Mississippi Christian Living: April 2024

Debi Green

Cover lady Debi Green holds a card displaying

Rankin

(far left and far right respectively)

inspired by Cordera’s position with Ole Miss FCA to be more active in their own kids’ discipleship. See

PHOTO BY STEGALL IMAGERY

On Golden Buzzers and salvation

Iwas browsing YouTube recently and came across an “America’s Got Talent” audition by a girl named Jane, whose stage name was Nightbirde. She was alarmingly skinny, with a pixie haircut, and looked about 14 years old. Turns out she was 30. And terminal.

Fittingly, Jane sang a song with the message that it’s OK not to be OK. She was a talented lyricist with a lovely voice, she knew how to perform, and she sang with joy and conviction.

After the judges gushed for a minute or two, Simon Cowell pushed the Golden Buzzer, which meant Jane would automatically advance to the live shows. Gold confetti rained down on the stage. Jane covered her face in shock. And y’all, I bawled my eyes out. Partly because this woman had just been given a wonderful gift during probably the worst time of her life — but also because I was worried for her soul.

The video was from June 2021. She said after her audition that she had a 2 percent chance of survival. Had she passed away? Most likely. Was she a believer? She seemed overwhelmingly positive, but a lot of people can seem overwhelmingly positive and go to hell. Her song said, “We’re all a little lost, but it’s OK,” and I had theological issues with that.

I looked her up. Yes, she had died. In fact, her cancer had kept her from performing in the AGT finals. Then I read her Wikipedia entry: She’d attended Christian schools (but

that didn’t mean anything); she’d later written music that “wasn’t meant to be sung in church” (uh-oh); she’d opened for Christian artist Tori Kelly once? Hmmm.

Then I visited Jane’s Instagram, now run by her family. In so many of the posts, they talked about how much she’d loved the Lord. Well, they might’ve been playing up the faith that they thought they’d seen in her before. Before she got sick. Before she went through a divorce (the same year her cancer came back after remission).

But as I went deeper into Jane’s feed, I saw videos of her singing worship songs about Jesus during her illness. I saw posts from herself that confirmed what her family was saying. I don’t know why I needed so much proof, but I was so glad that Golden Buzzer wasn’t the best thing to happen to her. Jesus was. And now she was with Him, praise God!

Golden Buzzer moments are designed to be emotional. You just know this performer has worked so hard to get here, and now a judge has used a big shiny button to tell them, “You’re good enough for the live shows.” What sweet relief!

Our salvation usually doesn’t look this dramatic in the Bible Belt. We’re already immersed in church, so when somebody gets immersed in the baptismal, we might not even shed a tear (despite crying over singing competitions).

But what really makes our salvation different than a Golden Buzzer is this: We

can’t earn it. To borrow talent show terms, we have no “talent” in and of ourselves. When we “audition,” we’ve smoked a pack a day and shown up unwashed and hungover. We’ve sung off-key and off-beat. Even if we have worked hard to please our Judge, it’s not good enough. God’s standard is perfection.

And yet. If we come to Jesus to turn our lives over to Him, it doesn’t matter how bad our song is. He’s the only Judge at the table, and before we can finish singing, He comes up onstage, hugs our guts out, and tells us we’re home. It is finished. We can rest now.

And wouldn’t you know, we do have some talent after all (given to us by Him), and He shows us how to use it. Amen! What a privilege it is to glorify Him.

Like Jane, cover lady Debi Green’s story also involves divorce and cancer, though she has long outlived her initial prognosis. But more than overcoming these trials, or experiencing “Golden Buzzer” moments in her career, Debi treasures her relationship with Jesus — the God who welcomes the prodigal home. Check out her story on page xx, and enjoy this edition of MCL!

Jane “Nightbirde” Marczewski’s family has started a foundation in her name. Find out more on Instagram @nightbirde. Y

Katie Ginn katie@mschristianliving.com

Interviewing cover lady Debi Green at her home.

In seasons of change, turn to our unchanging God

Spring brings a lot of change and growth. Flowers are blooming, the weather is warming up, and the days are longer.

But there are more meaningful, deeper changes happening in this season as well. Maybe your child will graduate from high school this year. Maybe you’ll sit there fighting back tears as your little baby sings loud and proud in the kindergarten graduation program. Perhaps there’s a baby on the way, a child getting married, a big move over the summer, or even a retirement.

It seems like everything is changing, and while many of these milestones are oh so sweet, there’s a tinge of sadness as well. Oh, how quickly our babies grow, mama. How quickly our lives change!

In these fleeting times, our unchanging God is such a comfort.

Child moving away? God never changes.

New baby? God never changes.

Loss of a loved one, change of career, empty nest?

God never changes.

Hebrews 7:24-25 reads: “But He (Jesus), because He continues forever, has an

unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”

The Bible, God’s inspired Word, the outline of His perfect will, shows us His character. The Provider. The Righteous One. The Prince of Peace. Sovereign. Strong Tower. And while your life may be changing, and your little ones may be growing, the Lord our God never changes. He is faithful and true.

In the book of Jeremiah, God told Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.” If our God never changes, He knew you before you were formed, too. He knew you would be in the season that you’re in right now.

