River Region Christians - Feb 2022 by KeepSharing

FLU & PNEUMONIA

FACTS

Flu & Pneumonia Vaccines Reduce Illnesses, Doctor Visits, Hospitalizations, Missed Work & School.

U L F T H G FI A I N O M U & PNE

alabamapublichealth.gov/imm 1

www.facebook.com/auburnopelika.parents

Volume 23, Issue 10

Feature Articles

FEBRUARY 2 0 2 2 Columns page 8

page 2

Faith @ Work: Dale Entrekin, DMD We sat down with local dentist Dale Entrekin and learned what inspired him towards dentistry as a young boy. He also explains why he enjoys being a part-time worship leader at his church, even though he is an introvert and most often prefers serving in the background. Dale also discusses his 43 year marriage to Rita and what he hopes they instilled in their three daughters along the way.

Publisher’s Note Jason Watson

page 4

Pastor's Perspective Michael Cobb, Dalraida United Methodist Church

page 10

The Intersection Bob Crittenden

page 15

Moments with Kym Kym Klass

page 12

The Great Challenge of Every Marriage

page 20

Women Arising Pastor Kemi Searcy

page 21

by Tim Challies Find a fresh perspective on how marriage makes us more holy, not because of how we sharpen our spouse, but how the relationship requires us to extend mercy, patience, compassion and forgiveness.

Counselor’s Corner Kay Cannady, LPC

page 24

Dave $ays Dave Ramsey

page 16

Local Ministry Spotlight:

Child Evangelism Fellowship

by Kym Klass Discover a ministry partnering with churches to reach children inside their school with the Gospel of Christ. Find out how you can volunteer individually or get your church involved.

In Every Issue page 6

Books to Read page 8

Faith @ Work page 22

Support Groups February 2022

River Region Christians

Our Mission... We believe the Good News concerning the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is worth sharing with our friends and neighbors in the River Region. Each month we deliver this life-changing message to the centers of activity across our community in a user-friendly and relevant way to empower and equip all those seeking to grow closer to God. Join us in this mission by sharing a copy with your neighbor or by becoming an advertising partner starting next month.

Editor DeAnne Watson deanne@readjourneymagazine.com

Publisher

Jason Watson jason@readjourneymagazine.com

Research Editor Wendy McCollum

Contributing Writers Kay Cannady Tim Challies Pastor Michael Cobb Bob Crittenden Kym Klass Dave Ramsey Scott Sauls Kemi Searcy

Advertising Opportunities Jason Watson ads@readjourneymagazine.com (334) 213-7940 ext 702

Digital Manager

From the Publisher A few years ago, while driving to church, one of our children decided to express thoughts about some of the activities at church and how boring they all were. Afterwards, our other child said, “Well, it is Church, so get used to it.” Isn’t it sad that many adults feel the same way? Would you agree or disagree? Would you try to defend boring as good or perhaps explain why your church isn’t boring? I couldn’t help but be reminded of this story as a point of contrast to the final sentence of Jesus’ most famous sermon, The Sermon On The Mount. It reads, “And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were ASTONISHED at His teaching, for He was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.” (Matthew 7:28-29) And this isn’t the only place where it says people were astonished by Jesus’ teaching. It’s actually the common response. In chapter 7 of The Book of John, officers sent to arrest Jesus disobeyed their orders because, “Never did a man speak the way this man speaks.” Jesus’ teaching doesn’t sound BORING to me. How about you? Even when others shared the teachings of Jesus after his return to Heaven, people were still amazed. When the Apostle Paul spoke to the Roman Governor of Cyprus, Acts 13 reports he “believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.” The message Jesus graciously shared with the world is FAR FROM BORING! Yet, I’ve been bored with Christianity in seasons of my life. The warmness in my heart towards the Lord has grown cool at times. My reasons vary, but none of them have or ever will discredit the amazing truths and hope of Jesus’ message. Are you bored or apathetic towards the Lord? Don’t allow those feelings to tell you a lie about Him. Instead, can I ask you to turn back towards Jesus with a prayer that He’ll help you see afresh His teachings with amazement. To see and cherish the hope we have when we stand in Him as our Redeemer, Friend and Lord. Where the burden of our moral attempts and failures no longer hold us captive and weigh us down. Making us free to love our enemies and bless our world with the fruits born of His Spirit... alive in His children. “Lord, Amaze Us Again!”

Scott Davis

Ad Design

Tim Welch, Welch Designs

River Region Christians is published monthly by Keep Sharing, P.O. Box 230367, Montgomery, AL 36123. For information, call 334-213-7940. River Region Christians is copyrighted 2022 by KeepSharing. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. The opinions expressed in River Region Christians are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the owners, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products or services herein. River Region Christians has the right to refuse any content that is not consistent with its statement of faith.

River Region Christians

February 2022

River Region Christians

Pastor’s Perspective by Michael Cobb, Dalraida United Methodist Church

Encouragement Sustains the Hope We Need Francis Gary Powers might as well be the most famous U-2 pilot in history. Set for a secret mission on May 1, 1960, Powers was taking aerial photos of the Soviet Union from 70,000 feet when he was hit by a surface-toair missile (SAM). He ejected, but was captured and convicted of espionage. Sentenced to three years in prison and seven in hard labor, his sentence was reduced when the United States agreed to a prisoner exchange. Afterward, Powers flew dangerous experimental aircraft and became a test pilot for Lockheed. But after many years, flying a helicopter for a local news station in LA, Powers would end up losing his life in a crash. Why? His helicopter ran out of gas!

River Region Christians

February 2022

If everything that moves in this world is fueled by something, what is fueling you? You might be the most gifted and experienced person in the world, but if you run out of fuel you will crash and burn. That’s why the most important thing a person can do is to get and stay encouraged. It is everyone’s #1 need whether they know it or not. In fact, a wise person once said that we can live about 40 days without food, about 3 days without water, about seven to 7-8 minutes without air, but not a single second without hope. Encouragement fuels that hope and vision for a brighter future. Without hope, despair replaces joy. Fear replaces faith. Anxiety replaces prayer. Insecurity replaces confidence, and tomorrow’s dreams are hampered by nightmares (R. Johnston, HQ:360; 2016). It is simply impossible to be spiritually, psychologically, emotionally, or even relationally healthy without being grounded in hope. How is yours? I have found that I am most encouraged and filled with hope when surrounded by people willing to build into my life. Do you remember the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games? A man named Eric Moussambani turned in an unforgettable performance at the aquatic center. The 22-year-old from Equatorial Guinea learned to swim just months before 4

the games started. He was allowed to compete under a special provision that encourages developing countries to participate. Although he had only practiced in a 20-meter pool, Eric was able to enter the 100-meter freestyle. The marksman started the race. All other swimmers had false starts, leaving Eric to swim alone. But everyone grew concerned when he virtually stopped before the finish line. The crowds thought he might be drowning or unable to go on. Just then, the capacity crowd jumped to their feet and began cheering him on. Eric finally reached the wall, having won his heat, exited the pool, caught his breath, and told the reporter, “It was their cheering that kept me going” (P. Foster, “Olympian from the Equator wins at a crawl”; 2000). Who do you have supporting you, cheering you on? Solomon writes, “If one falls down his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him” (Ecclesiastes 4:10). We don’t live and move throughout life alone as if in a vacuum. We are surrounded by people, and some have more on their backs than those walking beside them. Sometimes encouragement requires us to give it first. Other times it requires us to strengthen the relationships we have or even searching for the ones you need. Bottom line, the good ones will always provide fuel for the tank and increase your hope for tomorrow. Running on empty is never good for anyone.

