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When Parents Feel Like Failures Show me someone who is perfect, and I’ll show you someone who is putting up a really good front. On every person’s résumé of life there are always a few disappointments. Things we should have done, but didn’t. Things we shouldn’t have done, but did anyway. Missed opportunities. Squandered talents. Some bad decisions. A few regrets. Each of us has a list of failures all our own. We may be able to shake our heads at the blunders that have hurt us. But when we think about how our failures have hurt our teens, our mistakes are magnified and we start to feel like failures ourselves. Mom and Dad; we don’t need any outside help when it comes to pointing out our flaws. We do a pretty good job of that on our own, especially when we look at how our teen is struggling and the questions start to pile up. “What did I do wrong? Is this my fault? Was I a bad parent?” Have you had those conversations with yourself? Let me offer encouragement to moms and dads who are feeling like failures and wondering if their teens would be better off without them. DON’T FOCUS ON APPEARANCE I get it. When teens make mistakes, moms
and dads often take it personally. A kid’s bad behavior makes us ask, “Did I teach them well enough? Was I too strict with her? Was I too
bad decisions, the years spent teaching them was a waste. But that’s not the case. In fact, it’s in those mistakes that teens may be learning
lenient with him?”
the most. Just because a teen got the answer wrong, doesn’t mean that you didn’t show them how to arrive at the right answer. Adolescence is the time when kids are flexing their decision-making muscles, developing their independence, and putting what you’ve taught them into practice. Those bad decisions aren’t necessarily evidence that you didn’t teach your kids well enough. Rather, your teens are learning the value of what you’ve taught them.
There is a time and place for self-reflection about your parenting style. But when you begin to feel like a complete failure because of the actions of your children, what you really need is a shift in perspective. Sometimes we become consumed with what we’re teaching our teens, instead of what our teens are learning. If our daughter comes home pregnant, we question our instructions on maintaining sexual purity. When our son continues to fail his classes, we wonder, “Did I spend enough time highlighting the importance of education?” We start to believe that because our teens are making
Kid’s failures are not a reflection on you, mom and dad. In many ways we are responsible for our teens, but in many ways we are not. As our kids get older, they are
by Mark Gregston
growing in their responsibility to make choices for themselves. Talk to me in person, and I will give you many examples of great parents who had teens that struggled. In the same way, I know there are some truly bad parents who’ve had upstanding kids. Your child is not a personal mirror. Your teen is a developing adult who needs to learn and grow through the experience of making mistakes. Don’t judge your parenting successes or failures on the short-term behavior of your child. That’s like using a funhouse mirror to try on clothes. It won’t give you an accurate account of reality. DON’T SUCCUMB TO THE FEELINGS Feelings are impossible to control. That’s why I never tell parents, “Well, stop FEELING like a failure!” There are moments where our own parental disappointments will hit us full force. We might feel guilty, or discouraged, or depressed. But here’s the key; don’t allow those feelings to control you. You might feel like a failure, but you don’t have to respond to those feelings. Guilt, shame and depression shouldn’t be the driving See PARENT, page 3
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mark Gregston is an author, speaker, radio host, and the founder and director of Heartlight, a residential counseling center for struggling teens located in Longview, Texas. He has been married to his wife, Jan, for 40 years, has two kids, and 4 grandkids. He lives in Longview, Texas with the Heartlight staff, 60 high school kids, 25 horses, his dog, Stitch, 2 llamas, and a prized donkey named Toy. His past involvement as a youth pastor, Young Life area director, and living with over 2,700 teens, has prepared Mark to share his insights and wisdom about parenting pre-teens and adolescents. You can find out more about Heartlight at www.HeartlightMinistri es.org. You can also call Heartlight directly at (903) 668-2173. For more information and helpful resources for moms and dads, check out our Parenting Today’s Teens website at www.ParentingTodays Teens.org. It’s filled with ideas and tools to help you become a more effective parent. Here you will also find a station near you where you can listen to the Parenting Today’s Teens radio broadcast, or download the podcast of the most recent programs.
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Parent
help. If you give up what you’ve been doing to help a teen that’s struggling, that’s not failure. That’s an investment in the future of your family.
force behind our parenting. But they will be if we give in to those feelings of failure.
I had a dad sit down and talk with me recently about his 18-year-old son at Heartlight. He had done all he could to help his son learn responsibility, maturity, confidence and leadership. He coached his son’s sports teams. He spent time in conversations. He modeled being a husband and father. But no matter what the dad tried, his son sunk deeper and deeper into his problems. So he made the decision to send his son to Heartlight and get the counseling and help he needed.
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So don’t give up! I know you feel like quitting. I know that you may feel inadequate or underprepared to raise a teenager. Keep going. The fact you are reading this article proves you care about your child and want the best for them. And that means you’re a good parent! You are not a failure; so don’t act like one. This period of
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teenage transition is hard, no doubt about it. But your teen needs you. You are an important presence in your child’s life. Mom and Dad; don’t quit! DON’T THINK CHANGING MEANS FAILING I have sixty kids at a time staying at the Heartlight residential campus, and each parent who sent their teen for help struggled with the decision. They felt that admitting they needed help was an admission of failure. Each parent said they felt like they were giving up. But the kids aren’t at Heartlight because of parenting failures. They are the success stories! It takes courage and strength to make a big change in your family. It takes determination and vision to go look for
“Mark,� he said, “I didn’t want to send him away. But my son is just too valuable to me to simply do nothing.� Change is not failure, Mom and Dad. Change may be just what your teen needs. Maybe it’s a shift in parental focus. It could mean a different approach to discipline and consequences. Perhaps it means getting a counselor involved, or looking into Heartlight yourself. Those steps towards change are marks of parental success. Perfect parents are as mythical as unicorns and leprechauns. They simply don’t exist. We all make mistakes in our parenting. But that doesn’t make you a failure. It makes you human.