And yet, God didn’t change your path. He saw fit that you would approach this season in life. Every moment leading to this one, He knew it. Every step was guided.

So how is this comforting? This all sounds encouraging if you’re facing the

good times. But how can you find encouragement in God when you’re fighting battles?

An unchanging God means the God of Job, who restored and healed Job after his trials and tribulations, after loss and pain, can restore and heal you, too.

An unchanging God means the God of the woman at the well, in her sin and shame, whom Jesus pronounced forgiven, has forgiven you, too.

An unchanging God means the God that sent His Son, Jesus, to die for your sins, has laid a path of forgiveness and redemption for you, because He loves you.

Focus on that unchanging God today. He’s the one and only constant in this everchanging life. Y

Courtney and her husband, Jeremy, live in Brandon and are members at Park Place Baptist Church in Pearl. They have a daughter, Taylor, and a son, Jacob. Courtney is a full-time homemaker and can be reached at courtneyingle89@gmail.com.

Let God guide your wardrobe through the seasons

As the seasons change, so do our wardrobes.

I remember wearing a black tight-fitting bodycon catsuit to a college party. It was the trend over 30 years ago; it was super fashionable. I also remember wearing the shortest mini dress — so short, there was no way I could bend over properly.

Seasons definitely change.

When I became a Christian as a young adult and then got married, I found myself in a church with rules for the way women dressed: Women shouldn’t wear pants, makeup, sleeveless tops or open-toed shoes. Women should wear pantyhose, a girdle, and long dresses or skirts. It was a culture shock for this new Jesus-loving girl who was wearing all the things on the “shouldn’t” list and didn’t like the things on the “should” list. And what’s a girdle?

Growth was definitely necessary.

I felt so judged and totally out of place. Thank God for Jesus. If we surrender our lives to Him, including our fashion tastes and wardrobes, He will lead and guide us to

dress in a way that honors Him — not because someone told us to dress a certain way, but because we are open to hearing His voice in our life.

Romans 12:1-2 changed my life completely:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

No matter how people were dressing around me, I realized God was transforming me from the inside out. I could be free to wear pants, makeup, “shorter” skirts, no girdle, sleeveless tops, and open-toed shoes — unless He told me otherwise. I knew I was open to not being conformed to the world, and I would surrender to being transformed by learning God’s Word.

As the seasons changed, I changed.

As I studied God’s Word about the way I dressed, I found so much freedom and less

condemnation. The scriptures that had been used to keep me confined to the “should” and “should not” list, I found liberating as I put them into context.

Over time, I felt a stirring in my heart to wear less revealing, less tight-fitting clothing, and I found myself in skirts a little longer. Not because of a mandate from the church, but because the Lord will reveal to His children what He is calling them to wear for His glory. Everyone should live in that freedom. We can trust Him to speak to our hearts even in what we wear.

What is God calling you to wear in this season? Remember, true beauty comes from within, and our outward appearance should only enhance the light that shines from within us. Y

Shay is a style coach with a mission to help women look and feel their best! Follow her on Facebook and Instagram @shaygreenwood.

How I went from ‘abused kid’ to child advocate

In 2003, I had never heard of child advocacy centers. I was just an 11year-old girl then, and while my biggest concerns should have been the math test coming up or the next time I would get to see my friends, they weren’t even on my radar. Reality was, I was heading to a child advocacy center with my aunt. She had recently become my relative placement through Child Protection Services, and I remember her telling me to be honest. Honest about the years of sexual abuse I had experienced at the hands of my stepfather.

I don’t remember the building I walked into, or who spoke to my aunt when we arrived, but I do remember the room I sat in, small chairs, and a table I colored at. If I close my eyes, I can still see the lady I talked to, blonde and welcoming. I spilled my guts to her. I often wonder what she thought when I left that day. Knowing the weight of the words I used to describe the details of every sexual encounter I could remember. The words that make an adult’s heart drop when little mouths say them. I didn’t know it then, but this was just the beginning to my middle and end.

This moment, this conversation at a child advocacy center, led to a team of people who were eager to support me and my family while we navigated foreign lands. I participated in more therapy sessions than I can count, and I spoke with a doctor who assured me that, despite the

abuse, my body was normal. I was shocked to find out that my body didn’t scream, “Abused kid!” when people saw me. My family and I were on a first-name basis with our advocate, and she was always a phone call away to discuss updates about law enforcement’s next steps and the possibility of trial.

It was a long process, but by 2006 I was doing what so many survivors never had an opportunity to do: I was sitting in front of a jury, next to a judge, and across from my stepfather. The courtroom felt big, but my sights were centered on the attorneys and the 12 strangers studying me. After three days of testimony from that same team of eager people, my team of people, the trial ended and my family left feeling the impact of our team’s diligence and God’s work in it all. My stepfather would serve 100 years in prison, day for day.

Now, 21 years after my outcry, I write from my desk, in the child advocacy center I work in, with a team of people waiting for me to come listen to a child who has never heard of a child advocacy center. My beginning may have been rocky, and my middle brought its challenges, but my tomorrows will forever be better than my yesterdays, and the end has yet to come. Y

Riley is the Direct Service Coordinator for Kids Hub Child Advocacy Center in Hattiesburg.

