dr. Alan Hix Andrew Lee April Engstrom Beth Penny Chris Mullis Chuck Cleveland Greg Grotewold Danette Reeves Jodi Varnado Jordan Burchette Judy Hood Katie Loveless Kaye Stein Leslie Bennett Monica Gambrell Reagan Marsh Zebbie Brewster
SALES
Mark Dodd 706-506-8758 Email: rome.goodnews@gmail.com
DESIGN
Caleb Prytherch Email: art.goodnews@gmail.com
PHOTOGRAPHER Melanie Abney 706-844-3818
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,
GoodNews Rome
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strengthen our community through relevant editorial and effective advertising. GoodNews Christian Magazine is written by men and
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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 M AY 2 0 2 2
GoodNews from the Pastor’s Desk
6 Ask the Pastor: Is Anger Sin? by Reagan Marsh
GoodNews for Mother’s Day
8 A Joyous Memory of Mother by Chuck Cleveland
GoodNews Money Matters
GoodNews for Life
26 Anchors For Our Faith by Dr. Alan Hix
GoodNews Poetry
28 Is Your Name Written by Judy Hood
GoodNews for Parents
10 Be Average—And Become a 30 Naked at Prater’s Mill Millionaire
by Andrew Lee GoodNews for Men
12 Move without Moving by Greg Grotewold
GoodNews for Women
14 For The Joy
by Katie Loveless
GoodNews for Mothers
18 Am I A Good Mom? by Jordan Burchette
GoodNews for Everyone
20 Bloom Where You Are Planted
by Beth Penny GoodNews Cover Story
22 Heather’s Outdoor Power by Jodi Varnado
GoodNews for Everyone
24 Saying Goodbye
by Zebbie Brewster
by Monica Gambrell
GoodNews for Everyone
32 Come To Me and Rest
8
by Chris Mullis
GoodNews for Teachers
34 What I Learned in Kindergarten
by Leslie Bennett GoodNews for Everyone
36 A Story on Proverbs 3:5-6 by Danette Reeves
GoodNews Ministry Spotlight
38 Rally UP International Church and Ministries
GoodNews for Everyone
22
40 Hang On, God’s Texting by Kaye Stein
GoodNews for Everyone
42 May Flowers Bring God’s Faithfulness
by April Engstrom
42
Gò0dNews from the Pastor’s Desk
Ask the Pastor: Is Anger Sin?
A
by Reagan Marsh
s a pastor and biblical counselor, I receive many questions about the Bible’s application to life. Here’s one. Q. MOUTH SHUT, MOUTH SHUT, MOUTH
SHUT!!! Is anger sin? Can I just throw a table at someone? (Asking for a friend!) A. An excellent question and a challenging struggle, for sure. I must confess that sinful anger is one of my besetting sins, a favorite way to dishonor God, so I write as one still working to put it to death by the Spirit’s grace (Romans 8:5-8, 13; Ephesians 4:22-24). Anger itself isn’t sinful. Jesus was angry at both cleansings of the Temple (John 2:13-17; Matthew 21:12-17), God is angry with the wicked every day (Psalm 7:11), and Scripture requires that in our anger we do not sin (Ephesians 4:26). Unless we’re prepared to assert 1. that Jesus sinned (1 John 3:5), 2. that God habitually sins (Habakkuk 1:13), and 3. that God also commands us to sin (James 1:13), anger itself cannot be sinful. Anger becomes sinful when it’s not grounded in “zeal for the
mourn and grieve, even passionately, over my own sinful response
Father’s house.” The sense of John 2:17 is an all-consuming desire for
to their sin against me, others, and God (Matthew 5:4)—but it is
the glory of God. By contrast, most of my anger is an all-consuming
wrong to sit there feeding my anger, stoking its fires, rehearsing
zeal for my name, agenda, or preference, but not God’s glory.
the wrong, replaying the conversation, or engaging the “if only’s”
If I’m honest, I want my name magnified. Sinful anger is my
or “if I could do it again’s.” Such activities tempt to further sin and
response to my wife, kids, or others not giving me the worship,
strengthen it (Ephesians 4:27), invariably defiling others (Hebrews
fear, reverence, and obedience owed to God alone. I respond by
12:15). I must respond by repentance, humility, and renewing my
various protests—see Ephesians 4:29-31—demonstrating my zeal
mind by Scripture, prayerfully wrestling (Psalm 57:2; 2 Corinthians
for honoring the greatness of my name. Sinful anger is ultimately a
10:5) to exercise godly self-control (Galatians 5:16-26) and godly
response to idolatry and self-worship, of having another god besides
thinking (Philippians 4:8-9).
God (Exodus 20:3)—in this case, me. Righteous anger is God-given energy to be directed against
Ultimately, anger drives us to the Cross, because it’s there we see God’s holy anger against our sins poured out on the One who
problems, not people, so issues are handled promptly and
was righteously zealous for the glory of his Father (John 2:17). It’s
righteously (Ephesians 4:26-27); sinful anger reacts and attacks
there we see him enduring such shamefully wicked sinners so we
others directly or indirectly (Ephesians 4:29-31). We prefer a tidy
don’t lose heart (Hebrews 12:3) …there we’re instructed as to our
renaming of sinful attitudes and actions in modern psychologized
own response under unjust treatment, accusation, or suffering (1
circles, but Scripture presents a different picture. Bitterness exposes
Peter 2:21-25) …there that all my guilt must be laid on him as the
itself in irritability or manipulation; wrath reveals itself in rage
only atoning sacrifice which makes me acceptable to God (Acts
or outbursts (rage rooms, anyone?); anger presents in settled
4:12; John 14:6).
indignation; clamor rattles around the house in loud voices or brawling attacks; slander speaks in profane or abusive words, and malice nurses desire to harm. What’s common to all such sinful anger? Self-centered, godless reactions to things that displease me
From one sinner to another: there’s hope and mercy in Christ. Let us look to Him alone to find rest for our souls (Psalm 62:5). Feel free to submit your questions at reformationdalton.com—I’ll seek to answer them from God’s word.
or disrupt my little kingdom.
51:4) …a sobering and quieting realization. It’s not wrong to
6 // May 2022
About The Author
By contrast, righteous anger grasps that when someone has sinned against me, they’ve ultimately sinned against God (Psalm
Reagan Marsh, MATS, MDiv (eq.) is husband to Kara, daddy to RG and AG, and founding pastor-teacher to Reformation Baptist Church of Dalton, GA. An SBTS graduate, certified biblical counselor, and Th.D. student in Puritan studies, he has served in gospel ministry since 1998.
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Gò0dNews for Mother’s Day
A Joyous Memory of Mother
H
by Chuck Cleveland
ad she lived, she would be celebrating being
so-good news is I informed God it was a bad idea and
108 years old in 2022, and this incident, I trust,
would do no good.
would have been the highlight of those years.
It certainly was for me. Both my parents had gone to church in their youth,
but there was no discernable evidence to suggest either
Miraculously, when Mother was brought to the phone, her mind was clear. After a short delay to gather myself, I presented the gospel as to how “we” could be forgiven. “You too?” she asked.
was born again. We went to church a few times during my teenage years, but nothing was ever said about how to be saved. Nevertheless, about a year after my father passed away, I became a Christian at the age of 24. My mother was not at all receptive to that news, and we drifted apart over the next 17 years. The situation went from bad to worse when Mother developed dementia, whereby she became unable to think logically. I despaired of her condition, thinking she would never be able to
Her question was the key to my belief that real
understand and respond to the gospel. My younger
spiritual business was transacted. She was clear-
brother moved Mother from Florida to California
headed enough to ask a logical question—why,
(where he lived) and placed her in a nursing home.
indeed, would someone who had already become a
I called many times in the next few months, but
Christian need to do so again?
she was always incoherent. One Sunday morning,
Mother prayed to receive Christ that afternoon,
I was reading in the first chapter of James when I
but it was the last time we spoke intelligibly before her
encountered, “Religion that God accepts as pure and
death. Fortunately, we can speak again in heaven.
their distress” (1:27). The message was clear to me— call my mother. The good news is I did so. The not-
8 // May 2022
About The Author
faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in Chuck Cleveland lives in Newnan, GA and has written for three area magazines, as well as the local newspaper. He has been a Christian for over 50 years.
