Mississippi Christian Living May 2023

Moms in Prayer

Global organization, local impact

● How to have peace as mother of the bride

● Church at a roller rink

PUBLISHER

MS Christian Living, Inc.

EDITOR

Katie Eubanks

katie@mschristianliving.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Suzanne Durfey

ART/GRAPHIC DESIGN

Sandra Goff

SALES

Suzanne Durfey, Ginger Gober, Teresa Howell

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Chris Bates, Shay Greenwood, Courtney Ingle, Wendy Maxwell, Bob Prehn, Candace Robins, Sonya Summerlin, LaTesha W. Thomas

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Stegall Imagery

DISTRIBUTION ASSISTANTS

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

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.

POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Mississippi Christian Living, P.O. Box 1819, Madison, MS 39130.

When Cindy Townsend found out she had a brain tumor, “I kept dreaming of holding (my new granddaughter) Daisy (left),” she says. See page 24.

that meets

Skateland in Pearl, the youth are the church. See page 27.

39 years,

On writing for the Lord

Well, my signature has changed. I’m officially Katie Ginn now! I won’t have time to write about my wedding before we go to press, but in the meantime, here’s a rumination on “writing for the Lord,” which I think can apply to anything we hope to do in His name.

When I was in middle school, I wrote a letter to my “shepherd group” leader from church, Ms. Rhonda. I told her I wanted to write for the Lord, and I expressed concern about how to do that.

What I meant was, I didn’t know if it was possible to write for the Lord — at least not in a way that was fun for me. I thought it amounted to following a bunch of “do’s and don’ts” and always being preachy. (This was my idea of the Christian life in general.)

I don’t remember exactly what Ms. Rhonda said, but I’m sure it included a promise to pray for me and an assurance that God would guide me. That He has — and “writing for the Lord” has far exceeded my expectations.

I wanted to be an author when I grew up, but my parents told me it was tough to make a living that way and encouraged me to find “something to fall back on.” So in college, I majored in journalism. Freshman year, I decided I wanted to run my own Christian magazine one day. I’d been editor of my high school’s literary magazine and loved it.

In my early 20s, I wrote a lot of news stories at The Northside Sun in Jackson. My beat was south Madison County, from Gluckstadt to Ridgeland. This was way more fun than it had any right to be.

Sometimes I reported on mundane stuff that appealed to my nerdy brain, like the details of road projects and other developments. Other times I wrote about local government actions that could impact the kingdom, like the zoning exception – originally opposed by a majority of the board of supervisors — allowing Pinelake Church to start a campus in an “industrial” area. The board relented after an emotional plea from then Sheriff Toby Trowbridge.

When I moved downtown to the Clarion Ledger, I wrote mostly “features,” non-newsy stories about interesting people, places and

events. I also wrote personal columns, sometimes involving my faith. And I was an editor: I got to plan, assign and proofread content for the CL’s Magnolia Magazine and the features section of the paper!

At some point in my 20s, I started writing a “memoir” about my faith journey. I thought it could help people. Mostly I thought it would be cool to see my name on the front of a beautifully designed softcover book, and to do readings and signings like all the other glamorous authors. (Never mind that my book would probably be an expensive, self-published endeavor.)

The more time passed, the less I felt led to work on the book. Somehow, “writing for the Lord” didn’t include publishing a spiritual memoir, but it did include keeping my neighbors informed with the news, helping them get to know each other through feature stories, and sharing shorter snippets of my own story. I was fine with that.

Then in spring 2018, Marilyn Tinnin reached out to me. By that fall, I had taken over her baby, aka MCL. God had dropped my freshman-year dream into my lap!

Would I still love to be a published author one day, and do readings and signings, and have a beautiful softcover book in print? Yes, yes, and yes! But I still haven’t felt led to pursue that dream. Maybe one day God will lead me there, but for now, I’m “writing for the Lord” with MCL, and it’s been an absolute blast.

Whatever your dreams are — whether traveling (page 8), finding that special someone (for you or your child — see page 12), starting a ministry (page 27) or more — submit them to our good Father and watch Him work. He might not give us everything we want, but He always gives the very best! Y

NOTE: If you’re interested in writing for the Lord, our MCL Summer Writing Retreat will be held Saturday, July 15, at Broadmoor Baptist Church in Madison! Space is LIMITED, so go to bit.ly/mclwrite and get your tickets today!

Katie Eubanks Ginn katie@mschristianliving.com

PHOTO BY ROBBY FOLLOWELL

The

We watched a grizzly bear and her two cubs devour an elk carcass. Granted, it was from a significant distance through a spotting scope, but the refuge was indelibly marked in the visual memory of our brains. It demonstrated the real cycle of life and the struggles in nature. We could see the mother bear’s thick buckskin fur as she mostly observed the cubs and stayed alert for other predators.

My wife and I were with a guide on the National Elk Refuge area close to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, viewing a variety of wildlife and landscapes. With almost 25,000 acres, the refuge offers room for a wide variety of animals in addition to elk, as does Grand Teton National Park. We certainly had amazing views of elk, including an impressive bull elk bachelor group. We also watched an enormous bull moose stroll through a ravine less than 100 yards from us and spotted a trophy-sized ram on a hilltop across one of the valleys.

This adventure was the experience of a lifetime. It allowed us to encounter and watch the beauty of nature and all that it offers. Although I have experienced much in all my years of hunting and fishing across several continents and near home, to be a participating witness to these wildlife marvels was unforgettable.

It brings to mind that we should take in all that life (including nature) has to offer throughout our days. We should take in the beauty that we can see and perceive also in our human experiences and relationships. Realistically, we cannot frequent such unique nature experiences regularly, but we do have a choice as to what we focus on around us each day. Yes, we can appreciate the marvel and magnitude of special scenes while traveling, and for those we should be grateful. It is far too easy, though, to miss the full scope of what is often right in front of us.

