River Region's Journey February 2016

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Worship: Sundays 10am in the Pike Road School Find Hope. Follow Jesus. www.frazer.church @frazerumc

Volume 17, Issue 9

Feature Articles

FEBRUARY 2 0 1 6 Columns page 2

page 14

Faith @ Work Meet Udauk Afaingadeh, a Professor of Biology at Faulkner University. She shares how she came to faith in Christ as a young child in Nigeria, and why she believes science and faith go hand in hand.

Publisher’s Note Jason Watson

page 4

Pastor's Perspective Dr. Teman Knight, Heritage Baptist Church, Montgomery

page 12

Pondering the Journey Sam Whatley

page 16

Women Arising Pastor Kemi Searcy

page 18

page 20

Counselor’s Corner

When Sin Looks Delicious

Rebecca Rose Morris, LPC

page 30

The Intersection

by Tim Challies

Bob Crittenden

If we are honest, we all have days when sin looks much more enticing than living in obedience to God. Tim Challies helps walk us through how to conquer sin, even when we are most tempted.

page 36

Dave $ays Dave Ramsey

In Every Issue

page 26

Montgomery Baptist Association’s

Mixteco Task Force

by Laura Bell

Find out how local churches and believers are speaking the language of love as they share the Gospel with this unique people group.

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page 6

Books to Read page 8

Around Our Community page 22

Support Groups page 32

Christian Community Calendar February 2016

River Region’s Journey

Our Mission...

We believe the Good News concerning the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is worth sharing with our friends and neighbors in the River Region. Each month we deliver this life-changing message to the centers of activity across our community in a user-friendly and relevant way to empower and equip all those seeking to grow closer to God. Join us in this mission by sharing a copy with your neighbor or by becoming an advertising partner starting next month.

Editor DeAnne Watson deanne@readjourneymagazine.com

Publisher

Jason Watson jason@readjourneymagazine.com

Associate Publisher Gena Hill

Research Editor Wendy McCollum

Contributing Writers Tim Challies Lisa Conn Bob Crittenden Dr. Teman Knight Rebecca Morris Dave Ramsey Kemi Searcy Sam Whatley

Advertising Opportunities Jason Watson ads@readjourneymagazine.com (334) 213-7940 ext 703

Ad Design

Tim Welch, Welch Designs

Distribution Team Wendy McCollum Chris Mitchell, Manager Manzie Moore Richard Ward Lesa Youngblood

From the Publisher This month’s issue has a bit of an international feel. Both our local ministry spotlight and our Faith @ Work interview shows us that God is Ruler over all the world and that He is touching lives all around it, including right here in the River Region. Unless you haven’t left your house in the past ten years you know the Hispanic population has grown larger and larger in our area. Many of these have come to America as seasonal laborers. One such group is the Mixteco people from Southern Guerrero, Mexico. The Mixtec tribe is one of the most unreached people groups in the world. By that I mean that they have not heard about Jesus. Thankfully, the Montgomery Baptist Association put together a Mixteco Task Force to “Love them with the Gospel.” On page 26, Laura Jean Bell shares how they’re doing that in her article, Speaking the Language of Love to the Mixtec People.

This month’s Faith @ Work interview is with Faulkner’s Professor of Biology Udauk Afaingadeh, who was born and raised in Nigeria. Talking with Udauk reminded me of books I’ve read on missionaries who took the Gospel through the jungles. As you’ll read in her interview, her own faith was impacted greatly by American missionaries who brought the Gospel to Africa. Today, Udauk is sharing about the amazing work of her Heavenly Father in her biology classroom at Faulkner. Many today would like to separate science and God, but read Udauk’s interview to see why she sees God as a scientist.

We’re so grateful to have the quality writers and columnists we publish each month. Many are local and they have a heart for our community, and to see your personal faith grow. Journey touches many lives each month, but we couldn’t do it without our writers and our advertisers. Don’t skip a word in this month’s issue; it’s all worth reading! And please visit our advertisers and tell them where you saw their ad.

Each month Journey is filled with biblical teaching to strengthen the faith you already have or to introduce you to the Savior Jesus. If you haven’t seriously stopped and sought a real explanation of why Jesus is called the Savior, I want to ask you to do me a favor and turn to page 34 to read the “Know Your Story” explanation of God’s good news for you. After you’re done, I would love to talk with you more about Jesus and to answer any questions you might have. Please contact me at 213-7940 ext. 701 or by email jason@readjourneymagazine.com.

Thank you so much for picking up this month’s issue. Enjoy it...and then share it with a friend.

River Region’s Journey is published monthly by Keep Sharing, P.O. Box 230367, Montgomery, AL 36123.

For information, call 334-213-7940. River Region’s Journey is copyrighted 2016 by KeepSharing. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

The opinions expressed in River Region’s Journey are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the owners, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products or services herein. River Region’s Journey has the right to refuse any content that is not consistent with its statement of faith.

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The Anglican Church In North America 8800 Vaughn Road, Montgomery, Alabama, 36117

Christchurch invites you to join us on Saturday, February 6, 2016, at 7:30 pm for an evening of Baroque music featuring

INCENDIUM NOVUM Incendium Novum is a chamber music ensemble that performs on period instruments.

Heidi Freimanis

Yi-Li Chang

Zarina Irkaeva

Thomas Bowers

Founded in Boston in 2014, the ensemble consists of soprano Heidi Freimanis, violinist Yi-Li Chang, gambist Zarina Irkaeva, and harpsichordist Thomas Bowers.

Incendium Novum was born of an interest in historically informed performance delivered with genuine passion and simplicity. Our goal is to ignite the same passion in our modern audience of all ages and backgrounds.

The name Incendium Novum means "New Fire". This name evokes the new passion for the historical performance movement that we seek to spark and nurture in our audience members.

This performance will afford the opportunity for attendees to experience the music of the Baroque era performed on authentic period instruments.

Adults $10.00 - Children & Students Free More information can be found at www.christchurchxp.com & www.incendiumnovum.com 3

February 2016

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Pastor’s Perspective

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Dr. Teman Knight, Heritage Baptist Church, Montgomery

Do You Measure Up? A little boy proudly announced to his dad that he was six feet tall. His father asked, “How did you determine that?” The little boy replied, “I made me a measuring stick. See, it says I am six feet tall.” Sometimes we make our own measuring sticks to evaluate ourselves. Often times we compare ourselves to others, and as long as we pick the right people to measure ourselves against, we can measure up. The only problem is we are not compared to our own standards or even other people’s-we are compared to God. When Isaiah saw God in the temple, he was overwhelmed by the realization that he would never measure up to God’s holiness. The closer

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we get to a perfect Holy God the more we see our shortcomings. When Isaiah drew close to God, he recognized his sinfulness and realized the only thing he could do was to cry out for God’s mercy. God forgave him and cleansed Isaiah from his sin.

The Bible teaches that all of us have failed to measure up to God’s standard of holiness. Romans 3:23 states, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Like Isaiah, we need to recognize that there is nothing we can do but throw ourselves on the mercy of God. The Good News is that in spite of our sin, God loves us.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

We experience this love and forgiveness when we enter into a life changing relationship with Jesus Christ. God does for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Through the death of His Son, God pays the price for all our shortcomings. This allows us to have a personal relationship with God and be saved through our faith in Jesus.

Unfortunately our struggle with sin does not completely disappear when we enter into a relationship with 4

God. While we become a new creature with the desire to please God, we still struggle with sin in our lives. This sin hurts our relationship with God and others. This sin also damages our testimony and witness to those who do not have a relationship with Christ. For these reasons we must seriously examine our lives and deal with the sin that we find there.

James teaches us that we should examine our lives in the mirror of God’s word (James 1:22-25). Every time I reflect on His Word, the Holy Spirit reveals areas of my life that need correction. He shows me what I should be doing but have failed to do. He reveals behaviors that I am doing that I should stop. When I listen to the Holy Spirit and follow His Word, then I will be more like Jesus and bring Him glory.

David prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.” God is the only one who can clean our hearts from the filth of our sin. Turn to Him and experience His forgiveness and cleansing power. Then share the good news of His forgiveness that is found through a life changing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Dr. Teman Knight is the Pastor of Heritage Baptist Church on Perry Hill Road in Montgomery.

He also serves as an Adjunct Professor for New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary extension centers in Birmingham and Montgomery. Teman and his wife Darlana live in Montgomery with their daughter Alana. Their son Jay and his wife Leigh live in Birmingham with their new grandson, Adam. He can be reached at teman@ hbcm.net.

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Our Statement of Faith In keeping with Protestant theology, we believe that the Bible, as contained in the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, is fully inspired by God and therefore inerrant in the original manuscripts. The Bible is the only essential and infallible record of God’s self-disclosure to mankind. The Scriptures are the authoritative and normative rule and guide of all Christian life, practice, and doctrine. They are totally sufficient and must not be added to, superseded, or changed by later tradition, extra-biblical revelation, or worldly wisdom. The Bible is perfect in every way and shows us how to become and live as Christians.

The way of becoming a Christian is by faith alone in Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, who came to us, born of a virgin, in full human form while remaining fully God. Jesus was, and is, perfect, and was crucified so that others could live. Three days later He rose from the dead, never to die again.

He ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father, where He, the only mediator between God and man, continually makes intercession for His own.

Those who have faith in Jesus as their Lord in this life, and Savior from damnation in the next life, now live by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, becoming more like Jesus everyday.

We believe that God is one God. The one God has three persons: the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Just as God is one, so also, all believers are to be one. We believe in the unity and fellowship of all those that have faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. We are one in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, His Body, which is composed of all men, living and dead, who have been joined to Him through saving faith. *All editorial content published needs to be in agreement with our Statement of Faith

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The Forgotten Fear

by Albert Martin So here’s the challenge: “At every point in my Christian life, from the moment I breathe my first breath as a new creature in Christ to the moment when I take my last breath, the entire time of my sojourning—all of this is to be marked by the fear of God.” So says Albert Martin in his new book The Forgotten Fear. By that standard, how are you doing? Do you fear God? The problem is that you may not even know. The fear of God was once a common subject among Christians. They knew how to define the fear of God and they knew how to examine their lives for its presence or absence. Today, though, the language of fear has been greatly diminished if not forgotten altogether. Martin goes to the Bible and comes to a concerning conclusion: “To be devoid of the fear of God is to be devoid of biblical and saving religion.”