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Be Average—And Become a Millionaire MONEY MATTERS
WITH DR. ANDREW LEE Dr. Andrew Lee is professor of English at Lee University. He also serves as a coordinator for Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. He and his wife Esmerelda have three children.
I
n the book Lake Wobegon Days, humorist Garrison Keillor created a fictional place where “all of the children are above average.” Setting aside the stark reality that the word “average” suggests that the majority fall into this category, many Americans resist the suggestion (even the implication) that they are “average” in any way. In numerous surveys, men and women report that they are “above average” in nearly every category—driving, physical condition, intelligence, romantic relationships, you name it. Who wants to be average? But maybe we could benefit simply by being average. First, let’s substitute the word “average” for the more accurate term “median” which means “in the middle.” Median income is a more accurate measure of the majority, because “average income” includes the income of the super wealthy, thus artificially inflating the numbers. In 2022, the median household income in Tennessee is roughly $53,000 (and most states in the South fall in the $50,000-$58,000 range for 2022). In addition, the median price for a singlefamily home in the U.S. as of this writing is approximately $270,000. Some areas of the country will be lower than this home price, while some areas will be much higher, but let’s use this median home price for our example. Let’s say you earned a median household income of $53,000, and obtained a mortgage (loan) of $270,000, and let’s say you’re 25 years old. What if you don’t believe a $53,000 household income is realistic at age 25? By age 25, many who enroll in college have earned their bachelor’s degree and launched into a full-time career. If they didn’t attend college, they most likely entered the labor force earlier than age 25, including opportunities for promotions and raises (especially in today’s red-hot labor market where
10 // May 2022
wages and salaries are rapidly rising). And remember, “household income” includes two adults if they’re married. Earning this median income of $53,000 would mean each spouse is earning $26,500 per year—this is realistic and achievable for nearly anyone working full-time today. So, you earn the median income and live in a median-priced house—now what? Now you invest ten percent of your gross monthly income into your employer’s 401k plan, or into a Roth IRA account if you have no retirement plan where you work. Since your modest plan is to just be “average,” you invest your retirement money into inexpensive stock index funds; you’re not trying to “beat the market” with expensive, actively-managed funds. You just want that average 10% yearly return of a broad stock market index. If you started investing at age 25 and continued for the next 40 years, by age 65 you’d have $2,127,000 with this “average” plan. Even if you stopped working and investing after 30 years at age 55, you’d have $787,000. What about that “average” home you live in? After 40 years of appreciating just 2.5% per year, when you’re age 65, your home would be fully paid off and worth $724,000 after 40 years. If you stopped after 30 years when you’re age 55, your home is paid off and worth $566,000. Combining your retirement investment accounts and your paid-off home, your net worth will be $2.8 million at age 65, or $1.35 million at age 55. By being totally “average,” you’ve become a millionaire without really trying! And these numbers are based on you never getting a raise during your entire working lifetime! “I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think” (Romans 12:3). Be average and become a millionaire.
Your One-Stop Shop For Insurance Ben McWhorter
601 E 1st St. Rome, GA 30161-3143 (706) 234-8686 BMcWhorter@alfains.com
Gò0dNews for Men
Move without Moving was convinced she was violating the Eighth Amendment’s cruel and unusual punishment clause. If this wasn’t the type of torture the nation’s founders were trying to mitigate when drafting this key component of the amendment and adding it to the Bill of Rights, I don’t know what was. Indifferent to my civil liberties as a citizen of this great country, Mrs. Elliot (a fictional name to protect the true identity of the guilty) mercilessly forced me to sit perfectly still for sixty minutes as she day in and day out spewed the central components of proper English composition. What in the world does subject-verb agreement have to do with hunting, fishing, and baseball, the cornerstones of this prepubescent’s life? Nothing, I concluded with uncompromising resolve and conviction. Absolutely and unequivocally nothing! Any form of outward civil disobedience on my part, however, would have landed me in big trouble both with the principal and my parents. Consequently, mine was a silent resistance. I was able to perfect a posture and a particular rotation of facial expressions that made it appear as if I was listening when in fact I wasn’t. As she spoke her pronoun and preposition propaganda, the façade allowed me to go to my happy place and joyfully run through in my head a myriad of tapes from past baseball games and hunting/fishing trips. There’s a bit of irony in my so-called righteous indignation as a youth. I spend a considerable amount of time as an adult trying to achieve the very thing Mrs. Elliot was attempting to teach. Avoiding unpleasant but necessary things was a pattern of mine as a kid. Rather than endure and remain engaged, I emotionally escaped only to return once the dust settled. Unfortunately, the pattern carried over into adulthood. As you might gather, this raised (and continues to do so to a degree) all kinds of challenges given the increased gravity of what constitutes as an adult an “unpleasant but necessary” circumstance. But I’m hopeful. If you believe that the Lord superintends all of life, and if you believe that everything which happens to the blood-bought believer is for their
12 // May 2022
ultimate good, there’s no reason to run. There’s a better way to deal with hard realities. It requires, however, being present. We must wait, hold tight, and stay in the moment. But what does active stillness look like? While I’m not sure I completely know—as my poor track record proves—I am starting to catch on to a couple of key components. One of them is a daily acknowledgment of my utter dependency upon the Lord. I find the more readily I admit such helplessness, the more readily I surrender to His care. Moving without moving also requires me to lean on, abide in, and cling to Jesus.
When I do these two things—acknowledge and pursue—it tends to reframe how I look at the circumstance. I am more inclined to see God in the midst of the difficulty. This is vital, for it tells me there is purpose in the pain. While I may not know God’s exact aim, recognizing the fact that He has one springs a sense of hope. If your bent is like mine, I want to encourage you to resist emotionally vacating the next trial you face. Running does absolutely nothing. While the blessing attached to any difficult situation may not take shape in the manner or timing you expect, it will take shape. The Lord is a promise keeper, and He will sovereignly use the trial for His glory and your benefit if you wait for Him with an active stillness. May our hearts take courage as we move without moving. About The Author
I
by Greg Grotewold
Greg Grotewold lives in Oakdale, MN, with his wife, Sandi, and their two sons, Luke and Eli. He is a deacon in his local church and greatly enjoys serving in this capacity.
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Gò0dNews for Women
For The Joy
G
by Katie Loveless
reat conversations happen in our family van. I
Just this week, God drove His point home to my heart
marvel at how organically they come about. Often,
again. Once more, we were on the road to the elementary
the most productive conversations are the ones
school when another cross came into view. This time, the
I don’t plan. In this wilderness season of my life, God is
cross was made of more than just emissions. It was made
showing me His wonders all around like treasure just
of wood, fashioned together with nails, and had a purple
waiting to be discovered. These great conversations are like
scarf draped over it. The cross at the end of my road came
manna from heaven. They nurse old wounds back to health
into view as I rolled up to the stop sign across from it.
and serve as reminders that God still has a plan and we are part of His wonderful plan. One such conversation unfolded as I had all five boys in the van and we were off to our first stop. It was unseasonably warm this particular winter day and the sky a magnificent blue. One of my sons commented, “The sky looks like water.” This, of course, drew our attention upward so that the next little miracle came into view for all of us to see. Right in front of us appeared a beautiful cross etched in the sky by a pair of airplanes. I had been longing for some sign of encouragement as I walk my personal wilderness with the future so unclear. My heart had been asking the question, “How do I keep going?” And there the answer was, right
Again, I heard, “For the joy.” By coming to a complete
in front of us. Like a whisper that comes from a dear
stop, I took in the beauty of the cross, and its message
friend, I heard “For the joy set before you.”
encouraged me to the core.
