September 2022

About Us

WRITERS

Abdiel Medina

Dr. Andrew Lee

Cheryl L. Dunson

Christana Tucker

Danette Reeves

Danny Hesterly

David Huff

Donald Cantrell

Dorothy Teague

Douglas B. Caywood John Garrod

Jonathon Wright Linetta Cain

Monica Gambrell

Nancy King Pam Wattenbarger

Paula Burgner

Samuel Burger Sandra Gilmore Shelley Knick Susan Lavigne Todd R. Gunderson

SALES

Bud Kinches 423-650-2801

Email: bud.goodnews@gmail.com

DESIGN

Caleb Prytherch

Email: art.goodnews@gmail.com

PHOTOGRAPHER

Paula Knipp 423-310-4207

FACEBOOK

GoodNews CM

DISTRIBUTION

5000 Monthly

EDITOR/ARTICLE COORDINATOR

Jodi Varnado

Email: articles.goodnews@gmail.com

PUBLISHER

Matthew and Bethany Ruckman

Cell: 423-503-1410

Email: goodnewstn@gmail.com

OFFICE

423-790-5378

WEBSITE goodnewscm.com issuu.com/goodnewscm

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 What is the Will of God? by Samuel Burger

GoodNews for Kids

8 More-ish by Danny Hesterly

GoodNews Money Matters

10 “ABOUT THAT ONE MILLION DOLLARS...” by Andrew Lee

GoodNews for Men

12 Rest by David Huff

GoodNews for Women

14 Send Me Butterflies by Nancy King

GoodNews for Everyone

18 Is Obedience Necessary? by Danette Reeves

GoodNews for Everyone

20 A Good Word by Dorothy Teague

GoodNews for Life

22 God’s Story by Linetta Cain

GoodNews for Parents

24 From Tents to Tweens by Donald Cantrell

GoodNews for Everyone

26 What Choices Do We Have? by John Garrod

GoodNews Cover Story

28 Chattanooga Wellness Centers

GoodNews for Everyone

30 Here Today. Gone Tomorrow. by Cheryl L. Dunson

GoodNews for Everyone

32 Walking With Molly: Part 3 by Shelley Knick

GoodNews for Everyone

34 Water for the Soul by Paula Burgner

GoodNews Business Spotlight

36 The Story Behind the Vascular Institute: An Amputation Prevention Center

GoodNews for Everyone

38 Concerns About an Emoji Bible by Todd R. Gunderson

GoodNews for Everyone

40 Jabez And The God Of Israel by Jonathon Wright

GoodNews for your Taste Buds

42 Apple Streusel Cake by Pam Wattenbarger

GoodNews for Everyone

44 Who’s Watching? by Monica Gambrell

GoodNews for Everyone

46 Enjoying Our Differences by Susan Lavigne

GoodNews for Everyone

48 Making SENSE of the Vision by Douglas B. Caywood

GoodNews for Everyone

50 Sometimes, It Only Takes One by Christana Tucker

GoodNews for Students

52 Courage to Write by Abdiel Medina

GoodNews for Everyone

54 A Family-tree Hugger by Sandra Gilmore

What is the Will of God?

by Samuel Burger

1. The will of God is about our sanctification. (1 Thessalonians 4:3)

Sanctification is the process of advancing in holiness. The Christian is being progressively transformed by the Lord into His nature. The Christian life is a process of renewal until the ultimate sanctification, when the body goes back to dust and the believer goes to reside with the Lord.

The Apostle Paul writes in another place of this progressive renewal. He writes that we should let God change the way we think. He tells us to be constantly transformed by the renewing of our mind. Consequently, we will then know the will of God (Romans 12:2). Therefore, the will of God begins with the discipline of an engaged relationship with God that brings about a change in the way we think and act. Our Lord calls it discipleship.

2. Our sanctification lays a godly foundation for our choices. (Romans 12:2)

Note here, if you will, the word for “transform.” The word metamorphosis is derived from the Greek use of transform, meaning changing form in keeping with inner reality. In other words, you are becoming what you already are in the eyes of God. Your status and identity are settled. However, there is a process of daily discipleship and transformation through the renewing of the word of God. The Christian life is a process of continual change into the likeness of God.

Therefore, the will of God is more concerned with who you are rather than what you do because what you do originates from who you are. Your sanctification becomes the foundation and standard for your choices. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit, along with His empowerment to study and pray, will lead to a glorious life of constant development to be like Christ.

3. Our choices are built on that godly foundation.

Who we marry, where we live, what church we attend, the occupation we choose, and how we treat others are dependent upon the type of foundation we build. God doesn’t specifically tell us every detail or even the specificities of the future. However, God is concerned with your present and progressive sanctification that will give you direction. No one need to wonder whether they are in the will of God as long as they are committed to the holy process of a daily transformative relationship with God, whether they can sense the change or not. God is responsible for the progress.

We may not understand the season we are in or why we are in frustration. One thing to remember that will get us through the toughest of times—God is sanctifying you to make you more like Him. This should be our primary goal, that is, committed to being more like Christ. If you are committed to the process, God is committed to your progress. Your spiritual maturity matters to God.

Samuel Burger is pastor of Chestuee Worship Center in Calhoun, Tennessee. He holds a MA in ministry from Piedmont Divinity School and is happily married to Danyelle.

About The Author

More-ish

by Danny Hesterly

This may not seem all that impressive to a 10-yearold, but I’ve been married for 6,570 days. I’ve known people who have been married 3 times that number (I know, I’ll stop with the math but if you want to get some practice in, what is 6,570 x 3 =?).

One of the best things about being married to Erin is getting to be a part of her family.

Quick story: When I was growing up in Southern Illinois, my mom and dad would tell me, my brother, and my sister that when we all grew up, they would

grandkids, but it’s nice to have Erin’s family close by— especially because Mimi (Erin’s mom) makes some of the best desserts in Ringgold, GA (some might even say the world).

Have you ever had a piece of chocolate pie or a snickerdoodle cookie or an apple turnover, where when you finish the late bite, you’re going for more? It happens to me every time. Every dessert Mimi makes is from scratch (never from a box) and is full of love, which makes it out-of-this-world-yummy. We always say her desserts have a “more-ish” taste.

In Psalm 34:8 it says, “Taste and see that the LORD is good! How blessed is the person who trusts in him!”

We see in the passage that God is good. Just like my Mimi’s desserts have a “moreish” taste, you can never get enough of God’s goodness in your life. Now, we don’t taste God in the same way we eat food, that’s just funny. But we do experience His blessings every day in our lives. Think about it, when do you experience the goodness of God?

sell everything and move to Korea. My mom is from Seoul, South Korea, and hasn’t been home in a long time. My parents said this ALL the time. I never thought they’d actually do it. When I was twenty-nine, they sold everything and moved to Korea! They actually did it. I’m so happy my mom is reunited with her family and my dad gets to eat all the good Korean food all the time. Done with the quick story.

When my parents moved to Korea, Erin’s parents became an important part of my life. I still talk with my parents over video calls and they get to talk with their

How about a wake-up hug, or when you eat lunch with a friend, or get a high five on the playground? How about when you do something wrong and you ask God to forgive you? God’s goodness is all around you all the time.

So, the next time you have a cookie and you think to yourself, “I could eat another one!” think about how much better the goodness of God is in your life. I promise you’ll never get enough of the “more-ish” blessings He has for you.

Danny Hesterly lives in Chattanooga, TN where he spends most of his days in coffee shops helping others discover their part in God’s amazing story. Danny has two children (12, 10) and has been married to his lovely bride for 17 years.

About The Author

“ABOUT THAT ONE MILLION DOLLARS...”

MONEY MATTERS WITH DR. ANDREW LEE

Dr. Andrew Lee is professor of English at Lee University. He also serves as a coordinator for Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. He and his wife Esmerelda have three children.

