River Region Christians - Jan 23

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Faith @ Work: Clyde Chambliss

Clyde Chambliss, Alabama State Senator and owner of Chambliss Engineering, walks us through his faith journey this month. He shares how he developed a passion for mission work, why he enjoys serving his community and why he believes encouragement is a gift he should always give others. page 10

How

by Tim Challies

Don’t let this year’s resolutions fall by the wayside at the end of January. Instead take a different approach with this strategic plan.

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Ministry

Spotlight:

by Kym Klass

The mission of The Community of Hope is to meet the physical needs of families from the River Region by fostering positive relationships through encouragement and prayer. Lou Ann Raughton shares how they are accomplishing this vision and how you can donate and volunteer.

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

Mark Bethea

Tim Challies

Crittenden

Howard,

Digital Manager

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 2023 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.

From the Publisher

What Does Your Future Hold?

Here we are again peering into the future! Maybe you’ve done it in the past and now try to avoid it, but you just can’t keep yourself from thinking about it. You even cooked some “lucky” foods hoping for the best. Yes, it’s only natural as the new year approaches, to reflect on the past and look ahead to the future. Tradition has trained us to head into the new year setting goals, making resolutions, and planning for the next 365 days.

But as Christians, we have the opportunity to approach the new year with a different perspective. Rather than focusing solely on our own goals and desires, we can consider how we can live for Christ and make a positive impact in the world around us.

For example, we can make sure the goals we set align with our values and beliefs as Christians. This might include things like treating others how we want to be treated, reading the Bible more, attending church regularly, volunteering at a local ministry, or sharing our faith with others.

Another important aspect of living for Christ is being mindful of our thoughts and actions. Ephesians 4:29 reminds us to “let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” As we enter the new year, let’s strive to speak and act in ways that honor God and bring joy and encouragement to those around us.

Distractions are dinging all around us constantly and the talking heads tell us how bad things are, but a key aspect of living for Christ is being present in the moment. It can be easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and lose sight of what’s most important. But as Christians, we have the opportunity to slow down and be present with God, whether through prayer, Bible study, or simply taking time to rest and reflect.

As we look ahead to the new year, let’s remember that it’s not about achieving perfection or checking items off a list. Rather, it’s about seeking to know and follow Jesus more closely, and allowing Him to transform us into the people He has called us to be. May this be a year of growth and renewal for us all as we seek to live for Christ and bless the world in His name.

Pastor’s Perspective

by Pastor Mark Bethea, First Baptist Montgomery

Are You Quick or Slow to Obedience?

When we are asked by a loved-one to do something or respond in some way, what is our reaction? Do we humbly say okay or grumbly run the other way?

Matthew 2:13-15 records one of Joseph’s greatest attributes: his obedience.

13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had

spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

Joseph’s obedience was immediate. As he awakes from his dream in hearing the word of the Lord, Joseph rises and obeys. There does not appear to be any delay, any questioning. Simply obedience.

Three times in Matthew’s account, Joseph is warned in a dream, and we see the words, “And Joseph rose and went.” It’s remarkable to activate our sanctified imagination and consider what Joseph experienced in those two chapters of fatherhood. The courageous and faith-filled obedience in the face of so many unknowns and uncertainties. This past Christmas, when I looked at Joseph in the nativity in our home, I couldn’t help but think of the word obedience.

Let’s compare that for a moment with Jonah. In much the same pattern of Joseph, we see these words in Jonah 1.

Lord, but instead of rising and going, he rose and fled the presence of the Lord. These are two very distinct responses to God’s Word and calling. Joseph obeys immediately and courageously. Jonah runs and delays his obedience.

It’s easy to type out, “Just trust and obey!” But when the truth hits the reality of life and flesh, it can be much more difficult. Fear or flesh, whatever it may be, obedience is not as simple as it is to say. It’s apparent, Joseph had fear mixed into his obedience. Herod was out to kill his son, and the new ruler was also adversarial. Yet, in the midst of that fear, Joseph trusted and obeyed.

Jonah did eventually obey. However, it took a torrential storm, a boat breaking apart, and a giant fish to change his course. Even still, Jonah is remembered as the pouting prophet. Grumbling while going. His obedience is vastly different than Joseph.

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1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

Jonah received the word of the

Beginning a new year, go the Joseph way and take the next right step of obedience. I believe if we take the next step of obedience in our life each day, we’ll end up in the right place on our last day. Faith-filled daily obedience to the authority of God’s Word in our life yields great fruit. As the opportunities come each day, continue to choose to obey God’s Word and God’s truth.

This simple verse in the book of James clarifies in summation, “Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves, do what it says.” (1:22)

In this new year, let’s follow the ex ample of Joseph and obey God’s Word each day and in every way!