While sparing you the details, joy has been quite
I can stop and go, all for the glory of God. I can keep
evasive for me for the last few years. So, that sweet
it moving when it hurts to walk. I can look up as the tears
whisper caught my attention in a big way. As I continued
fall. I can praise God when my heart is heavy, and I can
to meditate on that truth, God, once again, used the sky
say His sweet name as my single, desperate plea over this
as His chalkboard. My four-year-old marveled that we
wilderness I am walking in. I can trust Him totally and
had come to a stop at the stoplight and yet the airplanes
completely with everyone and everything. I can trust Him
overhead did not. He wanted to know, “Why aren’t there
as I remain in flight until I reach a place to land. I can do it
stop signs in the sky?” We discussed that mid-flight would
all—for the joy. Doing so brings me just that—utter joy! Joy
not be an ideal time to come to a stop. I declared with
unspeakable and full of glory.
certainty, “It’s important to keep going once you are in flight. It’s not a stop-and-go kind of journey.” And I heard
Why is all this happening, you might ask? Perhaps, for the joy.
14 // May 2022
About The Author
again, “For the joy.” Katie Loveless is a social worker, wife, and mother of five boys. She is a student of grace who enjoys writing, gardening, and empowering others to pursue stability.
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Rome Church Directory
African Methodist Episcopal Bethel AME Church 22 Nichols Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-0019 St. James AME Zion Church 3 Maxwell Lane Rome, GA 30165 404-307-7396 Summer Hill AME Church 1981 Kingston Hwy NE Rome, Ga 30161 706-235-7113
Anglican
St. Andrew’s Anglican Church 42 Ash Street Rome, Ga 30161 706-235-5892
Apostolic
First Apostolic Church of Rome 3213 Cave Spring Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-235-9551
Assembly of God
Redemption Church 105 Broadus Road NE Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-0277
Baptist
Antioch Baptist Church 4526 Big Texas Valley Rome, Ga 30165 706-232-7248 Armuchee Baptist Church 6648 Big Texas Valley Rd NW Rome, Ga 30165 706-235-3169 Berean Baptist Church 8 Skyline Dr Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-9832 Blue Pond Baptist Church 1291 Morrison Campground Rome, Ga 30161 706-235-3296 Bryant Chapel Baptist Church 24 Shady Lane Rome, Ga 30161 706-235-9768 Bush Arbor Baptist Church 3290 Black Bluff Rd Rome, Ga. 30161 770-885-0779 Calhoun Avenue Baptist Church 1021 Calhoun Ave Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-4431 Calvary Baptist Church 101 Broadus Rd NE Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-1461 Cedar Valley Baptist Church 3024 Cedartown Hwy SW Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-0978 Community Chapel Baptist Church 3733 Black Bluff Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-4070 Desoto Park Baptist Church 1107 Cave Spring Rd. Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-6207 Dykes Creek Baptist Church 3181 Kingston Hwy NE Rome Ga, 30161 706-291-7790
16 // May 2022
East Rome Baptist Church 601 Cedar Ave Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-8553 East View Baptist Church 901 Kingston Ave Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-8250 Emmanuel Baptist Church 1414 Old Dalton Rd Rome, Ga 30165 706-232-3939 Enon Baptist Church 3105 Turkey Mountain Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-5052 Fairview Baptist Church 2348 Old Cedartown Hwy SE Lindale, Ga 30147 Fellowship Rome Baptist Church 314 Burnett Ferry Rd Rome, Ga 30165 706-234-9416 First Baptist Church 100 E 4th Ave Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-6850 Flatrock Baptist Church 848 Cunningham Rd SW Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-9976 Flint Hill Baptist Church 3578 Wax Rd SE, Aragon, GA 30104 706-232-8121 Friendship Baptist Church 2283 Calhoun Rd NE Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-4803 Garden Lakes Baptist Church 2200 Redmond Cir Rome, Ga 30165 706-234-6615 Greater Mount Calvary Baptist 445 East 14th St Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-5047 Hill Crest Baptist Church 2202 N Broad St Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-8806 Hollywood Baptist Church 112 Lombardy Way Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-6642 In Focus Baptist Church 12 N Hughes Rome, Ga 30165 706-234-8963 Lakeview Baptist Church 80 Salem Dr Rome, Ga 30165 706-235-2149 Lovejoy Baptist Church 436 Branham Ave Rome, Ga 30171 706-232-1917 McFall Baptist Church 3011 Rockmart Rd SE Rome, Ga 30161 706-235-5673 Mount Alto Church 1915 Huffaker Rd NW Rome, Ga 30165 706-232-6222 Mount Carmel Baptist Church E 20th St Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-8777 Mount Olive Baptist Church 17 E Pennington Rome, Ga 30161
706-234-6413 New Antioch Baptist Church 4553 Calhoun Rd NE Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-2248 New Bethel Baptist Church Weathington Dr Rome, Ga 30161 706, 291-8939 New Canaan Baptist Church 3 Excelsior St Rome, Ga 30165 706-291-1984 New Hope Baptist Church Hwy 156 Rome, Ga 706-235-0250 New Hope Baptist Church 399 Moran Lake Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-290-0507 North Broad Baptist Church 1309 N Broad St Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-2100 Northwood Missionary Baptist 4076 Calhoun Rd NE Rome, Ga 30161 Park Ave Baptist Church 531 Park Ave SE Lindale, GA 30147 Parkview Baptist Church 4 Wesley Drive Rome, Ga 30165 706-232-4431 PisGah Baptist Church Alabama Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-4431 Pleasant Hope Baptist Church 5935 Rockmart Road SE Silver Creek, Ga 706-235-2800 Pleasant Grove Baptist Church 500 N Division St Rome, Ga 30165 706-235-0731 Pleasant Valley North Baptist 735 Old Summerville Road NW Rome, GA 30165 706-232-6426 Pleasant Valley South Baptist 702 Pleasant Valley Rd SE Silver Creek, Ga 30173 706-234-1841 Providence Baptist Church 17 Burnett Ferry Road SW Rome, Ga 30165 706-291-0689 Riverside Baptist Church 48 Ash Street Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-8114 State Line Baptist Church 8536 Black Bluff Road Cave Spring, Ga 30124 678-988-0339 Saint Paul Baptist Church Pleasant Valley Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-235-5037 Second Avenue Baptist 823 E 2nd Ave Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-3663 Shannon First Baptist Church 400 Fourth Street, PO Box 997, Shannon, GA 30172 Sherwood Forest Baptist Church 1 Goodman Rd Rome, Ga 30161
706-291-6174 Shorter Avenue Baptist Church 1410 Shorter Ave Rome, Ga 30165 706-234-8266 South Broad Baptist Church 508 South Broad St Rome, Ga 30161 Spring Creek Baptist Church 2636 Chulio Rd SE Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-1220 Springfield Baptist Church 113 Smith St Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-7217 Thankful Baptist Church 935 Spider Webb Dr Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-8132 Three Rivers Church 2960 New Calhoun Highway NE Rome, Ga 706-766-0942 Trinity Baptist Church 1728 Calhoun Rd NE Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-3368 Turner Chapel Baptist Church 756 Turner Chapel Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-235-8682 Unity Baptist Church 2261 Pleasant Valley Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-2184 West End Baptist Church 107 Mississippi Dr Rome, Ga 30165 706-235-1971 West Rome Baptist Church 914 Shorter Ave Rome, Ga 30165 706-232-9722 Wilkerson Road Baptist Church Wilkerson Rd Rome, Ga 30161 Woodlawn Baptist Church 1649 Cartersville Hwy SE Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-4171 Word & Way Baptist Church New Rocketmart Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-8729
Catholic
Saint Mary Catholic Church 911 N Broad St Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-7014
Christian & Missionary Alliance
Missionary Alliance 306 Coker Dr Rome, Ga 20165 706-235-9190
Church of Christ
Church of Christ 108 E Callahan St Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-0675 Lindale Church of Christ 3035 Maple Road Lindale, Ga 30147 706-234-3027 Oak Hill Church of Christ 1500 Martha Berry Hwy Rome, Ga 20165 706-291-0351
