Mississippi Christian Living August 2022

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AUGUST 2022

3 therapists talk faith and mental health Back-to-school recipes 1 mom’s miraculous Journey

mschristianliving.com ❘ AUGUST 2022 3

contents AUGUST 2022 VOLUME 17, NUMBER 1

PUBLISHER

MS Christian Living, Inc.

PHOTO BY STEGALL IMAGERY

EDITOR

MCL Editor Katie Eubanks (far right) sat down with counselors (from left) Leona Bishop, Krista Woods and Lisa Owens about how counseling can be an important tool for living out God’s design (page 18).

columns

Katie Eubanks katie@mschristianliving.com MANAGING EDITOR

Suzanne Durfey ART/GRAPHIC DESIGN

Sandra Goff SALES

Suzanne Durfey, Ginger Gober CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Mandy Bufkin, Dan Hall, Laura Lee Leathers, Cate McCrory, Tommye Morris, Anna Claire O’Cain, Pastor Johnathan Sanders, Jade Whitehurst

8 As I See It

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY

On suicide

Stegall Imagery

10 Modern Motherhood 1 mama’s miraculous Journey

12 Mission Mississippi Moments

DISTRIBUTION ASSISTANTS

Rachel and Nettie Schulte, Jerri and Sammy Strickland, Rachel and Bob Whatley

Deeper faith leads to deeper relationships

14 Faith, Fashion & Fitness Overcome fitness struggles with Holy Spirit power

16 This Is My Story God pursued me when I kept Him at arms’ length

28 Food for Thought 3 easy back-to-school recipes God has miraculously provided water — both literal and spiritual — in Kenya’s Chalbi Desert through the work of Shelby Neese and Global Concern Inc. Read more on page 30.

30 Lagniappe

cover story

33 What’s Going On

The miraculous story of Shelby’s Well

32 A Cup of Encouragement The education found in letters CWUY Embrace Freedom Day

18 Erasing the stigma 3 therapists talk faith and mental health

in every issue

feature 24 Olivia and Chris Kneip Running the race

6 Editor’s Letter 34 Quips & Quotes 34 Advertiser Index

Coming next month 4 presidents of Christ-centered colleges Dr. Ben Burnett

Dr. Roger Parrott

Dr. Barbara McMillin

Mississippi Christian Living P.O. Box 1819 Madison, MS 39130

601.345.1091 mschristianliving.com Mississippi Christian Living is committed to encouraging individuals in their daily lives by presenting the faith stories of others and by providing information that will point every person, at every stage of life, to a deeper, authentic, personal, and life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ.

Views expressed in Mississippi Christian Living do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Every effort has been made by the Mississippi Christian Living staff to insure accuracy of the publication contents. However, we do not guarantee the accuracy of all information nor the absence of errors and omissions; hence, no responsibility can be or is assumed. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2022 by MS Christian Living, Inc. Mississippi Christian Living is published monthly and is available for free at hightraffic locations throughout the tri-county area. Subscriptions are $29 a year.

Dr. Blake Thompson

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EDITOR’S LETTER

On Snapchat, friendship, and being known

From left: CC Allgood, Kaitie Wagner, Mandy Bufkin holding Ezra Bufkin, and Katie Eubanks.

I

’m still getting compliments on MCL’s confetti-filled cover photo last month. What you might not know is that

without two of my closest friends, that cover shoot would’ve been a disaster.

I’ve known Mandy and CC for several years now. We met through another close friend, also named Kaitie, who has since moved to Denver, and we all keep up via (don’t judge us) Snapchat.

Yes, we’re a bit older than Snapchat’s target demographic, but we usually don’t use it for selfies. Instead, we send each other video “snaps,” giving the group almost a play-by-play of our days and weeks. Things like work, relationships and pets interfere, but also are often detailed in said snaps.

Back to that cover shoot: My one idea was confetti. Other than that, I had nothing. What would we do with our hands? Maybe I could hold a balloon?

Cue Mandy and CC to the rescue. They helped me think through exactly how to stage the photo.

Mandy sent me an Instagram post for inspiration.

She ordered a “birthday” cake for MCL. She and CC gave me ideas for props. CC sent us pictures of her mother’s beautiful cake plates and brought a few different ones to the shoot.

6 AUGUST 2022 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living

Mandy took “behind the scenes” pictures.

CC and others popped confetti. They both stayed afterward and helped me clean up. If other Kaitie had been there, she would’ve been in the trenches (or tile grout, rather — removing confetti) with us. She has helped me fold, seal and stamp subscription renewal notices, and I’m pretty sure she’s helped me bag magazines.

You get the point: I owe my friends a big ole heap of gratitude, and probably a steak dinner.

We have plenty of fun outside of work, too.

We had a book club for a couple years, and even now that it’s defunct, CC often sends us her own book reviews on Snapchat. The sillier the title, the better. Nowadays when we get together, it’s usually for a meal, a movie, a board game, toddler time with Mandy’s son, or some combination thereof.

But honestly? Those daily and weekly Snapchat updates are part of what keeps us the closest.

There’s something I’ve been hearing a lot over the past year — from my church, my boyfriend and others — the idea of “knowing and being known.” And I used to think I was really good at being known. I’m willing to

share my testimony whenever, wherever. I love the story of how messed-up I was and how Jesus brought me out of that.

Just don’t ask me about that thing I’m dealing with right now — and not always dealing with very well. That thing that scares me. That thing that makes me feel inadequate.

I don’t want to feel judged, and I don’t want to admit I’m not perfect.

But we’re not meant to live our lives in a vacuum, just us and God, struggling through the hard stuff. I had friends in my life who helped me in the past — during that story I love telling now — and I need friends now, too.

I need believers who think a little differently than I do. I need my parents, who’ve lived more life than I have. I need peers who can affirm and encourage me, like my friends do (yes, via Snapchat!) if they get even a whiff of downheartedness coming from my direction.

And I need to do that for others. There’s no separating love for God and love for His people.

But what does that look like? Well, if you love someone, you spend time with them. You open up to them. You show them grace when they open up to you. It’s hard, it’s awkward, it’s messy, but it is worth it. God wants us to confess our sins to each other, not to embarrass us but so we’ll be healed (James 5:16).

I’m still not great at this. And my friends and I don’t always discuss super deep stuff in video snaps. (Maybe one day we’ll get into letter writing — see Laura Leathers’ column on page 32.) But oftentimes we do. And I’m so grateful to have friends who see me, know me, and still love me, just like God does.

Read more about vulnerability, faith and mental health in our cover story on page 18, and also check out my friend Mandy’s column about a fresh start in her friendship with God on page 16!

What step can you take toward true friendship today? Y

Katie Eubanks katie@mschristianliving.com

38 years,

AS I SEE IT

by DAN HALL

On suicide

F

rom the time I was about 13 until I was nearly 40, suicide

experiences, or a series of stressful experiences, or an extended was an incessant thought in my mind. I thought about it daily and experience that wears us down mentally and emotionally. Over often throughout the day. Every. Single. Day. time, we just don’t have anything left to withstand.

It was very rare I planned to take my own life, but it always seemed a This is a bit more difficult because what leads to this type of better option than “this life.” (These thoughts absent planning are now depression is so multifaceted. Very often, an effective, biblically based identified as “suicidal ideation.”) counselor, sometimes accompanied by medication temporarily, are Which made no sense, because “this life” was really pretty good. I was necessary and effective. Again, a strong relational support system is raised in a great home, going to great schools, attending a great church very important. and surrounded by a great social circle. I made great grades, was a starter ◼ Chemical. Some people are endemically short of chemicals like on a 5A state-championship contending football team, president of a serotonin and require medication in order to correct this. You can nationally award-winning a cappella choir, and alternate second bass in grit your teeth and just bear through life, but why do that when the Texas Allstate Choir.

God has provided medication just like He does with aspirin?