And again, “if you do not know what the fear of God is in your heart and life, you do not know experientially the first thing about true biblical and saving religion.”

And this notion of fear does not only make a difference to the head of the Christian but also to his heart and hands. “One of the accurate measurements of true spiritual growth is the measure to which one increases in walking in the fear of God.” River Region’s Journey

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What, then, is this fear of God? Martin follows the Bible in defining “fear” in two ways, the fear of terror or dread and the fear of awe or honor. Both of these are meant to apply to the relationship of humans to their Creator.

These two common uses of the word “fear” in the vocabulary of the people of biblical times (and also in some measure in our vocabulary) are both included in the biblical notion of the fear of God. There is a legitimate sense in which the fear of God involves being afraid of God, being gripped with terror and dread.

Though this is not the dominant thought in Scripture, it is there nonetheless. The second aspect of fear, which is peculiar to the true children of God, is the fear of veneration, honor, and awe with which we regard our God. It is a fear that leads us not to run from Him but to draw near to Him through Jesus Christ and gladly submit to Him in faith, love, and obedience.

Having drawn in the reader with the importance and centrality of the subject, Martin dedicates chapters to the ingredients that together make up the fear of God, the source of this fear, the relationship of fear to the Christian’s conduct, and instruction on how to maintain and increase this fear. He maintains this singular focus on his topic and addresses it thoroughly but in a very reader-friendly fashion.

There is much to appreciate in The Forgotten Fear. I especially appreciate 6

Martin’s tenor and tone. There is something delightfully old-school about his style of writing and even his approach to a topic like this. He represents a way of interacting with God’s Word and a way of calling on people to obey that Word that is rare today. Somehow this old style feels fresh, almost like writing in a Moleskine journal instead of typing on an iPad. It hearkens to something in the past that we should not forget.

I also appreciate Martin’s consistency in varying his application between younger and older believers. It is clear that he has a burden for young people who have grown up in the church but who are living rebellious lives, whether that rebellion is outright and blatant or quiet and seemingly respectable. For that reason, a good bit of the application is dedicated to calling on these churched kids to take hold of the gospel they have heard and rejected, or heard and neglected, so many times. This is a book I would comfortably encourage my teenaged or young adult children to read.

Finally, I appreciate his urgency.

This is obviously a matter of deep importance to him and he truly believes that Christians are missing out on something that will motivate them to know God better and to live holier lives. He is convinced that many people are missing a key to understanding and honoring God. He believes that many other people are convinced they are Christians when they are not and that exposure to the fear of God may call them to true repentance. He writes urgently but not manipulatively.

The Forgotten Fear is a helpful, powerful treatment of a neglected subject.

I enthusiastically recommend it.

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Prayer Conference Coming to First Methodist Montgomery

Surrendering the Secret: Healing the Heartbreak of Abortion

Sunday, February 21, 2016 First United Methodist Church of Montgomery will host its biennial Prayer Conference at 3:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary, 2416 West Cloverdale Park. This year’s theme is Digging into Prayer: An Archaeologist’s Perspective on the Meaning of Prayer in the Bible.

Dr. James Fleming, Founder of Explorations in Antiquities in LaGrange, Georgia, will be the speaker. He will preach both worship services, 8:45 and 11:00 a.m., and conduct the Prayer Conference beginning at 3:00 p.m. A bookstore will be open during the break and after the final session.

All are invited to attend the Prayer Conference. For more information, visit www.fumcmontgomery.org/prayer-conference-2016 or contact the Rev. John Blount at (334) 834-8990 or jblount@ fumcmontgomery.org.

Thursday, March 3, at 6:30 pm. at the Elmore County Pregnancy Center in Wetumpka Abortion can be one of the most traumatic experiences in a woman’s life. Surrendering the Secret is a powerful 8-week study that helps hurting women find the path to healing through honest, interactive Bible study. With compassion, you will be encouraged and supported as you allow God into rooms of your heart that might have been sealed for too long. It’s time to let go of the shame, accept His forgiveness and heal. All you need is to be willing. God wants to set you free!

You can call ECPC at 334.567.1955 or call Mary Claire at 813.810.2925 for more information.

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New friends are now best friends. New experiences are now the best times ever. No wonder it’s so easy to tell others about it and include them in the fun.

Welcome to Riverview Camp for Girls!

We’ve do put Itogether everything you’re looking for in a perfect“I saw camp onemy of Why choose Riverview each summer? mysetting! first river Recognized on a mountain,as I rode Golf,times Dance, Dance, Outdoor Sports, Soccer,use Beach Volleyball, Basketball, “As go,Stomp it was one of the BEST.”Skills AndClass, what child couldn’t some of that these days?

Riverview Refinement, Program, Campfires night,Recognized optional trips and more!

We’ve put together everythingCIT you’re looking for in a perfect every camp setting! as one of the Southeast’s best all-around summer camps for girls, Riverview is an oasis of fun, friends and happiness. Spring and Fall &available 2 week Sessions ages to 16...

Mother-Daughter Weekends1are also!

Registeredfor Nurses and6 Physician on Staff. Entire full-summer staff is First Aid andand CPRFall Certified.

Camper/Counselor Ratio 5:1 Spring Mother-Daughter Weekends...

waiting lists start early...sign up soon!...

Waitingwww.riverviewcamp.com! lists start early...sign up soon!...

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Call for FREE DVD and catalog 1-800-882-0722 Accredited by American Camping Association • Members of Christian Camping International

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www.riverviewcamp.com

Only 1 /Mountain 2 hours from Huntsville Located on top of Lookout in Mentone, AL. Only a 3 hr drive.

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Dr. Larry & Susan Hooks, Owners/Directors • Donna Bares,Asst. Director

1 & 2Week Sessions for Ages 6-16

C RAFTS • C HORUS

first I had campfires every night. Icamps felt close to God. giggled a lot is with friends and counselors. time flew by! thehorse.

Southeast’s best all-around for girls,IRiverview annew oasis of fun, friends andThe happiness...

I Exciting felt safe and secure. Iinclude: gained confidence in myselfPool,Tennis, through the world around me.” activities Riding, Heated Canoeing, Ropes Course, Climbing Tower,

AND

FLAG TWIRLING • CHEERLEADING • RIFLERY • ARCHERY • TRIP DAY • GOLF

We don’t wonder anymore how it happened, that one summer could bring such happy memories.

B ASKETBALL • S OCCER • A RTS

• H ORSEBACK R IDING • S WIMMING • T ENNIS • C ANOEING • D ANCE • A EROBICS • G YMNASTICS • B EACH V OLLEYBALL •

• R OPES C OURSE • C LIMBING T O WER • OUTDOOR L IVING S KILLS • C AMPFIRE F UN • C OUNSELOR -I N -T RAINING •

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Agape’s Connecting Hearts with Jay and Angie Jacobs Agape of Central Alabama is proud to announce the 2nd Annual Connecting Hearts event with special guests Jay and Angie Jacobs.

Jay, the athletic director for Auburn University, and wife Angie are active foster parents and advocates for children who need a home and family.

The Connecting Hearts featured event will take place on Tuesday, February 23, at the Alley Station Warehouse in downtown Montgomery, from 7 until 8 p.m, with a tailgate tasting available for all guests from 6-7p.m. A separate, ticketed “meet and greet” with Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs is available at 6 p.m. Sponsorship opportunities for children to attend the event are currently available, and tickets to the general public are on sale.

Jay and Angie Jacobs have served as foster parents for decades, and will share stories of the love and hope they’ve shared with vulnerable and orphaned children over the years, and how all their lives have been enriched as a result.

Your support of this event will impact children and teens similar to those fostered by the Jacobs family, throughout Central Alabama. Agape of Central Alabama is a ministry that helps children by connecting hearts through adoption and foster care. There are so many children in our area that need a loving home, and Agape sets out to match children with permanent homes with nurturing Christian families.

You don’t want to miss this opportunity to see Auburn University AD Jay Jacobs and wife Angie Jacobs, in person on February 23rd. For more information about the event, tickets, and sponsorships, visit www.connectinghearts.org, or call Agape of Central Alabama at (334) 272-9466.

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Better Together The Conference for Couples

Beautiful Offerings Tour

February 19 & 20 Featuring Focus on the Family’s Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley Building the Marriage You’ve Always Dreamed of Presented by Christ Community Church, Evangel Church, Landmark Church and Fresh Anointing House of Worship Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley have received rave reviews for their presentations. Their blend of Biblical teaching, practical advice and humorous stories are inspiring and entertaining. Greg and Erin make their home in Colorado Springs where Greg is the Vice President of Family Ministries at Focus on the Family. Together they have authored many books and they travel the world leading marriage seminars.

Friday, February 19: Sessions: 7 pm to 9 pm at Evangel Church “After Party” to follow program Saturday, February 20: Continental breakfast served from 8 to 8:45 9 am to 12:30 pm at Landmark Church Come and be a part...Register online at: bettertogether.life $30 per couple, $15 for singles; The cost includes both Friday and Saturday sessions and continental breakfast on Saturday.

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with Big Daddy Weave, Plumb, Jordan Feliz Saturday, March 12, at 7:00 pm First Baptist Church 138 South Washington Street, Prattville For more information, call 334-365-0606 VIP - 5:00pm Entry $45.00 General Admission $20.00 General Admission Group (15+) $15.00 The VIP ticket includes early entry at 5 pm, pre-show Q&A session and a free poster and tour laminate.

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First UMC Helps Stock Food Pantries First United Methodist Church in partnership with the Society of St. Andrew spent three days bagging 40,000 pounds of sweet potatoes. Society of St. Andrew works with farmers to find a home for the potatoes that the farmer has not been able to sell.

These potatoes are perfectly good, but not “pretty” enough for the grocery buyers to purchase them. Once the potatoes are bagged, they are distributed to food pantries in the area to be given to those in need of food. For more information on the Society of St. Andrew, contact Josh Howard, program coordinator at alglean@endhunger.org.