Rome Church of Christ 121 Primrose Road Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-4444
Church of God
Armuchee Church of God 4974 Martha Berry Hwy Rome, Ga 30165 706-232-4414 Church of God of Prophecy 94 Huffaker Rd. Rome, GA 30165 706-528-4225 Lindale Church of God 585 Park Ave Lindale, Ga 30147 706-232-5676 New Life Church of God 210 E 18th St Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-0704 New Hope Overcoming Church of God 200 Nixon Ave Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-4695 North Rome Church of God 1929 N Broad St Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-6687 Rome AOH Church of God 504 Decatur St Rome, Ga 30165 706-295-2999 West Rome Church of God UA 2827 Alabama Hwy Rome, Ga 30165 706-880-6895
706-234-4923 Renovation Church 13 Redmond Ct. Rome GA 30165 706-314-9084
Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 3300 Garden Lakes Pkwy Rome, Ga 30165 706-235-2281
Lutheran
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church 3000 Garden Lakes Blvd Rome, Ga 30165 706-232-7257
Methodist
Cornerstone Church 324 Mathis Dr Rome, Ga 30165
Beech Creek UMC 2972 Alabama Hwy, Rome, Ga 30165 706-235-4973 Chapel Hill UMC 1818 Kingston Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-9177 Holsey Sinai CME Church 1233 Martin L King Rome, Ga 30161 706-295-7265 Lindsay Chapel UMC 9 College Park Dr SW Rome, Ga 30161 Livingston UMC 21 E Lakeshore Dr SE Rome, Ga 30161 Metropolitan UMC 700 Broad St Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-8660 Mt Pleasant UMC 4782 Alabama Hwy Rome, Ga 30165 706-232-4350 New Bethel Methodist Church Reeceburg Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-235-9700 North Rome UMC 706-291-6704 Oostanaula UMC 74 Battey Farm Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-292-0084 Rome First UMC 202 E 3rd Ave Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-8590 Rush Chapel UMC 1225 Rush Chapel Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-7986 Scott Chapel UMC 3 Chambers St NE Rome, Ga 30161 Second Avenue UMC 801 E Second Ave SW Rome, GA 30161 Shannon UMC 600 First Street Shannon, GA 30172
Cave Spring Church of God 19 Mill Street Cave Spring, GA 30124 706-777-8348 Cedar Creek Baptist Church 5440 Black Buff Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-777-8360
Live Oak Baptist Church 5506 GA-100 Cave Spring, GA 30124 706-777-8566 The Empty Tomb 5630 Fosters Mill Rd SW Cave Spring, GA 30124 Rehoboth Missionary Baptist
Disciples of Christ
First Christian Church 209 E. Second Ave, Rome, Ga 30161
Episcopal
Church of the Transfiguration 304 Coker Dr Rome, Ga 30165 706-234-0197 Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church 101 E 4th Ave Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-9111
Foursquare
Rome Foursquare Church 308 Reservoir St NE Rome, Ga 30161
Full Gospel
Christ Gospel Church 619 Chulio Rd SE Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-7744
Independent Bible
Grace Bible Church 614 Dalton Rd NE Rome, Ga 30165
Interdenominational
706-491-7112 Silver Creek UMC 36 Reeceburg Rd SE Silver Creek, GA 30173 706-234-2518 South Broad UMC 546 S Broad St Rome, Ga 30161 706-232-5230 Trinity UMC 606 Turner McCall Blvd SW Rome, Ga 30165 706-291-0033 Wesley Chapel UMC 9 College Park Dr SW Rome, Ga 30161 West Rome UMC 1003 Shorter Ave PO Box 2247 Rome, GA 30164 706-234-6214
Nazarene
Rome First Church of the Nazarene 20 Glenda Dr Rome, Ga 30165 706-234-5023
Non-Denominational
Access Church 1905 Calhoun Rd Rome, Ga 30161 705-584-7497 Christian Church at Rome 2417 Shorter Ave Rome, GA 30165 706-235-0501 Glorious New Jerusalem Church 537 W 12th St Rome, Ga 30165 706-295-2045 Glory Tabernacle Church 300 Watson St Rome, Ga 30165 706-235-0888 Gospel Harvester Church 1246 Cartersville Hwy SE Rome, Ga 30161 706-290-9858 Legacy Church 524 Avenue A SW, Rome, GA 30165 LIFE Church of Rome 19 John Davenport Drive Rome GA 30165 706-728-3166 Lighthouse Church of Rome Lighthouse Dr SE Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-0864 New and Living Way Bible Church 59 Dykes Creek Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-233-9200 Northside Church 75 N. Floyd Park Rd. Rome, Ga 30165 706-233-9896 Rally Up International Ministries 2460 Shorter Avenue Rome, Ga 30165 706-235-8561 Solid Holy Rock Deliverance Tabernacle 700 Kingston Ave
Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-8948 The Church at Rome 246 North 5th Avenue Rome, Ga 30165 706-346-2733 Trinity United Christian Church 6 Deer Run Trail Rome, Ga 30165 706-204-8270 We The Church 810 East 2nd Ave Rome, Ga 30161 Words of Faith Tabernacle 3134 Rockmart Rd Rome, Ga 30161 706-314-9158
Orthodox
All Saints Church 615 Cleveland Ave Rome, Ga 30165 706-378-4474
Pentecostal
Cannon Temple Holiness Church 308 Porter St Rome, Ga 20161 706-233-9001 Christ Temple Holiness Church 1321 Martin L King Rome, Ga 30161 706-235-3787 Victory Temple Of Joy 118 Williamson St. Rome, Ga 30165 706-766-3865
Presbyterian
Covenant Presbyterian Church EPC 1645 Cartersville Hwy. Rome, GA 30161 706-767-8373 First Presbyterian Church EPC 101 E 3rd Ave Rome, Ga 30161 706-291-6033 Seven Hills Fellowship 530 Broad Street Rome, GA 30161 706-530-1630 Silver Creek Presbyterian Church 6 Old Rockmart Road Silver Creek, Ga 30173 706-234-6862 Westminster Presbyterian Church 1941 Shorter Ave Rome, Ga 30165 706-235-8561
Seventh-Day Adventist
Rome Bethany Seventh-Day Adventist Church 307 E 14th St SW Rome, Ga 30161 706-292-0067 Seventh-Day Adventist Church 2526 Cedartown Hwy SW Rome, Ga 30161 706-234-4117
Cave Spring Church Directory 6 Rehoboth Rd SW Cave Spring, GA 30124 706-777-3313 First Baptist Church 4 Old Cedartown Rd. Cave Spring, GA 30124 706-777-3566 Cave Spring UMC
30 Alabama Street Cave Spring, GA 30124 706-777-8624 Jackson Chapel UMC 301 Jackson Chapel Rd Cave Spring, GA 30125 706-777-3750
goodnewscm.com // 17
Gò0dNews for Mothers
Am I A Good Mom?
M
by Jordan Burchette
other’s Day is quickly approaching, and it has caused me to reflect on a crucial question when it comes to my mothering.
When I am sipping delicious coffee with a fellow mom or thinking about the wonderful mothers in my life, I can’t help but think of this question we all ask ourselves. Am I a good mom? Even if you’ve never audibly asked yourself this question, I am confident that you’ve thought about it. Perhaps you’re worried you’re simply failing your children. When everyone is peacefully sleeping at night, and you’re struggling to fall asleep, you worry about them. Did I feed them meals that were healthy enough? Did I listen to them enough? Did I spend enough time with them today? Did they get the fully present or just a watered-down frazzled version of me? Our wandering minds cause our hearts to palpitate faster as we start to doubt our abilities as mothers. The guilt begins to knock at the door of our soul, threatening to take us under for the I believed that I was only a good mom when I did all of the “mom things” right. If I prepared the best meals, planned the best activities, and followed the fantasy Pinterest Mom recipe for a good mom, I felt as if I could confidently say I was a good mom. On the days when everyone ate boxed macaroni and cheese, I raised my voice too many times, and no one could find a clean pair of underwear, I was convinced that made me a bad mom. Perhaps you’ve placed this pressure on yourself as well? I have come to learn the longer I mother my children, the more I realize that even my best day as a mom is only possible because of Christ. The days where we are preparing the best meals, pointing them
18 // May 2022
to Jesus, lending a listening ear, and parenting without an ounce of frustration are only made possible because of Christ in us. Even when we climb on our pedestal, convinced we have motherhood figured out, we must remember we are only good because of Him. He gives us the wisdom and grace to parent our children the way He instructs us to in His word. So, to answer the question, yes. You’re a good mother. But not because you do everything perfectly but because you’re doing your best and trusting God to give you grace each day.
About The Author
second time this week.
