SEAT BELT LAW
Section 32-5B-4 r cars at occupants of passenge se nt fro of t en m ire qu Re . ptions of certain persons to wear safety belts; exem pant of a passenger car (a) Each front seat occu th ty belts in compliance wi manufactured with safe fety Standard No. 208 Federal Motor Vehicle Sa operly fastened about his shall have a safety belt pr e vehicle is in motion. body at all times when th ply to: bsection (a) shall not ap su of s on isi ov pr he T ) (b der the purview of Section (1) A child passenger un r to use a child passenge d ire qu re is o wh , 22 -2 32-5 ion at belt pursuant to Sect restraint system or a se 32-5-222. ses a ssenger car who posses (2) An occupant of a pa a licensed physician that m fro t en em at st en itt wr edical reasons to wear a he or she is unable for m safety belt. al of the United States Post (3) A rural letter carrier l a his or her duties as rura Service while performing letter carrier. or r delivering newspapers (4) A driver or passenge e. mail from house to hous ar enger car with model ye (5) Passengers in a pass prior to 1965. vehicles which normally (6) Passengers in motor operate in reverse. 483, ยง4.) (Acts 1991, No. 91-255, p.
This project was supported by Subgrant #19-OP-M1-007 awarded by the Law Enforcement/Traffic Safety Division of ADECA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
VISIT: E S A LE P , N IO T A M R FOR MORE INFO tion/seatbelts.html en ev pr ry ju /in ov .g th al alabamapubliche
Volume 21, Issue 5
Feature Articles
AU G U ST 20 1 9 Columns page 2
Publisher’s Note
page 12
Faith @ Work:
Jason Watson
page 4
Pastor's Perspective
Monet Gaines
Montgomery County District Court Judge Monet Gaines shares when she first believed in Christ, how she is able to shine for Him in the workplace, and ways she believes Christians can continue to influence the world around us.
James Jackson, Glynwood Baptist Church, Prattville
page 10
Pondering the Journey Sam Whatley
page 14
The Intersection Bob Crittenden
page 16
page 20
Hope for Busted Up Sinners Like Me
Women Arising
If you’ve ever felt like the more you grow in Christ-likeness, the more you see how sinful you truly still are...if it seems like “sanctification is an anti-climactic process”, find encouragement for your soul and know that you are okay.
Dave Ramsey
Pastor Kemi Searcy
page 26
Counselor’s Corner Avery Berry, M.Ed., NCC, ALC
page 36
Dave $ays
by Scott Sauls
In Every Issue page 6
Books to Read
page 22
Drive-In Ministries by Katie Blair
More than just a night at the movies, learn how this local ministry is impacting the US and the world, plus how they hope to grow locally with the help of volunteers and churches. 1
page 8
Around Our Community page 12
Faith @ Work page 28
Support Groups August 2019
River Region’s Journey
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 Avery Berry, M.Ed, NCC, ALC Katie Blair Bob Crittenden Pastor James Jackson Dave Ramsey Scott Sauls Kemi Searcy Dr. David Steele Sam Whatley
Advertising Opportunities Jason Watson ads@readjourneymagazine.com (334) 213-7940 ext 702
Digital Manager Scott Davis
Ad Design
Tim Welch, Welch Designs
From the Publisher A person’s culture can allow them to get away with a lot of wrong thinking because it’s acceptable and unquestioned by that culture. Wow, I’m going deep quick! (You may want to read that first line one more time.) I saw this on a recent trip to San Diego. You know that place with amazing weather...and whacko politics, homeless people on every corner, and plumes of marijuana smoke floating down the streets. The people I spent the most time with dropped F-Bombs as much as we say yes ma’am, and they celebrated proudly on Gay Pride weekend. They seemed to be everything the news channel provocateurs claim them to be. Sadly, their culture approves many of the things God says are destructive and damned to Hell. Before I visited California, and when I spoke to friends while there, I often heard remarks about Californians immoral behavior akin to “be careful while spending time around those sinners”. I found out that it’s true. There are many sinners in California! Jesus was familiar with cultures like this. Remember, He was known as a friend of “sinners” and spent a lot of time fellowshipping with them, and offering them a better life through Him. Jesus also spent a lot of time with another culture. The moral church culture led by the Pharisees. They were always careful not to associate with those sinners. They may have to share time on earth with those people, but they were nothing like them. God Forbid! These highly moral church leaders were also the ones who sought to kill Jesus. Oops! Remember, a person’s culture can allow them to get away with a lot of wrong thinking. They had decided which sins were acceptable and which were not. Like making sexual sin worse than gluttony, pride or anger. Then they added in some extra good manners to set themselves even farther apart from those “sinners”. In the end, their religion didn’t need Jesus because they believed their self-defined good behavior would save them. Jesus’s word for them was, “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside, but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness. Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?” (Matthew 23:27-28, 33) Oh, that God would save us from ALL worldly cultures that blind us from our sin and keep us from seeking salvation in the world’s only hope – Jesus the Messiah!
Distribution Manager Charles Silliman
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 2019 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.
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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!
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.
