COMPLIMENTARY
MARCH 2018
®
Christian School Guide
CHRISTOPHER MULLENIX, DMD,MD Practicing the Physician’s Prayer
®
2
BIRMINGHAM BUSIN
HOW DOES IT WORK
Very simple... Visit our ncfgiving.com/alabama prefer, call our office to No paperwork and only ta minutes. We ask you abou like “which of the 6 invest do you want to use for in your fund?” etc.... T minimum amount requ or keep in the fund. You a check, do an online che stock (which is the most way to fund your charit There is a form to electro stock to us and we sell it “ place 100% of the procee fund for you to give away. you a tax receipt based on contribute the money/st visit our website 24/7 and SIMPLIFY YOUR GIVING to the charities you wan By use of the Internet We have over 30,000 ch approved in our databa have the option to sug MULTIPLY YOUR IMPACT charity for approval. A By smarter use of the tax codes are focused on Christia we are not exclusively C mail grants to the Amer GLORIFY GOD Society, Birmingham By releasing more resources to build His Kingdom Art, UAB, Alabama, and will send grants to any 5 unless it is antithetica to the Christian faith. O annually (charged as 1/1 Many families have found the use of Donor Advised Funds the easiest and most efficient way month) based on the ave to manage their charitable giving. The National Christian Foundation of Alabama (NCFA) in your fund-with a min per month. Our only oth was started in 2008 with 12 families. We now serve over 600 families with is $100 per grant chec Donor Advised Funds and have generated $153 million in grants to over “recurring grant” option 2,900 civic, educational, and religious organizations. quarterly, annually etc... you ONE TAX RECEIPT t of February each year for contributed to your fund OUR GRANT HISTORY: year. That is all you have file your tax return! No mo YEAR INCREASE TOTAL GRANTS YEAR TOTAL GRANTS INCREASE through your check stub 2008 N/A $6,122,779 you list every charitabl 2008 $6,122,779 N/A 2009 102% $6,270,209 FOR MORE INFORMATION wrote, and then hunting 2010 119% $7,436,961 2009 $6,270,209 102% GO TO OUR WEBSITE receipts. 2011 130% $9,632,079 2010 $7,436,961 119% 127% 2012
STOP SENDING TOCHARITIES CHARITIES STOP WRITING CHECKS CHECKS TO Join with over 600 families in Alabama who use the
Join with over 600 families in Alabama who use the National Christian Foundation of Alabama to write those checks. National Christian Foundation of Alabama to write those checks.
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
2 Bay Area Christian Family
$12,244,145 $14,478,799 2011 $19,197,767 2012 $22,584,171 $25,874,158 2013 $29,238,402
2014
2015 TOTAL: $152,905,475 2016
118% $9,632079 133% $12,244,145 118% 115% $14,478,799 113%
WWW.NCFGIVING.COM/ALABAMA 130% 127% 118%
$19,197,767
133%
$22,584,171
118%
$25,874,158
115%
OR CALL JIM BRADFORD 205-563-2388
www.BayAreaChristianFamily.com
O u r M i s s ion Bay Area Christian Family ® exists to provide Christians and the community at large with ways to grow and develop as a part of the Bay Area’s Christian Family. The local publication is designed to promote positive living by sharing with readers the latest news on entertainment, healthy living, parenting and inspirational literature as well as what individuals and organizations are doing to try to address the needs of the family.
In association with
Publisher/Editor: Melissa K. McElroy, bayareachristianfamily@mchsi.com (251)680-8589 Bay Area Christian Family Contributing Writers: Bruce Ashford Jason Greene Chef Lucy Greer Shane Hale Darrell Holcombe
Mark’s Outdoors Janet R. Pittman Camille Smith Platt Dave Ramsey Barbara Tako
Art Director: Hope Chastain, HbcDesigns Sales and Marketing: Melissa McElroy, Will McElroy Cover: Courtesy Christopher Mullenix Bay Area Christian Family s published monthly in Mobile & Baldwin counties by MKM Publishing Inc., 8320 Goldmine Oaks Drive E, Mobile, AL 36619. The phone number is 251-680-8589. Reproduction of any part of Bay Area Christian Family without permission of the publisher is prohibited. Distribution of this magazine does not constitute an endorsement of information, products or services. Views expressed in Bay Area Christian Family do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Every effort has been made by Bay Area Christian Family 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 2018 by MKM Publishing Inc. Unless otherwise noted, scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of International Bible Society. Circulation & Distribution: 10,000 copies of Bay Area Christian Family are printed each month. Bay Area Christian Family is free and available at targeted high traffic locations in Mobile and Baldwin counties. Copies are also available by mail, $25 for one year.
F rom
th e
P u bli s h e r
Restoring Serenity to Your Day Have you ever heard the phrase, “God give us the grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed?” We should stop associating serenity with things that cannot be changed. Instead, when we choose to change the quality of our lives, we consciously seek to restore serenity in our daily endeavors. At times, we are spinning out of control and cannot seem to complete all the tasks at hand. Have you ever caught yourself doing one thing around the house and noticing that something else needs your attention? Mornings are the most hectic in many households. We find ourselves rushing around, attempting to complete several tasks at once in order to get everyone out the door in a timely manner. Needless to say, a day that starts off this frenzied usually goes from bad to worse. A serene person does not become sidetracked. Sidetracked people, who try to scatter their energies in all directions, never achieve true serenity. It’s as simple as that. This is a perfect time of year to start to recover our serenity and sanity. The holidays are behind us and it is time to catch our breath, and regroup. I challenge you to start today and concentrate slowly on completing one task at a time, and if it takes you all day that’s alright because you are pacing yourself. You will find that inner peace that comes from living fully in the present moment. I am certain that you will accomplish all of your tasks with more ease, efficiency and satisfaction. It is time for us to merge our minds, bodies and spirit with the task at hand and only at that moment will we experience true serenity. Blessings,
Melissa K. McElroy BayAreaChristianFamily@mchsi.com
POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Bay Area Christian Family, 8320 Goldmine Oaks Drive E, Mobile, AL 36619
THANKS FOR READING SUPPORT US BY SUPPORTING OUR ADVERTISERS FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: (251) 680-8589
A bout
th e
P u bli s h e r
Melissa K. McElroy, President of MKM Publishing, Inc. resides in Mobile, Alabama and owns Bay Area Christian Family publications. She has been married to her high-school sweetheart, Will, for 26 years and they have two children, Grant age 20 and Anna age 18. Melissa received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations & Marketing at the University of South Alabama in 1994.
Her husband, Cpt. William C. McElroy, Jr., has served over 26 years in the US Army and is currently employed with CPSI. They are active members of Spring Hill Baptist Church in Mobile. For more information on Bay Area Christian Family, contact Melissa at (251) 680-8589 or BayAreaChristianFamily@mchsi.com.
Melissa has more than 19 years of advertising experience with Mobile Bay Monthly, “I Do…” for Alabama Brides and AutoTrader.com.
March 2018 3
EastEr at spring Hill
34 of the region’s best doctors. One clear choice.
Egg Hunt on the Hill
Saturday, March 24, 2018 9:00 a.m. -11:30 a.m.
Palm Sunday, March 25, 2018
8:45 a.m. Contemporary Worship 9:45 a.m. Sunday School 11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship
Organ Meditations on the Cross
Wednesday, March 28, 2018 | 12:00 p.m. | Sanctuary Bill Taylor, Organist
Maundy Thursday Service
Thursday, March 29, 2018 | 7:00 p.m. | Sanctuary
Premier Medical is the largest and most established Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat clinic in the region. We have the finest physicians and the latest
Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018
technology to accurately diagnose and successfully treat your medical
8:45 a.m. Contemporary Worship 9:45 Sunday School 11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship
problem. Contact us today to make an appointment. Visit us online at
www.pmg.md.
2 South McGregor Avenue Mobile, AL 36608 251-342-5320 www.shbc.cc Dr. Rob Hatfield, Pastor l
l
4 Bay Area Christian Family
www.BayAreaChristianFamily.com
March 2018
Contents
Volume 9, Number 8
DEPARTMENTS 3 From the Publisher • Restoring Serenity to Your Day 10 Best Books • Love Casts Out All Fear
ON THE COVER 14 From contemporary Christian music filling the air while patients are undergoing surgery to praying with patients before or after a procedure, Dr Mullenix always looks for ways to share his faith with his patients and their families. See Page 14. 20 Christian School Guide
SPECIAL FEATURES
10, 16 Are We There Yet? • Great Get-Away at Historic Boone Cabin • Castin’ ‘N Catchin to Help Children 11 Encouraging Word • Why All the Umbrellas? 12 Hassle Free Zone • Win the Clutter Battle for Good 12 Potluck • Lucy’s Shrimp Creole 17 Senior Scene • Try This for Your Brain 18 Healthy Living • 1 on 1 with Jason Greene: Stir the Pot
10 Remembering Billy Graham
19 Money Matters • Dave Says
11 Symbols of Faith in The Lion King
24 Coloring Page
NEXT ISSUE
Spring Time Tips
10
25 Calendar 26 Ad Directory 26 Support Groups
12
for Home & Garden
& MUCH MORE!