Meet the columnist

“Redefining Retirement” columnist Laura Lee Leathers often interviews retirement-age folks who are living out their faith boldly — but we thought it was time to turn the tables and ask her a few questions! Here is a recent interview with Laura and MCL Editor Katie Ginn.

Katie Ginn: Who told you about Jesus?

Laura Lee Leathers: My paternal grandmother, Sunday school classes, and a friend in grade school. Around age 12, I won an opportunity to attend a children’s Bible camp. It was here that I repented of my sin and placed my faith in Jesus.

KG: What did you do before “retirement”?

LL: Officially, I’ve never worked anywhere for more than nine years. I’ve done homeschooling, I was a secretary and bookkeeper, I operated a tearoom, and I was an event planner and caterer.

I’ve spent more years involved in women’s ministry. My longest continuous work has been through Tea Times Treasures, a ministry founded in the late 1990s. Through that I have been speaking, writing, and creating tea-themed parties.

KG: What did you think you’d do after retirement?

LL: I didn’t think about what life would look like after age 50. Life was all about the immediate family and farm needs, and retirement seemed far away. I thought I would be involved in mission trips and caring for grandchildren.

I would recommend that people think more about their goals for retirement but hold loosely to expectations. Life gives us challenges, things we cannot control, that can change the trajectory of our lives.

The Bible tells us to fear the Lord, trust Him, and rely upon His Word for guidance. We are warned not to boast about tomorrow because we don’t know what will happen.

KG: What has your actual “retirement” looked like?

LL: When I knew it was time to start a new chapter, the Lord impressed upon my heart that it would be about caregiving and writing. I left my employer and cared for my mother for the last three months of her life.

Several months later, new opportunities to write developed. In God’s timing, I am a full-time freelance writer and speaker. Writing means more traveling, meeting new people and learning their stories. And I love spending time with my grandchildren and gardening.

KG: What do you believe your calling is right now?

“ I would recommend that people think more about their goals for retirement but hold loosely to expectations. Life gives us challenges … that can change the trajectory of our lives.”

– Laura Lee Leathers

KG: What are the biggest things that help you fulfill that calling?

LL: Many years ago, my prayer was, “Lord, I want to be a woman You can use.” Since the mid-1990s, women’s ministry and sharing God’s Word has been my calling. Now my goal is to encourage women to flourish in faith and finish well by His Word.

Through writing, I can share God’s Word, teach, write devotionals, and share stories about people engaged in ministry and missions. From my home office in rural Mississippi, I can reach the world with the gospel.

God has answered my prayer. I think that is why my life’s verse is Ephesians 3:20-21.

LL: Going to God’s Word for truth, wisdom, guidance, comfort, encouragement, and ideas; praying about everything; relying upon godly women who pray, encourage, listen to my ideas, support my endeavors, and give counsel; and engaging with writer’s critique groups, conferences, and Zoom meetings helps tremendously. Y

Visit Laura at LauraLeeLeathers.com or email her at laura.l.leathers@gmail.com. Also, check out the July 26, 2023 episode of the “Staying Real About Faith and Family” podcast to hear her speak on godly principles to live by as we mature.

Laura’s “outdoor office” in rural Mississippi.

God’s grace for life’s curveballs

As the youngest of five siblings, my childhood was somewhat chaotic. I learned quickly that life can throw unexpected curveballs, and for me, that curveball came in the form of a devastating loss. When I was 8 years old, my family and I received the news that my dad had been taken from us in a tragic car accident. In an instant, my whole life felt like it had been turned upside down.

“

When I was 8 … my family and I received the news that my dad had been taken from us …. I’ve faced the reality of having to rely on God as a father.”

Growing up in the church, I was familiar with the concept of God, but it wasn’t until I was in the seventh grade that I truly grasped what it meant to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. In the midst of the chaos, I found an escape in seeking a deeper understanding of my faith. I really began to comprehend the profound significance of God’s love and grace.

Mississippi College, in the heart of Clinton, became more than just a place of academic pursuit for me. There I found likeminded people who shared my journey of faith, and I found encouragement, support, and a sense of belonging that helped me navigate the unknowns that come with being a college student and trying to figure life out.

I credit a lot of my spiritual growth to the past three and a half years of being in college. I believe that I am becoming more of who I am meant to be in Christ. The Lord has been so faithful to help me see the beauty and significance in the identity He gave me.

My journey of faith has been a continuous process of growth and transformation. I’ve faced the reality of having to rely on God as a father, a friend, and a provider.

Today, as I reflect on the twists and turns that have shaped my life, I am so thankful for the journey that has brought me to where I am today. Y

Courtney Engel will graduate from Mississippi College in May with a bachelor’s degree in Communications and a minor in Teaching English as a Second Language. She will also be getting married in May and moving to Kauai, Hawaii, with her husband!

If you aren’t sure whether you have a relationship with God or where you’ll go when you die, please don’t put this magazine down until you’ve read the following:

✝ THE PROBLEM

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. – Romans 3:23

For the wages of sin is death … – Romans 6:23a

The natural result and consequence of our sin is eternal death, or hell (Revelation 20:15), separated from God. This is because God is completely perfect and holy (Matthew 5:48), and His justice demands that sin be punished (Proverbs 11:21).