Mark Bethea is senior pastor of First Baptist Church, 305 S. Perry Street.

Sang Y Chung, AAMS®, CRPC® Financial Advisor

Retractions

by Pat Nemmers

I suppose we all have a few memories that cause us to cringe, memories of things we did or things we said that leave shame flooding our minds and little trickles of sweat running down our foreheads. Embarrassing things. Awkward things. Shameful things. Sinful things. Most of us do our best to push these memories away, to do all we can to get them out of our minds. But what if they can actually provide valuable lessons for our own lives and those of other people?

Pat Nemmers once pondered this, and drawing inspiration from David’s confession forever enshrined in the words of Psalm 51, understood that there could be a lot of value in facing these memories and pondering them. After all, humility is often closely related to humiliation. The result is a book titled Retractions: Cultivating Humility After Humiliation. And it’s a good one. “What is the aim of this book?” he asks? “That you will see both God and yourself: when we see God more clearly, we see ourselves more clearly. Then, and only then, can we make the necessary adjustments going forward in life.” We all face humiliating moments in our lives and surely God means to accomplish something through them. “However, my experience from many years of working with people is that most of us, once we have confessed and forsaken our sin, wish the whole thing (including the memories) would all go away. My plea to you in this book is, ‘Don’t do that!’ Instead of wasting your sin, let the many people near and dear to you learn from your humility to prayerfully avoid your pitfall.”

And so he begins at the beginning of his Christian life to show the danger of zeal that is accompanied by ignorance instead of knowledge. He discusses the importance of eating crow and of being who God has made him to be rather than attempting to imitate someone else. As the book advances he shows how he once slipped into the lure of legalism, how he came to understand the freedom of a clear conscience, how he stopped selling his church in favor of telling people about Jesus, and how he learned the importance of publicly confessing public sins. In each case he shares an experience or anecdote and describes what the Lord taught him through it. He writes honestly and forthrightly, yet not exhibitionistically. And it leads to a book that is enjoyable to read and that also provides plenty of helpful instruction. I might go so far as to say it’s one of my favorite books of 2022.

Fight For Your Pastor

by Peter Orr

Recently, I shared a review of Michael Kruger’s that addresses the problem of heavyhanded leadership or spiritual abuse. And while that issue has received a lot of attention of late, it is important to acknowledge that the great major ity of pastors are leading in love and serving their churches well. Hence, I wanted to draw your attention to Peter Orr’s new book Pastor—a book that encourages you to do exactly what the title indicates. While it has always been difficult to be a pastor, it seems that there are some unique challenges today. “Think of the difference between climate and weather,” says Orr. “The ‘climate’ for pastoral ministry is constant. The world, the flesh, and the devil are long-term climate factors that remain between Christ’s first and second coming. But it feels as if—in the West, at least—there’s been a change in the ‘weather.’ There is now a general weather front of apostasy, secularism, unbelief, and so on that is making the life of a pastor—particularly a conservative, complementarian, and evangelical one—more difficult. Whether on matters of sexual ethics, gender, or the uniqueness of Christ, a faithful pastor who proclaims and stands for the word of God faces rising hostility from the world.”

That kind of pressure comes from outside the church but there is also pressure from within—pressure related to a rising awareness of spiritual abuse, pressure related to having to lead through a time of pandemic, pressure related to being commonly and often unfavorably compared to pastors whose ministries are so easy to see through the internet. Hence, “this short book is written as a call to more actively love and support our pastors. If you are reading this book, I am sure you love your pastor, but I want to nudge you to love him more intentionally. I invite you to pause and think about how you can support him more. In short, I am calling you to fight for your pastor.”

“In the end, this book sounds a call to abandon a passive, con sumerist model of church. It calls us to abandon the notion that the pastor performs the ministry, which we evaluate according to how it benefits us. It is a call to reject the error that he is our once-a-week religious entertainment provider. It is a call to abandon the idea that he is our spiritual guru, who will drop everything any time we need him. It is a call for us all to be devoted to the work of the Lord. It is a call for us to love and support our pastor. It is a call to fight for him!” It is a call I hope many Christians will hear, accept, and obey.

RRC: How does your faith manifest through your civic and business responsibilities as a State Senator?

CC: My Lord, Jesus Christ, came to earth as a servant, and we are to follow His example. I fall short daily but strive to remember that what He has done for me dictates that I live my faith and serve Him in all I do. This requires that I also help and serve my fellow man. I attempt to do that in the Alabama Senate. A large chunk of my time is not dealing with legislation but assisting constituents with state services.

RRC: You serve in various leadership roles in your church, including three terms as a deacon. What does that mean to you?

