River Region's Journey August 2017 by KeepSharing

Recommended Vaccines Child Care Centers (by 12 Months of Age)

Kindergarten through 5th Grade

6th through 12th Grade

DTaP

IPV

MMR

Varicella

2**

Hib

PCV

Tdap

Rota

Hep A

HepB

HPV

MCV

Prior to entering all Alabama schools and child care centers, each child must submit an up-to-date Certificate of Immunization. *Code of Alabama ยง16-30-4 **1 dose for <13 years of age or 2 doses for >13 years of age

For more information, visit adph.org/immunization or facebook.com/AlabamaImmunizationInfo IMM.VaccinesAd.060717.indd 1

6/7/17 11:51 AM

Volume 19, Issue 4

Feature Articles

AU G U ST 20 1 7 Columns page 2

Publisher’s Note

page 12

Faith @ Work

Meet Laura Dockery, a Montgomery wife, mother and owner of her own interior design business. Laura shares how her faith in Christ has grown over the years, how becoming a mother taught her the most about God, and what she does to stay connected with Him each day.

Jason Watson

page 4

Pastor's Perspective Glenn Graham, East Memorial Baptist Church

page 14

Pondering the Journey Sam Whatley

page 20

Women Arising Pastor Kemi Searcy

page 16

page 28

Cheer Up!

The Intersection

You’re Worse (and Better Off) Than You Think

Bob Crittenden

by Scott Sauls

Counselor’s Corner

page 34

Have you ever felt like the further you grow in the faith, the more aware you are of the depravity that exists inside you? Be encouraged that this is not only normal, but you are in the company of many Christian ancestors. It’s “being found in Christ” more than “being like Christ” that offers us security and hope.

Jessica Fernandez, Ph.D.

page 36

Dave $ays Dave Ramsey

In Every Issue

page 22

Ministry Spotlight:

page 6

Child Evangelism Fellowship

Books to Read page 8

Around Our Community

by Ashley Sherlock

As the school year begins, consider partnering with this local ministry to share Christ with public school students through Good News Clubs. Find all the details about their mission and how you can get involved. 1

page 12

Faith @ Work page 24

Support Groups August 2017

River Region’s Journey

CCH Maga

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

Associate Publisher Gena Hill

Research Editor Wendy McCollum

Contributing Writers Tim Challies Bob Crittenden Jessica Fernandez, Ph.D. Pastor Glenn Graham Dave Ramsey Scott Sauls Kemi Searcy Ashley Sherlock Sam Whatley

Advertising Opportunities Jason Watson ads@readjourneymagazine.com (334) 213-7940 ext 703

Digital Manager Scott Davis

Ad Design

Tim Welch, Welch Designs

Distribution Manager

From the Publisher A body made up of many parts! This description of God’s people is rightly applied to church congregations who serve alongside each other to equip the saints in their church body. But, it can also be applied on a more macro level. Here at River Region’s Journey we have the privilege each month to interact with Christians and seekers from various backgrounds and denominations across the River Region, from Prattville to Pike Road. The mosaic of those who have been awakened by God’s love and redemption is mind-boggling. We hear from professors, doctors, lawyers, soldiers, construction workers, salesman, farmers, financial planners, realtors, waiters, and on and on. Across the canvas of our community God is at work. Regardless of our unique stories and gifts, we worship the same Father and together proclaim His glory to our neighbors. Our unity, despite our variety, is a witness of God’s power alone to save. Every issue of River Region’s Journey is born from our community’s commitment to spread the good news about God’s hope in Christ, from our writers and designers to each business that advertises and shares our issues on their counters. Many newcomers may be surprised that so many area businesses proudly support our message through advertising, but that’s what makes the River Region special. We’re still openly committed to displaying our faith beyond the church walls. When you walk into a local restaurant or shop and see Journey there offering hope, know it’s only possible because someone made a decision to spread the good news with us. Thank you to everyone who makes each issue a message of hope across our River Region. We love our community and are grateful our ministry touches thousands each month. May God bless you by His love and grace as you read through this month’s Journey and share it with your neighbors. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Mt 5:14-16)

Chris Mitchell

River Region’s Journey is published monthly by Keep Sharing, P.O. Box 230367, Montgomery, AL 36123. For information, call 334-213-7940. River Region’s Journey is copyrighted 2017 by KeepSharing. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. The opinions expressed in River Region’s Journey 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’s Journey has the right to refuse any content that is not consistent with its statement of faith.

River Region’s Journey

August 2017

CCH Magazine Ad_River Region.qxp_Layout 1 5/17/17 11:08 AM Page 1

Come Worship with Us!

Founded Upon God’s Word

Liturgically Joyful

At Christchurch, Holy Scripture serves as the final authority for our teaching and preaching. Indeed, over the course of three years, almost the entire Bible is read aloud and preached upon.

At Christchurch, worship involves the entire congregation, as we offer God praise, thanksgiving and adoration using worship traditions that can be traced back to the earliest days of the Church. Our worship is not designed to entertain us, but to honor the true “audience” of worship, the Lord!

Sunday Worship: 9:30 a.m. Christian Education: 11:00 a.m. on Sundays and 6 p.m. on Wednesdays

Warm and Loving

Committed to Mission

By God’s grace and through His Spirit, the people of Christchurch enjoy the richness and joy of being a true family. We’d love for you to become a part of us! Regardless of who you are, you will always find a home at Christchurch.

The people of Christchurch respond to God’s Word by going out into the world proclaiming the good news of Jesus, and we joyfully serve as His hands and feet whether in places like Uganda and Guatemala or within Montgomery.

8800 Vaughn Road, Montgomery, AL 36117 www.christchurchmgm.net 334.387.0566

August 2017

River Region’s Journey

Pastor’s Perspective Glenn Graham, Jr., East Memorial Baptist Church in Prattville

All Unrighteousness is Sin 1 John 5:17: “All unrighteousness is sin.” We live in a time when morals and values are no longer being determined by any fixed standard. Today’s morality is all about satisfying the desires of individuals based on their own fleshly yearnings. As our society sinks into this ever changing morass one wonders when will we hit bottom and things stabilize. Every bizarre behavior imaginable has an advocacy group pushing for its normalization and full acceptance. It seems that the more people involved in aberrant behavior and the louder they are about it that the only way to placate is to give them what they want. But what is wanted is not mere recognition but rather hearty approval of their behavior. Anything less is not tolerated and even deemed harmful and hateful.

River Region’s Journey

August 2017

It is understandable that those who are not Christians would do what unbelievers do and that is to have no regard for God and His Word. We know that each of us struggles in this fallen world with our own flesh. However, as a Christian we are not to continue in a pattern of unbroken sin. As it has been so succinctly said “it isn’t perfection, but the direction of your life” that reveals who we are. God is at work in the believer’s life bringing about the process of sanctification. What God is doing is “conforming us to the image of Christ” (Romans 8:29). This He does in accordance to His Word by the Holy Spirit Who lives within every believer (Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13). Indeed, everyone who expects to see Christ is about the business of purifying himself just as He is pure (1 John 3:3). That is to say every true believer is concerned about sin in his or her life. But here is the dilemma for the church today; if “all unrighteousness is sin” (1 John 5:17), how do you define sin? The answer is easy for the one who believes the Bible is God’s Word. For all others it is a matter of shifting and changing values determined by the loudest and most demanding of society. There is no longer any sense of right and wrong or definition of sin. The saddest of all are those who parade as spokespersons for God, whether they are individuals or churches, who redefine or reinterpret Scripture

to suit the culture. But this is not new. It is seen throughout the pages of Scripture and down through the centuries of church history. In Isaiah 56:10 God says “they are blind, know nothing, and are mute dogs unable to bark.” Again, Isaiah 5:20 God pronounces judgement upon those who “call evil good and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” If all unrighteousness is sin, then the church has to be extremely clear as to what is unrighteousness and what is sin. To do any less will require a reckoning from God to which Paul was concerned when in Acts 20:26 he declared “that he was innocent of the blood of all men, because he had declared the whole purpose of God.” Be certain that the world will define for itself what is righteous and what it deems sinful. The church can be loving, kind, forgiving and gracious to everyone. To be sure, it must be these and much more. But at the same time we must be clear about what God has determined to be sin and anything less is to misrepresent Him and His Word. The message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that He came “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Who are the lost? Romans 3:23 tells us “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23 lets us know that the wages of sin is death. Praise the Lord any of us are saved. But by His grace is all one may say. Let us be thankful for the simple statement found at the end of 1Corinthians 6:9-11 where it says “such were some of you.”