Fat Tuesday Pancake Dinner

Apostolic Pentacost 2016 Mid Winter Conference “Glory Invasion”

Aldersgate United Methodist Church will be hosting a Shrove (“Fat”) Tuesday Pancake Dinner on Tuesday, February 9th, in the Christian Activity Center. Dinner will be served from 5-7pm, with both dine-in and take-out available. This meal will include pancakes (all-you-can-eat), sausage, coffee, hot chocolate, and juice for only $5.00 per person. All proceeds with go to benefit the Aldersgate 2016 short-term mission team to Ecuador. Reservations can be made by contacting the church office at 334-272-6152 or by email at office@aldersgateumc.org.

February 3-5, 7 pm nightly Macedonia Miracle Kingdom Conference Center 3070 Selma Highway, Montgomery Guest speakers are Prophetess Juanita Bynum and Apostle Thomas W. Weeks, Sr. Call 284.8535 for more information.

Email ministry or church news to deanne@readjourneymagazine.com.

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The Tiger and the Goat In November 2015 in a safari park in southeast Russia, the zookeepers threw a goat in the pen of a Siberian tiger for the tiger to hunt and eat. But the goat showed no fear of the big cat. In fact, he chased him out of his enclosure and took over his bed.

The tiger, unbothered, moved to the roof. He did not consider the goat his prey. The zoo employees were stunned. Nothing like this had happened before. Within days the goat, named Timur, and the tiger, named Amur, became close friends.

Now the tiger and goat romp about in the pen. One snatches a ball from the other and runs away, while his pal tries to catch

up. They sleep next to each other in the sunshine. Thousands of fascinated visitors have braved the Siberian cold and come to the park to watch the odd couple. The zoo staff has set up a webcam to broadcast live to the internet. They also switched the tiger’s diet from goats to rabbits.

At the time of this writing two months have passed. Zoologists around the world are baffled by the phenomenon and everyone wonders when, or if, the tiger will return to his goat-eating self. According to the park director, the goat seems to consider the tiger his leader and follows him everywhere.

When I heard of this unnatural situation, I thought about a prophecy found in the Old Testament in the book of Isaiah. It’s about a new heaven and a new earth brought about by the return of the Messiah (Jesus) to Earth.

Although the word tiger is not used, the prediction is strikingly close to the friendship between Amur and Timur.

The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.

(Isaiah 11:6 NIV)

Is Amur and Timur’s playfulness just a freak of nature?

Is it unnatural or supernatural? Could they be God’s sign pointing us to Isaiah’s prophecy?

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We tend not to think much about Bible prophecy. We get so involved in our daily lives that we forget that Jesus is coming back. And He won’t be lying in a manger this time. He comes back in glory as the judge and ruler of all. Under His rule the Earth will be restored to its Garden of Eden qualities. As for the wild animals: They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

(Isaiah 11:9 NIV)

The Apostle John had a vision of this return of Christ. He records: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband, And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

He who was seated on throne said, “I am making everything new.” (Revelation 21:1-5)

Did you catch that? There is a new world coming. And in that world there will be no predator or prey. Death, fear, and pain will be no more. People and animals will once again be friends, just as they were in the beginning.

But this will not be for everyone. As John states in his first letter: …God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:11-13)

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RR un Go saw

RRJ: How did your parent’s zeal for Christ flow down to you and your brothers and sisters?

As pioneer Christians, it was important to my parents that their children be grounded in their faith. I remember my dad saying that he did not want to win lost souls to Christ and lose the souls of his children. To prevent this, they put strategies in place like daily family devotionals at 5:30 every morning and ensured that all six of us attended Christian schools from the primary level to our university education. Since there weren’t Christian universities in Nigeria until about five years ago, they made tremendous sacrifices so that all of us would attend Christian colleges in America. We saw our parents live out their faith and serve God with zeal, and this was a powerful motivation for us all.

RRJ: When did the faith they demonstrated so well become a faith that you personally confessed?

RRJ: Your belief in Christ began in your home country of Nigeria, but in many ways it began before you were born when your father learned about Christ and trusted in Him for salvation and newness of life. How did that happen in his life?

My father has always been a seeker. He was born at a time when most Nigerians were steeped in African traditional religion, but Daddy felt there had to be something more.

He had just finished sixth grade when his path crossed with those of American missionaries who had come to Nigeria in the 1940’s, establishing churches and Christian schools.

They quickly saw that he had potential and a passion for preaching the Word. They trained him at a six month preaching training course, and later at a two year Bible training school, before he came to America and got degrees in Bible and in Educational Administration.

He returned to Nigeria and eventually started a school of preaching, a Christian high school and a two year college.

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I confessed my faith in Jesus as the Son of God at 10 years old. It was on a Sunday and I remember that my dad was preaching. I was convicted to give my life to the Lord during the worship service. I remember walking down the aisle, confessing Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Then church members escorted me to a stream in Ikot-Ekpene, a city in South East Nigeria, where my father baptized me.

RRJ: Being a Christian who has been immersed in two different cultures, what practices could we learn from Nigerian believers and vice versa?

One of the things that immediately comes to mind is that Nigerian believers appear to live more in community. Culturally, Nigerians do not live in isolation. It is believed that children belong to the whole village and so adults have a responsibility to discipline any child that misbehaves, and care for each other’s child as if it were their own. People drop by each other’s homes all the time and meal 14

times often involve neighbors and extended family members. Nigerian Christians, being part of this culture, exhibit a strong sense of fellowship, using the Acts 2:42 pattern of the early church as a model. As far as what Nigerian Christians could learn from American Christians, there is a high level of tolerance seen among American Christians. This is definitely something Nigerian Christians could emulate as we seek to achieve unity among the brotherhood of believers.

RRJ: You’re a Professor of Biology at Faulkner University with a PhD in Genetics.

Many people today wonder if science and God are compatible. What would you say to that thought?

Not only are science and God compatible, I personally see God as a scientist. One of the basic underlying principles of science is that science is systematic and not haphazard. I see a God who does not do things haphazardly but systematically, as in the sun rising and setting consistently, the planets orbiting at a fixed distance from the sun, etc.

RRJ: A college like Faulkner offers a context for great learning, but with learning comes many questions. How do you encourage and instruct students who aren’t sure if God is the Creator as described in the Scriptures?

I have actually taught a few of these students.

My conversations with them revolve around encouraging them to keep asking questions.

I think as Christians we seek for answers in Scripture, but this doesn’t really work with those who do not believe in the infallibility of the Scripture. I think it is easy for us as Christians to shy away from topics that we are not comfortable with, but scientific education is grounded on questioning and so I encourage my students to question, and together we search for the answers and reason together.

Many people believe things because they have believed it all their lives, and so as we reason and dig deeper the fallacies they have

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always believed become exposed, and in a few instances, they begin to see that God is all around us. They see that it actually takes more faith to disbelieve than to believe.

RRJ: I heard you say earlier that you can’t understand a biologist who doesn’t believe in God. Can you give an example of when you saw God through your work?

Got Dust?

It's virtually impossible to avoid—and it can trigger an asthma attack. Asthma is characterized by excessive sensitivity of the lungs to various stimuli.

Certain triggers—ranging from viral infections to

Biology is a science that recognizes and investigates diversity. All around us are living things that are alike in as many ways as they are different. Such diversity cannot be explained outside of the context of a Master Designer – the Creator, Himself. And so when we study the complexities in genetic diversity, for example, I see God’s handiwork.

When we realize that human beings share 99.9% of the same genome and the differences and variations we see are due to the arrangement of only four nucleotide bases on a DNA molecule, or the fact that humans were created with a DNA repair mechanism for fixing the million mismatches that happen every time DNA replicates, I marvel at the awesome creativity of our Maker. Teaching biology daily at the college level, or doing scientific research, gives me an opportunity to confirm the statement of the Psalmist that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

RRJ: Finally, You have walked with the Lord for many years now and have done so in multiple settings. Can you tell us a few key components that have sustained and anchored your faith?

allergies to irritating gases and particles in the air—can make asthma worse. Each child reacts differently to the factors that may trigger asthma.

We can help you recognize what makes your child's asthma worse and find simple solutions to reduce and avoid asthma attacks.

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Asthma Clinic Specialized asthma care for: l

Children with severe asthma Children with repeat hospital and/or urgent care visits Children and families with unique asthma education needs l Children with other conditions that make asthma hard to control l l

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There are so many, but I think one of the major anchors of my faith is that God is faithful to His promises. Living 8,000 miles away from family and friends who are back in Nigeria is challenging, and over the years God has proven His faithfulness over and over. In 2010, we had an especially difficult year. It was the year my father was kidnapped in Nigeria and held for ransom for twelve days before he was released unharmed. The situation got worse when my mom died about six weeks later from the stress of the kidnapping.

These were trying times for us, but God used the prayers of His children all over the world to sustain us. We know that God is faithful, and no matter what His children go through, our victory is sure.

ChildrensAL.org/asthma For Children’s Financial Assistance information contact 1.844.750.8950 or visit www.childrensal.org/financial-assistance

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Uduak is married with two adult children. She and her husband attend Landmark Church.

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River Region’s Journey

It’s All About Love Valentine’s Day is thought to be the epitome of “love,” expressing our affections through giving flowers, heart-shaped candies, fluffy teddy bears, etc. Love is a powerful emotion and an amazing gift to humanity. The ability to give and receive love is a gift from God and must not be downplayed.

We are not the only ones thinking about love and expressing it daily. The Architect of Love, God Almighty, loves us every minute of our day. As a matter of fact, the concept of love originated from Him. He was the One who created us with a desire to want to be loved, and gave us the ability to give love. When we love, we are simply imitating our Father.

Paul speaks about love in the New Testament: “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

the motive of love, it will not profit me at all. Wow! Here are two aspects of true love that the Scriptures emulate:

1. We must be rooted and grounded in Christ. A lawyer asked Jesus, “Master, what is the greatest commandment of all?”

Jesus answered, “You must love the Lord your God with all of your heart, and with all of your soul, and with all your mind.

