ADOPTION
A glimpse of the heart of God
To be nice, or to be kind?
● 9 ways to sneak veggies into your diet
Featured in our cover story are (from left)
and
While the McDaniel family adopted via foster care, other families in our cover story chose to adopt through an agency, whether domestically or internationally. See page 18.
Alan Moore hopes the scriptures and hymns referenced in his creative ironworks will make a difference in
VOLUME 19, NUMBER 6 PUBLISHER
MS Christian Living, Inc.
EDITOR
Katie Ginn
katie@mschristianliving.com
ART/GRAPHIC DESIGN
Sandra Goff SALES
Teresa Howell
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Annalissa Cochran, Alexis Ellis, Chris Fields, Carolyn Tomlin, Dr. Teena Welborn, Jade Whitehurst
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY
Stegall Imagery
DISTRIBUTION ASSISTANTS
Nettie Schulte, Jerri and Sammy Strickland, Rachel and Bob Whatley
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Madison, MS 39130
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Mississippi Christian Living is committed to encouraging individuals in their daily lives by presenting the faith stories of others and by providing information that will point every person, at every stage of life, to a deeper, authentic, personal, and life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ. Views expressed in Mississippi Christian Living do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Every effort has been made by the Mississippi Christian Living staff to ensure accuracy of the publication contents. However, we do not guarantee the accuracy of all information nor the absence of errors and omissions; hence, no responsibility can be or is assumed. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2024 by MS Christian Living, Inc.
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PHOTO BY STEGALL IMAGERY
Zeke
Lottie Hunsberger, Maisie McDaniel, Samara Lewis, and Aleah McDaniel.
Chattanooga and the monster weed
When Stephen and I drove to Chattanooga for a long weekend last month, our plans included the Incline Railway on Lookout Mountain and ice cream at Clumpie’s, both of which I’d recommend (get the espresso chocolate chunk). But two of my favorite experiences were unplanned: the best meal I’ve eaten in a while (pork shoulder), courtesy of Alleia restaurant, and line dancing at a place called Westbound Honky-Tonk.
Despite the name, this “honky-tonk” did not feature a jukebox, a country band playing behind chicken wire, or even lots of Western wear. Instead, it featured the Tennessee Volunteers game on multiple TVs — and line dancing to multiple musical genres. I would’ve stayed all night for the latter if Stephen had let me.
When we walked in around 8:30 p.m., a married couple was taking turns teaching the stomps, slides, kicks and turns. Then the DJ would play the song and everybody would practice what they’d learned.
Stephen quickly ducked to the sidelines, but I kept trying my feet at a few different songs. After a while, the instructors quit instructing and simply danced, and it was your job to follow them if you could. It looked like most folks were regulars who knew the moves. I’d give my performance a C-average, but I didn’t care. When you hear the opening fiddle riff to Shania Twain’s “Any Man of Mine” at a line-dancing honkytonk, you don’t hesitate!
One thing did bother me during our trip: We never did a Bible study. As a moral perfectionist, I hoped we would do at least one “religious” act in Chattanooga, as if God would see it and say, “Ah, the Ginns are holy. Let me go ahead and sprinkle My blessing on this vacation.” We did pray before meals. Does that count?
While I tend to stay on top of my private checkboxes for the Christian walk, Stephen often does a far better job of loving his neighbor. In Chattanooga, Stephen struck up a conversation with two strangers in a tour group when I likely would’ve left them alone.
I can sit right next to someone and ignore them without any qualms, but
Stephen will make the effort to ask about their life (even if he hasn’t read a lick of scripture that day). Which attitude is more likely to lead to a gospel conversation? Maybe I should step back and look at the big picture.
A more hilarious example of this occurred the day after we got back from Chattanooga. The weather was gorgeous and Stephen had the day off, so he suggested we do some yard work. He mostly pruned and shaped the bushes, while I mostly pulled little weeds all over the flowerbed. Then at one point, Stephen called me over to an azalea and said, “Hey, what is this pokey plant behind this bush?”
Dear reader, behind that azalea was the biggest, ugliest, pokiest weed I have ever seen. I made a noise of disgust that shocked my husband, and we set about digging up the weed. He eventually left me to it, and I dug and dug until I had extracted the biggest part of the root, though of course it broke off and I didn’t get it all. Grrr.
That weed was growing only a foot away from the faucet where I turn on the soaker hose every couple of days to water our boxwoods (when I remember to do it). I’d stepped close to the monster weed plenty of times but never looked closely enough to notice it. Instead, I was pulling up smaller weeds while Creature From the Weed Lagoon kept growing.