Glenn Graham, Jr. is the senior pastor of East Memorial Baptist Church in Prattville, Alabama. Visit them online at www.eastmemorial.org.

e hat

od ts

d s s d. us nd it

eit

August 2017

River Regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Journey

Reset

Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture by David Murray

There’s no doubt that life is difficult. We are finite creatures who encounter an infinite number of opportunities. This forces us to make constant decisions between better and best, between the millions of things we could do and the few we actually should do. We are also weak creatures who have limited strength, foolish creatures who have limited wisdom, and idolatrous creatures who cannot even trust our own hearts and minds. It’s no wonder, then, that we often find ourselves overburdened with the cares and concerns of life. What we need from time to time is a reset, a return to a purposeful and sustainable existence. This is the subject of David Murray’s book Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture. His book is written specifically for men (he and his wife have coauthored a forthcoming companion volume for women) and means to show that “God has graciously provided a number of ways for us to reset our broken and burned-out lives, and to help us live grace-paced lives in a burnout culture.” And while the book is applicable to all men, the particular focus is ministry leaders. The book’s genesis was in Murray’s own health crisis. He was only in his forties when stress and overwork began to impact his health in a severe and potentially deadly way. A tightness in his neck became pressure in his chest and arms which became a diagnosis of blood clots in both lungs. Already in his hospital bed he came to see God’s mercy in this, for God had forced him to slow down River Region’s Journey

August 2017

and to reevaluate his life. “That prompted me to begin developing an informal program that I now call the Reset process. I have used it with numerous men, and now, through this book, I want to help you reset your life so that you can avoid crashing, or recover from it, by establishing patterns and rhythms that will help you live a grace-paced life and get you to the finish line successfully and joyfully.” Reset is a helpful book that offers wisdom that will help men avoid patterns that lead to burnout. For those who have already experienced it, it will help them avoid repeating the errors that led them there. It does not promise a life of ease, but it does promise a life that is sustainable, a life that is purposeful, and a life that brings glory to God.

The Money Challenge by Art Rainer

I often find my relationship to money similar to my relationship to physical fitness. For a long time I’ll be mindful and disciplined, I’ll save carefully and give with generosity, I’ll eat modest portions and exercise regularly. But if I’m not careful, I can inadvertently slip into bad habits and wasteful patterns. I need to maintain vigilance and, even better, to retain a biblical awareness of why both physical and financial discipline matter so much. It’s for that reason that I make books on finance part of my regular reading diet. It’s not that I don’t have a well-developed theology of stewardship and money, but that I can slowly slide away from it. I was glad, then, to spot The Money Challenge, a new book from Art Rainer that offers “30 Days of Discovering God’s Design For You and Your Money.” The book is not framed around thirty daily readings, but it does break its application points into thirty parts, one of which can be completed each 6

day for a month. The big point Rainer means to communicate is this: “You and your money are designed for something much bigger than wealth accumulation. We are wired to use our money for something far more significant than ourselves. God has designed us (and any resources we have) to make a difference in this world.” Money is designed to bring joy, but not in the way we tend to think. The joy we get from money is the joy we get from using it in the ways God intends. So what’s the purpose of the book? It’s not to work you through the process of eliminating debt or saving for retirement. It’s not to help you avoid some of the too-common traps and temptations like credit card debt and high-interest car loans. All of those things are important and all come up along the way. But each of them is actually just a means to the greater end of living a life of God-glorifying generosity. This involves following a threestep formula: Give generously, save wisely, and live appropriately. This is a life-long process of living within our means, not necessarily with frugality but with wisdom. “Living appropriately is managing your resources in a way that is both financially healthy and Kingdom-advancing. It is having the right perspective on the resources you have and the resources you will purchase.” Again, the great trick is that money and possessions really are related to our joy, just not in the way we think. In the end, accumulating them is far less satisfying than giving them away. The Money Challenge is an excellent, short, readable introduction to a biblical view of financial management. It may be an excellent first choice for those who have never read a book on money, and it may be an excellent refresher for those who have. In either case, you’ll learn that God “does not provide wealth for hoarding. He gives wealth to share. He gives wealth for generosity. He gives wealth to invest in eternal treasures. He gives wealth to advance His mission.” Ultimately, he gives money for our joy and his glory.

t a O i r B l t a a t s t t w i b

C C c h G a c f H d F b m T t f l S e

G s a o o f f a C o c d t

s ey an ur an

but get n

gs y.

n t

g. e

e.”

ay. n

ey, se

or nal

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

August 2017

River Region’s Journey

For only $8 per box, folks can taste the finest barbecued pork and chicken that Montgomery has to offer on the SAME PLATE, as well as generous sides of baked beans, slaw and bread. The sale will be from 9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, located at 6610 Vaughn Road. Drive thru pick up service is provided at the front of the church by Boy Scout Troop 306.

Tickets can be purchased in advance, or boxes can be bought on the day of the sale. Proceeds from the barbecue will benefit the Aldersgate Methodist Men’s mission and service projects for theGr a upcoming year. Projects include Boy Scouts, United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)Wa and other disaster relief organizations, hunger relief (such as the Society of Saint Andrew), short r term mission trips, and assistance for the elderly. For more information, contact Aldersgate United ye th Methodist Church at 272-6152 or send e-mail to aldersgateumm@gmail.com.

Aldersgate Methodist Men Host 33rd Annual Barbecue

Saturday, October 21, 2017 For only $8 per box, folks can taste the finest barbecued pork and chicken that Montgomery has to offer on the SAME PLATE, as well as generous sides of baked beans, slaw and bread. The sale will be from 9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, located at 6610 Vaughn Road. Drive thru pick up service is provided at the front of the church by Boy Scout Troop 306. Tickets can be purchased in advance, or boxes can be bought on the day of the sale. Proceeds from the barbecue will benefit the Aldersgate Methodist Men’s mission and service projects for the upcoming year. For more information, contact Aldersgate United Methodist Church at 272-6152 or send e-mail to aldersgateumm@gmail.com.

Victory Baptist School Celebrates Summer

Victory Baptist School has been buzzing this summer! Our teens enjoyed a week at Pensacola Christian College for Teen Extreme and our Jr. High volleyball team had a one-day volleyball camp. Victory Baptist Church Vacation Bible School was held the week of July 10. Our K4 through 6th-grade students enjoyed the “Over the Moat” theme which included Bible time, crafts, games and a snack each evening.

River Region’s Journey

August 2017

A wh g

ntgomery has ead. The sale 6610 Vaughn t Troop 306.

Proceeds from Grace City Dancers Complete Ballet Exam ojects for theGrace Presbyterian Church honors several Grace City Dancers for successfully completing a Cecchetti Council of America Ballet examination this spring. Hannah Schaupp, Isobel ef (UMCOR)Waring and Megan Montreuil danced before a Cecchetti Master Teacher and Examiner and ndrew), short received high marks for their theory, technique and style. Grace City Dance also held its ersgate United year-end recital comprised of all the ballet, tap and creative movement classes that meet at

on e r e s-

the church weekly. For more information, visit discover grace.org or call (334) 272-4930.

“Greater in Me” Dance and Mime Intensive

August 3rd - 5th (10:00 am - 1:00 pm) A free, three-day immersion experience for young liturgical dancers and Christian mimers, which will be held at Community Congregational Church (3481 South Court Street, Montgomery). The intensive will be led by a trained dance educator, Minister Krystle Speller, who holds a degree in Dance and has led several dance ministries around the country. Participants aged 8-18 will learn various forms of dance: including west African, modern, and gospel mime. Registration on-site. Dancers of all skill levels are welcome!

Tim Hawkins at MPAC

Saturday, July 15, at 7:30 p.m. Montgomery Performing Arts Centre Since giving up his job as a grocery truck driver in 2002, Tim Hawkins has been establishing himself as one of the most in-demand comedians in the country. The perils of marriage, homeschooling, and growing up in the Midwest make for really good punchlines. Tickets begin at $16 and are on sale at the MPAC box office, online at Ticketmaster. com or by phone at 800-745-3000.

Email your community or ministry news to deanne@ readjourneymagazine.com!

August 2017

River Region’s Journey

T 7 pe B

Renew Bible Study Begins

Community Wide Women’s Bible Study Saint James UMC (corner of Ryan Road and Vaughn Road) August 22-October 24 Tuesdays at 9:30 am or 6:30 pm Call (334) 277-3037 or visit sjlife.com/ministries/women.

Evening of Worship with Travis Cottrell

Thursday, August 3, at 6:00 pm Doors at 5:00 pm First Baptist Church of Opelika 301 South 8th Street, Opelika, AL Embracing the rich traditional hymns of his childhood, along with modern music of today, Travis uses a blended style of worship to help lead people from all generations and backgrounds into worship. His ministry is fueled by his desire to see this generation of the body of Christ come together for a place of unity in worship…using all of what God has ordained for His praise. And truth be told, there’s nothing that would make Travis happier than if you left an event where he led worship and couldn’t remember his name. Because more than anything, Travis longs for people to know, love and worship the Maker and Lover of our souls. That’s his passion, and ministering to God’s people is his great privilege.

Because their faith in you brings them joy. And because they need to see who your faith is in, too.

At Frazer, we know that participating in a community of faith isn’t just something you do for yourself. It would be easy to sleep in on Sundays—or catch up on the million other things on your plate. But making space to encounter God in worship might just be worth the effort—for yourself, and for the people in your life who are watching you. Why not check us out this Sunday?