I had great jobs that put me through college, graduated from Baylor This will require meeting with a psychiatrist to determine what University with honors and started pastoring a medication would be most effective. There are a growing church. But the thoughts persisted. I number of prescription drugs proven helpful. took a larger church outside Louisville, Driving down that freeway nearly 20 years Kentucky, that grew to nearly 2,000 in regular If you’re struggling with ago, feeling engulfed in darkness, wondering attendance. The thoughts continued. th suicidal thoughts, please don’t how over 20 years of passionately following Right before my 40 birthday, I found myself Jesus seemed futile, I was desperate. Pounding driving down I-64 and wondering how fast I struggle alone. Find someone my steering wheel, tears streaming down my would have to drive into the concrete pillar to you can trust to tell: a friend, a face, I cried out, “God, I don’t know where to ensure I died and felt as little pain as possible. I family member, a pastor or a find You. Would You please come find me!” had gradually slipped from ideation to the I thought I had understood grace before counselor. THERE IS HELP. frightening phase of planning. then, but that day I let go of all the religious Before I share my personal “emergence from rules and expectations that I had accrued over crisis” journey, let me offer my non-clinical years of trying to please God with my best observation on suicidal thoughts, informed by efforts. I just accepted that He loved me … just because He did. nearly 40 years as a pastoral counselor. Generally, I think depression has There are many tools to facilitate mental health. But there is one truth three primary roots: that transcends all of it: God demonstrated His love toward YOU by ◼ Personality. I think some personalities are just given to deep sending His Son to purchase YOU so He could hang out with YOU emotional processing. I have a moody personality that “feels forever. You can’t earn that love … and you can’t lose it! deeply” about everything. I over-process, think excessively about If you’re struggling with suicidal thoughts, please don’t struggle alone. issues, and hate simple answers to complex problems. Abraham Find someone you can trust to tell: a friend, a family member, a pastor or Lincoln was like this. I heard one psychologist say, “If Abraham a counselor. THERE IS HELP. Y Lincoln had been alive today, he would have been medicated out of his genius.”

Dan Hall is an executive and strategic coach to leaders and executive I have found that deep, open relationships, effective journaling, and teams. He also works with organizations on team building, conflict safe people with whom I can discuss and process my thinking are major resolution and communication skills. He and his wife, Hazel, have six tools against suicidal ideation.

“

”

◼ Circumstances. Sometimes life can send such deeply painful

children and four grandchildren. You can reach him at Dan@OnCourseSolutions.com.

2 RESOURCES IF YOU HAVE SUICIDAL THOUGHTS For immediate help, please use the following hotline: Suicide Prevention Hotline 988 Call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to message a counselor online with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

800.784.2433 (800.SUICIDE) • suicidehotlines.com/mississippi For long-term, deeper help, reach out to Dea Dean, one of the most effective trained therapists in our area, and her all-female collective of highly proficient therapists.

Dea Dean LPC at Counseling Collective 206 West Jackson Street • Suite 200 • Ridgeland • 769.300.1443 • Dea@DeaDeanLPC.com • deadeanlpc.com 8 AUGUST 2022 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living

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MODERN MOTHERHOOD

by CATE MCCRORY and KATIE EUBANKS

1 mama’s miraculous Journey

T

ara Cummins’ baby girl, Journey, was always happy and smiling. When

her stomach got a little bigger at six months old, “I thought nothing of it,” Tara says. “(But) a friend of mine who had a little girl at the same age thought there was something wrong.”

An MRI revealed a mass in Journey’s abdomen, and Tara took her to Children’s of Mississippi, where she was scheduled for surgery — but the wait was going to be too long.

“My mother’s intuition kicked in because I knew Journey didn’t have the time the doctors wanted to wait,” Tara says. “I told the doctor that she needed the surgery this week, and she got onto the schedule.”

After surgery, Journey seemed better and stronger — but the mass was definitely cancerous. Two weeks later, she started radiation and chemotherapy. Four months into her eightmonth chemo plan, her scan was completely clear — but at the eight-month treatment scan, a tumor had grown on the artery of her heart. By then, she was 16 months old.

Journey had surgery once again and the doctor got as much of the tumor off the artery as possible, but she had to continue chemo.

“During this time, it was Halloween and the hospital was passing out costumes. One was a lamb. This was what Journey was supposed to be (when she got sick), and it was such a God thing that she got that costume again.

“There were things of God all over — it was unbelievable.”

Tara had always done her best to stay faithful to God, but she had no peace about her daughter’s situation until surrendering her to the Lord.

“Hard times will bring you closer to God, and I felt that I had no other choice but to give her completely over to God and say, ‘If I can’t take care of her, You can.’ This is what began to give me peace.”

In March 2018, Tara’s father-in-law passed away, and at the funeral, one of the pastors came to Tara and her family and said, “I’ve seen it in a dream that the same God who took (your fatherin-law) is the same God who will heal Journey.”

After treatments began to fail, “(I believed) chemo wasn’t the answer, surgery wasn’t the answer. We needed divine healing,” Tara says.

It was placed on Tara’s husband’s heart to check out St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. Journey underwent a seven-hour surgery there and wound up staying for two weeks. The staff was amazing, Tara says. The 10 AUGUST 2022 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living

Tara Cummins (center) with daughters Journey (left) and Ryann.

surgeon came out after surgery — exactly one month after Tara’s father-in-law’s funeral — and said the tumor just slid off.

“ I knew Journey didn’t have

the time the doctors wanted to wait. I told the doctor that she needed the surgery this week, and she got onto the schedule.

”

“I had tears of joy for days, because months prior the doctor said it was extremely difficult, and now the surgeon said it just slid off.”

Since then, Journey has been cancer free. All told, she had cancer for a year and a half. She is now 6 years old.

Telling Journey’s story After experiencing Journey’s healing, Tara promised God that, “no matter what happens in life, Journey’s miracle would be told, so that He would get the honor and glory, because the favor of God was wrapped in all of this.”

One day, a friend brought a gift basket over, and it contained a journal and pens. Tara knew she would write a book, but after the last surgery she struggled to write because she felt as if she was reliving it. She quit writing for months.

Then out of the blue, a publishing company called her. She had no idea how they’d gotten her number.

She laughed and thought, “OK, God, I’m going to finish it.”

In September 2020, she published “How to Survive Your Child’s Cancer: A Journey.”

“The point of the book is survival does not always mean living. Surviving is preparing your mind for whatever the Lord has willed for your life.

“Since I’ve published the book, people have called me from other states and shared the impact the book has had on them.”

Tara hopes Journey’s story will raise awareness so her type of cancer can be caught early. Also, “In the hospitals there was very little hope, and we need a good story for people to hold on to,” Tara says. Y “How to Survive Your Child’s Cancer: A Journey” can be purchased on Amazon.

St. Jude patient Journey, kidney cancer.

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MISSION MISSISSIPPI MOMENTS

by PASTOR JOHNATHAN SANDERS

Deeper faith leads to deeper relationships

F

aith begins where the will of God is known. Those words coming from

my pastor, Ronnie Sims, resonated with me after I began my walk with the Lord.

Before that, I had no desire to pursue the will of God. I was operating as if there was no God, and my life was spiraling out of control. My relationships were being affected by my poor decisions. All of this changed when I responded to the Lord’s calling. I began to pursue Him and His will for my life. As His plan for me began to unfold, I found my place in this world and my purpose for living. After searching the vastness of God’s Word, I began to receive deeper revelations of faith.

Faith is connected to relationships that we build. The deeper the relationship, the deeper the faith. God’s devotion to you as His child is so great that “He will never leave you nor forsake you.” He is eternally devoted to you and your well-being.

The apostle Peter must have realized this

while praying in the 10th chapter of Acts.

Through a vision of God, Peter had to abandon his entire thought process concerning relationships in order for the will of God to be done. Peter had to forsake what he had learned

“ Seeking a deeper relationship with God will ultimately result in a deeper relationship with humanity.

Your depth of faith in God shows in how you treat your neighbor. Like Peter, I too had to step across the invisible line of race to purposefully engage in relations with my neighbors.

