January 2023

Back Row (L to R): Darrin Douglas, licensed funeral director; Mason Holliday, funeral assistant; Perry Horner, funeral assistant; Marc Rush, licensed funeral director; Jim Hibbard, funeral assistant. Front Row (L to R): Brent Swanson, funeral assistant; Robert Bankston, funeral assistant; Judy Satterfield, administrative assistant; Kathy Partin, family services; Joseph Bathe, funeral assistant; Darla Rush, administrative assistant; Greg Rush, licensed funeral director. Not pictured: Jenna Eve Picou, licensed funeral director; Harold (Joe) Parker, funeral assistant; Susan Harper, after care-family support.

Abdiel

Hello Friends, We want to take a moment to tell you who we are and what we are about. Our names are Matt and Bethany Ruckman and we have six beautiful children, Brendon, Kailey, Andrew, Leah Jean, Emma, and Cooper. We live in Cleveland, Tennessee, and love what this town has to offer! We have started GoodNews Christian Magazine because we feel that when God, family, and community are combined, lives will be changed.

GoodNews Christian Magazine is a complimentary, Christian lifestyle publication. You can find us throughout the community in retail establishments, churches, restaurants, and more. Our magazine opens the door for Christians to work together to grow and strengthen our community through relevant editorial and effective advertising.

GoodNews Christian Magazine is written by men and women in the community who love and serve the Lord. Our hearts are open and willing to be used by God to reach out to the community to spread the GoodNews!

Disclaimer

All of the content in the GoodNews Christian Magazine is for general information and/or use. Such contents does not constitute advice and should not be relied upon in making (or refraining from making) a decision. Any specific advice or replies to queries in any part of the magazine is the personal opinion of such experts/consultants/persons and is not subscribed to by GoodNews Christian Magazine. The information in GoodNews Christian Magazine is provided on an “AS IS” basis, and all warranties, expressed or implied of any kind, regarding any matter pertaining to any information, advice or replies are disclaimed and excluded. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement or article we deem inappropriate.

GoodNews from the Pastor’s Desk 6 Are You Having an Identity Crisis? by Chris Mullis

GoodNews for Youth 8 Battling Leaves to Share God’s Love by Abdiel Medina

GoodNews Money Matters 10 Taxes in Retirement - It’s Not What You Make, But What You Keep That Counts by Granger Hughes

GoodNews for Men 12 God’s Will by David Beckmann

GoodNews for Women 14 I Am Martha by Dorothy Teague GoodNews for Everyone 18 Embracing Our Blindness by Kristen West GoodNews for Mothers 20 The Importance of a Christian Village by Jessica Mathis

GoodNews for Life 22 Waiting by Amy Scott GoodNews for Everyone 24 Hope Fills the Empty Places by Sandra Gilmore

GoodNews for Everyone 26 Active Stillness by Greg Grotewold

GoodNews Cover Story

Boundless Moving & Storage, LLC

GoodNews for Everyone 30 The Power of Our Words by Paula Burgner

GoodNews for Everyone 32 Unbroken by Katie Loveless

GoodNews for Everyone 34 Exercise: Here We Go Again! by Karla Smedley

GoodNews for Everyone 36 New Year...New Methods by Detrick Redding

GoodNews for Everyone 38 Resolutions by Beth Penny GoodNews for Everyone 40 What’s the Story of Your Life? by Dr. Alan Hix GoodNews for your Taste Buds 42 One Pot Tomato Soup GoodNews for Everyone

It Could Have Been Worse: But God by Jonathon Wright GoodNews for Everyone

Praying for the Impossible by Brent Goodge GoodNews Poetry

Don’t Ever Doubt by Judy Hood GoodNews for Everyone

Always Praying by Zebbie Brewster GoodNews for Everyone

A Name That Will Never Change by Terrie Ruff

Are You Having an Identity Crisis?

by Chris Mullis

In the movie Finding Nemo, a clown fish named Marlin goes on a frantic search and rescue mission to save his son Nemo, who was captured by a scuba diver and put in a dentist’s fish tank. Marlin meets a blue reef fish named Dory, who saw the address on the diver’s mask and knows where they took Nemo. Unfortunately, Dory has short-term memory loss. She can’t remember her name, let alone the address P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sidney.

The plot is a clever twist on a common theme in many movies and TV shows. It’s the “Who Am I?” plot, in which a lead character has amnesia and can’t remember who they are. It’s an identity crisis. Life is not a movie, but people do have an identity crisis in real life when they don’t know they belong to God. God’s Word reminds us our identity is greater than the superficial things of this world. Our true identity is in Christ.

“You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God” (1 Peter 2:4-5).

“You are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple” (verse 5). The Holy Temple in Jerusalem was the most important place on earth to Jews in New Testament times. They believed it was where God’s Spirit dwelled on earth. Some had even come to idolize the Temple. But Jesus reminded people God’s Spirit is not confined to the Temple. In fact, people who put their faith in God through Jesus are the real residents of God’s Holy Spirit. Therefore, Christians together make up the true Holy Temple. What an honor and privilege!

Furthermore, verse 5 says, “You are his holy priests…” A priest is someone who intercedes to God on behalf of people on earth. A priest prays for people and performs religious rituals that help people find healing, wholeness,

forgiveness and purification so they can reconnect and be at one with God. In the Old Testament, only one certain tribe from the twelve tribes of Israel could be priests. And even within that tribe, anyone who had a blemish or a defect was disqualified. Only perfect people could be priests. So, for example, if you were born without a finger or lost an eye in an accident, you couldn’t serve as a priest. But when we put our faith in Jesus, it is different. We are all priests of God Most High—even if we aren’t perfect—because Jesus makes us whole.

Verse 9 says, “You are a chosen people…” In the Old Testament, only Israelites were considered the chosen people. Everyone else was a Gentile. And in Jesus’ day, Jews believed only Jews were God’s chosen people. But Jesus shows us that anyone who places their faith in Christ is God’s chosen. So, we could paraphrase verse 10 to say, “Once you were nobody; now you are God’s somebody!”

In Christ, everybody is somebody special. Sinners become saints. Heathens become priests. The lame are made whole. The blind can see and the deaf can hear. Those who were damned become holy. This is what it means to be Christian.

About The Author

Rev. Chris Mullis is an ordained minister of the United Methodist Church with a Masters of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University. Pastor Chris’s ministry has spanned twenty years and four different churches in Georgia. Chris is currently serving God as the senior pastor of Pleasant Grove Methodist Church located at 2701 Cleveland Hwy in Dalton, GA.

Battling Leaves to Share God’s Love

by Abdiel Medina

I, alongside my brothers, Evan and David, were battling against Mother Nature herself. She wielded a countless army of orange and red spiked soldiers, but we were determined not to yield. At last, we reached the point where darkness surrounded us, and the cold stabbed at our flesh. However, we had already sacrificed so much and were fighting for a noble cause, so we knew that we must not give up. So, we fought the good fight, stayed firm, and ultimately, we were victorious.

Alright, I admit that this is a bit of an exaggeration. It was early December, and we were raking leaves for our awesome youth pastors Leah and Spencer Hughes. For the last couple of months, they have been going through a difficult season, and we wanted to do our part to help them out. Thankfully, as Christians, Christ had given us a commandment that fit perfectly for this situation. Jesus Christ had declared, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (John 13:34, NKJV).

As disciples of Christ, we carried the desire and responsibility to exemplify love towards our youth pastors, especially with the tough season they were experiencing. Although we could not change the source of their ongoing struggles, we desired to support them in whatever means we could. For that reason, when David, one my brothers from church, informed me that the leaves needed to be raked at our youth pastors’ house, I called up my brother Evan, and the three of us got to work. Consequently, we were able to express God’s love to the Hughes family by fulfilling one of their housekeeping needs. Furthermore, I have been in awe of how the rest of my church, Keith Street Ministries, has been an outpouring of God’s love by taking the initiative spiritually and emotionally in prayer and financially

through donations to support their family. This has helped the Hughes family to focus on what’s important.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16, NKJV). We have the opportunity and responsibility as the children and army of God to share God’s joy and love into the world. Specifically, you can start to do so in your community by using the gifts, talents, and time God has given you to work alongside fellow Christian brothers and sisters to support the needs of the community around you. Afterall, God can even use the mundane task of raking leaves to be a blessing to those who are going through a tough season.

So, I encourage you to share God’s love in your community by serving the needs of those around you. Finally, a special thank you to Spencer and Leah for continuing to trust God and being an inspiration and source of God’s love to those in your community.

Abdiel Medina is a young writer, member of Keith Street Ministries, maker of KSM Youth memes, and Sophomore at Lee University.

About The Author

Taxes in Retirement - It’s Not What You Make, But What You Keep That Counts

with

Money Matters Granger Hughes

We spend our lives worrying about accumulation in our retirement accounts. In fact, many of us have probably been courted by an advisor stating they can get us more growth than our current one. Growth in our retirements is important, however, it’s not the only concern we face. Others, for example, are rising healthcare, long-term care, volatile markets, and the ever-growing concern of future tax rates. So, how can we begin to shift our thought process from just growth to these other important aspects of retirement? After all, it’s not what we make, but what we keep that counts.