And secondly you must love your neighbor as you love yourself. By so doing you will fulfill all righteousness.” (See Mark 10:17-27) Jesus’ response to the lawyer should guide us. Our daily preoccupation must be to please the Lord with everything within us. We cannot halfheartedly love and serve Him. He gave us His all and we must give Him our all; 99.99% is not acceptable.

King David lived in the era of legalism but transcended his time with his thinking and inner pursuit.

He had a love relationship with Jehovah God that was uncommon in his day. He saw God not just as Father, Master, Provider, Shelter, Protector, or even Savior, but also as Lover. David’s deep affection for the Lord is inscribed throughout his writings:

What is Love?

“As the deer pants after the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God.” Psalm 42:1

Love is not the warm fuzzy way someone will make you feel, but the highest level of Christian maturity. Paul says above that if we give our bodies to be burned in favor of someone, and I do it for show and not for love, it is a wasteful effort. If I give all my possession without

“One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.”

Psalm 27:4

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Who talks like this except someone whose heart is captured by a deep passion for the Lord? He desired a steady gaze at the face of God perpetually. We must take time to study King David that we may learn to be awestruck and love God the same way.

2. Love is a command. Jesus did not merely suggest to the lawyer to love God, rather He demanded it. However, Jesus did not force the lawyer to do anything. God will not violate anybody’s will, but those who choose to follow Him must give their all.

How Are We to Love Him? Here are three simple but profound ways to get started: 1. Love begins with desire. Ask the Lord to unveil His love in your heart.

2. Cultivate a love relationship. Read the Bible, study people like John the beloved, King David, the Apostle Paul, and Mary Magdalene. Find Christian books on love.

Meditate on God’s love and goodness, worshiping Him. 3. By first loving God and waiting on Him, you will be primed and equipped to truly love others.

“The best love is the kind that awakens the soul; that makes us reach for more, that plants the fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds. That’s what I hope to give you forever.” — The Notebook Let’s allow Jesus to mesmerize us with his glory!

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Have you ever had those days where you just want to sin? Sin looks delicious while righteousness looks distasteful. Sin looks satisfying and holiness looks frustrating. You wake up in the morning with a desire to do what you know you should not desire to do. Your heart echoes with what God said to Cain: “Sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you.” And your desire is for it.

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Resist him, firm in your faith…” (1 Peter 5:8-9). Satan knows you are prone to sin and knows you well enough to know your specific temptations to sin. In the days you are being tempted to sin, you may well be facing his attacks. When sin feels extrinsic, like it is coming from outside as much as inside, prepare yourself to resist the devil.

TALK TO GOD “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. … praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (Ephesians 6:11, 18a). When tempted to sin, you are told to put on the whole armor of God—the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, and so on. Each of these pieces of armor is donned and deployed through prayer. You resist sin and withstand temptation through humbling yourself in prayer and by crying out to God for his strength.

What do you do on a day like that?

TAKE THE BLAME “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (James 1:13-15). Sin takes advantage of your sinful desires by promising satisfaction in the expression and fulfillment of those desires.

Take the blame for wanting to sin. You want to sin because you are a sinner!

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February 2016

TALK TO SOMEONE ELSE “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16). Tell your husband or wife, your colleague, your friend, your accountability partner. Confess your desire. Make it as simple as it really is: “I want to sin today. Sin looks desirable; holiness 18

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looks boring.” Ask for their prayer in the moment and ask them to talk to you later to ask if and how you withstood the temptation. Just as they can pray with you now to plead God’s help, they can pray with you later to rejoice in his deliverance.

PREACH THE GOSPEL “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Preach this great gospel truth to yourself. As a Christian, you have been purchased by Christ. You belong to him. You are his. You have been given everything you need to resist—the ability and the desire. You are a new creation and both can and should behave as such. Preach the gospel to yourself and remember whose you are.

RESIST THE TEMPTATION Resolve that you will not sin and then follow resolve with stubborn obedience.

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faith-

ful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). God promises that he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear, but that he will always provide a way of escape. He will provide a way, but you still need to take advantage of that way. Talk to God, ask him to make the way clear, and ask that he will give you grace to take it.

Often resisting temptation is as simple as this: Don’t sin! Resolve that you will not sin and then follow resolve with stubborn obedience.

RELY ON PATTERNS OF GODLINESS “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you … Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience … And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called…” (Colossians 3:5-15). The Christian life is a lifelong obedience of

replacing ungodly patterns and habits with godly ones. We continually put off the old man and put on the new. When facing temptation you will be tempted to fall back into old tendencies and habits.

Instead, reject the old patterns of ungodliness and rely upon and follow the patterns of godliness you have developed.

GIVE THANKS “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). If temptation is born out of sinful desire and false promises of satisfaction through what God forbids, the solution is to give thanks. Where temptation focuses on all you do not have, thanksgiving focuses on all you have graciously been given.

When you are tempted to sin, thank God for his good gifts. When you have been delivered from the temptation to sin, give thanks for his enabling grace.

Tim Challies is a author, blogger and book reviewer.

Visit his site at www.challies.com.

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2600 Bell Road Montgomery, Alabama 334.277.6690

460 McQueen Smith Road Prattville, Alabama 334.358.6411

Dr. John H. Payne IV • Dr. David Stanley • Dr. Davis Denney • Dr. Rob Owen 19

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“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Practicing Gratitude Throughout the Bible, Christians are exhorted to be thankful to God. The concept is mentioned over 150 times in the Bible and 33 times by the Apostle Paul in the New Testament.

Gratitude — A Response to Grace

Did you know that the words gratitude and grace derive from the same root in Greek, Latin, and English? To understand gratitude, we must understand its relationship to grace.

“All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:15

Gratitude is a humble affirmation of grace and goodness in our lives. Grace is unmerited favor... gifts undeserved and unearned. Gratitude is a feeling of delight, directed not just at the gift, but more importantly the grace of the giver. Our feelings of gratitude grow in direct proportion to how undeserved the gift is. God’s grace and provision are boundless, even in times of distress. As God’s grace abounds and is recognized, thanksgiving and gratitude will overflow.

Gratitude No Matter What Happens?

Really, God? We are supposed to be grateful to you regardless of circumstance? Even when...

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February 2016

We are called to be grateful to God in all things... to recognize his grace and blessings even in the midst of our pain.

Many of us have experienced God’s presence and provision in times of tragedy and loss….and the healing and growth that followed. The most difficult times in our lives often draw us closer to God and others.

Our gratitude acknowledges that God uses everything for His glory and our good.

How Can We Practice Gratitude?

God calls us to certain practices like gratitude that glorify Him and bring us joy and peace, just as He warns us away from those that cause harm. So it is not surprising that secular psychological research is overwhelmingly confirming the value of gratitude in our lives.

Robert Emmons, Ph.D., who became a Christian as an adult, is the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude, having extensively studied the effects of gratitude on psychological well-being, physical health and our relationships with others.

For over a decade, Dr. Emmons and his colleagues have studied over one thousand people ages 8 - 80, and results have consistently shown that the practice of gratitude yields emotional, social, physical and spiritual benefits.

How can we incorporate gratitude practices into our daily lives?

Begin a gratitude journal. On a daily basis, take time to remind yourself of the graces in your life. Recognize the big things, but also notice the little things in your day that you take for granted and consider them all gifts.

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Use your senses to become aware of God’s grace. Appreciate the miraculous gift of the human body and the world around you. Notice the sun on your face and God’s beautiful art in the sky. Pay attention to all that your body can do – you can walk, breathe, hug…

Use the tool of mental subtraction of positive events and relationships. When small things happen in your life--say a phone call from a friend--think of how your life would be diminished without your friend or without the means to stay in touch with people you love. What would your life be like if there was never a sunny day? What if food had no taste? Our gratitude grows when we consider our life without simple graces.

Write letters to people who have had a positive impact on your life, letting them know what they have meant to you. Be specific about what you are grateful for.

Deliver your letters in person if you can.

Even if you are not able to deliver them, write them anyway.

Reflect on challenges that you have overcome. Remember the ways that God has used even the most tragic of circumstances to allow you to grow. The contrast between where you were and how far you have come can help to cultivate gratitude.

“Give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Ephesians 5:20

Rebecca Rose Morris is a Licensed Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor, and Counseling Supervisor. She earned her Masters degree at Auburn University Montgomery and graduated with an Ed.S. from Troy University – Montgomery Campus. She works with adolescents and adults addressing a wide range of issues including depression, anxiety, life transitions, and relational trauma.

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20 Heart Screenings on $

Love Your Heart Day at Baptist.

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Wouldn’t now be a good time to learn if your heart is happy and healthy? For one day only on February 13th, Baptist South is offering heart screenings for only $20. We’ll test your cholesterol, blood pressure and resting EKG, and assess your risk for heart trouble. It’s all part of Baptist’s Love Your Heart Day, and includes a free light breakfast after your tests. So join us February 13th for your heart screening. And show your heart just how much you love it.

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Love Your Heart Day February 13th Call 273.4304 to register

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Adoption

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy and First UMC, Millbrook APAC- Alabama Pre/Post Adoption Connection Support Group This group provides education and social interaction for adoptive families. Montgomery Group meets 3rd Thursdays, 6-7:30 p.m., Room 8114 at Frazer.

For information, call Monica Russell at 409-9477 or email mrussell@childrensaid.org. Autauga/Elmore Group meets 4th Tuesdays, 6-7:30 p.m., First UMC, Millbrook. Childcare, children’s group and dinner provided. For info, call Hannah Taylor at 409-9477 or e-mail htaylor@childrensaid.org.

Location: Landmark Church, 1800 Halcyon Blvd.

Leaders: Chad & Betsy Emerson (334) 201-5241 Wednesday, 6:30pm in Rm. 116. The Orphan Care Group will focus on God’s call to help orphans through adoption, foster care, and missions work. The group will share experiences, study and Biblical themes regarding orphan care, and provide a support and network for individuals who want to support orphans.

Location: Millbrook First United Methodist Church, 3350 Edgewood Road Adoption Support- Will meet 4th Tuesday of each month from 6-7:30 p.m.