”

in his household and community. He could either cling to the wisdom of the world or embrace the wisdom of God. His decision plunged him into a deeper relationship with God and ultimately into a relationship with a Roman citizen named Cornelius.

Peter was being led into uncharted waters.

It took a deeper level of faith to trust that God had a plan even though Peter did not know what the outcome would be. In the end, he witnessed that God was no respecter of persons and that His love for the Gentiles was just as strong as His love for the Jews.

God is in the people business. Seeking a deeper relationship with God will ultimately result in a deeper relationship with humanity.

Your depth of faith in God shows in how you treat your neighbor. Like Peter, I too had to step across the invisible line of race to purposefully engage in relations with my neighbors.

I grew up learning of the struggles of my race from my parents who were in the middle of the civil rights movement. I would hear of horrid stories about how family members were treated based on the color of their skin. That caused me to wonder if a white person could 12 AUGUST 2022 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living

legitimately have my best interest at heart.

However, as I grew in faith, I learned that God was the great equalizer. He could make enemies be at peace with you and convert them to become friends. The appearance of someone should never be a deterrent to walking in the will of God. As a child of God, we are called to racial reconciliation. In fact, regardless of what divides us, we are called to bridge that divide.

Mission Mississippi has been a catalyst toward intentionally bridging racial relationships. People of different races are provoked to build relationships through prayer breakfasts and other sponsored events. As African Americans, my wife, Kimberly, and I not only participated in these events, but the spirit of them spilled over into our work lives.

It is easy to gravitate to those who look like you. But when your willingness to yield to His will deepens, becoming a bridge becomes less like a chore and more like an opportunity.

Although Peter did not initially understand the vision from God, he knew that visiting Cornelius’ house was connected. After God filled Cornelius and his family with the Holy Spirit, all doubt was removed from Peter’s mind concerning God’s will for all mankind.

When you establish relationships by faith with someone who is different, by trusting that you are operating in the will of God, it deepens your relationship with God. Faith pushes you through the fear of the unknown and opens you up to the wonderful possibilities of God’s will. The more you draw near to God, the more He draws near to you.

The scripture states, “The just shall live by faith,” and “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by God’s Word.” God gives you the ability to operate in His faith, that you may serve humanity. The more of God’s Word you believe, the more faith will be displayed through you. #DeeperFaith Y

Johnathan Sanders and his beautiful wife, Kimberly, of 31 years have been the pastors of Hyde Park Victory Church in Jackson for 20 years. They have five children and seven grandchildren.

Goodwill Industries of Mississippi Salutes Metro Jackson’s Outstanding Volunteers Goodwill Industries of Mississippi cordially invites you to attend an exclusive dinner honoring this year’s outstanding volunteers.

Thursday, August 18, 2022 The Country Club of Jackson Jackson, Mississippi

2022

•

Reception: 6:30 pm

•

Dinner: 7:15 pm

•

Presentation of Honorees: 8:00 pm

For reservations or more information, please call 601-953-2569.

Amanda Alexander

Margaret Oertling Cupples

Gay Drake

Virginia Wilson Mounger

Mary Schiele Scanlon

Amy Lampton Walker

Susan and Slade Exley

Ella Bennett Youth Honoree

Lynn Fitch

Ellen Gabardi

Mary Lohrenz

Carol and David Mann

Matthew Hardy Youth Honoree

Ryleigh Johnson Youth Honoree

Adam Maatallah Youth Honoree

Margaret Maloney Youth Honoree

This year’s slate of honorees is a testament to the generosity of which the human spirit is capable.

They have given freely of their time and talents so that those less fortunate among us may find their true potential.

Please mark your calendars and plan to join us as we honor metro Jackson’s outstanding volunteers on August 18, 2022.

mschristianliving.com ❘ AUGUST 2022 13

FAITH, FASHION & FITNESS

by JADE WHITEHURSTCAMILLE MORRIS

How to overcome your fitness struggles with Holy Spirit power

A

s a science teacher, Jesus lover and fitness enthusiast, I LOVE it when

science, fitness and faith coincide.

It is no secret that science can back up all the benefits of living an active lifestyle. A quick Google search will tell you how exercise can boost the dopamine (aka the happy mood chemical) in our brains, resulting in reduced anxiety and depression. In fact, even the Bible teaches us how caring for our physical bodies yields benefits that God had laid the foundation for long before science proved it.

However, as a health and fitness coach, I have seen firsthand the many struggles women face when trying to overcome their health and fitness struggles. Why is that? If the Bible says it, why do we still struggle to live it out? Why can’t we just eat right, say no to the second piece of cake, and stop quitting and starting over again and again (or worse, walking away completely)?

One word: sin.

Poor Eve, she catches a lot of flak for her sin in the garden, but even though she was the first woman who was deceived by the enemy’s words, she was definitely not the last. Like many of us, Eve forgot WHOSE she was and that she was lacking nothing.

When we start hearing Satan’s lies over our Father’s truths, we can easily find ourselves convinced to throw in the towel on honoring our body — the very temple that God made. A sick body is a limited body, and a limited body cannot fulfill its God-given purpose and do kingdom work. For this reason, let us draw near to the Lord

and thank Him that we do not have to live in those strongholds anymore. We can claim victory over them through Holy Spirit power!

It is my goal to help women see that exercise can be good for our health when and only when we approach it with a godly heart and mindset. It’s important that we let go of worldly and unrealistic expectations and realize that it is not about a certain size, shape or figure. It is

“ (It) is not about a certain

size, shape or figure. It is about learning to view our health journey as a praise response to the One who designed our bodies to move in the first place.

”

about learning to view our health journey as a praise response to the One who designed our bodies to move in the first place. Let it encourage you that God already laid out His good and perfect plan for us long ago. Not because He is a controlling God, but because He is a loving God who wants what is best for you and me.

However, in order for us to live out this

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truth, we must be connected to the Vinedresser.

In John chapter 15, it says we must abide in Him in order to bear or produce fruit. We cannot do it in and of our own selves. Furthermore, if we are not careful, we will try to put too much emphasis on the “produce” part — but look carefully. The command is not to produce. The command is to REMAIN, or abide in Christ. We cannot produce fruit or overcome our strongholds without being connected to the One who gives life.

So my question for you today is, are you connected? Is your strength drawn from the Father? We don’t produce to earn! We remain and abide in the never-ending love of Christ, and then — and only then — the fruit will come. His Holy Spirit is the fruit producer. We are simply His branches that are privileged to display His goodness.

He gives life, strength, purpose and rest. It is time we let go of unrealistic expectations and begin to focus our hearts and eyes on Him. May we begin to allow God to bear fruit in our lives by giving Him full access to our health and fitness goals, and in doing so we can display His goodness in our lives and do the very kingdom work He has called us to in a body that is able.

Our Father is glorified by this. Y Jade Whitehurst is a wife, mom, fitness coach and eighth-grade science teacher. You can follow her on Instagram @jadewhitehurst_fit (aka The Faith Fit Mom).

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mschristianliving.com ❘ AUGUST 2022 15

THIS IS MY STORY

by MANDY BUFKIN

How God pursued me when I kept Him at arms’ length

D

like God had broken my trust, had lied to me, had led me to believe that none of the bad things I feared would actually happen. That wasn’t true.

I had made my faith transactional. If I do this, then God will honor me feel guilty, but when you do, it feels like a waste of time. by doing that. If I agree to be a missionary, God won’t let anything bad To be transparent, I’ve spent lots of time in the last few years feeling happen to my family. If I agree to stay sexually pure, God will provide me that way about having quiet time with God. When I was younger, I could a husband in my timing. journal, pray, and sing worship songs for hours by myself. My time with But that was the exchange I wanted — never the one God promised.

God was the best part of my day, and I loved staying in His presence.