It’s not that pulling the small weeds isn’t important. It is. And it’s not that spending time in prayer and scripture isn’t crucial. It certainly is! But sometimes I need to ask myself: Am I motivated to love God and love people (the greatest commandments) when I do religious things? Or am I ignoring a growing weed of sin in my heart while I congratulate myself on checking a box? Ouch, that’s pokey.
I wish I’d taken a picture of the monster weed — a thistle, according to Google — so I could share it here. But my phone was in the house. One victory in my quest for less screen time! Maybe some weeds are getting smaller after all. Y
Katie Ginn katie@mschristianliving.com
At our hotel in Chattanooga, right before our night on the town.
To be nice, or to be kind?
What does it mean to be nice? What does it mean to be kind? These two words are often used interchangeably, but they can have two different meanings and expressions that are worth exploring.
First, what is the difference between being nice and being kind? Anyone can be nice. I’m sure Hitler himself could come across as “nice” when he would shake the little hands of children, or as he wooed his cohorts with priceless works of European art. But was he kind? Absolutely not. Kindness is not something that sews together a perfect tapestry of visible hospitality. It is something much more raw and real. It is more like a haphazardly sewn patchwork quilt — a life not worrying about the thoughts and opinions of others so much as the welfare of others. Niceness doesn’t always indicate care, but kindness always does.
The word “nice” has a long and ambiguous history, with many meanings over the centuries. The original meaning of “nice” in the English language is unknown, but we do know “nice” comes from the Latin word “nescius,” which fascinatingly translates to “ignorant.” On the other hand, kindness is part of how love is defined in the Bible in 1 Corinthians 13:4-5, beginning with the well known words, “Love is patient, love is kind.”
Also, “nice” isn’t an adjective that describes Jesus. Was it “nice” to overturn the tables in the temple? To onlookers, it probably wasn’t a very “nice” scene — one with all of its orderly tied bows of society. But was it kind? Of course. He cared about the holiness of His Father’s house. There is kindness in rebuke from the righteous. “Let a righteous man strike me — it is a kindness; let him rebuke me — it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it.” - Psalm 141:5.
What will we do when we see our friends caught in the snares of gossip or any other sin? Will we have the courage to speak truth in love and call that friend out in kindness? Are we willing to name the sin for what it is with gentleness and with
the posture that we know we are just as capable of falling into that trap? In true friendship, though calling someone out can be uncomfortable, real kindness is willing to live in the momentary discomfort for the long-term care and welfare of that brother or sister in Christ.
Was it “nice” for Jesus to call the Pharisees “hypocrites” or “blind guides”? You can hear the collective gasps of a roomful of Southerners. Far too often, we value what is nice over what is kind. We hide behind titles like “The Hospitality State,” welcoming others with a fabricated smile and perfect cheese spread while whispering about their disorderliness in the shadows, careful to only speak of it with those who share the same delight in propping up their own pride at the expense of others. We can blindly hold Miss Manners in higher esteem than those who have boots on the ground for the kingdom.
What does being “nice” say about someone’s character? Honestly, very little. If we aren’t wary, niceness can vegetate in its own echo chamber of fools. It is easy enough to get along with those who look
like us, who have the same life experiences as us, and who have the same income as us. But what about those who are different? Do they hold the same value in our eyes? That is the real test of kindness.
Zechariah 7:9-10 says, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” Kindness is the fruit that erases all bigotry and pride. That kind of love is an overflow of the heart — something that no amount of “nice” mustering can supply.
Be encouraged that Christ made true kindness possible through His perfect kindness and sacrifice. Friends, may we all go forth together with hearts that long to be kind over nice every day and for all time. Y
Annalissa Cochran and her husband, Roberdeau, live in Flowood, where they are raising their two sons. Annalissa enjoys reading, writing, history, travel, and pancake Saturdays.
How adopting an 11-year-old changed one couple’s life
In 2023, adoptions occurred for only 644 out of the approximately 4,000 children in the system in Mississippi (Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services, 2023). These children have a smile, a name, and a story. Adoption can change a child’s life. They are yearning to be loved and to feel a sense of belonging.
It is a huge decision to adopt a child and bring them into your home. Some children have difficult backgrounds and will need special care; some have experienced the death of a parent or both parents; and some just need a more stable living situation that is safe and loving.
George and Lesley Cameron of Florence, Mississippi decided to take that leap! After 22 years of failed and dangerous attempts to have a biological family, adoption was in the cards. God had big plans for George and Lesley.
Lesley woke up one morning with a tugging on her heart to look into adopting an older child. Foster children normally age out of the system at age 18 to 21. After speaking with George, Lesley immediately went to a website, Mississippi Heart Gallery, and they were matched with a child. The paperwork began. Lesley said, “God was already showing out!”