In Frank Capra’s classic Christmas film, It’s a Wonderful Life, young George Bailey walks up to the soda counter in the drug store, pulls the handle on the whatchamacallit, and exclaims, “I wish I had a million dollars!” When the lighter ignites, he shouts, “Hot dog!” In 1946, one million dollars seemed like an enormous sum. But one million of those 1946 dollars would be worth about $66,000 today, all because of that dreaded word that’s all over the financial news this year: inflation. Inflation isn’t just what Uncle Bob’s waistline experiences after Thanksgiving dinner. Rising costs mean that our money buys less with each passing year, especially when the reported inflation rate has reached 9.1 % as of summer 2022.

Yet, the idea of accumulating a retirement nest egg of one million dollars continues to tantalize us as being the “magic number,” while also discouraging many who view that magic number as out of reach and unrealistic. What would a one-million-dollar nest egg look like today, in terms of sustaining someone’s retirement? Let’s start with the “4% Rule.” This is a phrase coined by Bill Bengen around 1994; Bengen used decades of historical data to conclude that investors could withdraw 4% of their nest egg every year during retirement and never run out of money, assuming that the nest egg is invested in fifty percent stocks and fifty percent bonds. Taking into account historical periods such as bear markets, recessions, and pandemics, the 4% withdrawal rate should ensure that you don’t outlive your money in retirement. Granted, there are those who feel differently, arguing for a 3% withdrawal rate (let’s call them “Negative Nancy”) or a 5%-6% withdrawal rate (“Optimistic Oscar”), but for illustration purposes, let’s use the wellknown 4% Rule.

Withdrawing 4% of your one million dollars means you’re living on $40,000 per year, or $3,333 per month. But don’t forget about taxes: if your retirement account was tax-deferred like a 401(k) account, you’ll be taxed on each withdrawal during retirement. So that $3,333 income per month is really looking more like $3,000 (or less) per month. Suddenly that one-million-dollar nest egg is providing less income per month than you were likely bringing home while working (shucks)! The good news, however, is that you should be getting something from Social Security, perhaps between $1,000-$2500 per month, and your monthly expenses might well be lower during retirement, if for instance, you have paid off your home mortgage by the time you retire. The 4% Rule adjusts for inflation each year, so if inflation is 3% during your second year of retirement, you’d withdraw $41,200 that following year, and so on. Hitting that milestone of $1 million isn’t impossible: by investing only $200 per month in the stock markets from age 25-65, you’d have $1 million at retirement (at a historical 10% rate of return each year).

So, George Bailey’s one million dollar wish in 1946 would be worth only $66,000 in today’s buying power. But conversely, you’d need $15 million in 2022 to have the equivalent buying power of $1 million in 1946. What would the 4% Rule look like on a nest egg of fifteen million dollars? You’d be withdrawing $600,000 per year, or $50,000 per month (and that’s not including any Social Security check). But don’t forget about paying income taxes at the current top rate of 37% (ouch). After taxes of $18,500 per month, you’d be forced to scrape by on a paltry $31,500 per month. Still, that’s a lot of Grey Poupon mustard. So make a plan now. “He who is noble plans noble things, and on noble things he stands” (Isaiah 32:8).

Rest

by David Huff

In this world today, we are taught at a very early age that if you want anything in life, you have to work to get it. While this is true in many instances, there is also a trap in this saying. For many people this translates to I must work every hour that I can so that I can have a better life. In the process of working yourself into the ground, you neglect rest and many times, a proper diet. The more you work, the more stress that piles up on you. The more that you begin to stress, the less you receive proper rest.

I was tired, I was restless, and I was hurting. I was hurting because it was my family that paid the price. I was hurting because I no longer had enough time to get quiet before God and listen to His direction. Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. All of you take up my yoke and learn from Me because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

The word yoke is a device that was connected over two animals to hold them together and keep them in pace while plowing. A yoke was heavy and sturdy so that it could not be broken. It would tire you out to try and carry it. A heavy yoke could be compared to the worlds demands upon us to have the American Dream.

Sooner or later, you’ll realize you are just going through the motions of everyday life without truly realizing that your mind and body are paying a heavy toll for it. Your spiritual life and family take a back seat to the pressures of staying caught up with the Joneses. For me, this scenario is all too familiar. I got so busy doing the very things that I thought would make my life easier. I said when I get this or that or when I reach this plateau, I will stop and slow down. The truth is with each “this or that” and “plateau” that I reached I set new goals.

Jesus, however, says carry my yoke for it is lighter and easier. The world’s demands will tire us out, not just physically but spiritually as well. When we take the time to rest in Jesus’ arms, we receive a refreshing that gives us the strength to walk though this world. Romans tells us to renew our minds so that we can discern what is good. The only way we can renew our mind is in the rest that comes from Jesus. When we take time to be with Him and to make Him first, we find a rest that no sleep or vacation can give us.

My name is David Huff, and I am married to Brittany and together we have five wonderful kids. We attend Rock Bridge Community Church Calhoun where I serve on the prayer team, host team, and production. I am also a senior at Liberty University.

About The Author

Send Me Butterflies

by Nancy King

It was a regular day, like all the other days, when I had gone to see my eye specialist. I expected nothing different on this day. However, I learned to listen when God tells you to do something because you never know when you are going to touch someone’s life.

I went in, and sat my purse on the counter to register as usual. The lady working behind the counter fell in love with my purse. It was pale blue and covered in butterflies, and she said that butterflies were her thing. I told her that I understood that, and I really did. When my niece was taking my sister Dianne to doctors’ appointments, they started noticing butterflies. Every trip, they saw them, and after we lost my sister and would visit her grave, there would be a butterfly on her headstone.

I was called back to see the doctor, and the thought kept going through my mind to give her my purse. Then, as we people always do when God is trying to tell us something, we don’t want to listen. I asked a nurse if she knew where I could find a bag to put my stuff in, and she didn’t have anything. So, I figured that was that.

I finished my test and went to check out, when I heard

myself asking if it is against policy for patients to give employees anything. Another lady sitting next to the receptionist that liked my purse said, “Let me get the Kleenex.” Another employee handed me a small box and I started emptying my purse out. The receptionist said, “Are you serious?”

I said, “Yes, I am.” I own more purses than is probably allowed by the law anyway. She started crying.

“You don’t understand—my mother has brain cancer and has six months left. I have been having a really bad day. I prayed, God, you need to send me butterflies today,” she said. She said I would never know what it meant to her. She wanted to know if she could give me a hug, and of course, I agreed. They took a picture of us together before I left. So, when that still small voice tells you something to do, listen. God can use us in many ways for His glory if we just listen.

Nancy King is originally from Etowah but moved to Cleveland in 2006. She has one son, Jared, and a daughterin-law, Jennifer. She attends Lakeview Baptist Church in Athens, Tennessee.

About The Author

Cleveland Church Directory

Apostolic First Apostolic Church Of Cleveland

4859 Freewill Rd NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 (229) 343-6880

Assembly of God Grace 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 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

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

Fairhaven Ministry Center 1807 Blythe Ave. 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

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

List/Update Your Church Listing (423) 478-6484

Is Obedience Necessary?

by Danette Reeves

“And Samuel said, Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:22-23a, ESV).

When I was in college, Keith Green sang a song about obedience. I remember thinking at that time that it was harsh. In all honesty, sometimes I still do. Even though I may not agree with all of the lyrics, he wrote some very thought-provoking words:

“To obey is better than sacrifice. I don’t need your money; I want your life. And I hear you say that I’m coming back soon, but you act like I’ll never return.”

Another portion reads: “Well, you speak of grace and my love so sweet. How you thrive on milk but reject my meat!”

I was a young Christian then and had not been taught about obedience to God’s Word. I spent many years feasting on milk and accomplishing my daily check-off list: Read my Bible verse, pray, thank God, ask forgiveness, forgive others, tell Him what I want, and do it again the next day.

When one is a student of the Word, we see that the Bible teaches obedience is central to our Christian life and goes far beyond milk and the easy fluff. Jesus calls us to the hard stuff when He says, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34). In Luke, He states it even firmer, “If anyone would come after Me, let him take up his cross DAILY and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Take up my cross DAILY? Really?

That is the call to obedience. To live daily, hourly, minute-by-minute, following Jesus. It sounds great until my feet hit the floor in the mornings, and I realize this is more

than reading my Bible verse and saying a quick prayer. It is my heart, my inner being, my whole life. It is Jesus calling me to follow Him closely, living out His ministry His way and denying myself.