Alcoholic / Addict

Location: Caring Center of FBC, 52 Adams Avenue CrossRoads Support Group is for addicts/alcoholics and family members.

Meets at 6 p.m. Tuesdays and follows a Christ-centered 12-step program.

Call 264-4949.

days at 5:30pm (meal-CrossTalk Cafe), 6-6:55 pm (large group), 6:55-7:45 (small group). Childcare available. Call Larry at 334-832-5714 or visit myjourneychurch.com.

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy An Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregivers’ Support Group meets on the first Thursday of each month at 11 a.m. in Room 3103. Call 272.8622.

Location: Landmark Church, 1800 Halcyon Blvd. RSVPThis is a 12 step spiritual recovery program for overcoming addictions. Using the steps and Bible we help build self-esteem, responsible behavior, the making of amends for our destructive actions, and to fill the void in our hearts in a loving relationship with God. Wednesday @ 6:30pm in Rm. 121 of the Life Center.

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy A Dementia Daycare is held each Thursday in Rm. 3101 from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Each participant may bring a sack lunch. There is no charge. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Call the LifeCare office at 272-8622.

Location: Prattville Church of Christ, 344 East Main St. RSVP - 12 step (Christians Against Substance Abuse-CASA) spiritual recovery program, for overcoming addictions. Class begins each Wednesday evening @6:30 PM. Please call 334365-4201 for addition information.

Location: Santuck Baptist Church, 7250 Central Plank Rd. (Hwy 9), Wetumpka. Celebrate Recovery meets each Thursday evening at 6:15 in the Fellowship Hall. This is a Chrsit centered 12 step-program for anyone struggling with hurts, habits, and hang-ups. Call 567-2364.

Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA) is open to all struggling with addictive sexual behavior. If you believe you have a problem with sex addiction (or are wondering if you might) and you want to change your behavior, we recommend you visit our group. For locations, please visit- https://saa-recovery.org/ or please contact – MontgomerySAA@outlook.com.

Meetings are held: every Sunday night - 7:45 p.m, men only.

Every Monday night - 7:30 p.m, men and women.

Location: St. James UMC, 9045 Vaughn Road Celebrate Recovery meets every Thursday night from 6-8 pm in the Youth Room. This is a Christ-centered 12-step group for anyone struggling with an “addiction or lifechallenging issues.” For information, call Chris Henderson at 334-215-0427.

Location: Dalraida UMC, 3817 Atlanta Highway Alcoholics Anonymous meets at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays.

272.2190. Alanon meets at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Location: Trinity Episcopal, Wetumpka (Across from Winn Dixie on HWY 231) Gamblers Anonymous-Saturdays at 7 p.m.

Location: First Baptist Church (Huff Community Ministries Bldg., 200 S. Perry Street) Celebrate Recovery, a Bible-based Christ centered approach to recovery from hurts, habits and hang-ups, meets Friday nights, from 5:30 p.m.- 8 p.m. For more information, contact Jane Ferguson at 241.5141.

Location: Vaughn Forest Church, 8660 Vaughn Road Celebrate Recovery is a 12-step-Christian process to help you cope with hurts, hang-ups, and habits on a weekly basis.

Led by Jeff McFarland on Wednesdays from 6-8 pm. Call 279-5433 for more info.

Location: Grace @ Bell Road, Corner of Bell Road and Atlanta Hwy. Alcoholics Anonymous and Alanon meetings are held Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, at 6 p.m.

An Open AA Speaker meeting is held on Saturday at 6 p.m.

An Alanon & AA held on Sundays at 2 p.m.

Location: Grace Point Community Church, 78223 Tallassee Hwy (Hwy 14), Wetumpka Celebrate Recovery- every Tuesday night- 6:15pm. All are welcome! These meetings are a safe and loving environment for individuals seeking to conquer their hurts, habits and hang-ups! gracepoint.info.

Location: Journey Church, 2960 East Cobbs Ford Road across from The Catfish House in Millbrook Celebrate Recovery - Christ-centered 12-step for anyone struggling with addiction or life-challenging issues. Mon-

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Location: First United Methodist Church, Wetumpka 306 W. Tuskeena Street ‘Fresh Start’ Recovery meets every Thursday, 6-8pm (meal included). In 2011, Fresh Start Motorcycle Ministry (FSMM) began when God laid it on the heart of a lifetime biker to minister to those with his background. All are welcome, not a requirement to own/ride a motorcycle. Format used is the Holy Bible. For any info contact ministry leader, Paul Henderson, 334-201-5428.

Alzheimer’s / Dementia

Location: First UMC, 2416 W. Cloverdale Park, Wesley Hall Bldg.

An Adult Parkinson/Alzheimer’s respite ministry meets from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Lunch is served. Contact Daphne at 834-8990.

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Location: Memorial Presbyterian, 2130 Bell Road A Dementia Morning Out for caregivers is offered each Tuesday from 8:45-noon. There is no charge. Each participant may bring a sack lunch (juice provided). Registration is required by calling 274-1018.

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Cancer

Location: Aldersgate UMC, 6610 Vaughn Rd, Montgomery Cancer Survivors Support Group is sponsored by Samaritan Counseling Center.

We would love to have anyone (patient or family member ) join us. Thursdays at 1 pm. Please call before attending just to make sure we are meeting that week. Please call Debbie D at 467-4578 or Ben W at 202-1912.

Location: Dalraida Baptist, 3838 Wares Ferry Road.

Just for Men -- Faith based cancer support group for men.

Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the conference center. Please call 272-2412 email stan.hurst@knology.net.

Location: ChristChurch, 8800 Vaughn Road Cancer Support Group for general cancer. Tuesday afternoons at 1 pm. For more info, please call Christy Holding at 531-1390 or Debbie at 467-4578.

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy. Women of Hope Breast Cancer Support Group, providing education, awareness, and mentoring for breast cancer patients/survivors, family, and friends, meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in Rm 8253. Call 272-8622 or womenofhope@charter.net.

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy. The Central Alabama Multiple Myeloma Support Group meets from 10 a.m. to noon the second Saturday of every month in Room 3105. We have guest speakers, video presentations, printed information and a group that welcomes sharing their journey with myeloma in an informal setting. Refreshments are provided.. Contact Lorenzo and Elaine Duncan at 334-281-8158, or at duncan6563@gmail.com.

Depression

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy A Depression/Bipolar Support Group meets on the 1st Thursday of each month from 7:00-8:30pm in Room 3101. This group also meets on the 3rd Saturday afternoon, 12-2 pm, Dalraida UMC, 3817 Atlanta Hwy in Church Annex. Call 334.652.1431 or email dbsamontgomery@yahoo.com.

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Divorce

Location: First Baptist Church, 305 S. Perry Street Divorce Care is held Wednesdays, 6:30-8 pm. Childcare available. $15 for workbook. Dinner at 4:45 ($5 adults, $3 kids). Call Kathy Cooper at 241-5125.

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Divorce Care meets each Tuesday from 6-7:30pm. in the Fellowship Hall Lobby. This group will provide support & guidance to assist you in working through the issues, pain & pressures surrounding divorce. Also, Divorce Care for Kids meets each Tuesday from 6-7:30pm. For information, contact 495-6385 or email singles@frazerumc.org.

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Location: Millbrook First UMC, 3350 Edgewood Road DivorceCare- Will meet Sundays from 5-7 p.m.

For more information or to sign up, please call the church office at 285-4114 or email churchoffice@mfumc.org.

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Location: Vaughn Forest Church, 8660 Vaughn Road DivorceCare fosters a weekly supportive and caring environment to heal the hurt of separation and divorce. Facilitators are Todd Smith, Wendy Timbie, and Becki Harrison. Call 279-5433.

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Gambling

Location: Cedarwood Community Church, 10286 US HWY 231 in the Wallsboro/ Wetumpka community Gamblers Anonymous, Saturdays at 6 pm. 567-0476 Location: Mental Health of America Bldg, 1116 South Hull Street, Montgomery. Sundays @ 5 pm.

Location: St Paul’s Lutheran Church, 4475 Atlanta Hwy, Mondays @ 6pm.

Gamblers Anonymous Hotline: 334-541-5420 or you can call 2-1-1 and ask for meeting information.

Alabama Council on Compulsive Gambling: 277-5100

Grief Location: Eastmont Baptist, 4505 Atlanta Hwy. Compassionate Friends is a national self-help support organization for families grieving the death of a child meeting first Tuesdays at 7 pm. Call (334) 284-2721 for info.

Location: First UMC, 100 E. Fourth St, Prattville Grief Share, Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm in the church parlor. Call 365-5977.

Location: Frazer UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Grief Recovery Support Group meets Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m., Rm 3105, in Fellowship Hall Lobby. 272.8622.

Location: Grace Baptist Church, 304 Old Montgomery Highway, Wetumpka Mourning to Morning is a Christian growth group for mothers who have lost a child, from before birth through adulthood. Meets the last Thursday night of each month. For info, contact Alice Scarborough (334) 462-4775 or Gwen Ellis (334) 567-8754 or e-mail mourningtomorning@gmail. com. Join us on Facebook--Mourning to Morning Group.

Location: Millbrook FUMC, 3350 Edgewood Rd Grief Share meets Sundays from 5-7 p.m. For more information or to sign up, please call the church office at 285-4114 or email churchoffice@mfumc.org.

Location: Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church 1550 E. Washington Street Grief Ministry is a grief recovery support group that meets

every Monday at 6:00 P.M. The ministry is designed to help anyone through the hurt of losing a loved one by successfully traveling the journey from mourning to joy. Alicia Glover is the coordinator. For information contact Glover at 334281-2754.

Location: Vaughn Forest Church, 8660 Vaughn Road GriefShare is a support group that meets Wednesdays from 6-8 pm. This program is non-denominational and features biblical concepts for healing your grief. GriefShare will be led by Howard and Carol Payne and Jim Williams. Call 2795433 for more information.

Miscellaneous Location: 5500 Ash Grove Circle, Montgomery.

OCD Support Group (obsessive- Compulsive Disorder) Long showers, multiple hand washing, rituals, checking stove, hoarding and symmetry. This support group is open to anyone who has struggled with OCD. You’re not alone anymore. Call Donald: 220-7555.