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Why are Devotions Important? By Dr. Richard J. Krejcir …let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who… Hebrews 12:1-3 Have you ever felt that being a Christian is sometimes like exercising or preparing for an athletic event? Is the ongoing of the Christian faith similar to an athlete running a race? It sure seems so. The illustration used by Paul of running a race can be found in many other places in Scripture too. Real impacting Christianity, and being a person of real convicting and growing faith, is like a runner who is training, entering, competing, continuing in, and winning the race set before them. But in our case, the race is not a competition or a performance; rather, it is our faith and life in action. Take a look at Hebrews 12:1-3; notice the keywords in it like witnesses, weights, perseverance, race marked out for us, finisher, endured, opposition, and weary, to name a few. There is a key training component needed to make this happen continually, and that is the learning of our faith and about our Lord, as we do in our Devotions. In this way, we prepare for the practice of our trust and obedience, facing life and exercising faith in the midst of the obstacles and opportunities confronting us everyday. This race in Hebrews takes place in front of a great crowd of encouragers and supporters who have "been there and done that" and won, saying, we did it! You can too! Yet, being in this race does not happen just by a wish and a sit; it takes training, perseverance, and commitment to put our faith into real, effectual action, just
as a world-class runner hangs in there, no matter what. Thus, what we are called to do is keep at the race of faith and life while leaping over the hurdles in front of us like distractions, fear, doubt, hurts, and sin-keeping in the race and not giving up when we feel overwhelmed, stressed, or exhausted. This is what the heroes of the faith in chapter eleven of Hebrews did and what we can do too. A simple word comes from the Coach to us the runners; do not drop out of the race. This is also a call for us to persevere and draw closer to God's heart, not questioning our faith when times are bad. Our devotions help us do this. We will realize that even when we are not "world-class" in the world, or in skill, we are so in Christ! Then we are better able to practice obedience and trust, to move forward, embrace God's call, and learn from His Word, life, and setbacks to be better than we were (Jer. 12:5, Acts 20:24, Rom. 9:3, 1 Cor. 9:24, Gal. 2:2, 5:7, 2 Tim. 4:6-8, Heb. 12:1). Devotions allow us to run. Devotions help us focus on Christ-who He is and what He did for us. We literally can throw off everything, as in remove anything that may cause us to fail or fall or that would be a burden such as fear or lack of focus stemming from vices that hinder one from his or her training, such as drinking alcohol or apathy, which are both bad for athletics, or fears and past hurts, which are bad for our growing faith. Here in the Hebrews passage, sin is the main enemy, with discouragement and/or fear following close behind. Thus, we are to train hard and also remove what hinders us or causes others and us to be discouraged. A big distraction is thinking we can get it all, deserve it all now, and do not
need to work for it-sensuality and immediate gratification. This thinking means, I already have all I need in Christ, therefore I do not need to do devotions or study or read the Bible. The reality is this: yes, when we saved we have it all; but, for the building up of our faith, we must be in motion and work at it to make it happen. To sit as just a spectator accomplishes nothing, and certainly does not honor or glorify our Lord (1 Cor. 9:24-27; Heb. 10:28, 38). Having a regular time to get in the Word will help us build perseverance. Scripture clearly tells us that real Christianity is more of a long-distance marathon than it is a short sprint. Thus, we have a call to keep on at the efforts and virtue of faith-no matter what. This means maintaining endurance to persist in an idea, purpose, or task despite obstacles. With faith and encouragement from others, we have actual staying power, as in you can do it too! Whether we are in tough times or great times, God may seem far away so we feel that no one cares about our plight or our concerns, But God is still there, caring! He will support us and care for us! Therefore, get to know Him more; read His Word, read "good" Christian books, and stay away from reading junk. We are to be focused on the goal ahead and be able to carry the task and ourselves through both the tough times and the joyous ones (James 5:7-12). Take comfort that Christ has the race marked out for us. Jesus is both the start and the finish line of the race of life and faith. What can be better than that? The Christian life is allegorized to an athletic competition to show us hope and anticipate what is to come; that in order to win, one must work, train, persevere, and then run against opposition
COURTESY OF www.intothyword.org
and hurdles. This is why devotions and personal and group study of the Bible are so imperative. We have to know Him to run well. It requires our constant discipline and effort to take what Christ gives and work it out (1 Cor. 9:24-27; Phil. 1:6; 2:16, 23; 2 Tim. 2:5; 4:7-8). You do not know what will happen an hour from now or a year from now. So, are you prepared for whatever life and sin may throw at you? There is the preparation of making good decisions with the resources and opportunities at hand. There is also something even more we can do: fix our eyes on/looking to Jesus. We are to concentrate on Jesus and not wander. He is our goal and Reason. Just like in sports, a good athletic keeps his or her eyes on the ball, on the target; in this same way, we are to persevere toward the goal of Jesus Christ. This also means allowing Christ to empower and inspire us, as He is our main trainer and equipper. He is far greater than any mere encouragement from either outside or inside the church. We are to look to Him as our motivation, not circumstances or obstacles. And we do this by understanding about His call and precepts, and being encouraged by others to see what devotions are all about (Isa. 53: 10-12; Phil. 3:10-14; Heb. 1:3; 2:10). What do you need to do to not only enter the race and run it, but to keep on running it, even finishing it, and even winning it? Have you ever wondered what it means in practice to fix your heart, mind, and your all on Christ? It means we respond to Him because He has apprehended our lives. The secret to a triumphant and contented life, as Paul found out, as Hebrews expands upon, is really simple; keep
your eyes, thinking, heart, will, and direction on Christ, just as a good athlete keeps his or her eyes on the ball or opponent. Thus, whatever situation we are in-good or bad-we know we are in Christ; we can seek His empowerment and even live in His presence. This is what our lives, feelings, attitudes and even joys are, and it is not metered from what we have nor do not have, or what we want but cannot have. Nor is faith based on what is currently happening in our lives; rather, it is all about "who I am in Christ," so my focus is on Him, bringing Him glory, reverence, and gratitude, through my devotion, regardless of stress and situation. We can do this well, not in just more tyranny of activity, but rather in the crucible of surrender to Him. Our lives are His, to run hard and run deep by our absolute devotion, trust, and obedience to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord over all-including us, our thinking, and our situation. In our race in life and faith we stumble, get exhausted, fall back, and wonder if it is worth the effort. But like any athletic event, it is not enough to just train and be ready; we have to keep focused during the event and not give in or up. The simple rule of the matter, that makes a great competitor in any endeavor, is to keep our focus. And if we quit or limit our training or consider dropping out of the race for a perceived easier life, and "pew-sit" in the stands just to watch others, we will gain very little and lose out on so much. The race is well worth our struggles and efforts, even when we are last. Through our growing relationship with Christ, faith is kept and built; maturity and character are the prizes, along with a life lived well and that positively affects See DEVOTIONS, page 5
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DEVOTIONS Continued from page 4
others for Him. This is what our devotions help accomplish, and this is far better than never entering, or quitting when it gets tiresome or difficult. Thus, what we need is Christ! We need to work on the practice of our learning and faith development before it can be deployed effectively. Learn about Jesus by leaning on Him, growing in Him! Learn about Christ by being in Him, by serving Him! Can Christ still use us if we only do some? Well of course He canand will! But how much more and how much greater an impact will you have in others lives and yourself when you are complete and centered as His disciple. It is like having a car that does not run very well. You can use it, but it is not reliable, it will break down and not be able to take you far. So it is with our spiritual life; it will only take us as far as it is developed. We must take care of it to build it. How much more we will be blessed in the Christian walk to further His kingdom! Devotions are Key to our Christian walk. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7 Could Paul just have gotten up one day and become an Apostle, with no discipleship or mentoring or focusing on Christ? Could a person who wants to be a runner just decide to enter the Olympics without ever running before? Can you be an "instant" athlete? Have you ever seen a world-class sports competitor or a concert musician just wake up one day and perform without any prior practice or learning-just do it? See my point? Well most anyone can enter a race or play ball of pick up a violin. They may know the rudimental aspects of it, but can they play with passion and with a degree of expertise? The answer is obvious: no. It is the same with our faith. We have it when we receive Christ; we have His Word