To do so requires that we be present in the moment and have our brains available to soak in experiences. It may be the wonder and innocence of a young child. It may be how the breeze ruffles the leaves in a tree above you on a sunny day. Maybe you heard from a friend whom you have been missing. The opportunities are endless, but it takes focus and intentionality, which can be difficult in our busy lives. That effort to be present can also be assisted by paying attention to what perspectives distract us. C.S. Lewis said love looks to the present, while “fear, avarice, lust and ambition look ahead.”

visuals

We can likely all agree that God does not want us to miss the significance of what is around us. The nature of our relationships is best shown through love, and the moments along our journey are each unique if we focus on them. He also created the beauty of nature, but that is not relegated only to the magnificent or far away. Romans 1:20 tells us, “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”

Let’s make our ways of participating in the visuals of the present better. We can minimize distractions like our phones. When having lunch with a friend, turn off the events of the workday in our minds to focus on our friend and ask them about themselves. Take advantage of nice weather days to take 10 minutes outside to walk or sit and pause. Ask your partner about their day rather than turning on the TV several nights a week. Do not be in such a hurry that we miss the opportunity to help an elderly person at the grocery store. Set our morning right by reading a devotional before the full pace of the day begins.

Being intentional in these kinds of ways can benefit the richness of our lives. It connects us with the present that is around us and allows us to listen to God’s messages better. For today, find your ways of engaging in the memorable around you and take in the indelible visuals. His grace in your life will become more evident. Y

Chris Bates is CEO and co-founder of AgoraEversole a full-service marketing agency in Jackson, and can be reached at Chris@AgoraEversole.com. He and his wife, Stacy, and their children live in Madison.

Many mothers feel overwhelmed when facing an unplanned pregnancy. But there are safe places in Mississippi for these women to consider their options. Your tag purchase supports life affirming pregnancy resource centers that provide women with free ultrasounds, baby and parenting preparation classes, maternity/infant supplies, STI/STD testing and treatment and much needed counseling.

Motherhood: From dream to reality

“So then, with endurance, let’s also run the race that is laid out in front of us, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Let’s throw off any extra baggage, get rid of the sin that trips us up, and fix our eyes on Jesus, faith’s pioneer and perfecter. He endured the cross, ignoring the shame, for the sake of the joy that was laid out in front of him, and sat down at the right side of God’s throne.” – Hebrews 12:1-2, CEB

When I was young, my dreams of motherhood were fanciful imaginations where I marveled over the sheer idea of becoming pregnant and caring for a little someone who needed me. I marveled at the idea of someone depending on me to teach and nurture them. My imaginations were almost always positive, and the outcomes of what I envisioned motherhood to be were always happy.

Robert Southey’s poem “What All the World Is Made Of” says little boys are made of “snips and snails and puppy dogs’ tails,” and little girls are made of “sugar and spice and everything nice.” Never in my wildest of imaginations did I fathom or consider that the boys would get dirty playing with snails and snip at you when you fussed about their muddy prints all over your freshly cleaned

floors; or that little girls would possess spicy attitudes and sometimes be everything BUT nice!

Over the years as a mother, I got to finetune my skills. I was unexpectedly blessed with my son eight years after the birth of my daughter. My initial take-off into motherhood with my daughter was one in which I hoped and dreamed of a new life with her; however, by the time my son arrived, real-life experience had shown me the marvels of motherhood. I now had history to look back on and an account of my blessings and lessons.

I no longer view motherhood as a dream, but a journey of growth. Motherhood is the race that God has given me to run. Most runners train before the race, but this race is different. The journey of motherhood is one of faith. You take the blessing you’ve been given, and you run with it. You put aside the things that hinder you and cause you to stumble from being the woman God has called you to be before your children.

Most often, it is the journey itself that teaches us these lessons. The journey molds you into motherhood as you go through rites of passage that could never truly be understood had you not decided to run the race by faith. No matter the shameful pitfalls, we learn to endure the race of motherhood, for the joy that we once imagined will also be laid

Dr. LaTesha W. Thomas is owner and operator of PACE Synervations LLC, which is a private counseling, Christian life coaching and consulting practice; and she works as a full-time social worker with the Mississippi State Department of Health. LaTesha can be found at facebook.com/latesha.thomas.9; on her business Facebook page, PACE Synervations Counseling, Coaching & Consulting; and on YouTube and Instagram as LaTesha W. Thomas. You may also email her at info@pacesynervations.com.

“ The journey of motherhood is one of faith. You take the blessing you’ve been given, and you run with it. You put aside the things that hinder you and cause you to stumble from being the woman God has called you to be before your children.”

How to have joy and peace as mother of the bride

What a beautiful season! Just a couple of months ago, my daughter Chandler married the man of her dreams! When he proposed in September 2022, we knew a wedding date would be sooner rather than later. What a joy it has been to watch the Lord move in their hearts to fall in love!

My goal since the beginning of their dating journey was to have joy and peace in this new season. Chandler had never dated a young man before, and it has been a fun time helping her process all the newness of dating. Then when Bo asked her to marry him, I knew I would need to be intentional in savoring all the moments. All I had heard was how stressful planning a wedding can be, and I didn’t want to look back and have any regrets.

How do you intentionally have joy and peace as the mother of the bride?

1. Be encouraging and available to your daughter as she plans HER wedding.

Besides the obvious budgetary boundaries, it is crucial to know that it’s HER wedding day. I made sure I asked questions rather than giving advice: “What do you want to do?” or “Oh, where did you see that idea?” Or a statement like, “Tell me more about that.”

I would gather more information from her and then ask, “What do you think?” She then would either tell me what she was going to do … or ask me for advice. Only then would I give

it. I feel like this kept the peace and joy for all of us.

If she started feeling anxious, I would remind her that the Lord would provide. We know that “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

Her daddy kept telling her, “Keep the main thing the main thing.” This just meant, you are getting married to Bo — none of the other details matter. This will definitely preach.

2. Hire a wedding planner.

No, seriously — don’t hesitate on this. Because I have a lot on my plate — running a business, an 11-year-old at home, and Roosevelt’s doctor’s appointments and daily needs as a cancer survivor — it’s important for me to guard my time.

We hired Honeysuckle Hollow Events by Design as our wedding planner. I was asked over and over, “Are you stressed?” The question would send me into a panic: Oh no! I should be stressed — what am I forgetting? Then I’d remember — we have a wedding planner. (Then I’d hear my husband say, “Keep the main thing the main thing.”) Denise, at Honeysuckle, was such a blessing to us, constantly reassuring that she had everything taken care of! Thank you so much, Denise! We are forever thankful for you and your team.

3. Practice getting dressed.

I practiced getting dressed for the wedding a handful of times. I didn’t want to feel rushed on the wedding day. I wanted to be available to help Chandler get dressed and be totally on for her. I also wanted to be confident about my makeup, hair, and what I was wearing so I’d know I would look and feel my best, and I wouldn’t feel panicked that morning.