CC: Before I was born, God ordained what to do for Him in my life. Serving Him in my life is an honor and a privilege, and I strive to do what He has asked me to do. I wish I could say that I always do that, which I desire to, and with His help, someday I will.

RRC: How do you live out your faith in a way that exemplifies God’s love and would encourage others to seek God?

CC: I believe we should all stop looking around at others and look up to Him. If we have our focus on Jesus Christ, our earthly differences will be nothing. This is easier said than done, but it is what He wants us to do.

RRC: How did you develop a passion for mission work?

CC: God tells us to go into the world and preach the Gospel. I believe the Lord gifted me with talents, plus an earthly father who taught me how to glue PVC pipe, clear a sewage line, and many other things. If I can help those that give up comfortable lives by assisting with their physical needs of clean water and sanitary sewer, I feel my gifts will advance His kingdom. We all have different gifts in this world, but we must focus on what we can do to help spread His word throughout the world.

RRC: Serving and working with communities is a gift, but also, it can be challenging. How do you overcome adversities while staying authentic to your Christian values and beliefs?

CC: Sometimes, people disagree with me and challenge my faith, ability, and authenticity. It is hard at times, but God does not promise us an easy life. I must not be motivated by fellow man’s praise but rather by obedience to God. It is often challenging, but then a faithful servant

gives me a word of encouragement, or I re-read direction from our Lord, and I’m motivated to go at it again! I never doubt how much a kind word of encouragement means to those serving their communities and families. I try to exercise my “encouragement muscle” more because others do the same for me.

RRC: You have three daughters. How did you instill Christian values into your childrens’ lives?

CC: Well, this is pretty personal because they know my failures and weaknesses. I try to be real with them. When they were living at home, we read the Bible together. We discussed things, and I tried to point them to our Lord Jesus Christ. I am weak, but He is strong!

RRC: How has your faith helped you overcome particular challenges in your life?

CC: We know that in the end, He wins. No matter what life throws our way. That is not always easy to live, but He knew before we were born what we would deal with in this life. He is with us as we walk through the difficulties and trials of this life.

RRC: What advice would you give to someone who desires a closer relationship with God but they don’t know where to start?

CC: Read His Word. The Bible is God speaking to us. If we want to know what He thinks, we can read scripture. If we want to know His will for our lives, we can read scripture. If we want God to speak to us audibly, we can read scripture out loud!

Clyde

Chambliss is married to Tara Chambliss. They have three daughters: Kristen, Lauren, and Madison. All three are students at the University of Alabama.

Steven Curtis Chapman at MPAC

Thursday, March 30, at 7:00 pm Montgomery Performing Arts Centre Visit www.mpaconline.org.

A Night to Shine Registration Deadline

The Night to Shine, Tim Tebow Foundation Special Needs Prom, will be hosted by Thorington Road Baptist Church on Friday, February 10, from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at Wynlakes Country Club in Montgomery. The deadline to register for this event will be Wednesday, January 11. Registration may be made online. Visit trbaptist.churchcenter.com/registrations/ events/1420396 for tickets.

Chris Tomlin

Stories of Worship Tour 2023

We have all heard the statistics: 50% of people make some kind of new year’s resolution, but 88% of those resolutions ultimately fail. That is more than a little discouraging. But I still believe in new year’s resolutions. I believe in them as a convenient opportunity to evaluate life and to make choices about living life better. I have done a fair bit of reading on how to make resolutions work, and it turns out that though there are many reasons your resolutions may not work, the most common ones are easy enough to avoid.

Here are some tips on making wise resolutions and on making them stick.

Make Resolutions, Not Wishes

The most likely reason your new year’s resolution will fail is that you haven’t actually made a resolution—you have made a wish. On December 31 you may decide that in the year ahead you will lose weight, or read your Bible more often, or finally stop smoking. Those are all good desires. But this is not the time to wish upon a star and hope that you will magically change; it is the time to firmly resolve to change your life. Make sure that you are resolving, not wishing.

Make Just 1 Resolution

With that heightened sense of optimism that seems to come with the dawning of a new year, it is easy to believe that this is the time to change everything you dislike about yourself. But January 1 is not a realistic time to change every part of your life. You will dra matically increase your chances of success when you force yourself to make just 1 resolution. At the very most, make no more than 2 or 3.