Sunday Worship: 9:30 a.m. Christian Education: 11:00 a.m. on Sundays and 6 p.m. on Wednesdays
8800 Vaughn Road, Montgomery, AL 36117 www.christchurchmgm.net 334.387.0566
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Pastor’s Perspective James Jackson, Glynwood Baptist Church in Prattville
Zoom In! Focus on Jesus! Like many churches in our River Region, we hosted a Vacation Bible School this year at the beginning of June. For a week, the sound of happy (usually!) children filled our halls and classrooms as boys and girls learned Bible stories about people who had “amazing encounters with Jesus.” The Sunday morning before Vacation Bible School was to begin, we dedicated our morning worship service to VBS. The sanctuary was already decorated, the boys and girls led the music (and taught the grown-ups all the motions), and I preached on the VBS theme. We also had a commissioning service in which we prayed for the army of volunteers it takes to put on VBS. I loved this service for a lot of reasons, and not just for the fact that I got to preach in a t-shirt and jeans instead of my normal “business casual” Sunday attire. Let me
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share a story with you that I hope encourages you. It definitely encouraged me to remember that the lessons of VBS aren’t just for kids. The motto for our VBS was “Zoom In! Focus On Jesus!” So I taught the entire congregation the same motions I taught the kids: Zoom In: cup your hands to your eyes like you are looking through binoculars Focus On: Put your hand to your forehead like you are shielding your eyes from the sun, and look left and right Jesus: Point Up A senior adult lady was in the congregation that morning. I’ll call her Mrs. Mary. Mrs. Mary had been dealing with health issues for about six months, and when I greeted her after the service, she didn’t look well at all. As it turned out, this would be the last worship service Mrs. Mary attended. She went into the hospital on Monday. On Wednesday, I visited her. She was connected to a ventilator, but communicated to her family and friends through a combination of written notes and sign language. I prayed with Mrs. Mary and read some Scripture over her. When I finished, she did a strange thing. First, she put both hands to her eyes. Her husband and I assumed she wanted her glasses, so we began looking for them. But Mrs. Mary shook her head. Then, she put her hand on her forehead. Again, we 4
didn’t get it. Her husband thought she had a headache. She shook her head again. And when she pointed to the ceiling, that’s when I finally understood. Hands cupped to her eyes. Zoom in! Hand on her forehead, shielding her eyes from the imaginary sun. Focus On! Finger pointing to the sky. Jesus! In that moment, Mrs. Mary was focused on Jesus. In that moment, Mrs. Mary was closer to seeing her Savior than I was to the soda machine out in the hall. A month later, when Mrs. Mary passed away, I know that the same Jesus she had been focusing on in her last days was the one that welcomed her home. I know that when she focused on that Son, she didn’t have to shield her eyes any more. She saw Him face to face. I share this story with you for a couple of reasons. The first is to remind you that the lessons we teach our children are the ones we need to hear as grown-ups. We never outgrow our need to focus on Jesus. We never get over the encouragement of Hebrews 12:1-2: “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.” But the second is to encourage you. The pressures and problems of this world can get to us. They can wear us out and discourage us. But during those times of discouragement, zoom in, and focus on Jesus. He promises us that “this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Cor. 4:17-18) James Jackson is lead pastor of Glynwood Baptist Church in Prattville. He enjoys reading, drinking ridiculous amounts of coffee, and helping create a place at Glynwood where “it’s okay to not be okay.” He and his wife Trish have two sons, Joshua and Caleb.
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a Talk the Walk
Untangling Emotions
Steve Brown (2019)
J. Alasdair Groves and Winston T. Smith (2019)
Whenever I read the work of Steve Brown, I am challenged, encouraged, and forced to think deeply. And sometimes, he is downright irritating! Dr. Brown’s newest book, Talk the Walk is no exception. Longtime readers will recognize Brown’s witty way with words, selfeffacing personality, love for the gospel, and his uncanny ability to back you into a corner. Talk the Walk is a book about evangelism. But it’s not a typical book about sharing one’s faith. Rather, it is a book about effective evangelistic influence. Tragically, the influence of some Christians has been found wanting, to put it mildly. Brown laments this sobering reality and urges his readers to pursue is different path, one that is filled with both grace and truth. The subtitle of the book, How To Be Right Without Being Insufferable is an accurate description of the content and the heart of the author. Brown acknowledges up front that Christians are a people of the truth. In short, they are right. Christians are beneficiaries of a meta narrative (a big story that unveils ultimate reality) – the correct meta narrative. But the theme of the book is more about conveying the truth in a way that is compelling and winsome. Instead of focusing on theological minutiae, Brown challenges readers to look outward in order to make an impact on the lives of hurting people. People need the truth but they also need to see the truth modeled before their eyes. The author reveals several ways that Christians can put the truth to good use in the marketplace of ideas. Instead of merely “being right,” Brown encourages his brothers and sisters to “live right” and to live in light of the truth. Careful readers will notice that Steve Brown loves the Word of God. He loves the gospel. And he loves the truth. But he is unwilling to abandon a strong Christian testimony. This is unacceptable and is fittingly mocked along the way. I personally benefitted from Talk the Walk and trust that many more will be prompted to move beyond the church walls to make a difference for the sake of the gospel. Then and only then, will they talk the walk.
Most people have experienced the frustration of trying to untangle the laces on a pair of tennis shoes. Frustration only escalates as the knot tightens which leads to a sense of heightened angst. This normal occurrence vividly depicts how many people approach their emotional lives. People approach emotions in different ways: Some deny their emotions; others allow their emotions to dictate their lives. Untangling Emotions helps clear the fog about this confusing matter. The authors seek to nurture the emotional lives of their readers and ultimately point them to the Savior. The book is arranged in three sections. The first section, understanding emotions, is a candid look at the way we live our lives. One of the most helpful aspects of this section is that emotions turn us Godward: “Every emotion you ever feel reflects your loves, or what you worship.” The authors examine the emotional life of Jesus and reveal how he lived to God’s glory. Real change is found in submitting our emotional lives to God. Section two, engaging emotions, explores how we engage with God. “Engaging emotions” according to the authors, “without engaging God is a recipe for disaster.” The authors stress the importance of evaluating our hearts (which is a summary of our emotional lives): “Changing your feelings is not your biggest goal. Instead, we want to let our evaluation of our emotions drive us to act in ways that will actually have an impact on the deep loves and treasures of hour hearts.” The final section, engaging the hardest emotions, tackles some common issues that people battle, namely – fear, anger, grief, guilt, and shame. I found the third section very helpful and touched a nerve in me. The above emotions are discussed candidly and subjected to the light of biblical revelation. The truly encouraging aspect of this book is wrapped up in the reality and hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Untangling Emotions is a deeply meaningful book. The writing is plain, but also penetrating. It carries the full weight of biblical authority but never comes across in judgmental tones. There is much wisdom to be gleaned here.