Jordan Burchette writes stories to encourage, inspire, and challenge others. When she isn’t writing, she is running her small business, enjoying time with her family, and drinking coffee. You can follow her blog at www.thewordsofjordannoel.com.
Church Activities & Events Coosa Valley Fairgrounds
Second Annual Spring in the Valley Festival Saturday, May 14 | 9AM - 5PM 1400 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Rome, GA
First United Methodist Church Beautiful Minds Gala & Auction Thursday, May 19 | 2:30PM - 4:00PM 202 E 3 rd Ave, Rome, GA
LakePoint Sports
Relay For Life of Bartow County Friday, May 20 261 Stars Way, Cartersville, GA
Faith United Methodist Church
Same Jones/Faith UMC Sports Camp Monday, May 30 - Thursday, June 2 501 Grassdale Rd, Cartersville, GA
Gò0dNews for Everyone
Bloom Where You Are Planted
H
by Beth Penny
ave you ever heard the saying, “Bloom where
heard the story of Moses. Moses, with his insecurities,
you’re planted?” Here’s what I know. If I
as well, angered God questioning His call to rescue
planted it, it surely will not bloom, grow,
the Hebrew people. Exodus 4: 10-12 says, “Moses
or flourish in the least. Any plant that I touch will
said to the Lord, ‘Pardon your servant, Lord. I have
inevitably die within a couple of weeks. I walk by
never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you
beautiful flowers in the store that cringe as I pass,
have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and
pleading me not to pick them up. Because if I buy
tongue.’ The Lord said to him, ‘Who gave human beings
and plant them, it is a death sentence for the poor
their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives
seedlings. I wish I could take those scrawny seedlings
them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now
and help them to flourish into flowers, fruits, and
go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.’”
vegetables. God looks at us the same way. Not for what we are at that second, but for what potential He sees in us to bloom where we are planted. And, God does plant us. He readies a place for us to flourish and grow. He will lead us in the direction that He wants us to go. But we are only human. Sometimes, we stand in the way of where God is leading us. Sometimes, when God is trying to use us, we look for every excuse in the world not to do whatever it is that God is telling us to do. “I’m not ready. I’m not qualified. I’m not worthy.” The list of excuses keeps going. The reality is that when God calls you to do something, He also equips you. God will
God uses imperfect people to spread a perfect
prepare and provide for you with whatever you need
word. God uses our insecurities to further His
to be productive. God always gives us the tools that we
message. A wise pastor recently told me, “When I look
can use to grow.
for workers, I don’t look for the most charismatic, the
Even knowing that, sometimes, I am still stubborn.
most gifted, or the most talented. I look for those that
In my insecurities, I question God being able to use
are most willing to grow.” I encourage you to look for
me. “Why? Why me? Someone else could do a better
where God is leading you. Look for where the ground
job.” Well, the answer is God didn’t call someone
is ready for you and bloom where you are planted.
us to further His message to the world. I’m sure you’ve
20 // May 2022
About The Author
else—He is calling me; He is calling you. He is calling Beth Penny has taught English at Model High School since 1997. There she is also the Yearbook adviser and the Special Education Department Chair. She and her husband, Chad, have four children.
Heather’s Outdoor Power has picked up, right where Action has left off with quality sales and service. We offer New and Used zero turn mowers for sale. We also offer financing for new mowers. We have certified technicians on site ready to service or repair your equipment.
HEATHER’S Outdoor Power
706-291-7830
90 E. Callahan St – Rome, GA
Authorized dealer for
FEATURED COVER STORY
Heather’s Outdoor Power
H
by Jodi Varnado
eather Hapner, owner and operator of Heather’s
to the back of her truck and haul the instruments to their
Outdoor Power, opened her showroom to the
long-awaited performance at Johns Creek—the opening
Rome community on February 1, 2022. With
game of the season. Heather transported the trailer to and
an expansive inventory of eXmark mowers and Stihl
from the game, and this assistance deemed Heather as the
equipment, Heather’s Outdoor Power is a destination for
new band mom.
landscapers, tree arborists, and homeowners alike. Along
Two years after this incident occurred, Heather took
with Heather’s impressive name brand selection, her 8,000
a job across the street from Rome High School—a sweet
square foot repair shop also services Briggs & Stratton,
symbol of assurance that Heather was finally home. “I
Honda, Kawasaki, and Kohler engines. Whether you are
fell in love with Rome twelve years ago. Within months
looking to upgrade your lawnmower or are in need of a
after high school and art college graduation, I married my
quick repair to your current one, Heather’s Outdoor Power
husband and we moved to Georgia. I have always dreamed
is here to serve you!
of owning my own business, one that caters to the industry
Heather, who grew up in Indiana and Springfield,
I have grown into,” said Heather. Heather entered the
Ohio, is no stranger to the integrity and warmth we are
outdoor equipment industry when she was eighteen years
all accustomed to here in the south. A heartwarming
old, and has continued her education and practice since.
anecdote of a stranded high school marching band trailer
With thirty-three years of experience, Heather is one of the
and Heather’s pink and white pick-up truck rescue
1,300 people to be a Stihl Gold Certified Service Technician,
exudes evidence that Heather was destined to serve this
as well as servicing eXmark, Honda, Kawasaki, and Kohler
Georgia community. After coming across Rome High
engines. Heather has picked up right where Action Outdoor
School’s marching band halted by a broken alternator,
Power left off, with quality sales and service. Heather’s
Heather jumped at the opportunity to hook up their tailer
Outdoor Power offers new and used equipment for sale and
22 // May 2022
a certified technician is always onsite and ready to service or repair your equipment. “We want our community to know that we are still here, in the same location. We are here, and here to stay! We want to set higher standards for our customers, quicker turnaround times for our repairs, and a welcoming, friendly atmosphere,” said Heather. “We have updated our facilities with a lounge area for guests, including a coffee station for customers waiting for service, along with free water for all. We want everyone to feel at ease, including women. We want husbands to feel comfortable having their wives here, knowing we are not going to take advantage of them financially. Everyone is treated equally and with respect.” Heather, as a service technician and now business owner, has learned how to navigate this often maledominated industry. “The technician industry is seen as one where girls aren’t supposed to be, especially when I started out. I have learned that knowledge is power in this industry. I have learned how to communicate with people, and I can sell products because I know the products, and I know the competition—and their prices,” said Heather. It has taken years of dedicated experience for Heather to gain the respect she now has, and she has every intention of keeping
equipment overnight to be serviced mid-job. Heather and her five employees will provide you with the personal service, attention, and expertise you are deserve. Heather’s Outdoor Power is located at 90 E Callahan Street, Rome, GA 30161, and is open Monday-Friday 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m.- 12 p.m. For any questions, you can call Heather at (706)-291-7830. You can follow Heather’s Outdoor Power on Facebook, @heathersoutdoorpower, to keep up to date on new inventory. Visit Heather and her team for all your commercial and industrial outdoor equipment needs today!
it through continued education and communication with dealers and the community around her. Heather’s Outdoor Power serves Rome-based landscaping companies and local homeowners, as well as communities across Chatsworth, Dalton, Marietta, and Chattanooga, TN. Heather offers financing options through 1st Franklin Financial and Sheffield Financial on showroom equipment and provides quick service times for equipment maintenance and repairs for landscapers. Thus, landscapers only can enjoy the convenience of not having to leave their
goodnewscm.com // 23
Gò0dNews for Everyone
Saying Goodbye
M
by Zebbie Brewster
y mom has gotten to where she is not physically
through and I will help them pray about it. My verse of
able to attend funerals anymore. Her heart and
encouragement in the Bible is Psalm 34:4, “I sought the Lord
prayers are with the family, yet she cannot go
and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears.”
and personally show them her love and concern. I have
Fears in our lives can paralyze us. As Christians, we
decided that, when possible, I will go for her. Some of the
find peace in the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. The
people I know, as they are our family. However, there are
Comforter that Jesus left with us when He went away.
her friends that I do not know. I may know of them by how
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
their friendships have touched not only her life but the lives
Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the
of those she loves.
Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it
I will go by the funeral home to sign the book for her. I will write that she sends her love and prayers, and give
seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you” (John 14:16-18). Attending the funerals of Christians ready to go to their heavenly homes can indeed be a celebration of their life. It is their homegoing, their time of graduation from this life to the next. Death is the vehicle that God uses to get them to their heavenly home. We are left to carry on, and with God’s help, we will make it one moment at a time. Trusting God to give us His strength when ours is gone. In the last two funerals I had attended, the families had received a letter to be read by them after the passing of the loved one. As a person who has journaled all my life, this was so very touching. Hearing words of encouragement one more time from your loved one, cheering you on
them hugs from her. I try to stay for the funeral, and that
as you try to make sense of life without them being there
is where this experience has been so touching. To hear the
for you anymore.
words spoken over the dearly departed and the prayers
Grief is hard! It can be overwhelming. Jesus knew about
sent up. By the time the service is over, I feel like I really did
grief. He wept over the passing of his friend Lazarus. How
know this person and can see why my mom was friends
do we make it through the grief process? Hold onto the good
with them. She still visited with them over the phone when
memories and hold onto the Lord who knows what our heart
she could, and those phone visits would lift her up.
is going through. Like the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:6-8, to
We all need to be lifted up and receive an encouraging word! Sometimes, we are the ones God uses to lift others
be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. What a great place to be for those prepared to go!
I know needs lifting up, I don’t always know the right words to say. I can say I am sorry for what they are going
24 // May 2022
About The Author
up, and sometimes we need to be lifted up! When someone
Zebbie Brewster resides in Summerville, Georgia. She is an active member at Perennial Springs Baptist Church.
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Gò0dNews for Life
Anchors For Our Faith ay is a busy month. Schools are winding down, and students are looking forward to summer vacation. Mother’s Day is a focus of activity, as is Memorial Day. Also, my wife and I will celebrate our 40th anniversary, and my mother will celebrate her 91st birthday. As we participate in these special days, we take time to remember those key events and people who have shaped our lives. We express gratitude for God’s loving care for us during times of difficulty as well as times of blessing. We need, however, to do more than simply remember. This remembering needs to form a foundation of expectations for the future. We remember how our mothers have blessed us, and we think about how we can bless them in the days ahead. While my wife and I can look back with fondness over the last forty years, that rich history together forms the basis for hopeful expectations for the years to come. As we remember those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom, we commit to living lives that honor that sacrifice. In the book of Numbers, we find the people of God wandering in the wilderness as a result of their disobedience to following God’s direction at Kadesh Barnea. Following the experience, God gives the people an interesting command: “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: Throughout the generations to come, you must make tassels for the hems of your clothing and attach them with a blue cord. When you see the tassels, you will remember and obey all the commands of the Lord instead of following your own desires and defiling yourselves, as you are prone to do. The tassels will help you remember that you must obey all my commands and be holy to your God’” (Numbers 15:37-40, NLT).
26 // May 2022
The tassels of this prayer shawl, or tallit, serve as a reminder that one is to make a conscious choice to follow God’s commandments in every area of life. From Exodus through Deuteronomy, God’s people are constantly admonished to remember God’s loving care for his people, his faithfulness, as well as his commandments which are to shape their lives. They are also directed to remember their sins and their failures. This remembering serves as both a guide and warning for them as they prepare to enter the promised land. The past two years of the pandemic have brought challenges to our lives that most of us never expected. The loss of friends and loved ones along with the sacrifices we made to keep our families safe will be etched in our memories for many years to come. But as we look to the future, there is other remembering to be done. Remember the times when God proved faithful even when our faith had begun to wane. Remember his loving care that supported us through times of struggle and heartache. Remember the joys of receiving blessings beyond our expectations. Those pivotal experiences when we saw God at work in our lives can function for us as the tassels on the tallit. They are anchor points for our faith that inspires us to daily renew our commitment to following God’s direction and living our lives for His glory and not our own. When we are tempted to waiver in our faith or wonder if God is still on our side, look at your “tassels” and find strength and encouragement to face the future with confidence. “For in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).
About The Author
M
by Dr. Alan Hix
Dr. Alan Hix is an Associate Professor of Christian Studies at Shorter University. In addition to being an 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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Gò0dNews Poetry
Is Your Name Written by Judy Hood
The day had come when I stood before my King He opened the book and said, “What will this bring?” He said, “I know on earth you had lots of strife. But is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life?” I humbly looked at him with tears in my eyes This is a place where you can’t wear a disguise He looked at me with love radiating like none I’ve seen before And said, “Child, your name is here, you may walk through those doors I have a home prepared for you, it glistens and it shines I’m gathering all my children, not to leave anyone behind So, you go on and enjoy, for heaven is your home It is paradise, a new place for you to roam.”
28 // May 2022
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Gò0dNews for Parents
Naked at Prater’s Mill
W
by Monica Gambrell
hen I had my first child in 1985, the fabulous
men…” (from a poem by Robert Burns). Things sometimes
Prater’s Mill Arts and Crafts Festival was
go topsy-turvy. How do you and I deal with things when
happening the first weekend of every May and
they go awry? How should we? It depends. Do we believe
October. People in Dalton, Georgia, know all about it, and
that God is God? In other words, do you believe that He
it has always been one of my favorite things to take part
has it all under control? You see, if He is God, then that
in. Every mother knows that with the first child, things are
demands and necessitates that He is in control at all times,
different than they are for subsequent children. I remember
and of all things. If God is in control, why fret when things
being very diligent to pack every possible thing that might be
go in a completely unexpected direction? Whether we
needed into that huge diaper bag before heading out. Rachel
acknowledge it or not, absolutely nothing ever takes God by
had been born in February, so she was only about three
surprise. Nothing! Not even when everyone is staring at my
months old for this outing. I knew it would be challenging to
poop-crusted, stinky-hot, naked baby on the way out of a
tackle Prater’s Mill with an infant, but I felt I had prepared
crowd of people probably judging me. Not even then.
well. I had nursed Rachel before we got to the admission gate and was in great anticipation of what I knew would be a fun-filled day. Let’s just say that things didn’t turn out exactly as I had planned. I had packed extra changing pads, extra burp cloths, twice as many diapers as needed, and four extra changes of clothes… of course, I was ready, right? Ummm, guess not. Rachel was the poopiest baby I had ever heard of, and she seemed to be on overdrive that day. It was hotter than the normal May day in Georgia, and that didn’t help matters. Normally, I would have stayed from midmorning until just before dinner, enjoying the wares of craftsmen from around the country, the old grist mill, and some amazing food vendors. But
“…and hope does not disappoint, because the love of
the unexpected challenges of meeting Rachel’s needs cut
God has been poured out within our hearts through the
things short. I had literally been through every diaper and
Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5).
every outfit that had been packed in only a few short hours. Rachel left there in my arms naked and wrapped in the last clean changing pad. Whew! I never tried that again! Someone once said that one of the only constants we can
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Father God, our circumstances may sometimes disappoint us—but hope in You never disappoints. You are
count on is change itself. How true! And how strange! You
more constant than the change in our lives because You exist
know the old saying, “The best-laid schemes of mice and
outside the realm of time, space, and matter. You see the
30 // May 2022
beginning from the end; You are never taken by surprise. And because we are Yours, we need not fret about anything.
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Gò0dNews for Everyone
Come To Me and Rest
“S
by Chris Mullis
o the creation of the heavens and the earth
the synagogue each Sabbath. He also took time to leave the
and everything in them was completed. On
crowds and His disciples to go away to be alone and pray.
the seventh day God had finished his work of
Work is important, but working too much can be an
creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed
addiction as destructive as alcoholism. We need to rest and
the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day
worship. Worship is when we remember the wonder of
when he rested from all his work of creation” (Genesis 2:1-3).