WORSHIP TIMES (two locations) 8, 9:30, 11am on Atlanta Highway 9 & 10:30am in the Pike Road School

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR CHILDREN’S, STUDENTS’ AND FAMIILY MINISTRIES AT WWW.FRAZER.CHURCH.

River Region’s Journey

August 2017

BROKEN Ministry

This new ministry launches Tuesday night - September 12th at 7 PM at the Millbrook YMCA. “Broken” is a place for broken people to discover hope, truth, and redemption in Jesus Christ. Broken is WHO we are; it is not ALL we are. Pastor: Robert Barge. To learn more, find us on Facebook @WhoWeAreNotALLWeAre.

m ch

Big Church Night Out

AL ch of ng ic es

o f . an s w, n,

September 21 at Garrett Coliseum

with performances by Newsboys, Sidewalk Prophets, 7eventh Time Down, Blanca, Derek Minor and more! Ultimate VIP Experience: $100.00--Includes all of the perks of the Premium Package PLUS a pre-show photo op w/ Newsboys & other Big Church Night Out artists, and coupon for a discount at the Big Church Night Out merchandise table. Premium Package: $45.00--Includes early entrance, best seats, a special tour laminate and a pre-show Q&A with the Newsboys & other Big Church Night Out artists. Reserved: $25.00--Friends & Family 4-Pack: $20.00; Groups of 10+: $18.00, Plus 2 FREE tickets with a group of 10 or more! Charge-by-Phone: 1-800-745-3000; For More Information: Call (334) 356-6866 or support@premierproductions.com or call (855) 484-1991.

Email church or ministry news to deanne@readjourneymagazine.com.

August 2017

River Region’s Journey

RR yo liv an in

RRJ: What would you say the difference is in knowing who Jesus is and having a relationship with Him? Laura: To know WHO Jesus is, and to know Him on a personal level is like saying I know what food is but I’ve never tasted it, then having a sevencourse meal for the first time. RRJ: In your youth, you mentioned that your parents lived very active lives. You grew to be independent and a problem solver. How have these traits helped you in raising your own three children?

RRJ: Growing up in a Christian home, you’ve known about Jesus for a long time, but when did you come to truly know Jesus? Laura: I think this is a lifelong goal. Knowing Jesus is both simple and complex at the same time. I started really trying to learn more about Jesus and my faith in my late 20s. Many things have changed my perspective about my relationship with Christ: becoming a parent and truly understanding unconditional love; reading and studying about the life of Christ; doing personal inventory about my beliefs versus what the truth of the Bible says...these and many other things have brought me to the understanding that I know all I need to know-- that the gospel is a very simple message, but also understanding there truly is so much more to learn. River Region’s Journey

August 2017

Laura: It has helped me to allow my children to figure things out for themselves and allow them to make some of their own mistakes. It is much easier to step in and take care of things for children because we have experience and we can do things faster and keep them from some of the bumps in the road. I have realized that by instilling independence and having kids figure things out, it gives them confidence for the future so they can work through what life throws at them. RRJ: What are some tools of the Christian faith that help you as a wife and mother? Laura: Love. Having children gave me a whole new perspective on this one. God’s agape love for us is unconditional and expects nothing in return. He simply loves us. I really don’t think I understood this until I had my children. Forgiveness. It is a command, not an option. When I am angry- justified 12

or not- I am reminded of how much I have been forgiven. Patience. I am a work in progress, as is everyone. Grace. This one has been the toughest one to accept for myself, but an absolute pleasure to dole out. Also, something that has been a blessing to me is the “alphabet prayer”. I wake up often in the middle of the night and my mind turns on. I spend this time going through the alphabet praying for people or situations whose name starts with the letter. The people whose names start with “A” get more prayers than the ones at the end of the alphabet - because I often fall asleep in the middle of my prayer. The point is to spend what quiet time is available checking in with and talking to God. Just squeeze it in when and where you can. There are so many cultural things pulling against our kids and our marriages. We should all be praying for our spouses, children and families as much as possible!

La the “go utm to wi pro wh wi be mu Je

RR wo are be

La life Go pa ste yo ag

co my

“T a

RRJ: You are currently owner of Laura Dockery Interiors. How long have you been in the business of design/interiors and what drew you to this field?

“R t is

Laura: I have worked in the interiors field for 20+ years. I majored in painting and have always loved all aspects of creativity. I am fascinated with colors and how they respond and relate to each other. I started helping people select paint colors for their homes (which is still my favorite thing) and it snowballed from there. I have loved the creative outlet and the flexibility I have had as a mother.

“

Lau the Tay

Edit 2017 L Ph

RRJ: How does your faith help you in your work? What is challenging about living out your faith in the workplace, and how are you seeking to overcome in those areas? Laura: I try to live my life through the “lens of my faith”. Following the “golden rule” of doing unto others is of utmost importance to me. I would have to say my main struggle is in dealing with missed deadlines due to vendors problems. I can get easily frustrated when someone promises something will get done and they are running behind. I have found that my attitude is much better when I start my day with Jesus.

RRJ: Laura, what encouragement would you offer Journey readers who are struggling to live out their faith beyond church walls?

Laura: In my personal experience, life is much smoother when you put God first. It’s awfully difficult to compartmentalize your faith. Take baby steps. Get a good devotional, surround yourself with people who can encourage you in your faith walk. God’s Word offers the most encouragement! These are just a few of my favorite scriptures:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)

ra u -

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1Thessalonians 5:16-18)

s ts le le

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)

Laura Dockery is married to Dr. Jimmy Dockery and they live in Montgomery with their three children, Taylor, Kate and Forrest. Editor’s Note: The photo of Judah and Samantha Helms in our May 2017 Faith @ Work column was provided by Leslie Huffman of Simply L Photography. We apologize that credit was not given in that issue.

August 2017

River Region’s Journey

C U Ignoring Tornadoes Canadian Cecilia Wessels of Three Hills, Alberta was awakened from her nap on June 2, 2017, by her nine-year-old daughter warning her that something strange was in the sky. She went to the backyard to see a huge funnel cloud churning up dirt about a mile away. Picking up the camera, she snapped some photos of the tornado to send to her parents in South Africa. The photos showed something else. Her husband, Theunis, was in the backyard mowing the grass. When questioned about his actions later, her husband replied, “It was just forming and getting bigger. I was seeing it coming up. I was watching it all the time.”

River Region’s Journey

August 2017

Fortunately for everyone, the tornado turned east and went away. Mr. Wessels denied that he was in any danger. He said he was familiar with tornadoes because he had once seen a TV program about storm chasers. He added, “I did get the lawn finished and it looks nice.” Had Mr. Wessels immigrated from Alabama, instead of South Africa, he might have had his family in the bathroom, listening to the weather radio and praying for mercy. Folks in Alabama have seen entire neighborhoods destroyed, forests leveled, and debris flung for miles. We have seen the destruction ourselves, or we know someone who has. Tornadoes are serious. But perhaps we ignore other kinds of storms that can be just as destructive. When it comes to secret sin in our lives, I wonder if most of us are mowing our lawn with our backs to the funnel cloud. How many of us harbor something in our spirit that we know is dangerous, but are not willing to face? There are many vices and addictions that would qualify, but perhaps the least discussed is lust. We, in America, have made it socially acceptable to seek out and live out any kind of physical attraction that pleases us. God has told us this will only bring us pain. Yet, lust is central to our music, art, advertising, and entertainment. It is hard to find a novel or movie without nudity and what is called the Obligatory Sex Scene. But this temptation can 14

also show up as flirting with the wrong person or choosing clothes to make heads turn when you walk by. This tornado of emotion and passion attracts Christians as well as others. One study estimates that most church-going Christian men watch pornography on a regular basis. I hope that is not true. But, many Christian leaders have been robbed of their witness for Christ by the lure of lust. Lust can affect either gender and almost anyone from adolescence to old age. It’s Satan’s ploy that implies God cannot meet all of our needs, and that we should have fun, whatever it costs. We are tempted to believe that we can handle our private tornadoes without any help, especially if we think no one knows about our secret sin. The truth is we can’t predict which way our personal tornado may turn. When the problem is no longer a mile away, but right on top of our lives things will look different. We cannot envision the flying debris or the extent of damage that can come from choosing to ignore what we know is right and not confessing and repenting of our sinful choices. This is where God’s Word can spare us the scars of learning everything through experience, if we humble ourselves and seek Him. He knows exactly what will happen in the future. We do not have to destroy ourselves and those we love. We can find comfort in these words from the first letter of John, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness,” (I John 1:9 NIV). Or this reminder that Paul sent to the Romans, “The wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord,” (Romans 6:23 NIV). Like Mr. Wessels, we all have things we need to do. But the best thing is to talk to God about our sins while they are still on the horizon. Then trust His solution. After all, the lawn can wait.