Convert Your Resolution To Habits

Willpower is enough to get you started, but you will need habit to sustain it. Though you are more than your habits, you are certainly not less. Through most of life you follow your

habits—you do those things you have wired yourself to do. Whatever your resolution is, you need to prepare to turn it into a habit. Willpower is enough to get you started, but you will need habit to sustain it. Resolve to change your bad habits while also developing new and better habits. But be warned: Changing habits takes both time and patience, so you will need to prepare yourself for a long and

You will almost certainly fail in your new year’s resolution if you do not enter the new year with a plan to succeed. Do not decide that you will exercise more; determine that you will exercise for 30 minutes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon at 3 PM. Do not hope to read your Bible more; choose a reading plan, determine how many days a week you will read your Bible, and decide when and where you will do

it. Plan how you will build your new habit and then stick to your plan. It will take 2 or 3 months for that new habit to form, so be patient. Reward can be a powerful motivator in building new habits, so consider building in a system of small rewards.

Share Your Resolution

Helping

the mental health system for teens and children.

Services are FREE and confidential. Services provided by phone are not medical advice and should not be considered as such.

Services are provided via telephone by licensed mental health professionals who recommend the most appropriate mental health resources.

PIRC is available seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

PIRC

These well-known verses from Ecclesiastes give us a helpful tip: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” Resolutions work best when they involve another person. Tell a friend about your resolution, and ask him to hold you accountable; his involvement will strengthen your resolve. Even better, pair up and make the same resolution as your friend so you can work toward a shared goal.

Plan For Temptations and Setbacks

You will fail if you do not expect to be tempted and to experience setbacks. Your resolutions may fail because you have not anticipated and planned for the inevitable temptations and setbacks. If you are trying to live with virtue, you can expect to face all kinds of temptations to slip back into your old ways. Plan in advance how you will respond in those moments when you are tempted to revert to that behavior you hate. Also plan in advance what will happen when you actually succumb to the temptation, so you will not slip into despair and give up. You will fail if you do not expect to be tempted and to experience setbacks.

Finally, as a Christian I want to offer this: Pray. Pray as you consider all the resolutions you could make, pray as you choose one as your area of special focus, pray as you begin to work toward new habits, pray when you face temptation to slip away from those habits, and pray to thank God when you see success. Bathe your life in prayer, and make those changes for God’s glory, not your own.

Tim Challies is a pastor, author and book reviewer living in Canada.

Quieting Spiritual Warfare Within

How often have you had a voice tell you to not share parts of your story because nobody would care?

Because you would be judged?

Laughed at. Criticized. Shamed. Or, because people would gossip?

And who thought that was your own voice? Even if you didn’t recognize it?

How many times has this held you back from being vulnerable, open? And instead, you let it settle within and eventually, find your (self-imposed) value decrease, your feeling of unworthiness intensify, and live in a world in which you’re content living on the surface. Yet hiding.

Who knows that it is not God holding this shame or criticism in you? Who faces this often – even daily – without knowing how to turn to God for release? Or who is too embarrassed to turn to Him – as though He doesn’t already know what you’re struggling with?

Friend, He knew of today’s struggle before you were born.

Who experiences this spiritual warfare within, as Satan works to keep us from relationships, connection with others, from revealing part of our past we feel is too shameful to share out loud?

That voice that says we are not good enough, brave enough, even intelligent enough. Worthy enough.

Satan will attempt to deceive you into believing in him instead of what God says in his Word. Are you believing lies instead of truth today about who God says you are? Are you stuck in a place of doubt? (Natalie Venegas, Milk and Honey Faith)

Perhaps you cannot seem to escape the feeling of shame and condemnation over

your past. The Lord says that you are a new creation in Christ and that all things are new. If you are having thoughts of condemnation and feeling like you are unloved by God, then you are under attack.

When was the last time we called out to God to take away our shame? To release and relieve us from burdens Satan tries desper ately to hold within us? To separate ourselves from this attack? Who works harder? We need to, but we don’t need to alone. We can’t.

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

(Ephesians 6:12)

We must – must – turn to God. Cry out. Call out. Surrender it all to Him. And trust He will grab hold of you harder than you’re prepared. That He will pull out of you what has been weighing you down spiritually, emotionally, mentally. And then after, allow those tears to fall.

Those tears of struggle, of released shame. Of days, months, years of feeling whispers around you. Glances. Assumptions. Misunderstandings you ignored. When we are truly able to release, when we are truly able to surrender, then we are free.

When Rick and Melissa Hinnant met, they certainly didn’t represent a sound financial template for a successful marriage. According to CBN.com, “Melissa was in real estate. Rick had been living on credit cards, trying to start a number of businesses, and was $80,000 in debt.” Rick started from where he was financially to try to work his way out, going door-to-door and asking to do yard work. The story notes:

Before long, Rick’s landscaping business took off, and the newly married couple started working their way out of the red. “I was doing everything possible to annihilate that debt and as quick as I could,” Rick says. All the while, the Hinnants were tithing. Rick explains, “God says, ‘Test me,’ and I love the challenge, and so if God says, ‘Test me’, I’m going to sign up.”