✝ THE SOLUTION

but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. – Romans 6:23b

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8

Jesus Christ died in our place on the cross and took on the punishment for all our sins (Isaiah 53:4-6). Then God raised Him from the dead (John 20)!

✝ HOW TO RECEIVE SALVATION

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. – Romans 10:9

Trust in what Jesus has done for you — His death for your sins and His resurrection — and trust Him as Lord.

✝ IS IT FOR ANYONE?

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. – Romans 10:13

✝ THE RESULTS

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. – Romans 5:1

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39

✝ WHAT TO DO NEXT

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. – Romans 10:17

If you decided to trust in Jesus, grow in your faith by reading more of God’s Word in the Bible. We recommend the gospel of John (it comes just after Luke) as a good starting point — or Romans!

Finding a church close to you that teaches faith in Christ is another important step. It’s crucial to spend time with other believers so we can encourage each other in our faith.

If you have questions about anything on this page, please contact us at 601.896.1432, or send us a message on Facebook @MSChristianLiving, Instagram @mschristianmag or Twitter @MSChristLiving.

Debi Green

Surviving cancer, thriving in faith

In Debi Green’s living room in Brandon, a canvas illustration hangs on the wall. In the foreground of the picture, a lamb stands alone on a muddy trail in the woods. The lamb is clearly lost, and not anywhere near green pastures or still waters.

But in the background, a blurry figure is running — sprinting after that lamb as fast as He can.

Like many believers, Debi sees her testimony in this image, though at times, trials have seemed to pursue her almost as fast as the Lord: Divorces, cancer, car wrecks.

But as a 28-year leukemia survivor who initially was given five years to live, she’s not so worried about herself anymore. Instead, she wants to show compassion to others, whether it’s her family, or inmates at the Central

Mississippi Correctional Facility, or business members of the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership, where she serves as vice president.

“God has a plan, and His plan is good,” Debi says. She has the receipts to prove it.

Growing up in Vicksburg, “I had amazing parents (who) loved the Lord,” she says. “I remember sitting around the table talking about Jesus (while our church was having) a revival.”

By the end of that revival, “I felt like the preacher was talking directly to me. My heart was pounding and coming out of my chest.” At not quite 8 years old, she walked the aisle and gave her life to Jesus.

Those same parents who talked with her about the Lord were also each other’s “best friends,” Debi says. Which made her feel that much worse when, years later, she went through a divorce.

“There’s a lot of shame (after divorce). We’re so guilty of putting ourselves down in the mud. I felt like I disappointed my parents. I felt like I disappointed God.”

However, Jesus reminded her: “I died for you.” In other words, Debi realized, “He’s forgiven me. So I’ve got to forgive myself. I went through a time of healing. It’s like an onion, and you’re peeling that back layer by layer.”

‘Debi, trust Me’

Debi eventually remarried and got a job at the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership (GJCP). “I had no idea what a chamber (of commerce) was, but thought, ‘This sounds fun!’”

About 11 years into that job, she noticed she wasn’t feeling good and was starting to bruise easily. One day at work, she had a fever and felt like she was going to faint. A coworker took her to the ER.

That ER visit led to the most frightening phone call of Debi’s life, at 2:30 p.m. March 25, 1996: She learned she had chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), and that without a successful bone marrow transplant, she would only live another three and a half to five years.

“All I remember hearing was ‘leukemia’ and ‘three and a half to five years,’” she recalls.

Before the proposed transplant, Debi’s immediate treatment plan involved daily shots of Interferon (a protein that helps fight cancer), and monthly high-dose chemotherapy. She kept working, but her boss at the GJCP would gently tell her to go home early on days when the chemo made her want to “crash,” she says. “I had

Debi holding a painting by a brain-cancer patient named Gabby, along with a card displaying one of Gabby’s favorite truths.

PHOTO BY STEGALL IMAGERY

to learn to let people minister to me.”

Meanwhile, Debi called a then-local branch of the Leukemia Society and asked about support groups and other opportunities. “I knew about developing programs for business owners … What about patients like myself?”

She met with two or three other local blood-cancer patients, and they eventually grew to a 12-member support group.

Back to that bone marrow transplant: Since Debi was an only child, she’d have to have an “unrelated” transplant, which meant she had only a 35 percent chance of surviving the procedure. Was it worth the risk? She was likely to die anyway …

Five members of Debi’s support group had an unrelated transplant. Four of the five passed away. “At this point (I was) two and a half years into my diagnosis,” she says. Time was running out.

After visiting Vanderbilt and MD Anderson with her parents to discuss transplants — “I couldn’t get out of there fast enough,” she says — and after watching her friends die, Debi made her choice.

“I heard Jesus whisper, ‘Debi, I need you to trust Me.’”

Instead of an unrelated transplant, “we harvested my stem cells (for a future transplant). That gave peace to my parents and my children. That was in 1999. (But) since my stem cells were harvested with 30 percent leukemia cells … I would still be facing (treatment, and) it would be an uphill battle.”

later” — she starts to cry — “the drug that had been in clinical trial for probably 10 years got on a fast track, and it was FDA approved. Only God could do that.”