Over the past year I’ve realized bits and As I got older, “life happened.” Grief, pieces of this, but in that church service it bitterness, resentment and anxiety crept in. all came together. I sat crying and just Sometimes like ocean waves engulfing me, (God) was more like that high-school saying I’m sorry. but sometimes like little seeds dropping The thing that amazes me about God is into my heart and mind. I was angry at acquaintance you catch up with in the how much He still loves me. After I’ve been God for things that happened. Didn’t He grocery store. ‘It’s so good to see you. bitter and angry and held those feelings know I had been faithful to Him? Didn’t Yes, we should definitely get together close to me because I didn’t want to be He know all I had sacrificed to serve Him? vulnerable with God after He “betrayed” Yet this was how He repaid me. soon!’ Your shopping carts move me. After the distance, reading my Bible I was so mad and hurt that I stayed forward, and you never make time out of obligation, going to church because away. If I faced God, I would melt down, for that ‘get-together.’ that’s what I “should” do. After all of this, I and I didn’t have time for that. sat in that prayer service and heard God say, God was still in my life, but instead of “I want to use you in My kingdom — let that best friend you call every time Me.” He loves us so much that He still wants us to be a part of His story. something happens, He was more like that high-school acquaintance you Isn’t that what the gospel is about to begin with? He purifies our souls catch up with in the grocery store. “It’s so good to see you. Yes, we should because He loves us. He wants to spend time with us. It’s not about our definitely get together soon!” Your shopping carts move forward, and you sins, how distant we’ve been, or anything else we’ve done. It’s about a never make time for that “get-together.” heart of repentance. As soon as we repent, truly repent, He’s there waiting I continued to do occasional Bible studies and quiet times, attended with open arms. Y church pretty regularly, but at the same time I knew it still wasn’t like it used to be. After 15 minutes, I was ready to be done. It felt like an item to check off the list out of obligation and what I “should” do, rather than what my heart desired to do.

Mandy Bufkin is a Jackson native and Belhaven University alumna.

So now it’s been eight years since the grief and bitterness began. A few She works at CityHeart Church in Jackson, where she is ministries months ago, I sat in a prayer service, crying, finally realizing that all the director. Outside of work, Mandy enjoys reading and spending time things I was mad about had nothing to do with God’s promises. I had with her husband, Craig, and son, Ezra, at their home in Jackson. asked and prayed for XYZ, but He’d never promised me those things. I felt

oes anyone else do things out of obligation because you feel like you should? When you don’t do that thing, you

“

”

Keep your summer FRESH

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If you aren’t sure whether you have a relationship with God or where you’ll go when you die, please don’t put this magazine down until you’ve read the following:

✝ THE PROBLEM For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. – Romans 3:23 For the wages of sin is death … – Romans 6:23a The natural result and consequence of our sin is eternal death, or hell (Revelation 20:15), separated from God. This is because God is completely perfect and holy (Matthew 5:48), and His justice demands that sin be punished (Proverbs 11:21).

✝ THE SOLUTION … but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. – Romans 6:23b But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8 Jesus Christ died in our place on the cross and took on the punishment for all our sins (Isaiah 53:4-6). Then God raised Him from the dead (John 20)!

✝ HOW TO RECEIVE SALVATION If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. – Romans 10:9 Trust in what Jesus has done for you — His death for your sins and His resurrection — and trust Him as Lord.

✝ IS IT FOR ANYONE? For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. – Romans 10:13

✝ THE RESULTS Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. – Romans 5:1 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39

✝ WHAT TO DO NEXT So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. – Romans 10:17 If you decided to trust in Jesus, grow in your faith by reading more of God’s Word in the Bible. We recommend the gospel of John (it comes just after Luke) as a good starting point — or Romans!

Finding a church close to you that teaches faith in Christ is another important step. It’s crucial to spend time with other believers so we can encourage each other in our faith.

If you have questions about anything on this page, please contact us at 601.896.1432, or send us a message on Facebook @MSChristianLiving, Instagram @mschristianmag or Twitter @MSChristLiving.

mschristianliving.com ❘ AUGUST 2022 17

COVER STORY

by KATIE EUBANKS

Erasing the stigma 3 therapists talk faith and mental health MCL Editor Katie Eubanks recently sat down with three licensed professional counselors (LPCs) who love Jesus and want to help people live by His design through mental health — whether they’re struggling with everyday challenges, habits and hangups, depression and anxiety, or serious mental illness.

Whatever you are going through, God can heal you.

But He just might want to do it through therapy!

Leona Bishop owns Count It All Joy Counseling and Consulting Services in Jackson, where she focuses on mental wellness — helping people with issues like depression and anxiety before they become crises. She is a certified clinical trauma professional.

Krista Woods owns Krista Woods Counseling in Ridgeland, where she specializes in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and other issues related to motherhood. She also has experience working with children ages 3-18.

Lisa Owens is a counselor at Cornerstone Counseling in Flowood, where she frequently works with couples and families in addition to individuals.

She is certified as a clinical mental health therapist.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

18 AUGUST 2022 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living

Katie Eubanks: How did each of you get into the field of counseling?

Leona Bishop: Growing up, I always wanted to be helpful. … I was with a friend registering for college at Delta State University, and I noticed they had a counseling program. I have no regrets. … I consider it a ministry of helping other people, and of being a willing vessel.

Krista Woods: Through the dance program (at Belhaven University), I got involved in (Reformed University Fellowship), and after I graduated, I became an intern there. Through that, and through just being mentored by my campus minister and some other people … I was drawn to counseling and thought it might kind of be a good segue to join all my gifts.

I have always been a people person. (And) I wanted to help people heal from anything that they were dealing with.

Lisa Owens: (Early in our marriage, we) went with the Presbyterian church over to Taipei, Taiwan, and worked at Christ’s College. … During that time, I would begin to counsel

my fellow colleagues. They would just come to my door after hours.

(After coming home) I found myself counseling while I was in the business world. I was a dental assistant, and I was in commercial sales. … I found myself enjoying getting to know people and just in conversation trying to help them.

So after I started having grandchildren … I (got) my master’s in marriage and family counseling. It’s been about five years now. I love it. It’s probably my favorite career. (laughs).

KE: What did y’all grow up learning or believing about mental health, and how has that changed?

LB: In my community, people who probably received mental health services probably had an illness … mostly the diagnoses were some of the harder ones like schizophrenia. And that’s where the stigma showed up. Nobody wanted to be ‘crazy.’

Growing up, it was more, ‘Pray about it.’ …

Today, people have (realized) that taking care

PHOTO BY STEGALL IMAGERY

From left: Lisa Owens of Cornerstone Counseling in Flowood; Krista Woods of Krista Woods Counseling in Ridgeland; and Leona Bishop of Count It All Joy Counseling and Consulting Services in Jackson.

PHOTO BY STEGALL IMAGERY

of our mental health is as important as taking care of our physical health. If counseling can be part of your plan for mental wellness, take advantage of it.

Prayer still works and God has equipped us with the Counselor who helps. What’s exciting is that we now also have professionally trained counselors who are Christians, who can help us learn better strategies to manage everyday stressors.

KW: Growing up … there was a view (that) you had to have major problems if (you went to therapy). But counseling is a great way to navigate everyday challenges, no matter how small they may seem.

My great-grandmother had — a ‘nervous breakdown’ is what they called it in the 1920s.

She probably had a panic attack. And they put her in an institution. Nowadays they would’ve sent her to a psychiatrist and referred her to a counselor to help her manage her anxiety.

What I would want people to know is that asking for help and not having it all together means that you’re human, and that we all are human, and that we’re not perfect. And we don’t have to be perfect. For those who are believers, we have an Advocate who was perfect for us. And for the unbeliever, they are also valuable, and they are loved, and there’s a space for them to be known.

LO: Most of my clients come in not really understanding what we’re going to do, so I have to explain, we are going to let you share your story and help you with anything that you feel is important.

Most of the things we deal with are just normal things. … We do live in a more complicated world now, (but) that doesn’t

mean that a lot of it can’t be looked at and worked on.

I have seen a lot of good things from regular therapy.

KE: Without identifying the clients, can y’all share any success stories?