20 March 2018 5
6 Bay Area Christian Family
www.BayAreaChristianFamily.com
Foreign langu age offered in all grades
ital All dig oks o textb s de a r g in 61% of the 2th 4th 1 Class of 2012 received scholarships re l ca oo t h h c s er- K3-5 Aft or P f
Smar t Boards in all PK grades classr 3 ooms
ALL FRESH ~ ALL LOCAL -12th
ed Accredit On - Site for grades ourses C ty si Univer 10 -12
Mobile Christian School
Bayou La Batre’s Finest Seafood DinE in/CArrY OuT, FuLL sEAFOOD MArkET
A Fun, Fa m learning ily Friendly environm ent
N ationally A ccredited by: A dvancE D SA C S N C SA
PK3 -5th grade Enr ichment classes: Spanish , Music , Libr ary , and Computer
ementary & of-the-art El bs apel & New StateDaily Ch r La te pu m Co sses Bible Cla High school
New football, baseball & softball complexes
Prepared for College. Prepared for LIFE.
Mobile Christian School For More Information, call 251-661-1613 www.mobilechristian.org
Serving Grades PreK3 - 12 5900 Cottage Hill Road Mobile, AL
13450A N. W INTZELL A VE B AYOU L A B ATRE , AL 251-824-2248
**Mention this ad for a FREE cup of shrimp & crab gumbo with purchase of any basket**
B AYOU S EAFOOD C O . E ATERY
AND
M ARKET
March 2018 7
S p ecial F eatu r e
Remembering Billy Graham Early Wednesday morning, the Rev. Billy Graham passed away at age 99 at his home in Montreat, N.C. In response to the news of his passing, national and international leaders simultaneously grieved his death and celebrated his life. And for good reason. He should be remembered for his global reach, having preached live to approximately 215 million people in more than 185 countries or territories, and via television and radio to hundreds of millions more. He should be remembered for his personal influence, having met and prayed with every U. S. president from Dwight Eisenhower to Barack Obama, and having preached at funeral services for Presidents Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon. He should be remembered for the way his ministry spanned across many of America’s public divides. Graham was recognized by many Americans—Republican and Democrat, black and white, North and South—as “America’s pastor.” He should be remembered for his opposition to racial bigotry, having refused to preach to segregated audiences. For this reason, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. counted Graham a friend and an ally, once remarking, “Had it not been for the ministry of my good friend Billy Graham, my work in the Civil Rights Movement would not have been as successful as it has been.” He should be remembered for the love and faithfulness that characterized his marriage to Ruth McCue Bell, to whom he was married for 64 years. His reputation was unblemished by sexual or financial scandals. But more than anything, he should be remembered for the gospel. It is this gospel to which he devoted his life and ministry.
What is the “gospel” Billy Graham preached?
The Christian gospel is the announcement that two thousand years ago Jesus of Nazareth was crucified. Powerful members of the religious, political, and military communities colluded to strip him naked, mock him publicly, and crucify him. And it is the announcement that, even while powerful men were conspiring to kill the Son of God, God himself was acting to save the world from itself, once and for all. But what does Jesus’ crucifixion have to do with him saving the world? As the Bible teaches, Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection accomplished three things, which together provide an explanation for why Billy Graham devoted his life to preaching about them: On the cross, Jesus suffered so that we could be delivered from suffering. Unlike other religions Christianity teaches that all of us are born with a tendency to sin. Like Adam and Eve, we refuse to recognize God as God and we break his law repeatedly. Because God is the universal King and ultimate
8 Bay Area Christian Family
Law-giver, our sins are mutinous; they represent an attempt to steal his kingship and replace his laws. For that reason, each of us deserves death as the penalty for our law-breaking. Yet the Bible also teaches that God loves us and does not want us to suffer the penalty of our sin. For that reason, he took on a human body and came to earth as Jesus. When he did that, he “traded places” with us. He lived the sinless life that we should have lived, and died the death that we deserve to die. He took our guilty record, died for it, and offers us his perfect record in return. That is why the apostle Paul declared that “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1).
Through the cross, we can be reconciled to God and each other.
Because of our sins, we alienate ourselves from God and others, but Jesus saves us from our sins in order to mend those relationships. That is why the Bible says, “For it pleased the Father that . . . by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross” (Col 1:19-20). In fact, Jesus’ reconciling powers will cause all relational barriers to be torn down, including the barriers of ethnicity and nationality (Rev 5:9-10).
Because of the cross and resurrection, we have hope for the future.
The Bible connects Jesus’ crucifixion with his resurrection. After Jesus suffered on the cross, he was buried, but on the third day he rose from the grave! When he rose from the dead, he not only confirmed his divinity but declared that he would return one day to make things right. He will return to disestablish evil, sin, and death from their artificial throne, and establish himself as the true King over a kingdom characterized by justice, peace, and love (Rev 21-22). For these reasons, Billy Graham invited anybody who would listen to embrace Jesus as the Savior that he is, to trust in him alone for our salvation. He alone can save (Acts 4:12) and there is no sinner too bad for him to save (1 Tim 1:15). For these reasons, we shouldn’t be sad for Billy Graham. In his own words, “Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.” And for these reasons, we should do what Billy Graham did: trust in Jesus and invite anybody who will listen to trust in Jesus also. — Bruce Ashford Ashford is the Provost and Dean of Faculty at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he also serves as Professor of Theology and Culture. Follow him on Twitter @BruceAshford. This Article was first published by Fox News.
www.BayAreaChristianFamily.com
Mobile’s ONLY Licensed AVON Beauty Center
AVON SOUTH LLC
6920 AIRPORT BLVD (ACROSS FROM PROVIDENCE HOSPITAL) 251-607-0320 THE AVON STORE ON AIRPORT
NEW HOURS: C S M, O T-F : : S : - :
March 2018 9
A r e W e T h e r e Y et ?
B e st B ooks Love Casts Out All Fear: The Message in Missing Isaac My first memory of racial tension happened when I was a small child, sometime in the mid-1960s. I was very young, so I only remember aspects of the incident. It was summertime, and I was sitting in a parked car with some relatives. The windows were rolled down so we could survive the smothering heat. I remember feeling somewhat bored until the adult who was sitting with us suddenly screamed for us to roll up the windows. A child knows when adults are scared, and I was, consequently, terrified. I remember rolling up the window as fast as I could, accompanied by horrifying descriptions of the potential violence about to befall us. What was the perceived threat that sent so much terror into that curbside car? In broad daylight, on a city sidewalk in Childersburg, Ala., a black man was about to walk by us. I often thought about that day as I read the wonderful new fiction book by Valerie Fraser Luesse, Missing Isaac (Revell, $14.99). The setting is in the same time period and exact location as my childhood introduction to the complexity and fear embedded within racial distinctions. Missing Isaac is about a young boy whose friendship with a black man changed the trajectory of his life forever, in ways he could never have foreseen. It’s also about class distinctions, which can be as divisive and cruel as racism, even among those who share the same skin color. Missing Isaac is a beautiful story that reminds us that, even in a world filled with evil and injustice, righteousness and love cannot be constrained. It will break free among those who are truly God’s people.
Missing Isaac author Valerie Fraser Luesse grew up in Harpersville, Ala. and lives in Birmingham. She is an award-winning writer and a senior travel editor for Southern Living.
I love the writing in Missing Isaac. I love the characters, the dialogue, the storyline, and well, pretty much everything about it. But what I love most is that it redeemed that day in Childersburg, Ala. Despite our insane outbreak of curbside terror, love was still happening all around us. We were simply too afraid to see it. One day we will all catch up to the reality that ethnic, racial, and class divisions simply do not exist within the kingdom of Jesus. In the meantime, we need stories like Missing Isaac to remind us that perfect love, both now and forevermore, casts out all fear. — Darrel Holcombe, Owner 205-663-2370
Great Get-Away at Historic Boone Cabin
Tucked away on the wooded banks of Lake Tuscaloosa, the 1820s Boone Cabin provides historic charm, modern features, and breathtaking views of the lake. Boone newspapers graciously donated the home to The University of Alabama in honor of Mrs. Frances Boone. With renovations that maintain the historic integrity of the home, the venue is now a perfect site for day or overnight family gatherings, day rentals for church or corporate retreats, class reunions and weddings. With a sleeping capacity of eight people, the cabin can easily accommodate single or multiple families. The cabin Boone Newspapers donated Boone Cabin to The nestled near the east bank of University of Alabama in honor of Mrs. Buford Lake Tuscaloosa and about 35 Boone. With renovations that maintain the minutes from The University historic integrity of the home, the venue is now of Alabama campus features a a perfect site for family gatherings, weddings, cozy living room with a smart, wedding anniversaries, birthday parties, church flat screen TV and unlimited or corporate retreats, and more. Learn more at cable channels, kitchen with www.boonecabin.ua.edu. modern amenities, two full baths, master bedroom with flat screen television and queen bed, two upstairs bedrooms for guests (one with queen bed and flat screen television and the other with four twin beds and activity table), and outdoor grilling on a separate patio. Wireless internet is also available throughout the cabin. To further enhance your stay, camping gear, canoes, kayaks, and other outdoor equipment can be rented through the University’s Recreation Center. Boone Cabin is perfect for spring, summer or fall weekend stays, special events, game day weekends or your special wedding day (up to 150 guests). The cabin features a large back porch full of rocking chairs to accommodate multiple guests. It leads down to a winding, slated rock pathway to the water. Adirondack chairs are also provided for your leisure, soaking up some sun, or watching your loved ones’ swim. To learn more visit www.boonecabin. ua.edu, facebook.com/boonecabin or call 205-348-4090.
