FREE SEPTEMBER 2022 4 PRESIDENTS of Christ-centered colleges on faith, education and community
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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.
Coming next month Mart McMullan in his rock and roll days (center), and with his wife, Holly. The McMullans recently celebrated Mart’s 10-year anniversary of sobriety. See page 26.
cover story 18 Four college presidents
Jackie Murray and other Oncology Nurse
POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Mississippi Christian Living, P.O. Box 1819, Madison, MS 39130.
VOLUME 17, NUMBER 2 columns 8 Outside In Strength in numbers 10 Modern Motherhood Starting school and ordering our loves 12 Mission Mississippi Moments How intentionality directs us toward mission 14 Faith, Fashion & Fitness 3 great transition pieces for summer-to-fall 16 This Is My Story How Jesus has changed my friendships 25 Living My Call Navigators act as ‘safety net’ for cancer patients 29 The Doctor Is In New Capital Ortho surgeon views his work as a calling 30 Tough Questions My spouse and I can’t agree on a school 3 1 Lagniappe Memory care at St. Catherine’s Village 32 What’s Going On Oxford native to share story of tragedy, recovery, hope in every issue 6 Editor’s Letter 34 Quips & Quotes 34 Advertiser instagram.com/MSChristianMagIndexCONNECT WITH US: facebook.com/MSChristianLiving PUBLISHER MS Christian Living, Inc. EDITOR Katie katie@mschristianliving.comEubanks MANAGING EDITOR Suzanne Durfey ART/GRAPHIC DESIGN Sandra Goff SALES Suzanne Durfey, Ginger Gober, Teresa Howell CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Chris Bates, Shay Greenwood, Dr. Fred Hall, Jill Hisaw, Cate McCrory, Sarah Rein, Molly Staley 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 601.345.109139130
4 SEPTEMBER 2022
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On faith, community and education feature 26 Mart and Holly McMullan Celebrating sobriety, faith and love
Mississippi Christian Living
contents SEPTEMBER 2022
Clint and Terri Herring: Making an impact through business, advocacy
Navigators at St. Dominic help cancer patients navigate the spectrum of care. See page 25.
38 years,
● Cate McCrory’s testimony about how Jesus changed her friendships (page 16)
if his neighbors back in the Shire knew what he was about to undertake. Imagine the wagging of heads, the scoffing, the wellmeaning cries of, “You don’t mean to go there, do (Youya?” don’t actually believe in this stuff, do you? The one ring and the dark lord and all that? You’re not actually acting on that belief, are you? You know you’ll probably die?)
EDITOR’S LETTER
So now at Rivendell, when he realizes he’s barely begun his journey, the only naysayer he has to overcome is himself. Everybody else agrees on the mission, even if they’ve been bickering over details.
● Sarah Rein’s column on her new perspective on a new school year (page 10)
.
Frodo hopes his part is over. After all, he’s just a hobbit. So many others seem more qualified to do whatever needs doing. Or maybe the ring could stay at Rivendell, the “last homely house” of the elves, where things seem safe and secure. But in the middle of the debate, a dreaded conviction falls on Frodo, and he knows he has to go all the way to Mordor to destroy the ring in the fires of Mount Doom. He has to give up his life in order to preserve it. Otherwise Sauron will find the ring, and life won’t be worth living.
“Lord of the Rings” geekdom ahead. But I promise it has a point!
With other people. Maybe it’s a friend who opens her home to you. Or a family member who takes you to lunch when you’re going stir crazy. Or a significant other who helps you turn away from yourself and toward Jesus. What do these people have in common? They are serving you in some way — not because you’re high and mighty, but because you need their help! “I am among you as one who serves.” — Jesus speaking, Luke 22:27b. Spoiler alert if you haven’t read “The Lord of the Rings” or seen the movies: The servant Samwise Gamgee is the hero. Arguably, Sam is the only reason Frodo makes it to Mordor andSo,back.who are our Sams in this life? Who shows up consistently and helps out faithfully? More importantly, for whom can we be a Sam? Maybe it’s some of those same people. Or who around us is following Christ’s mission to make disciples, and how can we support them in that? Who just needs some help in general? If our Savior was here as One who serves, then we are to be people who serve.
Our calling as Christians is impossible to fulfill on our own: to love God and love others, even to the point of death. And in the middle of that mission, we find ourselves neck-deep in life’s daily stresses. Most of the time, we’re somewhere between Rivendell and Mordor. If we try to survive there alone, the weight of temptation and of the mission itself will surely crushButus.if we rely on Christ’s power — and let His people help us — we’ll complete our quest. And please, let’s be like Jesus and serve His people too. Y Must-reads in this issue:
Everybody else at the council is arguing over position like the 12 disciples, but Frodo’s mission cuts through the noise and enters his Imagineheart.
So he speaks up. He volunteers for the quest.
Warning:
But Frodo has left the unbelievers behind. He didn’t tell them where he was going or host a town meeting in order to justify his plans. He gathered three hobbits he trusted, and they started trekking east, as far as he knew to go.
6 SEPTEMBER 2022 Mississippi Christian Living
● Our cover story on 4 presidents of Christcentered colleges (page 18)
Eight travelers join him, including his three hobbit friends — one of whom refuses to leave Frodo’s side, even when he tries to complete the journey alone. Samwise Gamgee, Frodo’s former gardener, will not be sundered from his master, no matter what. Frodo’s mission is Sam’s mission. So, a question for me and you: Who refuses to leave my side? Whom can I trust? The ultimate answer, of course, is God. But even Jesus sent the disciples out two by two. Like it or not, He means for us to do life together
Katie katie@mschristianliving.comEubanks
Near the beginning of the classic fantasy novel, when Frodo has brought the ring of power to Rivendell, he attends a discussion where some Very Important People try to figure out what to do with the evil object.
Why we should all be more like Sam Gamgee
It’s part of what makes Clinton the smart choice for your business, and it’s just the beginning of why you belong here:
LIVES.
• Our location along I-20 provides simple, direct access to Atlanta (6 hours), Dallas (5.5), Memphis, and New Orleans (both 3).
BUSINESS BOOMS WHERE EDUCATION
CLINTONMS.ORG
Here in Clinton, MS, we know great schools are the key to a great workforce. Our town boasts the top-performing school district in the state, as well as a distinguished junior college and Mississippi’s oldest four-year university. This means no matter the requirements for the job, we’ve got the right people to get it done.
• We’re home to a variety of industry sectors, including: Aerospace, Defense, Automobile/tires, Disaster and environmental response, Polymer manufacturing, Produce distribution, Warehousing, Bottling, and more.
• Rail is also available and runs directly through our town’s industrial park, with John Bell Williams airport for general aviation just five miles away.
We have learned that there are many benefits to coming together. It certainly is about the enjoyment of the clear, cold rivers and catching trout. It is about unplugging, refocusing and being rejuvenated by the scenery. It is also about checking in with one another around current challenges and hopes, followed by opportunities to offer encouragement, experience and prayer.
Every July this group of friends gathers in Montana for serious fly fishing and less serious comradery. On this most recent trip, we were all commenting on our seasons of life, our challenges, and our gratitude lists. Each man shows up with small or large levels of stress about life, families and careers. Each also comes with a strong desire to perfect their cast, rest well and enjoy the days with one another. Over the years, this group has developed a propensity for encouraging good casts for just the right drifts as we fish, and also for encouraging each other in our spiritual journeys.
Strength in numbers
8 SEPTEMBER 2022 Mississippi Christian Living OUTSIDE IN by CHRIS BATES
We had been waiting and anticipating for months to breathe the cool morning air and step into the chilly river water in far western Montana. Much preparation went into our fly rods, drift boats, food and other gear. There are many things revitalizing about disconnecting from our devices and connecting with such a beautiful part of nature. It was time to spend these days focused on the mountains, wildlife, experiences, and time with each other.
Clockwise from front and center: Adrian Smith, columnist Chris Bates, Patrick McCraney, Scott Bates, Brian Glahn and David Bridgers circle up for prayer while on a fly fishing trip in far western Montana.