I have tons more advice, but here’s one bonus suggestion: I was trying to be so accommodating to my daughter that I didn’t

really speak up about my mother-of-the-bride dress. Oh no! I got caught up and chose a dress because my daughter said she liked it, rather than thinking through the best color for me.

I had to sleep on it for a few days before I knew I’d picked the wrong dress! I’m so thankful they allowed me to choose one of the other dresses that I liked better. Don’t settle for just any dress, momma! It’s OK for you to look and feel your best.

Anybody want the continuation of the wedding planning and maybe even wedding pictures in July’s issue? Come find me on the socials and let me know!

• All of my makeup can be found at shaygreenwood.net under Shay’s Faves.

• My dress can be found at kaysformalwear.com. Y

Shay is a style coach with a mission to help women look and feel their best! Follow her on Facebook and Instagram @shaygreenwood.

Practice getting dressed for your daughter’s big day so you won’t feel rushed!

Sunnybrook marks 60 years

Advertiser Spotlight

Sunnybrook is thrilled to announce the 60th anniversary of its founding, a milestone that marks six decades of providing safe and nurturing homes for foster children.

Since its inception in 1963, Sunnybrook’s staff, board, volunteers and partners have worked tirelessly to improve the lives of foster children. Over the years, the greatest need in this community has shifted from housing young children to supporting adolescents who are aging out of the foster care system.

“It was increasingly older teens and young adults who were being lost in the system, contributing to a bleak outlook,” explained Sunnybrook Executive Director Dr. Myrle Grate. “These young people face significant struggles to become productive adults, due to poor education, unaddressed psychological issues, and myriad other obstacles.

“These factors combine for rates of pregnancy, addiction, incarceration and early death that are dramatically higher than their peers from stable homes. In many cases, Sunnybrook is the first time these individuals have felt the love of a stable, Christian, family environment.”

Sunnybrook invites our community to celebrate this milestone through prayer, volunteer work, and the donation of supplies and money. Together, we can continue to make a difference in the lives of children and families in need. Y

Watching God work in Jackson

To many outsiders, Jackson is known for its high crime rates, embattled politicians and ongoing water crisis. To me, someone who loves Jackson, it is home.

My siblings and I were born and nurtured in the West Jackson community, a community that took pride in their homes and being good neighbors. We attended Jackson Public Schools and received academic instruction from teachers who loved and cared about us. I went on to receive a biology degree from Jackson State University.

God graciously placed me in a home with Christian parents, and we attended Mt. Wade Missionary Baptist Church, located in the Georgetown community of Jackson. My pastor was my grandfather, the late Rev. Clevie Snell. Under his leadership, our church was devoted to supporting local and world missions. It was not until I became an adult that I discovered how the lasting impact of serving communities would become my life’s work.

Additionally, I credit other nonprofit

organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club on Capitol Street, Operation Shoestring, and the Perkins Foundation, for cultivating my passion for service. Pioneer Ministries has equipped youth to serve Christ in their communities for 75 years and sharpened my skills as well, empowering me from the time I was a 7-yearold at Camp Pioneer to when I served as a camp counselor during my college years.

As the director of programs at Jackson Leadership Foundation, I have the opportunity to support, empower and equip ministry leaders who are developing and maturing in their calling. The demands of ministry leaders are overwhelming, and we seek to provide the support and resources that each leader needs to grow their organization so they’re able to serve more people. We work with ministry leaders who are addressing a variety of issues, from unemployment to education, crime and more.

As I approach my third anniversary at JLF, I reflect on the growth I’ve seen in some of our ministry partners. One of the leaders we serve had a desire to go from part-time to full time in their ministry. This leader is now full time, with an operating staff. JLF does not take the credit for this transformation and growth, but we have provided capacity-building support and we celebrate their ministry growth with them.

Churches, schools, businesses, government agencies and faith-based nonprofits are working together like never before. I get a front-row seat to see the Lord using His people to help further His kingdom. In a society so divided by politics, denominations, race, etc., the Lord is using Jackson, a city of ill repute, to unify leaders all over the city.

In a recent JLF staff meeting, a coworker exclaimed, “It’s harvest time!” No matter how powerful Satan seems to have grown, suffering ripens people for hearing and receiving the gospel. At JLF, we are doing our small part of supporting our co-laborers in enhancing the kingdom. Y

Candace has served as a ministry leader in the Jackson area for more than 15 years. At Jackson Leadership Foundation, she helps connect community leaders with the support and resources needed to thrive. Candace also serves as assistant music director at Redeemer Church alongside her husband, Symeon. They are the proud parents of Nylah, Zeek, Brayden, and Christen Grace.

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 fall short of the glory of God. – Romans 3:23

For the wages of sin is death …

– Romans 6:23a

✝ THE SOLUTION

… but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 6:23b

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

– Romans 5:8

✝ HOW TO RECEIVE SALVATION

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

– Romans 10:9

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” – Romans 10:13

✝ THE RESULTS

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. – Romans 8:1

✝ NEXT STEPS: STUDY GOD’S WORD AND FIND A CHURCH

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. – Colossians 3:16

Questions? Please contact us at katie@mschristianliving.com or 601-345-1091.

*All Bible verses taken from English Standard Version.

"This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm

Moms in Prayer Global organization, local impact

On September 4, 2015, Jill Chaney’s husband passed away. A few weeks later, she attended her first Moms in Prayer meeting at First Presbyterian Day School (FPDS) in Jackson.

“Prior to (my husband’s death), I knew of all the different things that moms and dads would get involved in at (FPDS), but (it) wasn’t pressing enough for me to make the time,” Jill says.

When her husband would pick their son up from school, “he’d get there early, and he’d help out in carpool, because he was a JPD officer. Everybody got to know him, but they didn’t know me.”

But Jill had always been involved with prayer groups at church. “I know the power of prayer,” she says.

Not knowing exactly what to expect, she showed up to Moms in Prayer at FPDS. “I did not even know they had someone at the school who curates all the prayer requests,” she says. “They had the prayer list, and they were going through it … and they said my son’s name.”

The group had never met Jill (and still didn’t know who she was until

one of the moms figured it out) — but they cared enough to pray for her and her son. She started going to every meeting.

“It wasn’t just because I had a void,” she says. “It was because I knew it was the most important thing I could do for those little people and the administrators who take care of them.”

Moms in Prayer (MIP) is an international Christian organization with local groups all over the world. Each group prays for a school or group of schools — including students, faculty and administrators — in their community.