Debi was the first Mississippi patient to receive Gleevec, in June 2001. Less than a year later, she was in cytogenetic remission.

“That was ‘Debi, trust Me’ coming to fruition,” she says. She’s now been in remission for 22 years and should stay that way as long as she takes Gleevec daily.

By early 2001, the Interferon and chemo were no longer working. Any kind of transplant, even of her own stem cells, was iffy. To do nothing was to die.

“My only option left was a clinical trial,” she says. But none of the trials were local, which meant travel expenses. And by this point, Debi was single again. “I had gone through (another divorce) in 1998, which was really when I was pretty sick.”

In May 2001, she finally decided to fly out of state for a clinical trial.

“Literally, once I made my mind up, three weeks

“There’s joy in the journey,” she says. “There were so many nights I thought, ‘Will I ever feel joy again?’ But it comes.”

She found joy not in leukemia, or even in surviving it, but mostly in drawing closer to God — the only one who could heal her, on either side of eternity.

“(To) get comfortable, to get complacent, that was not where God had me. It was daily holding on to the hem of Jesus.”

Would she live it all over again? “Yes. Absolutely.”

From left: Jason Breeden, Dacia (Green) Breeden, Jackson Breeden, Alexis Green, Debi, Brittany Green (Christian), Aden Christian, Ajay Breeden, Aila Green (standing in front), and Alonna Christian (seated).

Debi repping her team for the Leukemia Society’s “Light the Night” walk during her cancer battle.

Debi sees her testimony in this artwork showing a lost sheep being pursued by the Good Shepherd.

‘You find them weeping with you’

Nearly 10 years into remission, Debi endured another blow:

“My parents were in a tragic car accident in 2011 that took the life of my father several days (later), leaving me with the responsibility of caring for my mother,” she says.

“That journey was so hard, but oh how faithful God was to see us through.”

Five years after that, she was asked to share her testimony at a local women’s correctional facility where a friend was volunteering. Debi said yes, and she realized she could see herself doing more prison ministry in the future.

“I’ve taken several spiritual gifts tests, and it always comes back with encouragement and compassion,” she says. No doubt those gifts had grown even larger through her life experiences.

However, she quickly points out, “I don’t want to do something if it’s not where I’m called.”

She served at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility (CMCF) on a couple of special occasions. Then in 2020, her church, Pinelake, developed a partnership with CMCF.

Six inmate-led churches exist within the prison walls of CMCF. Pinelake partnered with Lighthouse, one of the men’s churches, and Debi went through training in prison protocol: No jewelry, dresses have to be longer, shaking hands is OK, etc. In 2021, after COVID restrictions loosened, she visited a Lighthouse worship service.

“You don’t know what to expect if you’ve never been,” she says. “My first experience there, I sat back and absorbed it. There were 30 to 35 inmates attending (Lighthouse) at that time. And they had a field minister. Field ministers are inmates that have been to seminary (while incarcerated, via New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary).”

Hospital staff took this photo of Debi’s parents holding hands shortly before her father passed in 2011.

After visiting Lighthouse, “I knew that I knew that I knew that God had called me there,” Debi says. She was all in.

“So many of (the male inmates) had not heard from their families. And they’re like, you’re going to take time away from your family and come worship with us?”

Lighthouse has since grown from 30 men to 180, Debi says. “You try to learn every person’s name, because they matter. And that’s the message we have for them week after week.”

Lighthouse worship services look like what you’d expect: There’s praise and worship and a sermon, and you can sit wherever you want. But if you’re an outsider, you can’t just walk up to inmates and start asking questions.

“(Before the service, we) stand in the front of the chapel, where as they’re coming in, they can come down the line, kind of like a wedding party, and we can go, ‘Hey, how’s your week been?’ Things like that,” Debi says. “They can (ask for prayer and) we can say a prayer for them. And you get to know them (after a while).”

One week, Debi was asked to share her testimony at Lighthouse. She didn’t hold back. “I (told my story and) said, ‘Here’s my brokenness.’”

Debi outside the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, where she serves at an inmate-led church.

Though a divorce or two isn’t likely to land you in jail, and many of these men have committed acts of violence, they didn’t scoff at Debi’s testimony, she says.

Instead, “You find them weeping with you. The ones that are there, are seeking this.” She points to the wall behind her, to that picture of Jesus running after the lamb.

‘Meet Me in the morning’

Right now, Debi’s daughter Brittany and her two youngest children are staying with Debi while Brittany’s

son Aden, a senior in high school, recovers from a January car wreck that could’ve killed him.

“All of the sad and tragic memories of (my parents’ wreck) in 2011 came back unexpectedly (after Aden’s) accident,” Debi says.

Aden’s injuries included a fractured temporal bone in his skull, a multi-level bone contusion in his spine, and numerous lacerations. But thanks be to God, at press time he was returning to classes the week of March 25 — the date of Debi’s leukemia diagnosis 28 years ago.