Michael Cobb is senior pastor of Dalraida UMC on Atlanta Highway in Montgomery. See their ad on this page.

c re

s 0). e

February 2022

River Region Christians

Friendship and the Grace of God

Read This First

by Michael Haykin

by Gary Millar

Most of us are familiar with the term “means of grace.” Means of grace are the ways in which the Holy Spirit works in our lives to lead us into holiness. You might think of them as the “channels” through which sanctifying grace flows from God to his people. Most prominently he does this through Scripture, prayer, and the ordinances of baptism and Lord’s Supper (or, more broadly, through the unique ministry of the local church). But did you know that historically some people also understood Christian friendship to be a means of grace? They did not mean that friendship actually bestows grace, but that it is a means through which God accomplishes his work of sanctification. Whether or not friendship can rightly be categorized as a means of grace, these believers certainly understood the importance and benefits of close, brother-to-brother, iron-sharpening-iron relationships. Such friendships are the theme of Michael Haykin’s new book Iron Sharpens Iron: Friendship and the Grace of God. His purpose in the book is not to provide a theology or philosophy of friendship as much as it is to provide historical examples of friendships—examples that focus on a pair of fascinating eighteenth-century characters: Andrew Fuller and John Ryland. “Iron Sharpens Iron is about the specific way that friendship functioned as a means of grace for two eighteenth-century men.” It’s an interesting way of going about his task and one that is effective since, as the old saying goes, some things are better caught than taught so that we sometimes learn better by vivid example than straight-up instruction. Modern Western culture is not particularly friendly to friendship and for quite a number of reasons it seems to have fallen on hard times. “Such friendships take time and sacrifice, and the West in the early twenty-first century is a busy, busy world that, generally speaking, is far more interested in getting and possessing than sacrificing and giving.” Then there is the culture that places self ahead of others and the sexual revolution that perhaps makes men afraid of relational intimacy lest it somehow convey the existence of sexual intimacy. The cards are stacked against it. Yet Christian friendship remains important and a blessing—a means of grace, even—to those who commit to it and experience its joys. It’s my hope that Iron Sharpens Iron will foster more precious friendships that the Lord will use for the good of his people and the glory of his name.

Every generation of Christians faces the very same challenge: To learn the Bible for themselves and to teach it to those who follow in their footsteps. This task cannot be willed, it cannot be inherited, it cannot be passed down. Rather, each generation must accept afresh the challenge to honor, to know, and to obey the Word of God. Gary Millar’s Read This First is, according to the subtitle, “A Simple Guide to Getting the Most from the Bible.” It is, in that way, a wonderful place to begin for those who wish to accept their God-given responsibility (or alternatively, a wonderful resource to distribute to help others with theirs). Millar says, “This book aims to help people who would like to read the Bible but don’t really know where to start or how to go about it. You may be a Christian who enjoys being part of a church or a Bible-study group, but you end up feeling lost and confused whenever you attempt to read the Bible for yourself. You may have even tried to embark on a Bible-reading regime but... it didn’t take long before you gave up with a sense of defeat: you just don’t get it. That’s why I’ve written this book: to guide you through it. My hope is that you’ll read this first and go back to the Bible with the skills and confidence to truly enjoy it.” There is a second audience in his mind: “You may be pretty new to Christianity. You have always thought that the Bible seems interesting enough for you to take a look, but you’ve been put off by the small print, strange ‘religious’ language, its distance from your culture, or even just its size. You may have been been encouraged to read the Bible by a friend, or heard a snippet of what it says at a wedding or funeral, or come across a quotation somewhere. It’s often said that the Bible is one of the best-selling books of all time. That alone seems like a good reason to dip into it.” Though Read This First is short and simple, that is exactly its purpose and its exactly its charm. It is just the kind of book each of us would have benefitted to read at the start of our journey to better understand God’s Word and just the kind of resource each of us loves to distribute to others. It will do exactly what it promises: help those who have a desire to read the Bible to actually read the Bible—and to read it right. I’m very glad to recommend it.

River Region Christians

February 2022

Fraz pret joy o Com

SUN

8:30 9:45 11:00

ed,

rst

ost y,

Find your smile.

o t.”

Frazer is a place where we pursue joy. Not the fake happiness that pretends everything is fine; but the authentic, resilient, overcoming joy of those who find life in Jesus and build healthy family together. Come join us this Sunday, and find your smile again!

S U N DAY S C H E D U L E

t it

rey ble o

8:30 AM–9:30 AM ......... Traditional Worship 9:45 AM–10:45 AM ........ Sunday School for All Ages 11:00 AM–12:00 PM........ Contemporary Worship WATCH US ON WFRZ TV & ONLINE AT WWW.FRAZER.CHURCH DOWNLOAD OUR APP | 6000 ATLANTA HWY. IN MONTGOMERY 7

SAV E THE DATE

APRIL

2 APR

17 APR

February 2022

Gaither Vocal Band Concert Easter Sunday Celebration Matthew West Concert

River Region Christians

DE: Ironically, leading worship at our church is the only time I feel comfortable before a crowd. Music has always been the medium that speaks to me the most, especially praise and worship music. I like the old classics, but I connect with contemporary Christian music. I enjoy taking the preaching minister’s theme and planning the service to not only compliment, but reinforce the lesson. RRJ: You’ve been married for four decades (43 years to be exact). What an accomplishment. How has your marriage sustained you and helped you overcome hardships in your life? DE: Oh, wow, I guess it has been that long, but in so many ways, it seems like yesterday. Rita is truly my biggest cheerleader. My partner, my confidant, my conscience, and my best friend. We have had some obstacles to face, but overall, we have been blessed in our life. Our extended family and our small group at church have been our lifeline through thick and thin, and we couldn’t imagine life without them. RRJ: Being a proud parent/father, you raised three beautiful daughters. What are some Christian values that you instilled in your children that they carry with them today? RRC: Ever since you were in the fourth grade, you wanted to become a dentist. At that tender age, what inspired you to practice dentistry? DE: Growing up, I spent a lot of time in my dentist’s office. I liked it there. I remember it being a happy place. I trusted everyone there and felt like they wanted what was best for me, and I was very intrigued by the work itself. I was already pretty good with my hands, which I sensed was pretty important, and I liked the idea of helping people and relieving them of pain. RRJ: Faith is undoubtedly the cornerstone of your life. In addition to practicing dentistry, how does being a substitute worship leader impact your life? River Region Christians