Most groups are made up of moms of school-age kids, while other groups pray for adult children and even grandchildren. Any mom or grandma can join a group, and MIP is adamant that “what’s prayed in the group stays in the group.”

MCL Editor Katie Eubanks (top right, with notebook) interviewed several leaders and participants from local Moms in Prayer groups about how the ministry has impacted them and their children.

Jill Chaney with her son Joseph.

Don’t want to pray aloud? You don’t have to. Need some guidance on what to pray? You’ll be given a handout on just that: Most groups systematically pray through a student roster one chunk at a time, and the prayers are all based on the Bible. Can’t meet during the day? Chances are, you can find a group that meets after work. Have to miss a meeting? You can find prayer sheets on the MIP website.

In other words, you have no excuse not to pray, whether you’re at a meeting physically or in spirit.

“The Bible says where two or three touch and agree, He’ll be there,” Jill says.

Several members of Jackson-area MIP groups recently spoke with MCL Editor Katie Eubanks about how their experiences with MIP have impacted them and their children. Following are excerpts from the group interview, edited for space and clarity.

Katie Eubanks: I’d love to hear how some of you got involved in Moms in Prayer, and what keeps you coming back.

Tracy Grenfell (Madison County Schools group): The different spiritual disciplines — one of many I lacked was prayer. (And) my oldest son just started ninth grade at Jackson Prep. I wanted to meet new people.

What keeps us coming back is our kids — anxiety, fear, Xbox — there are so many things coming against our kids.

Lea Freeny Browne (First Presbyterian Day School group): I work an 8 to 5, and I never had the luxury of an (extravagant) amount of time at my kids’ school. (But) I can commit to praying for every child at my child’s school.

TG: Beth (Noland) picks our attribute (of God) for the week. Every week, our prayer focuses on a different attribute of God. So often, (that attribute is) exactly what I need.

Beth Noland (Madison County Schools group): Because the Lord chooses it. (An example handout provided by the group says at the top, “God is our confidence” and cites multiple scriptures, including Psalm 71:5, Proverbs 3:26 and 1 John 5:14-15.)

Kysia Geary (Jackson Academy group): I will randomly pick (the attribute of God). You get there and it always works.

Deborah Schuster (church grandmothers’ group, Rankin County): My pastor will be speaking on that (same) attribute (and) I’ll think, are you peeking (at what we’re doing in MIP)?

Moms in Prayer is where I learned to pray the Word of God. Up until then, I had not been exposed to that.

WANT TO START A MOMS IN PRAYER GROUP?

Local MIP leaders are hosting a gathering at 6 p.m.

Tuesday, June 6, at the Colbert Theater at Hartfield Academy, located at 1240 Luckney Road in Flowood. Can’t make it? Visit momsinprayer.org/get-involved/start-a-group/ and follow the simple steps provided

KG: I never knew how to pray until Moms in Prayer. … It’s like the best thing I do every week. (Beth and others echo this.)

KE: What was it like the first time you attended MIP?

LFB: It was intimidating because they all seemed like they had it all together. Then I realized, these moms have eccentric learners. I’m a mom of dyslexics. It’s wonderful to find moms who understand.

Melissa Thomas (group praying for college and special needs kids): I think the intergenerational aspect is neat too. The lady I pray with is older, so she can tell me, ‘That’s normal,’ or, ‘Maybe you should talk to their doctor about that.’ (laughs)

Amy Horner (Hartfield Academy group): We didn’t have any expectations, because we were all new. (The Hartfield group restarted this year after a hiatus due to COVID.) I don’t expect you to pray like a pastor. Just express your heart to God.

KE: How do you keep the prayer time from becoming a gossip session?

LFB: I tell newcomers, this is not a gossiping place.

TG: We don’t have time for that.

DS: (And) we don’t want to try to fix the problem but take the problem to God. (Laughter all around)

KE: What kinds of things do y’all typically pray for?

MT: My prayer and typically (the other moms in my group) is for their safety and health — all aspects of health.

LFB: We pray for our kids to have wisdom, for them to choose to do right.

Whitney Canoy (Jackson Prep group): I pray for current events. If they have a sports injury, or if they’re traveling somewhere … There’s usually always something to pray for.

TG: Ours are in that early high school (stage) … they need prayer.

BN: Sometimes it’s really specific — a test, a college roommate — and sometimes it’s Christian character things.

DS: Or salvation.

BN: Or salvation. It kind of toggles.

TG: Strengthening their Christian identity.

WC: I tell my kids, ‘We prayed for you today. … This is something I want y’all to do (too).’

BN: For their friends. That they would encourage them in their faith.

DS: And that they’d be a good friend.

LFB: Play with the child who doesn’t get played with.

BN: When I first moved here, I prayed for someone to invite to (my kid’s) birthday party.

DS: We pray for (all) the adults who are involved in that child’s life. Our teachers, administrators, government, bus drivers, custodians.

LFB: We (also) do letters of encouragement. We’ve had teachers, when

Clockwise from top left: Whitney Canoy, Trashonda Dixon, Melissa Thomas and Tracy Grenfell are all part of local Moms in Prayer groups. “Every week, our prayer focuses on a different attribute of God. So often, (that attribute is) exactly what I need,” Tracy says.

they’re going through hard times, bring out the cards they’ve received (from us) … The Moms in Prayer site has (those available).

KE: Have you seen the impact of MIP on your kids?

Trashonda Dixon (Hartfield Academy group): Oh, yeah. We’re new to Hartfield this year. We had homeschooled for eight years. My son was in eighth grade (and) his friends moved to Texas. He’s a good boy, a smart boy, and he was struggling.

(The ladies in my MIP group) rallied around him. Amy (Horner) said, ‘I think he’s in my son’s class.’ You see him start to come out of his shell. He is himself. He’s wanting to play football. He’s found his friend group.

DS: Prayers aren’t always answered the way we want. … I have seen a lot of answers to prayer, years later. (So) I encourage the young moms (with that).

LFB: I also think too that prayer has such eternal significance. When I stand before God and my children stand before God, I want to make sure I’ve done everything I can do. I want them to bring a lot of people with them (to heaven).

TD: Everything we do, we’re sowing seeds. I tell my kids, ‘I may not be here with you all the time … but one day the Lord will bring the harvest.’ He is a finisher. The good work He started … (it’s the) same with our children.

MT: I think the international component is neat too. This week we pray for Turkey and Syria. As we pray for Turkey and Syria, there’s other people (in other countries) praying for us.