The Camerons had to complete a year of paperwork to become licensed foster parents before they could meet or talk to their assigned child. They had no idea what she looked like until halfway through the process. After spending the summer transitioning from
her foster home to her new home, it was move-in time!
After the Camerons had lived with their little girl for six months, the social worker filed the papers for Brianna to be adopted — only one day after the waiting period was over. Brianna was 11 when she was legally adopted.
Learning to be a family was difficult at first, and some days still have their challenges, but the Camerons believe they grow closer through every struggle.
The easiest aspect of adoption is loving Brianna. George and Lesley do not feel there is any difference between a biological child and her. They think if anything, they love and protect her more because of the hardships she has gone through.
Early in the adoption process, Lesley says, she was more guarded. She had been hurt so many times from the excitement and then failures of trying to become a mother, so she didn’t want to let her guard down. “What ifs” constantly ran through her mind.
“ Early in the adoption process, Lesley says, she was more guarded. She had been hurt so many times from the excitement and then failures of trying to become a mother.”
Similarly, it took Brianna awhile to call Lesley and George “mom” and “dad,” but now when she does, Lesley says, “My heart skips a beat, and the hugs are the BEST! Brianna has no idea how long I waited to hug my daughter!”
“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families.” - Psalm 68:5-6 Y
Dr. Teena Welborn is a retired educator and author of “Raising Whosoevers to Be the Heart of Our Schools.” Dr. Welborn and her husband of 37 years, Cliff, live in Florence, Mississippi, where they raised their three boys. They are members of First Baptist Florence. She can be contacted at tlmwelborn13@gmail.com.
George and Lesley Cameron with their daughter, Brianna.
What is cardiometabolic disease?
Everybody: “Hello, H.E.A.L. Mississippi, what do you guys do?”
Us: “We are a healthcare organization, and our mission is to reduce the impact of cardiometabolic diseases in Mississippi. Our vision is to establish a standard of care for people with cardiometabolic diseases … “
Them: “Cardiometa-who?”
This is often the spoken and unspoken sentiment I get when explaining our mission and vision to most non-health professionals and even some health professionals. Recently, a close colleague made me realize that there’s no benefit if people don’t know what you’re doing after they have encountered you, seen company correspondence, or visited your platform.
“ It’s not the accumulation of weight (that’s) dangerous but the (improper) functioning of the vascular system.”
Health education is also an essential part of our mission, and if our audience leaves our platform or encounters just as confused as before they came, then we are not serving them well. Understanding is just as essential as the information itself.
What is cardiometabolic disease?
Cardiometabolic disease best describes diseases related to energy metabolism that affect the cardiovascular system. These diseases include diabetes, obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and insulin resistance, which can lead to more serious conditions like heart attacks and stroke.
Mississippi has the highest prevalence of diabetes in the nation and ranks high in hypertension, obesity, heart attack, and stroke. What makes these cardiometabolic diseases so dangerous is that they normally come in clusters, and they affect blood circulation and nutrient distribution.
Effects on blood circulation and nutrient distribution
Blood is literally our lifeline. If blood doesn’t circulate in and out of our hearts, our heart stops and we die. Blood is carried to and away from the heart by our vascular system, which consists of veins and arteries, with the main purpose of carrying oxygen and nutrients to our tissues and organs. Let’s briefly look at how some cardiometabolic diseases impede this circulatory process.
● Diabetes is a condition of high blood sugar levels. The higher the blood sugar levels, the more likely it is to make your blood thick and sticky, which can slow blood flow.
● Hypertension is a condition of consistently elevated blood pressure or too much force on your artery walls.
● High cholesterol is a condition of too much fat in your blood, which can cause fat deposits to start accumulating around your artery walls.
Conditions like obesity, insulin resistance, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease have more to do with poor nutrient distribution and improper energy metabolism, with obesity being a main risk factor for other cardiometabolic diseases. It’s not the accumulation of weight that makes obesity dangerous but the improper energy metabolism and poor nutrient distribution. When nutrients aren’t properly metabolized and evenly distributed throughout your body, they accumulate in your bloodstream and impede the proper functioning of the vascular system.
Hopefully, I have increased your understanding of cardiometabolic diseases. If not, feel free to reach out, and we will be happy to serve you. Y
Chris Fields is the executive director of H.E.A.L. Mississippi, a nonprofit whose mission is to reduce the impact of diabetes and other cardiometabolic disease in Mississippi. Our vision is to establish a high-quality, easily accessible standard of care for diabetes and cardiometabolic diseases. God created us to be whole and healthy, and He’s made provisions for us to walk in His divine plan related to our health and healing.