Most of us have heard, “For where two or three gather in My name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20 NIV). While that is certainly about worship, it is also about strength. In daily life we are each focused to an extent on what needs to be accomplished. Whether caring for our children, making a sale at work, or striving to achieve personal goals, we unintentionally travel alone in many of our busy conquests. Even those of us with caring spouses and families tend to run ahead with blinders in sincere attempts to accomplish and do Towell.learn to navigate better, we must each be willing to take action and come together with others. Those others might be loved ones or current friends, and it might look like joining 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. an activity at church or committing to an annual getaway with true friends. Christopher Robin said, “You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you” (A.A. Milne). Our willingness to engage inevitably brings both comfort and new opportunities. When one shares with another, and God is included, amazing things will happen. We gain the ability to listen humbly to one another and let the connection exist that Matthew is recounting in his quote from Jesus. There is no greater gift than one person progressing on their path, having followed someone experienced who has gone before. The sharing of experience, strength and hope with one another benefits the giver and the follower. There is a quote attributed to John Wesley that says, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can.” Thank goodness that still leaves room for grace, error and humanness. It also leaves room for interdependency with one another. We need each other. We like to be strong individually. We like self-reliance and the satisfaction of personal accomplishment. Too many of us, though, tend to storm ahead toward honorable outcomes but do so without the immeasurable benefit of strength in numbers. Reaching beyond our singular capabilities, and combining them with the talents and gifts of others, models what happens when we roll small strands together to make a much stronger rope. Whether our challenges are with a job, a relationship or a pandemic, our actions to gather with other people and have God as the connecting fiber make us unstoppable. That truth and the benefits are outlined for us, but we must each take the steps to bring our own value and combine it with others’. Y
mschristianliving.com SEPTEMBER 2022 9 Continue your education in a friendly, faith-based environment at WCU. Schedule a campus visit today! HATTIESBURG | TRADITION | BATON ROUGE @CAREYATHLETICS WWW.CAREYATHLETICS.COM @WMCAREYU WWW.WMCAREY.EDU Let’s Stay Connected! • William Carey University set new all-time enrollment records for the last two years. • No extra fees for out-of-state students. • Numerous scholarship opportunities. • Our trimester system allows students to complete degrees more quickly. • Average cost is competitive with public & private schools in Mississippi. • Carey is home to 18 athletic programs, competing in the NAIA.
Now I’m on the parent side of starting a new school year and, I have to admit, it doesn’t look nearly as magical from this end. I forgot to order multiple textbooks, we’ve been retrieving clean socks from the laundry basket for weeks, and I have raised my voice far more than I want to admit.
T
he beginning of a new school year fills my spirit with an acute sense of nostalgia. I remember vividly the nervous energy on that first day each year … seeing where my seat would be and if my best friend’s would be close by, what my teacher’s personality would be like, and hoping the paper covers I had cut and taped around my reissued textbooks stayed on. I’m amazed at how the sensory details from my elementary years have stuck with me: the fabric from my favorite first-day-of-school outfit (dark green overalls with sunflowers); how I still can’t smell cinnamon without thinking of the Christmas ornaments we made in first grade; the sting on my hands when we would swing on the cold metal playground equipment during the winter months; and the fact that I can still remember the lyrics and dance moves for our holiday choir performance of “We Need a LittleMyChristmas.”memories from school and childhood have an almost magical quality to them. It feels like I can look through a window at certain scenes and be that age again. I can watch in wonder when my seventh-grade English teacher cried while reading “The Yearling” to us. I can feel the pride of getting my “BOOK IT!” personal pan pizza coupon for earning enough reading points.
Underneath all that, I have this nagging sense of worry that my children won’t look back as fondly on their school years. That is probably heightened by the fact that I teach our children at home three days a week — and having a sixth grader, third grader, first grader, and 3-year-old doing all their learning and living in one space together can get … well, chaotic to say the least.
10 SEPTEMBER 2022 Mississippi Christian Living MODERN MOTHERHOOD by SARAH REIN
Starting a new school year and ordering our loves
“ Now I’m on the parent side of starting a new school year and, I have to admit, it doesn’t look nearly as magical from this end. I forgot to order multiple textbooks, we’ve been retrieving clean socks from the laundry basket for weeks, and I have raised my voice far more than I want to admit.”
I want things to be pretty and clean. I want lunches to be healthy. I want them to remember me having it together. And then God, in His loving way, reminds me of what’s really happening during this day-in, day-out process. Education, I was reminded recently, is not merely the training of the mind to take in information, but the formation of a human being. For the Christian parent, it is the long and gradual process of teaching and encouraging them to become a disciple of Jesus. At St. Augustine School, which my children attend two days a week, there is much talk of “ordering our loves.” Augustine (the school’s namesake) wrote about this in his renowned book “The City of God,” saying, “The good make use of the world in order to enjoy God, but the evil, in contrast, want to make use of God in order to enjoy the world.” C.S. Lewis continues this train of thought in “The Four Loves” when he points out that a properly ordered life must always have love of God first. Parents, if we spend the few years we get with our children helping them order their loves rightly, and if we continue learning to order our own loves rightly, we can free ourselves from the desire to make their childhood perfectly special. I have to lay down my selfish ambition to have it all together.IfIteach my kids to care about cute backpacks and eating vegetables and having good grades, but I don’t train them to love Jesus infinitely more than all those things … what a waste. Let’s begin this year with that eternal goal in mind and trust God to make the magic happen. Y Sarah Rein and her husband, Trey, are raising their four children in Brandon, where Trey is a school principal and Sarah is home a LOT. Luckily she’s an introvert who enjoys reading and learning about new things and people.
I can gaze around my first-grade classroom as we spent a week making our own elaborate nativity scenes, and remember how thrilled we were to use the hot-glue gun.
The Reins love their church family at Lakeside Presbyterian and coffee. Clockwise from top left: Vivian, Eliza, John Ready, and Stuart Rein.
Do you see a LEADER when you
school senior graduating in May 2023: Share your story of faith and leadership for a chance to receive a scholarship toward college tuition. Applications and instructions are available at MSChristianLiving.com or through school counselors. APPLY AT: https://bit.ly/CLF2023
in the mirror? For
NovemDeadlineFriday,ber4
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. look more information, email Suzanne Durfey at suzanne@mschristianliving.com or email katie@mschristianliving.com
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12 SEPTEMBER 2022 Mississippi Christian Living
MISSION MISSISSIPPI MOMENTS
Acts 6:1-7 describes a situation in which the apostles are acting with intentionality in pursuing their mission of spreading the gospel through prayer and preaching. They become aware that a distracting conflict has emerged, threatening to divide the early Christian community. The Greek-speaking disciples accuse their Aramaic-speaking counterparts of neglecting the Greek-speaking widows in the daily distribution of resources.
First, they listen to the complaint. Listening, unlike hearing, is always an intentional act, for to listen is to focus one’s hearing on actively receiving what the speaker is trying to communicate. Mission Mississippi creates forums where people of diverse races can build relationships by listening to each other’s views on issues impacting the community. This type of listening is nonjudgmental because its goal is to discover where the other people are in their thinking and then meet them in that space.
Third, the apostles realize they must delegate this responsibility. Managing the distribution of resources directly would mean compromising the apostles’ own mission of spreading the gospel. Rather than taking it upon themselves to appoint individuals to fill this role, however, the apostles empower the community to choose leaders who are “reputable” and “filled with the Spirit and wisdom.” The community, because of its involvement, feels invested in ensuring the success of the resource distribution. In the same way, Mission Mississippi is “local leadership driven,” empowering churches, businesses, schools and civic organizations to address pressing issues through a deepening of crossracial relationships. Furthermore, Mission Mississippi is committed to delegating responsibilities and raising up leaders who will spread its work geographically throughout the state and generationally to the young people who will become future leaders.
Finally, the apostles pray over the chosen leaders, commissioning them for service so that they too may practice intentionality in their calling to distribute resources equitably. In so doing, the apostles acknowledge that God’s blessing is necessary to ensure the success of human endeavors. Prayer is what maintains the connection between the branches and the vine, sustaining the alignment of our will with God’s. Likewise, Mission Mississippi is deeply committed to prayer. Having participated in a number of the organization’s prayer breakfast gatherings over the years, I can attest to the palpable sense of Jesus’ presence at such events, which invariably rekindle in me the desire to serve God and others with increased intentionality.
How can we as Christians practice intentionality in our daily lives? For me, devoting an hour every morning to dialoguing with Jesus through Bible reflection and prayer is essential. My relationship with Him has deepened tremendously, and I now have confidence that when I act with intentionality, I am aligned with His goals and mission for my life. How we end our day is also significant.