God and His goodness and express our gratitude. Worship
We live in a hectic world that values productivity. Studies
reminds us of our proper place in creation and opens us up
show that 60% of Americans don’t get enough sleep. Lack of
to the voice of God who reveals where we need to grow.
sleep increases the risk of obesity, heart disease, and breast
Are you weary from carrying heavy burdens? Are
cancer. It also leads to car accidents and medical errors. It’s not just a lack of sleep that plagues us. There is also
you working yourself to death trying to do too much? Are you weighed down with grief, guilt, worry, stress,
a lack of resting—a time when we just refrain from working. Studies show that 1/3 of Americans don’t take vacation time even when their jobs offer it. When people do take a vacation, they rarely use the time to “rest.” Instead, they fill the vacation with too many activities. Have you ever returned from a vacation feeling like you needed a vacation from your vacation? In our world, the idea that God rested and that He made “resting” a Holy commandment may seem alien. Yet, rest is essential to healthy living. God wants us to take time to “Be still and know that He is God” (Psalm 46:10). When we pause from our labors and other distractions, we have time to remember who we are and who God is and to just enjoy life. When we do not rest, we
loneliness, disappointments, shame, or anxiety? The grace
are less human than God wants us to be.
of God through Jesus Christ calls to you: “Come, and I will
The very first thing God calls “holy” in the Bible is the
give you rest.” Jesus wants to wash away your sins and
Sabbath rest. A weekly day of rest was so essential that it
give you a brand-new life where you don’t have to carry
became one of the most important religious laws in the
the impossible expectations of others or even your own
Bible. It was a day that God ordered teachers and priests
unrealistic expectations. Jesus wants you to use your time
and prophets to defend again and again.
reasonably. Jesus’ yoke fits perfectly and allows for work
In Mark 2:27, Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.” This is a reminder not to
and worship and rest so you can fully enjoy the amazing life God created in you and all around. So what’s stopping you from coming to Jesus today?
let religious devotion to the Sabbath outweigh common Sabbath is an incredible gift from God—something we need. The Bible tells us it was Jesus’ custom to worship God in
32 // May 2022
About The Author
sense or common decency. However, it also reminds us the
Rev. Chris Mullis is an ordained minister of the United Methodist Church with a Masters of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University. Pastor Chris’s ministry has spanned twenty years and four different churches in Georgia. Chris is currently serving God as the senior pastor of Pleasant Grove Methodist Church located at 2701 Cleveland Hwy in Dalton, GA.
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Gò0dNews for Teachers
What I Learned in Kindergarten by Leslie Bennett
I
n 1989, I began my journey in the world of
will never forget. You just never know what kids are going
kindergarten. My first seven years were spent as a
to say. It is always an adventure when you are dealing
special education assistant at Trewhitt Elementary. I
with children.
was blessed to work with several children with Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy.
Now let’s get back to the things I have learned. Number 2: The kids who are the most challenging are often the
Many days were challenging, but children are a
ones who need to be loved the most. Children who are in
blessing from God, regardless of their special needs. Often
desperate need of attention often act out. It is a teacher’s job
people would ask me how I did it every day. I always told
to give them the love and attention they need.
them that I treated the children just like I would want my own children to be treated. My next twenty-six years have been spent in kindergarten at Michigan Avenue Elementary, where I attended elementary school myself. I have had the privilege of getting to know the children in thirty-three classrooms, many of which I have kept in touch with over the years. There are a couple of things I have learned about children during my career. Number 1: They are brutally honest. They say exactly what they think. No filter! Like the time I was giving one of my students an AR test on the computer and she told me I smelled like her grandmother. I wasn’t sure
I am always reminded of the quote by Carl W. Burhner:
if her grandmother was in a nursing home, but I later learned
“They may forget what you said—but they will never forget
that her grandmother wore the same perfume I wore.
how you made them feel.”
On another occasion, one of my students asked me what
Teachers have the wonderful opportunity to make
was wrong with my eyes. I went to the restroom, looked
children feel loved and cared for daily. I am blessed to
in the mirror, and realized in my haste to get ready that
spend my days with the gifts God has placed in my life.
morning I had not put mascara on my bottom lashes. I did
I have been rewarded with many children over the past
look a little strange.
thirty-three years and I am better because of them.
And then there was the time a colleague told one of our little guys that he had his shoes on the wrong feet. He
“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him” (Psalm 127:3).
said, “But these are the only feet I have.” Epic. That’s one I
34 // May 2022
About The Author
looked down at his feet and looked back up at her and Leslie Bennett is a kindergarten assistant at Michigan Avenue School. She is a member of First Baptist Church and sings in the adult choir. She manages a blog at ohyesshedid.org.
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Gò0dNews for Everyone
A Story on Proverbs 3:5-6
P
by Danette Reeves
roverbs 3:5-6 states, “Trust in the LORD with all your
as closely as possible, intentionally and expressly focused
heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In
on Him. This intentionality is sometimes difficult because of
all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make
distractions, peer pressure, stress, and conflicts.
straight your paths.” We may quote this verse as often as
We finally get to the promise: “He will make your paths
John 3:16. It is essential to dissect these familiar verses, not
straight.” I wish He had said He would make our paths
just run through them, overlooking their wisdom. Only then
easy, understandable, or even clearly marked. He said
can we truly begin to properly understand how to apply
straight. When we trust Him and acknowledge Him, He will
scripture to our daily lives.
lead us straight to conforming to the image of Jesus. We will
It is imperative to understand the first word, “TRUST.” According to Webster’s Dictionary, trust is “assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.” We are given two commands in this verse: 1) trust in the LORD, and 2) do not lean on our own understanding. Leaning on our own understanding is in complete opposition to trusting the LORD. We cannot possibly understand why or how God does everything, but He tells us to trust Him with ALL of our hearts. Guess what ALL means. ALL means ALL. We are to not only trust Him when it makes sense to us but also trust Him when we cannot understand. Our understanding is skewed
look less like this world and more like Jesus. Romans 8:29:
by our emotions, circumstances, past experiences, and
“For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be
belief systems. We can trust in the LORD—the God who
conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might
never changes; the God who is omniscient, omnipresent,
be the firstborn among many brothers.” 2 Corinthians 3:18:
omnipotent. We can trust His character, ability, and
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the
strength. We are fickle; He is steadfast. We are limited in
Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one
our vision; He sees everything clearly and thoroughly.
degree of glory to another…”
Once we settle the trust issue, He then tells us to
That’s the straight path God has for us: Conforming
acknowledge Him in all our ways. Again, we see the
and transforming to the image of Jesus, thinking His
word ALL, not some. “Acknowledge” is to know Him, to
thoughts, living His example, being changed from one
recognize that God is the one who works in our lives with
glory to another.
Practically, how do we acknowledge God? We study His Word, and we apply it to our lives. We pray. We follow Him
36 // May 2022
About The Author
all wisdom, power, mercy, grace, love, and justice. Danette Reeves and her husband, Charlie, live in Cleveland, TN. They attend The Church at Grace Point. One of their joys is being Oma and Opa to four grandchildren. Her heart’s desire is to be a student and a teacher of the Word, and a consistent follower of Jesus.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE, JUDE 1:22
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Gò0dNews Ministry Spotlight Rally UP International Church and Ministries
R
ally UP International Church and Ministries is a local church founded by Detrick and Toris Redding in Rome, GA, in 2007. Non-denominational and multicultural, Rally UP
seeks to build individuals, families, marriages, children, and young adults through God’s written word so that each one has a healthy spirit, body, and soul, supplying the gifts that God has placed in them accordingly. They believe each individual in the Body of Christ is vitally important for God’s will to be done in and through the local church. This is the reason for the God-given mission statement, “Building Lives Through the Word of God So Every Joint Supplies.”
Today, Rally UP is located at 2460 Shorter Avenue, Rome, GA, in Ollie’s Shopping Center. The culturally diverse church family is growing spiritually and in number and continues Detrick began preaching and teaching at the age of eighteen and was a youth leader and youth pastor in the local church. He and Toris met and married in 2004 and began attending Bible college together in 2006, at which time he began praying about the start of an outreach ministry. In 2007 during the second year of Bible college, he and Toris had peace from God to begin teaching Bible studies and holding community outreaches, providing physical needs in the community, and sharing the love of Jesus. Everything from clothes and shoes to bedding and small appliances were handed out for free to those in need, as well as meals hot off the grill. The Bible studies began to grow from their home to a community center, then to a local hotel banquet room. Within a year, Detrick knew God was moving upon his heart to add to the outreach a local church assembly and fellowship. In 2008, the church launched in the hotel banquet room meeting every Sunday until 2011. The church obtained its own location, and the fellowship began to grow. The Father’s Closet was added, which God filled with toiletries, clothes, shoes, some household items, and canned/boxed goods to offer to those in need in the community. Each Friday, hot meals were served for lunch along with life-building Bible study and prayer to the attendees. Bible study began one night a week and Sunday morning worship to spiritually build individuals. A separate women’s and men’s fellowship were also launched, W.O.W Women’s Ministry and Man-UP Men’s Ministry, along with a children’s ministry using the curriculum Super Kids.