PROUDLY SERVING MOBILE, ALABAMA AND SURROUNDING AREAS, PICKETT ORTHODONTICS PERFECTS SMILES OF ALL AGES WITH CUSTOMIZED TREATMENT IN A RELAXED AND COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT.
SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY! 6611 Wall Street • Mobile, AL 36695 | 251.607.0110 - local | www.pickettortho.com
2620 College Ave. Jackson, AL 36545 | 877.660.1103 - toll free | info@pickettortho.com
10 Bay Area Christian Family
www.BayAreaChristianFamily.com
E ncou r ag i ng W or d
Why All the Umbrellas? Home Depot sells umbrellas for $5. A real bargain. I bought a couple back in the Spring of 2016. A few days later I passed a fella pushing a shopping cart down the I-65 service road as a wall of those big dark Mobile rain clouds approached. I stopped and handed him one of my umbrellas, said you might need this. He agreed, smiled and thanked me. Giving a blessing. A few days later I see another fella quickly walking through a neighborhood, tool bag over his shoulder, dirty from the day. It had just started to rain and he was about to get soaked. I rolled down my window and handed him my other umbrella. He was all smiles. Told me very enthusiastically, “Boy you ain’t nothing but a blessing, just a blessing”! Then as he looked down to open the umbrella he said, “God is so good to me”! That last statement, “God is so good to me”, really rang with me because he wasn’t talking to me, he was talking to himself. Like he expected it. Favor that is. A $5 umbrella hand delivered out of the blue by a white dude as it began to pour rain not only brightened this man’s day, it re-affirmed his faith in God’s timely provision. The man’s enthusiasm, his witness, did the same for me. A blessing in return. The next morning I went back to Home Depot and I bought 20 umbrellas. The lady ringing up the sale asked, “Why all the umbrellas”? I looked at her very seriously and said “Because it is going to rain”. I let it hang for a few seconds as we just looked at each other. Then I explained to her that I buy them to give away. To be a blessing. I put most of the umbrellas in my shed and left a handful in my truck. Soon thereafter I am riding across town with my boys and Captain Questions asks me “Daddy, why do you have so many umbrellas in your truck”. Fair question. I told them the stories above, that it is a way I can directly help other people in a time of need, that there is joy in giving, that God love’s a cheerful giver and that everything we have God has given us. The lesson alone was worth the $100. Another blessing……….Dividends. Here’s the thing. The point of the story is not, “look at Shane look at Shane”. The point is, you don’t have to perform great dump truck size, biblical parting of the seas, I just destroyed the death star, acts of giving to make a difference in someone’s life. Small simple acts of kindness can make a big difference in another person’s day AND YOURS! There is a real joy that is found in giving and I believe with all my being that God multiplies our efforts for His glory. I mean seriously, why wouldn’t he? He’s God. Need a win? Don’t walk around looking for a blessing. Step out and be one! On many occasions God has answered my distress call in a time of great need and it was always, ALWAYS I SAY, delivered not by a bolt of lightning or in a puff of smoke but by another human being. By someone that chose to make themselves available to God’s calling. I’m telling you, living in God’s will is an awesome experience. Make yourself available to His call and He will give you a job for The Kingdom. Believe it! Get in the boat. Do your part. Be a blessing.
— Shane Hale Hale is a “redeemed & re-purposed professional baseball player” working as a Realtor with Bellator Real Estate & Development. Through writing he shares his faith to encourage and inspire others to seek God’s plan for their lives. Visit and subscribe to his blog at www.The1SixProject.com
ROLY POLY, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE SANDWICH! SANDWICHES ~ SOUPS ~ SALADS LET US CATER YOUR NEXT EVENT!
3220 DAUPHIN STREET, MOBILE (251) 479-2480 March 2018 11
H as s le F r ee Z on e
P otluck
Win the Clutter Battle FOR GOOD!
Lucy’s Shrimp Creole
To get rid of clutter, I set off to learn the secrets of professional organizers. It is as simple as one, two, three. Primary, secondary and tertiary space and stuff. You can think like a professional organizer in your own home. I teach this organizing principle to my students. This organizing rule of thumb is: Primary stuff goes in primary space. Secondary stuff is kept in secondary space. And, tertiary stuff goes in, well, now you get the idea. Primary space is space that is easy to get to. Primary stuff is stuff you use frequently. In a kitchen, primary space is from waist to shoulder height. That is why the silverware drawer, which is used several times per day, is in primary space. Primary space is prime real estate—choice locations that you use often because they are easy to reach and you spend your time there. The kitchen counter is prime real estate—only utensils used daily may live on the counter. Secondary stuff like dated crock-pots, stand mixers, dusty decorations, and infrequently used bread machines move elsewhere. Secondary space is less easily accessible. Reach up into a kitchen cupboard for a platter or bend down and take a pot from a lower cabinet to access secondary stuff stored in secondary space. If you use that crock-pot or bread machine weekly, then, and only then, may it live in secondary space. Tertiary kitchen storage includes the cabinet above the refrigerator or the dead corner of a base cabinet. I used to go crawling in on my hands and knees into our base cabinet dead corner with a flashlight to look for my crock-pot and other surprises forgotten there. One clutter problem was tertiary and secondary stuff creeping into my primary space. The bread maker I hadn’t used in months lived on my kitchen counter! I wasn’t using it, but I regularly had to move it to clean under it and wipe it down. I even had the audacity to complain about not having enough counter space. I wasn’t the only one complaining. My husband complained that his shirts were overcrowded on his side of our small bedroom closet. I discovered they were crushed together because his high school trombone was sitting at one end of his side of the closet. The trombone crowded his shirts and prevented them from hanging straight. I moved his trombone to a basement storage closet. He didn’t notice the trombone was gone, but he quit complaining that his shirts were jammed in and wrinkled up in the closet.
12 Bay Area Christian Family
Ingredients:
1 lb shrimp, peeled 2 each small onions, diced small 2 each celery ribs, diced small 1 whole green bell pepper, diced small 5 each Garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 stick unsalted butter 4 tablespoons flour 2 cups chicken broth 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 teaspoon celery seed
2 teaspoons dried thyme 2 teaspoons dried basil 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon black pepper 15 oz tomato sauce 28 oz diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained
Preparation
Melt butter in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onions, bell pepper, celery, garlic, salt, celery seed, thyme, basil, and pepper. Cook stirring often for 8-10 minutes, until vegetables have softened. Sprinkle the flour over vegetables, and stir well making sure flour is incorporated. Allow to cook while stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Add chicken broth while continuing to stir. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar. Turn heat to high, and bring to a boil. Continue to stir. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. Add shrimp and allow them to cook while simmering, 8 minutes. Shrimp will be pink when cooked through. Serve over rice. — Chef Lucy Greer Greer’s Market & Catering
I tell my students that I hope they won’t find my husband’s trombone in their closet. But, seriously, I do ask them to go home and look for their own “trombones.” Maybe it will be the bocce ball set that crowded the boots all winter in the entryway closet. Maybe it will be the unused doughnut fryer in the kitchen cabinet that limits space for everyday pots and pans. Find your trombones. If you aren’t willing to toss them, at least you can move them out of your primary space.With these simple thoughts, you can think like a professional organizer, have a home as inviting as my mother-in-law’s, and free up time and energy for your priorities! — Barbara Tako Barbara is a clutter clearing motivational speaker and author of Clutter Clearing Choices: Clear Clutter, Organize Your Home, & Reclaim Your Life (O Books, 2010), a seasonally organized book of clutter clearing tips that readers can pick and choose from to fit their personal style and needs. She also is a breast cancer and melanoma survivor who wrote Cancer Survivorship Coping Tools—We’ll get you through this. Sign up for her free monthly clutter clearing tips newsletter at http://www.clutterclearingchoices.com.
www.BayAreaChristianFamily.com
E duc ation E x tr a National Platform for Youth Ministry & Worship Ministry: Center for Worship and the Arts Through programs, research, and scholarship, the Center for Worship and the Arts is creating a national platform for conversations about the relationship between youth ministry and worship ministry. Based at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala., the Center is run by staff and students within the School of the Arts, and it is most known for Animate, a five-day summer program in worship leadership for teenagers and their adult mentors.