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A • • •
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Soar into Fall at Frazer Church August 14 | 6pm •
Free live demonstration by the Southeastern Raptor Center
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Inspiring Video Message by Rev. T.D. Jakes, author of Soar
•
Preview of Frazer Fall Small Groups & Kids Programs
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River Region’s Journey
Fo
En Fuego Coming in August
Saturday, August 24, 12:00 PM En Fuego in Verbena will be on Saturday, August 24. This free music festival will feature artists Tenth Avenue North, Andy Mineo, Sanctus Real, Manic Drive, GFM, Tori Parris and more. Gates will open at noon. For more information, visit www.enfuegoinfo.com. Location: County Road 23
Adoption Support Group
APAC, Alabama Pre/Post Adoption Connection Support Group: This group provides education and social interaction for adoptive families. Meets 3rd Tuesdays, 6-7:30 p.m. Location: Vaughn Forest Church, 8660 Vaughn Road, Montgomery For more information call Jill Sexton at 409-9477.
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Live with Tim Hawkins & Bob Smiley
Friday, August 9, at 7:00 pm Vaughn Forest Church, 8660 Vaughn Road, Montgomery. For more information call 334279-5433 or visit www.vaughnforest.com.
-
Freedom Tour
with Jennie Allen, Christy Nockels Saturday, October 12, at 6:00 pm Vaughn Forest Church, 8660 Vaughn Road, in Montgomery. For more information, call 334-279-5433 or visit itickets.com.
Big Daddy Weave in Concert
Wednesday, September 18, at 7:00 pm Eastmont Baptist Church, 4505 Atlanta Highway For more information, call 334-277-6300 or visit itickets.com.
Door of Hope Weekend Retreat
Friday, September 20, 2019 First Choice Women’s Medical Center in Montgomery will be having its Door of Hope Weekend Retreat, for women who have had an abortion, Friday through Sunday, September 20 through September 22. Meals and snacks will be provided. There is no charge to attend. Register by calling 334-260-8010 or emailing kkay@firstchoicewmc.com.
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Is There a Chernobyl in Your Life? In the wee hours of April 26, 1986, the top blew off of Reactor #4 at the USSR Lenin Nuclear Power Plant in Chernobyl, Ukraine. About eight tons of radioactive material spewed into the air, affecting air quality as far away as Scotland and Sweden. Dozens of people died in the first few days, but the death toll went into the hundreds as months went by. Within three days, 53,000 residents were evacuated from Pripyat, the nearest city. In time, 335,000 would leave the general area, establishing the nineteen-mile-wide Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. It was announced that this area would be unsafe for humans for the next 20,000 years. But that was not the end of Chernobyl’s story.
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Over the last thirty years, God has reintroduced plants and animals to the land. Seeds blown by the wind have sprouted, and vegetation is growing. Trees now cover seventy percent of the Exclusion Zone. Insects have come back. With them came the birds and small mammals. Now there are herds of wild boar, deer, moose, bison, and horses in this area. Large animals have brought back the wolves. The main reason for this increase in wildlife is that they are protected from humans. Without man’s interference, this thousand-square-mile zone may be one of the safest places on Earth for some animals. The nuclear accident at Chernobyl could have devastated Europe, but it didn’t. It created a game preserve half the size of Yellowstone National Park. There are disasters in our lives that can be just as devastating to us as the nuclear blast at Chernobyl. I don’t mean the horrible things that happen to other people on the news. I mean the major losses that happen to us, the things we think we cannot recover from. The death or divorce of a parent, spouse, or child can rob you of your desire to live. Someone is gone that you thought would always be there. It’s hard to face another day, especially if you feel that you may have been responsible. In those times, the future can seem as bleak as 10
20,000 years of radiation poisoning. The loss is real and we wonder, “Where is God?” But God has not left us. He can restore our reason to live, just as he is restoring the animals in the radiation zone. He can give us the hope in our hearts that we thought was gone forever. He did it for King David in the Old Testament. He can do it for us. After King David committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband, Uriah, murdered, he was haunted by shame. His attempt to keep it quiet made his life almost unbearable. He knew everyone would lose respect for him, if they found out. He probably thought, “There is no way I can ever be the man I was before this happened.” But God did not leave him there. Once his sin was exposed by the prophet Nathan, David cried out to God, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me,” (Psalm 51:12, NIV). God answered that prayer. Although David suffered the loss of one child, God established the throne of another, named Solomon. From his lineage would come many kings and the promised Messiah, Jesus. We, too, can cry out to the God of mercy and love. He won’t undo our disasters, but he can use them to change our focus. He can redirect the time, money, and energy we once spent in one direction, to heal something in another. The liberated animals in the Exclusion Zone around Chernobyl are showing us that sometimes God takes our horrible mistakes and creates something more beautiful than we could have envisioned. But we have to trust Him to do the work. Early in David’s life, he was running from King Saul and fled into a cave. He records his prayer in Psalm 57:1-2: “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed,” (NIV). Let that be our prayer when we face our Chernobyls.
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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.
PHYSICIANS TO CHILDREN
welcomes
DR. MALISSA HOY Now accepting new patients ages newborn to 18 years P H YS IC IA N S TO CH IL D R E N Taylor Medical Complex 470 Taylor Rd, Suite 210 Montgomery, AL 36117 (334) 293-5033 P
P H YS I C I A N S TO C H I L D R E N
We believe that God is one
C h i l d re n s A L . o rg / p hys i c i a n s - t o - c h i l d re n
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
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so in sta wh ac sa Ch gio are Ch sa grow up. My parents are both Christians. They made sure we were in church on Sundays. I want to say that growing up in a Christian home was very integral to my decision to follow Christ (Prov. 22:6), but at the same time, I believe that Jesus would come for me or I would know of him because all creation points to his existence. RRJ: In what ways are you able to shine your light for Christ at your work place?
RRJ: Monet, when did your faith in Christ begin? Monet: When I was about 13 years old. I remember sitting in the balcony at Hutchinson Missionary Baptist Church and feeling the nudge to answer the call. Our pastor, Reverend G.W.C. Richardson, was opening the doors of the church and inviting people to accept Jesus as their Savior. I was baptized a few weeks later.