38 // May 2022
to thrive. Bible study meets Tuesday/ Thursday at 11:45 a.m., Prayer on Wednesday at 5 p.m., and Sunday Worship at 11 a.m. W.O.W. Women’s Ministry continues to host bi-monthly two-day fellowship gatherings on Friday and Saturday, providing lunch and dynamic ministers pouring truth from God’s Word and are open to all women. The ministry seeks to raise up women from all walks of life—from traumas, failures, poor life choices, and disappointments to be strong, effective Godly leaders in their sphere of influence, like Deborah in the Book of Judges chapter four and five. Man-UP held its first men’s gathering this year, building men to be vocal, active leaders in their homes, churches, communities, and beyond. Man-UP seeks to cause men from all walks to know their vital importance to every facet of life and the absolute need of having their steps ordered by the Lord (Psalm 37:23). With the children’s attendance growing so quickly, Rally UP prepares to launch the Children’s ministry with the use of the Super Kids curriculum, which seeks to raise awareness and confidence in children to boldly be Jesus’s disciples on the earth. A new addition to Rally UP is the accredited Bible College Ministry International Institute, from which Detrick and Toris graduated in 2007 and now instructs. Classes launched in December of 2021 and meet one night a week. We are excited to be an active part of our community and welcome you to visit. Find Rally UP on Facebook, Instagram, and the website Rallyupint.org.
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Gò0dNews for Everyone
Hang On, God’s Texting by Kaye Stein
F
ather, I thank you today…Max stop barking…Lord,
agree with this. You can’t go back, only forward. For the
thank you…what was I supposed to do today? Oh, thank
believer, our goal is to always head towards the mark
you Lord…good grief that cat is so annoying…oh, that’s
which Christ has set for us. Delving into that scripture,
my phone…Lord, I got to get this because it might be the baby
you begin to realize that God created us for a purpose.
coming…where were we? Thank you, Lord, for loving me and my
He knows everything about us and has set our course.
crazy self? I know you understand me because you created me, but
Yet, He has also given us free will so that we may choose
I am thankful that you haven’t given up on me yet!
to seek Him. Now, given that we have a purpose and our
Does anyone else have trouble concentrating or trying to find quiet time for your Bible study and prayer time?
days are numbered, how should we be looking at the minutes in our day? Proverbs 4:5, “Get wisdom, develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them.” 2 Timothy 4:5, “But you should keep a clear mind in every situation.” Why? He goes on to say that we are to be telling others about the Good News! Jeremiah 6:10, “To whom can I give warning?” Are you listening to the right source? There are two sayings that are contradictory: “Out with the old and in with the new” and “What’s old becomes new.” Either way, the important thing is to be concerned with what you are putting in your mind. The human brain has a natural,
According to Statista and DigitalMarketing.com, the average
intrinsic capacity to learn. The brain is a supercomputer.
person spends 145 minutes per day on social media.
Like a supercomputer though, what you put in the
People 16-29 spend 3 hours per day on social networking
memory card will drive the brain. To achieve higher
platforms. People swipe, type, click, or tap their phone a
levels, you must develop higher skills like a video game,
whopping 2,617 times per day, but for the heavy user, over
right? Thus, what you are spending your time on is filling
5,500 times. There are 5.22 billion people worldwide using
your data, and guess what comes out by way of your
a mobile device, and 4.66 billion internet users, according
actions and speech? Exactly—what you are putting in.
to their data. That in itself is not really an issue. The Bible
Making sense of it all…use your time wisely! Guard
app reports it is on over 350 million devices around the
your heart and mind so that they may not sin against
world. So, what is the issue then?
God. Hang on, I’m getting a text from God!
Theophrastus, an ancient Greek philosopher, once You will never have more time. Even the unbeliever will
40 // May 2022
About The Author
said, “Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend.” Kaye Stein was raised in North Georgia and is now retired. She lives with her husband in Rome, Georgia. She loves her Lord and her family time.
K E L L I D G O N Z A L E Z C PA certified public accountant
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"Despite the forecast, live like it's spring" – Lily Pulitzer
HOME HEALTH
Gò0dNews for Everyone
May Flowers Bring God’s Faithfulness
“A
by April Engstrom
nd which of you by being anxious can add
Faith. Jesus lays it on pretty hard, “O you of little faith!”
a single hour to his span of life? If then you
I know each year I can count on one thing time will pass,
are not able to do as small a thing as that,
seasons will come and go. Often in the chaos of getting
why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how
ready for school in the morning, I have to remind my 6-year-
they grow: they neither toil nor spin…But if God so clothes
old son that we cannot get wasted time back. If he chooses
the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is
to spend his time not getting ready, then I cannot give him
thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O
more time. Time will pass, we cannot change that. We can
you of little faith!” (Luke 12:25-28, ESV).
anticipate what will happen in the future, school will end
One of my favorite things about spring is the flowers.
and Mom will no longer have to drag him out of bed, but
The roads, once surrounded by dead branches and brown
that doesn’t change the truth of today. God has given us
leaves, are slowly crowned by fresh blossoms of life.
the gift of today. He has a plan for your today and a calling
My personal favorites are the daffodils, dogwoods, and
for your life. He wants you to know Him intimately so that
redbuds, as they are the first indicators that spring is
He can get the most out of your todays. I think that’s why
officially here.
He’s so harsh in His admonishment of our wasting time.
I wrote previously about how we can be called out of
He who is outside of time knows just how fleeting our
our winter. How sometimes it takes the roar of a lion, but
time on this earth is. He knows how much He needs all of
we need to look to spring and the new growth God has for
our todays, and that’s why it hurts Him when we worry
us. Now, I want to address the anxiety that comes with new
about tomorrow. He is calling you to a life of faith, full
life and new growth.
dependency on Him and His truth in your life.
Anxiety. A word that plagues so many people, both
By the time you read this, the daffodils will have
believers and non-believers alike. I remember when I was
withered away for another season, the dogwoods will
first diagnosed with anxiety, it literally felt like my world
have lost their blooms, and the colorful redbuds will have
was closing in. One of the worst things to tell an anxious
turned green. Seasons change, time comes and goes, yet God
person is that they have anxiety. I have struggled, prayed
continues to provide. This is the truth that you can cling to
for forgiveness, and full-on battled with God over the verse
no matter what the season of life you are in brings you. Even
above. Why God, why when you promise a way without
though the lilies and the grass die, God still provided for
anxiety does it continue to be such a deep struggle?
them in their time, and He will provide for you too. Trust
42 // May 2022
About The Author
Him with your today and lay your anxiety down at His feet.
April Engstrom resides in Bradley County with her husband and two boys. She loves her family at the Church at Grace Point and exploring God’s creation. You can follow April’s blog at everlasting-evergreen.weebly.com.
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Life is Better on a Honda
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2595 Shorter Ave SW • Rome, GA 706.232.2624 • hondaofrome.com powersports.honda.com Talons are only for drivers 16 years and older. Multi-purpose utility vehicles (side-by-sides) can be hazardous to operate. For your safety, drive responsibly. Always wear a helmet, eye protection and appropriate clothing. Always wear your seat belt, and keep the side nets and doors closed. Avoid excessive speeds and be careful on difficult terrain. We recommend that you complete the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle (ROV) E-course. The free course is available at www.ROHVA.org. All SxS drivers should read the owner’s manual before operating the vehicle. Never drive after consuming drugs or alcohol, or on public roads. Driver and passengers must be tall enough for seat belt to fit properly and to brace themselves with both feet firmly on the floor. Passenger must be able to grasp the grab bar with the seat belt on and both feet on the floor. Respect the environment when driving. Talon® is a registered trademark of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. ©2020 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (11/20)
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