Many retirees are unaware of potential tax hurdles in their retirement, and understanding a few can go a long way to ensure we keep as many of our hard-earned dollars as possible. Let’s start with Social Security – did you know that at your full retirement age, your Social Security may still be taxed? For example, if you are a married couple earning more than $44K a year in provisional income, your Social Security could be taxed up to 85%. This means if you are bringing home $40K in Social Security income taxed at 85% (which would be $34K), that has become taxable at your marginal rate. At a basic level, most people are counting on their Social Security income, and having a tax bill like that could greatly affect the retirement they had planned for.

Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) play a large role in this as well. Many people are not aware that at age 70½ our government mandates we take out 3.65% from our Qualified plans (401K, 403B, Traditional IRA, etc..). When we factor in RMDs, pensions, taxable accounts (brokerage, etc.), and Social Security, we could be setting ourselves up for a big tax bill we may not have been expecting. For our entire lives, we have been trained to load up our tax-deferred buckets because we don’t have to pay taxes on that money. In all reality, we are doing just that – deferring taxes – and we don’t know whether we will find ourselves in a lower tax bracket in retirement or not. All of a sudden, we may be looking at a big loss, and it doesn’t have anything to do with the markets.

When we tack on a potential market decline, things can really begin to get messy. So, what can we do? We can start shifting our minds to a new way of looking at things: preparing for the potential tax increases. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects that if the spending in our country goes unchanged, the new tax rates will be 25%, 63%, and 88% respectively. What could this do to our retirements when we have for so many years deferred those taxes? With the 2018 Trump tax cuts, this may present a great opportunity for many retirees. It is going to allow many people to get their taxes at a discount. After all, it’s either “pay me now, or pay me later.”

As I mentioned earlier about provisional income being a key factor to our tax bill, what if the income we took was tax-free? There is a way to accomplish this. The key in retirement is to pull our money from the right buckets. So, if we are distributing money from our Roth IRAs, then this income doesn’t show up on the IRS’ radar. However, Roth IRAs may not be for everyone. There are income threshold restrictions, as well as the requirement to have earned income to qualify. So, what if you find yourself in that situation? You can opt for a Roth conversion – this is where you would take a specified portion each year from a Qualified account such as a Traditional IRA, and move it into a Roth. It is important to note, be careful, and do not attempt this on your own, because it could generate a large tax bill. However, systematically moving funds to a Roth can generate tax-free income in retirement, so if taxes go to 66% or 100%, zero is always zero.

Another tool you could look at using is a properly structured life policy. This can help generate tax-free income, as well as provide a death benefit that doubles as long-term care protection in the event the need arises. This will function much like a Roth, though it is important to note that it is a life insurance vehicle and there is a cost of insurance associated with it. This vehicle is linked to an index such as the S&P, so the gains will be tax-free so long as it remains in the right structure. The important thing is to realize that long-term care or a death benefit is needed, and to conduct adequate research as not all LIRPs are created equal.

Driven by a passion to educate, inform and prepare future retirees, Mr. Hughes works with his father to help provide educational opportunities for clients as well as others in the community. He feels a responsibility to help inform those who may otherwise not be aware of strategies, changes, and opportunities available to them when it comes to their financial well-being.

God’s Will

by David Beckmann

All sincere believers want to do God’s will. We pray for it all the time: “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done.” Consequently, it can be pretty frustrating when you are not sure what you are supposed to do. It’s easy to wish God would just talk to you, like he did to Noah (“Build an ark”), or Abraham (“Go somewhere else”) or Moses (“Lead my people out of Egypt”). But, when you look at those occasions in light of the sweep of history, they are at very important points in God’s plan of salvation and rather rare. So, if God doesn’t talk to us like that, what are we to do?

Lots of people today talk about “having peace” about doing something. If they refer to the Bible at all, it’s likely to be Colossians 3:15: “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts.” However, that verse doesn’t have anything to do with a feeling you have. It’s not about “guidance.” It’s about getting along with folks at church, “in one body.” I’m pretty sure if you asked Moses, walking away from the burning bush, if he “had peace” about going back to Egypt, he’d think you were nuts.

It seems the basic way we do God’s will is to look for what the Bible says about our situation (Psalm 119:105), and ask for wisdom to understand what’s best (James 1:5). We get counsel, of course (Proverbs 11:14), and we watch out for our conscience (Hebrews 13:18). Otherwise, we step out trusting God to lead us in the right path (Psalm 23). Recognize that you are a sheep and stay close to your shepherd. “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus.”

Of course, one way God can lead us into things is by letting stuff happen to us. Remember Joseph? People talk about “having a call” from God: how about being thrown in a pit and sold into slavery? That’s some way to get called by God! I wonder if he “had peace” about it.

But, he did the right thing in a situation like that: he stayed faithful (remember Potiphar’s wife). When you cannot understand what the devil is going on, you at least know that God is still good, he’s still in control, and you need to stay faithful to him and give him time. Eventually, you’ll look back and see God’s will was done, like Joseph did (Genesis 50:20). Neither our mistakes nor evil people can mess up God’s will for us (Romans 8:28). Thank God for that!

How are we to have confidence? We trust in God’s faithfulness to his promises. He gave his only Son for us, how will he not with him freely give us all things (Romans 8:32)? Just keep looking to Jesus (Hebrews 12:1,2). It’s harder for a child of God to get out of God’s will than we think—or than the devil wants us to think!

About The Author

The Rev. David Beckmann is an Anglican priest and Moderator of the C.S. Lewis Society of Chattanooga. Recently, he was director of the C. S. Lewis Study Centre at The Kilns, Oxford, UK. He blogs at revbeckmann.com.

I Am Martha

by Dorothy Teague

There are a lot of theories on different personality types. I am what I would call a “Type A” personality. That is, I am competitive, organized, impatient, and highly aware of time management (Wikipedia). I am always making lists and if I don’t accomplish my set of tasks for the day, I can really get down on myself. I like things done in a certain order and when they aren’t, it throws me off. We all have different personalities and our own special quirkiness.

In the Bible, we find the story of Mary and Martha of Bethany, who were sisters with very different personalities. They were close friends of Jesus, as well as their famous brother, Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead (John 11). Luke 10 tells us that Jesus was welcomed into the home by Martha, which would indicate she was the older of the two sisters and ran the household. We are told that Mary sat at Jesus’ feet while He was teaching, along with the other men of the community who had come to listen to Jesus. Martha, on the other hand, was busy preparing the meal for Jesus and was frustrated that Mary wasn’t getting up to help her. She finally complained to Jesus about Mary, saying, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” But Jesus’ answer wasn’t what Martha expected. Instead of saying that He would speak to Mary and encourage her to help out with the meal preparation, He said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42).

I can just imagine what Martha must have felt like, because I am Martha. I get distracted by the many things I have to do. I worry more than I should about the tangible, everyday mechanics of life, rather than sitting still and listening to the voice of the Lord. While Martha was working within her gifting of a servant’s heart, not only preparing the meal but, no doubt, cleaning the house beforehand to make everything nice for her special visitor, she got so busy she missed out on listening to Jesus. Mary broke cultural norms of the time by sitting with the men listening to Jesus teach. Her place truly should have been in the kitchen but she wanted to sit at His feet and soak up all that He had to say. Both Mary and Martha were passionate about Jesus, but showed it in different ways. There’s so much to learn from this story!

As Christians, we are supposed to “do good.” Psalm 37:3 says to “trust in the Lord and do good…” while Matthew 5:16 reminds us to “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven.”

Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” So, while we know we should perform good works in Jesus’ name, we must not get so distracted by those works that we miss Jesus! The work and the serving must not take precedence over sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to Him.

So, what is the “one thing” that Jesus was talking about? It is Him! He is what should come first in our hearts and minds and

everything else will follow. (“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you” Matthew 6:33) As with all things in life, it is a matter of prioritizing, putting God first, and having our ears attuned to hear what He is telling us each day.

We all get busy with the business of life. As Christians, we try to follow the precepts of scripture and do good works. However, sometimes we get caught up in doing too much and lose sight of what or who is most important. When we get overwhelmed with all that we are tasked to do, that is when we need to shut out the noise of other voices, both cultural mores and religious expectations, and listen only to Him. (“…when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I” Psalm 61:2) Like Mary, we must choose that one thing that is needful— sitting at His feet, basking in His presence, becoming refreshed to continue our journey.