LB: I remember working with this one lady, and after gathering more of her history … we dealt with something that she didn’t even realize was affecting her. It was an old memory that she didn’t realize she was carrying. She said it was like a whole burden lifted off her shoulders.

When we address (a client’s) negative belief about themselves (based on past experiences), we replace that with a positive belief. … It’s so powerful just to see that transformation. And it’s great when we incorporate their faith and who God says they are.

KW: I work with moms primarily — prenatal, postnatal, birth trauma, infertility issues, and a lot of what moms go through in silence.

I love being able to walk through that with them. I’ve walked with women who’ve struggled with having a baby, and the loneliness they feel, and the isolation, and the questioning, ‘When are you going to have a baby?’

Being able to see the healing that happens from someone being present in their experience and being present to hear them … I love working with moms.

LO: Couple counseling and marital health is one of my priorities …. I don’t always feel 100 percent successful, but I know I am doing what I’m supposed to be doing — doing my part to try to deal with very complicated not only individual issues but couple issues, as well as family issues.

“I connect with family, I connect with friends, and I try to plan great trips,” says Leona Bishop — pictured here with (from top) her husband, Roger, sisters, and daughter, Leah — on how she cares for her own mental health. mschristianliving.com ❘ AUGUST 2022 19

PHOTO BY STEGALL IMAGERY

I do feel that I’ve had some great fulfillment in that area.

PHOTO BY KRISTEN OWENS PHOTOGRAPHY

KE: How has being a counselor grown your faith?

LO: God shows up all the time (laughs), and I’m amazed. My faith grows every day because of the honor of being part of His work.

LB: I just realize I have nothing. I wish my magic wand worked, but it doesn’t. I have nothing, and if it wasn’t for God working through me … we wouldn’t get very far.

KW: One of my professors from graduate school said that when you walk into a therapy room, it’s holy ground, whether you’re with a believer or a nonbeliever — because as a believing counselor walking in, I have the Holy Spirit.

I love being able to work with believers … even their relationship with the Lord and how their life experience has maybe affected their view of who God is, and helping them maybe work through those doubts, or griefs and losses.

And I love knowing I can sit with someone who doesn’t share my beliefs, and I can show them the love that I believe Christ has shown me, and that the Holy Spirit inside me is a resource of acceptance and care that’s beyond my own abilities.

I can’t share the gospel with them, and also our licenses don’t allow us to — but just our presence, and Christ was that for people.

“I had a baby during COVID and was also a resource for other people. (That) was a new level of balance for me,” says Krista Woods — pictured here with her daughter, Genevieve, and husband, Dan — on being a mother and therapist.

20 AUGUST 2022 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living

KE: Have y’all ever felt that tug — ‘This person needs the Lord, and I can’t say anything!’ How do y’all handle that?

KW: There’s times when I go, (Jesus) would solve some of this for them — a lot of it.

(But) I can just be a consistent person they can trust. And maybe through that trusting relationship that they’ve never, ever had before … who knows what seeds are planted.

LO: It’s hard for me to just sit there and listen without wanting to provide a solution.

And of course the Lord is my resource. So yes, our licenses won’t allow us to try to convert someone. That’s not our job. Our job is to help people wherever they are, and hopefully provide tools that will get them to a better place.

So I’m not just solution-focused, but I do like to provide an action plan. Because I feel like people are coming to me and wanting help. I don’t want them to leave without getting it.

LB: One of the things I do on my intake forms is ask for (the client’s) religious preference, and would they like it incorporated in their treatment.

Sometimes you go home and think (about a client), ‘You need Jesus!’ But I think those are the cases where I pray a little harder. … It doesn’t mean I can’t work with them .… I think I just build from the point of people wanting to do better.

If they do have questions (about Christianity), because of past hurts, I can be there as a Christian to help answer. If they ask.

I can’t push it off on you, but if they ask questions — if they open that door — I can walk through it.

KW: If the door is opened or the window is lifted, you can walk through it.

LB: And you can bring Jesus with you.

KE: A lot of people don’t want to tell people their junk because they’re afraid you’re going to judge them.

PHOTO BY STEGALL IMAGERY

Lisa has been married to Bill Owens since 1974.

LB: That’s part of the initial language I bring up with clients: This is a nonjudgmental, safe environment. There’s nothing you can say that’s going to make me go, ‘Oh, wow!’ I’m just going to nod. I’m going to acknowledge you and validate you.

I’m always saying, whatever you say within these four walls (or on this call) stays here.

Unless you tell me you’re hurting yourself, someone else is hurting you, or you’ve got a plan to go out and hurt another person.

KE: What’s been the biggest surprise in your counseling careers?

LB: There is an inventory that I do with most of my clients called the ACEs, which stands for adverse childhood experiences. They ask questions related to abuse or neglect and

things like that. Ten questions are asked. When I first started doing it, I had someone with a very high ACE score, I think it was like an 8 or 9, and I called my psychiatrist friend like ‘ …

What am I going to do?’

I am so happy I got my trauma training … (because) we all have these experiences in life.

Our brain is, what is it? We can’t necessarily regenerate those cells, but we can — what is the word I’m trying to use?

KW: We have neuroplasticity. We can change our brain, and we can change the pathways in our brain.

LB: Yes, that’s it.

LO: And we have seen resilience and recovery, I would think, more than not.

Because I think most people do want to pull through. (But) they need to hear the message

that there’s help, and there’s hope.

KW: One thing I didn’t realize was how pervasive perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are. 1 in 7 pregnant and postpartum women will experience a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder during pregnancy, postpartum, or post-loss. A woman can have depression, anxiety, OCD or bipolar disorder during pregnancy or postpartum, or PTSD or psychosis postpartum.

KE: How do y’all take care of your own mental health outside of work?

LO: I think healthy relationships ourselves, and of course if we need our own therapist, or mentor, or personal friend.

If we are doing all our work at work but nothing (privately), then we’re missing out on

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mschristianliving.com ❘ AUGUST 2022 21

WENDY MAXWELL COUNSELOR

LCSW

Women’s Issues Adolescents Depression Anxiety Conflict Resolution

Bill and Lisa Owens (back right) were house parents to teen boys at Palmer Home in Columbus, Mississippi, while Lisa was finishing her degree at Mississippi University for Women.

wmaxwell@restorationcounselinggroup.com

601.832.7450 restorationcounselinggroup.com

Lisa and Bill (center) are the proud parents of two daughters and grandparents to six grandchildren.

really the best part. Because yes I love my work, but I love my personal life too. … I want to honor the Lord whether I’m working or playing.

We are going to get burnt out if we’re not careful …. I’m a workhorse, and I have to constantly deal with my schedule so that I do not burn out.

LB: One of the things I often teach my clients is about their own emotional competence. I talk about zones. What color zone are you in? … When I’m calm, (I’m) in the green zone.

When you know what it’s like to be calm, and then you shift … you need to know what to do. So I give my clients a list of strategies for each zone.

Whatever I’m teaching, I have to follow it myself. I have to slow down and listen to my body when it’s saying, ‘Oh girl, you’ve got a whole island around you.’ Because that’s what I 22 AUGUST 2022 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living

Lisa with her oldest daughter, Mary Lisa.

look like when I’m stressed out. … I create little piles around myself. It’s just a bunch of tasks that need to be done.

I connect with family, I connect with friends, and I try to plan great trips. I’ve figured out that’s what I like now. (And) when I say play, I still have a set of jacks from back in the day. So I play jacks, and I keep a yo-yo in my drawer — and bubbles.

KW: Work/life balance is huge, and knowing when I am depleted. I had a baby during COVID and was also a resource for other people. (That) was a new level of balance for me.

Even knowing times of the year when I have less energy. In wintertime, there’s less sun, it’s colder, the days are shorter — (so) I know my client load will be lower, so that I am not staying at work later, so I won’t be as tired, so I can have more time with my daughter.

(And) counseling for myself, I will always do that as needed.