Monet: My husband tends to say that I have a smile ministry. I tend to smile and say hello to everyone I see. My mom once said that she would get embarrassed when I was a child because from the stroller I would say hello to everyone as they passed by. Former co-workers have said that they miss seeing me/having my spirit in the building. I also really try just to treat everyone with dignity and respect. When people come before me, I just keep in mind that everyone makes mistakes. I hope people know that I want to meet them with the love of Christ right where they are and offer mercy and grace, while still providing justice for others. RRJ: Belonging and relationships are what we’re here for. How do you practice building relationships?
RRJ: How important was growing up in a Christian home in your decision to follow Christ?
Monet: I work on building relationships by investing in others. I do my best to make myself available for others. That may mean that I spend time with others either at lunch or in my office. I really try to make sure that people know that I care about them personally.
Monet: This is a difficult question to answer for me because you typically don’t get to pick your family or where/how you
RRJ: Who is one person you think God put into your life for a reason (and what is that reason?)
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Monet: I think that everyone in my life is there for a reason. I am grateful for everyone who has crossed my path. For people who are only in my life for a season, I am saddened when that season ends. One person that comes to mind as a result of this question is my roommate from college. I love her dearly. She’s always been a wonderful woman of faith. She has a way of speaking to me and helping me see things differently. She was raised Catholic, married her college sweetheart, who is Jewish, and is maintaining her faith while raising her children Jewish. I have heard that she has the best challah bread. Since I have known her, she has always told me that Jesus is her Guardian Angel. Sometimes, I will ask her to say a special prayer to her guardian angel for me. RRJ: In your opinion, what are the benefits of having faith in God and His son, Jesus? Monet: My faith in God and His son provide me with hope for the life to come. I am reminded that there is something better than this life to come. But, because of my faith, I have hope for right now as well because I serve a God that is bigger than my situation or my circumstances. RRJ: According to a new poll, 72 percent of Americans feel that religion is losing its influence in daily life, which is up 5 percent from a similar survey in 2010. What can we, as every day Christians, do to improve that percentage? Monet: We (as Christians) must become salt. We need to do more to change the lives of others for the better through service or being willing to acknowledge God. Sometimes I think that people like to focus on how we can assist people in other countries. In all actuality, there is
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so much that we can do to help people in our community. We could easily start with our neighbors. I also question whether some Christians are willing to acknowledge God. We have started to say Happy Holidays more than Merry Christmas. Maybe people feel that religion is losing its influence because they are having a hard time identifying the Christians. We are all called to be the salt of the earth or to let our light shine. RRJ: In your opinion, what is the best way to show a stranger the love of Christ? Monet: I think the best way to show a stranger the love of Christ is to follow the Golden Rule. Instead of seeing the person as a stranger, see them as yourself, meet their needs to the best of your ability.
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RRJ: Do you have someone you’re looking forward to hanging out with in heaven.
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Monet: The list is oh so long, but I think the first person I want to hang out with is Jesus.
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RRJ: What advice do you have for living consistently for God? Monet: My first advice would be to pray. Next, I think everyone needs to do their best to stay humble and willing to serve. (Phil. 2:3 – Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others. James 3:17 – For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.) I think that our own selfish ambition will keep a person from being humble or willing to serve someone else.
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Monet Gaines, District Court Judge, 15th Judicial Circuit (Montgomery County). She has been married to Hon J.R. Gaines for 20 years. They have two children, Trey (18) and Michaela (13). Monet’s favorite hobbies are cooking and hunting. * Photo by Tamika Nelson Photography.
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Isolated There once was a time in which the church was at the center of activity for a city or town. That is still true in some communities today. I think of the image of a Main Street in countless number of cities across our land; or perhaps, like in my hometown, it was Church Street. Once you entered the downtown area, you saw the Presbyterian church on the right, the Episcopal church, then on the left the larger Baptist church, the one in which I was raised. There were two Methodist churches that were not on Church Street, but were not too far from the city square. Even today, churches, from a geographical standpoint, can provide a strong statement about morality and cohesiveness. In a spiritual sense, the Church is strategically placed to provide hope, moral clarity, and is the representation of Christ. But, as Tim Carney of the Washington Examiner points out, there is a sense of isolation, or alienation that has crept into our communities. I came across one of his pieces recently, which can be found on the Examiner website. Essentially, it is a political piece about the conditions of the election of Donald Trump, but I think it can be instructive for us as we see the potential and placement of the Church in culture today. He writes: “Marriage, for instance, is retreating in the working class. Americans are increasingly segregated by income and education. And the working class is increasingly falling away from church and organized religion. So all those liberal critics who said Trump’s election was more about culture than economics? They were right. More precisely, though, Trump support was about cultural alienation. People turned to him to fill a void left by the erosion of civil society.” River Region’s Journey
August 2019
I think that it is notable, as the writer points out, the way that a politician, really, a non-politician, tapped into a sense of isolation and hopelessness. Carney writes that the core supporters of Trump “...saw things this bleakly because of what was most immediately surrounding them: communities that had lost the connective tissue that ties individuals together and is indispensable for raising a family and getting ahead.” In other articles, Carney has been even more forthright in decrying the decline of influence of churches. CBN.com has featured the columnist’s writing, referring to a New York Post op-ed that he had written. Here are some excerpts: “Belonging to a church is a crucial element of living a good, happy, healthy life. And this phenomenon ripples out from the individuals into the community,” writes Carney. Also, you can read... “The key is churches that deliberately and unceasingly try to build communities and become institutions of civil society, not merely places of worship. These churches teach their followers to live out their faith by serving their neighbors, and they provide the safety net and sense of purpose that only tight-knit communities can provide,” Carney added. Another CBN article stated that Carney, “...hit the road, dug into the data and compared bustling communities to busted ones.” He wrote: “And the biggest difference was the strength in community institutions, particu14
larly in middle America it was the strength of churches. Where they were strong and bringing people together regularly you had better outcomes and where they were disappearing and the population was disappearing the people left behind were really struggling...” Carney has his own viewpoint on what the American dream actually is, writing: “So many people have an economic explanation of the American dream. I think that’s related, but it’s off-base. It’s not owning a home, it’s not making a ton of money. It really is being connected – usually through an institution to your neighbors, to other people who share the same common higher purpose...” We live in a rapidlychanging culture, and we can rightly be concerned about the state of it, including the moral decline that we see all around. But, we are not helpless - or hopeless - because there is Christ, there is hope, and the Church has the capability to address the search for meaning. We also can appreciate how the Church can build community. People are looking for connection, for building relationships, for joint participation. When the love of Christ is present, people can be drawn to Him as He is allowed to live through His people. And, even though it is easy to become discouraged, the Church is still at the heart of the fabric of America and Christ’s principles are integrated into the very foundation of our nation. We abide by the principles of individual freedoms. We, as the body of Christ living in America, are free to love those around us and to share His truth - we can see the power of loving our neighbor and the expression of the Golden Rule.