Melissa adds, “Even during our hardest financial times, we still always gave because I know if God is going to bless us, we have to be faithful to continue to give.”

Rick then expanded the business by adding Christmas light installation. Melissa turned her knitting hobby into an income source. All the while, the couple struggled with God’s purposes for their financial resources. The article notes that...

...she was convinced that money was mainly a tool to help the needy. “If money can make me have more of a difference, then that’s great, but I didn’t need it,” she explains.

Rick admits, “There was this civil war inside. Yes, I wanted to give more money, but did I want to make more money so I could have more material things? I simply asked God, ‘Do I have money before you?’

And what I heard was, ‘Yes, you do.’ I

Happy Blessing New Year!

asked God to forgive me instantly. I told God, ‘Whether I make a lot of money or not, I’m done striving.’ Instead of ‘What can I acquire?’ It became about ‘How can I help the kingdom?’ When I surrendered to God, my landscape company exploded.”

The Hinnants decided to go on Shark Tank with Melissa’s socks, which she had begun to sell online. After the program, they did a million dollars in sales overnight.

The company is called Grace and Lace, and Rick and Melissa cite their faith in God as the reason for their financial success. Rick says, “We ended up with a $3 million year,” adding, “It was like God saying, ‘Look, I can do things that will blow your mind, like that.’”

Rick and Melissa, who have three children, “choose to live way below their means so they can help the poor.” They’ve been involved in helping to support disaster relief, constructing orphanages, and more.

The article says, “For those who want true financial freedom, the Hinnants suggest living to give, not get.” Rick says, “I would challenge anyone out there to put God first...Where you are giving, you are blessing, you are helping, and you are changing the world for the good.” Melissa states, “God isn’t looking for people who are like, ‘Give me, give me, give me!’ Everyone has to start somewhere, and it doesn’t have to be big. It comes from

the simple place of, ‘God, I want your will done in my life.’ You might be going through a hard financial time, but God still wants your purity of heart in giving.”

CBN reported on a recent American Bible Society study stating, “a new study reveals Scripturally-engaged Americans are ‘far more likely than others to donate to charity.’” it quoted from a statement from the Society: “Americans who are engaged with the Bible gave $145 billion to charitable causes in 2021,” adding, “Practicing Christians, those who are actively living out their faith, are much more likely

Want to be great in the Kingdom of God? The Bible challenges us to come to Jesus as a little child. Humble yourself before the Lord. If you’re selfishly trying to “get,” you will get what you deserve. If you’re selflessly trying to “give,” you will see the hand of God. All the while, we can remember that He is the One who is our provider, on Whom we can depend.

We can also recognize that God honors those who dedicate their lives to doing His will. Rick Hinnant was deeply in debt, but he took a first step and started going door-to-door. He had wanted to be an entrepreneur, it seems, but things didn’t work out. He surrendered his plans and decided to get in conformity with God’s will. What a wonderful example of humility! It is also a reminder that things may not go how we plan, but we can seek to get in sync with His plan. His plan, as outlined in Scripture, is for His people to use His resources for His purposes.

Lou Ann Raughton meets people where they are in their life. To let them know there are others who care. That there is hope. And she works to encourage them through this outreach.

She has done this since 2007 with The Community of Hope in Montgomery. As its director, and with volunteers, she reaches others through food, clothing, and household items – all while sharing the love of God.

Hope Community Ministries is an area of ministry that seeks to follow the Matthew 25:35-40 account of meeting physical needs in Jesus’ name:

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

“It’s a wonderful thing to do on a daily basis,” Raughton said. “It’s what Christ

would want us to do – and to be able to share the hope that you have.”

The mission of The Community of Hope is to meet the physical needs of families from the River Region by fostering positive relationships through encouragement and prayer. The outcome builds trust and begins relationships that often lead to opportunities to share the gospel of Christ.

The desire of this ministry is for others to know there is H.O.P.E. (Helping Others Prepare for Eternity) for every situation they face – and that it’s found in a relationship with Jesus Christ as Savior.

While the ministry does not provide financial assistance, it fulfills its mission through a Clothes Closet (including school uniforms), food pantry, housewares, furniture (by application), Backyard Bible Clubs, and block parties.

“These are blessings we can share with other people,” Raughton said. “We get to know the people because we pray

with them. Every person who comes through our ministry, we pray with them.” Items available at The Community of Hope are donated, and people served through the ministry come from varied backgrounds.

“They can get started (in a place to live) at no cost,” Raughton said. “We’ll get people from MACH (Mid-Alabama Coalition for the Homeless), and they can choose frames to put on their wall. We’ve had people from First Choice, Friendship Mission, and The Sunshine Center.