February 2022

DE: We have tried to teach our girls that they don’t have to be the best at everything, but to do the best they can. We wanted them to be able to support themselves should the need arise. Also, to surround themselves with good and godly friends and make it a priority for their families to have a deep relationship with Jesus. RRJ: It takes a servant’s heart to do what you do. While treating your patients, what brings you the most joy? DE: Most of my staff has been with me for about 20+ years, and many of our patients longer than that. I enjoy going to work every day to see my second family. As far as treating patients go, relieving someone from pain is always rewarding. But the most fun comes from seeing a patient’s reaction after a cosmetic procedure. And 8

seeing them laugh out loud instead of covering their mouth because they are embarrassed. It is truly the best. RRJ: Do you have a motto or affirmation that you incorporate into your daily routine? DE: Our practice goals have never been to meet financial quotas. We trusted that growth would come if we just treated people right. If we have a goal, it is to keep our patients for life by being compassionate and giving them options when it comes to treatment. RRJ: You mentioned that you try to be involved in the community, but more in a shadowy kind of way. Tell us more about your specific involvement in the community? DE: I stuttered severely growing up and still struggle with speaking at times. It’s better if I am in a very comfortable environment, and at work, my patients and staff provide that. I’m also more introverted than not and am pretty happy being in the background of almost any situation. I don’t feel the need to be front and center to contribute to a given situation. My family and I have always been very involved in community activities, from school to the ball fields and our church. We have been to Mexico many times on church mission trips, as well as to Guatemala on medical missions. I have served on the boards of a local school and an adoption agency for many years. We have recently started working with Mercy House and thoroughly enjoy being involved there. RRJ: As Christians, we all fall short. What advice would you give for being too hard on yourself, even when you’re putting your best foot forward? DE: Grace was never emphasized or taught in the church of my youth. God doesn’t expect us to be perfect, so neither should we. If He loves us enough to forgive us, we need to learn to forgive ourselves as well. Dale Entrekin was born and raised in Gadsden, Alabama. He’s married to Rita Entrekin. They have three daughters with corresponding sons-in-law and three grandchildren.

th f

he a s

ala

February 2022

River Region Christians

Trends of Twenty-Twenty-One At the beginning of each year on The Meeting House program on Faith Radio, I trace some of the top stories impacting the Christian community during the previous year, integrating comments from a variety of guests on the program. As I presented the previous year’s topics, I noticed that there were some common threads among the topic areas. One of those had to do with what has come to be known as “cancel culture.” Specifically applied to Christians, there were instances in which people who acted or spoke according to their deeply held convictions, consistent with Scripture, found themselves ostracized and perhaps facing disciplinary action. Take, for instance, the case of The Daily Citizen, a news-oriented website of Focus on the Family. A tweet published on Twitter resulted in its feed being suspended for pointing out that a biological male who identifies as female was being considered for a particular high-level position. In other news related to this topic: An Ohio university professor who had been suspended for declining to call a biological male student by his preferred, gender-identity-based, pronoun, received a positive court ruling. There was also the instance of a Virginia high school teacher who was suspended, then reinstated, for speaking out at a school board meeting about a proposed policy to force teachers to call students by their “gender identity” pronouns. During 2021, school board meetings became events in which parents, whose children had been learning at home during the pandemic, had discovered they were not in agreement with what was being taught and River Region Christians

February 2022

began to speak out. This involved instances where ideas inconsistent with Scripture were part of school curricula. Parents spoke out about inappropriate, even pornographic, material being covered. And, they objected about “critical race theory,” which has been characterized as an unbiblical attempt to address racial issues, which has resulted in dividing people based on racial generalizations. Parents are given the responsibility in the Scriptures for their children’s education and Christian parents certainly have the right to be involved in challenging what their children are being taught in school. Cultural Marxism, which takes different forms, is a worldview perspective that divides people along the lines of components such as race, sexual orientation, class, and economics. We cannot be a unified country (or Church) as long as these types of divisions are present. Religious freedom continues to be an area in which there is tension. Summit.org released a survey that found “73 percent of American voters who have an opinion about the issue say that they agree with America’s founders that our rights are given to us by our Creator and not by the government.” Also, “75 percent of American voters say the government does not have the right to force people to participate in practices that violate their religious beliefs.” Colorado cake baker Jack Phillips continues to have his religious freedom rights violated - even after winning a U.S. Supreme Court victory in a case involving his declining

to provide a cake for a same-sex wedding ceremony. Around the time that ruling was announced, he was challenged again, and, at the end of the year, he was still seeking justice in the courts. Fortunately, there was another victory at the high court, when a Philadelphia adoption and foster care agency, which had been banned from operating in the city because it would not place children in foster homes headed by same-sex couples, received a favorable ruling. The area of religious freedom also became relevant in the area of COVID. Some churches who had ceased to meet at the beginning of the pandemic had been opening back up again throughout 2020, and the year 2021 marked a turning point. Some churches had endured a number of restrictions that had been placed upon them by health officials in states and localities. The U.S. Supreme Court became involved in this area, as well, allowing churches to meet indoors (with limited capacity). There is also another issue in which Christians have become involved, and that is the attempt by authorities to force people to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Many regard that choice as a decision based on personal conscience, and that a government does not have the constitutional right to override that decision. People who have applied for and denied religious exemptions from having to forcibly take the shot have found themselves in a position of possibly losing their jobs for non-compliance. In addition to the physical health concerns, the mental health ramifications of the COVID pandemic continue to unfold, and it is important that the Church stands ready to minister to those who suffer. We should pray regarding the coronavirus and our response to it, as well as seek the Lord about how we can respond to negative, unbiblical trends that have infected our culture.

Journey.J

To subscribe to Faith Radio Ministry Magazine

To support the ministry of Faith Radio

at ice

ng ar es ad n urt ng c-

Faith Radio also has a special page on our website with information on resources about heaven from Faith Radio programmers and guests. Please click on the QR code to access this valuable information.