and countless resources, helps, and experienced people who have gone before us. We will instantly know a lot, but we are limited in what we really can do, and our full capacity and capability are lurking beneath, waiting on us to learn and exercise our faith so we can be built up. We can't just wait, either to be discovered or for the perfect opening; we have to train and be strengthened first! Knowing our Lord and His precepts is also a process that we do not attain overnight. Just like learning or studying any subject, it takes time. If you try getting a good grade in class without studying the subject, without attending class, without taking notes, without doing your homework, and/or without reading the textbook, how well will you do in that class? What if you do some of the requirements, say you attend the class but take no notes or read the textbook; how well will you do? Even if you are very smart? Let's say you do everything well, attend all the classes, take careful notes, do your homework, but never bother opening the textbook; how well will you do then? This is how most Christians live their Christian walk. Either they ignore all the "work," do just a couple of things, or maybe do it all, but never read the Bible, how good will they be as a disciple? God may not give us grades and gold stars now, but He does have a plan for us with a reward at the end. He also wants to use us in the here and now! There are some key principles to being a committed disciple, such as prayer, personal Bible study (like quite time with the Bible and good Christian literature), attending a good church for fellowship and discipleship, and group Bible study; these are aspects of our devotions. And when we do just some, none, or leave out just one, we will become weak, and falter in our walk with our Lord, thus, missing out on the opportunities He has for us in service, growth, maturity, character, contentment, faith development, being used to affect others, personal enrichment, and of course, glorying our Lord.
If you do not attend a good church or do any personal devotions, and then expect to be used and even blessed by God, you will find disappointment. If you are just doing 2 of the 5 key principles of being a disciple, but you are not communicating with God, you will find yourself "running on empty," headed for discouragement. If you spend all of your time in fellowship and do little to no learning or on your knees in prayer, and do not read His Word, you will falter. You cannot be a mature Christian unless you have all five of these principles working. Without being in God's Word, you will not mature in the faith and/or grow in His knowledge. Without prayer, you will not be communicating with Him. Without fellowship, you will not be honed or accountable or used to impact others. Without being in a good church, you will not have the avenues for Christian education, learning, accountability, discipleship, or a place to serve. You must do all five: personal Bible study, prayer, church fellowship, discipleship, and group Bible study to be a mature disciple that God will use greatly. Your devotional life hones it all. What are we doing instead of Devotions? One of the main problems created when some Christians "go bad" in their motives and behaviors is that they forget who they are. This is how and why pastors fall, marriages fail, and churches split or close. Too many people who go to church have not a clue of what it is about. Perhaps they once did when the excitement of their new birth in Christ was fresh and they were growing. But now the noise, stress, and busyness of life take over the time slot that was originally reserved for God. Perhaps, our time and excitement of church become clouded, preventing us from remembering what it is supposed to be about. So we forget whose we are and what we are called to do. Our focus on Christ becomes blurred as we add other things to it, like See DEVOTIONS, page 7
Religious giving and tithing today COURTESY OF METRO CONNECTION
Nonprofit organizations rely on the generosity of donors to help them meet their mission statements. Billions of dollars are donated to charities each year, but few people may know that religious organizations are among the biggest beneficiaries of Americans’ charitable largesse. According to data from the National Study of American Religious Giving and the National Study of American Jewish Giving, American households donated a median of $375 to congregations, $150 to religiously identified nonprofit organizations and $250 to secular charities in 2012. Various sources repeatedly state that those who identify as religious people are more likely to be philanthropic. That likelihood may be a byproduct of the tradition of tithing. Instituted in ancient times, tithing is a concept of giving 10 percent of one’s personal income to a religious organization. Because donors’ income was unlike it is today, centuries ago tithes often came as donations of produce and livestock. Tithing was compulsory within traditional Jewish law and practice, and Christians adopted the practice through Old Testament teachings. Tithing is mentioned in Leviticus 27:30, Numbers 18:26, Deuteronomy 14:24, and 2 Chronicles 31:5. While the New Testament does not recommend or demand tithing and only mentions that gifts should be “in keeping with income,” some religious groups continue to embrace tithing. Depending on the religious organization, adherents to a particular faith may be encouraged to tithe. But many religious groups now leave it up to donors’ discretion with regard to how much to give. Givers are encouraged to see where their donations go, and it’s not without reason to ask for accounting from a church, synagogue or mosque to understand how donations are attributed. Many religious groups voluntarily publish this information in weekly bulletins. Individuals who plan to give to religious organizations can determine a donation figure that is within their means and adjust it accordingly through the years — giving out of feelings of purpose and not obligation.
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Navigating an interfaith wedding COURTESY OF METROCONNECTION
Bud Womack Lead Pastor Life Point Church 384 GA HWY 30 Americus, GA (229) 924-4738
Faith plays an important role in many people's lives, perhaps even more so when it comes time to celebrate a wedding. However, couples who do not share the same faith may have to make some compromises. Although romantic feelings may transcend faith, heritage and other factors that make people so different, individuals who are quite religious often find that there are some challenges to getting married to someone outside their own faith. Depending on the faith, some religions will not honor a wedding that does not conform to their strict guidelines for a wedding within the faith. Oftentimes, this means that both participants need to have been raised according to the faith, including meeting certain religious milestones throughout their lives. For example, Catholics must have been baptised, received communion and been confirmed under the auspices of the Catholic church before being allowed to marry. They must present official certificates of these sacraments in order to receive a religious Catholic wedding. Those of the Jewish faith may believe in a "bashert," a belief that everyone has a soul mate. According to the Talmud, 40 days before a male child is conceived a voice from heaven
announces whose daughter he is going to marry. In Yiddish, this perfect match is called "bashert," a word meaning fate or destiny. The bashert is typically one who is also Jewish. To handle the intricacies of an interfaith marriage, it is wise to speak to clergy in your respective religions to see what will be required of you as a couple. There could be workarounds, depending on what the couple decide. Some couples feel it is in their best interest if either one of them converts to the other's religion so that the ceremony is easier. Others choose to hold two distinct religious ceremonies if the officiants are lenient in their rules to allow it to happen. In other cases, couples feel it is better to have a nondenominational wedding to avoid any obstacles. Even though this ceremony will not be sanctioned by either church, the couple can still choose to include prayers and customs specific to their faiths in the ceremony. Many couples decide that their mutual love and happiness is reason enough for an interfaith wedding, even if that means sacrificing acceptance by their clergy and church. Interfaith couples should begin wedding planning early to discover what will be expected of them to have the wedding they desire.