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For honest Christians (should there be any other kind?), becoming like Jesus Christ— or what Scripture calls sanctification— is often an anticlimactic process.
By Scott Sauls River Region’s Journey
August 2019
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No matter how much better we become over time, no matter how much more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled 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.
others. Along the way, I could become the kind of friend, neighbor, spouse, and contributor that might even win an award or two someday (Ha). 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 had 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 years 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. It is not uncommon for me to enjoy hearing the sound of my own name more than I do hearing the sound of Jesus’ name. I can be selfish, cowardly, conflict-averse, jealous, and ambitious in all the wrong ways. I can, like the Pharisees,
Ironically, the more like Jesus we actually become, the more unlike Jesus we realize that we are. 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
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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
games. Aristotle said I am a rational animal; I say I am an angel with an incredible capacity for beer.” Can you relate to this? 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. 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.
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 on this one. I am “dreadfully cracked about the head, and sadly need mending.” Twenty-nine years a Christian and the words of Brennan Manning in The Ragamuffin Gospel ring true as much now than ever: “ 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
Scott Sauls is an author, blogger and head pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville.
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You Have Help! My life is blessed and enjoyable but can also be very hectic, full of ups and downs, trials and tribulations, roadblocks, and disappointments. Life, in fact, can be quite frustrating and unbearable to the fainthearted. In some instances it has been so tough some have given up trying to make the best of it and settle for a mediocre existence. Others have given into anxiety, depression, and eventual death by suicide. Jesus said in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Jesus told us to anticipate trouble because we live in a fallen world where the human heart is so darkened with sin, greed, and selfishness that we hurt each other. These hurts, coupled with the daily onslaught from the devil and unfavorable circumstances, send us through life carrying a lot of baggage. We harbor wounds, brokenness, or despair that leads to hopelessness. We find ourselves constantly fighting inner battles, trying hard to lift our heads up through the insurmountable pile of rubble that seems to be on top of us. Jesus did not want us to singlehandedly drag our heavy baggage through life. He, therefore, provided us with some help to come out victorious through each trial. River Region’s Journey
August 2019
The first and the most important help Jesus provided was His own Person. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew11:28) Jesus does not want you to wander alone in the wilderness of hopelessness. He wants you to bring your troubles to Him. Jesus is no stranger to troubles as He was tempted, tried, and tested in every way we are. But He overcame these hardships, and He stands ready to help you to overcome yours also. Jesus wants you to cast your cares upon Him because He cares for you. (See 1 Peter 5:7.) Some people may have disappointed you when you dumped your problems on them and they did not help at all, but Jesus is the real deal. He loves you perfectly and desires to help you. You may wonder how you should ask Jesus for help. If you were in need and sitting next to your best friend who could meet that need, you wouldn’t write a letter or quote Shakespearian English to tell of your need. You would just be yourself and ask openly. This is how you are to ask Jesus for help. It is called prayer. Consider Jesus a friend and forge a close relationship with Him. I can guarantee He will love being your friend. Jesus also has provided friends and family to support us. God sets the lonely in families. (See Psalm 68:6.) It is amazing 20
how interconnected and interdependent we are as people. God designed our very survival to depend on other people. He therefore placed us in families, natural and spiritual, so that we can lean on each other in stressful times. When the load becomes too heavy, someone you know has just been disencumbered with the same burden, and can bring counsel to help you discharge your burden. Do not be a lone ranger. Find meaningful relationships, or be the pioneer that creates a community of sisterhood with the aim to help bear each other’s burdens. Forge comaraderie with those in your sphere. Remember, Jesus sent His disciples in twos to do both small and large tasks. Finally, Jesus made His words available to you and me. The Bible is an amazing instructional book and a love letter to all who dare to do life God’s way. The Word says that God has given us everything we need to live godly lives through His divine power. (See 2 Peter 1:3.) The Bible lays everything out for us. Within its pages you will find strength to go on when you feel like giving up, grace to forgive you abusers, courage to face your storm, and peace like you never thought possible. The Word will introduce you to the Comforter who will comfort you in all of your sorrows, and turn you into a reconciler to reconcile others back to God. The Word says that you are never alone, that there are angels assigned to you, and a slew of heavenly host are cheering you onward. How can you not lead a life of victory with so much help at your disposal? Help is not just on the way. Help is here right now, available 24/7. Tap into it, and remember the words of the great Rabbi, “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16: 33)
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River Region’s Journey
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How Did Drive-In Ministries Begin? In an era of streaming services when one can choose a movie to view with the click of a button, inside their own home, a night out at the movies may not seem that special. However, a ministry headquartered in Prattville, Alabama, aims to make the experience not just a special one, but the night of a lifetime. Drive-In Ministries, which started in 1950 with a drive-in theater set up in a cornfield, combines the entertainment of movies with the lasting message of salvation. According to their website, the ministry exists as a Christian missionary organization for the purpose of worldwide evangelism assisting local churches and other Christian institutions by developing and providing innovative tools, programs, personnel, and ministry partnerships. It was that combination that drew Reverend Mike Jones to the ministry. “Drive-In Ministries was started about 60 years ago in Michigan, then moved its headquarters to St Petersburg, Florida. It was started by a pastor who had a burden for all the weekend vacationers who sought fun and pleasures and
wouldn’t attend church. In 1983, I came to Montgomery to serve a church, and they were supporting this ministry through their missions program.” Jones quickly got involved with this innovative opportunity to reach others. “As a pastor with a background in auto mechanics, it didn’t take long for me to get excited about this opportunity to reach people using vehicles with screens, projectors, sound systems, and generators to work with churches to take the gospel through evangelistic movies to where the unsaved live, work, and play.” Jones continues to serve with the ministry, now in a different capacity. “Years later, in 2008, I became the President/Executive Director of Drive-In and we moved the headquarters here to Prattville where I live.” The ministry is far reaching and, in fact, uses the phrase “Around the corner, around the world” to describe the reach of the ministry.