How intentionality directs us toward mission by JILL HISAW Jill Hisaw is the director of Pastoral Care at St. Dominic Hospital. She serves as a lector and catechist at St. Therese Catholic Church in Jackson.
T his year, Mission Mississippi has chosen as its theme: “A Deeper Dive into the Racial Divide Through Deeper Relationships.” This month’s focus is “Deeper Intentionality.” Intentionality is often confused with mindfulness, although the two are quite different. Whereas mindfulness means being completely immersed in the present so as to savor it fully, intentionality is directed beyond the present to an ultimate goal. Thus, intentionality is the deliberate choice to act in order to bring about a desired goal or purpose.
Author Dan Burke recommends that as a final activity before falling asleep, we imagine ourselves boarding a helicopter and “flying over” the past day, from start to finish, asking ourselves where we succeeded in responding to God’s call and where we fell short. Reviewing our day in this manner prepares us to face the following day with renewed intentionality. Y
Although this discrimination may be inadvertent, the resulting oversight is an injustice. The apostles recognize the urgent need for an intentional effort to redress this wrong and preserve Christian unity. We can identify four steps in the apostles’ approach.
Second, the 12 consider potential solutions. Their dilemma raises an interesting point. Sometimes we are called to refrain from an otherwise righteous undertaking because it conflicts with the mission that has been entrusted to us at that time. For example, being involved in church activities to the extent of neglecting one’s family indicates a failure to prioritize one’s proper mission. To act with intentionality as a Christian is to allow our personalized mission to permeate our words, actions and relationships, how we spend our time and money, and how we set our priorities.
“ Listening, unlike hearing, is always an intentional act, for to listen is to focus one’s hearing on actively receiving what the speaker is trying to communicate.”
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A great question to ask yourself is: What items do you most enjoy wearing when the temperatures start falling? I love layering pieces. Layering pieces are necessary all year long. These include jean jackets, sweaters, kimonos and blazers. What I love the most about layers is that they not only provide coverage and warmth, but they also complete and elevate your look. You can start with a T-shirt, jeans and tennis shoes, add a blazer or long cardigan and instantly feel more confident.Ilovelong boots. Long boots are a great transition piece from summer to fall to winter. They are all the rage to wear with shorts and dresses now, and then to wear with jeans, or dresses with tights and a jean jacket, as the summer months come to an end. Who doesn’t love jeans? There are so many styles to wear, from skinny jeans to wide leg jeans — everything goes nowadays! Wear the style that YOU feel the best in — don’t settle just because it’s the latest trend. Always remember, a classic style NEVER goes out of style. If getting dressed in a new season stresses you out, it’s totally normal! I’m here to help you lessen the stress. Last time I shared with you how to organize your closet to make it easier to choose an outfit (see our July issue). So here are three quick items that you can shop from your closet. They’re all great transition pieces, and they’re a few of the top items for fall 2022.
A white tank can go with every outfit, dressed up or dressed down. Maxi skirts are moving into the fall.
3 great transition pieces for summer-to-fall
Ready for fall fashion? You probably already have these items in your closet! Fall and winter are fast approaching, which means it’s time to think about transitioning from summer to fall outfits. We have a couple months before the temperature changes. But is anyone else anticipating being able to comfortably wear an outfit that matches the temperature both indoors and out — or is it justNome?matter — I’m here to help you think about how to take items you already have to make the transition easy and effortless. Ain’t nobody got a lot of time to spend on this! So how can you make this transition easy?
2. A maxi skirt. Maxi skirts are moving into the fall. You can pair your maxi with boots and a jean jacket for a fun fall look. Don’t be afraid to wear your bright colorful maxis in this way too. And have you ever thought about trying your maxi as a dress? Try it and let me know if it worked for you. You can even add white boots to this look!
3. A trench jacket. Don’t underestimate throwing a cute trench over any outfit. It’s one of the staples that provides the greatest versatility. When in a hurry, I’ve been known to wear a T-shirt, leggings and boots and throw on a trench to look like I have spent a lot of time picking out an instant sophisticated look. Y Shay is a style coach with a mission to help women look and feel their best! Follow her on Facebook and Instagram @shaygreenwood.
1. A white tank. A white tank can go with every outfit, dressed up or dressed down. Dress it up with an oversized or fitted blazer, with jeans and heels or even tennis shoes. That same tank can be worn with a cardigan and a pair of slacks. You can even use tanks for casual looks under a sweatshirt or athletic jacket.
14 SEPTEMBER 2022 Mississippi Christian Living FAITH, FASHION & FITNESS by SHAY GREENWOODCAMILLE MORRIS
Don’t underestimate throwing a cute trench over any outfit.
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16 SEPTEMBER 2022 Mississippi Christian Living THIS IS MY STORY by CATE MCCRORY
taking these risks we discover that everyone else on the planet isn’t perfect either. We discover that we can be ourselves — our imperfect, work-inprogress selves, and accept others in the process.”
I thought that was all there was to it until recently. I saw what an indepth relationship with Jesus looked like, and I slowly began to understand the possibility of depth in earthly relationships; my perspective on friendships was changed.
Now, two years after initially asking myself those two questions, I have realized Christ-centered friendships are the ones I cherish most. In these relationships, there is a whole new level of transparency and vulnerability.
Before understanding what a true relationship looked like, I was focused on the here and now, and currently I’m trying to focus on the present and future, because seeing that my relationship with Jesus is future-minded and rooted in love and grace, I long for my relationships with others to be that way too.
Growing up, friends were just people to play with on the playground. As I got older, those people became friends to just sit with at lunch. I was still stuck on the idea that friends were just people to surround myself with.
Cate is a senior at Madison-Ridgeland Academy, a member of the dance team, and a member of Young Life and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She is also a member of Highland Colony Baptist Church in Ridgeland. Cate enjoys being an intern for MCL because she feels like the Lord has placed writing on her heart. You can read more of her work on her blog, catemccrory.wordpress.com, or in her Instagram bio, @catemccrory.
People are not perfect, and forgiveness is something all people are called to do. This can help “build your village,” because life gets hard, and you need friends who will love you through it all.
With this type of transparency and vulnerability, there is also the feeling of knowing you are not alone. The devil often tries to tell us that we are all alone, but we are to equip ourselves with the help of other people. That’s also why God gave Eve to Adam. With the help of God and the community He has given us, we can begin to understand what it truly means to have a friend in Christ. Y
Although it is so hard to be transparent, it can help you learn to accept others as you want to be accepted. This can only be done through unconditionally loving people with the help of Jesus, because He calls us to be like Him: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”
After hearing how Christ was a friend to others, I had to reassess many of my relationships by asking myself: What is this relationship rooted in? And how can I be a better friend?
Author Suzie Eller beautifully describes this level of vulnerability: “We risk being known as imperfect. We risk saying something we wish we hadn’t, we risk showing others that we don’t have it all together. But by
From left: Brooklyn Robinson, MCL intern and columnist Cate McCrory, Madeline Duncan and Abby White.
The most famous example is Jesus and His forgiveness, unconditional love and grace. He was able to forgive broken people. This led Him to ultimately die on a cross and defeat death to save us from the consequences of living in a sinful world. That’s another great trait of what kind of friend Jesus was: He would do anything for His people (and that’s us!).
Before I could be in that type of friendship, I had to be humbled and come to terms with myself and what kind of friend I was Fortunately,like.throughout the Bible, there are great examples of how to be a friend.
How Jesus has changed my friendships
“ After hearing how Christ was a friend to others, I had to reassess many of my relationships by asking myself: What is this relationship rooted in? And how can I be a better friend?”
(JohnWhen13:34)afriend opens up and becomes transparent, you learn about your friend in such a different way. Knowing more about “your” people can help you become a better friend and show Christlike love, grace and forgiveness. Colossians 3:13 says, “Forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as Christ forgave you.”
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:
WHAT TO DO NEXT
✝
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✝ THE PROBLEM
✝ THE RESULTS
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.
✝
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. – Romans 10:13
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8
HOW TO RECEIVE SALVATION
Trust in what Jesus has done for you — His death for your sins and His resurrection — and trust Him as Lord.
… but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. – Romans 6:23b
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
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)!
✝ THE SOLUTION
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
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).
✝ IS IT FOR ANYONE?