We want to send you a free copy of the Faith Radio Ministry Magazine! This issue’s theme is “Heaven,” and includes words of encouragement from some of the voices you hear on Faith Radio about the heavenly home promised to Christians.

nt rd

Please contact us for your copy.

.FM1

WLBF

Faith Radio is here to provide spiritual encouragement and help grow your faith. Please let us know if we can help you in any way.

MONTGOMERY

o ay e

hat

Listen Live Now • www.faithradio.org • Montgomery WLBF 89.1 FM 11

Journey.JAN.22.FAITH.120621.indd 1

February 2022

River Region Christians

12/6/21 7:25 AM

ne co wh pa

us pe tify Go inv

he de tim sin tw It’s tha

River Region Christians

February 2022

W e’ve all heard that marriage was designed to make us holy more than to make us happy. And though it’s a bit of a trite phrase that threatens to force a false dichotomy between holiness and happiness, there is a measure of truth to it. At its best, marriage does, indeed, help us grow in holiness. It helps us in our lifelong quest to put sin to death and come alive to righteousness. Aileen and I knew this was true when we got married all those years ago, but as time has passed we’ve been surprised to learn how it’s true. It had been our assumption that marriage would make us holy because we would essentially be enlisting another person to our cause—a person who would assist us in identifying sin and in helping us put it to death. “This is the will of God: your sanctification,” says Paul, and each of us would be involving ourselves in embracing God’s will for the other. Certainly there have been times when each of us has helpfully and even formally pointed out where the other has developed patterns of sin and selfishness. There have been times when we have each helped the other fight a particular sin or a general sinfulness. Yet as we look back on the past twenty-three years, we see that this has been relatively rare. It’s not that we don’t see plenty of sin in one another and not that we are firmly opposed to pointing it out. No, it’s more

Schedule your retirement review today. It’s been said that we spend more time planning vacations than planning for retirement. Let’s set aside some time to create positive change for you and the people you care about and understand: • How much you’ll need to retire

FBPK

• If you are on track for your retirement goals • Which IRA is right for your retirement needs – Roth or traditional • The importance of asset allocation and how it can help as you work toward your long-term goals

It’s more than just money. Investing is about realizing the possibilities of your future. Sang Y Chung, AAMS®, CRPC® Financial Advisor 1951 Berry Chase Place Montgomery, AL 36117 334-271-9573

First Baptist Preschool and Kindergarten P r at t v i l l e

2022-2023 REGISTRATION

STARTS FEBRUARY 16

edwardjones.com Member SIPC

fbcprattville.org/kindergarten

February 2022

River Region Christians

that there is another way that marriage has helped us grow in sanctification—a way in which our efforts are directed at addressing ourselves more than fixing each other. Each of us has our sins, our imperfections, and our shortcomings. Each of us is pretty well established in who we are and how we behave and each of us is, at 45, pretty unlikely to experience dramatic transformations in this. That’s not to say that we have given up or declared ourselves as holy as we can ever be. Far from it! But at this point we are assuming that the sins that dog us today will probably continue to dog us to the end—though hopefully with diminishing strength. And this means that the sin we have each had to tolerate in the other is sin we will likely need to tolerate for however many more years the Lord gives us. So while Aileen may grow in holiness by having me confront her in her sins, she seems to grow more in holiness by patiently tolerating my sinfulness—by loving me despite my sin and loving me as the Lord helps me progressively put that sin to death. Let’s be honest—it is often harder to tolerate a bad habit than a bad sin. Then, while each of us has our sins, each of us also has our quirks, our preferences, our idiosyncrasies, our annoyances. And just like we assume that the sins that have dogged each of us through the first twenty-three will dog us for the next twenty-three, we assume that the things that just plain annoy us about one another today are likely to persist as well. And let’s be honest—it is often harder to tolerate a bad habit than a bad sin. It is often harder to tolerate the way your spouse chews his food or leaves her clothes on the ground than the way he sins against you or the way she remains un-

sanctified. And again, while Aileen might grow in her sanctification by having me formally point out a way in which she is sinful, she seems to grow more in sanctification by learning to accept and perhaps even embrace some of those non-moral but oh-so-annoying things I do—those eccentricities and matters of preference. So perhaps the foremost way that marriage has helped make us holy is not so much in calling each of us to serve as the other’s second conscience, a junior assistant to the Holy Spirit in bringing conviction of sin. It is not in calling each of us to be a kind of moral sandpaper to actively scour off each other’s rough edges. Rather, marriage has helped make us holy by calling each of us to extend a kind of divine mercy toward the other—to simply live lovingly with someone who is prone to be sinful and just plain hard to live with. In marriage, God allows us to see one another as we really are, then to accept one another as we really are—as holistic human beings who are a mixture of holy and depraved, grownup and immature, wonderful and almost unbelievably annoying. Marriage makes us holy not just in compelling us to identify and confront sin in the other, but also in calling us to bear patiently with another person’s sin, preferences, and bad habits. In other words, marriage makes us holy in the way it calls us to be like God in overlooking offenses, in imparting mercy, in extending forgiveness, in displaying compassion, in refusing to be petty. Thus, the great sanctifying challenge of marriage is not so much to fix one another, as to imitate Christ.

su int so

Tim Challies is a pastor, author and blogger. Visit www.challies.com.

be Bir an mo es

ca sit tra in t an yo ate

ary un 20 tha ac ne

ed aro Wi roc ov tha

be River Region Christians

February 2022

to al at-

Climbing Your Mountain to Rest ... when you’re freed from all that is suffocating you, when you’re done fighting internally, finished living in survival mode, sometimes all you can do is rest. When I need to escape, and to truly be alone, I head to Ruffner Mountain in Birmingham. I’m not sure why, but I feel an undeniable peace there. I found the mountain over a year ago when needing to escape more populated trails in our region. And just retreat. There is a point on one of the trails called Winter Overlook, where you can sit and be far enough away from the main trails to become lost in thought. To breathe in the quiet. To breathe it in and out, over and over. To immerse yourself in a solitude you can only share with the One who created everything around you. It is where I found myself early January, the day my daughter returned to her university in Oklahoma, and after a trying 2021 that brought me to my knees more than once. A year that ended in release, acceptance, and a freedom I desperately needed. And a year that proved to me repeatedly that God had his arms wrapped around me the entire time. And I sat at Winter Overlook, on one of just a couple of rocks large enough to sit, and whispered over and over, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” And I sat – truly for only a few minutes before others made their way to the same

spot – knowing some of the harshest of proverbial chains around me had fallen. And I was free in a way I hadn’t experienced in years. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28-29) Have you been to that spot? Not the one on Ruffner Mountain, but to that place of freedom and security and thankfulness all rolled into one? To that place of healthy numbness knowing your spirit has been renewed? And you find your spot to just soak it all in? And give thanks? Because you know deep, deep in your soul it was Him who got you there. A simple response in your head is that yes, of course, He is there for it all. And yes, it’s true. But how many times have we soaked it in to a point that we are numb? To a point we find ourselves climbing a mountain and find only the words “thank you, thank you, thank you.” I had nothing else. Because when you’re freed from all that is suffocating you, when you’re done fighting internally, finished living in survival mode, sometimes all you can do is rest. Sometimes, all you can do is give praises of thanksgiving. 15