“We help everybody that comes our way. We’ll do our best to do what we can to help you. People come from Hayneville, Prattville, and another from Tuskegee when he comes to see a doctor.

“We have homeless people that just come off the street. Other agencies refer us to families such as AIM – Aid for Inmate Mothers and the CARE project through Easter Seals. I feel like the things we have there are not ours. They’re God’s.”

The Community of Hope has been located on East South Boulevard since 2005. When Raughton arrived two years later, they were distributing a few bags of food each week. And occasionally, furni-

ture. There were no clothes distributed or household items.

Hope. She didn’t have an idea of how to do this, but found herself on Troy Highway

of the River Region can meet with The Community of Hope and access resourc

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

for big smiles and even bigger innovations.

God’s intention is to restore believers in Christ and turn them into new people. “If anyone is in Christ,” the Scripture says, “he is a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come.” As Christians, it is our job to cooperate with this “new creation” vision for our lives.

Our motivation for embracing newness of life in Jesus is quite different than moralistic motivation. Religious moralists “obey” God’s rules to feel morally straight and morally superior, and also to earn applause from God, from others, and even from themselves. Christians, on the other hand, are able to obey God precisely because they don’t have to.

Let me explain that one...

If you are a Christian—that is, if you have anchored your trust in the perfect life and substitutionary death of Jesus on your behalf, then you need to know that God smiles over you before you lift a finger to do anything good. Christianity is different than moralism in that unlike moralism, God’s embrace comes to us at the beginning of our journey versus at the end of our journey. He approves of us not because we are good people, but because Jesus was a truly “good person” in our stead. His moral straightness, his righteousness and beauty, have been laid upon us as a gift. That, and that alone, is the reason we obey…because it makes us want to obey. God does not decide to love us because we first loved him. No, we love God because he first loved us. That is biblical Christianity.

How Idolatry Works

Imagine you are married woman and your husband tells you he wants to start dating around. “It’s not that I don’t love you,” he says. “I’m not saying that I want a divorce. You are extremely important to me. We have been through so much together. But I just think that my life would be more complete if I could also date some other women—play the field a little bit, you know?”

Absurd as this may sound, this is precisely what we do to God whenever we disobey Him. Every act of disobedience flows from a desire for something or someone besides God to be our first love, our true north, our reason for being. Each of us has his/ her own unique potential “mistresses”—whether money, power, cleanliness, control, a relationship, material things, entertainment, or even a spouse or children. Whenever anything becomes more essential to us than God Himself (by the way, “anything” is usually a good thing), it becomes an idol. According to God, our true and everlasting Husband, we become spiritual adulterers. An idol is any person or idea, any created thing that captures our deepest affections and loyalties and will—and in so doing steals our attention away from God. An idol is anything that becomes more precious to us than Him. It’s not that we love the thing (whatever it is) too much. Rather, it’s that we love God too little in comparison to it.

The Sin Beneath Every Other Sin

Idolatry is the root beneath all sin and beneath every choice we ever make to go our own way instead of following Jesus in faith and obedience. Sin, ultimately, is not a matter of behavior, but a matter of desire.

We always obey that which we desire the most. When we desire something more than we desire God, we will obey that something if ever and whenever we are faced with a choice to obey God or to obey it. So this is what keeps us from being good in the purest sense. Our distorted over-desires escort us into the arms of adulterous lovers, pseudo-saviors, counterfeit Jesuses that put a spell on us and make them appear more life-giving than Jesus, our one true love.

How do we do this? Thanks to David Powlison and his insightful essay, Idols of the Heart and Vanity Fair, there are several diagnostic questions that can help us effectively identify and name our specific spiritual mistresses:

What do I feel I cannot survive or function without?

What do I feel I must have in order to enjoy life, be acceptable as a person, etc.? What are the things I am terrified of losing or obsessed about having?

Where do I spend my time and money with the least amount of effort?

The things we give time and money to most effortlessly are absolutely the things that we worship and serve. They are the

things that we believe in our hearts will give our lives the most meaning.

What do I think and talk about the most?

Where do my thoughts go most quickly and most instinctively when I am alone in the car, when I awake, when I am alone in a quiet, undistracted place? As Archbishop William Temple once said, “Your religion is your solitude.”

Which biblical commands am I most reluctant to obey?

What do I treasure so much that, if it is threatened, I will disobey God to keep it? What is so essential to me that I will disobey God to get it?

What things anger me the most?

What kinds of people, things, or circumstances irritate me the most, and what about these people, things, or circumstances give them this kind of power over me? What, if it happened, would strongly tempt me to curse God or push Him out of my life? Remember Job’s wife. See Job 2:9.

How would I fill in the blank? I cannot and will not be happy unless _______________.