If I truly believe Jesus is coming soon, will I not throw off all distractions and run to follow Him? What does that even look like? 2 Peter 1:5-11 tells us to “make EVERY

effort to supplement our faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and selfcontrol with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.” He says that if we are growing in these qualities, we will be effective and fruitful. In other words, we will take up our crosses and follow Jesus. Obedience. Is it necessary?

Jesus states in Matthew 10:38, “And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of Me.” Yes, obedience IS necessary.

Danette Reeves and her husband, Charlie, live in Cleveland, Tennessee. They attend The Church at Grace Point. One of their joys is being Oma and Opa to four grandchildren. Her heart’s desire is to be a student and a teacher of the Word, and a consistent follower of Jesus.

About The Author

A Good Word

by Dorothy Teague

Have you ever heard the saying, “You have one mouth and two ears, so God meant for you to speak less and listen more?”

Teachers can often be heard giving this sage advice when students get too noisy and aren’t listening. This actually aligns with God’s Word. In Matthew 11:15, God says, “He who has ears, let him hear.”

In other words, Listen, I’m about to tell you something important! However, we can’t have ears to hear if we aren’t spiritually attuned to His voice and our hearts aren’t prepared to receive the “word” He has for us. We are to meet with Him daily in prayer, then wait expectantly for Him to move and do His will for our lives (Psalm 5:3). He already knows what we stand in need of—He just wants us to ask Him and then stand in faith that He will supply what we need. Isaiah 55:2-3 gives us steps to follow: Listen diligently to me. Incline your ear and come to me. Hear, that your soul may live. So, we are to actively hear the word, listen with spiritual ears, and then act in obedience, doing what He says for us to do.

It’s not only important for us to hear what God wants for our own lives, but it is our obligation to pass the good word on to others to help them. Isaiah 50:4 says we should “speak a word in season to him that is weary.” (And aren’t we all weary?) Some days I have prayed specifically for God to give me a “good word” for someone in particular, and in His timing, He has been faithful to send me that word. But I have found that it’s more important that my heart is prepared at any time to receive a word to impart to someone else. We don’t know what others are going through, but God sees it all. In His divine

timing, He brings us together with others to comfort and lift each other up. Proverbs 15:23 reminds us that, “A man takes joy in a fitting reply and how good is a timely word.” We are all plagued with being anxious over the state of our lives at times. Proverbs 12:25 tells us that “anxiety weighs down the heart of man, but a good word cheers it up.”

There is a difference between hearing and listening. We can hear the scriptures being preached but then walk away and not act upon them. But, if our hearts are in a position of listening for God’s voice to speak, then that seed can be planted in us and we can respond to His call to action: “He who has ears, let him hear.”

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 The Author

God’s Story

by Linetta Cain

Iremember, as a teenager, hearing my mom tell the stories of my childhood health difficulties. A bad UTI once landing me in Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio. She would then proceed to tell of how God healed me, and there were no complications after that.

Fast forward to the year 1997. Just twenty-one years old, young, happy, my whole life ahead of me! It was my first annual exam. I’m so thankful for the doctor God placed in my life at that moment. She took what she saw seriously and referred me to Shands Nephrology in Gainesville, Florida, where I lived at the time.

After numerous tests and labs, I was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease or CKD. There are five stages of CKD, and I was already showing at stage 2. How did this happen? Why me, God? Please heal me, Lord, was my cry. It was a devastating moment filled with questions, fears, and tears. I felt so alone. What was this degenerative disease going to do to my future? Would I still be able to have children? The list went on.

Then, that warrior spirit rose up within me. I still remember the day. After much research, I created a meal plan that would hopefully help improve creatinine and slow the progression of CKD. It did work, and my lab work started looking better. By 2005, I was only stage 3 and stable. I had moved to the Cleveland area and married. Life was an adventure, but my CKD was always in the back of my mind. I prayed every day for healing and truly believed it would be divine.

Having our daughter in 2009 lowered my kidney function some as expected, but what a blessing from God! Each nephrology appointment, I would hold my breath, anticipating results. I would picture, in my mind, the doctor being amazed by them. My faith was strong! By 2020,

my numbers were declining each visit. Now stage 5, dreading the thoughts of possible dialysis. You see, for 23 years, I had always said I would not need dialysis or transplant because God was going to heal me. I kept my strong faith, but where I went wrong was predicting what God was going to do.

He was writing another story—a painful experience with a beautiful ending.

By 2021, I had been on Vanderbilt’s kidney transplant list for almost five years. For the first time that summer, I was feeling the symptoms of kidney failure—metal taste, chronic fatigue, decreased concentration. During my August nephrology appointment, I said those words I had hoped to never have to say, “Doc, I think it’s time.”

On September 6, 2021, I went to my first dialysis treatment. I was terrified! My dad drove me and prayed with me. I remember crying in fear, like a child again. It was rough! But each week improved, and I started to feel better. The team at my center were now great friends that I looked forward to seeing three times a week. By week four, I was in a routine I could handle!

God’s Story...

A phone call I received on December 2, 2021 changed it all. “Mrs. Cain, we have a match for you!” The call from Vanderbilt I had waited on for almost five years was here! One day short of 13 weeks on dialysis and without it, I wouldn’t have been as prepared. On December 3, 2021, after all tests were run to determine a “perfect match,” I received my gift! God ceremoniously orchestrated every step. I’m forever grateful to my donor’s family that chose to donate life in the midst of their heartache.

Have there been challenges since? Oh yes! But I see the big picture now. A 25-year puzzle pieced together. God’s story!

Linetta Cain is wife to Greg, mother to Abigail, and 18-year resident of Cleveland, TN. Her family attends Mt Olive Church of God. Growing up in a minister’s home, Linetta learned at an early age to adapt to change and challenges.

About The Author

From Tents to Tweens

by Donald Cantrell

Ifind it amazing to watch my nine-year-old granddaughter go from stage to stage in her life. In all honesty, I was not the best dad in helping my wife with our daughter. Oh, I was there, but I was young and clueless, so I was not that great at changing diapers and feeding. Sadly, I missed out on the bonding that takes place in those early years of her life.

So, I made up my mind that I would not do the same as she began growing up, entering school, going to dance classes, recitals, and cheerleading. It was during those years that I stepped up to the plate and became the dad that I should have always been, and I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. I was even the chaplain for some of her middle school football and basketball teams—what a joy it was to be so involved in her life during those years.

Then came along my granddaughter, who decided to try and enter into this life nine weeks early. So, the doctor put my daughter in the hospital for two weeks before allowing her to have Kinsley seven weeks early. She came into this life with bright blue eyes and dark hair, she weighed in at 3.10 pounds, and I was immediately in love and began to understand why they called them “grand.”

My daughter went back to work after staying home for four months, and guess who volunteered to keep our most precious commodity of life—yes, it was me, and obviously they had no other options, so they hesitantly placed that precious little girl into my care. I quickly learned the art of feeding and changing diapers, along with our poodle Coco, who loved her as much as we did.

Over the past nine years, I have literally witnessed every moment that mattered in her life as she progressed from step to step. I was there when she rolled over, when she took her first steps, and when she uttered her first

words. I tried with all my might to teach her to say poppy first. I was the one that took her to most of her doctor’s appointments and eventually dental appointments.

In time she began to go to preschool and then to kindergarten, where she literally cried until around Thanksgiving, day in and day out. I watched her as she battled the loneliness of having to take online classes during the pandemic and saw the joy on her face as she was able to return to school full time again. It has been the most awesome opportunity that this poppy has ever had.

Now my little girl is merely six months from being a tween. Just this past week, my wife and I saw her go from sleeping in her little blanket and pillow fort—as I slept on the bed beside her—to sleeping by herself on her bed with the door closed. Each and every day we are witnessing her growth, and sadly we cannot slow it down. She will soon be a tween, then a teen, and I will still want to see her in her fort.