The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. (Psalms 28:7) I walked away from Winter Overlook, and took the trail back to where I started my journey that morning. It was in the 30-degree-cold-for-Alabama-range, and I was bundled in a puffy thigh-length jacket, gloves, a stocking hat. Large sunglasses. Incognito – just as I like it sometimes. I passed by families, couples, other dog owners. And the sun shone on us all. The morning could not have been more perfect. The laughter, the smiles, the casual banter among strangers and family alike. And I wanted to tell them, Look at what God can do. Look at this pause, this numbness, this stillness He can offer. Look

at what He can do for you. Look at the freedom only He can provide. That He can pull you through to. Just look. Let it work through you. Do the hard work. Fall on your own knees. And then climb, and rest on the mountain. February 2022

River Region Christians

ch mu Na of ch co ing

low org bo ou is t wit Je (di Go Ch

five the Its loc the inc tia

by Kym Klass

The vision of Child Evangelism Fellowship is to guide a new generation that seeks to honor God. Sometimes, when this ministry enters a classroom, it is the only time during the week children are filled spiritually... the only time they hear about Jesus. It is a generation CEF believes is searching – for significance, meaning, and for their place in this world. River Region Christians

February 2022

“Our job is to empower churches to go into their community and schools,” said Naomi Kemp, local coordinator of the CEF Central Alabama chapter. “If we can get the kids coming to church, that’s teaching them the Gospel.” Child Evangelism Fellowship is a Bible-centered organization composed of born-again believers throughout the world whose purpose is to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to establish (disciple) them in the word of God and in a local church for Christian living. CEF of Alabama includes five active chapters across the state with the state office located in Montgomery. Its goal is to serve the community and/or local churches in reaching children with the Gospel of Salvation through programs including the Good News Club and Christian Youth in Action. Last year, CEF reached more than 20.4 million children globally. In Alabama,

statewide chapters taught in 148 clubs/ programs, reaching more than 4,500 children with 280 making professions of Christ as their savior. “God is so good,” Kemp said. “The week before Alabama shut down (in March 2020), we had 22 to 23 Good News Club (gatherings) going on in schools, and around 14 children accepted Jesus at the clubs that week. That’s an unheard-of number.

“In a given month, we maybe have six or seven. It was absolutely a Godsend.” Good News Club is the “meat and bones” ministry of CEF, Kemp said, and trains teachers to meet with groups of children in schools, homes, community centers, churches, apartment complexes – just about anywhere the children can easily and safely meet with their parent’s permission.

The path to

MENDING HER

HEART

was actually through her leg. Olivia was born with a congenital heart defect requiring open heart surgery at 3 months old. She also required a second surgery as a teen to replace her pulmonary valve – but this time they went through a vein in her leg to insert the Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve in her heart. This less-invasive path to replacement shortened her recovery time, and she went home the next day. Olivia was the first pediatric patient in the southeast to receive the Harmony valve, and it was here at Children’s of Alabama.

Olivia

To learn more visit ChildrensAL.org/heart

Tetralogy of Fallot Patient

February 2022

River Region Christians

Each week, a teacher presents a Bible lesson, with time together also spent worshiping, memorizing Scripture, learning of missions stories and reviewing games or other activities focused on the lesson’s theme. “Probably 80 percent who attend Good News Club are unchurched,” Kemp said. “Churches get to sponsor a program and go to the school once a week and teach the kids about Jesus,” she added. “Then they get to build these relationships with these children.” And these children, Kemp said, have provided hope and insight into what developing a relationship with Jesus has meant to them. • “At a school I visited this past fall, a little girl gave me an envelope on the

River Region Christians

February 2022

last day of the 5-Day Club that said, in the ‘past five days, I have learned about God and Jesus I did not know. You are the best.’” • At Good News Club this past fall, a third-grade boy stood up and said, “God is perfecto!” Kemp said they had been learning about Jesus and about “peace be still.” • At another club location, a young girl approached her leader and said, “It’s fun in here; I love it.” Kemp said, “It’s great

to hear it’s fun to learn about Jesus.” “When I started doing this in the early 2000s, I was their first introduction to Jesus … in the South … in Alabama,” Kemp said. “One of my very first summers a boy asked, ‘Now who is Jesus? I just thought he was a cuss word.’” The Christian Youth in Action is where Kemp got her start in 2003. The program trains individuals in effective and engaging ways to teach children about God. They are trained in learning how to present the Gospel clearly on a child’s level, counsel a child for salvation, and lead a dynamic club ministry for kids. Components of this club include teaching a Bible lesson, a real-life missionary story, and a Bible verse as well as leading songs and games. “Learning this effective way to share the Gospel was one of the best experi-

en CY VB of 20 co

Co wit pe wis gra

ca “n sc lea

ch ha stu be Th ch

sta wit it d

hilnna n, s.

ences of my young life,” she said. “I did CYIA – I like to call them espresso shot VBSs – all through high school and most of college. I was Summer Coordinator in 2011, and was a volunteer as much as I could for CEF. “God called me to become the Local Coordinator in March 2019, and together with the other creative and amazing people in our group, we spread His love, wisdom, and the story of His amazing grace throughout Central Alabama. “It’s wonderful to know you’re helping write names in the Book of Life.” Asked why the community should care about what CEF is doing, Kemp said, “number one, we’re putting Jesus into the schools in a legal way. We’re helping them learn more about the Bible. “A secondary but wonderful benefit is children who attend the Good News Club have better grades. The teachers say students who attend the club are better behaved. It has helped their retention. They are becoming better students. The churches get to know the school needs. “Previously, we had a church that started a tutoring program (Frazer Church with Chisholm Elementary School), and it directly impacts the schools. With the

hopeful returning of the Good News Club, these children and these schools will continually get help from the community and spread knowledge of what the schools might need.” There are a few schools opening up for GNC this spring, including Coosada and Daniel Pratt Dlementary Schools. CEF will offer individual workshops at churches so they can start going back into schools. During her time with the CYIA, Kemp said she would “see these kids in Walmart, and they would ask about stories being told in programs,” Kemp said. “Those interactions with the children … I just fell in love with them. You’re teaching kids about Jesus, but it also helps with public speaking, Bible knowledge.