BN: Every state has sister countries (to pray for). (Mississippi’s sister countries are Kuwait, Lesotho, Malawi, and Senegal.)

KE: How has MIP impacted you personally?

DS: I have people asking me to pray for them (because) they know I’m in Moms in Prayer. I’m so blown away, because my prayers are so simple and so childlike.

TG: I trip over my words and stumble (during prayer), but it’s OK.

KG: When people thank me (for praying for them or their child), I say, I

Clockwise from top left: Moms in Prayer leaders Lea Freeny Browne, Kysia Geary (in floral chair), Beth Noland, Amy Horner and Deborah Schuster. “We pray for our kids to have wisdom, for them to choose to do right,” Lea says.

The impact of Moms in Prayer

Kathryn Cotten, Jackson Prep group:

Our group is so sweet! It is such a privilege and such an encouragement to me to pray with people who genuinely desire to see Jackson Prep honor the Lord and sincerely care about the spiritual, emotional and physical welfare of the entire Prep family.

Lydia Aluko, Madison County Schools group:

(My son didn’t) want to go to school. When it’s Sunday night, he would complain of something. ‘Something is wrong with me, I don’t want to go.’ I would share with other moms (at MIP), and we started praying for him: Let him develop interest in school, connecting with godly friends …

Last semester, he had zero absences. And this semester, first nine weeks, zero absences. So now he enjoys school, and I see him excel. … you can see the joy. He’s always ready to learn. I feel like that’s an answer to prayer. Because even when he went to daycare as a baby, he didn’t want to go.

Marcy Russo, Southeast Division Coordinator, Moms in Prayer:

My daughter was in first or second grade, and all of a sudden she was lying to me. Boldfaced lies, to my face. Those moms (at Moms in Prayer) prayed that she would have truth in her inmost parts. That she would not tolerate a lie.

Fast forward to junior high, and she goes out with certain girlfriends to a movie … She comes back (and says) ‘Mom, my friends tried to get me to see another movie, and I knew it wasn’t right to see that movie, and I said no. They said, “Courtney, just lie to your mom … ” And I told them, “I am not going to lie to my mom!”’

Then fast forward to high school ... She dated a boy who didn’t know Jesus. And we were so concerned. She didn’t want to hear it from us. (Then) the boy lied to her, and she found out, and she said, ‘I am not tolerating any lies!’ She had no idea that when she was in first or second grade, we had prayed this over her.

Suzanne Guild, Jackson Academy group:

I got involved with Moms in Prayer 13 years ago when my oldest was in the first grade. I wanted to be a part of something that had an eternal impact. I also knew that there were students who never were lifted up in prayer, and I wanted to do that.

MIP has impacted me more than any Bible study I have ever done. There is something intimate when you show up and just pray together.

An added bonus is the friendships I have made with moms whose paths I would have never crossed because of our kids’ different ages. Y

The kids of Moms in Prayer

do this for me. I feel like people are missing out if they don’t do it.

DS: Going to confession before God (which we do at MIP before we pray for others) is one of the most cathartic things you can do.

A lot of my prayers did not end up the way I wanted ... But they ended up so much better.

TG: Years ago I was in MOPs, Moms of Preschoolers. We were very isolated. We needed to come together ... Moms in Prayer is kind of the graduation of that. … it’s so great to get together and pray in agreement.

WC: You might have a bond with other moms because (of sports or extracurriculars), but when you pray with a group of moms, it’s another level. Y

For more information on Moms in Prayer or to find a group near you, visit momsinprayer.org or contact Marcy Russo at Southeast@momsinprayer.org.

Kysia Geary’s daughter Grace.

Lea Freeny Browne’s kids (from left): Allegra, Cedar and Sperrin.

Trashonda Dixon’s kids (from left): Jadin, Ethan, Moriah and Shiloh.

Kathryn Cotten Lydia Aluko Marcy Russo Suzanne Guild

Whitney Canoy (left) with her husband, Marcus, and their kids (from left) Jase, Kayleigh and Nolan.

Local surgeon takes his talents abroad

“Each of you should use whatever gifts you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” – 1 Peter 4:10

Dr. Jeff Kennedy, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in joint replacement at Capital Ortho in the greater Jackson area, has always had a heart for mission work, and he said the above verse “has been a great motivator for my desire to help in the mission field both locally and abroad.”

Dr. Kennedy’s first mission trip abroad was in the late ’ 90s to Iquitos, Peru, where he provided both orthopedic and dental care. Since that time, he has been on more than a dozen mission trips abroad, including Africa with Samaritan’s Purse, El Salvador with Operation Walk, Peru with multiple organizations, and Haiti with One Mission Society. He also frequently volunteers with Eight Days of Hope, a disaster relief organization started in Tupelo. Each of his adult children has accompanied him on one or more of these trips.

After the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, Dr. Kennedy put together a team of colleagues and friends from the Jackson area called the “Jackson 5!” Some of the team included himself, Dr. Will McCraney, Dr. Parker Ellison, and Dr. Steve Davidson. One of Dr. Kennedy’s patient’s sons was Navy Admiral Ted Branch, who provided a Sea Stallion helicopter to transport the physicians from northern Haiti to the southern peninsula.

This summer, Dr. Kennedy will embark on a mission trip to Peru with an incredible team from his church, First Presbyterian Church of Jackson. At the helm of this trip are Drs. Danny Story and Craig Flowers. They are all looking forward to not only sharing the gospel, but also providing important medical care.

Team members are hoping to strengthen, encourage, and tangibly show the love of Christ to the missionary families, the local church, and the surrounding neighborhood through medical and dental clinics, VBS, and any other means the Lord provides.

“I just truly enjoy helping people and giving back. God has immensely blessed me and my family in my life, and it’s very rewarding to be able to use my skills to help and hopefully bless others through serving and meeting real-time needs. It really makes you appreciative of where you live and what you have when you go overseas. We provide medical care that people would otherwise never get, or have access to, and it’s very fulfilling to be a part of that.” Y

Dr. Jeff Kennedy is an orthopedic surgeon at Capital Ortho who specializes in total hip and knee replacements. Capital Ortho is a comprehensive orthopedic care clinic and surgery center that is home to knowledgeable surgeons, therapists and industry professionals with one goal in mind: to treat our patients completely, with care and concern. For more info, visit capitalortho.com.

● Are you a people-pleaser and need stronger boundaries with others?

● Do you want to learn more self-awareness, become a better decision-maker, and grow in self-confidence?