Donald Cantrell is a lifelong native of Murray county and has been pastoring and preaching since 1980. He has had the honor of publishing over thirty books and his sermon material is sold all over the world by various online companies. If you visit his house any weekend in the fall you will find them watching the “Florida Gators or the New England Patriots… Chomp Chomp.”

The Author

What Choices Do We Have?

by John Garrod

Life is full of choices. Biscuits and gravy, or bacon and eggs? Over easy or scrambled? Whole wheat or white toast? Regular or decaf? (Okay, I’m not sure why anybody would ever choose decaf, but…) Of course, not every decision is as simple as your choices for breakfast. We frequently make choices that affect not only our day, but the courses of our lives, and they

and if I’m honest, those reactionary impulses are not the kind that pleases God. I’m fairly sure God is not in my biting sarcasm, nor in my shouting, nor in my sanctimonious tirades about how others should be living or why God loves me more than He does them. Or why my sin isn’t as bad as theirs. (Sorry, did I step on any toes?)

So, what does God want me to do with those people who push all the buttons I have? Can’t I call down a little righteous anger? A Holy Smiting? Fortunately, just as the Army gives soldiers General Orders to govern their duties, Jesus declared a duo of general orders in a sense that should govern how we handle our conduct with others.

may impact the lives of those whom we love. Going back to college was a major decision my wife and I made several years ago, and that decision has had numerous effects on our lives.

Many of the hardest decisions we face have to do with how we interact with other people. I’m fairly sure that most of us face times of conflict with others, and often those instances involve people we love as well as people who have the gift of getting under our skin. I’m not perfect; I get angry. Disappointed. Hurt. Confused. And as I’ve heard more than one pastor mention, hurt people…hurt people.

That’s when we face a difficult choice. My flesh has its own response mechanism to those situations

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:36-40, NKJV).

And there, in a convenient little passage, is the guideline we need for how we treat others. How does God love you? Do you love Him that same way? Do you then turn and love others the same way? Do you forgive as He does? I don’t know about you, but I have a fairly full workload before me just getting those two commandments right, and it doesn’t leave me much time for self-righteous rants or sarcastic zingers. Just enough time to love ‘em like Jesus did.

About The Author

John Garrod is a father of six, husband of one. He is a graduate of Lee University (c/o ’19), a discipleship teacher at South Cleveland Church of God, and a U.S. Army veteran.

Chattanooga Wellness Centers

Helping People Heal and Live Life Pain Free!

Dr. Shawn Jones is the Director of Clinics and his wife, Carrie Doyle Jones, is the Office Manager serving Southeast Tennessee with two locations in Chattanooga and Cleveland, TN. Chattanooga Wellness Centers provide the latest Holistic Wellness Services and the latest advancements in equipment and technology to help your body heal anything, from Neuropathy, Fasciitis, Arthritis, Bursitis, and other musculoskeletal joint pains, to solving nutritional issues, and even avoid knee replacements or help repair replaced joints that still hurt! We use the latest Cold Laser Therapy advancements to reduce pain, heal Neuropathy and soft tissue injuries from auto injuries and so much more! We now have the latest advancement Shockwave Therapy exclusively available only at our offices!

Dr. Shawn R. Jones graduated Cum Laude in 1986 from Palmer College of Chiropractic, the best school in the world where Chiropractic was founded. He is a licensed Chiropractic Physician who has been helping clients back to health for over 38 years. He became certified in Nutrition Response Testing 20 years ago and began expanding to healing Neuropathy 6 years ago. So many patients were complaining of pain and symptoms in their feet and hands that keeps progressing to the point where people were falling from balance issues caused by not being able to “feel” where their feet are, and the feet often hurt worse at night! By sharing knowledge and experience with other doctors around the country, Dr. Jones has developed the best Nutrition Response Testing and Neuropathy Treatment Programs available anywhere. Plus, we use no medications! No surgery! No pain! Just Results!

Neuropathy Can Be Healed!

Heal the burning, numbness, tingling, pain, and balance problems with our 98% success program at Chattanooga Wellness Centers! “The key to healing Neuropathy is to use the best equipment possible and identify exactly how much sensory loss and proprioception (spatial awareness of where your body is) has been lost. Knowing how severe the Neuropathy Nerve Degeneration is will dictate the level of treatment program you require to reverse and heal your Neuropathy pain!” Dr. Jones stated. “Additionally, anytime we learn new techniques that improve results or purchase superior equipment, we adapt and improve our programs of care that we offer. For example, the equipment we send home with severe cases is the same in-office equipment other doctors use as their treatment! My belief is I should do in-office what you cannot do at home, like our $30,000.00 20-watt K-Lasers that super-heal tissues and decrease pain and our new $50,000.00 Shockwave Therapy.”

Not only does Dr. Jones evaluate your sensory loss, he digs in much deeper by evaluating the muscle strength of your entire

muscle chain from the hips all the way down to the toes to identify and then “reset muscle weaknesses” using his own Cold Laser Technique. This can take as little as 3 seconds to make almost any weak muscle strong again (vs. 12 weeks of Physical Therapy) to stabilize your hips, knees, ankles, and feet supporting your body properly so you can move around again safely and pain free, avoid falls, and most importantly, get your life back! Ready to feel good again and get back to work? We can help you! “Remember God made you; He doesn’t make junk!” Get started for a special offer: only $49 for a complete Neuropathy Evaluation and 1st Treatment! Shockwave Therapy Now Available and Only at Chattanooga Wellness Centers

Shockwave Therapy is the latest technology that delivers powerful sound waves thousands of times stronger than a traditional ultrasound deep into soft tissues, tearing down old adhesions, scar tissue, and fibrosis in your painful joints, and is only available at Chattanooga Wellness Centers in Cleveland and Chattanooga by appointment. This incredible technology is a stand-alone service that helps make fast improvements in arthritic joints, failed knee, hip, or shoulder replacements, Bursitis, Fasciitis, or any arthritic or painful joint! It can even help you avoid knee replacements! We couple Class IV Laser Therapy following each treatment. The shockwave tears down adhesions and stimulates stem cells, fibrin, and other regenerative factors to assist in your body’s joints in rebuilding and improving function—pain free! A K-Laser applied immediately after the tear down “super-charges” the healing process, plus increases blood flow while decreasing swelling and pain. It is now incorporated into our Neuropathy program, as well as saving patients’ money by healing them faster. For a free consultation, call now!

Regenerative Medicine Available Now!

Chattanooga Wellness Centers have been working with a medical team to bring the latest in Regenerative Medicine, previously known as “Stem Cell Therapy” to our offices! Our team only uses donated umbilical cord material from FDA vetted labs and only from C-sections of healthy women. You were born with all the stem cells you will ever have and some die every day. So, your stem cells can’t reproduce and are as old as you. Fetal cells are new undifferentiated material that can help rebuild damaged, painful arthritic joints by growing new cartilage and coating joint surfaces while rebuilding and repairing inflamed damaged tissues. Many feel Regenerative Medicine is the future of modern medicine, as the technological advancements are huge and research makes constant improvements and new discoveries. We have had great success helping prevent joint replacements, knee pain, shoulder pain, and hip pain—any musculoskeletal problems can be helped! There are 4 main components used from the umbilical cord material: Stem Cells, Cytokines, Exosomes, and Wharton’s Jelly. These materials are drawn to damaged inflamed tissues and repair them, making joints function better pain free by repairing old fibrotic tissues and making the new tissues younger and stronger by fetal cells combining with your aged, damaged cells,

and rejuvenating them! In our offices, we focus on getting people out of pain and can help you in so many ways. It’s best to call for a free Regenerative Medicine Consultation so the doctor can take a history and discuss your best options.