Dorothy Teague is a Tennessee native, who resides in McMinn County with her husband, Lewis, on their farm. After completing 31.5 years as a teacher in the Bradley County School System, she is active in her church at Eastanallee Baptist Church where she is a member of the choir and praise team. About

Cleveland Church Directory

Apostolic

First Apostolic Church Of Cleveland 4859 Freewill Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (229) 343-6880

Grace

Assembly of God

Assembly

1976 Westland Dr SW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-7729

The Collectives Church 3925 N. Ocoee Street, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 641-0193

Triune Assembly 301 Sunset Drive Cleveland, TN 37312

Baptist

Beacon Baptist Church 505 Corvin Rd NE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 472-7056

Bellefounte Baptist Church 132 Bellfounte Rd NE, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 336-2312

Bethel Baptist Tabernacle 3165 Buchanan Rd SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 479-5820

Berean Baptist Church 2355 Bucks Pocket Rd SE, Old Fort, TN 37362 (423) 478-1697

Big Spring Baptist Church 1415 Hardwick St SE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-1101

Blue Springs Baptist Church 699 Blue Springs Church Rd SW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-0932

Candies Creek Church 294 Old Eureka Rd Charleston, TN 37310 (423) 479-3731

Cedar Springs Baptist Church 723 Cedar Springs Church Rd SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 479-5506

Center Point Baptist Church 1205 Lower River Rd NW Charleston, TN 37310 (423) 336-2133

Cleveland Cowboy Church 3040 Blythe Rd. Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-7936

Cloverleaf Baptist Church 2290 Waterlevel Highway Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 339-3617

Clingan Ridge Baptist Church 2412 Georgetown Road, NW Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 472-3511

Church At Grace Point 2595 Old Freewill Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 728-5050

Covenant Baptist Church 249 Calhoun Rd SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 559-2653

Dalton Pike Baptist Church 3055 Benton Pike NE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 472-7606

East Cleveland Baptist Church 1145 Arnold St NE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-8728

Echos of Mercy Baptist Church 535 Durkee Rd SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 715-9739

Elkmont Baptist Church 4030 Old Freewill Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 479-4600

Emmanuel Baptist Church 1227 Powerline Dr NE, Cleveland, TN 37323

Farmland Community Church 1675 Greendale Dr. SE Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 473-9891

First Baptist Church 1275 Stuart Road Cleveland, Tennessee 37312 (423) 709-9100

Galilee Baptist Church 665 Old Chattanooga Pike SW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 496-2019

Henegar Baptist Church 7423 Mouse Creek Rd. Cleveland, TN 37312

Hopewell Baptist Church 188 Old Georgetown Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 479-3763

Lebanon Baptist Church 1411 Old Parksville Rd NE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 479-6700

Macedonia Baptist Church 3119 Spring Place Rd SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 479-1713

Maple Street Baptist Church 1700 Maple St NE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 478-3622

Maranatha Baptist Church 453 Blue Springs Ln SE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 614-8991

Michigan Avenue Baptist Church 2741 Benton Pike NE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 472-8891

Mt Carmel Baptist Church 7619 Blue Springs Rd, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 479-1620

New Friendship Baptist Church 1344 Chatata Valley Rd NE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 476-6007

New Salem Baptist Church 175 Ladd Springs Rd, Cleveland, TN 37323

North Cleveland Baptist Church 2815 Ocoee St N, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 476-8524

Oak Grove Baptist Church 4452 Bates Pike SE, Cleveland, TN 37323

(423) 479-9125

Old Pathway Baptist Church 224 Rymer Rd NE, Cleveland, TN 37323

Parkway Baptist Church 185 Meadow Ln SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 339-5522

Philadelphia Baptist Church 910 30th St SE, Cleveland, TN 37323

Philippi Baptist Church 2325 Old Harrison Pike NW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 479-5385

Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church 799 Inman Street East Cleveland, Tennessee 37311 (423) 476-4081

Public Church 850 17th St. NW Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 458-4405

Ridgeview Baptist Church 1501 S Ocoee St, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-5119

Samples Memorial Baptist Church 371 Samples Chapel Rd SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 476-2329

Shenandoah Baptist Church 138 Osment Rd SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 339-0103

Shiloh Baptist Church 357 Highway 64 Ocoee, TN 37361 (423) 338-4292

Shiloh Baptist Church 3406 Blair Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 479-5755

Stuart Park Baptist Church 850 17th St NW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-6741

Tasso Baptist Church 164 Old Charleston Rd NE, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 559-2114

Temple Baptist Church 3070 Harrison Pike, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-6813

Thompson Spring Baptist Church 5660 Bates Pike SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 790-1823

Union Baptist Church 797 Hughes Lake Rd SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 559-1720

Valley View Baptist Church 4657 Spring Place Rd SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 472-7707

Washington Avenue Baptist Church 1720 Perry St SE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-0489

Waterville Baptist Church 4555 Dalton Pike SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 472-5582

West Cleveland Baptist Church

1959 Westland Dr SW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-8927

Westwood Baptist Church 4001 Georgetown Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 472-1534

White Oak Baptist Church 2043 White Oak Valley Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 559-2359

Catholic

St Therese Catholic Church 900 Clingan Ridge Dr NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 476-8123

Charismatic

Cleveland Christian Fellowship 695 S Ocoee St, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-2642

Church of Christ

North Bradley Church of Christ 1510 Stuart Road NE, Suite 207 Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 473-3298

Church of God

Community Chapel Church of God 807 Blythe Ave SE Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 479-2143

Cornerstone Church of God 1826 SE Dalton Pike Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 478-0006

Church of God Sanctified, Inc. 746 First Street N.E. Cleveland, TN. 37311 (423) 479-3895

East Cleveland Church of God 900 15th St NE Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 479-3389

Fellowship of Praise Church of God 931 Inman Street East Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 479-3121

Grace Community Church of God 4745 Mouse Creek Road NW, Cleveland, TN 37312. (423) 614-0708

Heritage Fellowship Church of God 4635 South Lee Hwy McDonald, TN 37353 (423) 476-6316

International Worship Center

Centro Internacional de Adoración 533 Central Ave. NE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-1977

Kinser Church of God 141 Kinser Road Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 476-7400

Lakeview Church of God 105 Pound Street SE Cleveland, TN 37323 (423)-790-5805

North Cleveland Church of God 335 11th St NE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-5513

Michigan Avenue Church of God 515 Minnis Road NE

(423) 284-7573

Mt Olive Church of God 3522 Harrison Pike, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 479-3381

Mt View Church of God 210 Roadway Dr SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (706) 455-3528

Pine Hill Church of God 1484 Old Alabama Rd McDonald, TN 37353 (423) 488-0939

South Cleveland Church of God 1846 Volunteer Dr SW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-6382

Westmore Church of God 2440 Legacy Pkwy NW Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 479-3415

Church of God of Prophecy

Cleveland Spanish COGOP 2610 Grove Ave. Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 473-7199

Durkee Road COGOP 201 Durkee Rd. Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 472-4384

Keith Street Ministries COGOP 4000 Keith ST. NW Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 476-2448

Peerless Road COGOP 3301 Peerless Rd. NW Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 303-2680

Spring Place COGOP 2530 Spring Place Rd. Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-6414

Union Grove COGOP 533 Union Grove Rd Charleston, TN 37310 (423) 479-5357

Wildwood COGOP 140 Wildwood Ave Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 479-6584

The Church of God

The Church of God Jerusalem Acres 1826 Dalton Pike SE Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-1597

Community

Fellowship in Christ

1025 Beech Circle NW Cleveland TN 37312 (423) 314-2382

Disciples of Christ

First Christian Church 3625 N. Ocoee Street Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 472-6682

Episcopal

Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church 320 Broad St NW, Cleveland, TN 37311

Lutheran

First Lutheran Church 195 McIntire Ave NE, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 472-6811

Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 4200 Pryor Rd N.E. Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 503-6394

Methodist

Big Spring United Methodist 1196 Hardwick St SE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-5242

Black Fox United Methodist 1820 Old Chattanooga Pike SW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 339-1908

Broad Street United Methodist 155 Central Ave NW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-5586

First United Methodist Church 3425 Ocoee St N, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 476-4504

Mount Zion UMC 7223 Germantown Rd NW Cleveland, TN 37312

Pleasant Grove UMC 3043 Pleasant Grove Church Rd SW Cleveland, TN 37311

Red Hill United Methodist Church 527 Red Hill Valley Road SE Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 728-5413

South Cleveland United Methodist 1165 Church St SE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 507-5760

Tasso United Methodist 1106 Tasso Ln NE, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 479-4457

Trinity United Methodist Church 731 1st St SE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 614-7900

Valley Head Methodist Church 920 Mouse Creek Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 472-0575

Wesley Memorial Methodist 3405 Peerless Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 472-9578

Pentecostal

Faith Memorial Church 910 17th St NW, Cleveland, TN 37311

(423) 476-6281

First United Pentecostal Church 4095 Peerless Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 476-9436

Revolution Life Church 1525 Jones Ave SW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 310-7287

Full Gospel House of Prayer 1500 Wildwood Ave. Cleveland, TN Set Free Christian Fellowship 1175 King Edwards Ave. Cleveland, TN

Nazarene

Cleveland First Church Of The Nazarene 2712 Henderson Ave. Cleveland, TN 37312 423-472-7371

New Hope Church of the Nazarene

4514 Waterlevel Highway Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 473-3379

Non-Denominational

Benton Pike House Of Prayer

2615 Peach Orchard Hill Rd, Cleveland, TN 37323

Christian Fellowship Ctr 895 6th St NE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 479-9591

Church Alive Ministries 6315 Mouse Creek Road NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 476-8133

Cleveland Community Chapel 1823 Forest Ridge Dr. Cleveland, TN 37311

Cleveland Cornerstone Church 533 Broad St NW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 479-1775

Community Hall Church 1305 6th Street Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-2178

Crossroads Community Church 1000 South Lee Highway Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 716-2871

Dwelling Place Church International 523 Urbane Road NE Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 790-5200

Evening Light Gospel 200 20th St SE Cleveland, TN 37311

Freedom Fellowship Church 3555 Blue Springs Rd, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 478-0654

God’s Family Fellowship 2823 South Lee Hwy Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 458-4490

Graceway Chapel 221 14th St NW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 728-2226

Jacob’s Tent Fellowship 1080 Montgomery Ave NE, Cleveland, TN 37311

Eleven22 Church 1701 South Lee Hwy Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 488-4526

The Journey Church 3191 South Lee Hwy, McDonald, TN 37353 (423) 728-4100

Living By Faith Ministries 1175 King Edward Avenue Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 457-9072

Living Stones Church 4165 Peerless Rd NW Cleveland, TN 37312

Living Word Church 930 25th Street NW Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 339-3028

New Life Bible Church 155 S Ocoee St, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-3882

Restoration Fellowship 211 Trewhitt Dr SE, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 479-4249

The Sanctuary 1203 Smith Dr.

Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 478-2843

Tasso Christian Church 1135 Tasso Lane, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 479-2705

The TRIBE 1175 King Edward Avenue SE Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 380-8802

Tri-State Cowboy Church 200 Natures Trail SW, McDonald, TN 37353 (Building 3) (423) 303-8954

United Christian Church 2200 Peerless Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 479-4277

Unity Christian Ministries 2419 Georgetown Rd NW Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 473-9338

Walker Valley Community 787 Lauderdale Memorial Hwy Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 336-9696

Presbyterian

Charleston Cumberland Presbyterian Church 8267 N Lee Hwy, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 336-5004

First Cumberland Presbyterian 161 2nd St NE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-6751

First Presbyterian Church 433 N Ocoee St, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-5584

Flint Springs Cumberland Presbyterian Church 515 Flint Springs Rd Cleveland TN. 37323 (423) 284-6397

Prospect United Cumberland Presbyterian Church 310 New Murraytown Rd. NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 476-6181

St James Cumberland Presbyterian 151 Short St NE, Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 472-5762

Trinity Presbyterian PCA 1780 Stuart Rd. NE, Cleveland, TN 37312 (423) 559-9595

Seventh Day Adventist

Bowman Hills Adventist 300 Westview Dr NE Cleveland, TN 37312

Cleveland Fellowship Church 211 Trewhitt Drive Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 400-7054

East Cleveland Seventh-Day 801 Howard Circle SE Cleveland, TN 37311 (423) 476-9299

Ladd Springs Seventh-Day 5860 Bates Pike SE Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 476-1889

Zion Assembly

Zion Assembly Church of God 5512 Waterlevel Hwy, Cleveland, TN 37323 (423) 476-3337

Embracing Our Blindness

by Kristen West

Growing up in Upper Michigan, I learned to drive on snowy roads. Blizzards were the most nerve-racking of road conditions to navigate, as they brought complete whiteout conditions in which you literally couldn’t see anything beyond the windshield.

I remember having to slow my car to a crawl of 1 mph and pray that nothing was on the road ahead of me. On top of that, I was also praying to stay on the road as

One of the most comforting things to turn to in moments (or seasons) like that is God’s Word. It is overflowing with promises to anchor our hearts and souls as we find ourselves in the middle of blind conditions. Learning to believe God’s promises, pray them over our lives, and stand on them is part of our continual growing and maturing in the faith.

“I will lead the blind by a way they did not know; I will guide them on paths they have not known. I will turn darkness to light in front of them and rough places into level ground. This is what I will do for them, and I will not abandon them” (Isaiah 42:16).

The promises in that beautiful passage apply specifically to those who find themselves in a place of blindness, uncertainty, turbulence, and uncharted paths. It gives us hope to embrace our blindness and look to God to help us as only He can.

every painted line, road marker, and cautionary sign was gone, engulfed in the heavy white snowstorm. Visibility was severely limited. It was like driving blind.

I have lost count of how many times in my life I have felt like I’m spiritually navigating a blizzard. Times when I absolutely cannot see where I am going, what my next step should be, and where the road is I need to be on. On top of that, those times tend to make me feel like I’m alone, disconnected, and in a place where no one else can really help. Can you relate?

Do you feel like you’re in the dark today, friend? Navigating a spiritual blizzard? Blind as to which way to turn, what choice to make, and how to move on? Let Isaiah 42:16 breathe hope, peace, and comfort into your heart today. Blizzards are temporary. They don’t last forever. Neither do the seasons of blindness we find ourselves in from time to time. May God help us to embrace our blindness as we wholly depend on Him to guide us!

Kristen West recently published a book of 40 devotions called He’s an Everyday God. About The Author

The Importance of a Christian Village

by Jessica Mathis

Motherhood can be described in a variety of ways— exciting, stressful, full of love, upsetting, covered in grace—the list goes on. What I have come to realize is that without a village to walk alongside us during this phase of our lives, motherhood may be described with more bad adjectives than good.

Let me be honest and say that when I first became a mother, life was lonely, and I’ve heard firsthand that a lot of mothers have felt that way at some point in time. It was so lonely, in fact, that I was searching for any type of friendship—even if it was a relationship that negatively effected my relationship with Christ. Nine times out of ten, a Christian is more easily swayed to do wrong than a non-believer is swayed to do right. Being lonely is more beneficial than being unequally yoked in friendships. That is a hard pill to swallow. God said in His word, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18). Doesn’t this mean that God never intends for us to be lonely? Shouldn’t we avoid it at all costs? If we keep reading in Genesis, we find that Adam’s helper, Eve, was the person who encouraged Adam to disobey God, which led to the “fall of mankind.” Not all company is good company.

A Christian village—where do I find one of those? That was a question that I had for years and that I’m sure many women have. Career changes, family relationships, simply a need for a fresh start…these are just a few things that might lead to a place and a time where friendship is simply not easy but crucial. At times, church relationships are simply not enough. Around six years ago, I discovered a group for local Christian mothers called MOPS (“Mothers of Preschoolers”). Did I join? No. Here I was praying for Christian friendship, and I ran from it. I was too anxiety-ridden to try something new.

Fast forward a few years later, and a friend who was very active in that same MOPS group told me they were in dire need and asked if I would consider joining MOPS leadership. My first thought was probably something like,

“No way! I’ve been running from this group for years. I’m not a social butterfly. I can’t be a leader.” Looking back, I think this friend asked me because she knew I wasn’t one to typically say no to a need. Fast forward, I’m extremely thankful for that friend that knew I couldn’t say no because it was God’s way of showing me who my “Christian village” was.

This “Christian village” and group of close-knit friendships I have found has been something I’ve always longed for. There’s something about friends who will be honest about the valleys of motherhood but will pray about them with you. Those who understand how lonely the everyday chores of motherhood can be and that a simple cup of homemade coffee and conversation with a friend can make all the difference in the day.

Motherhood was never meant to be lonely. Although it might not seem like it now, there is a group of God-fearing friends waiting for you to join them. The Lord is wanting us to pray to and trust Him. He is waiting for us to step out of our comfort zone, as Peter walked onto the water, and find our “Christian village.”

About The Author

My name is Jessica Mathis and I am from Rome, Georgia. I am a blessed Christian, wife, stay-at-home mama, and part-time women’s advocate. I am just trying to raise a tiny human, one day at a time.

Waiting

by Amy Scott

What are you waiting for? Is it an important phone call, a job change, a loved one to get well, an upcoming vacation, a positive pregnancy test, a marriage proposal, a break—what is it?

We recently found ourselves in a season of intense waiting. My husband became ill quite suddenly, and over the course of 18 months we waited. We waited for a liver to become available for transplant. Once the transplant occurred, we waited to see if his kidneys would start to function. Once it was determined that they would not

for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

This verse caused me to reflect on my faith. How do I wait upon the Lord? Am I complacent in my waiting?

Do I look for the ways that He is active and alive and seek opportunities to share about Him with those around me? Or do I feel offended by day-to-day life and flippantly proclaim that all will be better when Jesus returns?

Truthfully, I am guilty of both. Waiting on the Lord may mean spending time in prayer, seeking God, and standing firm in what He has declared. It also means sharing with Him about the longings of our heart and trusting Him to sculpt them and fulfill them according to His plan.

function, we waited for him to get listed for a kidney transplant. We then waited for a kidney to become available. Once the kidney transplant occurred, we waited for the organ to begin functioning. I could go on and on. It was an exhausting journey.

The largest part of any of our existence involves waiting. There is an obsession in creating a false sense of control by doing all “the things” to bring about a desired outcome. It is easy to become fixated on what we seem to be lacking and hyper-focused on the longing for the next thing that we miss the beauty of the journey, and thus we can become weakened by waiting. Isaiah 40:31 reminds us that we are strengthened as we wait for the Lord, “But they who wait

Henri Nowen states, “We can learn to be obedient people who do not always try to go back to the action but recognize the fulfillment of our deepest humanity in passion, in waiting. If we can do this, I am convinced that we will come in touch with the power and the glory of God and our own new life. Our service to others will include our helping them see the glory breaking through—not only where they are active but also where they are being acted upon. And so, the spirituality of waiting is not simply our waiting for God. It is also participating in God’s own waiting for us and in that way coming to share in the deepest love, which is God’s love.”

My challenge to myself and for you for the coming year is to cultivate a life where we live in a way that seeking the Lord—waiting for Him—is our go-to for waiting for life circumstances to change. And in our waiting, I hope we will connect more deeply with our Heavenly Father on our journey and that those around us will be drawn to Him. Amen.

Amy Scott is the Executive Director of Bethany Christian Services of Greater Chattanooga. She is an adoptee who passionately serves the adoption community for over ten years. Amy resides in North Georgia with her husband and three daughters.