If you’re aiming to enhance your nutrition and sustain a balanced diet, pay attention! I know for some, reading the word “vegetables” made you eager to turn the page. However, vegetables are important to our health and wellness.
So, why are we so quick to skip vegetables and pile on more rice or empty calories? I believe it’s both a lack of discipline and a heart issue. Satan will take an opportunity where he is given one and make you believe that what God has created for our good and His glory is restrictive and repulsive. May I invite you to take a different approach?
My heart’s approach to food did a 180 when I remembered that Satan’s goal was to steal, kill, and destroy me (John 10:10). It’s no surprise that Satan would convince us that what we put into our bodies doesn’t matter. He knows that an unhealthy, sluggish body is less likely to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
Genesis 1:29 says, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.”
If we do not pause to consider the depth
of this verse, we’ll miss the generous heart of God. The God who made us also provides exactly what we need for sustainability. Who else would know our genetic makeup and what we need on a cellular level better than God?
So now when I look at all the gorgeous fruits and vegetables in the grocery store, I resist the urge to snarl my nose (get behind me, Satan!); instead, I see a gracious, loving Father who has provided what is good for me. When we learn to identify where Satan tries to sneak in his lies, we can fight back with truth and choose freedom in Christ Jesus. Look, I get it: The brownie tastes better than the broccoli. While the brownie has its place in moderation, may we always remember to invite Jesus into our struggles and trust Him to overcome strongholds in our nutrition so we can honor Him.
Below are 9 ways I like to sneak veggies into my nutrition:
1. Make a vegetable soup: The possibilities are endless here. Don’t be afraid to zest it up with herbs and spices!
2. Dip your vegetables: A few of my favorites are ranch, tzatziki, hummus, and guacamole.
3. Add them to a sandwich, wrap, or on top of your pizza.
4. Make a vegetable stir fry.
5. Season and roast your vegetables.
6. Add vegetables to your favorite recipes: Add peas to mac n’ cheese, spinach to lasagna, veggies to an omelet, etc.
7. Sneak them into a fruit smoothie.
8. Turn vegetables into a sauce for pasta.
9. Make vegetable “rice” or “noodles”: Vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli serve as excellent alternatives to rice. Additionally, vegetables like carrots, zucchini, and sweet potatoes can be transformed into noodles by using a vegetable peeler, julienne peeler, mandoline slicer, or spiralizer. Y
Jade Whitehurst is a wife, mom, fitness coach, and eighth-grade science teacher. You can follow her on Instagram @jadewhitehurst_thefaithfitmom.
Retired pharmacist turns to inspirational ironwork
Friends and family were not surprised when Alan Moore of Houston, Mississippi retired after 35 years as a pharmacist and started a creative ironwork business known as Ironworks of Houston. As a teen and young adult, he had always been mechanically inclined. Part of this experience comes from restoring antique cars. And for years on the family farm, he learned how to repair and reproduce metal farm equipment when it broke or wore out.
With his inquisitive mind, Alan offers this advice: “Watch and look. If you can understand how that piece of equipment works, when something breaks, you can fix it.”
Although Alan continues restoring antique cars, he’s added a second career in retirement: using steel sheets to design ironwork for individuals and businesses.
“Making the adjustment from being employed as a pharmacist required planning and a lifestyle change,” Alan says. “Before I retired, I talked with friends, and they gave me this advice: ‘Have a plan before you retire.’”
Alan says. “God takes our sinful lives and turns them into a work of art. I start with a raw piece of steel ... Iron has been around thousands of years, but someone had to come up with a formula that created this material. A designer had to make the software and computer that generates the design. The operator, like myself, had to learn the program.
Actually, Alan started the creative ironwork business several years before leaving his pharmaceutical job. Reading a health report, he noted that people who retired at age 55 (and lived to be 65) died 37 percent sooner than those who retired at 65.
Those who decided to put the breaks on, who sit down and do nothing, die sooner. “I don’t want to be in that group,” he said.
Sharing his faith
“In some ways, I compare my ironwork business to God’s work,”
“The finished product goes to a new owner. Finally, the design is displayed where maybe hundreds or thousands of people view the creation. Who knows, but maybe this person hasn’t had the opportunity to read a Bible? Yet this scripture makes a difference in this person’s life. Even if the design uses only a few words from a Bible verse, the scripture reference is included when possible.”