Where were you born and raised? I was born in Cordele, GA and lived there until we moved to Jesup, GA at the age of 16. Tell us about your family. My parents are J.W. Womack, Jr and the late Winnie Womack. I have 3 brothers and 2 sisters. I am married to my beautiful wife of 27 years, Faye Womack. We have two wonderful daughters, Kayla, 21 and Kelsey, 15. How long have you been pastoring? I have been pastoring for 19 years. I pastored in Camden County for 2 years and have been pastoring Life Point Church in Americus for the last 17 years. What is the most challenging aspect of your position? Trying to relay a message to my congregation within a certain time on Sunday, which has taken all week to prepare. Also, comforting hurting people when there
are no logical answers to be found. It is in those times that faith is actually put into practice. What is the most gratifying aspect? First and foremost is when a lost person comes to know Jesus Christ as their personal savior. That was the sole purpose of Christ coming to this earth. Second is when I witness personal growth in individuals lives as they follow Christ and begin to put into action the gifts that God has equipped them with. Do you have any advise for someone who feels called to the ministry? Understand first that ministry is not easy, and it takes work: spiritually, mentally, and physically. The old saying that a preacher only works 3 or 4 hours a week is an untruth, especially if you are genuinely called by God. If you're suppose to be a leader and no one is following, you're simply taking a long walk by yourself. Lead by example.
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DEVOTIONS Continued from page 5
our circumstances, desires, hurts, and/or pains, or can even be stopped by our anger, bitterness, and/or fears. Thus, week by week we hurry ourselves around, dragging the family to go to church, living through the tyranny of the daily grind of life, then sitting in our pews, trying to recover from the exhaustion, hoping our struggle is not in vain. Thus, we give little effort to understanding what the words mean when we sing a hymn, what the pastor is talking about at the pulpit, or the beauty of the liturgy and the power and conviction of the words from the Word. We are just playing a part in a play without allowing the character to become who we are. Without allowing the purpose of what is going on, the meaning of the service, and the application we are called to respond to get in us, the church and the Christian life become just a routine and not the life impact that Christ created for us to emanate. Another problem we have today is that most people (what I think includes most Christians), do not know the reasons and importance of theology and the role of Scripture, including growing in faith. People cannot discern who God is (theology), when or how God works (discipleship), what He has to tell us, or what we should know until He tells us (spiritual growth). The Lord tells us who He is and reveals His will to us through the authority of His Word (John 5:39; 2 Timothy 3:16 and Hebrews 4:12). These Scriptures testify to the importance and role and power of the Bible, that the Bible is the supreme authority of faith, practice, and duty for all Christians. There is no higher authority, either ecclesiastical
or personal, that can take the place of God's Word. A conservative, strong position on biblical inspiration is imperative to the effective Bible teacher. Without this view of authority, we elevate ourselves above God and we become the means of faith and practice rather than the Creator of the universe. The Bible is "wholly true." The Scriptures themselves testify this by the test of time, and even by testimony, science, and higher criticism. Not having the authority of Scripture is like having a view of Christianity without Christ. Looking beyond Ourselves There are times when I am doing my devotions that I journal, that is, keep a diary of what is going on in my life. I sometimes look back on that and gain new insight on what I was going through that I did not have back then. I have become more adept at interpreting God's leading and plan for me as I further experience life and receive what He has done. By looking back on what we have been through and seeing the hand of God there, we can have greater comfort and encouragement for what we are going through now or what lies ahead. As I gain new insight into my personality and the Lord's working into my issues and problems, I realize what shadows they are compared to my Lord's holiness and greatness. Concentrating on Christ and what He has done will lift us up better and more completely than anything else we could ever do. The focus of journaling has taught me to look beyond myself and concentrate on Christ. The other end of journaling or devotions is a problem that people, including Christians, experience; in their zeal to keep faithful to their spiritual chronicle, it becomes an end to itself. The effort becomes self
absorbed; people tend to only see themselves and their problems, and not the Lord and what He has for them to learn and do. So, be careful when you exercise your devotions. Keep focused on why you are doing it, which is to grow closer to the Lord and not just for yourself. We are called to keep our focus on Him and not on us. We look at God's Word as a mirror to ourselves, to our soul, not to see us, but to see God working in us. When we only see ourselves, we see sin, brokenness, failure, selfseeking inclinations, and wrong attitudes. We must see God's interests and not our own; then our devotions and journaling become tools of maturing in the faith. Christ will become more real in us; as our problems become less, He becomes more (John 3:30). The same thing can happen when we read the Word. We can become so consumed with our interests, we do not see the calling and response we are to give. Thus, we grow bitter, thinking that this devotion stuff is not for me, so we turn it off. We replace it with so much activity that God is pushed out of our lives-except on Sunday mornings. But even then, we are rushed and stressed and do not feel the worship or hear the lesson. We only hear ourselves-our problems of getting the kids ready, or the stress at work or school. The results of a mature life will respond from the impact of our devotional life, and by applying what Christ has done. To overcome our spiritual deadness, we need to respond to our Lord through His text with a surrendered will and a mind cleared of anxious thoughts. When we are focused on our fears, hopes, dreams, needs, or emotions, we leave no room to learn what God has for us. We will not be able to think deeply enough into the Bible so a