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
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. – Romans 5:1
IMAGERYSTEGALLBYPHOTO
4 PRESIDENTS of Christ-centered colleges on faith, education and community
18 SEPTEMBER 2022 Mississippi Christian Living COVER STORY by KATIE EUBANKS
From left: Belhaven University President Dr. Roger Parrott, Blue Mountain College President Dr. Barbara McMillin, Mississippi College President Dr. Blake Thompson, and William Cary University President Dr. Ben Burnett.
Above: Blue Mountain’s administration building, and the Modena Lowrey Berry Auditorium. Dr. McMillin with her husband, Larry, and son, Sam.
There truly is a sense of family. We’re a very small institution, just over 100 or so employees. Everyone knows everyone else. We all eat in the dining hall at lunch. If I had to reduce it to a word, it would be, it is a genuine community. It just feels so real. Students tell us this, too.
How Christian higher ed is changing: Think about the international students that join the mix here. … We have students who may be very mature in their faith, (and) at the same time you’ve got a student coming who maybe has never been in a (Christian) worship service. How we consistently meet the needs of the student who is more mature on that spectrum when we also want to spiritually minister to students who aren’t there yet — we’ve got to think about how to do that. (There are also the) the questions of religious liberty and the impacts
What she loves about Blue Mountain:
Last month, MCL Editor Katie Eubanks interviewed four presidents of Christ-centered institutions of higher learning in Mississippi. Two themes emerged from these conversations: the sense of community at smaller, faith-based schools, and the importance of Christian higher education! Remarks have been edited for clarity and space.
Dr. Barbara McMillin, Blue Mountain College
I have the opportunity every day to encourage faculty (to) teach from a Christian perspective, showing students what it means to think Christianly — and I feel very passionately about teachingChristianChristianly.parents, Christian grandparents, need to think about what their young person is going to learn about any (subject) — does it look different if you look at it through the eyes of faith? And the answer is yes. We don’t want people to miss that. It makes a difference.
The impact of COVID:
Dr. McMillin grew up in Falkner in northeast Mississippi, just a short drive from Blue Mountain. She earned her doctorate at The University of Mississippi and taught English at Northeast Mississippi Community College before joining the faculty at Union University. During her 20-year tenure at Union, she became chair of the English department, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and was later promoted to associate provost and dean of instruction.
What she’s learned at Blue Mountain: A high view of God is the solution to a thousand problems, I think is the way (A.W. Tozer) says it. … I have seen things happen that are God-only moments throughout 10 years at BlueTheMountain.needfor Christian higher education has never been greater ... The opportunity before us to be faithful, and to see what God can do through that faithfulness, is what keeps me going. We’re not going to be less of who we are — we’re going to be more of who we are.
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What makes Blue Mountain different?
Blue Mountain College was founded in 1873 as a women’s institution, opened its doors to men who were called to ministry in the 1950s, and in 2005 became fully coeducational. (The ladies still outnumber the men a little, but “the guys have caught up,” Dr. McMillin says.) Renowned for the exceptional caliber of its teacher education graduates, Blue Mountain likewise enjoys an outstanding reputation for graduates engaged in Christian ministry. Affiliated with the Mississippi Baptist Convention, the college recently gained Stage II approval from Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning to begin a nursing school.
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In her role as a college president, Dr. McMillin uses her passion for teaching to encourage and enable others who have been called to teach.
For the last two years, we have started (classes) under constraints. We don’t feel that (now). We’re really challenging faculty ... What are the things you wanted to achieve, what constitutes academic excellence, maybe that you’ve always dreamed of, but the circumstances (in 2020 and 2021) didn’t give you the opportunity?
William Carey’s administrative complex, Tatum Court, was rebuilt after being destroyed by an EF3 tornado in January 2017.
Christian higher education on the forefront is more important now because (the) world is moving, but we can’t be like a little sailboat. We’ve got to be like a tugboat, a steam liner in the middle of the ocean, staying our course.
(It’s) a personalized experience. (Half) of our staff and a lot of our faculty (are alumni who) never left Carey. Some of them have been there 30-something years. The challenge is, we’re not all that small. (We’re) kind of like a very large church with satellite campuses, and all of a sudden you’ve got to find ways to get connected through small groups and things like that that big churches do to make it feel small. So we’re trying to do that. We try to embrace parents as much as we can … next Thursday we’re welcoming new students in, and we’ll do a parent meeting. And that’s easier to do on campuses like ours.
The impact of COVID: We’ve realized that we can call a quick meeting with everybody and not get everybody in one place. And I still teach, in the educational leadership program. (One of my classes converted) to virtual meetings and we’ve kept them that way. Because our students are all teachers, coaches — and to be able to hop on (to a video class) on a Saturday morning, it’s actually a good time for them.
What he’s learned at William Carey: My board president sent me a link this morning (to an article titled) ‘Is College Worth the Cost? 85% of Gen Z student loan borrowers would have done something different.’ So people are changing their view of, do I need higher education? Can I afford higher education? So we’ve got someOurchallenges.taskforkeeping
20 SEPTEMBER 2022 Mississippi Christian Living that could happen ... We’ve got to be mindful of what we must be ready to do to exist in a culture that does not want to support us.
What he loves about William Carey: The atmosphere of the campus is what drew me. And I really wish I had come here sooner. (In the education department) I got to work with so many other great superintendents and principals … that have just become my dearest friends.
Dr. Ben Burnett, William Carey University Dr. Burnett grew up in the Hattiesburg area and worked for the Lamar County School District for 26 years — as a high-school band director, middleschool principal, and superintendent. Along the way, he became an adjunct instructor in the School of Education at William Carey University in Hattiesburg. He became William Carey’s dean of education in 2014, executive vice president in 2021, and president just last month, after former president Dr. Tommy King retired. William Carey was founded in 1892. Approximately 5,300 to 5,400 students attend the school, including 1,000 at the Biloxi campus and 100 at the nursing site in Baton Rouge. Nursing, biology, business administration, elementary education, and psychology are some of the school’s most popular degree programs. William Carey is affiliated with the Mississippi Baptist Convention. As the namesake of the Father of Modern Missions, the Carey family seeks always to “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.”
What makes William Carey different?
Dr. Burnett, who drums in the praise band at his church, joins the drumline at a faculty-staff assembly. Dr. Burnett with his wife, Denice, and son, David, both of whom graduated from William Carey.
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The impact of COVID: At our spring 2021 commencement, I was advised not to shake hands. (So) I hugged every student as I gave them their diploma. Remarkably, we made it out without any issues.
I haven’t been as active (on social media) during COVID as I would be in normal time. And I will likely become more active as we get back
IMAGERYSTEGALLBYPHOTO THE SOUTH’S LEADER IN ESTATE JEWELRY AND DIAMOND SOLITAIRES. LOCATED IN HISTORIC DOWNTOWN NEW ALBANY AND THE SQUARE IN OXFORD. Oxford 124 Courthouse SquareFlagship662.236.5012Store:New Albany 129 W Bankhead Street 662.534.5012 vanatkins.com 1.866.VANATKINS You know she’s worth it!
Dr. Blake Thompson, Mississippi College
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How Christian higher ed is changing: We don’t just attract students who are on fire for the gospel. (Our campus is) not just a haven for people who believe, but a mission field to draw others in to where we can show them the love of Christ. So we’ve just got to make sure we’re loving everybody. So I’m going to stand in front of the students at convocation in two weeks (and say), on this campus, we’re going to show the love of Christ, wherever you are in your journey, and you may not even be a believer. That doesn’t mean we condone things that we don’t stand for or agree with, but we love everyone.
What he loves about MC:
What makes MC different?
Dr. Thompson grew up in northeast Mississippi, earned a doctorate of pharmaceutical sciences at The University of Mississippi, and applied what he learned in the healthcare world to the policy world in Washington D.C., where he served as a senior staffer for the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee and the late Sen. Thad Cochran. Dr. Thompson later served as vice president and secretary to the Ohio State University Board of Trustees, and had a joint vicepresidential appointment with Battelle, the world’s leading nonprofit research and development organization. He returned to Mississippi in 2018 to become the 20th president of Mississippi College in Clinton.Founded in 1826, Mississippi College is the oldest institution of higher learning in Mississippi. Just under 5,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students attend the university. MC offers more than 80 undergraduate majors, more than 50 graduate areas of study, three doctoral programs, a law school, and one of the state’s finest physician assistant programs. Affiliated with the Mississippi Baptist Convention, MC is a Christian university known for academic excellence and commitment to the cause of Christ.