“If there is a teen who went through this, they are either in ministry or fully involved in their churches. That’s the ministry that raises the church leaders of tomorrow.”

Want to volunteer? Have more questions? Contact Naomi Kemp at cefcentralal@gmail.com or visit CEF online at cefcentralalabama.org. Kym Klass is a contributing writer and Communications Director of the Media Ministry at Frazer Memorial UMC in Montgomery.

February 2022

River Region Christians

What’s Love Got To Do With It? Ah...Valentine’s Day...the celebration of love...ERRRK! Put the brakes on! For many it’s a day of disappointment in a marriage that leaves us wanting. Or it can be just another day within a boring marriage. But Proverbs 5:19 (CSB) says, “Be happy with the wife you married when you were young.” Or you can reverse this: “Be happy with the husband you married when you were young.” The song from the title above says, ‘Love is just a second-hand emotion,’ but it’s that true? What does Valentine’s Day represent to you? Does your Valentine attitude show a problem in your relationship with your spouse? Or does the day of love sound like a fun way to celebrate your relationship? Many spouses declare that they have fallen out of love: “I don’t love him anymore” or “He doesn’t love me anymore.” What do these statements mean? Does this mean that the stimulating infatuation of new love has dissipated? Or is it a matter of deep communication that has been lost? Perhaps it is a loss of sexual intimacy. Depending upon your definition, love may or may not have much to do with the status of your marital relationship. The Bible tells us there is great advantage given to married couples. Ecclesiastes 4:9: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up..” Marriage counselors, when asked what the foundations of a good marriage are, tend to focus on four or five items. Their advice seems to vary on a specific focus. Look at the following compilation of expert advice and circle what is important to you.

Practical Relationship Builders: 1. Good Sense of Humor 2. Willingness to Listen

River Region Christians

February 2022

3. Similar Set of Beliefs 4. Tolerance 5. Communication 6. Spontaneity 7. Rituals of Connection

Purposeful Team Builders:

8. Support for the Other Person’s Role 9. Shared Goals 10. Shared Values and Symbols 11. Priority 12. Pursuit 13. Possess

Pertinent Character Qualities: 14. Purity 15. Love 16. Trust 17. Respect 18. Understanding 19. Faith 20. Hope

Powerful Elements of Peace and Trust 21. Financial Security 22. Physical Security 23. Emotional Security 24. Moral Security 25. Intimacy Security 26. Friendship Security 20

This is quite a list! It is obvious that marriage is a lot of work. In fact marriage is the #1 character builder in your earthly journey. Spouses would probably agree that these are all important factors in building their marriage. The difference between husband and wife is most often in how these areas are expressed; demonstrative or subtle; unpredictable or comfortable; creative or straightforward. For example, creative Frank snuck into his wife’s office building and covered her office door with Valentine paper and hearts. Taped on the office walls were more than 50 cute children’s valentines with a few words from Frank on each. Jenn’s husband always had cold feet, literally. She hated it when he stuck his frozen toes next to her in bed. She bought him a simple, practical gift for Valentine’s Day but had a scavenger hunt around the house with clues as to what and where the present was. When he finally came into the bedroom, Jenn was sitting on the bed with only the socks on! It’s fun to design a gift with an emotional build-up. Instead of spending money on a gift without meaning, make a Valentine experience, one that is a complete surprise. Have you ever kidnapped your spouse? Fara did. She called her husband’s boss to arrange an extra day off. She secured her in-laws to watch the kids and the dog. She packed their bags, secretly putting them in the car’s trunk. She made an excuse to “travel to work” with her husband and just outside their neighborhood, Fara asked him to get her jacket out of the trunk. There he found a banner that read, “Surprise! You are kidnapped!” with the luggage. He was overwhelmed! Marriage is multifaced, taking a lifetime of work to even come close to full development. Enduring love comes from pushing forward in any of the 26 areas above. How well are you building your most significant earthly relationship? Song of Solomon 8:7 says: “Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away...” What’s Love Got to Do With It? – Everything! Have fun practicing!

sh kn ha so tow fin in Ig to ne

are e. s ed;

New Hope for the New Year

et,

ht s e he

d a

2022 is here yet we still live in the shadow of a disrupting “life as we once knew it” virus and its variants. Our faith has been tested as the world is hurting in so many ways now. Now is the time to look toward God for comfort. His word says to find His peace. Find His presence and trust in Him. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)

There have been unwanted changes in all our lives as the result of a hurting world, but again, this is no surprise to our Lord. If you have faith, let Him carry you through this. If you do not have faith, try connecting with His healing balm through the part of you that is spiritual. Yes, you are more than flesh and blood. There is a spiritual part in you, an immaterial part that is your life force. This is your spiritual connection to Jehovah Rapha, the great physician. In this life, we have little control over events as they unfold daily. In John 16:33, God’s word says, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” There is comfort in that statement. We are not going to get through life unscathed, but we do have a heavenly source of strength to get us through our troubles. Although “life happens” often with little rhyme or reason, we

always have a choice on how we respond. Offer 2022 up to God and do so on a daily, hourly, moment by moment basis. It is in His very capable hands. Look to Him now and continue to watch for the miracles that only He can orchestrate. Light is always stronger than the darkness. If you need convincing, light a candle in a dark room and watch how that little candle will expel all the darkness. Live your life as a light in this world. Make this year better by becoming a better you with the help of the Holy Spirit. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) Here’s wishing you a very Happy New Year with wonderful new beginnings! Ms. Kay Cannady, LPC is a therapist at Samaritan Counseling Center and enjoys helping others find hope while learning to better manage negative thoughts which lead to negative feelings and subsequent problematic behaviors.

ri-

10 OFF

Learn more about

50 PURCHASE

Neurofeedback.

d, he d,

Schedule your FREE initial consultation today!

Help for :

ng not ..” v-

www.herbshopwellness.com 21

ADHD / Learning Disorders Anxiety / Stress / P.T.S.D. Depression / Mood Insomnia / Sleep Disorders Dementia / Alzheimer’s Migraines / Much More!

February 2022

River Region Christians

any Che

Adoption

Location: Vaughn Forest Church, 8660 Vaughn Road, Montgomery APAC, Alabama Pre/ Post Adoption Connection Support Group: This group provides education and social interaction for adoptive families. Meets 3rd Tuesdays, 6-7:30 p.m. For more information call Jill Sexton at 409-9477.