**Sam Whatley’s latest book, Ponder Anew, is now available at the Frazer Bookstore located inside Frazer Memorial UMC.

SCHOOL SUPPLY

FAIR

on n

HEALTH

COMM UNITYd

GIVEAWAY

drist

p, ur h he on e nt

s,” ent ut ur

le MC.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 5TH 9:00AM - 12:00PM HEALTH SERVICES, INC. - RIVER REGION HEALTH 1845 CHERRY STREET MONTGOMERY, AL 36107

EVENT: E E R F

SPONSORED BY: HEALTH SERVICES, INC.

HEALTH SCREENINGS

HEALTH SERVICES FOUNDATION

ZUMBA

Pre-filled Backpacks

KIDS ZONE

Jumpers

Fire Truck Fun & Games

FOOD & MORE Traductor de habla española estará disponible 15

August 2017

River Region’s Journey

bri ver of me act chi Sc (2 tak sam wa fai wa and of Mo lov bec and or

fai tha as thi (Ph bef my

Th hol

For most honest Christians, becoming like Jesus Christ—or what Scripture calls sanctification— can be a supremely anticlimactic process. No matter how much better we become over time, no matter how much more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and selfcontrolled we are this year compared to last year (Galatians 5:22-23), we never progress in our character to the degree that we once hoped that we would. Ironically, the more like Jesus we actually become, the more unlike Jesus we realize that we are.

River Region’s Journey

August 2017

When I first became a Christian, I had a brimming optimism about becoming a better version of myself. This, after all, is the promise of God to all who trust in Jesus—He will not merely help us turn over a new leaf; he will actually give us a new life. As a newly born child of God, I was a new creation. The old Scott was gone, and the new Scott had come (2 Corinthians 5:17). The Holy Spirit had taken up residence in me, which meant that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead was living in me. This power would give me faith to trust and follow God’s word and God’s ways over my own flawed feelings, impulses, and ideas. It would give me hope in the face of life’s sorrows, letdowns and uncertainties. Most of all, it would enhance my ability to love God and others. Along the way, I could become the kind of friend, neighbor, spouse, and contributor that might even win an award or two someday. Like many Christians in their newfound faith, I felt really good about the kind of person that I was destined to become in Christ. I would, as the Apostle has written, be able to “do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). It was only a matter of time before I would become the very best version of myself. Or so I thought. Now, some 29 later, I am more of a realist. These days, I often feel more sinful and less holy and virtuous than I did in those first days

as a brand new Christian. Although there are many ways in which I have become more like Christ, in other ways I still ignore and disobey and even deny him. At my best, those who are closest to me will tell you that the fruit of the Spirit is at work in my life. At my worst, those same people will tell you that I can be petty and even angry about the most insignificant things. I get road rage. I get way too irritated with people who eat a little too loudly. I think about money a lot more than I should. I find more satisfaction in the praise of people than I do in the grace of God. I can be selfish, cowardly, conflict-averse, jealous, and ambitious in all the wrong ways. I can, like the Pharisees, use my spiritual gifts and platform as a means to draw attention to myself and applause from others…applause that belongs only to God, who alone deserves the glory. Sometimes when an immodest movie scene flashes in front of my eyes, I don’t look away. I fear the future as much as I trust God for the future. I am a man who lives by fear as much as I am a man who lives by faith. When I see Jesus on the cross crying out, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” I often think, “My God, why haven’t you forsaken me?” I am with Herman Melville and Moby Dick on this one. I am “dreadfully cracked about the head, and sadly need mending.” Twentynine years a Christian and the words of Brennan Manning ring true now as much as ever:

2600 Bell Road Montgomery, Alabama 334.277.6690

When I get honest, I admit I am a bundle of paradoxes. I believe and I doubt, I hope and get discouraged, I love and I hate, I feel bad about feeling good, I feel guilty about not feeling guilty. I am trusting and suspicious. I am honest and I still play games. Aristotle said I am a rational animal; I say I am an angel with an incredible capacity for beer.(Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel) Can you relate to this also? Are we hopeless? Thankfully, there is also plenty of reason not to despair. Because of Jesus, there is encouragement available to us as we experience the rupture of anticlimax, and as we face the fact that until Jesus returns, we will continue to fall short of the glory for which we have been created. Encouragement comes from knowing that even the greatest heroes of faith were also flawed and broken—wrecked, weary, restless, and sometimes tortured sinners—even at their spiritual peak. The prophet Isaiah, whose lips were skilled at declaring the truth, beauty, and character of God to the people of Israel, had a vision of the holiness of God in the temple. This experience was enough to bring God’s prophet to his knees in grief. Isaiah became convinced that, in comparison to his Creator, even his most pure and virtuous body parts— his prophet and preacher’s lips—were flat out

460 McQueen Smith Road Prattville, Alabama 334.358.6411

Dr. John H. Payne IV • Dr. David Stanley • Dr. Davis Denney • Dr. Rob Owen 17

August 2017

River Region’s Journey

can’t quite figure out how to move forward, or even where to begin. The new has come, but the old, fleshly self remains with us. We are being made more like Christ, but our sin and selfishness and narcissism and idolatrous leanings are always there, threatening—even promising—to stunt progress. We move two steps forward, then one step back, and sometimes three. This is our shared, fearfully and wonderfully made yet frail human reality. Aren’t you relieved that those you respect most in the faith also have shortcomings? Aren’t you relieved that so many of the men and women in the Bible—people like Isaiah and Paul, and Rahab and Martha—are also men and women with deep, abiding flaws? Aren’t you relieved that every last one of them is an incomplete work in progress whose less flattering features remained with them until their dying day, even as they journeyed toward perfection? How awful and despairing it would be if the valiant, selfsacrificing, heroic disciples of Jesus weren’t also screw-ups just like us. Their failings bring me almost as much comfort as the promises of God, because if there is hope for busted-up sinners like them, then there is also hope for a busted-up sinner like me. The beginning of blessedness—and the beginning of real change—is not the realization

We are being made more like Christ, but our sin and selfishness and narcissism and idolatrous leanings are always there, threatening—even promising—to stunt progress. We move two steps forward, then one step back, and sometimes three. dirty: “Woe is me, I am ruined!” the prophet exclaimed, “For I am a man of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5). Similarly, the Apostle Paul felt the gravity of his own hypocrisy even more at the end of his journey than he had at the beginning. Early on as a Christian, he referred to himself as “Paul, an Apostle.” Later, he became “Paul, the least of the Apostles,” then later, “Paul, the least of all the saints,” then finally, this: “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost” (1 Timothy 1:15). This is the same man who wrote about the inner conflict he experienced of living inconsistently with his inmost, Spiritformed desires. He exclaimed, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:7-25) There is great paradox to life in Jesus Christ. We are on our way home, but we aren’t there yet. We long to be better than we are, but

River Region’s Journey

August 2017

that we are okay, but the realization that we are not okay. It is not in becoming convinced that we are superior to everyone else, but that we are no better than anyone else. It is not in believing that we are strong and capable and competent, but in accepting that we are frail and incapable and weak, while also being fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). It is not in thinking that God expects us to be awesome and prettied-up and all put together, but in gaining confidence that God has first and foremost, in Christ, caused us to be forgiven, loved, faithful and free. It is from this humble place—and only from this place—that we have any chance of growing into the virtues of Christ. It is only when we can cry out, “God, have mercy on me, the sinner” that we are sent home justified, blameless in his sight, and confident in his love (Luke 18:9-14). As my friend and Los Angeles pastor, Rankin Wilbourne says, “God does not love us to the degree that we are like Christ. Rather, God loves us to the degree that we are in Christ. And that’s one hundred percent.” What could be better than this? In March 2012, Scott began serving as the Senior Minister of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, where he lives with his wife Patti and two daughters, Abby and Ellie. Scott has authored two books: Jesus Outside the Lines and Befriend. Scott also writes weekly on his blog at scottsauls.com and can also be found on Twitter at @ scottsauls.

ar-

r, nd

Breast cancer may not have a cure yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t beat it. Let’s work on that together.

er,

ter

by he

OUR SPECIALIST

UAB Medicine Breast Health Breast cancer. They’re the last two words any woman wants to hear. But now there’s new hope, because the UAB Multispecialty Clinic at Baptist Medical Center South has welcomed its first specialty-trained UAB doctor for breast care and breast cancer. She’s an expert in breast surgery and breast diseases, and she’ll provide you with a full range of options for your treatment. So, call us for the latest in specialized breast care. And let’s get you better, together.