Nutrition Response Testing (NRT)

Dr. Jones is one of only 2 Chiropractic Physicians in Southeast Tennessee who is a certified ACT graduate in Nutrition Response Testing. The difference between the two practices is Chattanooga Wellness does not make you pay thousands of dollars up front to become a nutrition client! In fact, new clients can begin care for only $99 for their evaluation, Heart Rate Variability Test, and 2 Nutrition Visits to get you started feeling better on your 1st visit! Nor does Dr. Jones demand that you receive other services like Chiropractic or Detox Foot Baths if you choose not to. We work with clients’ needs and what is best for YOU, not what is best for our bottom line! Dr. Jones will make recommendations on how best to spend your healthcare dollars for the best results possible for your unique problems. We also give itemized statements so you see that we do not markup supplement prices 40% over the suggested retail price like the other facility! We treat our patients the way we expect to be treated. Once we accept you in our practice, you are part of our family. There is always an answer for any health issue, and Dr. Jones has the affordable way to regain your health with Nutrition Response Testing! Evaluation and 2 Nutrition Response Testing or Chiropractic visits are only $99 for all new patients!

We want you living a pain free full life like patients on our Chattanooga Wellness YouTube Channel!

“Dr. Jones’ program works. I highly recommend it! I drove an hour each way to finally get help!” -Phillip G.

“I LOVE the program and feel great! I feel like I am part of a family, as the staff of Chattanooga Wellness Centers are outstanding!” -Norman P.

Dr. Jones offers you the best Chiropractic and Regenerative Health Services possible with the latest techniques and equipment for auto accident injuries, Neuropathy, and joint pain, while also being the only facility offering the ChiroThin Weight Loss Success Program, where you can lose 20-40 pounds in just 6 weeks!

Call Chattanooga Wellness Centers now!

2245 Chambliss Ave NW, Cleveland, TN, 37311 Call 423-790-5000

Also at 6016 E. Brainerd Rd, Chattanooga, TN, 37421 Call 423-643-2277 www.NutritionTesting.com

Dr. Shawn R. Jones has been in Chiropractic Practice for 38 years and expanded to Cleveland 6 years ago. He has acquired many additional degrees and certifications, including a B.S. in Physical Therapy, ACT Graduate Nutrition Response Training, certification in Cold Laser Therapy—with numerous lasers in both clinics—certification in Holistic Wellness, Applied Kinesiology, NLP, and was awarded the TN Colonel Award in 1994 by Gov. Ned McWhorter for outstanding community service. He and Carrie Doyle were married May 1st of last year and they relocated residence to beautiful Cleveland, Tennessee.

Here Today. Gone Tomorrow.

by Cheryl L. Dunson

This year marked the 10th anniversary of my father’s homegoing, but it only seemed like yesterday when he passed from this life into the arms of Jesus. It made me mindful God is not limited by time, but I am.

During a recent Sunday school lesson, my teacher used a scripture to emphasize a thousand years are like a day to the Lord. In Psalm 90, Moses wrote, “For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by or like a watch in the night. You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like new grass of the morning—though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered.”

In 2 Peter 3:8, we read, “But do not forget this one, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day…”

One of my favorite songs is Who Am I by Casting Crowns. The first time I heard the song was shortly after my father died. The lyrics reduced me to tears because they reminded me how fleeting and fragile life truly is: “…I am

a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow, a wave tossed in the ocean, a vapor in the wind…”

Realizing life is short should help us use the little time we have here on earth more wisely and for eternal good. One of the most profound moments in my life was when a local pastor told members of my Rotary Club, “You have been blessed to be a blessing.” Those words totally changed my perspective on life and how they compel me to ask myself on a daily basis, “What do I want to see happen in my life before I die? What small step or action can I take towards that purpose today? How can I use my blessings to bless others?”

Because our days are numbered, we should want to make our work count, to be effective and productive Christians. Life is short no matter how many years we live. It’s easy to be deceived into thinking we have lots of remaining time to live for Christ, enjoy our loved ones, or do what we know we should do.

Before he retired, my pastor eloquently reminded us to live for God today and do so with excellence. Then, no matter when our life ends, hopefully, we have fulfilled God’s plan for each of our lives.

Walking With Molly: Part 3

by Shelley Knick

So much has changed since Molly left. When she passed, I knew that she had come to mother me. Odd, however, because I have a mother. A great mother! But at that time in my adult life, I needed an unrealistic level of attention. My friends, husband, and family members couldn’t fill the crack in my leaky bucket, and I know this because I tried to consume them as if they could.

So, I consumed God instead, and He responded in abundant grace—with a touch of humor. In a type of poetic justice, He delivered a tongue in cheek response to what I needed: A soul who literally had nothing to do but spend her waking hours watching me, waiting for me, and walking with me. Albeit needy, without judgement, God simply met my need.

Since she left, we moved three times, fell into pits of ridiculous tragedy, and summited mountains of miraculous victory. The groundwork laid during our time together proved to be instrumental to thriving during the chaos. As the saying goes, “suffering vines makes great wines.” She taught me about calm submission and divine harmony, both about which I have previously written. Lastly, she trained me to focus when walking the gauntlet.

The road we walked was perfectly straight, with a cul de sac at one end and a 90-degree bend at the other. It was lined with twenty-four, five-acre properties. Almost every house had a dog. For properties with perimeter fences, the resident dogs behaved like savages. They would run full force and charge the fence when we walked by. The barking, the growling, and the fury could make any pulse race. If I could feel it, imagine what it did to Molly’s primal nature.

The upside-down fact in her training was that while primal, she wasn’t allowed to behave primally. As unfair as it sounds, I was calling her to be more than a beast. Rest assured, the blood bath that could erupt if she were given the chance to unleash was unquestionable. Regardless of her capability to dominate, those neighbor dogs existed to make her who she was meant to be with me. We walked that road like it was the gauntlet. It was every bit the technical meaning of the word: Two rows of characters lined up on opposite sides of each other to assault the one who traveled the space between them.

So, we walked. I dictated the pace and tempo. I used specific physical pressures with leash and collar to prompt and remind her to focus on me. I made audible sounds to signal her to listen to my voice. I even adjusted my placement next to her to train her to keep a constant awareness of my presence. This was because her attention had to be anchored in her Alpha.

I would intentionally fade from her when I could see her attention had been hijacked. When I could tell she was locked into the opposition, I would drift back. When it was evident that she wasn’t aware, I would purposefully take off running in the opposite direction, which provided a quick choke. It also snapped her out of that state and returned her awareness back to my presence. With her attention back on me, we continued, and she would obsessively verify my location. This pattern repeated to strengthen her bonded attention.

Fixing our eyes on Jesus is about our attention. The training isn’t punishment. The distractions might be strategically placed. Our repetitive return to the gauntlet could be exactly what will bond our attention to an invincible state, thereby proving that the daily walk is a vehicle for God’s compounding affect.

Shelley is an aspiring writer. She is also a nurse, a wife to her high school sweetheart of 22 years, a brand-new mama to their miracle baby, and a new resident of Rome after moving from Washington state.

About The Author

Water for the Soul

by Paula Burgner

On extremely hot days, when the sun feels like it’s playing a game of hot potato with us, the heat makes you glad that you have access to water— whether it’s to drink, swim, or shower in. Too often, we take for granted the things that we are blessed with, things that others may not have.

The sun is bearing down on you, and it is trying to make you feel like it’s impossible to do anything. This is the same way that the devil works by making you think that you cannot go on or that you’re not good enough. However, just as water helps replenish what the sun has taken from you, this is the same way that the Lord works—by restoring your faith, carrying you through, and letting you know that He will always be here for you.

The Bible tells us in Isaiah 43:2, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”

Here the Lord is telling us that He will never leave us nor forsake us, as He will refresh us and not let us be over taken by the trials in life. Do you ever stop to think that water has no taste, no color, and no odor? This is how God’s love and grace is too. You cannot taste His love, it has no color, and you cannot smell it. This is how God meant for it to be so that it is equally given to everyone and has the same benefit for all those who accept it.

Just as water is meant to refresh your thirst on a hot day, so the love and grace of Jesus is meant to restore your soul. In the Bible, it tells us this in John 7:38, “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

Water does not resist, it flows. Water always goes where it wants to, and nothing in the end can stand against it. Dripping water can wear away a rock, and when faced with an obstacle, water can go around it. I feel like this is how God works for us. God does not resist our love; He takes our love freely. His love will not stop, as He gives it freely. His love can go anywhere He chooses, and when we accept God into our heart, nothing can stand against us.