Alcoholic / Addiction

Location: Caring Center of FBC, 52 Adams Avenue CrossRoads Support Group is for addicts/alcoholics and family members. Meets at 6 p.m. Tuesdays and follows a Christcentered 12-step program. Call 264-4949. Location: Christchurch Anglican Church, 8800 Vaughn Road next to Southern Homes and Gardens Celebrate Recovery meets every Friday night. Dinner at 6:00, nursery available for children 4 and under. Large Meeting starts at 6:30. For more information, contact Dolly McLemore 334-301-3490. Location: Dalraida United Methodist Church 3817 Atlanta Highway, Montgomery An Alanon meeting is held at 9 am on Saturday mornings. Call 272.2190 for details. Location: Grace Presbyterian Church, Corner of Bell Road and Atlanta Hwy. Alcoholics Anonymous and Alanon meetings are held Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, at 6 p.m. An Open AA Speaker meeting is held on Saturday at 6 p.m. An Alanon & AA held on Sundays at 2 p.m. Location: Grace Point Community Church, 78223 Tallassee Hwy (Hwy 14), Wetumpka Celebrate Recovery- every Tuesday night- 6:15pm. All are welcome! These meetings are a safe and loving environment for individuals seeking to conquer their hurts, habits and hang-ups! gracepoint.info. Location: Heritage Baptist Church, 1849 Perry Hill Rd, Montgomery, AL Route1520 is a Christ-centered recovery movement dedicated to showing the way home for men impacted by sex and pornography addiction. Meets: Mondays, 6:30 – 8:00 PM CST. No Childcare Provided. Email montgomery@route1520.com, visit http://www.route1520.com/ men/groups-for-men/ or call 877.200.1520. Location: Journey Church, 435 Sheila Blvd, Prattville Celebrate Recovery - Christ-centered 12-step for anyone struggling with addiction or life-challenging issues. Mondays beginning at 6:15 pm. Childcare available.

River Region Christians

February 2022

Call John Pearse at 303-243-4308 or visit myjourneychurch.com. Location: Landmark Church, 1800 Halcyon Blvd. RSVP- This is a 12 step spiritual recovery program for overcoming addictions. Wednesday @ 6:30pm in Rm. 121 of the Life Center. Location: Prattville Church of Christ, 344 E Main St. CASA - 12 step (Christians Against Substance Abuse) spiritual recovery program, for overcoming addictions. Class begins each Wednesday evening @6:30 PM. Please call 334-365-4201 for additional information. Location: St. James UMC, 9045 Vaughn Road Celebrate Recovery meets every Thursday night from 6-8 pm in the Youth Room. This is a Christ-centered 12-step group for anyone struggling with an “addiction or life-challenging issues.” For information, call Chris Henderson at 334-215-0427. Location: First United Methodist Church, Wetumpka 306 W. Tuskeena Street ‘Fresh Start’ Recovery meets every Thursday, 6-8pm (meal included). In 2011, Fresh Start Motorcycle Ministry (FSMM) began when God laid it on the heart of a lifetime biker to minister to those with his background. All are welcome, not a requirement to own/ride a motorcycle. For any information contact ministry leader, Paul Henderson, 334-201-5428. Location: Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1728 S. Hull Street, Montgomery Route1520 is a Christ-centered recovery movement dedicated to showing the way home for men impacted by sex and pornography addiction. Meets Wednesday from 6:30-8 pm. For more information email riverregion@route1520.com, visit http:// www.route1520.com/ men/groups-for-men or call 877-2000-1520.

Alzheimer’s / Dementia

Location: First UMC, 2416 W. Cloverdale Park, An Adult Parkinson/Alzheimer’s respite ministry meets from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Lunch is served. Contact Daphne at 834-8990. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy An Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregivers’ Support Group meets on the first Thursday of each month at 10:30 a.m. in Room 3103. Call 495-6343. for more information.

Cancer

Location: Aldersgate UMC, 6610 Vaughn Rd Cancer Survivors Support Group is sponsored by Samaritan Counseling Center. We would love to have anyone (patient or family member ) join us. Thursdays at 1 pm. Please call before attending just to make sure we are meeting that week. Please call Debbie D at

467-4578 or Ben W at 202-1912. Location: ChristChurch, 8800 Vaughn Road Cancer Support Group for general cancer. Tuesday afternoons at 1 pm. For more info, please call Christy Holding at 531-1390 or Debbie at 467-4578. Location: Frazer UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy. Central Alabama Multiple Myeloma Support Group meets from 10 a.m. to noon the second Saturday of every month in Room 3105. We have guest speakers, video presentations, printed information and a group that welcomes sharing their journey with myeloma in an informal setting. Refreshments are provided. Contact Joe Crowley at 334-207-4385 or jpcrowl46@yahoo.com Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy. Women of Hope Breast Cancer Support Group, providing education, awareness, and mentoring for breast cancer patients/survivors, family and friends, meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in Room 8114. Call 220-4599 or e-mail womenofhope@charter.net

Divorce

Location: First Baptist Church, 305 S. Perry Street Divorce Care Wednesday nights @6:30-8:00 pm in Room 405B. Child care is available. Contact Kathy Cooper at 241-5125 for information. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Divorce Care meets each Tuesday from 6 – 7:30 p.m. Come to the Library area. This group will provide support & guidance to assist you in working through the issues, pain & pressures surrounding divorce. Call 495-6343 or email rnave@frazer.church.

Gambling

Location: Cedarwood Community Church, 10286 US HWY 231 in the Wallsboro/Wetumpka community. The church is 1 1/2 miles past Tutweiler prison. Gamblers Anonymous, Saturdays at 6 pm. and Mondays at 6:30 pm. Call 567-0476.

Loc Com org mee

Loc Ery and sup from eryn

Loc Gri parl

Loc Gri p.m

Loc 304 Mo for thro eac 462

Loc Gri info 285

Loc 155 Gri 7:00 Alic

Loc Me Illn – 8: ing, frie Cob nec illn pm mo

Location: Mental Health of America, 1116 South Hull Street, Montgomery. Sundays @ 5 pm. For more information about the GA meetings call 334-399-6918. For information about counseling services or to request a guest speaker please call the Alabama Council on Compulsive Gambling at 334-277-5100.

We gue is $

Grief

Location: Cornerstone Christian Church, 301 Dalraida Road River Region Survivors of Suicide meets on the second and fourth Thursday of every month (excluding holidays) from 6:30-8:00 PM. Welcomes anyone regardless of their religious beliefs. Contact Cheryl Vinson at riverregionsos@gmail.com. Location: Eastmont Baptist, 4505 Atlanta Hwy. Compassionate Friends is a national self-help support organization for families grieving the death of a child meeting first Tuesdays at 7 pm. Call (334) 284-2721. Location: Church of the Highlands, 4255 Taylor Rd. Eryn’s Embrace offers hope and healing to children and teens grieving the loss of a loved one through peer support groups. Meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month from 4-5:15. More info: www.erynsembrace.org; erynsebrace@gmail.com; Erin Camp 334-657-1871.

act om

Location: First UMC, 100 E. Fourth St, Prattville Grief Share, Wednesday evenings at 6 pm in the church parlor. Led by Michael Beatty. Call 365-5977.