Animate, but the worship has been really engaging and inspiring. I feel like I'm going to take what I'm learning with me back to my home church.” —Jade, 16 (Animate 2017 participant)
Animate will celebrate its fifth year this summer on the campus of Samford University June 25-29, 2018. Using biblical, Christ-centered principles, students hone worship leadership skills, adults sharpen their mentoring tools, and everybody works together to reflect on the intersection between worship, theology, and the arts. Participants have the opportunity to experience a wide range of worship styles and practices, gain practical skills in worship leadership through workshops, plan and lead a 15-minute worship service with their small group, and reflect on worship, theology, and the arts throughout the week.
The Center for Worship and the Arts will also add a new program this year, Worship Leader Boot Camp, which is an intensive 24-hour training experience for student worship leaders and student worship teams. With a focus on practical skills in music and principles of worship leadership, Worship Leader Boot Camp prepares teenage youth worship leaders to plan, rehearse, and lead worship for their peers or their whole church during the Fall semester. Participants will be taught in large plenary sessions, have the opportunity to watch a band rehearse and lead worship, and work in groups to learn songs on their chosen instrument. Additionally, participants will receive a packet of materials to continue their learning after Boot Camp. This event will take place July 27-28 on the campus of Samford University.
“I didn't really know what to expect coming to
“Churches of every shape, size, and denomina-
tion must do a better job of helping teenagers connect in worship, or they risk becoming just another part of the world’s noise. Teens connecting well to worship means better connecting to God; to the children, adults, and elders in the church; and to their own too-often divided selves,” explains Executive Director of the Center for Worship and the Arts, Dr. Eric L. Mathis. “These programs will equip teenagers and congregations to work together on the joy and privilege of worship in an intergenerational community.” To learn more visit www.samford.edu/go/cwa or email cwa@samford.edu.
Home Staging & Seasonal Styling Home Staging Staging & Seasonal Styling by Melissa McElroy Home & Seasonal Styling by Melissa McElroy by Melissa McElroy
Home Staging & Seasonal Styling Organizing ~ Rearranging Furniture ~ Accessory Selections & More ~ Seasonal Styling Organizing ~ Rearranging Furniture ~ Accessory & More ~ Seasonal Styling ~ Home Staging (New Selections Look/Selling) Home Staging (New Look/Selling) Organizing ~ Rearranging~ Furniture ~ Accessory Selections & More ~ Seasonal Styling byStaging Melissa McElroy Home (New Look/Selling) Call Today ~ for Consultations & Bookings, (251) 680-8589 Call Today for Consultations & Bookings, (251) 680-8589 References Upon Request
References Upon Request & Bookings, (251) 680-8589 Call Today for Consultations
Organizing ~ Rearranging Furniture ~ Accessory Selections & More ~ Seasonal Styling References Upon Request March 2018 13 ~ Home Staging (New Look/Selling)
Practicing the Physician’s Prayer,
Oral Surgeon
Christopher Mullenix
DMD, MD The Physician’s Prayer starts out with “Master of the Universe with your wisdom you created the human body, mind, spirit and soul.” It’s adhering to this philosophy of treating the whole patient that Dr. Christopher Mullenix has based his practice on. From humble beginnings in Birmingham, Ala. where he was the first member of his family to attend college, to becoming one of the most successful oral surgeons on the Gulf Coast, Dr. Mullenix considers himself one of the most blessed people around. As a new trend of both a physician and dentist that practice a more faith-based approached to health care than traditional medicine, Dr Mullenix believes this approach actually offers patients a more comforting and secure experience than conventional medicine alone. Spirituality is deeply ingrained in American and southern culture and when this side of the patient is fed along with their physical needs, a better and more complete healthcare experience is achieved. “Treat the patient as a whole…body, mind and spirit, only then can you truly help them” is a philosophy that we strive for at Mobile Oral Surgery. Growing up in a working-class family in west Birmingham, Dr. Mullenix developed a desire to help others as a teenager while watching his mother fight a long and painful battle with cancer. Her strength and sheer will to live and her determination to never let cancer rob her of her joy and zeal for life left a profound impact on him. It was his mother’s deeply rooted Christian faith that allowed her to be so brave in the face of her own pending mortality. Not only was she fighting for herself and her family, she was fighting for her Lord. This sense of grace and bravery in the face of an insurmountable disease, this sense of peace in knowing that death is not the end but the beginning, left an indelible mark on young Dr. Mullenix. “She displayed a courage and a toughness against all odds that to this day always leaves me inspired and in awe” recalls Dr. Mullenix. Dr Mullenix’s practice started as a more traditional practice and has emerged over the last five years to a more faith-based office. In a busy and productive practice, he felt something was missing. He wasn’t having the impact on peoples’ lives that he felt he could have. While going through a long and difficult divorce and the trials that ensue, Dr. Mullenix realized he had lost sight of treating the whole patient and was simply addressing their physical issues and not confronting their emotional and spiritual issues. Having heard a recent pastor state “Your greatest ministry will not come out of your strengths and successes. Your greatest ministry will come out of your deepest pain.” Dr. Mullenix realized this was his ‘eureka moment’ and looked for ways to use his pain and his loss to help others. It was his faith that had delivered him from his darkest hours and it was his mom’s faith that led her in her weakest moments. It was from this he drew courage to help others even more. From contemporary Christian music filling the air while patients are undergoing surgery to praying with patients before or after a procedure, Dr Mullenix always looks for ways to share his faith with his patients and their families. He states “It has transformed my practice from a merely clinical exercise to a more personal experience with each patient.” “At first, I was reluctant to break this barrier but once patients realized I was comfortable talking with them about their spiritual needs it just came natural”. “Of course, we respect all patient’s beliefs and boundaries, but I have been surprised at the number of patients who are more than comfortable discussing their spiritual issues with me”. “Can you truly heal a person’s body and neglect their soul?” Whether discussing a simple diagnosis of wisdom teeth removal or more serious subjects such as a new cancer diagnosis or a congenital deformity that can require complex and multiple surgeries; it’s a comforting feeling to know that we have a higher power to call on to help with our problems. This philosophy has now taken on a role outside of the office with Dr. Mullenix teaming up with local charities and other faith-based organizations. Last year, Dr. Mullenix collaborated with The Alabama Baptist Children’s Home and their “Trees for Hope Christmas Campaign”. He also raised much need-
14 Bay Area Christian Family
www.BayAreaChristianFamily.com
ed funds for McKemie Place and the Mitchell Cancer Institute. Dr. Mullenix and his staff were also eager to help when hurricane relief was needed for our friends in Florida and Houston, raising much needed funds and supplies for these devastated areas. “When those areas were hard hit by hurricanes this past fall, it was just a reflex to want to help them as so many had helped us in the past in similar circumstances.” With a look to the future, Dr. Mullenix wants to continue to assist charities that espouse the ideals and the passions that he has. Dr. Mullenix is looking forward to continued collaboration with the Alabama Baptist Children’s Home and is expanding to work with veterans charities this next year. Dr. Mullenix agrees with the apostle Paul in that we have an obligation to “help the widows, the children and the less fortunate”. “How can one truly be so blessed and not want to help those who can’t help themselves?” Dr. Mullenix states, “To alleviate suffering through the aspects of modern medicine is a wonderful gift and to use this as a forum to help raise money and awareness for those in need just seems to go hand in glove. Suffering is suffering whether it be from an abscessed tooth or the lack of a warm meal.” Dr. Mullenix continues, “We wanted to do this in a way to allow our patients to also be involved in giving back and we have created some unique strategies to allow them to participate. From our
patients to the office staff, this commitment to help out in the community has been universally accepted and the response has been overwhelming. Patients will come in for an appointment and see that the office is sponsoring a charity and they are very enthusiastic to help. People in this community are by nature very benevolent and caring but sometimes they just get so caught up in life they lose the opportunity to give back, we are simply giving them that extra opportunity.” “It’s a wonderful thing to see people come to me with a specific need but stop to help someone else who has an even greater need. It has truly reaffirmed my faith that people are inherently good and gracious and want to be a part of something bigger than themselves.” Dr Mullenix states, “It’s an amazing and infectious feeling of joy to be able to help someone else, even if only a little…its hard sometimes not to feel a little guilty but in a good way.” The practice of medicine and the opportunity to assist people with their healthcare is an honor and a privilege that Dr Mullenix takes seriously. “To take someone who is broken, hurting and scared and by using the technology of modern medicine and the combination of faith-based practices to give them comfort, to show them love and to give them hope for both body, mind and spirit, then that is the sign of a true physician and true healing.” The physician’s prayer ends with “You gave us permission to heal the sick, we are Your messengers on Earth,…. and heal you shall heal”. Dr. Mullenix concludes with, “Healing is the essence of manifested hope and hope the essence of faith and if this can be conveyed in love then the patient has truly been cared for body, mind and spirit. And to give them that spirit of hope and health and caring and have them spread it to those that are in need…at the end of this journey of life what more is there?” — Christopher Mullenix DMD, MD 715 Downtowner Blvd, Mobile, Alabama, (251) 471-3381, www.mobileoralsurgery.com
YOU NEED NEW SHOES.