One of my first visits outside of the state (when I became president was) with an older (alumnus) who told me that he had just within the last year or so been diagnosed with cancer. And the first three people that he called and asked to pray for him were his three suitemates (from) Mississippi College.
We had a long-serving trustee whom we lost in the last couple of years. And in my last conversation with him, he made the point to me that in an increasingly secular, pluralistic society, that having different offerings is incredibly important. And that perhaps private, faith-based institutions are more important than they’ve ever been.
I’ve not heard that level of long-term commitment and relationship at other places, at other kinds of institutions — not just higher-ed institutions.
At the same time, we can offer a world-class education. And (we) do those two things in a community, a feeling of family. We also have a beautiful campus.
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Top left: An aerial view of Mississippi College. Top right: Dr. Thompson with MC students. Above, from left: Sarah Blake holding Millie Catherine, aka “MC”; Dr. Thompson, Jana, Cate and Grey Thompson.
22 SEPTEMBER 2022 Mississippi Christian Living DON’T HIRE A VENDOR, GAIN A mmidining.comPARTNER.•601.946.9683 to normal. … I didn’t want to be doing things on social media that I wouldn’t have been doing in person.I’mproud of the way we’ve worked together and relied on each other through COVID at the Mississippi Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. I get the chance to lead that organization as its volunteer president. … I’ve got to say something about Harold Fisher, who (served as secretary-treasurer)executive for decades. And Dr. Tommy King of William Carey was president before me. (MAICU has) given us an incredible platform for collaboration. What he’s learned at MC: What I’ve found is (MC) is a great fit for me. It’s smaller, more community oriented. I get to interact with students, faculty and staff, and community members directly. I can build real, lasting relationships with people over time. How Christian higher ed is changing: I think as Christian educational institutions, our priority is to remain committed to those principles and values that our institutions were founded on. In a world where values are shifting, (we must) remain true to the set of values we were given — by God and by faith-based leaders over generations. Dr. Roger Parrott, Belhaven University Dr. Parrott was a pastor, college administrator, and U.S. director of a missions organization before following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, who were both college presidents. He was one of America’s youngest college presidents, first elected at age 34. He has served on various boards and was chair of the 2004 Forum for World Evangelization hosted by the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization. He has been a college president for 33 years, 27 of those at Belhaven. Dr. Parrott is the author of “The Longview: Lasting Strategies for Rising Leaders” and “Opportunity Leadership: Stop Planning and StartLocatedLeading.”inJackson’s historic Belhaven district, Belhaven was founded in 1883. The university offers a high-quality education in a supportive environment with a 12:1 student to faculty ratio, where Christian faculty and staff members are dedicated to academic rigor and grace-filled care. Belhaven serves approximately 4,000 undergraduate,
MC has been a force to be reckoned with for nearly two centuries. Our students and graduates are transforming classrooms, advancing health care, leading businesses, uniting teams, innovating, driving creativity, and championing the public good. At every step of your MC journey, you’ll be backed by a strong community who will inspire you to reach higher. We offer a dynamic, supportive environment where scholarship thrives, opportunity abounds, and Christ is magnified so that our students emerge determined to lead lives of significance, service, and distinction.
THIS IS WHERE YOU RISE BEGIN NOW AT MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE Visit mc.edu/apply for more info
mschristianliving.com SEPTEMBER 2022 23
24 SEPTEMBER 2022 Mississippi Christian Living
Affordable, distinctively Christian, nationally recognized His purpose. Your calling. Our mission. bmc.edu 662.685.4771
Now accepting applications for BSN and online RN-BSN at Blue Mountain School of Nursing masters and doctoral students on their main campus in Jackson and online. Business, nursing, education, exercise science, and dance are some of the school’s most popular degrees. Belhaven has a long and productive history and relationship with the Presbyterian Church.
The impact of COVID: Freshmen who are coming this week have not had a normal day of school since February their sophomore year (of high school).
When you look at the big flagship universities, they’re focused on the four S’s: size, sizzle, sports and status. (We focus on) character, curriculum, caring, and Christ, four C’s. We (want) every student to grow in Christ, to be well prepared for the marketplace, and to have the kind of support especially that this generation needs in order to be successful. Half of (professing evangelical) students who attend a state university will lose their faith before they graduate. We can’t guarantee we’re going to have a specific outcome. But what I can guarantee is that they will have a biblical foundation in every class they take here, from a Christian faculty member who is here to serve them and to help them.
I (also) think there’s an isolation that’s come with it that’s impacting our culture and our ability to build community.
What he loves about Belhaven:
The biggest fear I have is that we’ll try to hope it goes back how it was and get frustrated when it doesn’t. It’s not going back how it was. (But) we have been a leader in online education for two decades. We have a great, strong program.
Clockwise from above: Belhaven’s McCravey-Triplett Student Center; Belhaven is one of only 36 institutions in the country that are accredited in dance, visual art, music, and theatre; Dr. Parrott with his wife, MaryLou, and their kids, Grady and Madison, at Belhaven in 1996. Both Grady and Madison went on to graduate from Belhaven.
I love it more every day. It’s a great group of faculty and staff. Our board of trustees has been incredibly supportive. In 27 years, we’ve never had a divided vote on anything. If we sense a division coming, we wait on God’sEveryleading.Christian school in the country wants to copy what we do in the arts. Everybody wants to copy our worldview curriculum. … I’d almost be crazy to go someplace else. What makes Belhaven different?
How Christian higher ed is changing: We’re trying to be innovative to help students be prepared for a rapidly changing job market. They’ve got to be deeply rooted to stand up to the tests that are coming for this next generation. And they’ve got to have the flexibility to adjust to change. Y
If you hire the right people, who have a calling and a passion for what they do, facilitate that and get out of their way, good things happen.Create a culture with high levels of trust, stability and grace. … I think when you get that culture, it just allows people to grow in the Lord and grow in their service and further their call.
What he’s learned at Belhaven:
mschristianliving.com SEPTEMBER 2022 25 LIVING MY CALL by KATIE EUBANKS
KE: Is there anything else you want people to know about cancer treatment or JM:prevention? I guess I’d say two things for sure: With the molecular biology and the targeted immunotherapy, our treatment modalities are getting so much better. It’s not one-size-fits-all.AlsoIwould talk about how important it is to get those screenings; I want to scream that from the rooftops. Our standards for when we do our colonoscopies used to be (age) 50, and now it’s 45. And if you have family history, you might do some of that sooner. Y Jackie Murray, far right, with the rest of the Oncology Navigator Team at St. Dominic.
You get a diagnosis with lots of providers involved. And then you have a lead — sometimes it’s a surgeon, sometimes it’s an oncologist. It’s crazy and it’s all this new information coming to you. And the Navigator acts as sort of a safety net.
You have some families who really want to study and learn as much as they can. And there’s so much out there that’s not a good reputable resource. So we try really hard to connect people to foundations that we trust.
My goal is to help people feel connected to their healthcare community and know who to call when something goes wrong … and that can be counseling resources, financial, transportation — that’s a big barrier. People often drive several hours in.
JM: I work with you when there’s a new diagnosis. That’s a time when I would come forward and introduce myself. Another new beginning for me with a patient would be, you come in and there’s a great suspicion, so we’re doing a lot of biopsies and such. Or when there’s a reoccurrence (of cancer), or when we’ve got symptom management that’s put you in the hospital. When you’ve been through chemo, (you’ll) see me again when you go through your surgery. Often I meet you in the hospital, or I would say in a clinic. I follow breast cancer and lung cancer, and some gynecological cancer. We do an orientation program. We have a support group for the breast cancer folks … When they start (chemo), we sit with them. And then I go to the cardiovascular clinic as well, because our thoracic surgeons follow our lung cancer patients.
How Navigators act as a ‘safety net’ for cancer patients
KE: What are the different touch points when you interact with cancer patients?
What drives me to go to work every day (is) that personal, human side of medicine. If I can just make your day easier, because this is (as familiar to me as) my kitchen — I know the little ins and outs of how to pick up the phone or how to answer a question.
KE: What are the most common reactions you see from patients who’ve been diagnosed with cancer?