transformation of our nature and will occurs, what philosophers call our "existential core." There can be no serious behavior or personality changes unless the core of who we are changes. And Christ is the only one who does that right! This transformation is found in Romans 12, in Hebrews 11 and 12, and in many other places too, yet it cannot happen when we are in the way. God does as He pleases, but He usually does not override our will. He waits for us to be surrendered and poured out to Him. So, do not take the chance and allow your stubbornness to get in the way of God working in you (Gal. 2:20-21; 5:16-26; Phil. 3:1-14)! What does it mean for your faith that you have clear, uninhibited access to the presence of God at anytime? Well, you do! The bottom line is this: devotions are very important and if you want to grow in the faith and be better used by God and be more joyful in life, you need to do them, plain and simple! In this way, as Hebrews 11 tells us, we will not grow weary or be fainthearted, that is, we can press on and receive our strength from Christ (Prov. 3:11-12). Take comfort: this is easy and do-able! We are not alone in this journey of faith; we have a great multitude of those who have gone before us upon whose shoulders we stand. Great men and women of the faith have one key component in common: they all do devotions. They read the Bible, pray, study, fellowship, and are discipled; and they are consistent with it. Their focus is on Christ. They know that Christ can be trusted. We can have a thriving faith in Him regardless of what we have been through in the past or will face in the future. Since others have trusted in Christ and thrived in heinous conditions
with jubilation, then so can we. We are able to throw off whatever hinders and slows us down, and have our sins removed so we can not only enter the race and run it, but keep running it, finish it, and even win it! Our focus is the key; and to keep our focus we need to be devoted. Devotions are the prime tools to making this happen. This is really simple to do; we keep our focus on the prize and reason, on our purpose and who goes before us-Christ as Lord-as all that we have and are, our faith, and our lives depend on Him. As we read the Bible, pray, study, fellowship, and are being discipled, then we can mediate on His precepts and practice His Presence by our simple trust and obedience just as Jesus personally showed us. He proved Himself by being willing to die for us; so we can live for Him. This gives us great joy and purpose. Just think about all that Christ did and endured for you. Now think about how you will live in response. Get to know Him more! Your gratitude will be your fuel, so you do not become weary or give up life or the fight against sin and the letdowns of life. Do your devotions and do so joyfully, for the benefits are tremendous! So, let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us! People in the Bible doing devotions: Genesis 19:27; 28:18; 24:63; Exodus 34:4; Jeremiah 15:16; Job 1:5; Psalm 5:3; Matthew 4:4; Mark 1:35 How we can do them: Ephesians 3:16; Colossians 4:2; 1 Peter 2:2 How to do this: Devotions © 2008, Richard J. Krejcir, Ph.D., Into Thy Word Ministries www.intothyword.org/
8 A (SCNI) SOUTHERN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER PRODUCT • SWGA PRAISE • October 2015 • www.albanyherald.com
ALBANY First Bethesda Baptist Church 7108 Newton Rd (229) 435-2921 New Beginnings Missionary Baptist Church 209 N. Monroe Street (229) 888-4777 Greater Grace Church of God in Christ 205 S Westover Blvd (229) 439-7047 St. Teresa’s Catholic Church 421 Edgewood Lane www.stteresaschruch.org (229) 439-2302 St. Paul Episcopal Church 212 N Jefferson St (229) 436-0196 www.stpaulsalbany.org
Second Mt. Zion Baptist Church 1010 Old Pretoria Road (229) 439-0334 www.secondmtzion.com First Free Will Baptist Church 420 Westover Blvd (229) 436-4021 www.ffwbcalbany.org
Leesburg 135 Main St (229) 759-6576 firstbaptistleesburg.org Leesburg United Methodist Church 117 Starksville Ave N (229) 759-2096 umcleesburg.com
Shiloh Baptist Church 325 Whitney Ave (229) 435-8413
Greenbriar Church 1344 US 19 (229) 446-4642 greenbriarchurch.net
Calvary Baptist Church 1211 13th Ave calvarybaptistchurchofalban yga.org
Leesburg Church of Christ 106 Callaway St (229) 759-2030 leesburgchurchofchrist.org
New Life of Albany 1200 Cordele Rd newlifeofalbany.com
Philema Road Baptist Church 114 Stocks Dairy Rd (229) 435-3135
Lee First Baptist Church -
New Hope Baptist Church 1209 Graves Springs Rd
(229) 439-9997 newhopebaptist.net Greater United Pleasant Green 1512 Philema Rd S (229) 438-8062 Albany Community SDA Church 381 Fussell Rd (229) 436-3631 AMERICUS Life Point Church 384 GA HWY 30 W Central Baptist Church 190 Upper River Rd (229) 924-4092 cbcamericus.org Cornerstone Church 245 Southland Rd (229) 924-7409 Restoration Church of
A (SCNI) SOUTHERN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER PRODUCT • SWGA PRAISE • October 2015 • www.albanyherald.com 9
Americus 1213 Douglas Cir (229) 931-6244 restorationchurchamericus.c om First United Methodist Church 200 S Lee St (229) 924-3169 fumcamericus.com First Presbyterian Church 125 S Jackson St (229) 924-2162 americuspresbyterian.org St. Mary’s Catholic Church 332 S Lee St (229) 924-3495 First Baptist Church Americus 221 South Lee St (229) 924-9035 www.fbcamericus.org Faith Baptist Church 947 Felder st (229) 924-5890 Union Tabernacle Baptist Church 900 Adderton St (229) 924-0421 Americus Pentecostal Church 820 Magnolia St (229) 928-3178 TIFTON Northside Baptist Church 4605 Murray Ave (229) 382-6855
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St Anne’s Episcopal Church 2411 Central Ave (229) 382-7505 stannestifton.com
First Baptist Church 400 S Main St (229) 985-2103 firstmoultrie.org
CrossPointe Church 110 Northside Dr (229) 242-7702 crosspointechurch.cc
Heritage Church 844 GA 33 (229) 891-3421 heritagelife.org
Southland Church 2206 E Hill Ave (229) 245-8188 southlandchurch.net
Trinity Church 201 12th Ave SE (229) 985-3660 trinityofmoultrie.org
New Covenant Church 3531 Bemiss Rd (229) 247-7777 nccvaldosta.org
Lifespring Community Church 2010 GA 133 (229) 985-2233 lifespringcc.net
Christ Episcopal Church 1521 N Patterson St (229) 242-5115 christchurchvaldosta.org
Our Divine Saviour Catholic 1205 Love Ave (229) 382-4600 odsparish.org Journey Church 304 20th St W (229) 238-3749 New River Church 17 Old Brookfield Rd (229) 386-2693 newriverbaptist.org Carpenter Road Church of God 40 Carpenter Rd N (229) 382-4880 crdcog.com First Presbyterian Church 217 Park Ave N (229) 382-6730 firstpresbyteriantifton.com Beulah Hill Baptist Church 321 Tifton-Eldorado Rd (229) 472-1505 New Life Presbyterian Church 3500 Fulwood Rd (229) 382-7238 newlifetifton.org
Lakeside Assembly of God 146 Washington St (229) 985-5424 lakesideassembly.org Friendship Alliance Church 835 26th Ave (229) 985-4908
Vision Church 2711 Bemiss Rd (229) 333-7702 thevisiononline.org Perimeter Road Baptist Church 4091 Inner Perimeter Rd (229) 333-0746 perimeterroad.com
friendshipalliancemoultrie.com
Moultrie First Church or Nazarene 410 12th Ave SE (229) 873-6265 www.moultriefirst.org Calvary Baptist Church 830 26th Ave SE (229) 985-3237 www.calvarybcmoultrie.com
Morningside Baptist Church 2604 Bemiss Rd (229) 242-1426 morningside.ws Azalea City Church of God 247 St. Augustine Rd (229) 244-1855 myazaleacity.com
10 A (SCNI) SOUTHERN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER PRODUCT • SWGA PRAISE • October 2015 • www.albanyherald.com
Trust His Glory If you work in an organization and believe you might be next in line to be laid off and you do not have a career or financial plan in place, or you sense Holy Spirit prompting you to make the mass exodus away from Corporate America to embark on a vision He gave you, this article from my heart to yours is a must read. Recently, I met with a woman for