SAVE 25% on your favorite brands in store or online at ShoeStation.com USE CODE 129441 AT CHECKOUT* *Coupon is not valid at other retailers. Normal exclusions apply - see cashier for details - BOGO items, doorbusters, yellow ticket items, accessories, t-shirts and tights are excluded. Valid Thursday, March 1, 2018, until Sunday, March 11, 2018, at closing. QUANTITY NOT LIMITED. Must present coupon at checkout. Cannot be combined with other coupons. Discount not valid on prior purchases. Due to manufacturer guidelines, coupon does not apply to Algeria, Antelope, Birkenstock, Chaco, Converse, Dansko, Jack Rogers, Mephisto, Nike, OTBT, Taos, Toms and UGG.
SAVE AT ANY OF OUR 20 LOCATIONS ACROSS 5 STATES. For store locations, contact info, or shopping visit ShoeStation.com. /shoestation
@shoestation
Download the app
@shoestation
March 2018 15
A r e W e T h e r e Y et ?
Enjoy a great day out on Lake Guntersville while helping raise funds for the Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center at Children’s of Alabama. The Castin’ ‘N Catchin Fishing Tournament is April 14, 2018 at Goose Pond Colony Resort, Lake Guntersville, Scottsboro, Ala. The annual tournament has raised more than $200,000 in two years for Children’s. “100 percent of the money we raise through this tournament is being immediately turned around to help make life-saving advancements in pediatric heart medicine at Children’s of Alabama,” explains Jodie McNutt, who along with her husband Drew are a driving force behind the tournament. Their son Andrew was born in May 2014 and underwent his first open-heart surgery four days after birth. “There will never be enough words to express our thankfulness for the staff at Children’s of Alabama. The reason we and the other families involved coordinate this tournament is to hopefully give back a portion of what they have given us,” says Jodie McNutt. “We have never seen a more kind, compassionate, loving staff. The doctors, nurses, social workers and other staff were not only concerned about Andrew’s health, they were concerned about our entire family. We have said over and over how blessed the state of Alabama is to have such a highly-trained, highly-skilled group of medical professionals in our backyard to treat so many children. Without them, Andrew’s healing and the healing of so many other children would not be possible.” Grab your fishing pole and grab a friend to team up for Castin’ ‘N Catchin April 14. All participants are treated to a dinner Friday, April 13 with keynote speaker ABC 33/40s Chief Meteorologist James Spann. Register at www.CastinNCatchin.org.
The McNutts at check presentation following last year’s Castin’ ‘N Catchin Tournament benefitting the Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center at Children’s of Alabama. The annual tournament has raised more than $200,000 in the past two years.
The McNutts credit many prayers from their community in helping to bring their son Andrew home after undergoing heart surgery at four days old. Now, after two heart catheterizations and another open-heart surgery in June 2015, Andrew is a happy, playful toddler.
Medicare Questions? We Have ansWers!
(251) 635-0989 or (888) 505-1617 www.communityinspartners.com 7304 Cottage Hill Road, Mobile, AL No cost, no obligation for our services. Calling this number will direct you to a licensed insurance agent.
16 Bay Area Christian Family
Measuring our success by touching the lives of families, seniors, and veterans in our community! Get involved! 1204 Hillcrest Road, Mobile, AL 36695 (251) 300-3000 • www.voase.org www.BayAreaChristianFamily.com
S e n ior S ce n e
Try This for your Brain (if No Time or Money for Sauna Bathing) Last month we talked how sitting in a sauna 15 minutes a day was the newly acknowledged way to increase brain health and specifically, prevent dementia. The University of Eastern Finland, UEF, under lead researcher Professor Jari Laukkanen, completed a study where sauna bathing habits of 2,315 healthy men age 42-60 were analyzed over two decades. The more frequently someone used a sauna each week, specifically 4-7 times a week, the lower the risk of dementia the study showed. Yet some of us are on a limited budget and cannot afford membership to a gym or sauna house. And others still working and/or active might be constrained by time issues. Just to complete a 15minute sauna bath, it takes nearly an hour and 20 minutes out of my day after combining drive to, check-in, change, shower, rechange and drive back times. The alternative? Well, early one morning I had to take to the bed to cool off from a wonderfully long hot bath and it hit me as I continued to sweat profusely. Surely long hot tub baths, I questioned, could provide the same benefits as sauna bathing. Could hot baths increase brain health? A comb of 320 studies relating to sauna bathing found how beneficial sauna bathing was by providing relief to asthma and chronic bronchitis sufferers, alleviating pain and improving joint mobility in patients with rheumatic disease as well as lowering one’s excitatory hormones(cortisol and dopamine). The International Journal of Cardiology published a Japanese study on the effects of hot water bath or sauna on patients with congestive heart failure. The study found that whether a person was bathing in a sauna or in a hot bath that overall blood pressure decreased while oxygen levels increased and hart rate increased, especially during water bathing and up to 30 min after. The study shows that in fact, a hot bath is nearly as beneficial as a sauna bath. Steve H. Faulkner of Loughborough University studied men who bathed in a hot bath for an hour and those who completed a cycling tour for an hour yet both groups ate similar foods an hour after their activity. Faulkner found that while those who cycled burnt more calories, those who bathed did not require as much insulin as those who cycled to help digest the food. Insulin is produced both by the pancreas and the head brain. Although researchers still aren’t certain of the exact mechanisms by which saunas improve health, the EUF ‘sauna bathing dementia prevention’ researchers report that saunas may offer neuromuscular and cardiovascular conditioning similar to that resulting from aerobic exercise. In a statement to UEF, the study’s lead researcher Jari Laukkanen explained that heat exposure during sauna bathing may protect both the heart and memory via similar, but still poorly understood mechanisms such as dealing with excess breathing and increasing heart rate thereby pushing more oxygen rich blood deep into the brain increasing metabolism. Knowing sauna bathing increases brain health and prevents dementia and with studies hot water bathing as well as sauna bathing increases heart health, parallels can certainly be drawn where hot water bathing can lead to good brain health. But not just any warm quick wash bath will do. There are stipulations one must follow in order to equalize hot water bathing to that of sauna bathing. Pick up a copy of next month’s BACRM and view your Senior Scene to find just how to take a hot water bath to mimic sauna bathing. — Janet Rich Pittman Dementia Administrator, Practitioner, and Prevention Specialist www.TheBrainNerd.com
March 2018 17
H ealthy L ivi ng presented by: Jason’s Fitness
1 on 1 with Jason S. Greene: Face Pulls The “Anti-Igor” Exercise
Stir The Pot to Lose Your Pot! Every now and then someone really smart comes up with something really simple that seems absolutely genius due to its simplicity. That is the perfect way to describe the exercise first introduced by Dr. Stuart McGill, one of the world’s leading experts on spine health. Over the past several years I, like many other fitness coaches, have begun trending away from most of the old standby exercises such as sit ups, crunches and leg raises. One of the main reasons for this trend is the fear of back injuries created from repeated spinal flexion. So, how do you train your mid-section without bending your spine? You use exercises that utilize isometric contractions. Isometric simply means the muscle contracts but does not shorten, and creates no movement. The plank exercise for your core is a perfect example of an exercise that utilizes isometric contractions. The Stir The Pot exercise is something special because while your core is contracting isometrically, the movement created by the ball continuously challenges your core muscles to react and fire. And yes, I used the term fire, because this exercise will make your muscles burn and fat melt…enjoy. Instruction: 1. Position a stability ball in front of you and rest your knees on a mat. (photo-a) 2. Place your forearms on the stability ball while bracing your core (like someone is about to punch you in the gut). (photo-b) 3. Raise your knees off the floor. 4. Rotate in small circles, in a stirring motion with your forearms. While keeping your weight centered over the ball. 5. Perform half of the recommended repetitions circling clockwise, and the other half counter-clockwise. Start with 5 circles (or less) in each direction and increase to 3-sets of 10 in each direction when you are able. Notes: Keep your ankles, hips and shoulders in a straight line. Do not let your hips sag or poke up; keep your spine in a neutral position at all times. Tighten your glutes throughout the movement (squeeze your butt). If the movement is too hard you can start by doing it in a kneeling position and then work up to the full movement. — Jason S. Greene E-mail your question to Jason@JasonsFitness.com You can see this exercise and many others demonstrated at www.southfit.com! Disclaimer: One on One with Jason aims to provide general fitness and exercise information. Advice offered may not be applicable to all individuals and does not constitute medical, health or scientific fitness advice. People have different needs, abilities and levels of health. It is recommended that all readers consult a medical professional before beginning any form of exercise, participate in any physical fitness or sports training program or undertake any form of health plan, nutrition program, or weight loss diet---especially if you have been inactive most of your life, suffer from obesity, or have any health problems.