Dismantling Idols After They Are Identified

Idols are dismantled when they are first exposed and then replaced. Dismantling our idols requires that we labor in our study and meditation of Scripture to understand the many ways that Jesus fills our emptiness in a much more adequate, life-giving way than any Jesus-substitute we may be tempted to worship and serve. Replacing our spiritual mistresses means giving them a back seat to Jesus in our hearts and lives. Basically, every idol (and every sin) traces back to a self-salvation strategy. We use this strategy every time we attempt to replace something that only Jesus can provide, with a counterfeit. What does this mean for us?

It means that we must face head-on our own idols, and humbly admit exactly how the things we love more than Jesus will reduce us, empty us of ultimate meaning, and even destroy us. We must admit that our “over-desires” cannot bring us the lasting wholeness, happiness, or fulfillment (salvation!) we desire. Only Jesus can. Ironically, only when we love Jesus more than these things, we actually end up enjoying these things to a much fuller extent! As CS Lewis once said, “Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you will get neither.”

When our love for Jesus exceeds our love for other things, we end up loving, cherishing, and enjoying these other things even more than we would if we had loved these other things more than we love Jesus. However, if we put the gifts in the place of the Giver, our enjoyment of the gifts ends up being spoiled. Why is this so? It is so because we are made in the image of God. The human soul is so magnificent that only God is big enough to fill it. As Pascal is famous for saying, only God is able to fill the Godshaped vacuum in the human heart.

Be possessive of anything but God—a romantic interest, a career, a net worth, a life goal—and you will never possess that thing. Instead, it will eventually possess you. It will have you and it will hold you…around the neck! This is why we are much better off when we learn to pray like the Puritan who had nothing to his name but one piece of bread and a glass of water: “What? All of this and Jesus Christ too!”s fro

mt to human approval. fo Scott Sauls is a pastor and author living in Nashville, TN.

A New Year... Life’s Mulligan

Please allow me some liberties here because I am not a golfer, but the idea of a “mulligan” has always intrigued me. As I understand it, a mulligan is a “doover” or a “second chance.” How many of us would like to look back at this past year or even longer and say, “I wish I had a do-over?” Is it possible that a new year could offer the opportunity for a second (or third, and so on) chance to make healthier and wiser decisions? While we cannot erase decisions or events from the past, we can begin this new year by reevaluating some decisions to allow us to experience a brighter future.

We can celebrate that we made many choices that were healthy, positive, and pleasing to God. These good decisions are often lost in our guilt and shame over those decisions that were not as positive. Celebrate that God has given you another year to make new choices to bring healing and forgiveness to others and to give joy and peace to those we encounter. We can draw strength from God’s Word when we are told, “By faith we have been made acceptable to God. And now, because of our Lord Jesus Christ, we live at peace with God.” (Romans 5:1)

As we leave the season of Christmas, reflecting again on the story can give us lessons for the new year. Mary and Joseph had been through much in their brief time together--a mysterious pregnancy--giving birth in a stable--the visit of the magi and the shepherds--the angel telling them that they could not return to their home. Now they were refugees in Egypt. But through it all, they trusted God. Life was not easy for them--and the worst was yet to come. Their precious baby son Jesus would die on a cross like a common criminal. Perhaps there were moments they, too, questioned some of their decisions and wished they could have had a “do-over.” We will have challenges, but we will also have victories in life’s journey. Look at the hope Joseph and Mary gave to the world because of their faithfulness! Scripture gives us reassurance that “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” and awakens our hope for a new year because we do not have to live in fear of God’s judgment as we receive His forgiveness. The key to receiving a “second chance” is to let God transform us – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually – by having a constant awareness of God’s uncon -

ditional, continuous, never-ending love for you. Stop for a moment, close your eyes, and envision God’s arms reaching out, embracing you, and lifting you up from the despair or frustration you may be experiencing.

As you begin this new year, take time to think of the ways you can make this a special new year by focusing on how you can spend more time with the people you love, demonstrate your faith through serving others, and deepening your spiritual walk with God. When you encounter “roadblocks” to your plans, consider that these obstacles may be God’s way of telling you to choose another path. We cannot actually have a “doover” because this life is not a dress rehearsal, and we must accept our past choices by learning from them and forgiving ourselves if necessary. We do not have to feel trapped in the past, but we can “press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Rev. Dr. Lennie Howard has been a Licensed Professional Counselor for 32 years, and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist for 21 years.