Between being a single mom and grandma, including starting a GoFundMe for Aden’s medical costs; developing programs and attending ribbon cuttings for the GJCP; volunteering at Lighthouse; attending Pinelake and two Bible studies; and posting daily scriptures and devotional thoughts on Facebook, Debi doesn’t have a lot of spare time.

“It starts with being intentional,” she says. For 20 years, she did in-depth Bible studies in the evenings, “but I felt like I wanted more.” When she prayed about it, God said, “Meet Me in the morning.”

“So I said, ‘OK, Lord, I’m not going to hit snooze,’” she

recalls. “I’ve been getting up at 5 a.m. for eight years now (to have my) coffee, and sit in His presence, and read the Bible, and listen to worship music.”

The other thing that helps Debi love God and others is a weekly Sabbath rest. For her, that happens on Saturdays.

“When we think of rest, we think of taking a nap, but no,” she says. Rather, she’ll sit on the daybed on her porch, or play with a grandchild, or plant something.

“I work with my brain all week, so I rest with my hands,” she says, citing a suggestion from “Bible Recap” podcaster Tara Leigh Cobble, who came to Madison last fall and spoke about rest.

“If we’re so busy (we never stop), we’re going to miss a moment — and at my age, I don’t want to miss any moments,” Debi says.

Especially when the next moment is not guaranteed.

Two years ago, Debi connected with a 13-year-old girl named Gabby who was fighting brain cancer. Gabby went home to be with Jesus on December 22, 2023, but there are two things to know about her. The first is that she always had a smile on her face, Debi says.

The other is something Gabby always said, and something Debi believes in her bones: “God has a plan, and His plan is good.” Y

The aftermath of a January car wreck that Debi’s grandson Aden miraculously survived.

PHOTOS BY STEGALL IMAGERY

Cordera and Rankin Eason

Former Rebel reaching athletes for Christ

Like many athletes, Cordera Eason had his eyes on a pro football career. During his time at Ole Miss, Eason put in the work, and in 2010, he joined the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals. In a cruel twist of fate, however, Eason’s NFL career was shorted by an injury in his first game.

This was just the beginning of the twists and turns in the path God used to bring Cordera and his wife, Rankin, together and closer to Him.

Cordera was back in his hometown of Meridian — he’d been released from the NFL after breaking his foot in his first-ever pro game — when he ran into Rankin at a club. They’d both graduated from Meridian High, though different years; they had met before, but this time it was different.

“I grew up in church, but that was about it,” said Cordera. “I didn’t have a strong foundation. But Rankin did.”

Rankin invited Cordera to join her at church on Easter weekend. Cordera initially resisted, but he began to feel God call him closer.

“He started to realize, and he had that void,” said Rankin. “God had allowed him to be in a dark place where he lost everything. His whole life was about going to the NFL, and then he got in. And then that first game, he’s out, and they release him.”

For Cordera, it was almost a crisis of identity. Rankin said she recognized it when Cordera finally agreed to join her at church.

At this point, Cordera shifted gears to coaching, and that’s when God opened doors to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).

Cordera began coaching PE, Little League, peewee, and middle-school football in and around Meridian. He got connected with Pete Boykin, an FCA mainstay in the area.

“He was in a really dark place, but nobody knew that, and so I think going through that opened him up to what he felt … that God was calling him to get involved in church,” said Rankin.

Cordera continued to join Rankin in church, and their relationship turned longdistance when he joined an arena football team in Colorado. Cordera played there until he was hurt again — this time requiring shoulder surgery.

“He would come and get me, and I’d go with the kids to these FCA events,” said Cordera. “I wasn’t officially connected, but I was connected to the kids, so I’d go with him.”

Cordera became more involved with FCA and eventually met Jonathan Fulcher, director of FCA Meridian at the time.

“Not long after that, he (Fulcher) reached out to me on Facebook and said he had an opening at Meridian Public Schools,” said Cordera. “He said God kept laying me on his heart, and when I went to interview with him, he had one of my autographs from Ole Miss in his office.”

At this point, Cordera and Rankin had married and were expanding their family.

“And then, just like that, he was the FCA Ambassador for Meridian Public Schools,” said Rankin. For the next four years, Cordera worked with FCA Meridian to bring the gospel to student athletes.

“Eighty or 90 percent of the time, these kids weren’t in church,” said Cordera. “And I was a perfect example of having your identity wrapped in your sport, not Jesus. That was a big thing I talked about early on

Clockwise from top right: Cordera, Marley, Madden, Madrid, Mabry, and Rankin Eason.

Cordera speaking to student athletes at FCA.

After college, Cordera played for the Cincinnati Bengals and an arena team in Colorado before injuries led him back to his home state.

and often with all the athletes.”

Not long after Cordera began working with FCA, Fulcher was hired by the organization’s Ole Miss chapter. Once again, some years later, Cordera got a call from Fulcher, saying he felt God calling him to bring Cordera to Ole Miss as an FCA Area Representative.

Coaching and ministry start at home

Connecting with young people through

FCA inspired Cordera and Rankin to be more consistent with their own children’s discipleship. With four kids — Mabry (17), Marley (9), Madden (8), and Madrid (4) — the couple struggled to find a time to get all the kids involved.

“We tried to get together as a family at night,” said Rankin. “We had sports, church, school and all, and honestly, it was a little chaotic.”