Drive-In... Making a True Difference Jones relates that through the simple act of viewing a movie, lives can be
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changed. While he has many stories of lives that have been changed, one in particular stands out in his mind. “I received a letter in the mail a couple of years ago from a man who said that 30 years prior he brought his children to the Drive-In in Florida one night just for something to do to get them out of the house. After the movie was over, a man came out with a microphone and shared the Gospel and invited people to trust in Christ as their Savior. He prayed a sinners prayer and the father heard his son repeat the prayer. He was trusting in Christ to save him. Along with the letter he sent, there was a missionary prayer card of a missionary doctor, his wife and several children serving in Africa. He shared that this is his son and family today as a result of an evangelistic Drive-In movie and an invitation to trust in Jesus Christ.” And those kinds of stories are what continue to drive the ministry to this day. “We are totally an evangelistic ministry seeking to help local churches reach the unsaved in every age group, ethnic group, language, race, and place. In the U.S. we currently work mostly in the Eastern States from Florida to Texas up to Pennsylvania. However, our largest, most
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fruitful ministries are in 13 other countries (Ukraine, Romania, India, The Gambia, West Africa, Nigeria, Indonesia, Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Haiti, Guatemala, and Mexico) working with our own missionaries and partnering with other ministry organizations.”
How Does It Work? So how exactly does a drive-in ministry work when there aren’t many existing drive-in theaters? Simple, no actual drive-in is required. Drive-In Ministries has been sharing the Gospel through the drive-in movie experience, by showing Christian films in parks, fields, parking lots and anywhere they can partner with local churches to set up a movie night. There isn’t much of a limit to where the movie showing can be set up. And they use some innovative and fun modes of vehicles and venues to reach people. The ministry vision has expanded to include some uniquely named vehicles as a means of ministry. In the past, there has been the “Magnificent Movie Machine,” a completely self-contained 55’ tractor/ trailer rig, with screen sections that folded and stored on the roof and living quarters on the inside; a fifty foot yacht has been
River Region’s Journey
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used as a floating Drive-In on Lake Michigan called the “Showboat”; and even a retired United States Postal bus converted into another mobile film unit named the “Grand Van”, which traveled the US and Mexico. Now the fleet of mobile units has grown to include several step vans and a number of regular passenger vans equipped with electric screens and all equipment.
How Drive-In Hopes to Grow Locally Even with such a fleet, there is a vision to grow the ministry here locally. “We are in the process of building a ministry facility on Old Ridge Rd. in Prattville (next to I-65), where we will host soccer and other sporting events, have pavilions for activities, and eventually a gymnasium and an outdoor drive-in cinema,” said Jones.
Volunteer and/or Bring Drive-In to Your Church Along with the growing vision comes the need for community involvement.
“Later this summer/fall we hope to begin using the finished part for outdoor movies on the weekends and some sporting events (all geared to share Christ) and we will need volunteers to help with these programs. Right now we need monetary gifts and volunteer work groups to help finish a pavilion so we can get our clearance from the city to begin programs.” And while the ministry isn’t in the facility currently, churches are encouraged to contact the ministry to help host a movie night. “We welcome invitations from churches for us to come and conduct a movie night in their community as an outreach of their church. They can call the office and I will be glad to share more about a movie night and how we can work together.” If you are interested in volunteering or serving with this ministry, please contact Rev. Jones through email mdjones1321@ bellsouth.net or through the Drive-In Ministries website driveinministries.com. You may also call the office directly at (334)531-8701. Katie Blair is a graduate of Auburn University in Montgomery with a degree in Elementary Education. She currently serves as the Director of Children’s Ministries for Aldersgate United Methodist Church. She is a freelance writer and blogger who writes about family life. She resides in Montgomery, Alabama with her husband, two children, and their dog, Rosie.