KE: How would y’all encourage someone who’s considering counseling but isn’t sure?

LO: I think try it once and see if it’s a good fit, and find out what it really is. (And) sometimes you have to try several therapists before you find the fit that works for you. And that’s OK. LB: Don’t give up if the first time you go, it’s not as successful as you thought it would be. …

PHOTO BY STEGALL IMAGERY

Lisa (far right) with Mary Lisa and friends in Taipei — where Lisa found herself informally counseling fellow teachers who came to her door after hours.

Just don’t give up. Because it’s a whole process.

And the other thing is, counseling is not a place you go because you are ‘crazy.’ It’s really, this world is crazy!

Sometimes it’s beneficial to see a therapist to learn additional tools to add to your toolbox so you can heal and be more free. … Yes, those chapters of your life happened, but how do you want the rest of your book to finish?

KW: I would want to encourage those who might be on the fence that they don’t have to have it all together when they walk in the door.

(I’ve) had people come in who say, ‘I was told I needed to come.’ And they’re like, ‘I don’t know why I’m here.’ OK, we’ll figure it out together.

Give it a chance. Give it time. Y

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mschristianliving.com ❘ AUGUST 2022 23

FEATURE STORY

by ANNA CLAIRE O’CAIN

Olivia and Chris Kneip: Running the race

P

eople in the Flowood area might know Olivia and Dr. Chris Kneip through their competing in triathlons, or from their work as a teacher and orthopedic surgeon respectively. But many do not know how God used difficult times in the Kneip’s lives to strengthen their faith and ultimately bring them together — or the story of their hilarious, divine first meeting.

One day 10 years ago, Olivia met her triathlon training group at the reservoir and was told a “newbie” was coming to swim. His name was Chris Kneip, he’d never done any swimming in open water, and Olivia didn’t know him.

“We get down to the pier and I look up, and (Chris) had put his wetsuit on backwards,” Olivia recalls. “I died out laughing and looked up at him and he goes, ‘This is on backwards, right?’

“And I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s on backwards.’”

Chris got the wetsuit figured out, continued the triathlon training, and now he and Olivia are passionately running the race of life and faith hand in hand, alongside their four children.

Church vs. heart change Though the Kneips did not meet until adulthood, their upbringings were similar. Being born into Christian families and raised in church, Olivia and Chris both made professions of faith at an early age. However, it was later in life when they committed wholeheartedly to running the race that God had laid out for them.

“My mom took us to church my whole life and I did get baptized as a little girl, but that was

Olivia with Harper (left) and Laird.

24 AUGUST 2022 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living

“We were running hard after the Lord, and we kind of just turned around and said, ‘Oh look. Look at this person running next to me,’” says Dr. Chris Kneip of him and his wife, Olivia.

the extent of it,” Olivia says. “I thought that you did church on Sundays and Wednesday nights and that was it.”

Having a strong personality and being a “gogetter” as Olivia says, she stuck with the bi-weekly routine of attending church. “I just grinded it out.”

Sports were also an important part of Olivia’s upbringing. “(I) played sports, (was) super competitive, and so all through high school my whole life was surrounded by sports.

It’s what kept me going.” She continues, “I feel like it was my relationship almost.”

Placing her identity in competing, Olivia says that no one told her that playing sports would one day come to an end. “When that ended, it was just like everything kind of went black and dark and I just started searching for the next thing.”

She was always looking for something else to fulfill her but could never find it. “I searched everywhere — definitely searched in the wrong places — and always kind of felt that void,” she says.

“Then in my 30s I had a horrible divorce — horrible marriage my first time around. … I was a single mom for five years, and finally I felt like I was drowning all the time.”

Though Olivia continued the routine of attending church, she still felt that something was missing. But one day everything changed for her. “All of a sudden, I had an encounter, and that’s the only way I can describe it,” she says. “I literally had an encounter with the Lord, and it was so personal and so real to me.”

Though Olivia says she did not know much scripture at the time, she says that looking back, “Everything that was so vivid in the encounter was all biblical and scriptural.” She continues, “When you say, ‘born again,’ those words are so real to me because I feel like I was born that day.

I had never in my whole life seen somebody go from self-living to 100 percent surrendered.”

Like Olivia, Chris grew up in a Christian household and regularly went to church. “I grew up with a very faithful family — faithful parents who carried us to church all the time,” he says. “I had I think a fairly common story of (knowing) the Lord from a young age — (going to) Sunday school and (being) very faithful in the church.”

Chris says he gave his life to Christ and was baptized around the age of 9 and continued attending church throughout high school. But it was not until his adulthood, after experiencing hardship, when his faith in God became most real to him. “(I) had a separate almost coming back to the Lord as an adult where it really became most meaningful, and (I had) a true heart change,” he says. “I went through a difficult personal struggle 12 or so years ago that really forced me to my knees and made me seek out the Lord on a much more personal level. … that is where I consider my real, true journey with Christ began in a true surrendered manner.”

‘I’m not dating anymore’ Though Olivia and Chris had personal encounters with the Lord, Chris says their

Chris and Olivia got married at Pinelake Church on March 8, 2013, with Lee Smith officiating and Harper (left) and Laird front and center.

Chris is an orthopedic surgeon at Capital Ortho.

door was shut, and when we both opened it, He was there waiting on us. He was there waiting for both of us to surrender.

“Another part of that story was after my encounter with God, I basically said I’m not dating anymore. … I was a single mom of two and I had obviously gotten that (first marriage) wrong, and I did not want to date anymore.”

Instead, Olivia had made up her mind that she was going to focus on her pursuit of the Lord. “I was just going to be in such a relationship with the Lord that I didn’t even need (a husband).”

But she continues, “One day my oldest came

individual experiences came only within a few months of one another.

“We didn’t know each other then, and we both had this same kind of encounter with the Lord through difficult times. (We) had fallen flat on our face and surrendered our lives to the Lord really for the first true time,” he says.

“I remember somebody saying one time, ‘If you want to know somebody to date, somebody to marry, run as hard as you can toward the Lord and then look around and see who is running next to you.’”

As Olivia and Chris chased after God

spiritually, they both found a love for competing in triathlons. “Olivia had been kind of doing it for a little bit and I was new, and I just started to do triathlon races,” Chris says.

“There was a little local triathlon group in town, and we met doing that. We had some mutual friends that did triathlon.”

Olivia says that from the “wetsuit day” forward, she and Chris grew their friendship as they shared their love for the Lord and triathlons.

“We would train together and talk about our experience with the Lord and just how good He had been to us.” She continues, “Literally the

Chris won Best Specialty Medical Physician in 2021 and 2022 at Hometown Magazines’ Best of the Best awards.

From left: Chris, Harper, EJ in front, Liam, Laird, and Olivia. mschristianliving.com ❘ AUGUST 2022 25

Olivia cheering Chris on in 2014 at his first full Ironman triathlon — without knowing she was pregnant with EJ!

Olivia and Chris met while training for triathlons in 2012.

in crying, saying things like, ‘I want a daddy. I want a daddy to come home.’” During the tearful conversation, Olivia told her daughter, “‘I think it’s just going to be the Lord, and me, and my two kids.’

“I put her to bed, and I go to my bathroom and I’m just bawling crying, praying to God.” In her bathroom conversation with God, Olivia cried out to Him: “God, I don’t want to date. I don’t want to get married again. But if You have

that plan for me, I need You to make it so clear that I know it’s from You.” Two weeks later, she met Chris.

“Another thing that I think is funny is I always saw myself as a dad,” Chris adds. “I always had that desire in my heart, but I was nearing my mid-30s and (had) no kids or anything like that. … that very first day when we met and were laughing about the wetsuit being on backwards, her two (children) were there with

Jason Cox, DMD

bellemeadefamilydental.com

26 AUGUST 2022 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living

her. I was just looking at them.”

“The way he was looking at them was like a dad looking at his kids,” Olivia says. “When he was looking at my kids playing, he looked at them endearingly. When I was helping him with his wetsuit, I said, ‘Oh do you have kids?’ and he said, ‘No, but I feel like I’m supposed to.’”