“But we felt that conviction to really point our children to the Word each day,” said Cordera.

Now, Cordera leads his family in a devotion and prayer every morning.

“It’s not perfect; sometimes, our 4-yearold is still asleep,” said Cordera. “But that’s OK because we’re starting the day off focused on the Word.”

The age gaps between the kids and the pressures of being held to a higher standard in the ministry weighed on Cordera.

“We start the day together with a verse and prayer requests. It is short and quick, but you’ve got to win at home. That’s what I tell the students about their time and what we must do as parents and a family.”

“I think having an older child has really

grounded us as parents,” said Rankin. “because you see how fast life happens.”

Courtney and her husband, Jeremy, live in Brandon and are members at Park Place Baptist Church in Pearl. They have a daughter, Taylor, and a son, Jacob. Courtney is a full-time homemaker and can be reached at courtneyingle89@gmail.com.

Cordera (right) repping FCA at an event.

St. Catherine’s helps couple stay young at heart

For seniors, finding the right care at the right time can be a challenge. Fortunately, Dan and Barbara Murphy were blessed to discover St. Catherine’s Village more than a decade ago when searching for independent living. And because St. Catherine’s is a Life Plan Community, the couple has been able to smoothly transition to assisted living without having to leave the 160-acre campus.

“We initially came to St. Catherine’s Village through our church,” said Barbara. “A number of our friends from St. Richards already lived here but we never dreamed we would, too. Over the years, we stayed close (to our friends) and even moved from one level of care to another around the same time.”

The Murphys fully experienced and enjoyed their time in independent living, with Barbara serving as an unofficial welcoming committee introducing new residents to the group and making sure everyone felt comfortable in their new surroundings. Then, Barbara had a serious health incident that changed her and Dan’s lives.

activities and still control their daily routines.

Having the support of their family also made the decision to move into assisted living easier. The couple’s children know there’s someone available 24/7/365 to help their parents, and if they ever have a concern, they can reach a caregiver or staff member quickly. They’ll also be on board if and when the time comes for the Murphys to progress through the next level of St. Catherine’s continuum of care. Life at St. Catherine’s is the most recent chapter of Dan and Barbara’s love story, which began when they met at Southern Bell and secretly started dating, then continued through 68 years of marriage, four children, five grandchildren, and three greatgrandchildren … plus another one on the way. Barbara turned 90 this year, and Dan — who was an infielder at Mississippi State University and is a member of the college’s Baseball Hall Of Fame — is 94.

“I’m a living testament to when it’s not your time to go, it’s not your time,” she explained. “I’m here today because of the quick response from the team at St. Catherine’s Village. Seven years later and I’m still their ‘miracle resident.’”

After Barbara’s health scare, the couple knew it was time for more care, so they moved to assisted living at Marian Hall.

“At first, I wasn’t excited about transferring to assisted living,” said Dan, who was reluctant to give up some of his independence and rely more heavily on caregivers. “But once I got used to them checking on us and managing our medications, I realized this level of attention was exactly what my wife and I needed.”

Barbara concurred. “We’re where we should be. We have a ball with our nurses and aides. We love bingo and the movies they show on campus. We take the bus to Walmart. We stay as busy as we want to be.” However, the Murphys never feel pushed into

“Everyone at St. Catherine’s Village has become like family to us,” said Dan. “The staff all have positive attitudes. The maintenance team is respectful. The transportation driver is courteous and patient. The people here are so special.”

A caring staff, on-site resident-centered care and a missionfocused environment are the hallmarks of St. Catherine’s and have been for decades. It was the first Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Mississippi to earn accreditation by CARF. This “commitment to excellence” seal signifies that the campus exceeds the standards established by the only international accrediting body for CCRCs.

Within the Life Plan Community are independent living in apartments and garden homes, assisted living in Marian Hall, memory care in Campbell Cove, and skilled nursing in Hughes Center, Siena Center and Tuscany.

To learn more about senior living options at St. Catherine’s Village, visit StCatherinesVillage.com or call 601-856-0123 to schedule a tour. Y

Barbara and Dan Murphy.

Protecting your child from sexual grooming at church

Sexual grooming is defined as someone (offender) building trust with a child and their family for the purpose of manipulating the child into being abused. The approach is usually subtle and goes unnoticed due to this individual being a “caring friend” or in a position of trust and authority. The offender will intentionally build relationships with children based on their vulnerability. National Sexual Violence Resource states that 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused by age 18.

In recent history, almost every denomination has failed to protect their congregations from sexual abuse. Decades ago, the “stranger danger” mentality implied that child molesters were creepy old men lurking around corners. However, recent studies have proved that 90 percent of sexual abuse victims knew their abuser. Also, of 3,952 registered sex offenders, 93 percent describe themselves as religious, according to a study conducted by Christianity Today. Sex offenders seek out churches with the weakest

child protection policies. Grooming opportunities are largely available within religious settings due to the nature of nurturing one’s spiritual growth. We trust the sincerity of clergy, chaplains, youth ministers, counselors, volunteers, and other faith leaders. Our children’s spiritual beliefs are placed on the line when we allow them to be exposed to predators posing as God-fearing individuals. These predators are allowed to pray with our children, counsel them, and lead them spiritually, with minimal oversight in most congregations.