18 Bay Area Christian Family
www.BayAreaChristianFamily.com
M on ey M atte r s
Dave Says
Dear Dave, I received a call the other day from a company saying it could negotiate the balance on my credit cards to a lesser amount. The caller also said they could get me a zero-percent interest rate until the debts were paid off, and then the accounts would be closed. I’m kind of starting over again financially, because I sold a company I had run for almost 15 years, then got into real estate and lost almost everything. I’m making just enough to squeeze by, and my credit card debt totals $40,000. Would this be a good idea? — Bill Dear Bill, No, this is not a good idea. You’re looking at two major problems with a company such as this one. One, they will absolutely destroy whatever credit you may have. Their plan is to take your cash, and spend some time beating down the credit card companies until they agree to accept a lesser amount. Then, they use your cash to settle loans you will have — by that time —defaulted on. This will put you in a situation very similar
to if you had filed Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Stay away from these people. You have an income crisis, in addition to a debt crisis, at this point. For starters, I want you to start living on a tight, written, monthly budget. I’m talking rice and beans, no vacations, and no eating out until you pay off this debt. Where your income is concerned, maybe you should consider getting back into the kind of business you ran previously for a while. Look for a managerial or supervisory position in that area, at least until you’re able to get back on your feet and save some cash. Finally, cut up the credit cards, close the accounts, and put as much money as you can spare toward paying off that debt using the debt snowball system. Never go back into debt again! — Dave Ramsey Dear Dave, My sister has bad credit due to a lot of late payMy husband and I are in our forties. We have no children, and we bring home $95,000 a year combined. We’re also debt-free except for our home. We owe just $10,000 on the house, and can take care of that in a few months. Would it be okay
to rearrange the Baby Steps a bit, and pay off our home before getting serious about saving for retirement? — Nan Dear Nan, I don’t usually give folks any wiggle room when it comes to sticking with the proper order of the Baby Steps. But if you’re that close to being completely debt-free, I don’t see anything wrong with paying off the house first. Most people I talk to still have anywhere from $100,000 to $300,000 left on their mortgages. This is a little bit different story, however, and you two are obviously managing your money well. Knock out that mortgage, and start pouring at least 15 percent of your income into retirement. You’re going to love the feeling — and the freedom — that comes with being completely debt-free! — Dave Ramsey
Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 12 million listeners each week on 575 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.
March 2018 19
S pecial F eatu r e
Christian School Resources Mobile, AL 36609 251-689-8253 Grades 1-5 brightdyslexics.com Calvary Christian School 6500 Three Notch Road Mobile, AL 36619 251-660-1951 (PK-5th grade) Christ the King Catholic School P.O. Drawer 1890 Daphne AL 36526 251-626-1692 ctkcsdaphne.org Grades PreK3-8
Mobile
Bright Beginnings School (located at Creekwood Church of Christ) 3590 Pleasant Valley Road
Corpus Christi Catholic School 6300 McKenna Drive Mobile, AL 36608 251-342-5474 corpuschristiparish.com/school
Daycare 6 wks-2ys; Grades PreK3-8 Cottage Hill Christian Academy 4255 Cottage Hill Road (Lower & Middle School campus) Mobile, AL 36609 251-660-2427 7355 Creekwood Drive (Upper School campus) Mobile, AL 36695 251-634-2513 chcacademy.com (K2-12th grade)
Faith Academy 8650 Tanner Williams Road Mobile, AL 36608 251-633-7267 faithacademy.us (K3-12th grade) Knollwood Christian School 1501 Knollwood Drive Mobile, AL 36609 251-661-1987 knollwoodchristian.com (K5-8th grade) Lighthouse Baptist Academy 6905 Nan Gray Davis Road Theodore, AL 36582 251-653-6542 lbatheodore.com (K3-12th grade)
Covenant Christian School 7150 Hitt Road Mobile, AL 36695 251-633-8055 covenantschool.com (K4-8th grade)
Little Flower Catholic School 2103 Government Street
TACKLE YOUR HUNGER WITH ZAXBY’S. Come in before or after the game for our delicious Chicken Fingerz, Wings, Zalads , Sandwiches and more. Zaxby’s is flavorful and always prepared at order. ®
3444 Spring Hill Ave. • Mobile 251.343.6438 4385 Rangeline Rd. • Mobile 251.660.6755 950 Schillinger Rd. • Mobile 251.607.7645
Each restaurant independently owned and operated. © 2013 Zaxby’s Franchising, Inc. “Zaxby’s” and “Zalads” are registered trademarks of Zaxby’s Franchising, Inc.
20 Bay Area Christian Family
www.BayAreaChristianFamily.com
Christian School Resources Mobile AL 36606 251-479-5761 littleflower.cc Grades PreK3-8 McGill-Toolen Catholic High School 1501 Old Shell Road Mobile, AL 36604 251-445-2934 mcgill-toolen.org (9-12th grade) Mobile Christian School 5900 Cottage Hill Road Mobile, AL 36609 251-661-1613 mobilechristian.org (K3-12th grade) Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic School 310 Sengstak Street Mobile AL 36603 251-432.5270 josephite.com/parish/al/mphm Grades PreK3-8 Nazaree Christian School 1685 W I-65 Service Road N. Mobile, AL 36618 251-476-1701 (K-5th grade) North Mobile Christian School 1255 Industrial Pkwy Saraland, AL 36571 251-679-3279 northmobilechristian.org (K3-8th grade) Our Savior Catholic Preschool/ MDO 1801 Cody Road South Mobile, AL 36695 251-633-3017 oursaviorparish.org/pre-school/ Grades 6 months4 years
Satsuma Christian School 5600 Old Hwy 43 Satsuma, AL 36572 251-675-1295 satsumachristianschool.com (K3-11th grade) Shelton Academy 1050 Hillcrest Road Mobile, AL 36606 251-639-1311 or 251-605-7202 Grades 5-12 sheltonacademy.org St. Benedict Catholic School P.O. Drawer 819 Elberta AL 36530-0819 251-986-8143 saintbenedict.net Grades PreK3-8
St. Dominic Catholic School 4160 Burma Road Mobile AL 36693 251-661-5226 stdominicmobile.org Grades PreK4-8 St. Ignatius Catholic School 3650 Springhill Avenue Mobile, AL 36608 251-342-5442 stignatius.org (PK3-8th grade) St. Luke’s Episcopal School 3975 Japonica Lane (Lower School campus) Mobile, AL 36693 251-666-2991 1400 University Blvd (Middle & Upper School campus) Mobile, AL 36609 251-666-2991 sles.cc (K3-12th grade)
251-433-9904 stmarymobile.org (K-8th grade) St. Michael Catholic High School 11732 Higbee Road Fairhope, AL 36532 251-459-0210 stmichaelchs.org (Grades 9-11 for 2017-18) St. Patrick Catholic School P.O. Drawer 609, Robertsdale AL 36567 251-947-7395 school.stpatcatholic.com Grades PreK3-8 St. Paul’s Episcopal School 161 Dogwood Lane Mobile, AL 36608 251-342-6700 stpaulsmobile.net (PK-12th grade) St. Pius X Catholic School 217 S. Sage Avenue Mobile, AL 36606 251-473-5004 Stpiustenth.com (PreK3-8th Grade)
Baldwin
Alabama Gulf Coast Christian Academy 18930 County Road 28 Foley, AL 36535 251-989-2333 gccacademy.com (K-12th grade) Bayshore Christian School 23050 US Hwy 98 Fairhope, AL 36532 251-929-0011 bayshorechristian.org (K-5th grade) Central Christian School 17395 Hwy 104 West Robertsdale, AL 36567 251-947-5043 ccssaints.com (PK-12th grade) Victory Christian Academy 20511 County Road 12 S. Foley, AL 36535 251-943-7684 victorylifechurch.net (K-12th grade)
St. Vincent de Paul School 4980 St. Vincent Drive Mobile, AL 36619 svsschool.org (Grades Prek3-8th Grade)
St. Mary’s Catholic School 107 N. Lafayette Street Mobile, AL 36604
March 2018 21
Photo Credit: Joan Marcus
Nia Holloway performs as Nala in the North American Tour of the musical The Lion King, coming to the BJCC March 14 April 1. “It’s almost like an out of body experience to be able to be on stage and be vulnerable and give really your spirit and your soul to a room full of strangers, and for them to receive you with love and with passion… for me that’s when I get to experience God at the highest level.”