Our Statement of Faith

In keeping with Protestant theology, we believe that the Bible, as contained in the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, is fully inspired by God and therefore inerrant in the original manuscripts. The Bible is the only essential and infallible record of God’s self-disclosure to mankind. The Scriptures are the authoritative and normative rule and guide of all Christian life, practice, and doctrine. They are totally sufficient and must not be added to, superseded, or changed by later tradition, extra-biblical revelation, or worldly wisdom. The Bible is perfect in every way and shows us how to become and live as Christians.

The way of becoming a Christian is by faith alone in Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, who came to us, born of a virgin, in full human form while remaining fully God. Jesus was, and is, perfect, and was crucified so that others could live. Three days later He rose from the dead, never to die again. He ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father, where He, the only mediator between God and man, continually makes intercession for His own. Those who have faith in Jesus as their Lord in this life, and Savior from damnation in the next life, now live by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, becoming more like Jesus everyday.

We believe that God is one God. The one God has three persons: the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Just as God is one, so also, all believers are to be one. We believe in the unity and fellowship of all those that have faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. We are one in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, His Body, which is composed of all men, living and dead, who have been joined to Him through saving faith.

*All editorial content published needs to be in agreement with our Statement of Faith

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.

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 Church, 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 4674578 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 Church, 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 Church, 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 Church, 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.

Location: Mental Health of America, 1116 South Hull Street, Montgomery. Sundays @ 5 pm.

For more information about the GA meetings call 334399-6918. For information about counseling services or to request a guest speaker please call the Alabama Council on Compulsive Gambling at 334-277-5100.

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.

Location: First UMC, 100 E. Fourth St, Prattville Grief Share, led by Dave Dageford. Call 365-5977 if you are interested.

Location: Frazer Church, 6000 Atlanta Hwy GriefShare, Wednesday mornings 10am -12pm in the East Sanctuary. For more information call the church 272-8622. Dian Sims (facilitator)

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.

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.M- 7:00 P.M. For additional information, please contact Alice Glover at (334)281-2754.

Parenting

Location: First Baptist Prattville, 138 South Washington Moms LIFE (Living In Faith Everyday) meets twice monthly from 8:30 - 11:45 am in the chapel at the Church from AugMay. 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 life. Childcare provided by reservation. Call April Scott at 828446-6666.

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 Church, 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: Young Meadows Church, 5780 Vaughn Rd

River Region MOPS (Moms of Preschoolers) meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays from 9:30 to 11:30 am (September-May). Interested moms can reach out to riverregionmops334@gmail.com or find us on Facebook. riverregionmops334@gmail.com.

Send support group info to deanne@readjourneymagazine.com.

Hope Is a Good Thing

Q. What is the main difference between people who follow your plan, stick with it and succeed, and those who fall off along the way?

A. I’ve walked with thousands of families through financial problems. Some of them were just speedbumps that needed to be smoothed out, while others seemed like mountains. The biggest factor I’ve noticed separating those who stick with it and gain control of their finances, from those who give up and go back to their old ways, can be boiled down to one simple word—hope. Hope is stolen when we misunderstand failure and believe lies. One of the biggest lies that robs people of hope is the one that says failure is permanent. The moment we start seeing failures of the past as predictors of our futures, it extinguishes that ember of hope. Failure hap-

pens to all of us at times. It’s natural, and it is normal. The way to reach your goals, though, is to keep failure in its cage. And failure is caged when we begin to understand it isn’t permanent. Winston Churchill once said, “Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”

If we believe failure is here to stay, we lose enthusiasm. And that leads to an inability to re-focus on success. People often make dumb, short-term decisions when they’re in financial difficulty. If you talk yourself into believing you’ll never be able to save enough money to pay cash for a car, you’ll

lose hope and borrow the money. Debt not only robs you of the ability to build wealth, but it’s also usually the result of losing hope. Have you done something stupid or wrong in the past that you are still reliving daily? Is that memory haunting you, and stealing your hope? Remember, the past only has power over you if you let it have that power. Don’t get me wrong. The past can hurt, and it can be disappointing. But you can either give in to it and let it control you, or you can learn from it and make a conscious decision to keep moving forward.

The choice is yours!

Classesfor Couples

In-Person Sessions

Online Sessions

Thursdays from 7 pm to 9 pm. Dinner via restaurant card for each session.

Make Money as Participants in a Study for Couples:

Survey Completion

Each participant can earn up to $160 over one year for completing 4 online study surveys. ($320 per couple)

Completion Couples finishing all Six classes earn an additional $40 each! ($80 per couple)

Pre-registration is required. Registration starts January 3rd and ends February 1st or when classes are full. There is a waitlist and classes will be filled in the order in which we were contacted. Thank you for your understanding and your interest!

Wednesdays from 6 pm to 8 pm. Dinner available at 5:30 each night. Child care available on site. Sessions are open to all adult couples in Alabama! slumpkin@familyguidancecenter.org