When we face life’s challenges with the love and faith of knowing that God is on our side, we can go around those obstacles. Anything in life that has roots will find water, and it will always move toward what strengthens it. This is why we become stronger in our faith when we believe in our hearts and accept Jesus as our savior. We begin to look at things in a different way and become happier.

Just like God’s Word tells us in Isaiah 12:3, “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.” So, just like a river surrenders to the path that it is going down, once we accept Jesus in our hearts and surrender to the will of God, things will begin to flow as they should in our life.

God tells us this in John 4:14, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” Don’t be in a rush, wait on God, and He will supply the water. “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters” (Psalms 23:2).

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.

About The Author

The Story Behind the Vascular Institute: An Amputation Prevention Center

Navigating the medical system for patients and families is a daunting task filled with many uncertainties and challenges. When problems are severe, seeking specialty care can be complicated, requiring distance travel and prolonged waits for the initial encounter. Evaluating all medical conditions requires a triage process, a medical evaluation to diagnose the problem, and a treatment plan that needs to be carried out. “I realized there had to be a better way to speed up patient care and create a better system. It is unreasonable for patients to wait 4-6 weeks for an appointment with a vascular specialist, and finding a better way is a core belief at VIC,” said Dr. Chris LeSar.

Vascular Institute was developed in late 2015 with a specific plan to care for patients differently, having a mission to prevent unnecessary amputations for the region, and provide state-of-theart vascular care. The practice is committed to easy access to care, focusing on the patient’s best interest and how to triage, evaluate, and correct vascular problems in a timely manner without exception. We guarantee patients can be seen and evaluated within three business days.

This lofty goal was not a task that one person alone could accomplish; it could only be achieved with a strong team dedicated to their patients, with love and a passion for vascular care. By November 2016, the doors were open, and Vascular Institute began greeting patients with our new paradigm for this practice for the Greater Chattanooga Region. No longer would patients wait weeks for a specialty vascular appointment, but a planned approach to care was laid out for every patient’s encounter, ensuring they were our priority.

Today over 22.3 million Americans suffer from Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) or blocked arteries, which causes over 185,000 amputations to be performed in the United States each year. Additionally, there is a regional disparity, with 40% of these surgeries occurring in the southern states. This region needed a team with knowledge, passion, and dedication to eliminate unnecessary amputations. Access to care at VIC encompasses a rapid triage approach. Within three days, patients see one of our providers, undergo a diagnostic ultrasound test, and, if appropriate, interventional and surgical therapy can be performed at either our Chattanooga or Cleveland outpatient surgical centers or the regional hospitals.

Many patients present with painful walking as their primary symptom. However, 40% of patients diagnosed with PAD have an asymptomatic presentation or blame their leg issues on something other than PAD. The bottom line—PAD puts patients at a greater risk for heart attack, stroke, and limb loss. A simple ankle-brachial blood pressure test can be performed, which is the first key to detecting disease. If the diagnosis of PAD is made, then a medical

treatment plan can be put into place to reduce further damage to the arteries. Leg amputations can be prevented with combined support from primary care, podiatry, wound care centers, and the VIC team. Aggressive medical management, appropriate interventional or surgical care, patient risk factor modification, and lifestyle changes have allowed for a 97.4%, 60-day, and 93% 5-year limb salvage rate at VIC.

Lifestyle Changes:

Smoking

Vascular Institute aims to be a comprehensive arterial and venous vascular care leader. We approach our patients as a team, which allows us to assess them quickly, perform diagnostic ultrasounds on the same day, and offer an initial visit with a provider to discuss their issue. Patients want to be treated well and in as few visits as possible. If you or a loved one are at risk for a blood FLOW problem—Feeling of pain in the legs, Loss of sensation in the legs or feet, Open sores that won’t heal, or Weakness when walking—be evaluated by your doctor or call and schedule your consultation with VIC.

VIC is community-focused as part of our core beliefs and principles. The Vascular Institute has embraced the Cleveland community, and we are grateful for the support received since establishing our office four years ago. We now have expanded our facilities to include an outpatient interventional surgical suite, allowing patients to choose where they want to be seen and treated. Through the partnership with the Hamilton County Medical Society/ Foundation, we have been able to help patients affected with critical limb disease throughout the Greater Chattanooga Area. The Critical Limb Fund is available for patients without financial means to access care receive the treatment they need to save their legs, and continue to live their lives to their fullest capacity.

Our team has grown from the initial three staff members to three Board Certified Vascular Surgeons and ten Nurse Practitioners, with approximately 100 employees. We currently have five offices—Chattanooga, Cleveland, North Georgia, Jasper, and Dayton—to continue serving the patients in this region. The VIC Vascular team will continue to promote our objectives of bringing victory over amputations and delivering state-of-the-art vascular care to this region. This unique team-based approach to care allows us to offer hope to many people and provide the care patients need in a compassionate and loving environment. These are not just patients we treat—they become our family!

Concerns About an Emoji Bible

by Todd R. Gunderson

The comedian Tyler Boeh inserts a clever observation in his monologue about returning to communication with emojis after having left the idea several thousand years ago. Ancient hieroglyphs, or a system of writing using pictures, seemed to him to be very similar to emojis. It got me thinking about an advertisement I recently came across.

“The Emoji Bible is here.” The ad described the King James Version of the Bible translated into a word and picture amalgamation like a simple children’s book where clipart stand-ins represent words with certain meanings. Boeh’s reflection about ancient hieroglyphs resembling emojis is funny, but it is not so amusing when cartoony characters and images are used to substitute God’s words and reduce the meaning and clarity of the Holy Bible.

In the research that quickly followed my discovery of the Emoji Bible, I came across a review for it in The Atlantic, an online version of the Washington D.C. magazine, by Emma Green: “This makes it a somewhat rough approximation of the text. ‘There was not a lot of precision in the language,’ said Elizabeth Morrison of the Emoji Bible [Morrison is the head of the manuscripts division at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles]. ‘Especially in Semitic languages like Hebrew, there’s a lot of nuance in individual words.’ There are many different names for God in the Hebrew translation of the Bible, for example; like any translation, the Emoji Bible takes words that might have

many meanings and assigns them one [Emoji].”

The paragraph completely expressed my worries about such a text as the Emoji Bible. I find the idea of this Bible extremely unproductive for study and a mockery of God’s Word. The misinterpretations that can be realized is staggering. God’s Word is clear about altering His Word. Proverbs 30:5-6, “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.”

It cannot go unnoticed the seriousness God places on altering Scripture. I do not speak of translations to other languages and writing to clarify the Scriptures, but I am concerned about those things that foster confusion and misinterpretation of Scripture like this Emoji Bible will certainly do. Undoubtedly, this Bible will find its way into the hands of children. Reading the Emoji Bible may be easy when you know what a particular Scripture says, but unfamiliar Scriptures and the multiple-meaning emojis will promote misinterpretation and muddle. Since so many emojis are ambiguous in their meaning, I cannot imagine the damage it will do in communicating God’s truth. So serious is the matter that God ends His Holy Scriptures this way. Consider these last words found in Revelations 22:18, “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.”

I pray that discernment in such things is given to all.

Todd R. Gunderson is a teacher, author, and woodworker who lives and works in Cleveland, TN. He has been teaching for 25 years for Bradley County Schools. He earned his teaching degree at Lee University and a Master of Science in Education from Arkansas State University. Todd lives the country life with his wife, Laura, 4 children, 4 cats, and 2 dogs. You can see his books and woodworking projects at ToddRGunderson.com.

About The Author

Jabez And The God Of Israel

by Jonathon Wright

“Now Jabez was more honorable than this brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested” (1 Chronicles 4:9-10, NKJV).

Jabez was an honorable man whose family was filled with pain. It must have been a bad time for his family when he was born. Notice how his name is associated with pain. He possibly had to endure much pain growing up, having to live through the Exile. Yet he knew that God could help him through any pain, hurt, or difficulty in this life. Jabez knew he needed God’s blessing and support to be successful in life. So, he called on the God of Israel to bless him and enlarge his territory. Many times throughout the Bible and history, men would increase their territory by great violence and evil. But Jabez cared about people and did not want to cause pain in their lives or his life. Jabez was a man that sought and found God in the midst of his pain. We do not have the exact details of how God truly blessed him, but it was known to the people of his day. Through the years, as the nation of Israel was recovering from all the pain of the Babylonian Captivity, I believe his story offered hope for the recovering nation that God would bless and be with His people in the darkest times. It is true for us today as well.