Hope Fills the Empty Places

by Sandra Gilmore

It wasn’t anybody’s fault. It was an oversight, a misplacement. Still, there was no gift. Was there any hope to fill the empty spot?

We couldn’t find the third Wise Man’s gift. The other two were supplied with something to hold and thereby something to portray the gifts from the Wise Men in our local drive-through Nativity scene. In front of haybales in a muddy ballfield, dressed in costumes assembled from brightly colored cast-offs, who would notice? And who were we trying to fool anyway? This was a portrayal, a re-enactment of Nativity. No one expected this to be authentic. My panic from not being able to find the third gift was distracted by my attention needed elsewhere. My director-duties kept me in constant motion, everywhere at once checking details, fetching props or pins, and communicating what was next. I had to shift focus to the next crisis. They’d figure out something, somehow.

in real hues. Moms with tots in tow pretended to banter with vendors offering wares. Craftsmen mimicked motions of ancient trades.

Around a fire, our so-called shepherds carefully took note as masquerading angels delivered the blessed message. Luke 2:10-14 gives their proclamation, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’” Sheet-clad Mary and Joseph admired their swaddled son under an unusual twinkling star. The star beckoned the Wise Men from the East who imported their gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

When I circled back to check on the progress for a gift replacement, the defining moment of the evening (at least to me) greeted me. I was awe-struck, simply halted despite the other commotion.

There he stood, our dressed-up Wise Man, with empty hands cupped and extended: bare but bearing tribute; blank and yet blanketed with gratitude and submission. The other fellows had some sort of container to hold their offerings. This one bowed his head, cupped his hands, and fully offered his humble adoration.

Each station was made ready. Luke chapter 2 gave us the narrative and set the scene. Caesar had sent out a decree that “all the world should be taxed” so our Caesar actor stood regally with his paper scroll as soldiers stood guard with plastic swords. Close by Caesar, our nod to Bethlehem’s marketplace came alive with vivid colors and variegated shadows. Pins customized costumes for vendors, shoppers, and animal caretakers. Baskets on tables held promise of being filled while fake food looked good enough to eat, including faux bread from a fake flame-flickering oven! Animal-shaped plyboard painted black shadowed live ones

We weren’t a theatrical production company. The crooked crowns, homemade-plyboard-shadow animals, or the blue jean hems peeping out from underneath pinned together costumes made that very clear. Our earnest goal was to keep Christ in Christmas, to worship Immanuel (meaning God with us), and to share our worship with our neighbors as they drove by. And there it was, the worshiping I mean. From a humble gesture of adoration, a mistake became a mission, the hollow became hallowed, the hopeless became hopeful. Yes, indeed, they had figured it out somehow.

Sandra Gilmore serves the Lord as wife, mom, and encourager, mostly through writing and speaking, occasionally through cooking, rarely through anything athletic and only because of the mercy and grace of Jesus. You can reach her by email: tandsgilmore@yahoo.com or her website: www.sandragilmore.org About The Author

“B

Active Stillness

by Greg Grotewold

e still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10, ESV)

In an age where we are incessantly targeted for demands on our time, it’s easy to read this verse and release a long sigh. How can we possibly afford to be still when the world around us requires that we be in constant motion? Life is so busy that many struggle just to make it through the day without losing their sanity. I look at how hard my wife and I run during the course of the week and can understand the level of anxiousness many Christians carry as they scurry from one obligation to the next.

One of the first casualties of this war on time is intimacy with God. While our visceral reaction to the psalmist may be one of exasperation, we know deep down we can’t afford not to be still. To do so would only invite more anxiousness and an ever-escalating guilt. And yet, we don’t jump off the hamster wheel; in fact, we run faster.

Psalm 46:10 was written, it is thought, in the context of great calamity for Jerusalem and the people of God. In the midst of this great turmoil, Israel needed to stop and contemplate the power of the God they worship. They needed to be reminded of two things: one, God will ultimately prevail; and two, there is great safety under His protective wing. There was no need to fret.

The Lord has the exact same message for us today. In our calamity, however we choose to define it, we, too, need to be still and contemplate His sovereign presence. We need to stop and, if you will, reacquaint ourselves with the glorious attributes of our Creator. We need Him to remind us of His great care. We need Him to remind us of His unending, never-changing love. We need Him to remind us that He is superintending every hour of our day. He is in control, and we need not fret. The Lord, and those who He has called, will be victorious in the end.

When we go to this well of boundless grace and drink our fill of His wonders, we will be refreshed. We will gain

not only perspective on our obligations but also a peace as we go about fulfilling such obligations. This peace will allow us to more consistently display Christ to those whose paths we cross throughout the day.

Go daily, go hourly, go minute-by-minute if necessary. But go. Well drinking won’t just fall into our lap. It takes great action to be still. It takes real intentionality to carve out

time daily to stop and let the Lord minister to us. It takes real intentionality to say “no” to the demands of loved ones for ten minutes in the morning so we can quicken our hearts before God. It takes real intentionality to let the dirty dishes sit in the sink overnight so that we can surrender the day’s concerns to Him before bedtime. It takes real intentionality to pull over—literally if need be—and petition the Lord for help as we are about to face a particular adversity.

The world won’t come to a crashing halt while we take the time to be still. In fact, it is one of the most unselfish things we can do for those that depend upon us. A refreshed Christian is a mercy and grace-filled Christian.

Be still and be emboldened by the supreme glory of your God.

Greg Grotewold lives in Oakdale, MN, with his wife, Sandi, and their two sons, Luke and Eli. He is a deacon in his local church and greatly enjoys serving in this capacity.

About The Author

Boundless Moving & Storage, LLC

A Family-Owned Business with A Keen Sense of Community

Whether you are moving to a new house across the street, across the state, or across the country, Boundless Moving & Storage has your moving needs covered. From residential to commercial, Boundless Moving & Storage’s team of professional movers offer the flexibility you need, no matter the distance. Are you in-between moves? Boundless Moving & Storage has a state-of-the-art facility located at 5595 N. Lee Highway in Cleveland, Tennessee. This climate-controlled facility includes units from 5’ x 10’ to 10’ x 30,’ which can be accessed with automated entry anytime day or night! Boundless Moving & Storage is the perfect self-storage solution for Chattanooga, Ooltewah, and Cleveland residents. Visit their website, www.boundlessmoving.com, to reserve a storage service on a convenient online portal or call (423)-763-1000 to request a free, no obligation quote today!

Q & A with Matt Carlson, President/CEO

GoodNews: When did you open Boundless Moving & Storage to the community?

Carlson: “We opened Boundless Moving & Storage in September of 2015, servicing the local community, Chattanooga region and the greater 48 states. We moved into our current offices in the summer of 2021. We have a 40,000 sq ft storage facility on North Lee Hwy that is open to the public and our offices are directly behind that building on 56th Street.”

GoodNews: What inspired you to open Boundless Moving & Storage to the community?

Carlson: “It’s always been a dream of mine to own and run a business. I’ve been fortunate to work at some incredible organizations—in the Army, then finishing college and working at Lee University for a number of years, and Habitat for Humanity for almost 15 years. The idea for a moving company came

from a friend of mine who has a moving company in Texas. They had capitalized on the growth in the Austin, TX area and we talked about the continuing growth in Cleveland and the Chattanooga region. To accommodate that growth, it was easy to see that there was a need for a local, professionally run moving company that would bring a service of excellence second to none. We also felt that we could grow as a company with the moving and storage needs in the local area. Serving long distance as well as local moves was a key strategy to answer the needs of families at one of the most impactful and stressful times in their lives—when they are moving.”

GoodNews: As a family-owned business, how does Boundless Moving & Storage differ from other moving and storage companies in our area?

Carlson: “There are a number of differentiating factors for us as a local, small business. We aren’t a national van line so our attention and flexibility to the client’s needs is critical and one of our flagship advantages. We also are a family run, veteran owned business with a keen sense of community. Our employees are all professionally trained movers who also live in the local community, and raise their families here. We can complete local moves going from house to house across town or move families across the country. We also offer storage options for many people who are in the process of selling and buying homes but have no place to put their belongings for certain periods of time.

Another major differentiating factor is our involvement in the local community. Personal Service Without Limits isn’t just our tagline – it’s in our DNA. That’s why we are members and supporters of local organizations such as United Way of the Ocoee Region, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Rotary, The Empty Stocking Fund, and many others. We love (and our employees love) being involved in the local community and we try to find a variety of ways to be involved and to ‘give back.’

Because we are family, we consider you, our customer, also family. Our personal promise is that we will treat your belongings as if they are our very own.”

GoodNews: Are you involved in the community in any other way?

Carlson: “I’ve served on a number of boards of local nonprofits, from CASA to FCA to the Pastor’s Council at Westmore Church of God. As mentioned above our staff has been involved in a number of other nonprofits, specifically supporting United Way of the Ocoee Region and The Empty Stocking Fund over the years.

We are also excited to announce that with our growth, we are opening a 2nd location of Boundless Moving & Storage in Charlotte, NC, in March 2023, offering the same full-service options that we offer locally. We are thrilled about this opportunity to grow in North Carolina and look forward to bringing an excellence in service mentality and personal service without limits attitude to Charlotte.”