One example is a design that hangs in the House of Prayer in Jerusalem. In 2019, Alan and his wife, Lesa, went to Israel. While there, he was approached about supplying Christian signs that say: “It is Well with My Soul” and “Speak Lord, Your Servant is Listening” (1 Samuel 3:1-10).
“When the thousands of tourists visit this place each year, I hope these Bible verses and other inspirational thoughts will make a difference in the life of those who read them,” Alan says. Often people will want to share a personal story or experience when they see his ironwork displayed at craft shows or fairs. “I noticed a woman reading one of my signs that says: Then Sings My Soul. With tears in her eyes, she told me the sad story of Joey and Rory Feek, the American country music singer and songwriter, and how this song meant so much to her.”
Many people know the story of why Horatio G. Spafford was led to write “It Is Well with My Soul.” On a voyage to England, his wife
Alan Moore in his workshop at Ironworks of Houston.
and four daughters were on a ship that sunk. The children perished. His wife telegraphed, “Saved alone.”
Family involvement
In Alan’s second career, the entire Moore family is involved in the ironwork process. Alan’s wife has an eye for detail and dimension. “She gives me her honest opinion, and I value her critique,” he says. Daughter Kali, a registered nurse in Tupelo, uses her administrative and technical skills, including following up on orders. And son Ross is a certified welder and fabricator.
“He is my ‘go-to man’ when I need advice on welding,” Alan says. “On my first few attempts at welding, he actually laughed at me, but I think I’ve made some improvements since those first pieces. Sometimes we’ve made mistakes. But we learn from these errors and we try not to repeat our failures. Isn’t that what families do together? We’re there for each other — we are family!”
At this stage of life, Alan says one of the most important things for him is to reduce stress. “I want time to help people. For example, I like to mentor young guys. It’s not about the money. Having a lowstress life and family nearby is important. Four generations of our family gather every Sunday after church for our weekly meal.
“A strong faith in God is vital. He has been taking care of me for a long time.”
“As a deacon at First Baptist Church, Houston, Mississippi, Alan and Lesa are always ready to work with church programs and encourage others to step up,” says Greg Simmons, youth pastor. The church supports a homeless program that provides medical services for those in need. Being a retired pharmacist, Alan fills prescriptions and works with the medical team. This past summer, he served on a disaster relief team from the church that traveled to Lake Charles, Louisiana for hurricane cleanup. On Wednesdays, Lesa prepares meals at the church for the community’s shut-ins, and Alan makes deliveries.
Leaving a legacy
As Christians, we have many opportunities to leave a legacy in our lives. Ironworks of Houston is known from coast to coast and even in foreign countries. Metal Christmas nativity designs have been ordered from all over the United States. Alan hopes the scriptures displayed in the Jerusalem House of Prayer and on his designs make an impact on those who read the words. You never know when a verse is needed.
Much like scripture, iron has a lasting quality. “I can mold and make a unique design from steel,” says Alan. Similarly, “If we let Him, God can take our distinctive personalities and use them to help others and to serve Him.”
For more information, visit the Facebook page Ironworks of Houston or Alan’s Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ironworkshouston.com. Y
Carolyn Tomlin writes for the Christian magazine and newspaper market. She teaches the Boot Camp for Christian Writers.
This Holiday Season, Try Giving the Gift of Fincial Peace
ADOPTION: A glimpse of the heart of God
PHOTO BY STEGALL IMAGERY
Clockwise from bottom left: Lottie Hunsberger, Maisie McDaniel, Zeke Hunsberger, Samara Lewis, and Aleah McDaniel.
In honor of National Adoption Awareness Month, we talked with four adoptive families from Mississippi who shared their stories. These stories are all different, but they’re all about children who are dearly loved. Most importantly, they all present a picture of the gospel, in which God has adopted believers into His family (Ephesians 1:5). God uses adoption to show off His plan of redemption for the world, and we celebrate that!
KYLE AND KATIE LEWIS
● Samara (pronounced Suh-MAR-uh), adopted at 10 days old, now 4 years old (as of November 10)
● How the Lewises adopted: Domestically through an agency (New Beginnings, Tupelo)
● Samara’s favorite thing about her family: “Mommy.” What about Mommy? “Everything.”
How they decided
“It was something we intended to do,” Katie says. “But we started out trying to have a family naturally and went through some infertility. And about a year into treatments, I was like, you know what? I’m not into this anymore. Let’s start adoption.”
Challenges and fears
“Mother’s Day weekend 2020, they called and said they had a baby for us in Tupelo, and the mom wanted to meet us,” Katie says. “We went up there (on a Friday night) and met mom and
grandma. We stayed in the hospital. … Saturday afternoon or evening, we were told she had changed her mind. So it was one of the worst things (we’ve) ever been through.”