According to research conducted by Elizabeth Jeglic and Georgia Winters (2016, 2017, 2020), sexual grooming is mostly seen through hindsight rather than foresight. Therefore, parents and church members must be involved in the prevention of child sexual abuse. Identifying the difference between sexual grooming and appropriate interactions between a child and an adult should be everyone’s concern.

Parents should be attuned to the following signs and behaviors while trusting their church leadership to nurture their children’s spiritual growth. The first stage of grooming may be identified when an adult offender selects their victim to do activities away from other adults, giving the victim compliments or privately communicating with them. An offender normally selects a particular victim due easy access, isolation opportunities, or lack of supervision; the perceived low self-esteem, neediness, or “troubled” nature of the child; or some combination of the above.

Sometimes it’s as simple as giving children something they can believe in and trust. That’s what we do for over 9,000 children of abuse and neglect every year. We give them a safe place to talk, heal, and grow. We are determined to eliminate child abuse in Mississippi. Help create hope, healing, and justice. Donate. Give them hope for the future.

Perpetrators blur the lines between appropriate and inappropriate boundaries between adults and children. Sometimes this is done through excessive compliments or gifts. Grooming looks different for every victim and can be hard to detect. However, learning the signs and how to talk to your child about safety is paramount in taking a first step to keeping your child protected.

Once the offender has committed a sexual abuse act, the stage of post-abuse maintenance is enforced. The offender persuades the child into secrecy and personal blame.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

AGaining a better understanding of policies and protocols already in place, and/or establishing preventive measures, can mitigate harm within a church’s children and youth ministries. These offenders are members of our congregations. Education on child abuse and sexual grooming practices should be an ongoing initiative throughout the church. Having open dialogue in your congregation will create awareness and the opportunity to establish safeguards to prevent child abuse. Y

Kim is the CAST Coordinator for Children’s Advocacy Centers of MS™.

by DIDI ELLIS

What is a child advocacy center?

child advocacy center (CAC) is a child-friendly facility where members of local multidisciplinary teams meet to discuss and make decisions regarding the investigation, treatment, and prosecution of child abuse cases. Members of the team include law enforcement agencies, Child Protection Services, mental health providers, forensic medical examiners, prosecutors, youth court personnel, family and victim advocates, and forensic interviewers. Some CACs are nonprofits, and the CAC work is their only focus, while others are part of a larger umbrella agency that provides a multitude of services.

CACs provide an array of services to children and families when there has been an allegation of child abuse reported to an investigative agency. In communities where a CAC is present, forensic interviews are routinely conducted at the CAC by interviewers trained in the ChildFirst protocol. Forensic interviews are childfocused, non-leading or non-suggestive interviews that are used to elicit a narrative account of any and all adverse experiences a child has had. Agencies with investigative responsibility, such as law enforcement and Child Protection Services, are present to observe the forensic interview through closed-circuit television in order to minimize the number of times a child has to share their experiences.

At the CAC, family and victim advocates meet with the supportive caregivers of the children to assist in identifying the needs of caregivers, children and their families. Supportive services include, but are not limited to, crisis assessment and intervention, education regarding victims’ rights and crime

victims’ compensation, referrals for traumafocused mental health services, and referrals for forensic medical examinations. Additionally, CACs are responsible for coordinated case management of all cases, which includes multidisciplinary team facilitation of monthly case review meetings. Some CACs offer on-site mental health services, while others partner solely with community resources to meet those needs for families and children.

The foundation of the child advocacy center is built on the premise of collaboration. The agencies that are responsible for investigating, prosecuting, and serving in these cases all need a little something different within their respective roles, but the center of all of our work should be the needs of the child. Collaboration leads to more effective solutions for these children and their families. Together we help amplify the voice of our communities’ most vulnerable and promote hope, healing and justice for each and every one. Y

Didi is Executive Director of the Kids Hub Child Advocacy Center in Hattiesburg.

“The Greatest Love & War Story Ever Told!”

No other set of books, except the Bible, will prepare the reader for an abundant life NOW and for a glorious ETERNITY better than Hallelujah, Love & War and The Sound of Glorious Marriage Music. These books can be reviewed and purchased at amazon.com. Select Books and type in “by Joe Ragland.”

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Personal Injury Trial Attorney/Workplace Injuries

Tel. 601-969-5050

• Info: www.raglandministries.org

Click CONTACT to subscribe to Ragland Newsletters

CUT OUT THE SCRIPTURES AND QUOTES AND PLACE THEM AROUND YOUR HOME FOR DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

~ 1 PETER 1:3, NIV

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

~ ISAIAH 43:18-19, NIV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

~ 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17, NKJV

Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’

~ JOHN 11:25-26, NIV

We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

~ ROMANS 6:9, ESV

He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’

~ LUKE 24:6-7, NIV

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

~ ROMANS 6:4, ESV

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

~ LAMENTATIONS 3:22-23, NIV

And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh.

~ EZEKIEL 11:19, ESV

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

~ REVELATION 21:4, ESV

Create in

me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

~ PSALM 51:10, ESV

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