L-R: Christa Moore-Phillips, Director of Operations; Donell Armour, Operations Manager, Charlotte; Matt Holley, Community Relations Manager, Charlotte; Matt Carlson, CEO.

The Power of Our Words

by Paula Burgner

What are words without meaning? They are like confetti that has already been thrown at a party and ends up on the floor, soon forgotten about and trampled over. Sometimes, that is how we throw our words around. Our words can bolt out of our mouths and never be thought about until it is too late. Often times, we say things but don’t think about what it may mean to others, such as the actions behind our words. Sometimes our words can hurt others and they can feel like a deep cut from

For some, words are extremely important. It matters greatly to them how things are said. But for others, it’s the actions that we show behind the words. Our tongue is one of the strongest muscles in our body. It has no bones but yet it is strong enough to break a heart. So, be careful of what you are saying. Just as the Bible tells us in Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Our words can be like seeds that are thrown into a garden—when enough love is put into them, they have the power to help someone grow. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 15:4, “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.”

a knife. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 12:18, “There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.”

When we can’t express how we feel, our actions seem to take over for us and our true colors shine. Sometimes our colors can be as dark as a storm cloud when we are mad, and other times they can be as bright as the sun. This is why most people say that actions speak louder than words. In some ways, our words may reveal our heart, but to some, actions are what reveals our soul. The words that we speak can have such an impact on others, but they can also have an impact on us as well. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 15:1, “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”

Our words are simply mere expressions of thoughts and feelings until they are acted on. Anyone can say they care, but when you watch their actions, it shows that they care. Our actions can prove who someone is, and their words can prove who they want to be. The words we speak may sometimes lie, but our actions will always tell the truth. Your beliefs do not make you a better person but your actions do. Our words can change how we feel about life sometimes, but the actions we do can change our whole life. In life, the way you treat people says a lot about who you are. A weak person will seek revenge, a strong person will forgive, and an intelligent person will ignore harsh words. Just remember you are the most powerful when you are silent, and when you do speak, speak with kindness, as this is good for our soul. The Bible says in Proverbs 16:24, “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, health to the bones.”

About The Author

Paula Burgner is a very strong willed, outgoing, girl who loves working out, and she believes in her heart that you are capable of doing anything that you put your mind to.

Unbroken

by Katie Loveless

We have been enjoying a much-needed break which served as an ideal time for family to visit. One morning one of our house guests shared that something fell and broke in the room they were staying in. A decorative plaque, a gift from a friend, was on display in a metal easel on the bedside table. Somehow, through the night, a bump disturbed the plaque so much that the plaque landed squarely on the floor. The morning light revealed two distinct pieces, which our guests carefully collected and placed on the shelf for repair. I assured them all was well as they relayed the mishap. I have a collection of broken things I am saving up for repair.

After our house guests returned to their home, I retrieved the plaque to assess the repair. It is a beautiful break. The crack is clean, pristine and only serves to punctuate the message on the plaque which reads: “As for me and my house…we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). The crack ultimately underlines the portion that reads, “we will serve.” I smile at the punctuation because it echoes in my soul with the same resounding joy of a bell ringing. This is true.

As for me and my house, we have determined that no matter who comes or who goes, we will serve the Lord. We will stand strong in the power of His might and in the liberty of His grace. We will walk in peace and enjoy a peaceful habitation of rest and joy. We will not be indelibly shaped by the trials of this life. Instead, they will merely serve to etch the channels God desires for His grace to flow through. We will be unbroken. Any crack made on the canvas of my life will only serve to further

punctuate the grace of God and His anointing on my life to proceed. We will carry on, unbroken. No matter what, we will serve.

I ask you, sweet friend, what bumps in the night have disturbed your rest? What has jostled your faith to the point that prayers seem to fall to the floor in brokenness? Look closely here. All hope is not lost. Things are not shattered beyond repair. There is goodness here, even amid the rubble of broken things. There are not too many broken things for God to attend to. You may be tempted to think that things are adding up beyond His control. Like me, you may be counting your own collection of broken things awaiting repair. Beloved, nothing is wasted. God will use even the broken things to display His glory.

Cracks will do one of two things. They will either let the light in or they will underscore truth. Either way, you, too, can carry on with a resolve that is unbroken. You can enjoy the potential of a much-needed break. “Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart” (Psalm 97:11, ESV).

Say it: God, I believe you that nothing is wasted. You will make beauty from ashes and give me the oil of joy to replace my mourning and grieving.

Pray it: God, have your way in me. My life belongs to you. Use it for your glory as you see fit. Thank you for the cracks in my life. They are merely points of reference for your glory to shine through. I make room in my heart for your word to be written on the walls in bold, italicized print with underscore.

Katie Loveless is a social worker, wife, and mother of five boys. She is a student of grace who enjoys writing, gardening, and empowering others to pursue stability.

About The Author

Exercise: Here We Go Again!

by Karla Smedley

Well, it is January. A time for new declarations and new promises. Time to clean up our act. Eat less, exercise more. Perhaps, even a new gym membership. I have vowed to jump on the exercise bandwagon so many times over the few years. However, often as the days press on, that same wagon’s wooden wheels run over me as it rolls out of town.

The Flesh

My flesh is strong, and frankly, larger than I desire. Oh, the excuses! I can eat this one more cookie. I am a little too tired to exercise today. I’ll start eating better or exercising next week. The temptations are great while my willpower is weak.

The Battle for Staying Healthy

I know what to do. I have read the latest tricks and enduring tips to help myself. But I get weak. The fight to shed a few pounds, keep a healthy heart, and lower my cholesterol require exercise, not only physically, but mentally as well. Whether it takes 30 days to create a new habit (or as newer research suggests up to 200 days for some people), it’s a mindset of perseverance that I need.

The More Important Exercise

The truth is physical needs are not the only area in which my flesh wins out. My actions are way too fleshly. I find myself joining in with our wicked world more often than setting myself apart for God. In 1 John 2:15, the Bible says, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.” God calls us to be the light of the world. As you well know, this is a very dark world we are living in. To shine for Jesus, I must love Him more than I love the things of this world.

The Battle to Be the Light

Again, I know what to do, but I get weak. I begin exercising the mindset that I can do this, live a Godly life. But then I fail. I backslide. I begin to fall out of fellowship with Jesus. I get overwhelmed. It is then when I realize I am trying on my own to be like Jesus, amid our sinful world. My actions cannot simply rest in the thought that I need to be stronger. I forget too often that I am not asked to live like Jesus without guidance. Staying connected with God and yielding to the Holy Spirit, that’s the answer! “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2, NASB).

The Battle for God in our Daily Lives Staying connected to God is not a bandwagon to jump on. He is always there and desires us to lean into Him. If we desire to love Him more than the things of this world, we must yield to the Holy Spirit, not our fleshly desires. We will not find the Holy Spirit in the world, rather we will find the Holy Spirit when we fellowship with God: worship in a church that encourages discipleship, ask God for a thirst of His Word and meditate on it daily, surround ourselves with other Christians who inspire our growth in the Lord and our choices that honor God. Make a resolution this year to live less for the world and more for God by following the words in Galatians 5:16, “Walk by the spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.”

Karla Smedley has taught 5th through 8th grade for the past twenty-four years. She is a member of Emmaus Baptist Church and has two grown children. She enjoys singing with the praise team at church, and she writes a Christian blog, Smorgasbord of Sisterhood, with her cousin Donna.

New Year…New Methods

by Detrick Redding

Here’s another New Year’s article, common for this time of year, right! We hear sermons preached about new stuff. Let’s be honest, we’ve all heard of this, and it truly sounds redundant in a lot of our ears. The new year resolutions come rolling in—promises of weight lost, promises of business ventures, promises of better choices. People tend to start something, and by February, we stop and revert to where we were. Why? Because new isn’t always easy, and that makes us uncomfortable.

Kingdom of His Son, Jesus. This will pull us out of comfort in order to legislate for the Kingdom.

Now let’s discuss this new stuff again. The word of God tells us in Isaiah 43:19 that He will do new things for His people. That statement alone requires us to expect new things within our lives. New things are promised to all of us—new creatures in Christ, new and better promises, new Jerusalem, behold I make all things new. God is not stuck to the old and formal way of things; he promises new things. New is not just about times of existence but mainly refers to the “freshness” of something. The things of the past may be stale, outdated and ready to be discarded because God is presenting new things for us. New things that are to replace the old stuff. New ideas that replace old ideas. New plans that replace old plans. New methods that replace old methods. Fresh new things are for us even within this new year. The way you were last time, the methods of last time, the mentality of last time is ready to be exchanged for something new and fresh.

Wow, what a revelation of truth. The new will pull you out of your comfort zone and believe me, we all prefer to be comfortable. Webster’s definition of comfortable is affording or enjoying contentment and security, free from stress or tension. That sounds good to us. We all want that for our lives. However, to be comfortable tends to cause inactivity on our part, and we were not created for that. God created us to be people of action, dominion and order. As representatives of Christ in the earth, Christians are to be people of authority and power. This is for all believers, it’s not a selective calling on some and not others. We, believers, are called to share in the responsibility of Christ. We have been called out of the Kingdom of Darkness into the

As I conclude this article, let me encourage you. This new place that God has for us believers will make our flesh uncomfortable. It will, because He will, challenge us away from the path of our yesteryear. We will be challenged to think differently, to operate differently, even to live differently. If we are willing to go the way of the “New” with God, we qualify for greater manifestation of His Glory. Get ready to challenge your comfort. Remember the challenging of your comfort, when you are heeding to God, is really for your good. The Glory of your latter is greater than the Glory of your former. The squeeze, the readjusting, and relocating from God is really to prepare you for a Greater Manifestation of His Glory! Happy New Year! New Year…New Methods!