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6/20/19 10:20 PM
Finding Strength Through Community Mental wellness is a topic often discussed in today’s culture. Articles, online forums, social media posts, podcasts, daytime television, and books centered on mental health wellness are becoming more popular as the stresses of our world continue to increase. In the field of mental health we continue to see more clients presenting with symptoms of anxiety, depression, and trauma than we have in past decades and you start to wonder, “what can we do”? What can be done to aid in alleviating some of these difficult symptoms that make us worry constantly or feel emotionally heavy? Being a Mental Health Counselor, I am a strong advocate for therapy and counseling, and one of the first things I tend to ask folks that walk through my door is “do you have a support system”? Support system is defined as a network of people who provide an individual with practical or emotional support. These can be anyone from friends, to family, or a religious or spiritual group. I believe I am right in saying that sometimes we undervalue the importance of having a strong community on which we can rely. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 shares: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But River Region’s Journey
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pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” This passage emphasizes the importance of support in times of trial. If someone is experiencing issues with their mental health one of the worst things that person can be is alone. Working to build support systems comprised of positive friendships and communities can be one very helpful way of alleviating some mental health symptoms. For many, finding that support system can be challenging. Symptoms of anxiety and depression can make it difficult to actively search for a community to belong to or to make or reconnect with friends. Sometimes, people experiencing mental health issues have thoughts of: “They probably won’t like me.” “I have nothing to offer someone else.” “I’m so stupid no one wants to spend time with me.” These thinking patterns are commonly known as “all-or-nothing thinking” and when battling thoughts like this it can be helpful to examine what is true. Will we always be compatible with other people? Will we always get along? No, unfortunately not. However, this does not mean that making friends or building a community is impossible or even improbable. If the leap to establish friendships and community can be made, then that cycle of negativity and self-doubt can potentially be cleared out to make room for more feelings of happiness and trust. Alternatively, there are those who may not know how to help the ones around them. How can we help that friend we know is struggling, that family member 26
that hasn’t called in a while, or that kid that always sits alone at lunch? I think the answer is relatively simple and yet it seems to be becoming scarcer: embrace! 1 Thessalonians 5:14 shares: “And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” If our aim is to build friendships and community then it is our job to foster an environment of respect, love, understanding, and empathy. We may not always understand what our fellow man or woman is experiencing, but that does not mean that we can’t care. This does not mean that we cannot offer a hand and say, “Is there anything I can do?” For someone who feels alone or doubts their worth, the knowledge that there is someone who genuinely cares about them can be one of the most uplifting and empowering aids in their mental wellness. The point, my friends, is that we cannot underestimate the power of community and friendship. Once we begin to stand with others who remind us of our importance and our quality it can become easier to remind ourselves of that importance and quality. Ultimately, the support and love of others can help us to support and love ourselves. Avery Berry is an Associate Licensed Counselor and a National Certified Counselor under the supervision of Rebecca Morris, Ed. S., NCC, LPC-S. He holds a Bachelor’s of Human Environmental Science in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Alabama and is a recent graduate of Auburn University where he obtained a Master’s of Education degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Avery has a great deal of experience working with individuals who are experiencing issues related to substance abuse, depression, and anxiety.He counsels adults, couples, and adolescents and divides his time between Samaritan Counseling Center and partnering with Valiant Cross Academy as an in-house mental health counselor.
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Adoption Location: Vaughn Forest Church, 8660 Vaughn Road, Montgomery APAC, Alabama Pre/ Post Adoption Connection Support Group: This group provides education and social interaction for adoptive families. Meets 3rd Tuesdays, 6-7:30 p.m. For more information call Jill Sexton at 409-9477.
Alcoholic / Addiction Location: Caring Center of FBC, 52 Adams Avenue CrossRoads Support Group is for addicts/alcoholics and family members. Meets at 6 p.m. Tuesdays and follows a 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.
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Location: Grace Presbyterian Church, Corner of Bell Road and Atlanta Hwy. Alcoholics Anonymous and Alanon meetings are held Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, at 6 p.m. An Open AA Speaker meeting is held on Saturday at 6 p.m. An Alanon & AA held on Sundays at 2 p.m. Location: Grace Point Community Church, 78223 Tallassee Hwy (Hwy 14), Wetumpka Celebrate Recovery- every Tuesday night- 6:15pm. All are welcome! These meetings are a safe and loving environment for individuals seeking to conquer their hurts, habits and hang-ups! gracepoint.info. Location: Heritage Baptist Church 1849 Perry Hill Rd, Montgomery, AL Route1520 is a Christ-centered recovery movement dedicated to showing the way home for men impacted by sex and pornography addiction. Meets: Mondays, 6:30 – 8:00 PM CST. No Childcare Provided. Email montgomery@route1520.com, visit http://www.route1520.com/men/groups-for-men/ or call 877.200.1520 for more information.
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Location: Journey Church, 435 Sheila Blvd, Prattville Celebrate Recovery - Christcentered 12-step for anyone struggling with addiction or life-challenging issues. Mondays beginning at 6:15 pm. Childcare available. Call John Pearse at 303-243-4308 or visit myjourneychurch.com. Location: Landmark Church, 1800 Halcyon Blvd. RSVP- This is a 12 step spiritual recovery program for overcoming addictions. 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. Location: Prattville Church of Christ, 344 E Main St. CASA - 12 step (Christians Against Substance Abuse) spiritual recovery program, for overcoming
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addictions. Class begins each Wednesday evening @6:30 PM. Please call 334-365-4201 for additional information. Location: St. James UMC, 9045 Vaughn Road Celebrate Recovery meets every Thursday night from 6-8 pm in the Youth Room. This is a Christ-centered 12-step group for anyone struggling with an “addiction or life-challenging issues.” For information, call Chris Henderson at 334-215-0427. Location: First United Methodist Church, Wetumpka 306 W. Tuskeena Street ‘Fresh Start’ Recovery meets every Thursday, 6-8pm (meal included). In 2011, Fresh Start Motorcycle Ministry (FSMM) began when God laid it on the heart of a lifetime biker to minister to those with his background. All are welcome, not a requirement to own/ride a motorcycle. For any information contact ministry leader, Paul Henderson, 334-201-5428.
Alzheimer’s / Dementia
Location: First UMC, 2416 W. Cloverdale Park, An Adult Parkinson/Alzheimer’s respite ministry meets from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Lunch is served. Contact Daphne at 834-8990.
have anyone (patient or family member ) join us. Thursdays at 1 pm. Please call before attending just to make sure we are meeting that week. Please call Debbie D at 467-4578 or Ben W at 202-1912. Location: ChristChurch, 8800 Vaughn Road Cancer Support Group for general cancer. Tuesday afternoons at 1 pm. For more info, please call Christy Holding at 531-1390 or Debbie at 467-4578. Location: Frazer UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy. Central Alabama Multiple Myeloma Support Group meets from 10 a.m. to noon the second Saturday of every month in Room 3105. We have guest speakers, video presentations, printed information and a group that welcomes sharing their journey with myeloma in an informal setting. Refreshments are provided. Contact Joe Crowley at 334-207-4385 or jpcrowl46@ yahoo.com Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy. Women of Hope Breast Cancer Support Group, providing education, awareness, and mentoring for breast cancer patients/survivors, family and friends, meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in Room 8114. Call 220-4599 or e-mail womenofhope@charter.net
Divorce
Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy An Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregivers’ Support Group meets on the first Thursday of each month at 10:30 a.m. in Room 3103. Call 495-6350 for more information.