Location: Eastmont Baptist Church, 4505 Atlanta Highway Take Heart is for women dealing with infertility and/or miscarriage. The group meets the first Monday of each month at 6 pm in room 116. Contact Melissa at (205) 9132667 for more information.

Parenting

Location: First Baptist Prattville, 138 S. Washington Moms LIFE (Living In Faith Everyday) meets twice monthly from 8:30 - 11:45 am in the chapel at the Church from Aug May. We offer a time of fellowship, Bible study, musical guest, special guest speakers and a lot of fun!! Cost is $5 per meeting. For moms of all

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stages and ages of life. Childcare provided by reservation.

For more info and to reserve your spot, call April Scott at 828-446-6666.

Location: First Baptist Church, 305 S. Perry Street MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) Moms, need a little break? MOPS is a place you can share a good meal, make new friends, and find encouragement as you face the everyday challenges of raising your little ones. We have educational speakers, great conversation, and fun activities.

Free childcare is provided. Meetings are every 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 9:30-11:30 a.m., September through May. Contact Tiffany Alewine at 241-5165.

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Frazer mom2mom is a playgroup to connect mothers of ages birth to 5 at Frazer United Methodist Church to share fun and inspiration in our journey together, with our children, and with Christ. Email Mom2mom@frazerumc.org for more information.

together by a common bond, to be better wives, moms, and friends along this journey in the trenches of motherhood. We meet the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month from 9:30—11:30 a.m. Childcare is provided. For info e-mail VFCMOPS@gmail.com.

Physical Challenges

Location: Aldersgate UMC, 6610 Vaughn Road Visually Impaired Support Group – Meets monthly on second Thursday 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. The group is called Outward Sight - Inward Vision and is for those with vision loss and their caregivers. Our mission is to assist those experiencing vision loss to maintain their independence by providing access to valuable information and spiritual support. Call 272-6152.

Location: Perry Hill UMC, 910 Perry Hill Road Single Moms’ Care and Support Group meets 2nd and 4th Thursdays from 6:15 - 8:00 PM. December meeting will be on the 11th. Free snack supper provided to moms and children. Child care for infants -16 years. Call 272-3174 for information.

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy An MDA/ALS Support Group will meet Tuesday August 10 6:00p.m. – 8:00 p.m. in room 3101. Anyone affected by a neuromuscular disease or family members of those affected.

To receive information, call 396-4534.

Location: Redland Baptist, 1266 Dozier Rd, Wetumpka A MOPS group will be held 1st and 3rd Tuesday’s of every month during the school year, and has scheduled play dates and moms nights out through the summer and beyond.

While moms are in a MOPS meeting, their children are lovingly cared for in the MOPPETS program. Email Denise Braswell at deniseorscott@yahoo.com for more info.

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy The Montgomery Ostomy Support Group is for people who have had or will have urinary or intestinal diversion surgeries such as colostomy, ileostomy and urostomy. Family members are welcome to attend. Meetings are held every other month generally on a Sunday afternoon. For more information, call Paul at 271-3563 or visit www.montgomeryostomy.info.

Location: Vaughn Forest Church, 8660 Vaughn Road Are you in need of a time-out? MOPS joins mothers

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February 2016

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy A Parkinson’s Support Group will meet the 4th Thursday

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at 6 p.m., in room 8114 at Frazer UMC. This group is for those who have Parkinson’s disease and the family members. 272-8622.

Singlehood

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Boundaries study for singles meets each Tuesday from 6-7:30pm in the Fellowship Hall Lobby. This study will help singles learn to set boundaries with emotions and help avoid the harmful behavior of others. For more information, call 495-6386 or email singles@frazerumc.org.

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Single and Parenting! A New Group for Single Mom’s.

This group meets every Tuesday from 6-7:30pm for hope & encouragement & guidance & parenting ideas. For information, call 495-6386 or email singles@frazerumc.org.

Location: Cornerstone Christian, 301 Dalraida Rd. Unavoidably Single Again (USA) Fellowship, a support group for widows and widowers. Informal meetings for fellowship and fun are held on the third Saturday of each month starting at 10 AM. Contact Lynda at farauthor@aol. com or 354-8869.

Veterans

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Veterans OEF/OIF Caregivers Support Group meets on the 3rd Wednesday from 11am-1pm in Room 3108. Contact LaQuana Edwards, Caregiver Support Coordinator at CAVHCS (334) 727-0550 ext. 5350.

Email your support group info to deanne@readjourneymagazine.com!

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“Just so you know, we don’t speak Spanish.

We speak Mixteco,” a little boy said, chuckling at Hallay Cagle one summer day in 2007. Hallay had spent an entire week with a ministry she worked alongside, ministering to a Hispanic community in Montgomery, speaking Spanish to this people group, assuming it was their native tongue. Shockingly, Hallay and her group found that this community may have looked like they spoke Spanish, but in reality spoke a language called Mixteco.

Mixteco has 50 different dialects, keeping the community separated within itself.

During the same year of Hallay’s discovery of such an interesting culture and community, numerous churches around the city of Montgomery had people of this same Hallay with Mixtec children.

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community trickling through their church doors saying the same thing to the same assumption, “We don’t speak Spanish, we speak Mixteco.” After research, a discovery found that the Mixtec tribe is an indigenous people group from Southern Guerrero, Mexico.

Relationships have been formed in the years since.

Lisa Rose, one of the founding members of the Montgomery Baptist Association’s Mixteco Task Force, 26

did a great deal of research and investigation into this people group soon after meeting them. In doing so, Lisa found that this particular culture of people is the most unreached, unengaged people group in all of the Americas (International Mission Board, SBC).

“They happen to be in Montgomery for a season. We have an obligation as Christians to share the Gospel with any unreached people group and that means we have an obligation to Jesus to reach out to this community, regardless of its language and cultural barriers,” Lisa explains. “If we don’t take the time to teach the Gospel to this people group, we are disobeying God according to Scripture.”

Three thousand plus Mixtecs live in the Central Alabama area and more than one third in the city of Montgomery. A task force formed to identify and meet the pressing needs of these people and to strategize on how to share Christ with them. Over the years, it has evolved into an interdenominational task force of Christian churches believing every Mixteco man, woman and child has the right to hear the Gospel and respond in every way they understand. Lisa’s church congregation, as well as many others, have partnered together to love these people with the Gospel of Jesus. This task force has taken time and energy, the same way

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that Hallay Cagle did when she dedicated her life to blessing this community.

Not long after discovering this particular people group in our city, Hallay Cagle could not let a day go by without thinking of these souls and searching for ways to be a light for Jesus in their world.

She started by tutoring one child in the community every day after school. The two would sit outside in a field and she would help him with his school work.

After months of working diligently to help this student improve his skills, his mother invited her to eat a meal with them, and from there, the rest was history. Hallay’s involvement in the community bloomed into a haven for children to gain greater education skills, for parents to have opportunity to learn the Gospel and feel a sense of trust to a person outside their normal culture, and for the community as a whole to grow in the kingdom of God. Hallay dedicated time and energy to this place before going off to another city for college. Even in her time away, the community stayed present on her heart. Enough so, that she raised funds to move herself into the community in the summer so she could help kids with

Lisa Rose speaking at recent Mixtec Summit. Photo by Rachel Brown. their school work, keeping them up to their grade level for school. With time, no matter her distance, marriage, location, or placement in life, Hallay kept a steady and consistent relationship with this group in Montgomery. The relationships that were formed created such a trust that Hallay has

become the “go-to gal” for helping parents communicate, fill out school paperwork, and enhancing kids education outside of the classroom.

“Ancestor worship is a large part of what they do religiously,” says Hallay.

“They live in constant fear of what could

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happen because of what someone may have done before them, let alone a curse being placed on their family. They need Jesus, because Jesus doesn’t carry that fear.”

The community is in great need of the gospel and is already experiencing a tremendous amount of Christ’s love through the Task Force, as well as the tutoring program called Every Tribe, started by Hallay Cagle. One particular language that Hallay pointed out was one that we all are capable of speaking… love. They may not be able to speak English or even Spanish, but they know when a person is simply loving them. Love has no language barrier. When the Spirit of God is involved, barriers of language and culture are broken down.

For the last two years, the Montgomery Baptist Association and the SBC International Mission Board has partnered to host the National Mixtec Summit where churches and ministries from all

over the United States come together to share best practices, pray for this people group and network with others who are doing similar outreach with this people.

This year, more than 100 individuals from the United States, Canada and Mexico came together to share and pray with each other. Everyone left refreshed and full of new ideas to share Christ with this people group.

The Montgomery Baptist Association Mixteco Task Force has paved a way for our city to be a safe haven for people who are hungry for the word of God in their lives. The Mixteco Task Force is always excited when new faces join their mission to love the community, and would gladly invite any and all who have an interest in helping. If you would like to become a part of this mission, contact Lisa Rose by calling 334-271-6794 or by emailing her at lrose@mgmbaptists.org.

Laura Bell is a freelance writer, born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama. She enjoys spending time with her husband Cody and finding all reasons to have joy in life!

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It’s a good neighborhood for letting go.

HE’S JUST A LITTLE BOY BUT FEELS TEN-FEET TALL WALKING TO SCHOOL. AS A FIRST GRADER, HE STILL LETS ME HOLD HIS HAND, BUT I KNOW HE’LL BE PULLING AWAY SOON. AND MY JOB – HARD AS IT IS – WILL BE TO LET GO. AT LEAST I KNOW THESE SAME SIDEWALKS WILL SEE HIM THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.

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Top 10 Topics of 2015 Again this year, I want to list the “Top 10 Topics of 2015,” impacting the Christian community, compiled from my week-inreview blog at MeetingHouseOnline.info.

These were announced at the start of the new year on The Meeting House on Faith Radio.

10 - Pope visits America: Pope Francis visited America and spoke in a number of large cities, including New York, Washington, and Philadelphia. He addressed a variety of topics, including religious freedom and climate change.