For Broadway actress Martina Sykes, The Lion King is a direct representation of the parable of the Prodigal Son. Simba loses himself in a moment of despair, then remembers his identity as child of the One True King on a journey back to the Pride Lands, with Rafiki as his spiritual guide. Performing as the head hyena, Shenzi, in the Birmingham production of The Lion King at the BJCC March 14 - April 1, Sykes and fellow actress Nia Holloway (performing as Nala) say glimpses of the Christian faith are evident both on stage and in their personal faith journeys through the challenges of youth. Martina Sykes begins The Lion King inside the big elephant, then transforms into Shenzi with kneepads, gloves, a harness, and a fat suit lovingly nicknamed “The Futon.” The daughter of a prominent Florida pastor, she says she can easily relate to a story about losing yourself in pain. As a teenager, everything she knew about God had come from her parents, so when they faced a very public divorce, she was shattered by the pain she saw them experience. “It’s a different feeling as a child to watch your parents hurt in a way that makes them human. When you’re younger you feel like your parents are like superheroes. You don’t know that they get just as low and broken as
22 Bay Area Christian Family
you do,” she explains. “I felt really lost. I couldn’t understand how people who were so strong were so heartbroken. As much as I prayed, it didn’t glue them back together.” Peace came in the form of wisdom from her grandmother. “My grandma would always say, ‘just keep livin’.’ I’d say, ‘I don’t know what that means, grandma.’ She was like, ‘you keep livin’ so you live to see things get better. Nothing can ever be bad forever. Just like seasons change, you’ll live to come out on the other side of pain.’” Her first glimpse at healing was when she graduated from the high school musical theater program at The Pinellas Center for the Arts in St. Petersburg, Fla., and realized there was still love, unity, and partnership as her parents celebrated her accomplishment. However, the separation had left her feeling disconnected from her talent. She spent four years at the University of Florida studying public relations until her brother Ephraim Sykes, who is currently starring in the New York Broadway production of Hamilton, convinced her God had given her a gift that shouldn’t go ignored. Nia Holloway, a Norcross, Ga., native and granddaughter to disco singer Loleatta Holloway, is the youngest adult to play adult Nala in the 20-year history of The Lion King musical. Often roommates
www.BayAreaChristianFamily.com
Photo Credit: Deen van Meer
with Sykes while traveling with the musical, Holloway joined the cast in 2013 at 17 years old, finishing her senior year of high school with a tutor on the road. “Nala is such a complex character. She is a young, fierce lioness, and she is powerful and just represents strength. Also, she’s very vulnerable and has this kind of giddy, puppy love/cub love with Simba, so she’s just a very dynamic character,” explains Holloway. “The challenging part about Nala is being able to embody that every single night, but it’s also rewarding because in the end you are a part of something that’s truly amazing and truly bigger than just yourself.” Like Sykes, faith for Holloway remains a central part of her craft. She says The Lord’s Prayer before stepping onto stage, then follows it with a private prayer that God would order her steps and precede her on stage so her performance is about Him and not herself. Her biggest inspiration, she says, is her parents, who had her while students in high school. “That story alone, shows you that God is real,” she says. “My parents just walked in faith.” In Act Two of the stage show, Nala decides to leave her pride, ruined by her uncle’s reign, in search of a better home. It’s Holloway’s favorite scene, and her powerful performance on the ballad “Shadowland” is haunting. Her home is ruined, but she vows to return. Rafiki blesses her, and she sings, “And where the journey may lead you / Let this prayer be your guide /
Friends and Lion King co-stars Nia Holloway and Martina Sykes plan to visit historic Birmingham sites including 16th Street Baptist Church while performing in the Magic City this month.
Though it may take you so far away / Always remember your pride.” Sometimes pain means leaving home, then coming back again renewed. “It starts in a vulnerable and place of despair for Nala, and by the end she is standing, ready to go find help wherever that may be,” Holloway says. “For me, I pull on that when I have a moment when I feel weakened and I have to close my eyes and call on God. Nala needs God to get her through her journey.” Both women admit that when they first saw the original animated version of The Lion King as children, watching Mufasa’s death was crushing. Sykes waited a decade to even view the film again. But ultimately Mufasa never truly leaves. He’s in the clouds, in Simba’s conscience, in his heart. “I think in real life we sometimes feel like death is the ultimate separation, not realizing that so much of our loved ones are all around us all the time,” Sykes explains. “To see the journey of Simba losing himself and finding himself, and Rafiki being this channel between him and Mufasa, I believe that what we go through as people—whether we have lost our grandmother or our parents or even our sibling—is to realize that we never actually lose that connection, even if they’re not here with us physically.” Sykes sees Simba’s realization that he can go home—and that he is still connected to his loved ones who have died--as a beautiful picture of restoration and grace. For more information about The Lion King in Birmingham visit www.theaterleague.com/birmingham or www.lionking.com. — Camille Smith Platt
March 2018 23
C olor i ng P age
24 Bay Area Christian Family
www.BayAreaChristianFamily.com
MARCH 2018 Calendar March 1 – April 21 Savage Ancient Seas - Savage Ancient Seas will transport guests to a time when the last of the great dinosaurs roamed the Earth and swam the seas. It is the spectacular and exotic creatures of this sea that are the subject of this exciting exhibition. In partnership with Triebold Paleontology, Incorporated, GulfQuest Maritime Museum has developed an ancient underwater environment where visitors can experience enormous, vicious sea monsters of the Cretaceous Period. The exhibition includes more than 50 prehistoric marine fossils, both cast and real specimens, mounted in extraordinary three-dimensional displays. The skeletons are mounted dramatically, many suspended from the ceiling above, immersing visitors inside an ancient aquarium of sorts. March 1–4 Ice Skating at the Fort - Join us on the ice as we create memories together! This ice skating adventure includes your skate rental and admission to the Fort. Tickets for adults are $15 and children ages 4-12 are $10. Children under 6 must be accompanied on the ice by an adult who will also need to purchase a ticket.
interior fittings of the Olympic and the forgotten sister ship, Britannic. Titanic Honour & Glory will open December 15, 2017 and run through April 15, 2018, making its U.S. debut here in Mobile. In addition to the exhibition, the History Museum will also be hosting monthly events such as a Titanic Film Festival, a Third Class Irish Party, the Last Dinner on the Titanic and more to compliment the exhibition. For more information regarding Titanic Honour & Glory, contact our Marketing and Event Coordinator, Gavin Snyder at 251.301.0273 or gavin. snyder@historymuseumofmobile.com. For more information regarding Titanic Honour & Glory, contact our Marketing and Event Coordinator, Gavin Snyder at 251.301.0273 or gavin.snyder@historymuseumofmobile.com. March 3-4 Mobile Ballet - A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Performances in the Mobile Civic Center Theater (Doors open 1 hour before showtime): Saturday, March 3 at 7:30 pm, Sunday, March 4 at 2:30 pm. For more information, please visit mobileballet.org
March 8-11 Celebrate Historic Mobile - Celebrate Historic Mobile 2018 will take place from Thursday, March 8 until Sunday, March 11. The event is hosted by the March 1 – April 15 Historic Mobile Preservation Society Titanic: Honour & Glory - The History and will include a number of programs Museum of Mobile is proud to announce and activities celebrating our city\’s its upcoming exhibit titled, Titanic Hon- rich history and unique architecture. our & Glory. Established in 2002, Titanic Visitors have the option to participate in Honour & Glory is an international a number of historically oriented tours touring exhibition, which prides itself and special events, including the Living in preserving the history of the Titanic, Spaces tour, the Sacred Spaces tour, the her sister ships Olympic and Britannic Resting Places tour. In addition to the and the fleet of ships that once sailed 10:00 an- 4:00 pm tours, the opening under the distinctive swallow-tailed flag night Patron’s Gala will take place from of the legendary White Star Line. Titanic 7:00pm - 10:00pm. Host organization: Honour & Glory contains the largest Historic Mobile Preservation Society collection of Titanic and White Star Line artifacts in Scotland, which have been March 9 collected over the last twenty years. The Annual Spring Tea Fundraiser - Please exhibition displays a diverse range of join us Friday, March 9, 2018, from stunning and extremely rare artifacts 2:00PM to 5:00PM for our annufrom the Titanic, her sister ships and the al Spring Tea Fundraiser. Guests are White Star Line. In addition to original invited to enjoy delicious treats, tea, artifacts, it also has magnificent movie and an informal look at one of Mobile’s props and costumes from the blockbust- most iconic antebellum mansions. er 1997 James Cameron movie, Titanic. Proceeds from this fun and worthwhile When visiting the exhibition, you will event benefit the on-going restoration come face to face with history through and operation of this beautiful home. real artifacts and personal stories. Beginning February 9, tickets may be Experience the grandeur of the gilded purchased through Brown Paper Tickets age of transatlantic travel as you view (https://www.brownpapertickets.com/ awe inspiring examples of her luxurious event/3322696.) For questions, please
®
call the office at (251) 471- 6364. We hope to see you at this fun and beautiful Spring time event! Host organization: Bragg-Mitchell Mansion March 10 Touch A Truck - Join us at this family-friendly event that offers children a hands-on opportunity to explore a variety of trucks and meet the people who build, protect and serve our community. Children will be allowed to touch, climb aboard and ask questions about their favorite trucks in a safe environment. Touch a Truck is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile, with a noise-free hour from 10-11 a.m. Admission is $20 per car. Presented by Caribe Resort and FOX10, this event benefits pediatric cancer research at USA Mitchell Cancer Institute and Adoption Rocks. March 11 Evensong 2018 - 4:00 PM. Christ Church Cathedral. For our Lenten Evensong, we will present a more solemn service featuring chanted (plainsong) versions of the evening canticles and psalms. Our anthem will be, The Souls of the Righteous, by Mark Schweizer. Schweizer is a widely performed American composer and founder of St. James Music Press. This service is intended to help us all enter more deeply into the spirit of Lent. Host organization: Christ Church Cathedral
March 1–4 Ice Skating at the Fort - Join us on the ice as we create memories together! This ice skating adventure includes your skate rental and admission to the Fort. Tickets for adults are $15 and children ages 4-12 are $10. Children under 6 must be accompanied on the ice by an adult who will also need to purchase a ticket.