Despite the fact that these verses do not give us a full picture, there is still more we can say. A city bearing his name is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 2:55. It states, “And the families of the scribes who dwelt at Jabez were the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and the Suchathites. These were the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab” (NKJV).

From this, we see that Jabez could have been associated with the families of scribes mentioned in this verse. No doubt as a scribe, he probably spent much time reading and reflecting on the law or God’s Word in the Old Testament, and the scribe who was writing this thought highly of him.

Also, one of the families of scribes in his city was given a high honor by the Lord. Notice Jeremiah 35:18-19 which states, “And Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you

have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he commanded you, therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me forever’” (NKJV). Some think this was the seed of the Sanhedrin or religious elite during the time of Christ in the New Testament. These scribes were honored for their faith in a time when all of God’s people were unfaithful. Their lives inspire us to trust and follow a faithful God who answers prayer.

About The Author

Jonathon Wright currently lives in Cleveland, Tennessee, and 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. Jonathon hopes to encourage people to read the Bible and take notes. You can find more from Jonathon at amazon.com/author/everydaynotes.

for your Taste Buds

Apple Streusel Cake

by Pam Wattenbarger

Take advantage of apple season with this semi-homemade cake. It uses a boxed cake mix as a base, along with an easy filling prepared from fresh apples. Perfect for tailgating, brunch, or dessert, this cake is delicious served warm. Any type of baking apple will work well in this recipe. Good choices include Honey Crisp, Jonathon, Granny Smith, Fuji, Gala, or Pink Lady.

Ingredients

Cake:

1 (18-ounce) box white cake mix

1 (3-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding mix

4 eggs

1 (8-ounce container) sour cream

½ cup vegetable oil

Apple Filling:

1 ½ cups baking apples, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon flour

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

½ cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup chopped pecans, toasted

Streusel Topping:

¾ cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon flour

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Powdered Sugar Glaze (optional):

¾ cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spritz a 9” by 13” baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, and oil on low speed for 2 minutes. Pour ½ of the cake mixture into the baking dish. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, stir flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar until blended. Add in the diced apples and stir to coat.

3. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add apple mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, and simmer 3 to 4 minutes or until apples are tender. Spread apple mixture over the cake batter and top with pecans. Spread remaining cake batter over the apple mixture.

4. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, and butter until small clumps form. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the cake.

5. Bake the cake for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Begin testing the cake after 35 minutes.

6. In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, almond extract, vanilla extract, and milk until blended. Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze evenly over the cake.

Pam Wattenbarger is the author of The New Southern Cookbook: Classic Family Recipes and Modern Twists on Old Favorites & The Southern Air Fryer Cookbook. Find her recipes and more at SimplySouthernMom.com

About The Author

Who’s Watching?

by Monica Gambrell

My husband and oldest son, Daniel, were always known for their lack of physical grace. Countless times they seemed to trip over thin air. One fine morning I joined their ranks. I was heading out the door to work and was met by a cold, stiff wind. I hadn’t realized that it was going to be so cold. As usual, I had both hands full; a briefcase in one hand and a cup of hot tea in the other. We had nine or ten steep wooden steps leading from the porch to the sidewalk. It was impossible to detect, but there was a thin layer of ice on the stairs, and my first step became my only step as I tumbled thumpity-thump down to the sidewalk. It must have truly been a hilarious sight. If I had been watching, I don’t know if I could have stifled my laughter. I don’t know why it was so immediate and instinctual to look up for witnesses, but it was.

I didn’t even take time to survey and assess the damages before I scanned the neighborhood to see who might have been watching. Our house was on a very high hill. We could see a lot of the city from the porch. Every other house near us, save one, was twenty or more feet lower than ours, so it would surprise me to know that no one witnessed the event. I didn’t have any broken bones, but I was bruised and bloodied. I had to climb back up those icy stairs in order to change my torn and now stained clothing. You can be sure I was much more careful on my way up than I was on my way down!

In our hometown there was a neighborhood walking track my husband and I frequented often. The children played on the playground equipment in the center of the track while we held

hands and leisurely walked. One Sunday morning a visitor approached me and told me something that just blew me away. She and her husband had been going through some challenging times, and were even considering divorce. Their daily trek took them past the track almost every day. She said that the sight of us enjoying one another so completely made her believe that they could revive their marriage. How humbling! Others are watching us, but most importantly, God is always watching us.

“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3).

“Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

“God, You are my God; I shall be watching for You; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and exhausted land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1).

Father God, we must be more cognizant than ever that every thought, word, and deed are in full view of You. May I live in such a way as to be fully invisible so that You are visible to those whom You place in my path. Every heartbeat brings us closer to the moment when we will be at the judgement seat of Christ. May I truly feel the urgency to sow seed in as many souls as possible, that they might enjoy both relationship and fellowship with You.

Enjoying Our Differences

by Susan Lavigne

Are we really so unaware of how different we are from each other? That may sound like a silly question, but how many times are we disappointed when someone doesn’t act in a way similar to us or in a way we expect?

When I was in college, my roommate and I decided to paint our dorm room. I had been taught in my youth the “proper” way of painting with even strokes of the roller up and down. Meanwhile, on the opposite wall, my roommate was being a free spirit. She was creatively making circles. She was having fun, and I confess, I was angry. In my mind, she wasn’t doing it “right.” But who is to say what is right or wrong in this situation or in a lot of situations we face? The end product was what mattered most, and in this case, the room got painted. There are many situations in our lives where as long as the task gets completed, does it really matter how it gets done?

Now, think about some of the struggles with which you deal. Are the conflicts in your life about little things that really don’t matter? Is your child not cleaning his/her room exactly the way you would like? Is your spouse not doing the household repair/ task exactly how or when you would like it done? Are you upset because maybe the dinner is not the way your mother used to make it? How hard is it to let go of our expectations and let others be who God created them to be? What about you? Are you too hard on yourself? Are you trying to live up to an unrealistic standard of perfectionism?

Despite popular belief, most people are not trying to be difficult. They are just different. When we open our minds to this concept, we will have less conflict and more peace. When we have expectations of others or compare ourselves with others, we are

setting ourselves up to be disappointed. Our greatest disappointments normally start when we don’t talk about our expectations. Sadly enough, most of the time, we don’t even realize we have expectations until we get disappointed. (I thought you were going to stay at home tonight with the kids)! These unspoken

expectations occur when we don’t inform the other person of our expectation and just assume they should know. (I shouldn’t have to ask. You should have known that I wanted flowers for my birthday).

So, what is the best way to deal with our differences? Talk about what we want and make sure it’s fair and agreed upon by everyone. Once we do this, we will really start to enjoy our differences and our lives more.

Susan Lavigne attends Cornerstone Church. She is a Christian speaker and songwriter. Feel free to contact her at susanclavigne@gmail.com.

About The Author

Making SENSE of the Vision

by Douglas B. Caywood

As a husband, a dad, a farmer, an architect, and a teacher, I have had a lot of experience observing how children learn and retain information. Whether it is a dad teaching a toddler something for the first time, an architect designing an interactive and educational learning space, or a teacher exploring a new curriculum standard with a classroom of students, the key is being interactive.

What do I mean by interactive? The MerriamWebster Dictionary definition of interactive is mutually or reciprocally active or involving the actions or input of a user. Enhancing the actions and input of these users is achieved by focusing on the five senses—seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, and tasting. As we teach, a child can comprehend and retain when the most senses are affected through a teaching method.

This concept is seen implemented most clearly in a discovery museum or children’s museum atmosphere. Museum exhibit designers use state curriculum standards as a basis of design and explore how each of the senses

can be engaged to assist users in learning through fun and interactive ways.

Trek Thru Truth (TTT) is using this concept in the development of our region’s emerging children’s museum. The design team is exploring the 52 Biblical accounts that will be featured in this facility in new and exciting ways.