● Do you feel depressed, anxious, or stressed out most of the time?

● Are you tired of racing through life, feeling overwhelmed?

● Are you dealing with infertility or other traumatic events from your past? If

Cindy Townsend: On life, ‘lemons’ and the Lord

Cindy Townsend picks up a plastic lemon and turns it over in her hands. At first glance, it’s just a lemon — one of many she’s used to adorn her kitchen table, where we now sit with her husband, as well as other surfaces in their home.

A closer look at the lemon reveals words like “provision” and “protection” written in black magic marker in Cindy’s cursive hand.

If you’ve communicated with Cindy lately, you’ve probably noticed other words, too. She’s taken to signing her emails and text messages “Cindy ‘Grateful for the Goodness of God’ Townsend.”

She doesn’t want to forget what God’s done for her over the past year and a half. She doesn’t want to forget the fall, the tumor, the multiple surgeries — or God’s presence through it all.

Of course, this wasn’t the first time God took a sour situation and caused it to bear sweet fruit in Cindy’s life.

‘I’m not going to put you in a box.’

Today Cindy serves as women’s minister at First Baptist Jackson. But many years ago, she was just a preacher’s kid who didn’t want to move to the capitol city.

“My dad said he felt called to be a voice for

Jesus in Jackson,” she says. “When my family joined Daniel Memorial Baptist Church, I didn’t even want to stand with them to shake hands with people.”

When she did, she met Bill Townsend, another teen whose family had also just moved to Jackson.

“My dad asked me, ‘Did you not even find one person who could be your friend?’” Cindy recalls. “I said, ‘I found one. … he was really cute. And I’m going to marry him one day.’”

She and Bill dated off and on for 14 years, through high school and college. Whether they were actively dating or not, Cindy would call Bill every Sunday night at 10 or 10:30. If they were seeing other people, she’d tell him about the dates she’d been on.

“I wanted to live my single life to the fullest. And I think God wanted that,” she says. Also, because she’d been called to ministry at age 13, “I wanted to make doubly, triply sure (Bill) was the one.”

Cindy’s dad was fully supportive of her calling.

“At that time, women played piano at church or married the preacher. And my dad said, ‘I’m not going to put you in a box. You just go where God leads.’”

Where He led was initially youth ministry at First Baptist Jackson. “I enjoyed being a single adult youth minister,” Cindy says. When she and Bill finally married, “they played the

‘Hallelujah Chorus’ when we walked out,” she says. “We went on our honeymoon and came home early and took the (youth group) on a youth retreat.”

Meanwhile, Bill’s career took him through various roles in higher education, many of those at Mississippi College, where he has worked in several different departments and is currently vice president and general counsel for the university.

“I love students, especially college students, and I wanted to impact their life,” Bill says.

As a youth minister, “I loved what God had called (Bill) to do,” Cindy says. When they moved to Louisiana for a time, “our house was open” to young people, she says.

By the time the Townsends came back to

From left: Bill Townsend, Taylor Townsend Conerly (holding Chloe), Seth Conerly (holding Finley), Cindy and William Townsend.

Cindy giving a lemon to Dr. Giuseppe Lanzino, her neurosurgeon at the Mayo Clinic.

Cindy’s brain before (left) and after surgery. The tumor is the square-shaped object toward the bottom left of the left-hand photo.

Mississippi, they had lived in Louisiana and Texas and had two teenagers of their own, Taylor and William. Back in the Jackson metro, Cindy founded the Global Leadership Institute at Jackson Prep, where “I was allowed to base the curriculum on Jesus and the Bible,” and later served at two different local churches before returning to First Baptist Jackson.

In 2021, Cindy and her family spent Christmas in Illinois. After returning home, she fell off a ladder onto her kitchen floor while taking down holiday decorations.

The fall would hurt her knee — badly. But it would also reveal a bigger problem. “The fall may’ve saved my life,” she says.

Tangerines and lemons

Cindy’s knee appeared to be the worst of the damage from her fall, but doctors still conducted standard protocol to make sure she didn’t have a brain bleed, Bill says. That’s when they discovered that she had a brain tumor the size of a tangerine.

After consulting with a local neurosurgeon, Cindy and Bill finally told their daughter, Taylor, about the tumor. “She said the minister’s wife at their church (in Illinois) had the same type of tumor I had — that’s how we got in with Dr. Lanzino (at the Mayo Clinic),” Cindy says.

Dr. Giuseppe Lanzino had done about 10,000 similar brain surgeries in his career and advised the Townsends to wait six months to see if the tumor was growing — and then if it was, get it out immediately. Otherwise, it could cause hearing loss, walking difficulties, vision

problems or worse, even if it turned out to be benign.

“I couldn’t imagine telling this story over and over for six months,” Cindy says of the waiting period. “I only told a few people.”

Meanwhile, she underwent a painful knee surgery and physical therapy regimen, but the knee didn’t get better. Finally, she saw a doctor who said she’d have to redo the knee operation — after that other little procedure on her brain. He said simply, “Brain comes before knee.”

“That was the only day I wept,” Cindy says.

It was also one of the only appointments Bill missed. “I didn’t miss many,” he says.

“I told you to (miss it),” Cindy reminds him, “because I thought it was no big deal.”

That’s when the lemons came into play.

“I said, ‘This is such a lemon, Lord. Show me how to bring You glory (in it),’” she recalls.

Soon after praying that prayer, she was at Kirkland’s in Flowood, and “the whole front display was lemons,” she says. She bought a bunch.

“And we went back and got some more,” Bill quips.

Cindy decorated with the lemons at home but also printed out a one-page devotional and attached it to the lemons with ribbon. She wrote attributes of God on the plastic fruit and gave them to anyone who was involved in her medical journey or who was going through a tough time.

“God gives us things (when we’re in hard seasons). When my dad passed away, that was the same year (my nephew) Dawson was born,” she says. “When I found out I had a brain tumor, I kept dreaming of holding (my new granddaughter) Daisy.”

She also threw herself into her work at First Baptist. “Work was wonderful,” she says. “I

SUNDAYS

Sunday School • 9:00 am

Worship • 10:30 am

Find out all the ways to get connected at fbcj.org.

Cindy and Bill dated off and on for 14 years. When they finally married, “they played the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ when we walked out,” Cindy says.

Cindy with just a few of the plastic lemons she’s collected and given away as a symbol of the Lord’s sweetness during “sour” times.

thought, if this is my last six months (potentially), I’m going to make the most of it.”