Coordination with plastic surgeon for immediate breast reconstruction

334.613.7070 UABmedicine-Baptist.com/breasthealth UAB Medicine Breast Health Clinic 4749 Berry Boulevard Montgomery, AL 36106

August 2017

River Region’s Journey

R 3

Refuse to Be Distracted There is a billboard between my house and my place of work that reads, “Don’t drive distracted.” I have to admit that the billboard reminds me of what happened a few years back. I was driving to meet a friend for lunch one sunny day when I suddenly remembered an important phone call I had forgotten to make. I immediately stretched to reach my back seat where I had left my cell phone. I took my eyes off the road for just a few seconds. Immediately I heard a loud bang; I had crashed into the car in front of me. My truck was bashed in, and the car I hit badly damaged. Thank God no one was hurt physically, but the damage to my wallet was ginormous. Distraction is very detrimental to life, both physically and spiritually. I could have killed the people I hit as well as myself, and cut short our spiritual assignments. We are all on a journey driving through life, so it will serve us well to keep focused and attentive to the road ahead, in order to avoid possible collision. Paul told the Corinthians that he had the intention to present them as a pure bride to their bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ. But Paul said he was afraid that just as the snake had deceived Eve, the Corinthians’ minds would be led astray from a sincere devotion to Christ. (See 2 Corinthians 11:1-3.) Why was the apostle so unsure about the faith of the Corinthian believers? Could it be that what Paul had hoped to see about their walk with Christ and their zeal for the kingdom was not what he was seeing? What made him feel like they were being deceived? River Region’s Journey

August 2017

Adam and Eve lived focused lives. They communed with God in the garden daily, fulfilling their ordained assignments. Satan became enraged out of envy, because they were experiencing the intimacy with God he had once enjoyed. Looking for a means to break their fellowship, Satan came up with a plan to distract man’s attention from his Creator. He presented the “bait” in Genesis 3. Eve and her hubby took the bait, tainting their wholehearted devotion to Christ, losing their innocence, and their trust in God. They began to find the means of self-preservation. Yet the best mankind can do without his Creator is use human means to cover up the problems. Adam and Eve did this by sewing leaves. God has a specific assignment for you to carry out to completion. Satan fights to distract you from getting done what you were born to do. We must resist distractions at all cost, because someone else’s victory is contingent on you saying yes to God’s call on your life. Someone’s breakthrough depends on your prayer, but you have to live to say the prayer and refuse to be distracted!

Ways the Enemy Distracts Us 1. Mind Wars Beware of what you accept in your mind as thoughts. A thought could be an enemy distraction. Satan is a master of bombarding our minds with inordinate and un-wholesome thoughts in an attempt to defile, hinder, and block us from progress. Have you ever tried to pray only to find your 20

mind roaming everywhere? Or have you tried to read the Word only to wake up an hour later with your Bible serving as your pillow? Most of the root causes of the anger, bitterness, unforgivingness that we deal with originate in our uncontrolled thought lives. 2. Cares of this World Lack of daily life necessities can be a major distraction. Jesus says to not worry about anything but to trust Him. Someone has wisely said to trust God as if it all depends on Him, work as if it all depends on you, and leave the outcome to God. 3. Spirit of Entertainment In the past we used our phone to either make a call or to answer one. We used to wait to get on our computers at home or at work. But now everything we need is in the palm of our hands – from voice mail to games – from texts to movies. Don’t be overly indulged by the spirit of entertainment.

How to Stay Focused

Nehemiah 6:1- 5 describes how Nehemiah’s team rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem in 52 days, despite serious opposition. They did this by resisting distractions. Here are some suggestions for you to remain focused: 1.Take an inventory of your life, doing away with all unproductive activity. 2. Determine to fulfill your specific purpose in life.

th • • • • • • •

3. Refuse to live a scattered life. Instead, live intentionally. Always remember that the Holy Spirit is willing to assist you in your weakness. He can help you remain focused. Just open your heart to His aid.

•

•1

Bradford Health Services ROAD MAP TO ADOLESCENT RECOVERY

er, th .

Addiction is not an easy road for adults and can be even more difficult for teenagers. Drug and alcohol dependency can take

ait

of m y

t He ur

adolescents away from their families, friends, and a successful future. Bradford Health Services has guided young people and their families

BRADFORD

on the road to recovery for more than 30 years. We help adolescents and their families identify, embrace, and maximize their strengths and skill sets. •

Inpatient Treatment, Intensive Outpatient Treatment & Continuing Care

•

Clinical services facilitated by licensed therapists

•

Medical services available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

•

Psychological Evaluation

•

Education Program

•

Recreational Activities

•

Family Education Program

•

Adventure-Based Counseling

• 12-Step

HEALTH SERVICES

Call today for a free consultation 334-244- 0702 • 1- 800 - 333 -1865 www.bradfordhealth.com

Groups

There Is Hope Ahead. 21

August 2017

River Region’s Journey

int gro

fav wo thr go sha no par shi chi the pat

mo lie the wi

wo in yea als in pro chi shi sev

by Ashley Sherlock

exciting Bible lesson in an easily accessible environment. The Good News Club lets kids participate in songs, memory verses and games. It meets once a week during the school year, and because of an equal access law passed in 2001 by the Supreme Court, is allowed to take place in public schools. The Good News Club is a Sunday school on the road, allowing children to establish relationships with the teachers and with God. For some children, this is the only place they’ll learn about God and His Word. Similar to Sunday School on the road, the 5-Day Club is essentially a Vacation Bible School on the road. It’s free and open to boys and girls between the ages of five and twelve. For five consecutive days children are taught by specially trained and screened Christian volunteers through dynamic Bible lessons, creative learning activities, and inspiring stories. This year, the 5-Day Club training was expanded to include partnering churches. These churches sent volunteers to go with trained CEF teens into the community to minister to the children of Central Alabama. Kelley says, “It has been a great opportunity to connect these churches with children and their families in hopes of bringing them

“I am convinced,” says Child Evangelism Fellowship of Central Ala. Chairman Chris Carver, “that there is no greater opportunity today for spreading the Gospel than in reaching out to children.” Child Evangelism Fellowship is an international Bible-centered organization that, for 80 years, has been evangelizing boys and girls with the Bible to establish them in a local church for Christian living. CEF offers different club ministries that include effective tools for evangelism and discipleship. The primary programs are the Good News Clubs and the 5-Day Club, which are fast-paced programs that take the Gospel into the communities of the children. Before Kelley Herring became Ministry Coordinator of CEF of Central Alabama, she volunteered to host a Good News Club in her home. “When they came to conduct the club, I remember listening to them in the other room sharing God’s Word with the children. The teenagers trained by CEF could share the gospel clearer than I could. I listened in awe.” The Good News Club uses trained volunteers that meet with groups of children in schools, homes, and churches to present an River Region’s Journey

August 2017

into the local church for discipleship and growth.” Chris and Kelley both have several favorite parts of working with CEF. From working with churches and individuals through training to those church members going beyond their comfortable walls to share God’s Word in the community, there’s no shortage of blessing that happens from partnering with Child Evangelism Fellowship. They’ve also seen parents bring their children back to church because of what they’ve seen in their child’s life since participating in the Good News Club. “I love many things about CEF. The more I study the scriptures the more I believe and understand that God loves to use the weak things of the world to confound the wise,” said Carver. In the future, CEF of Central Alabama would like to develop a fully equipped club in 50 elementary schools in the area. Last year there were 20 Good News Clubs. CEF also plans to eventually have 2,500 children in the weekly after-school Good News Club programs. Last year they made it to 1,038 children. While Child Evangelism Fellowship currently has a ministry presence in several counties throughout Alabama, they

are looking forward to the day they’ll be able to reach all 15 counties in their region. CEF is currently gearing up for the school year with teacher training for Good News Clubs on August 5. Also, on October 10, CEF will host a comedy night with Michael Jr. from War Room and comedian and internet sensation John Crist at Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church. Child Evangelism Fellowship produces and distributes its own Bible and missionary lessons and materials to help teach the children in the ministries. Many of their materials are translated into more than 89 different languages and are distributed throughout the world. Collaborative efforts within the ministry, with churches and with the community make this ministry successful. Child Evangelism Fellowship is currently in need of volunteers to go into the community. Training is offered for individuals, families, Sunday School classes, small groups and more. You

can sign up via email to cefcentralal@gmail. com or by calling 334.213.7388. The ministry functions through the giving of local churches and individuals. To learn more about partnering with Child Evangelism Fellowship of Central Alabama and helping further the cause of reaching boys and girls for Christ in our community, visit www.cefcentralalabama.org. You can also find CEF on Facebook as Child Evangelism Fellowship Inc. and Instagram as cefcentralal. A Florida native, Ashley Sherlock made the transition to Alabama to pursue a degree in English. She has a passion for the written word, an affinity for the outdoors, a love for people, and a desire for the Lord.

od es.

th e

nys e n -

m 23

August 2017

River Region’s Journey

Loc RSV spir beg 365

Loc (Hw day cen hab

Adoption

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy and First UMC, Millbrook APAC- Alabama Pre/Post Adoption Connection Support Group This group provides education and social interaction for adoptive families. Montgomery Group meets 3rd Tuesdays, 6-7:30 p.m., Room 8114 at Frazer. For more information call Sonia Martin at 409-9477 or she can be reached by email at smartin@childrensaid.org. For information on the Birth Parent and Adult Adoptee Support group please contact Kathy King 205-943-5331 or email kking@childrensaid.org Location: Landmark Church, 1800 Halcyon Blvd. Leaders: Chad & Betsy Emerson (334) 201-5241 Wednesday, 6:30pm in Rm. 116. The Orphan Care Group will focus on God’s call to help orphans through adoption, foster care, and missions work. The group will share experiences, study and Biblical themes regarding orphan care, and provide a support and network.