9 - Faith leaders debate action on refugees from Muslim countries: After deadly attacks in Paris, a number of American leaders, including dozens of state governors, called for a halt to admitting Syrian refugees, due to the possibility of Islamic terrorists being embedded within groups of refugees. Christian leaders expressed differences of opinion on how to best handle Muslim refugees.

8 - Houston voters turn back so-called “equal rights” ordinance: Voters in Houston went to the polls in early November to vote on an ordinance that had been approved by the City Council that granted special rights based on gender identity and sexual orientation. This is the ordinance that had resulted in pastors’ communication being subpoenaed by city officials in 2014.

7 - Christians focus on racial issues: In the midst of racial tension, Christians made a solid impact in attempting to deal with issues surrounding race. Christians stood together in the aftermath of a tragic shooting in a Charleston church, where nine people died, as well as in Baltimore, where tensions flared after a black man’s death in police custody. A movement called The Reconciled Church arose to encourage believers from a variety of backgrounds to unite to address a number of issues.

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6 – The presence of faith in Presidential campaigns: The Republican Presidential contest has featured a number of professing Christians, and expressions of faith were seen on the campaign trail. One of the frontrunners, Ted Cruz, launched his campaign at Liberty University, which also hosted Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders. Donald Trump turned heads with his high-profile interview in Iowa about matters of faith. Marco Rubio spoke about his personal faith and has become a favorite among the WORLD Magazine evangelical leaders panel. Dr. Ben Carson’s personal faith was on display prior to the start of his campaign, and he regularly expressed his Christian viewpoints.

5 - Planned Parenthood videos, attempts to defund: This year, an organization called the Center for Medical Progress released a series of videos showing people associated with Planned Parenthood discussing how the organization, the nation’s largest abortion provider, was involved in the sale of body parts from aborted babies. In response, Congress attempted to prevent taxpayer dollars from going to the organization, but by year’s end, a large budget bill contained funding for the organization.

4 - Religious freedom concerns gain momentum: Even before the U.S. Supreme Court ruling affirming so-called “same sex marriage,” there were instances where people who stood on the Biblical view of marriage were facing penalties. Examples included: the former fire chief of Atlanta, who expressed a Biblical viewpoint against homosexuality in a book that he wrote, and a couple in Oregon, who was fined for refusing to provide a cake for a gay wedding ceremony. Controversy also erupted in 2 states over legislation designed to strengthen religious freedom.

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3 - Christian persecution and the rise of ISIS: Throughout the year, concern over the rise of ISIS, or Islamic State continued to proliferate, and it was transparent that the terrorist organization regarded Christians as special targets. The deaths of 23 Egyptian (Coptic) Christians at the hands of ISIS served as a reminder of the brutality that the group was involved in.

2 – Clerk refuses to issue marriage licenses in Kentucky, new governor provides relief: After the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the Obergefell case, establishing a right to “gay marriage,” a county clerk in Rowan County, Kentucky, Kim Davis, would not issue marriage licenses in her county. A Federal judge found her in contempt of court and she spent almost a week in jail. Later in the year, a new governor was elected, and he issued an order that the names of clerks were to be removed from marriage licenses.

1 - U.S. Supreme Court affirms “same-sex marriage,” concern over religious freedom expressed: The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, ruled there was a constitutional right for two people of the same gender to marry. There were concerns that there would not be protections for those who objected to gay marriage on religious grounds, and that businesses would face reprisals if they opposed it.

As we face 2016, a number of these stories continue to be written, setting a tone for this year, which will include the Presidential campaign, response to gay marriage, terror, Christian persecution, and response to Planned Parenthood.

Bob Crittenden is host of “The Meeting House”, heard weekday afternoons from 4-6pm on Faith Radio, 89.1FM in Montgomery. Described as “the intersection of faith and culture”, the program features Christian music and conversation about a variety of topics. Learn more by visiting www. meetinghouseonline.info.

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WLBF

“One of the greatest responsibilities as Christians is to ‘grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.’”

(2 Peter 3:18) - Dr. David Jeremiah

Faith Radio Helps Listeners Grow By: • Broadcasting more than 2000 hours of Bible teaching each year.

“Listening to the great teachers on Faith Radio has been a huge help to my spiritual growth.”

• Equipping area jails and prisons with “Radios of Faith”

“I take every opportunity to speak with my cell mates about the Lord. It seems most of the guys are less violent and more civil when Faith Radio is on.”

• Re-Investing in our English broadcast in Cap-Haitien, Haiti “There are many Haitians really keen to learn English. As they tune in to Faith Radio, not only do they get to improve their English as they listen, but they hear eternal truth and hope in the message of the Gospel.”

• Helping hundreds of ministries/churches promote their events • Ministering in Baptist Health hospital rooms “A lot of healing has taken place in my life since listening to Faith Radio.”

• Comforting many lonely and hurting people day and night “...for the songs you all play through the night. They fill my bedroom with the presence of God.”

Thank you for making a trusted investment in building God’s Kingdom, right here, in your community!

IT COSTS MORE THAN

$2200 PER DAY TO SHARE GOD’S GOOD NEWS!

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The ministry of Faith Radio/WLBF is supported by individuals in the Christian community. You can participate in strengthening families as we provide spiritual encouragement with your financial support.

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Contact us at www.faithradio.org, call 800-239-8900 or31by mail at P.O. Box 210789 Montgomery, AL 36121-0789.

February 2016 Community Calendar

Monthly events can also be found in the Around Our Community Section starting on page 8.

Sunday, February 7

The Helen Boykin Piano Festival​2016 Honor Recital, 2 p.m., at Memoorial Presbyterian Church, 2130 Bell Road. Admission is free.

The Boykin Recital is comprised of the Honor Students chosen at the February 6th Boykin Festival. For more information, call Eunhee Ashley 334)202 4404 or e-mail ptcena@yahoo.com.

Tuesday, February 9 Join Wetumpka Boy Scout Troop 13 for its annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper beginning at 5:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church

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of Wetumpka, 100 West Bridge Street. Meals include pancakes, sausage or bacon, butter and syrup, orange juice and coffee. There is no specific charge, but donations will be accepted and appreciated! The money raised will go toward the purchase of a new lightweight trailer that will be used by the troop for monthly camp-outs.

worship at 10:30 a.m. each week. Sunday school classes meet at 9:30 a.m. We offer classes for all age groups and childcare is provided. Our goal is to build bridges...not walls. We invite you to come join us if you need to learn how to build those bridges. For directions or information call 334-3960208. Visit www.bridgeoflife.tv.

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Central Community Christian Church, 981 South Perry Street, Montgomery, holds new members training classes on Sundays at 9 a.m. Sunday School (9:30), morning worship (11:00), Tuesday night Bible study (6:30). Every fourth Sunday of the month is our youth Sunday. For more information please call (334) 269-0457 or by email at centralccchurch1@gmail.com.

The River Region Sacred Music Festival is celebrating its second year of presenting superior quality sacred music sung with a high degree of musical excellence by people from throughout the River Region. Last year’s event was so popular and well-received that this year there will be two free concerts held at First Presbyterian Church in Prattville. The Festival concerts will be on Saturday, February 20th at 7:00 PM and again on Sunday, February 21st at 3:00 PM. For questions, call 334-462-3844.

Ongoing Happenings AGLOW International meets every third Thursday, 9:30 at the Montgomery House of Prayer. All women welcome to join together for praise, prayer and an anointed message. Contact mboudousquie@yahoo.com.

Bridge of Life Assembly of God, 9000 Vaughn Road, Montgomery, holds Sunday morning

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Christchurch, 8800 Vaughn Road, Montgomery, Sunday Worship 9:30, Fellowship/SundaySchool for all ages. Monday: Women’s Enrichment 6:00; Wednesday: Enrichment for all ages 5:30-6:30; Parish-wide supper 6:30-7:30 every Wednesday; Thursday: Men’s Breakfast Bible Study 7:00 a.m., 11th Floor Goode Building/Jackson Hospital; Women’s Enrichment Bible Study and Lunch, 11:45 am- 12:40 pm. Call 387-0566 for info.

Chisholm Baptist Church, 2938 Lower Wetumpka Road, Montgomery, holds Sunday morning Bible study (9:30), Morning worship (10:45), Tuesday prayer breakfast (8:30) Wednesday evening prayer service (6 pm) and Senior Body and

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Soul Group (every 1st Tuesday at 1 pm). Email jbass9784@charter.net or call 262-6437.

Ministries Building on Adams Street, Thursdays, at noon. Small cost for hot lunch. Call 272.1133.

First Presbyterian Church, 9299 Vaughn Road, hosts a Men’s Prayer Breakfast every Friday morning, 6 a.m.

Hall Memorial CME Church says: VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Tutors, prayer-warriors, and office/clerical volunteers needed for the Montgomery City Jail Ministry & G.E.D program. Opportunities are ongoing. No experience or certification necessary. Contact Pastor Anderson T. Graves II, at hallmemorialcme1@aol.com. Call 334-288-0577.

The City Jail ministry is an in-reach ministry of Hall Memorial CME Church, 541 Seibles Road, Montgomery.

The Youth of First United Methodist Church, Montgomery every Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. for Wednesday Night Live, a time of praise and worship in “the attic”. Also, every Sunday night at 6:00 p.m. is MYF which includes a snack supper $3.00 followed by activities, small groups and lots of fun! Visit www.fumcmontgomery.org.

First United Methodist Church will host Terrific Tuesdays. Please come and join us for fellowship, a program and lunch. Terrific Tuesdays will meet each Tuesday in room 204 of Wesley Hall.

Fellowship time will begin at 10:00 a.m. followed by a program at 10:30 a.m. and lunch at 11:30 a.m.

The cost of lunch is $2.50. Contact NeeNee Webb at 834-8990.

Frazer mom2mom is a playgroup to connect mothers of ages birth to 5 at Frazer UMC to share fun and inspiration in our journey together, with our children, and with Christ. Email Mom2mom@ frazerumc.org.