Oftentimes, she found herself silent. Not a trait for which she’s known. “I got to the point where I couldn’t verbalize a prayer. I would just pray and hold my hand over where the tumor was.”

When people asked about her knee, she’d tell them how that was going, and sometimes they could sense there was more to the story. So that’s what she’d say — “There’s more to the story” — and leave it at that. Folks simply nodded and assured her they’d be praying.

Finally, the brain surgery drew near. Cindy still hadn’t told many people about the tumor, even at First Baptist. She planned to let a colleague tell the women’s ministry leaders at their monthly meeting, which fell the day before the surgery.

“I told my friend Dottie my plan and she said, ‘That’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard in my life. You need the power of prayer,’” Cindy recalls. So she recorded a short video explaining her situation and sent it out to the women’s ministry.

On August 3, 2022, as she was being wheeled back to surgery at the Mayo Clinic, Cindy could hear women praying for her via

Zoom. “They got up at 6 a.m. to pray for me,” she says. “I was so humbled.”

‘He has this!’

Cindy’s surgery went as expected, she was back at work in a few weeks, and the tumor was benign. She also underwent knee surgery again and has recovered well. She’s grateful for all of that. She’s also grateful for how God showed up — whether through Bill taking care of her, neighbor Joyce Miskelly bringing her food, a friend getting her in to see a neurologist at UMMC, or her kids, who were both present at the brain surgery.

Another friend reminded Cindy of an illustration she used to use when speaking to women: Cindy would say that if she had a ladder to stand on and proclaim a truth about God, she would shout, “He has this!” Ironic that God would let her fall off a ladder in order to learn that truth through experience.

Cindy didn’t find the memory quite as funny as her friend did, but she can say with certainty, “Whether you’re on the top of the ladder … or you’re halfway down the ladder, or lying splat on the cold tile floor waiting for an ambulance, He does have this, and He is with us no matter what.” Y

Your

Sandra Strain

Tina and Melvin Pugh

Dr. Lily Yang

Ron and Lauren Ball

Barbara and Steve Springer

Ken and Karen Jones

Karen Stewart

Shari Barnes

We are thankful for the friendship and ministry of Bill and Cindy Townsend through the years. We see Jesus in you!

“Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” – Eph. 3:20

Jeanhee Kang

Principal Broker

Muse LLC & Brokers

Roller skating to redemption: Skating rink serves as ‘City Lights’ for Christ

and they’re getting saved and taking this back to their families,” said Star.

A lot of these kids, the Lotts said, might never have stepped foot in a more traditional church. City Lights is different — a traditional church has a youth program, but here, the youth are the church.

“It’s a beautiful thing,” said Jeff. “We see these kids come in, and they’re not looking for Christ, they’re looking for their boyfriend or girlfriend and they’re looking to hang out — but they leave on fire for Jesus.”

Jeff and Star lead a service at City Lights like many churches would, with fellowship, prayer and Bible study. However, the City Lights reach doesn’t end on Sunday night.

“We see these kids here all weekend,” said Jeff. “So we see them in church mode and in ‘real world’ mode. So we get to mentor them in real time. It’s all because of Jesus.”

The Lott family has been amazed at how God is working through the rink.

“We’re just ordinary people, living ordinary lives, for God,” said Star. “We’re using what God has given us to reach these families for Him.”

When you walk into this skating rink, you see the large wooden floor, worn from years of skaters of all ages and skill levels. There’s a disco ball, arcade games, a snack bar, and an area for birthday parties.

You’d never guess that you’re standing on holy ground.

City Lights was born from Funtime Skateland in Pearl. Jeff Lott, owner of Funtime and pastor of City Lights, said the name of the church was a God-given revelation as he prayed in his car one day.

“I was just driving, and the Lord said, ‘City Lights,’” Jeff said. “Matthew 5:14.”

Matthew 5:14 states, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill that cannot be hidden.”

Jeff has been tethered to Funtime for nearly four decades. He and his wife, Star, and their children lead City Lights together.

“The Lord put this on Jeff’s heart, and he was radically transformed,” said Star. “And we had this place, and he knew that we had to use it for God.” The Lotts were educated through Pinelake’s church plant program, and just before planting another church, they ultimately answered the Lord’s call to launch City Lights.

“We’ve changed a lot over the years, with a full band, (and) skating before church,” said Jeff. “But we’ve scaled it back to just about getting the Word to the kids, to see fruit in their lives. And every weekend we are with them, we see the fruit of what Jesus is doing with them.”

The mission of City Lights is to be and make disciples for Christ by reaching the kids who would normally come to the rink for entertainment — and who might not hear the Word of God elsewhere.

“These kids … they’re coming from broken homes, hurting homes,

City Lights meets from 5:30 to 7 p.m. every Sunday night at Funtime Skateland in Pearl. Visit funtimeskate.com or Funtime Skateland Pearl on Facebook for more information.

Maximize

“ We see these kids here all weekend. So we see them in church mode and in ‘real world’ mode. So we get to mentor them in real time. It’s all because of Jesus.”

Jeff Lott (right), owner of Funtime Skateland in Pearl, leads kids in prayer during a worship service at City Lights, the church that meets at Funtime on Sunday nights.

How to practice mindfulness

This Mental Health Awareness Month, experts from St. Dominic’s Behavioral Health Services offer some practical steps to help you keep your mental wellbeing top of mind.

Our modern lives are full of activities, obligations and deadlines. It’s easy to feel anxious or even experience some depression. When these feelings become overwhelming, there are mental health resources and professionals who can help. But for most of us, “mindfulness” is the key to a better life. What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. While mindfulness is innate, it can be cultivated through proven techniques. Here are some examples:

• Seated, walking, standing and moving meditation.

• Short pauses inserted into everyday life.

• Merging meditation with other activities, such as a daily devotion/prayer practice, yoga or sports.

• Guided visualization, including muscle relaxation.

6 facts about mindfulness:

• Mindfulness is not obscure or exotic. It’s familiar to us because it’s what we already do, how we already are. But practicing mindfulness improves the results.

• Mindfulness is not a special added thing we do, but we can foster these innate qualities with simple practices that have scientifically proven results.

#StopTheStigma

Managing your mindset can help tackle stress before it affects you, yet the stresses of life can easily sneak up on us. Stress-related illnesses are real. But there is also the stigma of getting help for mental or emotional issues. Help #StopTheStigma. If you or a loved one feels the need to take the next step for your mental health, St. Dominic’s Behavioral Health Services offers free assessments for walk-ins and by appointment. Call 601-200-3125 to schedule. Assessments help guide individuals to the care they most need, whether with an outpatient therapist or psychiatrist or in an inpatient setting.