Alcoholic / Addict

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 Christ-centered 12-step program. Call 264-4949. Location: Dalraida UMC, 3817 Atlanta Highway Alcoholics Anonymous meets at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays. 272.2190. Alanon meets at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Location: First Baptist Church (Huff Community Ministries Bldg., 200 S. Perry Street) Celebrate Recovery, a Bible-based Christ centered approach to recovery from hurts, habits and hang-ups, meets Friday nights, from 5:30 p.m.- 8 p.m. For more information, contact Jane Ferguson at 241.5141. 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: Journey Church, 2960 East Cobbs Ford Road across from The Catfish House in Millbrook Celebrate Recovery - Christ-centered 12-step for anyone struggling with addiction or life-challenging issues. Mondays at 5:30pm (meal-CrossTalk Cafe), 6-6:55 pm (large group), 6:55-7:45 (small group). Childcare available. Call Larry at 334-832-5714 or visit myjourneychurch.com. Location: Landmark Church, 1800 Halcyon Blvd. RSVP- This is a 12 step spiritual recovery program for overcoming addictions. Using the steps and Bible we help build self-esteem, responsible behavior, the making of amends for our destructive actions, and to fill the void in our hearts in a loving relationship with God. Wednesday @ 6:30pm in Rm. 121 of the Life Center.

Children’s of Alabama is ... l The

third largest pediatric hospital in the United States

l Licensed

U.S. News & World Report

This icon is not the official U.S. News & World Report best hospitals emblem.

2016-17

l The

BEST

for 332 beds & 48 NICU bassinets

first LEED-certified hospital building in Alabama

l One

of the Top 20 employers in Alabama with more than 4,700 employees across the state

CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS

l The

pediatric teaching hospital for the School of Medicine at UAB

l Home

to the Pediatric & Congenital Heart Center of Alabama, where more than 450 cardiac surgeries are performed annually

l Site

of the only pediatric kidney dialysis program in the state — one of the largest in the country

Russell Campus

l Home

205.638.9100 1600 7th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233 Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children Lowder Building McWane Building Children’s on Third Outpatient Center Children’s Park Place

to one of the largest burn units in the Southeast

l One

of the largest pediatric rheumatology programs in the nation and the only one in Alabama

1601 5th Avenue South 1600 7th Avenue South 1600 7th Avenue South 1208 3rd Avenue South 1600 5th Avenue South

l Provides

care for more than 90 percent of Alabama children with cancer and blood disorders

Children’s South

205.638.4800 1940 Elmer J. Bissell Road, Birmingham, AL 35243 Outpatient surgery services, Pediatric Imaging Center, laboratory services, specialty care clinics and After Hours care

Physicians to Children

334.293.5033 470 Taylor Rd # 210, Montgomery, Alabama 36117 River Region’s Journey

August 2017

www.ChildrensAL.org

Sex wit a pr mig me http ery nig p.m

Loc Cel pm gro cha at 3

Loc (Ac Gam

Loc 306 ‘Fr incl beg

. vr

ng ,

. m ble he

p e

Location: Prattville Church of Christ, 344 East Main St. RSVP - 12 step (Christians Against Substance Abuse-CASA) spiritual recovery program, for overcoming addictions. Class begins each Wednesday evening @6:30 PM. Please call 334365-4201 for addition information. Location: Santuck Baptist Church, 7250 Central Plank Rd. (Hwy 9), Wetumpka. Celebrate Recovery meets each Thursday evening at 6:15 in the Fellowship Hall. This is a Chrsit centered 12 step-program for anyone struggling with hurts, habits, and hang-ups. Call 567-2364. Sex Addicts Anonymous (SAA) is open to all struggling with addictive sexual behavior. If you believe you have a problem with sex addiction (or are wondering if you might) and you want to change your behavior, we recommend you visit our group. For locations, please visithttps://saa-recovery.org/ or please contact – MontgomerySAA@outlook.com. Meetings are held: every Sunday night - 7:45 p.m, men only. Every Monday night - 7:30 p.m, men and women. 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 lifechallenging issues.” For information, call Chris Henderson at 334-215-0427.

minister to those with his background. All are welcome, not a requirement to own/ride a motorcycle. Format used is the Holy Bible. For any info contact ministry leader, Paul Henderson, 334-201-5428.

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.

Alzheimer’s / Dementia

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 Rm 8253. Call 220-4599 or visit womenofhope@ charter.net.

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy An Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregivers’ Support Group meets on the first Thursday of each month at 11 a.m. in Room 3103. Call 272.8622.

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy. The Montgomery Area 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 and Tricia Crowley at 2647586 or jpcrowl46@yahoo.com.

Location: First UMC, 2416 W. Cloverdale Park, Wesley Hall Bldg. 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 A Dementia Daycare is held each Thursday in Rm. 3101 from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Each participant may bring a sack lunch. There is no charge. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Call the LifeCare office at 272-8622.

Divorce

Cancer

Location: Trinity Episcopal, Wetumpka (Across from Winn Dixie on HWY 231) Gamblers Anonymous-Saturdays at 7 p.m.

Location: Aldersgate UMC, 6610 Vaughn Rd, Montgomery 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: 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 further information.

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

Location: Dalraida Baptist, 3838 Wares Ferry Road. Just for Men -- Faith based cancer support group for men. Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the conference center. Please call 272-2412 email stan.hurst@knology.net.

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Divorce Care meets each Tuesday from 6-7:30pm. in the Fellowship Hall Lobby. This group will provide support & guidance to assist you in working through the issues, pain & pressures surrounding divorce. Also, DivorceCare for Kids is available. Call 495-6350 or e-mail jan@frazerumc.org.

August 2017

River Region’s Journey

Location: Vaughn Forest Church, 8660 Vaughn Road DivorceCare fosters a weekly supportive and caring environment to heal the hurt of separation and divorce. Call 279-5433.

Tuesdays at 7 pm. Call (334) 284-2721 for info. Location: First UMC, 100 E. Fourth St, Prattville Grief Share, Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm in the church parlor. Call 365-5977.

Gambling

Location: Frazer UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Grief Recovery Support Group meets Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m., Rm 3105, in Fellowship Hall Lobby. 272.8622.

Location: Cedarwood Community Church, 10286 US HWY 231 in the Wallsboro/Wetumpka community Gamblers Anonymous, Saturdays at 6 pm. 567-0476 Location: Mental Health of America Bldg, 1116 South Hull Street, Montgomery. Sundays @ 5 pm. Location: St Paul’s Lutheran Church, 4475 Atlanta Hwy, Mondays @ 6pm. Gamblers Anonymous Hotline: 334-541-5420 or you can call 2-1-1 and ask for meeting information. Alabama Council on Compulsive Gambling: 277-5100

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. This is an open group for those who have lost a loved one to suicide and welcomes anyone regardless of their religious beliefs. Contact Cheryl Vinson at riverregionsos@gmail.com with questions or for more information. 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

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 or e-mail mourningtomorning@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook--Mourning to Morning Group. 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 Ministry is a grief recovery support group that meets every Monday at 6:00 P.M. The ministry is designed to help anyone through the hurt of losing a loved one by successfully traveling the journey from mourning to joy. Alicia Glover is the coordinator. For information contact Glover at 334-281-2754. Location: Vaughn Forest Church, 8660 Vaughn Road GriefShare is a support group that meets Wednesdays from 6-8 pm. This program is non-denominational and features biblical concepts for healing your grief. GriefShare will be led by Howard and Carol Payne and Jim Williams. Call 279-5433 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 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: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Frazer mom2mom is a playgroup to connect mothers of ages birth to 5 at Frazer UMC to share fun and inspiration in our journey together, with our children, and with Christ. Email Mom2mom@frazerumc.org for more information.

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.

Loc AM mo and Wh lov Bra . Loc Are tog frie We 9:3 VF

sec Ou visi ass ind

Loc An Au affe of t

Loc Par roo

Loc Ost Sun Oct

Loc Mo me hav the Syn mo pag SO

Loc Bap Up wan one 6:3 mo

Loc Bou 6-7 hel hel ma

Loc Sin Mo 6-7 par em

River Region’s Journey

August 2017

le,

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: Vaughn Forest Church, 8660 Vaughn Road Are you in need of a time-out? MOPS joins mothers together by a common bond, to be better wives, moms, and friends along this journey in the trenches of motherhood. We meet the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month from 9:30—11:30 a.m. Childcare is provided. For info e-mail VFCMOPS@gmail.com.

, -

of th

4th

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 An MDA/ALS Support Group will meet Tuesday August 10 6:00p.m. – 8:00 p.m. in room 3101. Anyone affected by a neuromuscular disease or family members of those affected. To receive info, call 396-4534. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy. Parkinson’s Support meets 4th Thursdays at 6pm in room 8114. Call 495-6350 for more info. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy. Ostomy Support meets every other month on the 2nd Sunday at 2:30 pm in room 3101. In 2017; August, October & December. Call 495-6350 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. Please contact MADSOG at montgomeryareadownsyndrome@gmail.com.