JM: It truly varies. … Frequently, patients are surprised — because ‘I just came in with a sore shoulder or a cough,’ or ‘I came in for an appendectomy, and you found this?’ (But) there’s always, always those unexpected gifts that come with a difficult time in your life, or an unexpected diagnosis. You meet people you never would’ve met. Nobody wakes up and wants to go to the hospital today. But (we’ll) hear time and again, ‘I’m going to give it to God. I’m not going to worry about this.’ It’s a very beautiful thing to see. That is the best gift of my job.
MAXIMIZE & MULTIPLY JacksonLeadershipFoundation.orgIMPACT
MCL Editor Katie Eubanks recently interviewed Jackie Murray, an Oncology Nurse Navigator at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson, about how she helps cancer patients navigate the spectrum of care. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Katie Eubanks: Tell me about being a Navigator.JackieMurray:
I’ve also heard the surgeon call us the tour guide. We meet you at different touch points. … And how much you need us will just vary by patient. … I do a lot of listening.
We’re accredited as a comprehensive cancer center, which mandates a Navigator program. Navigators identify and mitigate barriers to care.
‘I was a little nervous’ Holly also experienced divorce — hers was finalized in 2007, when her son, William Seymour, was only 2. In 2012, the same year Mart got sober, Holly read the Bible cover to cover for the first time.The following year, “I had been dating a little, and it wasn’t going anywhere,” she says. “I finally said, if I’m meant to be single, (so be it).
Mart and Holly McMullan
26 SEPTEMBER 2022 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living FEATURE STORY by KATIE EUBANKS
Celebrating sobriety, faith and love
It was just true contentment for the first time in myJustlife.”weeks later, Mart asked her out for coffee. He’d been sober for nine or 10 months.
From left: Connor, Mart, Holly, William and Sam on Easter Sunday.
Mart
“I actually somewhat Facebook-stalked Holly. I knew Holly from Jackson Prep in the late ’80s and early ’90s,” he says. “I was a little nervous about going (out with him),” Holly says — partly due to his reputation from high school. As a teen, Mart was the lead singer of a rock and roll band called Illusion that looked every bit the Southern-fried version of Guns ’n Roses. “While I was waiting for him to pick me up” — the coffee date had morphed into dinner at Char, by the way! — “I told my friend, I need an excuse not to go out with him a second time,” Holly says. Her father, who’d grown up in a house with an alcoholic dad, was also worried — “until Mart came over,” she says. “And he’s just so open.”Holly did have to get used to Mart’s lifestyle, which at that time included multiple 12-step meetings per day. One of those meetings was at 5 p.m., right around the time you might want a drink — or a date night with your significant other. But they both stuck with it. (And Mart still attends meetings, which he says “have been crucial to my recovery even after 10 years ... Recovery is not meant to be done alone!”) Mart proposed to Holly at
McMullan starts each morning the same way: “The very first thing I do is go to my office and ask God to keep me sober,” he says, sitting with his wife, Holly, at their dining room table in Madison.Formore than 10 years now, God has answered that prayer. And for each of those 10 milestones, Holly has been by his side. His parents didn’t abuse alcohol or drugs, but three of his four grandparents were alcoholics, Mart says. He himself was a functioning alcoholic “from maybe college to my early years in medical sales,” he says. He and his first wife usually had some wine every night, but “I got intoxicated on the weekends. … I was functioning at a high level,” he says.“Ican remember very vividly, we were down in Rosemary Beach, probably 2008 or 2009, and I was riding a bicycle and I was intoxicated. My father said, ‘You might have a problem.’” Mart denied it. “Alcoholics gravitate toward denial and dishonesty,” he says now. He did go to rehab — six, seven, eight times. His sons, Connor and Sam, were young. All they knew was that Daddy went to “Daddy camp” to get Itwell.didn’t work. “(I went) through a very difficult and trying divorce in 2010, 2011,” he says. “The demise of my first marriage led to me drinking trying to fill a void.” “He used it to cope,” Holly adds.
Finally, after a stay at the Mississippi State Hospital at Whitfield, “I simply ran out of excuses,” he says. He’d lost his marriage, his job at the time, and his house. “He literally had to start over,” Holly says. Since August 6, 2012, Mart hasn’t touched a drop of alcohol. That’s when he began his daily prayer for help. “I really think God was the catalyst. God did for me what I couldn’t do for myself.”
From left: Bandmates Clay Shultz, Mart, Jonathan Barrett and Alex Guidry came together in 2019 for a Jackson Prep fundraiser.
Holly and Mart celebrating his 10year sobriety birthday in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada.
Mart, in front, with his band Illusion in 1989. Standing, from left: Jonathan Barrett, Clay Shultz and Trey McGriff.
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Mart in 2010, before getting sober. Mart’s wedding band inscription references Jeremiah 29:11. Mart and Holly got married on May 24, 2014.
Holly and Mart on their wedding day with their sons (from left) William, Sam and Connor.Mart performing with Illusion at the 2019 Prep fundraiser. Mart and Holly at the 2019 Prep fundraiser, and Mart performing later that year at a Parkinson’s benefit at Duling Hall in Fondren.
On May 24, 2014, Mart and Holly got married at Northminster Baptist Church in Jackson. “I grew up at Northminster, and it has been a blessing in my life and walk,” Mart says. By then, Holly had been a single mom for seven years. “In the Bible, the number 7 symbolizes completeness,” she says. “Also, on the Enneagram, Mart is a Type 7.” According to the Enneagram personality profiles described on EnneagramInstitute.com, a Type 7 is “The Busy, Variety-Seeking Type: Spontaneous, Versatile, Acquisitive, and Scattered.”
“(It’s about) His plan, not our plan,” she says.
In the meantime, “next year we will be empty nesters,” she says. “I’ve been praying — I don’t know what’s going to take up my time when (my son) William is gone. So I’m excited to see what happens.”
Of course, that means somebody has to talk. Mart’s got no problem with that. “(After I got sober) I would go to meetings (and) I wouldn’t hold back. I’d open up my heart and soul … because I was hurting. The worst thing is to keep it bottled up,” he says.
‘I don’t even question it’
“The meds make me lethargic during the day. That’s the only thing.” In three years, his symptoms have not progressed. If they do, he might try a surgical treatment called deep brain stimulation, or DBS.
❘ Mississippi Christian Living Amerigo restaurant on January 3, 2014. “Our three boys were there and participated,” she says. “They each handed me a handwritten note: ‘Will’ - ‘you’ - ‘marry me?’ It was perfect!”
“ I can remember very vividly, we were down in Rosemary Beach, probably 2008 or 2009, and I was riding a bicycle and I was intoxicated. My father said, ‘You might have a problem.’ ”
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Similarly, Holly loves Proverbs 19:21 — “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”
In fall 2018, “I noticed this tremor in my left arm,” Mart says. “I saw a neurologist and they ran some tests. I was diagnosed (in spring 2019) with early Parkinson’s.onset…The tremors started to radiate down my leg, only on my left side, and that was my only side effect.”Now he takes the most common form of medication for Parkinson’s, which helps. “I exercise a lot, eat healthy for the most part, take supplements — I’m very active,” he says. “They said exercise is the best medicine,” Holly adds.
The inside of Mart’s gold wedding band bears the inscription “JER. 29:11” for Mart’s favorite Bible verse: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.”“Ithink that’s what God has done in putting Holly in my path,” he says. ‘Did you ask God … ?’ Mart spends a lot of time on the phone.
“I hear people reach out to him, (he’ll get) phone calls in the middle of the night, desperate situations — they think, ‘If he can (get sober), I can do it,’” Holly says.
Y
What about Holly? “I’m a Type 1,” she says: “The Rational, Idealistic Type: Principled, Purposeful, Self-Controlled, and Perfectionistic.” Talk about opposites attracting!
He’s grateful for Holly’s support as he strives to help other addicts find freedom. “She’s never complained about the many times I’ve spent on the phone or meeting with (people).” Of course, it helps to have fun sometimes! “We love to go out to dinner (and attend) Jackson Prep sporting events,” he says. “We love to go to New Orleans, Las Vegas — we love live music! I feel I can go anywhere as long as I’m spiritually fit. However, I don’t necessarily recommend that to someone early in theirSpeakingsobriety.”of live music, Mart’s band reunited three years ago for a “battle of the bands” fundraiser for Prep. Shortly thereafter, they changed their name to The Rock Project and played a Parkinson’s disease benefit in Jackson. That’s because Parkinson’s is part of Mart’s journey too.