About The Author

Detrick Redding is a husband to Toris and father to 4 children. Called to pastor at an early age, he currently pastors at Rally Up International Ministries. Detrick has a deep passion for not only seeing people born again, but knowing their true identity and what is made available to all in Jesus Christ.

Resolutions

by Beth Penny

The holidays are over; now what? Dark mornings, earlier evenings, gray days. The winter blues have set in. Time for a new start? Why do we set January as a time for a fresh beginning?

Over 4,000 years ago the ancient Babylonians were the first to have celebrated the “New Year.” However, the Babylonian new year was in March as the crops were planted. The people reaffirmed their loyalties to the king and their gods and made promises to pay their debts and return borrowed items. In turn they expected the gods to provide a bountiful harvest. Later around 46 BC, Julius Caesar moved the “New Year” to January. January, named for Janus, paid homage to the god of arches and doorways. Janus symbolically looked backwards into the prior year and forward into the upcoming year. The Romans made promises of good behavior for the upcoming year to Janus. Thus began our custom of New Year’s resolutions.

Fast forward to 2022. Research shows that between 38 and 48 percent of adults between 18 and 35 make New Year’s resolutions. Forty-eight percent of those resolutions are health-related. Yet, only eight to nine percent of people report actually keeping their resolutions. So, where does that leave the 92 percent that did not keep their promises? Feelings of failure, inadequacy, and depression can make the long, cold, and dark winters seem that much more somber.

I stopped making resolutions years ago when I realized I was only setting myself up for failure with unattainable expectations. Cue more of the winter doldrums. Here’s how I look at it. Small goals are attainable. When a child is learning to walk, those shaky, wobbly, teetering first steps have to come before training for a marathon. Players don’t go straight to the NFL without playing peewee ball. We can’t win a gold medal in swimming without first learning

how to hold our breath. The list could go on and on. Reach for small goals and feel successes rather than failures.

Here is my goal: to be the best me I can be. I don’t have to, want to, or even try to be better than anyone else. My goal is to be better than I was yesterday. Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. Strength comes from doing the things you thought you couldn’t. That feeling of accomplishment starts with reaching the small goals that you set for yourself.

While he was in prison Paul wrote his letters to the church at Philippi to thank them and encourage them to

continue in their Christian walk. He gives encouragement in Chapter 3 Verses 13 and 14 by saying, “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Reading Paul’s words reminds us that our goal isn’t accomplished here in life. Daily we keep working towards the small steps that lead us to become our best selves.

Beth Penny has taught English at Model High School since 1997. There she is also the Yearbook adviser and the Special Education Department Chair. She and her husband, Chad, have four children. About The Author

What’s the Story of Your Life?

by Dr. Alan Hix

What is on your mind as we start this new year? Some people choose to look forward and imagine all the possibilities that lie ahead. Others breathe a sigh of relief in hopes that this new year will be better than the last. And still others look back upon the year just past to celebrate their successes or to mourn their failures. All three approaches have something in common. They each are the results of the human struggle to discover the meaning of life.

Before we can seek to discover life’s meaning, we must first address the question: Does life have meaning? Toward the close of Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth, the title character reflects on the meaning of a life marred by betrayal, murder, war, and loss. He murdered his king to become a king, and he has fought to maintain that position of power. A victim’s ghost is haunting him, his guilt is torturing him, his enemies are closing in on him, his wife has lost her sanity, and now he’s just heard that she’s killed herself.

In this soliloquy Macbeth is a man for whom life has ceased to have meaning.

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.

In this moment, Macbeth is feeling that life is absurd and devoid of purpose or meaning. Everything he did to become king will soon be erased by his story coming to an end.

Have you ever had one of those moments in which you wondered if there is a purpose for your life? Have you ever felt like all you can do is to put one foot in front of another with no real sense of where your life was going? When you think about the story of your life, do the seasons of pain stand out more than the seasons of blessing?

In Psalms 2-7, David has been crying out to God for deliverance from his enemies and relief from his distress. If this were all we had from David, we might suspect that his life story reflects a life without meaning or purpose. But

David doesn’t stop on this somber note. In Psalm 8, David declares that our value and purpose as human beings comes from being the pinnacle of God’s creation.

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor” (Psalm 8:3-5).

In these verses, David shares his amazement at the value God places on mankind. God created us as beings with both value and purpose. David helps us to see ourselves from God’s perspective without all the emotional baggage that often blurs our vision.

Macbeth found his life hollow and empty because he was focused on himself and the power he craved. His story signified nothing because he had no place for God in his life. What David does is to help us see the story of our life from God’s perspective. God sees us as created in his own image, with a purpose to reflect his glory.

At the beginning of this new year, let us commit to a life that signifies something—reflecting God’s glory in every aspect of our story!

About The Author

Dr. Alan Hix is an Associate Professor of Christian Studies at Shorter University. In addition to being and educator, he has served churches as a pastor, been involved in mission trips to Africa, Canada, and Alaska, and participated in archaeological excavations in Israel for several years.

for your Taste Buds

One Pot Tomato Soup

There is nothing more comforting than a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter’s day!

This tomato soup recipe is a family favorite—both delicious and nutritious. What’s even better? It’s so easy to prepare, only one pot and 30 minutes needed. If you try out this recipe at home, tag us on Facebook at Goodnews CM and let us know your thoughts!

Instructions Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons of olive oil

• 1 cup of diced yellow onion

• 1 clove of garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon of dried basil

• 1 (28-ounce) can of whole peeled tomatoes

• 1 (6-ounce) can of tomato paste

• 1 (14.5-ounce) can of diced tomatoes

• 1 cup of vegetable broth

• 1 (14-ounce) can of coconut milk

• ¾ teaspoon of sea salt

• ¾ teaspoon of black pepper

• 1 tablespoon of maple syrup

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic and dried basil.

2. Add the tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, coconut milk, salt, pepper, and maple syrup. Cover the pot and bring to a simmer. Let cook for 15-20 minutes.

3. Turn off the heat and let the soup cool. Then, puree in a blender.

4. Transfer the soup back to the pot and bring soup back to a simmer over medium heat until warmed. Simmer uncovered until desired consistency is reached.

5. Serve with homemade croutons or pair with a grilled cheese!

It Could Have Been Worse: But God

by Jonathon Wright

Acts 27 starts with Paul getting on a ship headed to Italy, where he would stand trial before Caesar in Rome. These were unsettling times for Paul. He may have felt uneasy, but had faith that God would see him through no matter the outcome. Little did Paul know that his trip to Rome would not go as planned. He would face many adversities and even a hurricane of epic proportions. I am sure had he known this, he would have been so eager to look into the eye of this storm.

We have all seen the devastation these types of storms can produce. You would not catch me on any kind of boat in the middle of a hurricane. Even if it was a large ocean cruise liner or ship navigated by the Phoenicians, who were legendary seamen. This storm could have easily snuffed out their lives in two seconds. But God did many things to help them get through the dangers that awaited. All this leads me to make a few statements that start with the phrase, it could have been worse, but God.

It could have been worse, but God surrounded Paul with good friends. Notice verses 2-3 of this chapter. The author describes Paul in the third person and then says “we.” Many understand this to be Luke because of the similar opening addresses between the Gospel of Luke and Acts. Aristarchus from Thessalonica is also with them. Shortly after this, a centurion named Julius allowed Paul to go see his friends to help with Paul’s needs.

God even used Julius to help spare Paul’s life when others wanted to kill the prisoners. I am glad Julius was not a fairweather friend like some others in this story. We make our problems and the lives of those around us worse by not caring and helping. These are things God call us to do.

It could have been worse, but God had a plan. After 14 days, the storm showed no sign of lessening. Most of the men had lost all hope of being saved. I am sure in their minds, things could not have been any worse. But little did they realize that God was speaking to Paul and that God had a plan for Paul and those on the ship. The Lord stood by Paul and helped them survive this tsunami of a storm.

In Philippians 1:13-14, Paul mentions palace guards knowing that Paul was in chains for Christ. His stance for Christ was giving others the courage to proclaim the Gospel

without fear. I wonder if Julius eventually turned to Christ because of all that he saw in Paul’s life. There is a good possibility. Philippians 4:22 mentions some in the family of Caesar coming to Christ and sending greeting. It could have been worse, but God had a plan for them and the Gospel to go to Rome and the ends of the world.

It could have been worse, but God spoke to Paul through an angel and stood by him. We may not all have the privilege of hearing God or an angel speak. But we do have the words of God right by our side. The Word of God is supposed to encourage our hearts, lift our spirits, and help grow our faith. If we do not open His book and meditate on His Word, how can we live the abundant life He has promised to give us? As we come into this New Year, may we commit to being the kind, good people God has called us to be. When we do this, we are making the world a better place. It could be worse, but God and His people were there and here even today.