lunch that I reported to in a consultant role several years ago. The company has been in financial trouble for many years with the government. She was laid off for the final time several weeks ago. In the midst of all of the turmoil of new management, job reassignments, firing and rehiring her, promotions, and demotions during her tenure, she told me she had reached her wits end with the "hustle" of trying to keep her job. She explained that she was going to take this time to breathe again and enjoy her two girls, both of which are under the age of five years old. When I asked her what she was going to do next, she stated, "I do not know that, but I do know that GOD has me, and He has something better for me." This meeting blessed me tremendously since I remember all the striving she used to do in the form of "her hustle."I noticed several distinct differences in her. She was a better listener in our meeting; she was calmer,
and frankly, I enjoyed her company much more than we worked together since she was caught up in the rat race. The meeting was good on so many levels. You see, I have been in the same place she just entered into for the past two years. The place I speak of is a place of trusting God's glory, obeying His every command, and allowing Him to fully take care of me versus being
caught up in the "hustle and bustle of the world's way of making a living." Has it been easy? Absolutely not. Have I been afraid at times? For sure. At the same time, I have not lacked for a thing. Here is a Carat Moment (i.e., a moment to learn a valuable lesson from my life) for you. I had to learn to be okay with not knowing everything. Even though He is constantly speaking, directing, and guiding me, I cannot say a new, big, overarching financial or career plan has unfolded out in front of me like a banner. I have had to rest and trust His presence and His love for me. I have had to come into the place that this is my new normal, and that no matter how long He has me in this place of transition, I will rest. I will not allow anxiety, fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of making a mess, fear of making a mistake, or even fear that I missed His direction rule one more day of my life. As long as He has me in this place, I will enjoy the journey, enjoy
each moment of intimacy with Him, and enjoy His daily-bread provision. I pray that you take this away from this article. Stop trying to work on your life and stop trying to make your life work, and let Father give you the life He intended before the foundation of the world. When you do so, your life itself will boast in what He's done versus what you were able to do (Psalm 34:2). The Hebrew word for boast in the above passage of scripture is לַלָה, and it means to: shine with God’s favor, to flash forth light, to foolishly rave, to be clear, to publicly rejoice, to be grand, and to glory in God. Now, I do not know about you, but previously when I tried to “make things happen” and when I tried to be “successful”, I was not publicly rejoicing, shining, bearing any light, or foolishly raving about how great things were. I was tired, sick, miserable, and busy. Ultimately, after 27 years of this type of lifestyle, everything came crumbling down. The things that mattered, like family, relationships with like-minded brothers and sisters in Christ, and aligning everything with His purpose for my life, suffered. Beloved, it is time to glory in GOD and in what He alone can do with your life, which is not even yours to begin with. He will carry you into His clear light—His grand glory—and enable you to publicly rejoice like a fool, if you are willing. Let’s pray. Father, deliver us from the fear of You making a mess of our lives. Deliver us from the fear of never making money again. Deliver us from the fear of being betwixt and between for too long. Father, deliver us from all of our fears concerning times of unknown transition. Father, I know You hear me when I pray and that You answered me before I even prayed this prayer. Deliver from the fear of not making the right decisions or not hearing you correctly. I confess You are guiding me, leading me, and carrying me. You are leading me into a grand life that is surrounded by Your glory cloud. Hence, I cannot fail. I will trust Your glory (i.e., Your good nature, Your loving character, and Your magnificent power). – Prayer inspired by Psalm 34:4
Karen M. Pina is the founder of Gifts Ordained by Direction. Her exclusive approach for leaders develops the character necessary to rise to greatness in business and ministry. She has written three books and created over 100 ministry, business, and personal development resources that quench leaders’ thirst and hunger for spiritual meat and marketplace wisdom. Karen has been a guest on several television and radio programs that challenged leaders to move to the next level of significance in every area of their lives. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services and a Master’s of Education (M.Ed). in Higher Education Leadership and Administration. Karen will defend and obtain and a Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (Ph.D.) in 2016. Her education and gift of wisdom has served her well as she has coached, consulted, and trained doctors, directors, entrepreneurs, visionaries, IT professionals, bishops, apostles, executives, coaches, prophets, teachers, pastors, and a vast array of leaders to greatness. To learn more about the books, resources, and Karen go to www.godscoach.com
A (SCNI) SOUTHERN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER PRODUCT • SWGA PRAISE • October 2015 • www.albanyherald.com 11
Mark Addington Senior Pastor
The Pr Praise aise First United Methodist of Moultrie 409 First Street Southeast Moultrie, GA (229) 985-2139 anyone; works from 8 am to midnight, and also serves as the church janitor; makes $40 a week, wears good clothes, and donates $30 a week to the church; is 29 years old and has 40 years of experience; is a strong leader, yet also follows everyone's advice; can effectively relate to all teenagers and spends all of his time with the elderly; makes 15 house calls a day, regularly visits the hospital, and is always in his office." I love that. It’s difficult at times to juggle all the things you feel called to, plus all the things the church expects and still be a good husband and father. What is the most gratifying aspect? Seeing someone have an “aha moment” in a Bible study class, or in worship, or as they provide ministry. It’s that moment when they connect with a deep truth about their life in Christ. Those moments remind me each time why I’m called to this ministry. Leave us with a meaningful message or Scripture: I try to begin my prayers, whether I’m praying alone, or with my congregation by saying, “It’s all about You.” I think if we can keep that in mind – that all of life is about God – then we might be headed in the right direction as a Christian disciple. Most of us aren’t there yet. I’m far from it. But together, we strive on…
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Where were you born & Raised? I was born in Parkersburg, WV in 1972. We moved to South GA when I was 2 – Bainbridge first, until I was 11, and then Thomasville in 1983. That’s where I graduated High School and how I answer the question, “Where are you from?” Tell us about your family: My wife Rhonda has put up with me for 17 years now. We picked up a tradition from a close friend of “voting” every year on our anniversary if we’re going to continue. So far, it’s been unanimous, though I have worried a time or two. Ha! We have one son, Wesley that is in the 8th Grade and he is an AWESOME kid. 5 cats: Lewis that is 17 years old; Athena, Aphrodite are much younger, as are Artemis & Persephone (that’s what happens when your cat sneaks out before you can have her spayed!) How long have you been a pastor? I am in my 20th year of serving as a United Methodist Pastor, and I was a youth minister for 2 ½ years before that. I am in the middle of my 5th year as the Senior Pastor of First United Methodist of Moultrie. It’s a great church! What is the most challenging aspect of your position? Balancing it all. I read a description once that "The ideal pastor preaches exactly twenty minutes with an hour's content; condemns sin, but never offends