Sunnybrook Estates is a strictly rental independent living retirement community offering spacious apartment living. Low monthly rates with NO long-term lease or buy in required. Rent includes meals, housekeeping, transportation, activities, on-site movie theatre, central heat and air in each apartment and more! Fabulous

• Anyone can do it. Mindfulness cultivates universal human qualities and does not require anyone to change their beliefs. Everyone can benefit and it’s easy to learn.

• It’s a way of living. Mindfulness brings awareness and caring into everything we do and cuts down needless stress.

• It is evidence-based. Both science and experience demonstrate that when we’re mindful, we reduce stress, enhance performance and gain insight and awareness.

• It sparks innovation. As we deal with our world’s increasing complexity and uncertainty, mindfulness can lead us to effective, resilient, low-cost responses to seemingly difficult problems.

Simple ways to start:

• Wake up 15 minutes early. Spend this time sitting quietly, eyes closed — reflecting on the day ahead, your feelings and expectations. You can even use a daily scripture or devotion topic to guide this time.

• Write down: “Today I will … ” and list what you plan to do. Review yesterday’s list.

• Take a walk. Research shows that a 45-minute walk reduces stress and anxiety. Best results were found for afternoon walks (as opposed to mornings) in quiet surroundings like parks or walking trails.

Finally, remember that learning mindfulness is like learning to play the piano: Practice, practice, practice. Get started, practice daily, and the results will surprise you! Y

Robert “Bob” Prehn is the executive director of Behavioral Health Services at St. Dominic Hospital. He has a PhD in psychology and healthcare administration and more than 35 years of experience leading behavioral health programs. Sonya Summerlin serves as an outreach/community liaison at St. Dominic’s Behavioral Health Services. She has a master’s degree in clinical psychology and is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT). She has more than 35 years of experience in the mental health field.

How can I learn to love my daughter better?

ANSWER:

Loving others is a central tenet of how we are called to live as Christians. This can be challenging when those “others” are strangers, and ironically harder still when that person is a loved one. We often believe that our children should be the easiest to consistently love well, and when we struggle to do this, it can cause internal guilt, pain and confusion — in addition to an external issue in the relationship.

Each of us wants to be understood and heard, as it helps us feel valued and validated. As parents, it can be difficult to do this when our children display disparate personality traits than ourselves, or opinions that we don’t agree with. As an extrovert, for example, it can be frustrating and bewildering to assist an introvert child through the social gauntlet. Further, as a parent with life experience and associated wisdom, it can be challenging to permit room for our child’s perspective, especially if we can predict trouble due to that perspective.

So how can we embrace and implement

understanding and validation while staying true to what we want to nurture, teach and promote as a parent? Conveying that we understand, or want to understand, requires allowing one’s child to feel what they feel, even if we don’t agree. With young adult/adult children, this can promote closeness even in disagreement. For minor children, this does not require us to acquiesce to their feelings/desires. Regardless of age, in not dismissing a child’s thoughts and feelings out of hand, we communicate love.

Appreciating differences in personality and perspective can be made easier by working toward greater insight. “The Road Back to You,” a basic primer on the Enneagram, as well as other resources, can be helpful. You might be familiar with the “love languages,” first introduced in the book “The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love.” While the original publication focused on how to apply this concept in marriage, subsequent works by author Gary Chapman and others have included the parent/child relationship.

Finally, I occasionally have clients admit that they struggle with expressing love physically or verbally, as they were raised in a home where this did not occur. I suggest intentionally tying demonstrative love to a regularly occurring event, such as giving a hug or saying “I love you” when the child is leaving the home, before bed, etc. In creating the habit, over time this will become more natural.

Parenting is a great challenge with many unknowns, but with dedication and perseverance, you can consistently love your daughter well. Y

Wendy Maxwell, LCSW, is a graduate of The University of Mississippi and The University of Alabama. She has a private counseling practice in Ridgeland focused on treating women and teens with anxiety, depression, and change-of-life issues. She is a married mother of two recent college graduates and enjoys working in her yard, reading, and cooking with friends.

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

Nearly all vices are rooted in the future. Gratitude looks to the past and love to the present; fear, avarice, lust and ambition look ahead.

~ C.S. LEWIS

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

~ ROMANS 1:20, NLT

So then, with endurance, let’s also run the race that is laid out in front of us, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Let’s throw off any extra baggage, get rid of the sin that trips us up, and fix our eyes on Jesus, faith’s pioneer and perfecter. He endured the cross, ignoring the shame, for the sake of the joy that was laid out in front of him, and sat down at the right side of God’s throne.

~ HEBREWS 12:1-2, CEB

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

~ PHILIPPIANS 4:19, ESV

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

~ MATTHEW 18:20, KJV

For the Lord shall be thy confidence and shall keep thy foot from being taken.

~ PROVERBS 3:26, KJV

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth.

~ PSALM 71:5, ESV

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.

~ 1 PETER 4:10, ESV

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

~ MATTHEW 5:14, ESV

Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

~ EXODUS 20:12, KJV

Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.

~ PROVERBS 1:8-9, ESV

A gracious woman retaineth honour.

~ PROVERBS 11:16A, KJV

Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children.

~ DEUTERONOMY 4:9, ESV

Add life to your minutes.

For every second a stroke goes untreated, the long-term effects can get progressively more debilitating. That’s why time is of the essence. Once you notice the signs of a stroke, call 911 immediately.

Fortunately, there are new treatment options that can stop a stroke in its tracks, and there are therapies that can help reverse many of the effects of a stroke. Noticing the signs of a stroke early can help with recovery and ultimately your quality of life.

St. Dominic’s is the 昀rst hospital in Mississippi to receive The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Heart-Check Mark for Advanced Certi昀cation for Comprehensive Stroke Centers.

Take our free online assessment to learn if you might have an elevated risk of stroke, as well as how we can help you: stdom.com/stroke.

Let’s Talk...

Have you ever wondered if your investment strategy needs a second opinion? Maybe you have unanswered questions. Maybe you need advice on your retirement plan.

The team at Mascagni Wealth Management might be exactly what you are looking for.

We are a Registered Investment Advisor with over 30 years of experience helping Mississippians and their families. Let’s sit down over a cup of coffee and talk about your financial future. Call us today.