“That made me a little apprehensive (when it came to Samara’s adoption),” Kyle says.
Katie’s other concern: “Am I going to feel the same as if this were my own (biological) child?”
Her answer: “Yes! We could not have birthed a more perfect child for us. It’s so funny. I talk about testing nature vs nurture all the time. But she is so much like both of us.”
The biggest surprise: siblings!
could not have birthed a more perfect child for us,”
“When we got home with Samara, I guess the next day maybe, Cori, our social worker, called and said, ‘I just want to let you know Samara has a sibling actually in your area. … I can connect you with the family if you want to.’ And Becky (Barnhill) and I communicated, and we found out we were five minutes away from each other” (laughs).
The Barnhills had adopted Samara’s older brother Drew and would later adopt her younger sister Lucy, too. (See next page.)
“In fact, one day Samara and Drew and Lucy will go to school together,” Katie says. “We get together and hang out and do birthday parties.”
The biggest blessing
“Her being like both of us,” Kyle says. “There are days when we probably wish she was not like us — but she is. Especially when you get the same facial expressions you give her. She’s gotten really good at raising her eyebrow and squinting her eyes the way I do when I get onto her. That part’s a little hard.”
Katie says Samara brings an air of joy and sparkle wherever she goes. (Anyone who attended our cover shoot would agree!)
“Everybody at church knows her. Everybody at school knows her. Everybody at Kyle’s school knows her. Before anybody asks how we’re doing, they ask about her,” Katie says. “She’s just herself. She’s funny and caring. More than we could’ve imagined for a child. I just pray that she continues to be the way she is — caring and inclusive and brightening people’s day.”
From left: Katie, Samara, and Kyle Lewis.
“We
Katie Lewis says of Samara.
PHOTO BY STEGALL IMAGERY
Advice for couples considering adoption
“Be open,” Kyle says. “It’s not going to go the way you think it’s going to, probably. (But) that’s the way life is in general.”
“I think I’ve answered that question before with, ‘Do it,’” Katie says. “There are so many things that we don’t get to experience that natural parents do. But there are so many things we get to experience that other people don’t. And the network is so huge.”
LEE AND BECKY BARNHILL
● Biological kids Lila and Harry, 10 and 7 years old respectively
● Adopted son Drew, adopted at 10 days old, now 4 years old
● Adopted daughter Lucy, adopted at 5 days old, now 2 years old
● Drew’s favorite thing about his family: Playing baseball together.
● Lucy’s favorite thing about her family: “All of us.”
● How the Barnhills adopted: Domestically through an agency (New Beginnings, Tupelo)
How they decided
“I’ve actually felt called to adoption since I was about a teenager,” Becky says. “It was just kind of on the table (when we got married). In between our two biological children, we had some miscarriages and trouble … I think that’s when (Lee) came around.”
“We met with an agency, and then (pursued) a private adoption that ended up (failing),” Lee continues. “Then we got pregnant with our son, Harry. But even after that, this tug to (adopt) didn’t go away.”
Why adopt domestically?
Challenges and fears
The adoption process was rigorous, especially since the Barnhills were open to adopting outside their race. “I would say there’s 20 hours of training …. Then we had to do three home studies,” Becky says.
“Then several (home studies) post placement,” Lee adds. Plus financial disclosures, drug testing and a complete physical, including a vision test — not to mention the expense. “There are resources that have to be compensated,” Lee says.
The Barnhills also were concerned about how the community would view their interracial family. “But we’re trying to break down racial barriers one conversation at a time,” Lee says.
The biggest surprise: Siblings!
After adopting Drew — and after finding out he had a little sister who’d been adopted by the Lewises! — “we thought our family was complete,” Becky recalls. Then they got a call saying Drew’s biological mom was in the hospital and about to have another baby. Would the Barnhills be willing to adopt again?
They only had two hours to decide. With Drew, they’d had a couple days. Becky called Lee, and ultimately they said yes.
The biggest blessing
“How often God continues to show up and either provide for us (or) open doors and opportunities (to) witness and create impact,” Lee says.
“Even (Samara) being with Katie and Kyle five minutes down the road,” Becky adds. “Their whole story and our story has unfolded (in similar ways).”
Advice for couples considering adoption
“Do it,” Becky says.
“You’ve got to be very grounded in your marriage, because there’s going to be a lot of twists and turns and unexpected things, and things where you have to take huge leaps of faith in a short amount of time,” Lee says.
“You have to trust God,” Becky says. “We both like to be in control. … And we had zero control through this whole process.”