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12 A (SCNI) SOUTHERN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER PRODUCT • SWGA PRAISE • October 2015 • www.albanyherald.com
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Late Night at FBC Tuesdays at 8 PM College Bible Study - Free Food! FBC Family Life Center First Baptist Tifton 4th St & Central Ave www.fbctifton.org Contact Bill Hughes bhughes@fbctifton.org First Saturday of Each Month 8:00 am - 10:00 am Dougherty Prayer Vigil 222 Pine Ave, Albany Contact Rance Pettibone, Sr.: rancepettibone@hotmail.com (229) 881-4828
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Saturday, October 10 7:00 pm Pure Freedom for Teen Girls & Their Moms Biblical Teaching on Beauty, Love, & Modesty Church at Liberty Square 2001 Liberty Square Dr. NE, Cartersville www.thejoyfm.com October 12 - 16 7:30 pm nightly Travelers Rest Missionary Baptist Church, Tifton, GA Annual Church Revival Guest Revivalist - Reverend Milton Hughes of Green Grove Baptist Church, Dublin, GA Tuesday, October 13 6:30 pm 46th Annual GMA Dove Awards Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena www.doveawards.com
Saturday, October 24 7:00 pm Live music by From Dust to Man and special guest Ever Green The Stage at Chehaw Tickets are $10 (purchase at Chehaw), bring a lawn chair, no coolers Friday & Saturday, November 6th & 7th 2015 10th Annual Atlanta HealthCare, Music & Gospel Festival Sheraton Gateway Hotel 1900 Sullivan Rd, Atlanta www.atlantagospelfest.com Saturday, November 7 11:00 am - 2:00 pm Women’s Fellowship Victory Tabernacle of Albany 3250 Sylvester Road, Albany Sunday, November 8 7:00 pm Building 429 Live in Concert Unity Baptist Church 311 Smokey Rd, Newnan www.thejoyfm.com Thursday, November 12 7:00 pm Mercy Me Greater Than Tour Griffin First Assembly 2000 W McIntosh Rd, Griffin www.thejoyfm.com Saturday, November 14 10:30 am - 11:30 pm Saturday Samaritan Missions First Presbyterian Church 220 North Jackson St, Albany
Please submit your upcoming events to Jennifer King, jennifer.king@albanyherald.com
A (SCNI) SOUTHERN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER PRODUCT • SWGA PRAISE • October 2015 • www.albanyherald.com 13
Church creates special-needs ministry By Carlton Fletcher
ALBANY — By the time she was 5, Lindsey Lamb knew she wanted to be a teacher. By the time she was ready to start looking for a job, she knew she wanted to teach special education. “I definitely found that to be a calling,” Lamb, who teaches special ed in grades 3-5 at Lee County Elementary, said. “I feel that I have a bond with special-needs children; they have a special place in my heart.” While attending a church ministry conference with Greenbriar Church Children’s Minister Lauren Stotler, Lamb was directed to break-out sessions about special-needs ministries. A short while later, the 27-year-old Albany native said, God made it clear why she’d been led to those sessions. “I started thinking this might be something that we could start at our church, so I prayed about the special-needs ministry,” Lamb said. “I felt that God started to bless the idea,
so I shared it with Lauren. She and I prayed together about it, and when we took it to our pastor (Tim Bice) and the associate pastors, we all prayed about it.” On Sept. 6, Greenbriar kicked off its special-needs ministry, “Leaps ‘N’ Bounds.” The program allows parents of special-needs children to attend worship services comfortable in the knowledge that their children are receiving proper care from professionally trained volunteers like Lamb and Jennifer Hatcher, a speech therapist who works with preschool-age children in the Dougherty County School system. “There is a peace of mind knowing we can attend services and our son (8-yearold Caleb) is being cared for by the right people,” Mike McVey, a Greenbriar partner, said. “The important thing is that the people in the (Leaps ‘N’ Bounds) program are qualified to do this,” added McVey’s wife, Jessica.
Jennifer Hatcher, left, who is a speech therapist with the Dougherty County School System, and Lindsey Lamb, a special education teacher with the Lee County School System, spend time with 8year-old Caleb McVey as part of Greenbriar Church's Leaps 'N' Bounds program. (Staff Photo: Carlton Fletcher)
Lindsey Lamb, left, and Jessica Hatcher are volunteers in Greenbriar Church's Leaps 'N' Bounds ministry for special needs children. Lamb, a special education teacher in Lee County, said the ministry, which she helped develop, is a "calling." (Staff Photo: Carlton Fletcher)
To help finance the new ministry, Greenbriar is hosting a Cafe Mystery Theater fundraiser Friday at 6 p.m. Mandy Kavanaugh, the redemptive arts partner at the nondenominational 3404 Gillionville Road church, will direct the evening of entertainment, which involves an interactive mystery theater presentation and dinner, complete with dessert. Bice, who was instrumental in founding Greenbriar seven years ago Monday, said several “moving parts” fell into place for the Leaps ‘N’ Bounds program. “I had friends who couldn’t come to church because they didn’t feel comfortable leaving their special-needs child with anyone else,” Bice said. “The Lord laid it on Lindsey’s heart
Lindsey Lamb plays with 8-year-old Caleb McVey in Greenbriar Church's Leaps 'N' Bounds program for special needs children Sunday while Caleb's parents, Mike and Jessica McVey, attend church services. (Staff Photo: Carlton Fletcher)
to start a program for families like that, and the church sought God’s hand in designing a program. Meanwhile, we have a couple of special education teachers in our church who didn’t come up with the idea but loved it. “It was neat to watch all these people from different backgrounds come together to make this happen. And I think the mystery theater idea is going to be fun to be a part of. So often, the world knows what churches are against, but they don’t know what they’re for. Hopefully, the public can see from this that we’re providing fun, Christ-centered entertainment.” Lamb said the future of the Leaps ‘N’ Bounds ministry is out of her hands. “The only other area church
I’m aware of that has a special needs ministry is Sherwood (Baptist),” she said. “I want our program to be part of a community of churches that accommodates parents of special needs children who otherwise might not attend church services. Our program is open to anyone with a special needs child. “I can’t say what the vision is for our program because we’re depending totally on God growing the ministry. This is not about numbers, it’s about families having a burden-free gospel opportunity and everyone in the program showing the love of Christ.” Information about the Cafe Mystery Dinner and the Leaps ‘N’ Bounds program is available by calling Greenbriar Church at (229) 405-1843.