Same Sex Attraction

Location: Huff Community Ministry Building of First Baptist Church at 200 S. Perry Street Upstream Support Group for those dealing with unwanted same sex attraction and family members or loved ones of those who are gay identified. The group meets at 6:30 pm every first, third and fifth Tuesday evenings. For more information call 334.452.0620.

Singlehood

Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Boundaries study for singles meets each Tuesday from 6-7:30pm in the Fellowship Hall Lobby. This study will help singles learn to set boundaries with emotions and help avoid the harmful behavior of others. For information, call 495-6386 or email singles@frazerumc.org. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Single and Parenting! A New Group for Single Mom’s. This group meets every Tuesday from 6-7:30pm for hope & encouragement & guidance & parenting ideas. For information, call 495-6386 or email singles@frazerumc.org.

August 2017

River Region’s Journey

July 2017

The Church’s Health Some survey data shows that not only does church attendance help keep the church healthy, but it also can keep the people healthy! Marino Bruce, a social and behavioral scientist from Vanderbilt University, as well as a Baptist minister, is a primary author of the study along with Keith Norris of UCLA. The study has nine other co-authors, too. A piece on the USA Today website stated that the study “has found that people who attend religious services live longer and are less stressed.” Bruce is quoted as saying, “We found in our study that actually attending church is actually good for your health, particularly for those who are between the ages of 40 and 65...” This is from the study that was published by the Plos One journal, entitled, “Church Attendance, Allostatic Load and Mortality in Middle Aged Adults.” As USA Today puts it: “Specifically, the study says those middle-aged adults who go to church, synagogues, mosques or other houses of worship reduce their mortality risk by 55%.” Bruce said, “For those who did not attend church at all, they were twice as likely to die prematurely than those who did attend church at some point over the last year...” He was also quoted as saying, “I’m ordained clergy so I’m always about what do we mean by our spiritual health. Does spiritual health matter with respect to biological outcomes?” The USA Today article gave some background into the nuts and bolts of the study: The researchers used publicly available data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which is collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, for the study. They filtered the data set, finding 5,449 participants of both sexes and all races. River Region’s Journey

August 2017

They looked at the participants’ survey results, analyzing their worship attendance, mortality and allostatic load (AL), which is a physiological measurement. Higher allostatic loads were interpreted as a person experiencing more stress. Here are some more scientific words from the Discussion section from the Plos One website: In conclusion, we found a significant relationship between church attendance and mortality in middle-aged (≥40–65 yrs) adults NHANES III participants with an extended mean follow up time of 14 years. This relationship remained significant even after adjustment for education, poverty status, health insurance status, self-rated health, social support, and AL, suggesting a potential independent effect of religiosity on mortality. Similar findings were also noted in a secondary analysis of NHANES III participants ≥ 40 years old. Our results underscore the potential importance of church attendance as a surrogate for religiosity as a mediator of health and lifespan. The article also says: “The increased attention to religiosity and other faith-related factors by health professionals and scientists is warranted by these findings and those from similar studies,” referring to the Plos One website. It added, “Results from this study contribute to the existing body of evidence and support the need for more rigorous prospective studies to explore causal relationships of religiosity and health.” There are several relationships to explore here. Think first of all about, as Dr. Bruce referred to, “spiritual health” and its relation28

ship with biological health. I believe there is a distinct relationship. The Bible talks about prospering and being in health - as your soul prospers. That’s from 3rd John. Proverbs talks about the issues of life flowing from the heart, or the spirit. If things are not right spiritually or emotionally, I think you can make the case that there may be physical manifestations. Stress is one factor that is consistently talked about, but there are many. We can be challenged to maintain a healthy spirit; to make sure that our souls are being taken care of. There is also that central relationship from this study of church attendance and longer life, especially among so-called “middle age” adults. I would even submit, in a non-scientific way, that church involvement among senior citizens can help lead to a longer life. We can be encouraged to not become sedentary in those latter years, but to remain active and connected with other believers. I can definitely see it, especially for the Christian - as we expose ourselves to God’s Word, the words of life, and remain connected, it can feed our spirits and contribute to our overall well-being. Also, Dr. Bruce said, “While churches are places where people can get social support, we actually found that and began to think about whether compassion is particularly important — feeling that you’re doing good or having empathy for others...” For the believer in Christ, we can have confidence that our personal relationship with Him and our interaction with fellow Christians through the local church can lead to a life that reflects proper spiritual – and perhaps even physical – health. Bob Crittenden is host of “The Meeting House”, heard weekday afternoons from 4-6pm on Faith Radio, 89.1FM in Montgomery. Described as “the intersection of faith and culture”, the program features Christian music and conversation about a variety of topics. Learn more by visiting www. meetinghouseonline.info.

Ou for

Ou ch ce the for an ww we ke mi on pro on giv

July 2017 Golf NS new Website ad.qxp_Layout 1 6/22/17 2:59 PM Page 1

The 18th Annual

Faith Radio Golf Tournament Tuesday, September 19, 2017 | Arrowhead Country Club

ks t, y e

” fic

on-

ed,

are we

h ns at

Our golf event helps support our ministry work. Your much needed donation provides for us to brightly shine the light of Jesus Christ in this dark world! Mail your gift to:

Faith Radio | P.O. Box 210789 | Montgomery, AL 36121 | 800.239.8900

alsoFaith join usRadio’s for... Have You Seen New Look? Our website address hasn't changed, but the appearance certainly has! You can easily find the information you are looking for with Faith Radio's updated and user-friendly design at www.faithradio.org. There's a wealth of information that will keep you connected with our ministry. You can listen live online, learn about our programmers, discover events on the community calendar, and give securely to Faith Radio.

Be sure to visit

www.faithradio.org!

August 2017

River Region’s Journey

Tr an

“

rat of wa co he de

fied Mo fam pe be the me bib ma co pri giv

the of sch ea me ou ble be

by Jennifer Slattery

In Proverbs 22:7, God warns us of the dangers of debt: “Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender” (NLT). In 2008, many Christian families realized too late the truth in those words. With the recent economic crisis, our country saw the tragic effects of mounting debt as families lost homes and jobs. For many Americans, this was a call for drastic change, and families began to pare back spending and look for ways to reduce their debt. But are we teaching our youth to do the same? When we drop our teenagers off at college, are they prepared to handle the onslaught of credit card offers they’ll receive? By training delayed gratification, talking openly about the family budget and providing opportunities for children to practice money-management skills, we encourage them to understand the value of a dollar. Similarly, by allowing children to learn from their mistakes, parents can help youth stand strong against the rising surge of materialism and its often devastating consequences. River Region’s Journey

August 2017

sta un is i thi eig se se rai to

of Ma dis pro fin to the un of sa in

to go the dre

Train delayed gratification early and consistently “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5 NIV).

In our instant-messaging, sensory-saturating culture where everything is but a click of the mouse away, teaching our children to wait can be difficult. But encouraging them to consider long-term consequences and goals helps prevent impulse shopping and costly decisions that could land them into debt. According to Anthony Brown, Certified Financial Planner and Advisor with Montgomery’s Ronald Blue and Co., many families have more debt than assets. “Most people today define financial success as being able to have whatever they want when they want it,” he said. “But is that the true measure of financial success? I believe the biblical view of financial success is that of a mature financial steward. Financial maturity comes about over time as we learn the basic principle of delayed gratification, primarily giving up today’s desires for future benefits.” For Mr. Brown, this training begins when the children are young and involves all areas of their children’s lives. “My wife and I homeschool our three youngest children. They each have certain school related assignments that must be completed prior to play outside. In addition, each [child] is responsible for household chores that are to be done before moving on to other activities.”

Openly discuss the family budget

Training delayed gratification is a great start, but it is not enough. Children need to understand why patience and perseverance is important. They need to learn to view things from a long-term perspective. At age eighteen, a job paying $10 an hour may seem like a lot of money. Once our youth see the cost of maintaining a home and raising a family, however, this view is likely to change. Michael Harris, founder and President of Montgomery’s Harris Family Capital Management, believes family financial discussions are an important aspect of promoting value-based and purpose driven financial planning. “I encourage my clients to begin having values conversations with their children as soon as they show some understanding of the four basic components of financial management: earn, spend, save, give,” Mr. Harris said. More than that, involving your children in your budgeting discussions allows them

to see financial principles lived out. “The goal should be to provide the example then create an environment where children can apply what they learn,” said Mr.

August 2017

River Region’s Journey

Brown. “We provide a good opportunity for long-term success when we model financial stewardship. Communicate the basics. Children should have an ageappropriate understanding of cash flow coming in and out. Consider including your children in discussions about how much the family gives charitably, how much is paid in taxes, debt repayment, basic living expenses, and saving for the future.”

Provide money-handling opportunities

Parents’ verbal instructions will be enhanced when they provide their children with age-appropriate opportunities to handle finances while they are in the home. Allowances often enable children to practice the financial skills—like money management and investing—they’ll need to survive in our tough economic times. At twelve, a child may be able to handle all of their entertainment funds. By fourteen, their financial responsibilities might include managing clothing needs, haircuts, and school supplies. By eighteen, perhaps they can begin to handle some aspect of the family budget like grocery needs or the family entertainment fund.