March 14 Candidate Forum - An informed electorate and good government and are goals of the Candidate Forum hosted by Knollwood Republican Women for Mobile County Republican candidates for Circuit Court Place 6. Voters can meet and speak with the candidates in person following their presentations. The Forum will be held at Gordon Oaks Retirement Community, 3145 Knollwood Dr. Mobile, 36693 on Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. Candidates who have confirmed their attendance to date are; Brandy Hambright, Buzz Jordan, Barney March, and Harry Satterwhite. These candidates will compete in the June 5, 2018 Republican Primary.
March 22-25 A Celebration Promenade - Festival of Flowers – Come celebrate the 25th anniversary of the largest outdoor flower show in the southeast. Providence Hospital Campus, Mobile. For tickets and more information please visit www.festivalofflowers.com or call 251-266-2050.
March 22-25 A Celebration Promenade - Festival of Flowers – Come celebrate the 25th anniversary of the largest outdoor flower show in the southeast. Providence Hospital Campus, Mobile. For tickets and more information please visit www.festivalofflowers.com or call 251-266-2050.
If you have an event you would like listed in the Bay Area Christian Family Community Calendar Email to: bayareachristianfamily@mchsi.com subject line-Calendar
HAVE AN EVENT? TELL US ABOUT IT!
March 2018 25
A bout O u r A dve rti s e r s Support us by supporting them. 221-Fun Factory - 3761 Government Blvd, Mobile, AL, 251-378-5296, www.221live.com
Christopher Mullenix, DMD, MD, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery 715 Downtowner Blvd, Mobile, 251-4713381, www.mobileoralsurgery.com
All About Relaxing RV Park – 8950 Three Notch Road, Theodore, AL, 251-375Christ Like Remodeling - 251-408-7372 0661, www.allaboutrelaxingrv.com Community Insurance Partners – 7308 Avon South LLC – 6920 Airport Blvd, Cottage Hill Road, Mobile, AL, 251-635Mobile, AL, 251-607-0320 0989, www.communityinsurancepartners. com Bayou Seafood Co – 13450A N. Wintzell Ave, Bayou La Batre, AL, 251-824-2248 Greer’s – Locations throughout Mobile and Baldwin Counties, www.greers.com Blue Cliff Career College – 2970 Cottage Hill Road, Mobile, Hacienda San Miguel - 880 Schillinger 251-473-2220, www.blue.edu Road, Mobile, AL, 251-633-6122, www.sanmiguelrestaurante.com Brick & Spoon - 3662-A Airport Blvd, Mobile, AL, 251-652-8833, Jason’s Fitness – 3724 Cottage Hill Rd, www.brickandspoonrestaurant.com Mobile, AL, 251-391-1234, www.southfit.com
C las s i f i eds
S u pport G rou p s
Al-Anon Meetings Al-Anon offers help and hope to families and friends of alcoholics. New Life Al-Anon meets MWF at 12:00 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2921 Airport Blvd. Courage to Change Adult Children Al-Anon meets Mondays 5:30 p.m. at Activities Bldg. Room 232 Spring Hill Baptist Church, 2 South McGregor. Searching For Serenity Adult Children AlAnon meets Saturday 11:00 a.m. at Activities Bldg. Room 240, Spring Hill Baptist Church, 2 South McGregor. For meeting information call 251-639-5858.
Alzheimer’s/Dementia Support Group (South Alabama)- 3rd Tuesday of every month from 6 to 7pm. No entrance or support fees associated with the group. VIA Senior Center, 1717 Dauphin Street, Mobile, 36604. For Meeting information call 251.776.5999. Alzheimer’s Dementia Support Group- Touching Hearts Senior Care, 3rd Tuesday of each Month, 11am-12pm, 3263 Demetropolis, Ste10, Mobile, AL 36693, 251.455.4204, no fee all invited
Compassionate Friends Grief Support Group – 1507 Dauphin Street, Mobile, AL 36604, (251) 471-1511 Hours: 6:30 p.m., 2nd Tuesday of Alzheimer’s Support Group (Fairhope)- Thom- each month as Hospital Wellness Center, 750 Morphy Avenue, Fairhope, AL 36533 (251) 660-5661 Discover Groups The groups below help individuals battling adAlzheimer’s Disease Support Group (Mobile)- diction, coping with divorce, suffering from a E.A. Roberts Alzheimer’s Center, 169 Mobile loss and co-dependency. This is done through Infirmary Blvd., Mobile, AL (251) 435-6950 a Christ-centered and Bible based approach. Hours: 2nd Thursday of every month from 10 to 11 am New - Discovery Group starting Monday, December 7th from 7-8 pm at Graceport Church,
26 Bay Area Christian Family
Lighthouse Restaurant - 12495 County Road 23, Irvington, AL, 251-824-2500 Maloney-Frost LLC – 601 Government Street, Mobile, AL, (800) 809-3669, www.maloney-frost.com McKemie Place – www.mckemieplace.org Mostellar Medical Center - 12701 Padgett Switch Rd, Irvington, AL, 251-824-2174, www.mostellarmedical.org Palmer’s Toyota Superstore - 470 Schillinger Road South, Mobile, AL, 251-6390800, www.palmerstoyotasuperstore.com Pickett Orthodontics – 6611 Wall Street, Mobile, 251-607-0110, www.picketortho.com Power 88 Christian Radio Station, Goforth Media, – 6530-B Spanish Fort Blvd, Spanish Fort, AL 36527, 251-473-8488
and 888-473-8488, www.goforth.org Premier Medical Group – www.pmg.md Roly Poly – 3220 Dauphin St, Mobile, AL, 251-479-2480 Spring Hill Baptist Church – 2 S. McGregor Ave, Mobile, AL, 251-342-5320, www. shbc.cc Via Senior Center – 1717 Dauphin Street, Mobile, AL, 251-470-5226, www.viamobile.org Volunteers of America SouthEast – 1204 Hillcrest Rd, Mobile, AL, 251-338-1297, www.voase.org Window Décor and More – 25595 Canal Road, Suite A, Orange Beach, AL, 251- 980-2456, www.windowdecorllc.com Zaxby’s of Mobile - Three Locations to Serve You, Schillingers Road, Hwy 90 & Springhill Ave, www.zaxbys.com/mobile
17176 Greeno Rd, Fairhope, Al, 36532
Positive Parenting Discovery Group every Tuesday from 7-8 pm Exchange Club Family Center, 3101 Interat Christ Anglican, 3275 Halls Mill Rd, Mobile, national Drive, Suite 701, Mobile, AL 36606, Al, 36606 (251) 479-5700 Discovery Group every Thursday at 7 pm at Widowed Persons Group Wings of Life, 800 St. Louis Street, Mobile, Al, Dauphin Way Baptist Church, 3661 Dauphin 36602 Street, Mobile, AL 36608 Group meets Wednesdays at 3:30 pm 251-342-3456 Divorce Recovery Support Group – 6101 Grelot Road, Mobile, AL 36609 Widowed Persons Service of Greater Mobile (251) 342-0462 Grief groups and “Building a New Life” Hours: 6 p.m. - 7:30p.m. every Wednesday group offered at different times and in several locations. Call the WPS office for info. 1204 Mom’s Day Out – Hillcrest Rd. Mobile, AL, 251-470-6866 First Baptist Church, 806 Government Street Childcare in Downtown for working Moms and Dads, (251) 432-6513, ext. 22, Hours: 7:30 am - 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday, ages 8 Does your organization offer a support group weeks to 4 years for the Bay Area? Mom’s Support Group Tell us! Send your information to: Exchange Club Family Center, 3101 Internabayareachristianfamily@mchsi.com tional Drive Ste 701, Mobile, AL 36606, (251) to be listed in upcoming issues 479-5700 Hours: 1-2:30 p.m. Thursdays
www.BayAreaChristianFamily.com
Where NEEDS are MET, HOPE IS GIVEN & LIVES are CHANGED for MOTHERS, SISTERS & DAUGHTERS. Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. Proverbs 31:25
We at McKemie Place are committed to helping women create new beginnings by empowering them with the courage to rebuild their lives. Donations of time, talent and treasure are greatly needed. C E L E B R A T I N G
Call us at 251.432.1122 or visit McKemiePlace.org to learn how you can help today. OF GIVING HOPE
2 0 0 7 - 2 0 1 7
The region's only shelter for single, homeless women.