Finally, “I think you have to see it as a calling and part of your witness and your mission,” Lee says, “because it’s opened up so many opportunities for me to tell our story when people see a picture of our family, especially through work. … I always use it to talk about God and faith.”
“We know there’s a need here,” Lee says. “You’ve got to start in Jerusalem before you go to Samaria and the ends of the earth.”
From left: Becky, Lila, Harry, Drew, and Lee holding Lucy Barnhill.
Even more family: The Lewises (see previous page) and the Barnhills discovered they had adopted biological siblings, and they lived just minutes apart! From left: Drew and Lila Barnhill, Samara Lewis, Harry and Lucy Barnhill.
Drew holding Lucy, who is both his biological and adopted sister.
LORA AND TEDDY MCDANIEL
● Maisie, fostered at 6 months old, adopted at 2 years old; now 11 years old
● Aleah, fostered at 7 days old, adopted at 5 years old; now 7 years old
● How the McDaniels adopted: Through foster care
● Maisie and Aleah’s favorite thing about their family: Eating out at Chick-Fil-A!
How they decided, and why foster care
“I wrote a college paper about The Baptist Children’s Village,” Lora says. “So if I think all the way back to that, that was something on my heart ... Then we got married (and) Teddy was in seminary, and we were both working at a sandwich shop and knew that adoption financially was not possible at that moment.
“Then we had some friends who fostered, so we went over to their house one night for dinner, and they told us about foster care … (we thought), we can love on a kid right now. And through foster care, most of the financial part was covered.”
Challenges and fears
“The initial fear going into it was not knowing the personalities that will be coming into your home and the trauma that they’ve been through before … and feeling, am I equipped to help them walk through that?” Lora says.
THE BAPTIST CHILDREN’S VILLAGE MISSISSIPPI 2024 TAX CREDIT FOR BUSINESSES, MARRIED COUPLES, AND SINGLE INDIVIDUALS
This Christmas, many children across Mississippi will spend their holidays in hotel rooms having been rescued from unspeakable family situations. Others, due to poor life decisions, are in detention centers. Spending Christmas alone.
The Baptist Children’s Village hears these cries for help and have programs in place to minister to these children and families in need. As you make your year-end giving plans, please consider a tax-deductible gift to The Baptist Children’s Village
The state of Mississippi makes your donation easier for contributions to Eligible Transitional Housing Organizations (ETHO). Businesses, individuals, and married couples may receive a tax credit of up to 50 percent of their state income taxes, insurance premium payments, or ad valorem tax. You have a choice: give your total tax liability to the state of Mississippi . . . or help The Baptist Children’s Village minister to children and families in need.
To learn more, use the QR code, visit our website at
Clockwise from top left: Teddy, Lora, Maisie, and Aleah McDaniel.
Maisie McDaniel
Aleah McDaniel
Before fostering and adopting Maisie, the McDaniels had two children placed with them who eventually went back to their biological families — which is the ultimate goal of foster care. Did Teddy and Lora ever think, “We don’t want to foster anymore?”
“Yes, every time (a child went back),” Lora says. “It is a grief that is still within me. And it is hard. (But) we never felt like we were done, so we never closed our home. Then any time a call would come, it was a prayerful, do we say yes?” Sometimes they said no.
Finally, after fostering and adopting Maisie and Aleah, the McDaniels felt God saying, “You’ve done what I asked you to do.”
Today, “there are things that (Aleah) feels and experiences that break my heart, that she notices,” Lora says. “And they both know that we sometimes get a couple of extra looks when we’re out and about. What I have prayed for both of them is that because they have similar stories, that God has used that to bring them together to understand each other.
“And when the doubts come in … it’s constantly God reminding me, ‘Yeah, but I picked you. … That means I’m going to sustain you through all the challenges and unknowns.’”
The biggest surprise
“From when she was born until she was 6 months old (and we got the call to foster her), Maisie lived down the street from us with this elderly couple that had hundreds of foster babies over their lifetime,” Lora says. “And they were Christians and took her to church every Sunday. We had no idea.”
The biggest blessing
“There’s not many times that we remember that they’re even adopted,” Lora says. “They’re just our kids. And even when they were in foster care, they were still just our kids. There wasn’t a label.”
Advice for couples considering foster care
“Have a support group and a community around you,” Lora says. “There are still people that I need in my life that have walked through foster care, because it is such a specific journey — only those people really understand it fully, where you can just be open.”