Good News @ Noon is an interdenominational Bible study, held at the First Baptist Community

Macedonia Miracle Kingdom & Worship Center (MMKWC), 3070 Selma Highway, Montgomery, services are Sunday School and New Members Class, 9:00 a.m., Morning Worship, 10:45 a.m.; Tuesday Night Bible Class, 7:00 p.m. and Friday Night Prayer, 6:00 p.m.

(BOTH at The Pattern-Mt Meigs Road) Messiah Lutheran Church, 6670 Vaughn Road, invites all to Wonderful Wednesdays starting with a $3-5 meal at 5:30 pm (RSVP 277-4213 by Monday noon), worship with eucharist 6:15-7:00 pm, and adult choir rehearsal and Catechism class for 7th-9th graders at 7:00 pm. For information, call 277-4213.

Mt. Gillard Missionary Baptist Church, 3323 Day Street, holds Wednesday Bible Study in the church Fellowship Hall and lasts for one hour.

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Please come and participate in roaming the Bible learning God’s word through teaching. The Rev. Henry M. Carnegie, Jr. is the teacher and pastor.

Mid-day Bible Study begins each Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. Evening Bible Study begins each Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. Call 233-8750.

Open Door Christian Faith Worship Center, 2450 Presidents Drive, Montgomery, holds Sunday School at 9:00. Sunday Morning worship 10:45. Wednesday night Bible study 6:00.

Youth Sunday Every 2nd Sunday. Women’s Prayer Monday 6:00. Our Mission is producing believers who make an impact on a fallen society.

Motto: Living –Loving-Praying and Walking In The Spirit of Excellence. William E. Cromblin, Pastor. For information call 334-270-6498.

Perry Hill UMC, 910 Perry Hill Rd, sponsors a Bluegrass Jam in the Church Fellowship Hall on the third Saturday of each month from 9AM 12AM. All Bluegrass Artist plus Fans are invited to attend. Attendance is FREE. For information call Kathy@ 272-3174.

Perry Hill UMC, 910 Perry Hill Rd, hosts a Wednesday Night Supper and Revive! program each week from 5:30pm til 7:00pm.

Reservations are required by noon on the Monday prior to the supper. Cost is $4 per person or $12 per family. Call 334-272-3174 for more information.

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February 2016 Community Calendar River City Church, 301 Dexter Avenue, offers a Friday Christian Night Club (free of alcohol and smoking) with Ballroom Dancing every Friday at 6:30 P.M. Cost $10 for a one hour lesson, devotional, and 3 hours of DJ music.

All denominations welcome. 7:30-10:30 open dance floor.

The River of Life Church, located at 116 County Road 40 E (in the Pine Level Community Center) Prattville. Pastor Nick Edwards invites you to a “Place of New Beginnings”, where families come and grow together. Church Service Schedule: Sunday

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February 2016

10:30 a.m. Sunday School; 11:00 a.m.

Morning Worship; 5:00 p.m. Evening Worship.

Wednesday 6:00 p.m. Adult Bible Study, Teens (Genesis Project), Jr. High (Limitless), Royal Rangers, MPact Girls, Rainbow’s/ Noah’s Zoo Club. Thursday 9:00 a.m.Women of Grace Bible Study. Nursery provided. Call the church office 334-657-0392 or visit www. theriveroflifechurch.net.

Saint James UMC, 9045 Vaughn Road, offers S.N.A.G. (Sunday Nights About God!) This program starts at 5:00p.m. and ends at 6:30p.m.

Childcare is provided for small groups until 7:00p.m. Don’t forget this program is available for all children!

Saint James UMC, 9045 Vaughn Road, offers Wild & Wacky Wednesdays! Wednesday night supper starts at 5:15p.m. We will start checking children in at 6:00p.m. This program ends at 7:30p.m. and childcare is provided until 8:00p.m. for small group participants. Call 277.3037 for more info.

Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, 706 E. Patton Avenue, “Clothes Closet” is open to the public each Thursday morning from 10 a.m. – Noon. The Men of Saint Paul host a free Men’s Prayer Breakfast the Third Saturday of each month at 8 a.m. in the Church Fellowship Hall. The Men’s

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Prayer Breakfast is open to all men of all ages.

Come and share your concerns and needs of our Men of today. For more information, please contact (334) 354-1897. Bible Study is held each Wednesday, 6-7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. For info call 286.8577.

S-STOP, a commUNITY Bible study for Singles. Souls Strengthened Together for One Purpose. Psalm 46:10 “BE STILL and know that I am God.” Meets at Prattville Christian Academy on Sunday nights at 6 p.m. For info email sstop04@gmail.com.

Vision Full Gospel Ministries, 163 Rifle Range Road, Montgomery, holds Bible Study Tues.

Night 7:00 p.m., Pray & Praise 2nd & 4th Thurs.

Night 7:00 p.m., Sunday School 9:30 am, Sunday Worship Service 10:45 a.m., Internet radio-homecominggospel.com Sunday 3:00p.m. Central & 4:00 p.m. Eastern. and Satellite Radio -wlsg 1340am Sunday 3:00p.m.

Women at The Well Ministry invites you to attend its women’s fellowship at 1 pm every 1st and 3rd Saturday. We are women who desire and have a heart to see broken, crushed, hurting women be transformed through the one man who can fulfill their every need... JESUS. All women of all denominations or race are welcome. This ministry is available to teenagers as well. For info contact Evangelist Dr. Linda McCall, 334-220-1924.

Send your events to deanne@ readjourneymagazine.com.

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Q. Our son just turned 8 years old. Is it time to start giving him an allowance?

A. There’s never a time for an allowance, no matter the child’s age. In my mind, that kind of thinking is the best way to plant the seeds of entitlement. You want your son growing up with the idea that he’s owed money simply because he’s alive.

Instead, work out a plan to pay him commissions. Assign him weekly chores that are age-appropriate. Then, when the work gets done, he gets paid. And guess what? If the work doesn’t get done, he doesn’t get paid! Not only do we want to teach a healthy work ethic, but we also want him to learn that work creates money.

Of course, there are some things a child should be expected to do without financial reward. Everyone needs to pitch in and do certain things to help out when they’re part of a family. But once you’ve taught him about work, make sure to also teach him about the three uses for money—saving, spending, and giving.

Lessons on the basic handling of money are some of the best teachable moments you can have with your child. Not

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only does it make them more knowledgeable about finances, it helps them learn about life!

Q. I don’t understand why you don’t like it when people properly manage their credit cards and pay them off every month. By doing this, you pay no interest and in my case I even got a free trip to Europe from using my credit card. Please explain.

A. I truly doubt that I can

explain it to your satisfaction, but here goes. First, the credit card company did not give you a free trip to Europe. They’re not going to lose money on transaction after transaction, year after year. The fallacy is that you feel like you’ve outsmarted a multi-billion dollar company that studies human behavior at incredible levels. You maybe, possibly came out ahead against them during that particular calendar year, but even that’s debatable.

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Over the course of your life, you’ll spend more when using credit cards as opposed to cash. There’s plenty of research proving this to be fact. If you use a credit card repeatedly with the idea that you’re getting a free trip to Europe because you’re building up your miles, you spend more. An example would be McDonald’s.

When they started taking credit cards years ago, they found that the people using them spent 47 percent more.

In a good way, you are very unusual. You’re not playing over in the stupid zone like most people who use credit cards. But both I and the credit card companies have found that, on average, your behavior would put you in a class of less than one-half of one percent of their customers. Can 0.5 percent of people handling snakes manage not to get bitten?

Sure. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to start recommending snakes!

Provides caring, quality services that affect all communities and every person in the state — not just those who walk through health department doors.

Increases access to health care for eligible, uninsured children ages birth through 18 with the ALL Kids Children’s Health Insurance Program. In 2013, ALL Kids served nearly 85,000 Alabama children.

Provides nutrition assessment, education, and nutritious foods at no cost to a monthly average of 139,000 limitedincome pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age 5 at nutritional risk through WIC.

Investigates disease outbreaks, maintains surveillance of notifiable diseases, and answers queries about disease control and other health-related events including communicable disease outbreaks and rabies case investigations.

Protects patients/ residents of health care facilities from abuse and neglect.

Works to ensure facilities provide a level of care that complies with state and federal standards. Requires corrective action when surveys find facilities are noncompliant.

Protects the public from foodborne illnesses and the spread of disease by ensuring standards in environmental health, regulates onsite sewage disposal systems, and oversees treatment and disposal of septage and other permitted wastes.

Offers home care services that include skilled nursing, physical therapy, medical social work, and personal care services through Medicare-certified home health agencies.

Provides health education to modify behavior to prevent and manage chronic diseases such as arthritis, asthma, cancer, heart disease, and overweight/obesity.

Offers a tobacco Quitline.Thirty-nine percent of tobacco users who complete the telephone or online program stop using tobacco.

Issues certified copies of all Alabama birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates in every county health department on a while-you-wait basis regardless of where in the state the event occurred.

Provides a wide range of confidential and professional family planning services, regardless of income, to prevent unintended pregnancies and abortion through education and contraceptive services.

Administers the Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program to provide screening to uninsured and underinsured women age 40-64, and ensures treatment is provided.

Screens newborns for genetic or metabolic conditions, thereby reducing morbidity, premature death, intellectual and other developmental disabilities through early detection and follow-up.

Provides clinical nursing services such as immunizations, and STD and TB screening and treatment. Administers the Alabama Drug Assistance Program for HIV medication assistance.

Assists rural and medically underserved areas by working with health care providers and organizations to prepare grants and provide workforce development.

Assures that emergency medical services meet or exceed established standards.

www.adph.org 1-800-252-1818

Come Worship With Us!

Programs offered for all ages and stages of life.

Sunday 8:30 am 9:45 am 11:00 am 5:00 pm 6:15 pm

Worship Services Bible Fellowship Classes Worship Services Discipleship Classes Worship Service

Wednesday 4:45 5:30 6:00 6:30 6:35

pm pm pm pm pm

First Family Dinner Sanctuary Orchestra Rehearsal First Family Prayer Time Powerhouse (Student Ministry) Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal

Bring them in...

Build them up...

Send them out...

305 South Perry Street | Montgomery, AL 36104 334.834.6310 | www.montgomeryfbc.org

Jay Wolf, pastor