Location: Frazer UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Grief Recovery Support Group meets Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m., Rm 3105. Call495-6343 for more info.

st he 4.

eet

hts

y S

ity. 1/2 i-

Location: Grace Baptist Church, 304 Old Montgomery Highway, Wetumpka Mourning to Morning is a Christian growth group for mothers who have lost a child, from before birth through adulthood. Meets the last Thursday night of each month. For info, contact Alice Scarborough (334) 462-4775 or Gwen Ellis (334) 567-8754.

life. Childcare provided by reservation. Call April Scott at 828-446-6666. Location: First Baptist Church, 305 S. Perry Street MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) is a place you can share a good meal, make new friends, and find encouragement as you face the everyday challenges of raising your little ones. We have educational speakers, great conversation, and fun activities. Free childcare is provided. Meetings are every 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 9:30-11:30 a.m., September through May. Contact Tiffany Alewine at 241-5165. Location: Landmark Church, 1800 Halcyon Blvd. Single Moms Support Group, Wednesday nights at 6:30 p.m. in classroom 118. For information call 277-5800. Location: Perry Hill UMC, 910 Perry Hill Road Single Moms’ Care and Support Group meets 2nd and 4th Thursdays from 6:15 - 8:00 PM. December meeting will be on the 11th. Free snack supper provided to moms and children. Child care for infants -16 years. Call 272-3174. Location: Redland Baptist, 1266 Dozier Rd, Wetumpka A MOPS group will be held 1st and 3rd Tuesday’s of every month during the school year, and has scheduled play dates and moms nights out through the summer and beyond. While moms are in a MOPS meeting, their children are lovingly cared for in the MOPPETS program. Email Denise Braswell at deniseorscott@yahoo.com. Location: St.James UMC, 9045 Vauhgn Road Moms in Prayer International: This is a Christ centered interdenominational prayer ministry made up of moms, grandmothers, aunts or any woman who wants to gath-

ers to pray for their children and schools. Meets every Sunday afternoon from 3:00-4:00. Call Annette Jones for more information on joining us or training to start your own group. 850-529-4730 or email Montgomerymipac@gmail.com.

Physical Challenges Location: Aldersgate UMC, 6610 Vaughn Road Visually Impaired Support Group – Meets monthly on second Thursday 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. The group is called Outward Sight - Inward Vision and is for those with vision loss and their caregivers. Our mission is to assist those experiencing vision loss to maintain their independence. Call 272-6152. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy. Parkinson’s Support meets 4th Thursdays at 6 pm in Room 8114. Call 495-6343 for more info. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy. Ostomy Support meets every other month on the 2nd Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in room 3101. In 2018: Feb., April, June, Aug., Oct., Dec. Call 495-6343 for more info. Location: Vaughn Park Church, 3800 Vaughn Rd. Montgomery Area Down Syndrome Outreach Group meets 2nd Friday of each month from 6:30- 8 PM. We have activities, speakers and special events throughout the year for the parents, siblings and children with Down Syndrome. Childcare is provided. Please visit www. montgomeryareadownsyndrome.com or our Facebook page (MADSOG) for information.

Send support group info to deanne@readjourneymagazine.com.

Location: Millbrook FUMC, 3350 Edgewood Rd Grief Share meets Sundays from 5-7 p.m. For more information or to sign up, please call the church office at 285-4114 or email churchoffice@mfumc.org. Location: Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church 1550 E. Washington Street Grief support group meets every Monday at 6:00 P.M7:00 P.M. For additional information, please contact Alice Glover at (334)281-2754.

Mental Health

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Mental Health - NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) meets 2nd Monday of each month from 6:30 – 8:30 pm in Room 7205. Group provides understanding, education & information to family members & friends of those who suffer mental illness, Call Pat Cobb at 334-279-8331 for more info. NAMI Connection Support Group for individuals with mental illness meets every Thursday evening, 6:30 – 7:30 pm, room 3104. Call Pat Cobb at 334-279-8331 for more information.

Parenting

Location: First Baptist Prattville, 138 S.Washington Moms LIFE (Living In Faith Everyday) meets twice monthly from 8:30 - 11:45 am in the chapel at the Church from Aug - May. We offer a time of fellowship, Bible study, musical guest, special guest speakers and a lot of fun!! Cost is $5 per meeting. For moms of all stages and ages of

February 2022

River Region Christians

A Sacrifice Will Be Required

Q. I bring home about $2,800 a month, and our mortgage payment is $1,100. We have been forced to take money out of our savings account occasionally over the last year or so to help pay the bills. My wife loves being a stay-athome mom with our two preschool kids, but even she is talking about finding a daycare for the kids so she can go back to work and help out financially. How do you feel about this idea and our situation? A. I can’t blame your wife for loving the idea of staying home with your kids when they’re so young. Being a stayat-home mom is a great thing if you can make the numbers work. Still, I’m sure it’s no picnic trying to live on $1,700 a month with two little ones in the mix. Let’s look at it like a math problem with three components — house

River Region Christians

February 2022

payment, income and lifestyle. Forty percent of your pay is going toward your home. That’s way too much. Your mortgage payment or rent should never be more than 25 percent of your take home pay. I suppose you could look into the possibility of refinancing your home, but that’s not going to solve all your problems. One option would be finding a way to generate some extra income, whether that means a part-time job nights or weekends, or pursuing additional education or certifications to get your

income level up at work. Another is to sell the house and find a less expensive alternative, but I’m never a big fan of that idea — especially in a family situation — unless there’s absolutely no other way to avoid bankruptcy or foreclosure. I think you and your wife need to sit down, and spend some serious heartto-heart time talking things over, crunching the numbers and creating a plan. There’s going to be some sacrifice involved for everyone, and only you two can decide what’s worth it and what isn’t — for you two and your kids.

for big smiles and even bigger innovations. Treating patients and families with genuine compassion, kindness and respect is the rule here, not the exception. But while a smile can make you feel welcome, it can’t make you feel better. That’s why, at Jackson Hospital, we never stop working to bring advanced treatments and technologies to the community – including state-of-the-art Robotic Surgery, which can lead to less pain, reduced scarring and shorter recovery times. YOUR HOME FOR HEALTH