Location: First Baptist Church, 305 S. Perry Street Divorce Care Wednesday nights @6:30-8:00 pm in Room 405B. Child care is avail-
Cancer
Location: Aldersgate UMC, 6610 Vaughn Rd Cancer Survivors Support Group is sponsored by Samaritan Counseling Center. We would love to
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able. Contact Kathy Cooper at 241-5125 for further information. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Divorce Care meets each Tuesday from 6 – 7:30 p.m. Come to the Library area. This group will provide support & guidance to assist you in working through the issues, pain & pressures surrounding divorce. Also, Divorce for Kids is available. Call 495-6350 or e-mail jan@frazerumc.org. 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.
Gambling Location: Cedarwood Community Church, 10286 US HWY 231 in the Wallsboro/Wetumpka community. The church is 1 1/2 miles past Tutweiler prison. Gamblers Anonymous, Saturdays at 6 pm. and Mondays at 6:30 pm. Call 567-0476. Location: Mental Health of America, 1116 South Hull Street, Montgomery. Sundays @ 5 pm. For more information about the GA meetings call 334399-6918. For information about counseling services or to request a guest speaker please call the Alabama Council on Compulsive Gambling at 334-277-5100.
August 2019
River Region’s Journey
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 Tuesdays at 7 pm. Call (334) 284-2721 for info. Location: First UMC, 100 E. Fourth St, Prattville Grief Share, Wednesday evenings at 6 pm in the church parlor. Led by Michael Beatty. Call 3655977. Location: Frazer UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Grief Recovery Support Group meets Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m., Rm 3105. Call 495-6350 for more info. 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. 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.
- 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: Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church 1550 E. Washington Street Grief support group meets every Monday at 6:00 P.M- 7:00 P.M. For additional information, please contact Alice Glover at (334)281-2754.
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.
Mental Health Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy Mental Health - NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) meets 2nd Monday of each month from 6:30 – 8:30 pm in Room 7205. Group provides understanding, education & information to family members & friends of those who suffer mental illness, Call Pat Cobb at 334-279-8331 for more info. NAMI Connection Support Group for individuals with mental illness meets every Thursday evening, 6:30 – 7:30 pm, room 3104. Call Braxton Benefield at 205-937-4848 or Pat Cobb at 334-279-8331 for more information.
Parenting Location: First Baptist Prattville, 138 S. Washington Moms LIFE (Living In Faith Everyday) meets twice monthly from 8:30
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.
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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.
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August 2019
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Location: Redland Baptist, 1266 Dozier Rd, Wetumpka A MOPS group will be held 1st and 3rd Tuesday’s of every month during the school year, and has scheduled play dates and moms nights out through the summer and beyond. While moms are in a MOPS meeting, their children are lovingly cared for in the MOPPETS program. Email Denise Braswell at deniseorscott@yahoo.com. Location: St.James UMC, 9045 Vauhgn Road Moms in Prayer International: This is a Christ centered interdenominational prayer ministry made up of moms, grandmothers, aunts or any woman who wants to gathers to pray for their children and schools. Meets every Sunday afternoon from 3:004:00. Call Annette Jones for more information on joining us or training to start your own group. 850529-4730 or email Montgomerymipac@gmail.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.
Physical Challenges Location: Aldersgate UMC, 6610 Vaughn Road Visually Impaired Support Group – Meets monthly on second Thursday 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. The group is called Outward Sight - Inward Vision and is for those with vision loss and their caregivers. Our mission is to assist those experiencing vision loss to maintain their independence. Call 272-6152. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6000 Atlanta Hwy. Parkinson’s Support meets 4th Thursdays at 6 pm in Room 8114. Call 495-6350 for more info. Location: Frazer Memorial UMC, 6 000 Atlanta Hwy. Ostomy Support meets every other month on the 2nd Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in room 3101. In 2018: Feb., April, June, Aug., Oct., Dec. Call 495-6350 for more info. Location: Vaughn Park Church, 3800 Vaughn Rd. Montgomery Area Down Syndrome Outreach Group meets 2nd Friday of each month from 6:308 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.
Send support group info to deanne@readjourneymagazine.com 31
August 2019
River Region’s Journey
Helping is often more than just giving
Q. My husband and I met a young woman through an outreach program at church. She is a single mother with a small child, and recently she asked us for money, so she could buy baby food and diapers. This isn’t the first time she has asked us for money. In the past, she has used money we’ve given her to buy alcohol for herself after telling us it was going to be used for the baby. She truly does need financial help, though. Can you give us some advice on handling this situation? A.
Financially speaking, her problem sounds as much like a mismanagement of money as it is a lack of money. That, and she seems to have an issue with lying. If
River Region’s Journey
August 2019
you’re determined to help this woman, you can put conditions on your help designed to improve her decision-making abilities and her life. If someone is bold enough to ask for your money, you have every right to attach requirements to the money for their own good. One of two things will happen if you handle it this way. She’ll either graciously accept your conditions and welcome the help, or she’ll get angry and say you have no right interfering in her business. I’ve never had a problem helping people who have good hearts and just need a break. But if someone cops an attitude with me in a situation like this, I wouldn’t be breaking out my wallet anytime soon.
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If you choose to do this, make the money a gift and not a loan. Concentrate on trying to get her on a path where she’s a little more honest with you and thinks a little straighter. Hopefully, as a result she will start making better choices. Teach her how to create and live off a budget, or help her enroll in a personal finance course, too. Right now, just handing her money is like giving a drunk a drink. This whole situation is a lot bigger than helping someone with baby food and diapers. The answer to that is easy. In this case, however, I’d probably give it to her in the form of a gift card. Some of those don’t allow alcohol purchases. You could avoid that possibility, too, by getting things for the baby yourself and taking them to her. In many cases, truly helping someone is a lot more work than just throwing money at them. Sometimes, you have to get down in their mess, get real with them, and walk with them.
It's your body. Take Control. confidential services provided.
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
www.montgomeryfbc.org
TEAM NIGHT
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
6:15 pm • Main Sanctuary
Bring your team and wear your jersey or favorite school colors for this special, back-to-school event featuring a powerful testimony by
SIRAN STACY