She’s heard him ask people, “Did you ask God to keep you sober today?” Especially if he’s their sponsor in recovery, and especially if they’ve relapsed.
Counseling can also help in huge ways. “Drinking is but a symptom of an underlying issue. Counseling with a licensed therapist is a great way to get objective feedback on living life on life’s terms,” Mart says.
“I want to see this beautiful country of ours,” MartRegardlesssays. of what life brings, “I go back to Jeremiah 29:11,” he says. “God has a plan. And I don’t even question it. I don’t.”
“I do worry about (him) relapsing, if the Parkinson’s gets bad,” Holly says. She also has genetic concerns in her own family. “My grandmother had Alzheimer’s, and my mom (is in the end stages of it now) — does that mean I’m going to (have it)? But I just can’t go there. That’s where your faith has to carry you.”
28 SEPTEMBER 2022
But he also listens. “I can honestly say I struggle with this,” he says. “Sometimes people just want to be heard. … Something magical happens when one alcoholic talks to another.”
“The War Story Told!”
Dr. Turner Brown has had an interest in healthcare since he was a young boy. He grew up watching his grandfather treat patients as a general practitioner, and he always thought medicine might be the path for him also. A Jackson native, Dr. Brown was born and raised in the city that he is proud to call home! He grew up in the Belhaven community, attended elementary school at First Presbyterian Day School, and completed junior high and high school at Jackson Prep. He started his college career at Ole Miss and later transferred to Mississippi College, where he completed an undergraduate degree in history. He said that although he thought medicine might be his ultimate career path, he chose to study something different as an undergraduate. “Treating patients is not just about science,” he said. “There’s so much more to it. There’s psychology involved and a lot of learning how to understand and really relate to people.” During his undergraduate studies, he shadowed Dr. Will McCraney at Capital Ortho. That was when he knew he was seriously interested in the possibility of pursuing orthopedics. He said he could see how rewarding it is to play a part in helping people get better. He was also intrigued by the opportunity to work with his hands in surgery, something he’s always enjoyed. “It’s very fulfilling to have the opportunity to develop a skill that can ultimately help improve someone’s lifestyle,” he said.
Dr. Brown completed medical school and his orthopedic residency at The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) before moving to Columbia, Missouri to complete his training in Total Joint Arthroscopy — Hip and Knee Reconstruction. During his yearlong
“If someone is having joint pain on a daily basis and that pain is interfering with their daily activities, that’s when a conversation about possible joint replacement needs to begin.”Dr.Brown has recently joined the orthopedic group at Capital Ortho! He said he is excited to join their team of respected physicians and is looking forward to the opportunity to give back to the community he loves. He is seeing patients at their clinics in Flowood, Madison, Clinton and Hazlehurst.
When asked about new advancements in joint reconstruction, Dr. Brown was quick to point to roboticsassisted joint replacements as the way of the future. He said these types of procedures provide the highest level of precision and customization for the patient. This typically results in a less painful experience for the patient and a truly customized hip or knee that feels much more natural. He said there are many options, surgical and nonsurgical, for patients who are dealing with arthritis pain. The advancements in treatment options, just in the past 10 years, have expanded significantly.
Ever
Greatest Love &
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
“Iview my work as my calling. I am called to do my best unto the Lord. In some way, I feel that my work is an extension of helping to redeem God’s creation by helping patients restore function and give them a productive, happy life back,” said Dr. Turner Brown. “I believe we are called to help others as best we can.”
mschristianliving.com SEPTEMBER 2022 29 New Capital Ortho surgeon views his work as a calling THE DOCTOR IS IN by MOLLY STALEY A LAWYER’S TRUE THRILLER ABOUT
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.”
fellowship, he completed intense training specifically focused on hip and knee replacements.Hesaidthat he ultimately decided on hip and knee reconstruction because he is somewhat a creature of habit. Although each patient’s situation is unique, this specific type of surgery allows him to develop a high level of expertise.
Dr. Brown is married to Katie Wegener Brown, also a Jackson native. Katie has completed medical school at UMMC and is currently in the plastic surgery residency program there. They plan to live and practice medicine in the Jackson area for years to come! Y Molly Staley is the marketing consultant for Capital Ortho. She lives in Brandon with her husband and two children. Dr. Turner Brown
My spouse and I can’t agree on a school
“ Remember that your child is designed to be an ‘image bearer’ and as such should be able to be ‘salt and light’ no matter where they go. A public school will be no more a mission field than a private one will.”
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heat and air in each apartment and more! Fabulous Activities ✻ Beautiful Surroundings New Found Friendships ✻ Fine Dining 200 SERENITY LANE, MADISON,
39110 sunnybrookestates.net TOUGH QUESTIONS by DR. FRED HALL, LPC
Conversely, a private school will be no more a haven of rest and spiritual championship than a public one will. The atmosphere and environment do indeed play a part of that, but the real issue is the child in relationship to their peers and the Therefaculty/administration.aremanyChristianeducators, parents and students in traditional public schools, and your child will most likely be developed and nurtured there. The real issue is the reinforcement that you and your husband give to the school agenda.
My husband and I can’t agree on where to send our child to school next year — an expensive private Christian school, or a public school where she’ll encounter God knows what. Neither of us is budging. How do we decide?
includes meals,
Dr. Fred Hall is a licensed professional counselor (LPC), supervisor, life and leadership coach and consultant. He works with individuals, couples, families and organizations in training, speaking, consulting and clinical practice. He does clinical work at Cornerstone Counseling in Jackson.
Remember that we are “saved to be sent” to the world. Whether at a public or private school, the mandate is the same: “Go and make disciples.” What a great testimony and aspiration for all our children, to herald the name of Christ to all peoples everywhere.
Lastly, remember, there is no right or wrong choice — only more helpful or less helpful to your child. Pray, check it out, ask your child, and walk in faith, knowing you are doing the best for your child. You can always change it if it doesn’t work. Go, change the world! Y
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transportation,
30 SEPTEMBER 2022 Mississippi Christian Living
ANSWER: Thanks for this question, reader. This is such an important one to consider, as your child will get a lot of their development and formation during school hours. School, whether private or public, has so many benefits and risks. As a believer, I know this weighs heavily on your mind and heart. What I have come to find out over the years is that children are resilient and can mostly fit into any environment as long they feel love, acceptance, and freedom to grow and thrive. One of the first sub-questions to answer is this: Will my child find these attributes in both the public or private school setting? Is the setting at public school free from overworked and burned-out teaching staff, or are they renewed and refreshed in their commitment to teaching? Does the school and/or teaching staff have a track record of eliciting success and healthy development of their students? What do other parents say about this school or teacher?
Set up a meet-the-teacher or school visit and ask the necessary questions regarding classroom and teacher expectations, discipline and management, academic competency, and proficiency. You can use this information to make informed decisions about what your child will most likely experience and need from the school environment.
Sunnybrook Estates is a strictly Low monthly rates with NO long-term lease buy in required. Rent housekeeping, activities, on-site movie central MS
Remember that your child is designed to be an “image bearer” and as such should be able to be “salt and light” no matter where they go. A public school will be no more a mission field than a private one will.
QUESTION:
or
Enrich your life at St. Catherine’s Village, Madison’s preeminent all-inclusive Life Plan Community. Whatever your senior living needs are, you’ll find the right care at the right time. Find security today! (601) 856-0123
September is World Alzheimer’s Month, a time to bring attention to this progressive disease that impacts millions of older Americans.
LAGNIAPPE
The most common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, slowly destroys memory, cognitive skills, and ultimately the ability to carry out daily activities. As a result, senior living communities that provide memory care services have become highly sought-after by families with loved ones facing memory challenges.
All Campbell Cove staff members are specially trained and follow a social model of care to offer loving, nurturing assistance while supporting each person’s capabilities and affirming his or her dignity.
Campbell Cove, the memory care building at St. Catherine’s, is designed specifically to support seniors with dementia, Alzheimer’s and other forms of memory loss. The floor plan at Campbell Cove features small yet distinct neighborhoods, or color-coded bays, to reinforce familiarity for residents. Each has a common living and dining area, along with 12 furnished private bedrooms, encouraging residents to spend time together in a homelike atmosphere rather than isolate in their rooms. Circulation paths and finding cues guide people from one place to another. A large multipurpose area with an arts and crafts room, recreation center, country kitchen and living room is located at the intersection of the three wings and is ideal for group activities.
mschristianliving.com SEPTEMBER 2022 31
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I FOUND MY FUTURE LIFE PLAN COMMUNITY
Campbell Cove has earned “Exemplary” recognition from CARF, the only accreditor for continuing care retirement communities. The memory care community also is licensed by the state of Mississippi as an “Alzheimer’s Assisted Living” facility. Included in the monthly fees at Campbell Cove are three meals a day; coffee and refreshments; supervision of self-administered medications; assistance with activities such as bathing, dressing and grooming; 24hour professional nursing staff; utilities except telephone and internet; weekly housekeeping and linen laundering; and 24-hour security.