Now married for nine years, Olivia and Chris serve as an example of God’s love and redemption to their four children (two from Olivia’s previous marriage): Harper, 18; Laird, 16; Liam, 8; and Eliza James (EJ), 7.

“We were running hard after the Lord, and we kind of just turned around and said, ‘Oh look. Look at this person running next to me,’” Chris says. “We just always thought it was the perfect picture of redemption in so many ways.

It’s always been a real beautiful story of surrender and redemption.” Y Anna Claire O’Cain is a former English teacher and current grad student in the clinical mental health counseling program at Liberty University. She is married to her best friend, J.T., a teacher and youth pastor. Most of all, she is a believer who is passionate about serving God through missions and worship. Through MCL, she now uses her love for writing to serve the Lord in a new way.

Do you see a LEADER when you look in the mirror?

Open to any Mississippi highschool senior graduating in May 2023: Share your story of faith and

Deadline F

riday, leadership for a chance to receive a November scholarship toward college tuition.

Applications and instructions are available at MSChristianLiving.com or through school counselors. APPLICATIONS OPEN: Monday, August 15. Apply after August 15 at: https://bit.ly/CLF2023

4

Mississippi Christian Living, in partnership with Belhaven University, will honor our 15th class of Christian Leaders of the Future at an afternoon event on Belhaven’s campus in March 2023. Two interactive back-to-back workshops will be followed by a reception, keynote speaker presentation, and awarding of two $2,000 scholarships.

For more information, email Suzanne Durfey at suzanne@mschristianliving.com or email katie@mschristianliving.com mschristianliving.com ❘ AUGUST 2022 27

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

recipes by CATE MCCRORYORRIS

3 easy back-to-school recipes

S

ummer is still here (just step outside if you don’t believe it), but school is back in session! Here are three recipes to get you and yours through a busy week.

BREAKFAST: EGG MUFFINS 6 1 ¾ 6 ¼

slices bacon, cooked and chopped cup chopped spinach cup diced red bell peppers eggs teaspoon salt Pinch of ground pepper ¼ teaspoon dried basil ¼ teaspoon dried oregano ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Divide the cooked bacon, spinach and bell pepper among the muffin cups. Beat eggs in a measuring cup to make pouring easy. Add the seasonings to the eggs. Pour egg mixture over the bacon, spinach and bell peppers into the muffin tin. Sprinkle feta on top and bake 25 minutes.

28 AUGUST 2022 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living

LUNCH: NO-COOK GREEK PITA BENTO BOX Can be prepped and assembled in under 20 minutes.

Makes 4 lunches for the week.

12 slices deli chicken 1 cup tzatziki 12 mini pitas GREEK SALAD: 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced 2 cups cucumbers, sliced ½ cup chopped bell peppers ¼ cup diced red onion 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

Stir together all Greek salad ingredients and divide between four bento boxes. Divide remaining ingredients between bento boxes.

Super quick and easy!

DINNER: CROCKPOT CHICKEN TACOS 1 4 2 1

pound chicken breasts cups chicken stock tablespoons chili powder (8-ounce) can chopped green chiles A few handfuls of romaine lettuce 1 jar green chili or salsa Tortillas

Place chicken breast and stock into a slow cooker. Cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours. When ready to serve, remove chicken from slow cooker and place in a bowl. Take two forks and shred chicken. Stir in chili powder and chopped green chiles. Take each tortilla and build your tacos! Garnish with shredded cheese, guacamole, sour cream and/or green onions. Y

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mschristianliving.com ❘ AUGUST 2022 29

LAGNIAPPE

by KATIE EUBANKS

Streams in the desert: The miraculous story of Shelby’s Well

A view of Shelby’s Well (located behind the hut) from the old lava flow.

I

n 2011, Shelby Neese was venting to God near an old, crystallized lava flow in Kenya’s Chalbi Desert.

“Why are these people living here with no water?” he prayed.

Shelby and his wife, Mary, had been missionaries in Kenya since 2009.

The water where he was, near the town of Kargi, contained arsenic at 400 parts per billion — the water people knew about, anyway.

“In the U.S., if it’s more than five parts per billion (arsenic), it’s no good. No wonder these people have these cancers and stuff,” Shelby said.

The nomadic Rendille people had no other water source.

Shelby often came to this lava flow, located three miles outside of town, to pray and “holler and yell” at God, he said. But this time he got an answer.

An audible voice said, “Shelby, I have water here for these people.”

“Where, Lord?”

“Right here.”

“Right here under my feet?”

“Yes.” Shelby and others marked the spot with white paint and a pile of

From left: Global Concern Inc. founders Shelby and Mary Neese, and current GCI President Preston Crowe.

rocks. God had shown them water in the desert.

It took 10 years to get that water out.

After the Neeses returned to the States in 2012, they formed Global Concern Inc. (GCI), a 501c3 that started raising money to drill the well outside Kargi, among other community development projects. Shelby made a few more trips to Kenya.

Then in 2016, while working on a house that was being built in Starkville, Shelby fell from the attic, through the second story, all the

“The people of that region love Shelby (pictured here with a child) deeply,” said Preston. “They always ask about him and about how he is doing.”

30 AUGUST 2022 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living

way to the ground floor slab.

The Holy Spirit told the homeowner to leave work and go to the house. He found Shelby and called 911.

Shelby had internal bleeding and broken bones, and he had to have a tracheotomy in order to breathe.

After the accident, “(GCI) just stopped for us,” Mary GCI mission teams work on sustainable Neese said. “Our heart hurt community development, build relationships (to go back to Kenya), but we with people and share the gospel. were focused on surviving and learning to walk.”

Shelby had been the leader, the main traveler, and the soul of GCI. But in 2018, he and the organization found a new way to move forward: He would stay on the GCI board and provide leadership, wisdom and consultation while others did the hands-on work. Things ramped up Shelby’s Well might not look glamorous, GCI has witnessed several baptisms in the area surrounding Kargi. again over the next year or two. but to anyone who’s been to Kargi, it’s a Finally, after some COVID-induced beautiful sight! delays, GCI installed the pump at ask about him and about how he is doing,” Preston said. “God is the Shelby’s Well in September 2021 — right under that pile of rocks reason we’re there. We give all the glory to God. But from a human outside Kargi, and right in the nick of time. standpoint, Shelby is the reason we’re there.” Y “The well goes in, and within the same day, people start showing up out of the desert with lots and lots of animals,” said GCI President Preston Crowe.

“We found out that at the only other good borehole (in the area), the well had broken down two days earlier.”

Preston took a bottle of water from the well back to Shelby — who has not returned to Kenya in the six years since his accident.

“It’s been awful (not going),” Shelby said. “I went through a grieving TO THE FARTHEST REACHES process. I could walk, I got my driver’s license back, but I knew there were some lasting effects (of my injury).”

Mary said her husband has always been a “doer.” Now he’s learning to GLOBAL help others “do”; that means praying, fundraising, and often giving counsel.

CONCERN “He’s been great at that,” Preston said. “He gives us history where we INC. lack history, insight into the people where we lack (it).”

What GCI is doing now Depending on the season, Shelby’s Well serves anywhere from 2,000 to 10,000 or more people. But it’s still three miles from town. GCI is currently raising money to pump the water to Kargi — which could happen as soon as this fall — and for future projects.

All of those projects are geared toward sustainable community development in the Chalbi Desert. During each mission trip, GCI listens to people’s needs and helps figure out solutions that will make the community more self-sufficient.

On their most recent trip, which ended shortly before this article printed, the GCI team planned to share the gospel through the Jesus Film; conduct English tutoring and vocational training; help with agricultural work and cleaning out a clinic for future use; and bring dozens of dresses, hand-sewn by Mississippians, for local girls.

Preston knew folks would ask after GCI’s founder.