River Region’s Journey

August 2017

Allow children to make financial mistakes

As our children age, the stakes rise. It’s much easier for a 14-year-old who’s blown their allowance to go without new clothes than it is for a 47-year-old who’s buried himself in debt to deal with foreclosure. “The key to providing teenagers with an accurate view of money is to give them the actual experience over time of living on a limited amount,” said Mr. Brown. “When an eight-year-old blows his allowance on something frivolous, he should then be allowed to experience the consequence. Each dollar can only be spent once, and any money consumed today is gone forever.” Loaning money to our children without consequences can be detrimental, training instant gratification, impulse shopping, and poor money handling. However, if handled correctly, Mr. Brown believes parental loans can provide an invaluable lesson on debt. “As the child experiences the impact of interest, the challenge of having to make payments, and possibly even having a favorite item “repossessed,” valuable life-long lessons are learned,” Brown said. “Many of us would agree that the greatest lessons learned in life are some-

times learned during periods of struggle. Look for opportunities for your children to learn things the hard way while still under your guidance and protection. There is always a danger in completely insulating a child from the consequences of their bad decisions.”

“A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences” (Proverbs 27:12 NLT). Throughout its pages, the Bible reminds us of the value of wisdom followed by careful planning. God further instructs us to train our children with patience, forethought, and diligence. Financial difficulties, economic downturns, and unexpected expenses are bound to come. Children who have practiced delayed gratification, have learned the cost of maintaining a household, who have been given the opportunity to practice moneymanagement skills, and who have been allowed to learn from their mistakes will be less likely to fall into debt. Jennifer Slattery writes for Christ to the World Ministries , the ACFW Journal, the Christian Pulse, and Internet Cafe Devotions. Visit her online at Jennifer Slattery Lives Out Loud (http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com).

L &

e. to er

d s es”

ed ts

en yn

Learning, Growing & Belonging.

m).

ACADEMICS ATHLETICS ACHIEVEMENT • • • • • • • • • •

Accelerated Curriculum with High Academic Standards College Prep, Honors and Advanced Placement Classes 100% College Acceptance of Graduates 1:1 Apple iPad Program for Grades K5 - 12 Small Class Sizes NOW ENROLLING! Safe Learning Environment Classes begin Competitive Athletics August 10th! Affordable Tuition Enrichment in Fine Arts & Foreign Language Student Leadership & Civic Service Opportunities

MACON EAST ACADEMY 15396 Vaughn Road Cecil, Alabama 36013 Telephone: 334.277.6566 Web: maconeast.net l

August 2017 Leadership scholarship33opportunities are available.

River Region’s Journey

The Physical and Spiritual Aspects of

OCD Understanding Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a hard task, and it is even harder to live with it. The first part of this article is technical but important information to understand this disorder, and the latter part incorporates the spiritual portion and may help provide some relief. The basic definition given by the National Institute of Mental Health states, “Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a common, chronic and longlasting disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions) that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over.” But where do these come from? And what can be done? Let’s start with the most important part, “The Brain”. The brain is an amazing organ in the human body. Without it we could not survive the world around us. Not only does it control the body’s motor function, organs’ function, and interpret information coming from all of our senses, but many other amazing things.The brain is responsible for interpreting threats that could potentially harm us and responding accordingly (what is known as the fight or flight response). Everyone has fleeting thoughts that can be seen as just that “fleeting” or “irrational”. However, the brain can send information that could potentially be misinterpreted by an individual. This is where a disorder like OCD can start. An example many mothers can relate to would be a new mother, already anxious with River Region’s Journey

August 2017

a newborn, going down the stairs and the brain sends the thought that the mother could drop the baby. The brains “intent” is for the mother to hold tightly, hold the rail, or just be extra careful. Many would do exactly that, but there are individuals that interpret that information not as a caution, but as a possibility. The new mother now believes she will drop her baby, and the thought increases her anxiety, so she begins a “ritual” that helps her feel some relief from her fear of dropping the baby. She may start going up and down the stairs a number of times - maybe her anxiety isn’t lowered until she repeats that five times and then she can continue with other activities until the anxiety or fear returns. A distinction of this disorder is that it becomes debilitating since it begins to disrupt daily life. Every individual is different, but the most common obsessions are related to fears of harming someone (e.g. baby), fear of contamination or germs, unwanted thoughts about sex or religion, and the need to have symmetry or perfect order. The common behavioral responses or compulsions are excessive cleaning, ordering, checking, and counting. But we are not only physical beings, we are spiritual as well, and both aspects are important to understand OCD and to treat it. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is typically treated with medication, psychotherapy or a combination of the two. We can’t underestimate the intensity and struggle sufferers go through when they don’t seek professional help or take necessary medications. Therapy usually entails psychoeducation on OCD and the stress response, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (understanding thoughts and challenging them), exposure and response prevention and others. But, we can also rely on God and the spiritual aspects of OCD to recover and work through it. First, like with the example of the new mother, she is responding to her fear of dropping her baby and feels guilty and sinful with even “just the thought”. Understanding that the thoughts are not definite temptations to sin is an important step in beginning to see the obsessions differently (not “conceiving the desire” described in James 1:13-15). By observing the thoughts, “take captive every thought”, we can then start to “demolish” these thoughts to “make it obedient 34

to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5) rather than against his love and grace. Second, individuals who are debilitated by obsessions and act out their compulsions steer away from God’s main intent and desire to love” God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). When the mind is preoccupied with obsessive thoughts we are unable to focus and direct our spirit to God. Finally, a big component of the anxiety behind OCD is the uncertainty that if the individual does not act according to their compulsions something bad will happen or their fear will be real. This is where faith comes in. It will be uncomfortable to not play out a compulsion (as learned in therapy with CBT or exposure and response prevention) when anxious, but a component of therapy is having faith that the anxiety will decrease. If we look at 1 Peter 5:7, “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” can help the individual trust God (and the therapist) in this long, strenuous process of recovery. Psalm 23:1-6 shows God’s love and care and can become a spiritual tool for an individual with OCD to mediate on. The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Jessica Gibbe-Fernandez, Ph.D. is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Alabama. She is originally from Mexico and fully bilingual in Spanish and English. Ms. Gibbe-Fernandez joined the center in 2006 and currently serves as the Clinical Coordinator. Jessica’s clinical interests include marriage and couples therapy, healthy relationships, and family therapy. She sees adolescents and adults with depression, anxiety, stress, transitional issues, gender issues, family adjustment, acculturation issues, self-esteem and personal growth issues.

nst

e” nd nd n s

al me-

ur in

ads . e’s alur re es. s. e e

, es.

August 2017

River Region’s Journey

Dip In, Pay It Off! Q. My wife just had our first child. Now, we now have about $3,000 in medical bills not covered by insurance. We’ve got $8,000 in our emergency fund, and I make between $25,000 and $30,000 a year. Should we try setting up a payment plan with the hospital, or is dipping into our savings a better idea? A. I’d write a check today and knock out that hospital bill. This falls under the heading of “emergency” in my mind, so pay the bill and jump back into rebuilding your emergency fund. You’ve done a really good job of saving on your income, but let’s see what we can do about making better money in the future. Extra practical training in your field, or more education in the classroom, could increase your income quickly. Your emergency fund needs to be a little bigger as well, and it’ll be a lot easier to make this happen if you’re making more money. I’m sure you’re a hard-working guy, but it’s going to be tough for even a small family

River Region’s Journey

August 2017

to make it on what you’re bringing home now. The unexpected can become a common occurrence when there’s a little one in the picture.

Can They Really Garnish My Wages? Q. I got a call from a debt collector regarding $2,000 I owe in medical bills. I’m trying to get my finances in order and pay this off, but I’m afraid they’ll follow through on their threat to garnish my wages. Can you give me some advice? A. First, I want you to take a deep breath and calm down. Debt collectors like to play on your emotions because they think you’ll give in and do something you can’t really afford to do. Most of them don’t care about you or your

situation as long as they get some money. They won’t garnish your wages because they can’t. They would have to go through the formal, legal procedure of first suing you and then winning the case. They broke federal law by saying they would garnish your wages but hadn’t sued you. If I’m in your shoes, I’d be filing a complaint against these bozos with the Federal Trade Commission. Don’t react with fear and panic in the face of debt collector threats. Talk to them and explain your situation. See if you can work out a compromise. If they get nasty or break federal law again, let them know you’ll be filing another complaint with the FTC. In the meantime, do everything you can to scrape up as much cash as possible. Have a big garage sale and sell everything in your attic or basement you don’t need. Then, when you get this mess cleaned up, pay off the rest of your debts — if you have any — and start living on a written monthly budget!

An evening of Southern Gospel music that you will not forget! Come hear soloists, trios, quartets and choirs share timeless gospel music and sing along with treasured favorites in old-fashioned homecoming style.

Join us for these events plus many more! 305 South Perry Street | 334.834.6310