Person-centered care is activity-focused, with the objective of fostering involvement and engagement through an array of stimulating activities and familiar sensory experiences. Scheduled events and entertainment, along with unplanned interactions, are designed to support cognitive and physical functioning, thus helping residents maintain their freedom for as long as possible.
To safeguard against wandering, Campbell Cove has secure landscaped patios and a walking garden, allowing residents and their families to spend time outdoors in a protected setting.
Proudly LIFECONTINUINGAccreditedCARF-CCACCARE™ Independent • Assisted Memory • Skilled
St. Catherine’s hosts an Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group at Campbell Cove in conjunction with the Alzheimer’s Association Mississippi Chapter on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and lunch is served. To reserve a spot at the monthly support group or learn more about Campbell Cove and memory care at St. Catherine’s Village, call 601.856.0123. Or request a tour at StCatherinesVillage.com. Y Campbell Cove, on the grounds of St. Catherine’s Village, offers outstanding memory care for seniors.
Memory care provides safe, familiar environment at St. Catherine’s Village submitted by ST. CATHERINE'S VILLAGE
One such community is St. Catherine’s Village in Madison. The allinclusive Life Plan Community provides the right care at the right time through independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing on 160 acres of picturesque wooded grounds.
Meet & Greet Monday, September 19
WHERE TO SEE DAVID MAGEE Meet and greet at Sal & Mookie’s 200 District Blvd E., Jackson 6-9 p.m. Monday, September 19 Signed copies of “Dear William” available for purchase Tickets: https://event.gives/luncheonjoh Journey of Hope luncheon at Jackson Convention Complex 105 E. Pascagoula St., Jackson 12-1 p.m. Tuesday, September 20 Tickets: https://event.gives/ccjoh22
“I wish I could tell that version of me to get someMageecounseling.”willhave a strong message for parents at the Journey of Hope luncheon.
FeAturIng DAvID MAgee, author of national Bestseller Dear William: A Father’s Memoir of Addiction, Recovery, Love and Loss. David shares his mission to put an end to accidental drug overdose, drug poisoning, and suicides and accidents related to drug and alcohol use that are taking countless lives, like that of his son www.daviddmagee.com
2022 Journey of Hope
Oxford native to share story of tragedy, recovery and hope
Author of the critically acclaimed memoir “Dear William,” Magee is the keynote speaker at this year’s Journey of Hope luncheon, set for Tuesday, September 20 at the Jackson Convention Complex. Much more than a tribute to his late son, “Dear William” is a brutally honest look at a family that had been in crisis for years.
For more information, tickets, catholiccharitiesjackson.orgreservationsorcall601.355.8634
Sal & Mookie’s at The District, 6-9 pm: $75 Author reading and book signing. Includes hors d’oeuvres, beverages, copy of the book.
“I had to go look at what happened in our family,” Magee said. “How did what looked like a picture-perfect American family chasing the dream get completely shattered?”
As facing their fears put them on a path to recovery and healing, Magee consulted his family about going public with everything they’d gone through, in hopes of benefitting those in crisis. “It took some years, but I had their blessing to do it — Kent, Hudson and our daughter Mary Halley,” he said. “The strength of ‘Dear William’ is not that we lost him, but that we found joy and recovery together. … It also applies to communities. We look around and see despair, but it is doable.”
“Their own fears will often get in the way of raising their kids,” he said. “We want our children to have the best of everything. If warning signs flare up, the parents may fear that if they do ask for help — such as counseling — they may be labelled.
“A lot of (kids) tell us, ‘I’m making A’s, I’m on the sports teams, I’m on the homecoming court. Why do I feel so bad?’ We should (expose) them to what will help them, such as a good education. Faith is a big, positive part of their joy, while misuse of alcohol and substances steals that joy. We must do a better job of educating parents in navigating that path.” Y
The long, hard gaze into the mirror began with Magee himself, who was adopted and unaware of his birth parents’ identity until well into“Iadulthood.livedagreat life in this wonderful university town,” he said of Oxford. “We knew everyone and could walk to the Square. But my house was very dark because there was a lot of depression and emotional pain inside me.
“The 21-year-old me had all these dreams of the American family I would have, and I coached my three children in most every sport they played. I taught Sunday school. I was on the city council in Oxford. I was checking all the boxes, but rather than having a strong faith foundation and a strong belief in myself, I had a lot of self-doubt,” he said.
Benefitting the programs of
What would Magee, who is helping launch the William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing at Ole Miss, tell his 21-year-old self?
32 SEPTEMBER 2022 Mississippi Christian Living WHAT’S GOING ON submitted by CATHOLIC CHARITIES
Luncheon Tuesday, September 20 Jackson Convention Center, 12-1 pm FREE* but reservations required Featured speaker David Magee Includes lunch, performance by Steve Azar * DonAtIonS AccepteD At event K nown nationally for his business books and Ted Talks, Oxford native David Magee seemingly had it all before his beloved son William — who lettered in track at Ole Miss and attended the Honors College — died of an accidental drug overdose in 2013, a year after graduating. But it wasn’t just William who was hurting at the time of his death.
“To believe in yourself,” he said. “The selfdoubt is so poisonous.
“I did not know who I was, and the lack of sense of identity was something I didn’t deal with well. I tried to pretend it wasn’t there with alcohol and prescription Adderall.” In addition to losing William, Magee and his wife, Kent, nearly lost their son Hudson to an overdose. Magee’s infidelity led to divorce before he and Kent reconciled and remarried.
9 a.m. – 3 p.m. $29 in advance / $35 after October 1 $20 each for groups of 10 or more! Lunch included with ticket! bit.ly/2022MCLretreatShay Greenwood Keynote Speaker Andi Cotten Worship Leader THIRD ANNUAL 2022 Women’s Retreat ‘Sharing Your God Story’ Jessica Warren Speaker Felecia Marshall Speaker Libbo Crosswhite Panelist Melinda Hendrix Panelist Emily Gregory Panelist SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29 mschristianliving.com SEPTEMBER 2022 33
So let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.
34 SEPTEMBER 2022 ❘ Mississippi Christian Living ADVERTISING PARTNERS PAGE
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
INDEX
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
~ PROVERBS 22:6, KJV
~ ROMANS 12:2, ESV
~ PROVERBS 16:16, ESV
ISAIAH 1:17, NIV It is so important that our churches, our Christian schools and we, as individuals, do not allow nonChristian influences to influence our beliefs.
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Belhaven University 2 Blue Mountain College 24 C Spire 3 Clinton, MS 7 Eudora Welty House & Garden 23
AROUND YOUR HOME FOR DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT!{ }
~ JAMES 3:17, NIV Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.
~ JOB 34:4, NLT Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.
~
JONATHAN FALWELL
How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.
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~ PROVERBS 9:10, KJV
QUIPS & QUOTES
~ JAMES 1:5, NIV
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Joe Ragland 29 Journey of Hope 32 Mascagni Wealth Management 36 Mission Mississippi 12 Mississippi College 23 MMI Dining 22
~ PROVERBS 18:15, ESV
~
~ 1 CORINTHIANS 1:22-24, ESV
✂ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
CUT OUT THE SCRIPTURES AND QUOTES AND PLACE THEM
~ TITUS 3:14, NIV
The Baptist Paper 13
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
WE CAN KEEP YOU HEALTHY. BUT ONLY YOU CAN TELL US WHAT KEEPS YOU YOUNG. Half of your healthcare is in the stories you share with us. Because before you’re a patient, you’re a person – and what you’re thinking, feeling, and hoping for can help us to personalize your recovery and improve your outcome. stdom.com/WeListenWeHeal
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MASCAGNI WEALTH MANAGEMENT, INC. IS REGISTERED INVESTMENT ADVISER REGISTERED WITH UNITED STATES SECURITIES EXCHANGE COMMISSION.
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