14 A (SCNI) SOUTHERN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER PRODUCT • SWGA PRAISE • October 2015 • www.albanyherald.com
I am the youngest among 4 siblings. As children, we played together, fought often and laughed even more. We figured out how to navigate conflict and celebrated each other’s accomplishments. As adults, we support each other as parents, advise each other on careers, help pick up the pieces after divorce and we are still laughing and crying our way through the roller coasters of life -- together. As a child, I often wanted to trade my brother Steve in for a new model. As an adult, I don’t know what I would do without him. So, two years ago, when he called to inform me that the we would be volunteering as summer camp counselors, I said yes, in spite of my mild fear of bugs and memorizing camp songs. The camp is called “Camp to Belong- GA” and its mission is to reunite brothers and sisters who are placed in separate foster, adoptive or kinship homes through a one-week summer camp. The opportunity appealed to me on many fronts. First, I loved growing up with my siblings and it made me think about what our lives would have been like if we had been separated. Second, my oldest son, who is adopted, was once my foster son. He is one among 13 siblings by his mother – all of whom we try to keep track of so that he will have them when/if he http://camptobelong-ga.org/index.html
needs them. Third, in my role as monitor for Georgia’s foster care system, I know first-hand that far too many children who enter foster care are not placed with all of their siblings. For children who are the victims of abuse and neglect, the sibling relationship often buffers and provides a refuge from harsh family circumstances. According to Camp-to-Belong GA’s website, there are more than 7,000 children living in foster care in Georgia, with an estimated 50% separated from at least one sibling. This does not include those brothers and sisters separated through kinship care, guardianships and adoptions, like my son. For one week, children come from all over the state and experience camp as a family. They are grouped with their siblings for all of their activities. Watching them laugh, play, argue and love each other is nothing short of extraordinary. Their resiliency, courage, brilliance and compassion is inspiring and calls upon us to do more. We need more foster and adoptive homes willing to care for sibling groups. Faith communities have the ability and core values to surround foster families with support and respite care. If you are not able to serve as a foster family, consider volunteering or providing support for organizations such as Camp-to-Belong who are going the extra mile to ensure that siblings can continue bonding in spite of separation. As Margaret Meade once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”
Source: http://blogs.christianpost.com/every-child/author/bethanychristian-services/page5.html
A (SCNI) SOUTHERN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER PRODUCT • SWGA PRAISE • October 2015 • www.albanyherald.com 15
Observe the Sabbath Then he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.’ Mark 2:27-28 COURTESY OF METRO CONNECTION
Even God had to rest after six days of labor, and the observance of the Sabbath, besides commemorating that day of divine rest, is instituted to give all who labor a rest from their toil. Notice how in the formulation from Exodus, the requirement is extended even to one’s servants and animals: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.” (Exodus 20:8-10) For those of us who are inclined to work seven days a week, this is surely a good rule. Everyone needs rest, and with work taken out of the picture we have time to worship, time to spend with family and friends, and time to recharge life’s batteries. Throughout the Old Testament, we see unequivocal statements commanding us to observe the Sabbath, with plenty of warnings from the prophets if we don’t. In the New Testament, however, we see a loosening of the particular rules governing the Sabbath, in essence saying that the Sabbath was instituted for us and should be observed as each person or church sees fit. – Christopher Simon
Spiritual Blessings in Christ 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-- 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.
DID YOU KNOW? COURTESY OF METROCONNECTION
While Communion and Confirmation ceremonies are causes for celebration within the Christian community, they're also a holy time. Those attending these ceremonies should conduct themselves appropriately within the church, and this extends to any photographers or family members who will be capturing the occasion on video. Churches may have strict requirements about when and where guests are allowed to snap photographs. For example, photographers may be prohibited from stepping up on the alter during the ceremonies, which typically include Mass. Photographers should not interfere with the sacrament in any way. This not only respects the solemnity of the event but also serves as a courtesy to others whose views may be blocked or whose experience could be altered by wandering photographers. Visitors and guests should pay attention to announcements regarding photography and any additional rules governing the Communion or Confirmation celebrations.
16 A (SCNI) SOUTHERN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER PRODUCT • SWGA PRAISE • October 2015 • www.albanyherald.com
Walnut Hummus – Israeli Breakfast Recipes Bold, fresh ingredients make for a delicious start (or middle, or end) to any day. By Rivka Friedman • www.myjewishlearning.com
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There are few things as wonderful as Israeli breakfast. Unlike the cheerios-andmilk American routine (or, even worse, the ubiquitous but tasteless nutrition bar), Israeli breakfasts are adventures in flavor, texture, and spice. Like the people themselves, Israelis' breakfast foods are bold, with assertively tangy flavors, and comprise the freshest ingredients. Think stacks of fresh pita to be dunked in hummus, labane (a thick yogurtbased cheese), fruity olive oil, and za'atar–the essential Israeli herb. All this accompanies fresh sliced cucumbers and tomatoes, as well as a spread of other cheeses and much more. Here are recipes for three Israeli breakfast spreads: a nutty hummus, homemade labane, and Muhamarra — a Syrian red pepper and walnut spread with a kiss of pomegranate syrup. Serve these spreads with sliced vegetables, but also try them with my final recipe, pickled cauliflower. Its flavors are strong enough to stand up to the spreads. The cauliflower is great 24 hours after preparation and only improves with age. Ingredients 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted 2 cups cooked (or canned) garbanzo beans, drained 1-2 cloves garlic, to taste Juice of 1 lemon 1/4-1/2 cup hot water 1/4 cup olive oil 1 Tablespoon za'atar (or paprika) Directions Grind the walnuts in a food processor, so they are a sandy texture. Add most of the garbanzos, 1 or 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1 clove garlic, and lemon juice. Process until smooth. Drizzle in the water a bit at a time and puree more, until the hummus is creamy. Taste; if desired, add the second garlic clove. Let the processor run for a minute or so, to incorporate air into the puree and give the hummus a light texture. Taste, adjust the seasoning–more salt, more lemon juice, etc. Serve in a shallow bowl, topped with remaining chickpeas, drizzled with plenty of the remaining oil, and sprinkled with paprika or za'atar. You can also garnish with cured olives and red pepper oil, another lovely option.
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