“The people of that region love Shelby and Mary deeply. They always

EXPLORING LONGTERM, SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS “OUR DESI R E I S T O ATT ACK R OOT CAUS ES OF ISSUES RATHER THAN SYMPTOMS ALONE, IN WAYS THAT PREVENT UNHEALTHY, LONG-TERM DEPENDENCY.” FOR MORE INFO VISIT GLOBAL-CONCERN.COM

mschristianliving.com ❘ AUGUST 2022 31

A CUP OF ENCOURAGEMENT

by LAURA LEE LEATHERS

The education found in letters

M

y hostess, Rosalie Hall Hunt, removed the over-100-yearold letters from her file box. I

ran my fingers across the bundle of letters that originated in China and were sent to family members in the United States.

Because they were carefully preserved, Rosalie could learn about her parents’ personal history. Those letters helped her to write the book “6 Yellow Balloons,” a story about her parents’ missions legacy.

At my home, tucked away in a file cabinet drawer, are letters from my parents. They were written mainly by my dad to his parents when he and Mom were expecting their first child. That’s me! The letters narrate their journey into parenthood: What a joy to discover their emotions, experiences and the adjustments of having a new baby.

And then I have my letters written to my parents from basic training, Women’s Army Corps, Ft. McClellan, Alabama. I also have a few of my grandfather’s letters to my Letters from Laura’s parents to her grandparents, with details about preparing for her birth. grandmother. Not only was his penmanship beautiful, but he was quite the romantic.

Have you ever considered yourself to be “a lettering, watercolors and stamps, and use How many of us take the time to write letters scribe for the Lord”? You can be! colorful pens and pencils. It’s something out of anymore? What have we lost in this fast-paced, What if you took 15 minutes out of your week the ordinary and displays your artistic abilities. technology-driven world? We have lost language to be a scribe for the Lord? Here are some ideas: If you’re not creative or if you’re short on time, skills, penmanship, history, geography, and the Create cards and stationery with hand visiting a dollar store can give you a storehouse ability to express emotions. Maybe it is time to of stationery and cards. revisit why letter writing is essential.

If you’re a grandparent, consider writing Letters in the Bible The apostle Paul’s letters are excellent examples to read and study, especially the letters to his mentee, Timothy. 1st and 2nd Timothy are full of encouragement, love, guidance, and the importance of knowing the truth of scripture.

There are plenty of letters written by people in the Bible. But the whole Bible itself is God’s letter to us — revealing who He is and why He sent His Son, Jesus.

As Christ followers, we are called to know and share the Word. When you write a letter, share a scripture, a prayer, a blessing, or tell how you have seen God at work in your life.

Letter from Laura to her father from Women’s Army Corps basic training.

Ways to be a creative scribe Scribes are mentioned throughout the Bible.

Ezra was a godly “skilled scribe in the law of Moses” (Ezra 7:6,11) and an “expert in the words of the commandments of the LORD.” 32 AUGUST 2022 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living

“ My mailbox (contains) the usual

bills and junk mail. But occasionally there is a letter … Bills are opened when I return to my office, but the letter is opened on the walk back.

”

your grandchildren at least monthly. I knew of one grandfather who wrote a short note to each grandchild weekly and placed a dollar bill in each envelope. Write out blessings, prayers, your God story, words of encouragement, or stories from your childhood or military experiences.

Linda J. Gilden wrote “Love Notes in Lunchboxes.” It is filled with creative ways to touch a child’s life with encouragement, affirmation and blessings. She suggests using pictures for younger children.

Purchase sticky notes of various colors and write your message.

I have fond memories of being a pen pal as a child. My pen pals were32 friends from Yates City Bible Camp.

Initially I did a superb job, but then the hand that held the pen stopped writing.

Parents, try to find a pen pal for your child(ren). It could be a missionary child, a nursing home resident, a veteran, a widow or a widower. It’s a way to teach thoughtfulness,

A LAWYER’S TRUE THRILLER ABOUT kindness and creativity, and kids gain educationally. Visit ReadyToCare.com and check out their “3 Free Pen Pal Toolkits for Teachers and Group Leaders.”

A surprise in your mailbox My mailbox, located at the end of a long driveway, contains the usual bills and junk mail. But occasionally there is a letter or card — a surprise. Bills are opened when I return to my office, but the letter is opened on the walk back. The scribe has encouraged my soul, put a smile on my face and gratitude in my heart.

WHAT’S GOING ON

The education found in writing and receiving letters is filled with possibilities! As a new academic year unfolds, schedule letter writing into your day or week. Be a scribe for the Lord! Y

“The Greatest Love & War Story Ever Told!”

With either a pen or a garden tool in her hand, Laura Lee focuses on her three passions: freelance writing, sharing and serving through hospitality, and cultivating Lady Laura’s Garden. You can contact her at laura.l.leathers@gmail.com or visit her website, LauraLeeLeathers.com.

by TOMMYE MORRIS

No other set of books, except the Bible, will prepare the reader for an abundant life NOW and for a glorious ETERNITY better than Hallelujah, Love & War and The Sound of Glorious Marriage Music. These books can be reviewed and purchased at amazon.com. Select Books and type in “by Joe Ragland.”

ATTY JOE RAGLAND, J.D., LL.M., LL.D. Personal Injury Trial Attorney/Workplace Injuries Tel. 601-969-5050 • Info: www.raglandministries.org Click CONTACT to subscribe to Ragland Newsletters

CWUY Embrace Freedom Day

C

ommunities Working to Unite Youth (CWUY), a 501c3 in Rankin County, will

sponsor our 16th annual Embrace Freedom Day for abstinence on September 11. Embrace Freedom Day may be observed in our churches and communities on any day in September; for the past seven years, the month has been proclaimed as Embrace Freedom Month by Mississippi’s governors.

Now that Roe v Wade has been overturned, we believe that abstinence — no sex until marriage — is society’s only viable option. The choice to abstain from sexual activity until marriage is the safest way to honor God with our bodies and practice God’s way to avoid premarital diseases or out-of-wedlock pregnancies.

We pray that churches all over Mississippi will join us in giving the message of abstinence “one voice.” The Embrace Freedom initiative is the brainchild of CWUY, a dedicated group working for over 30 years to keep the message of abstinence alive. CWUY believes that as Christians, we cannot whisper this message of abstinence but must shout it from our rooftops.

The mandate for no sex until marriage has not been given to the world; it has been commanded by God to His people, the Church. By recognizing Embrace Freedom Day in the month of September at each of our churches, we are letting our youth and unmarried adults know that we are praying for them to make the right choice. Y

MAXIMIZE & MULTIPLY IMPACT JacksonLeadershipFoundation.org mschristianliving.com ❘ AUGUST 2022 33

QUIPS & QUOTES ADVERTISER INDEX

{

CUT OUT THE SCRIPTURES AND QUOTES AND PLACE THEM AROUND YOUR HOME FOR DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT!

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For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. ~ DEUTERONOMY 31:8b, NIV

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~ 2 TIMOTHY 1:7, YLT

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

~ ISAIAH 41:10, ESV

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

~ PSALM 42:11, NIV

I waited patiently for the LORD; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in Him. ~ PSALM 40:1-3, NIV

Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid. ~ JOHN 14:27, GNT

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! ~ ISAIAH 43:1, NASB

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.

~ PSALM 46:10A, ESV

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Count It All Joy Counseling & Consulting Services ...........................................22 Freshway Produce....................................................16 Gateway Rescue Mission ....................................15

Goodwill Industries of Mississippi.................13 Holy Trinity Anglican Church ...........................29 Jackson Leadership Foundation.................33 Joe Ragland, author and attorney..............33 Lakeside Moulding.....................................................11

~ 2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-4, NIV

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The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

(Do) not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

~ PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7, ESV

34 AUGUST 2022 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living

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Global Concern Inc. ..................................................31

What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

Be still, and know that I am God.

The Counseling Center at Reformed

~ PSALM 34:17, NIV

~ JEREMIAH 29:11, ESV

~ PSALM 56:3, KJV

Cornerstone Counseling......................................15

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