Jonathon Wright has been a member of the Church of God for about twenty years. He is a graduate of Lee University and Beacon University where he earned a BA and MA in Biblical studies. He loves studying the Bible and has done so for over thirty years, but only now has God given him a desire and the opportunity to be a writer. You can find more from Jonathon at https://christianwritersbookstore.com/jonathon-wright

Praying for the Impossible

by Brent Goodge

As the days of Passover went by, the church members came together for a round-the-clock prayer service. These Christians were no strangers to suffering and persecution. Many had been imprisoned or seen their family members killed because they refused to deny the Name of Jesus. But this was different.

James, who had been among the first disciples called by Jesus; James, who had been one of only three to witness the glory of the Transfiguration and the agony of Gethsemane; James, who had rashly assured Jesus that he too could drink whatever cup of suffering was coming Jesus’ way…had just been killed by King Herod. Many Christians had already given their lives for the cause of Christ, but the leadership of the church had previously been spared.

Now, Peter was in prison awaiting execution. Chains hanging from each extremity, multiple iron doors separating him from freedom, and sixteen Roman soldiers guarding him on pain of their own deaths if he escaped prevented any hope of human rescue. The heartless King Herod, bereft of the character of Heaven, gave no hope of clemency. Unless God stopped the evil work, the human instruments Christ has chosen to lead His church would all soon be dead. Tirelessly, the church prayed.

The night before Peter’s execution finally arrived. In answer to the prayers of His people, Christ sent an angel to the lonely prison cell. Peter’s chains fell off. Unhindered by locks and soldiers, the angel led Peter through the prison gates to freedom and then disappeared. Peter gathered himself and went to the house where the believers were praying. Knocking on the door and trying to keep his voice low enough not to waken the neighbors, Peter requested entrance.

Rhoda’s heart leaped for joy when she heard Peter’s voice, and she went to tell the praying church that God

had answered their prayers. But nobody believed her. They basically told her it was impossible for Peter to be released and would she please be quiet and reverent so they could resume asking God to do what they were insisting that God could not have done. Finally, they agreed to go check and see who was still knocking at the door.

How often do we plead with God to free those we know and love, not from earthly chains, but from bondage to sin? For most of us, the answer is likely “not nearly enough.”

But when we do pray those prayers, we need to believe God can and will work miracles in the lives of those we pray for. It is so easy to pray for our friends and family day after day and year after year while honestly expecting no real change. When God, in His perfect timing, works the miracle of deliverance in their lives, may we be sure we do not leave them outside knocking while we try to move to a quieter area to keep praying for God to do something He has already done.

Brent Goodge lives in Whitfield County. He doesn’t understand how prayer works, but he trusts the God who gave us the gift of prayer. Brent is praying that this message was a blessing.

About The Author

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We believe when people are equipped, motivated, and passionately engaged in living out their faith in Jesus Christ they have the potential to be world changers.

Our mission is to bring people into a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ—a relationship that empowers them to see how God can work through individual personalities, situations, and talents. Christ was an activist, he did not neglect the needs of the people as He brought His message. We strive to encourage everyone to look more like Christ by reaching outside of themselves to serve the needs of others—at home, at school, in communities, and across the world.

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Who: Our writers range from pastors, professors, and professional writers to stay at home moms and dads, business professionals, and others who have a desire to reach out to people through words of encouragement.

What: We believe that it is important to laugh together, praise each other, encourage one another, and to offer biblical advice. Articles can be directed toward everyone, or from woman to woman, or man to man. We love to share recipes and family traditions as well. We ask that articles be kept to a 500 word maximum. We’d love to hear from you!

Where: Please send submissions to articles.goodnews@gmail.com

Why: Because God has not intended for us to just survive. We believe that we are intended to reach out to love and encourage each other. God has brought each of us through tough times, blessed us, and made the “impossible” possible. Let’s, together, share the love of Jesus Christ.

Don’t Ever Doubt

by Judy Hood

Our Lord is so wonderful, so true

If you will yield, he will make you brand new

He sends his spirit to seek those who can be found Makes them royalty while preparing their robe and crown

He loves his children, oh yes, he does He always has, just because He sent his Only begotten Son To bring salvation, the victory won He’s calling out to you and me Wanting to know if we can really see Into his world that he’s talking about Before long he will come back with a shout So look up my friend, stay on the right route Don’t hesitate, don’t ever doubt

Start the new year healthy.

Wishing you and your loved ones a healthy start to the new year. As we welcome a new year, we want to remind you that scheduling a yearly physical exam is an important part of maintaining good health.

Five questions to ask your doctor this year:

1. What is the most important change I can make to improve my health?

2. What vaccinations do I need to be up to date?

3. What is my blood pressure, cholesterol level and blood glucose level?

4. Knowing my family history, are there screenings or tests I should have?

5. Are any of my current medications no longer needed?

Enhanced cleaning, mask requirements and social distancing to help keep you safe.

Always Praying

by Zebbie Brewster

Idrug myself to church that Sunday night! I love going to church, and it is a blessing to still be able to do so. Ask anyone who is no longer physically able to go, and they will tell you how they miss the Christian fellowship. Yet, that Sunday night, it was like I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. I needed encouraging badly, and was hopeful that I would get it that night. Like a car

I remember we used to get to church early on Sunday night and have prayer for the women before the service started. On one Sunday night, as we were praying around 6 p.m., my brother had been in a bad wreck but his life was spared. I look back on that now in wonder at how God’s presence was so very real in that prayer room and with my brother. Ask anyone if prayers make the difference, and I hope they can say that they do and have always made the difference.

I remember another time on a Wednesday night prayer service, I asked for prayers. The church met in the altar and sent up prayers for my husband who was having a heart attack and on the way to the hospital for emergency treatment. To say that in the midst of the storm, you can feel God’s presence and peace with you is so wonderful. God may not always take you out of the storm, but He will be by your side always. My husband was able to get well and come home those many years ago. I thank God for answered prayers then and now. Just to know that God will never leave us or forsake us is a promise to hold onto always. “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

whose lights will come on to let you know that your car needs attention, my faith light had come on.

I was in the right place to get my needs met. I have spent a lifetime going to this church, as we lived a mile from the church, and my parents had always faithfully taken our family there. In my lifetime of being there I have seen a lot of changes. Saints of God have gone home, and we would see new members coming into the church. I have never failed to see God be faithful to our church and continue to save sinners. It is God’s house, and He is in the prayer answering business. Take time and remember some of the prayers He has answered and it will help fill that faith back up.

As Christians, we are saved by faith and we live by faith. Holding onto a God who loves always through all things. “O Give thanks unto the Lord, for his mercy endureth forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north and from the south” (Psalm 107:1-3).

God knows where we are at all times. He is as close as that heart felt prayer that you send up right now. May I encourage you to keep trusting in God. He will never fail you, and His love will sustain you through all things. It was those praise reports and testimonies that Sunday night that I heard that filled my faith tank back up. Praise God for that!

About The Author Zebbie Brewster is an active member at Perennial Springs Baptist Church.

A Name That Will Never Change

“…I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off” (Isa. 56:5, NKJV).

by Terrie Ruff

There are many reasons our names may change: adoption, divorce, marriage, death or personal preference. Our earthly names are temporary, but I’m so happy to announce to you that when we are blessed of God, adopted into His royal family, chosen as His sons and daughters and accepted in the Beloved, our names and our status will never change!

Recently my “name” as sister has changed. With the deaths of my brother and adopted big sister, I felt I was no longer a sister. They are gone, and I’m here, no longer active in my former role of big and little sister. It saddened me to embrace these “new normal” roles. The status change wasn’t what I wanted; it wasn’t what I planned. I’m hurting. I’m missing them. Then I talked to Katie. Without knowing my internal struggle, God led her to tell me, “Terrie, I feel impressed to tell you that you are still a sister! You are still a sister to someone.” As my eyes moistened with tears of a newly confirmed truth, I smiled and agreed with her, I am still a sister. My name, my status in the lives of others has not changed. I am embracing this God sent truth. Hallelujah!

No matter what changes you and I face here on earth, these are simply avenues of preparation for our eternal good. So, if your name has changed for reasons that caused you to celebrate or caused you to cry, as a child of God, know that there is an eternal agenda beneath it all! One day very soon, the One whose name saves us will come back to receive His children, and we will be given new names that will not be cut off! So be

encouraged, you have royalty running in your veins. Be encouraged, your every existence is an expression of God’s love. Be encouraged, he calls you daughter, son!

What sweet assurance we have, no matter what happens to us physically or emotionally, it’s temporary, and nothing can change what we know in our souls. Nothing can change who you are and Whose you are! Nothing can change the fact that Jesus is coming, and He will reward His children. Remain faithful, my brothers and sisters, it won’t be long. Our Name Changing Savior is coming, and we will be given a name that will never change as we enjoy eternal life with the One whose name makes it possible! Hallelujah!

What is the name God has given you? Are you living up to that name? Rejoice in that name!

Terrie E. Ruff is a public speaker, soloist and inspirational author. She is an active member of the Orchard Park SDA Church in Chattanooga. Terrie can be contacted at Terrie.Ruff@lpnt.net.

About The Author

“Legacy is truly an answer to prayer. When we read the mission statement about serving residents in a Biblically based community, we knew we found the right place. The atmosphere is what Mom needed to continue fulfilling her purpose in life.” – Daughter of Resident