During Sunday School classes and Vacation Bible Schools, churches engage children in Biblical accounts and life applications. However, these opportunities are restricted by limited resources, research, manipulatives, and technology.

To have a dedicated 60,000 square foot facility that is accessible all year and is dedicated to interactive exhibits using art, music, drama, and technology is phenomenal.

On September 17, 2022, Trek Thru Truth will hold its 2022 Annual Gala, themed— “Making SENSE of the Vision.” Guests will learn more about the interactivity of the exhibits by focusing on the five SENSES and how the state curriculum standards will be incorporated into the exhibits. For more information on how to purchase tickets for the Gala, how to donate items for the Silent Auction, or how to become a sponsor for this event, please email dcaywood@trekthrutruth.com. Also, stay tuned between now and the Gala as the www.trekthrutruth.com website is totally reimagined.

Sometimes, It Only Takes One

by Christana Tucker

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” These words, possibly the best-known words of our Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson, became the bedrock of a new country’s ideals. He is considered to be one of the seven principle

1795 treaty with allowing our new country to develop, rather than fighting again with England. Other key national decisions were decided by just a few votes, sometimes just one! These include: Andrew Jackson’s loss to John Quincy Adams, Texas’ 1845 annexation, President Polk’s declaration of War with Mexico, the 1967 Alaska purchase, and many more! The 1962 governor’s races in three states were each decided by an average of one vote per precinct!

Many people do not realize that local elections may be even more important, since local statutes, zoning, and taxes strongly affect our daily lives. Many local votes have also been decided by a narrow margin. The recent Bradley County Tax increase, Gary Davis’ election, and Dan Rawls’ County Commission 2014 election were decided by a very few votes. In 2012, The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported a final decision for Nick Lillios, for school board, by just two votes!

The State of Tennessee reported that, for the position of District Attorney, only 12,000 people in Bradley County voted in the Republican primary in May of 2022.

founding fathers of our country, along with George Washington, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison. And yet, Thomas Jefferson was only elected our third president by one deciding vote! Practice makes perfect, and success is achieved through long hours of working towards excellence. Sufficient time and research should be given to voting decisions, but one person’s vote, one time, can make a big difference!

Although the urban legend claiming America’s official language was one vote away from being German has been debunked, the same man it refers to, Speaker Muhlenberg, cast the single, tie-breaking vote to ratify the Jay Treaty. Although it was unpopular at the time, many credit the

With a reported population of 107,000 and 76.8% voting Republican, that means an estimated 70,000 Republicans did not exercise their right to influence local government this May! As George Jean Nathan said, “Bad officials are the ones elected by good citizens who do not vote.”

In November, citizens once again have the opportunity to make an impact in local, state, and national government. A local voter’s guide for Bradley County Elections—to help evaluate past voting behavior and positions—is available at Bradleyvoterguide.com. We Americans pride ourselves on being a representative democracy, as Abraham Lincoln claimed in the Gettysburg Address, “Government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Take a little time, and be that one vote that changes the future!

Count on us.

For your annual 3D mammogram.

This simple screening helps detect breast cancer early, when the odds of successful treatment are highest. Our 3D mammography can improve cancer detection by up to 40%.*

If you’re 40 or older, it’s important to get a mammogram every year. Schedule yours today! From the routine to the unforeseen, count on us.

To schedule your 3D mammogram, call 423.744.3372

To learn more, visit StarrRegional.com/Breast-Center

*Source: Cancer.org

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

Courage to Write

by Abdiel Medina

Any of my teachers from elementary to college would agree that I have bad writing. I even used to consider writing an unenjoyable, tedious task. Despite my negative perspective on writing, it became a passion that God ingrained in my heart all the way back when I was in the 7th grade. Honestly, I was surprised when God put a passion in my heart for writing, and it would take me a while to begin to understand the impact God would have in my life through it.

For example, writing became an outlet for me to live out my faith and go into a deeper relationship with God. During my time in middle school, I was uncertain about what I should be doing as a Christian. So, during my time at lunch, I would read my Bible and write about what I read and songs of praise. My writing was not deep or profound, but it enabled me to have a platform to worship God and dig into His Word.

Because God gave me a desire to write, it also served as an outlet to express my struggles. Vulnerability has never been easy for me, and during middle school, there were some personal struggles I was going through. Writing became a way for me to be vulnerable with God about my struggles.

Finally, I want to share how writing has become a tool for me to encourage and show my appreciation for others. During my time in high school, I started trying to be intentional about writing letters of encouragement and gratitude to others. Throughout my years of doing so, the impact that it can have on a person’s life has amazed me. Sometimes, I may not know what a person may be going through, but God will use the letter I wrote to provide the person with encouragement or

appreciation deeply needed. I’ve been blessed that through writing, God has enabled me the opportunity to use GoodNews Magazine as a platform to encourage and share God’s truth with my fellow citizens here in Cleveland.

Proverbs 3:5-6 declares, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.” Back when I was a 7th grader, I never envisioned

that God would use my passion for writing to help me grow as a Christian, endure tough trials, and positively impact several lives. Therefore, I want to encourage you that if you feel uncertain or confused about a prompting from the Lord or where He may be leading you, do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Lean onto God beyond your own understanding, and even if it takes a couple of years, you will be grateful for where God will take you.

About The Author

Abdiel Medina is a young writer working on his second year at Lee University. He loves God, his fam, and church fam at Keith Street Ministries!

A Family-tree Hugger

by Sandra Gilmore

Have you been following this series? Check each month as we explore often-overlooked connections to Christmas and wind our way back to this sacred event.

George Santayana almost got it right when he mused, “The family is one of nature’s masterpieces.” In fact, the family is one of God’s masterpieces. When I was younger, I thought little of genealogy, meaning ‘not often’ as well as where it fell on the roaster of priorities. Folks who were family-tree huggers were not on my “want-to-be-like-them-when-I-grow-up” target.

Have you given much thought to the Begats chapters in Scripture? Me neither, at one time. What changed my perspective? Bible study, particularly in the books of Matthew and Luke.

Just like re-wiring an old lamp or re-finishing a stately sideboard, the Begats can be seen through a fresh perspective with a little study. Have you read through the names not as names but as definitions?

Here’s a sample:

Abiud (My Father is Glorious!) Eliakim (My God will raise up) Azor (a helper) Zadok (the Just One)

Akim (will the Lord raise up) Eliud (My God is my praise) Eleazar (God will help) Matthan (May the gift of) Jacob (Jacob) Joseph (increase in greatness) Emmanuel (for God is with us, our Messiah and Savior)!

Wow! Each person’s position in the family tree of the Messiah is significant. Each person carries purpose, starting with his name, the first gift we receive in this world. When we consider the magnitude of how many grandparents are represented by one person, we can see the orchestration of an Almighty Hand. Just how does this look in practical terms? Given calculations to the 10th great-grandparent level, the

number of people represented is 4,096! Only an Almighty Hand could and would create a family tree leading to Emmanuel while narrating it with their names all the way to “God with us,” the ultimate Christmas gift. He dwelt among us. He provided our salvation on the Cross. Then, Holy Spirit was sent as our ever-present Comforter.

You are significant in your family tree as well. You carry position and purpose in God’s grand plan. Have you heard the saying “You’re one in a million!”? Consider this: if you allow for 25 years between each generation, 500 years ago there were 1,048,576 people involved in creating you!

Consider the uniqueness of your family tree. It’s like no other in history and will remain unique no matter how many generations follow you. Yet, branches upon branches are spread out across the globe, intertwined with other unique family trees functioning, networking, supporting, supplying each other through seasons as life carries on—all to the glory of God!

Application: Read through the first chapter of Matthew once again. Consider your own family line with generations before you and ones still branched out today. Here are some potential prayer points: Pray for your family members, far and near. Pray for their salvation. Forgive those who have fallen short. Praise the Lord for His gifts of talent and abilities granted to your family line. Praise the Lord for their influence on your life. Ask the Lord to draw them closer to Him. Ask for opportunities for them to impact their communities for the sake of the Good News.

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 www.sandragilmore.org

“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