GLORIA AND CHAD HUNSBERGER
● Biological kids Abigail and Luke, 15 and 13 respectively
● Adopted daughter Lottie, adopted at 2, now 13
● Adopted son Zeke, adopted at 5, now 8
● How the Hunsbergers adopted: Internationally through agencies (Lifeline Children’s Services to adopt Lottie from China; Children of the World out of Fairhope, Alabama, to adopt Zeke from India)
● Lottie and Zeke’s favorite thing about their family: Going to the beach (which they did shortly after our cover shoot)!
How they decided
“We just felt really burdened at the orphan crisis,” Gloria says. “(But) we had zero money. We had tiny kids. (Chad) was still in his doctoral program. It was like, I don’t know how we’re going to do this.
“I was reading (a resource to help us parent our toddlers), about how delayed obedience is disobedience … And that
convicted me so much — because we did feel like God wanted us to (adopt). As God does, He provided each step of the way.”
Why adopt internationally — and from 2 different countries?
“God really made us aware of the global scale of the orphan crisis,” Gloria says. “(Not) everyone is called to international adoption. So even the fact that He gave us that burden … was the nudge that helped us.”
When orphans age out of the system in countries like China and India, they are “turned out with no plan,” Gloria says. “What happens (in China) is, a lot are trafficked. Especially children with disabilities (like Lottie).”
Lottie’s adoption from China took “only” 18 months, which is quick for international, Gloria says. Then within another year or two, the Hunsbergers felt like they wanted to adopt again.
“Our oldest would point out things like, ‘We have another seat at our table.’ We had six chairs and there were five of us. Same thing in our car: ‘We have another seat in our car!’” Gloria recalls. They tried foster care for a couple years but never had a placement that resulted in adoption. The Hunsbergers decided to adopt internationally again.
“We wanted to pursue a boy … and matching with a boy in China is a little more difficult … The need in India was just as great. (The Children of the World agency was) very well established in India.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Zeke’s adoption took four years total — including two years after matching with him. “Looking back, he was meant to be in our family (regardless of how long it took).”
Clockwise from top left: Chad, Gloria, Abigail, Zeke, Lottie, and Luke Hunsberger.
PHOTO BY BRYAN JOHNSON
Challenges and fears
“We had checked ‘no’ to all neurological disabilities. And Lottie has spina bifida, which is a major neurological disability,” Gloria says. “We had 48 hours to (decide after getting the call about her).”
The Hunsbergers said yes, and Lottie has had 18 surgeries since her adoption. “I can’t imagine her being in a different family,” Gloria says. “People say, ‘I don’t know how you do that,’ but I say, ‘But you would do it too.’ You’re never prepared for parenting at any time (laughs), but God equips you.”
Today, though Lottie uses a wheelchair, “she is very independent at 13 years old,” Gloria says.
The biggest surprise
“When you think about the millions of children that were in these countries, and that these particular ones were matched with our particular family … we know it’s ordained by the Lord,” Gloria says. “How did we get these kids who are clearly our kids?”
Advice for couples considering adoption
“Continue to seek the Lord’s will,” Gloria says. “And if you feel called to it, the Lord is going to carry you through that.”
Just a few weeks before this interview, the Hunsbergers learned that China had closed all international adoptions. One couple from their church had been matched with a boy in China, and now they won’t get to bring him home.
Even in such circumstances, Gloria says, “continue to take steps of obedience, and continue to look for open doors that the Lord is leading you through. Seek support from those around you who’ve done it before. Seek support from a Bible-believing agency.”
Hearts of Compassion
A ministry of Colonial Heights Baptist Church in Ridgeland, where Chad Hunsberger pastors, Hearts of Compassion provides matching grants to Christian families pursuing adoption.
“Let’s say (the family is) awarded $4,000 — as they raised $4,000 we would match that dollar for dollar,” Gloria Hunsberger says. “We want to turn $4,000 into $8,000.”
Sometimes, when adoptions happen too fast for a family to raise the money, “we can also do zero-interest loans,” Gloria says.
“Families we have given grants to can also fundraise at our annual 5K and silent auction. They might have their own team running, or they might have a table set up where they’re selling (merchandise).”
This year’s Hearts of Compassion 5K and silent auction will be held November 9. For more information, visit Heartsofcompassion.life. Y
Lottie Hunsberger
Zeke Hunsberger
MDRS fund helps hunters with disabilities
“Oh, boy, this was like a dream come true for me and everyone here,” said hunter Brock Kinsey. For the first time in his life, Brock was able to take the shot and harvest a deer, something he had always dreamed of. He had never been able to hunt before, due to a traumatic brain injury caused by a car accident when he was 5 years old.
Thanks to specialized hunting equipment supplied by Faith Hope Love Outdoor Ministry, now Brock and hundreds of other Mississippians with disabilities can hunt with great success.
The ministry purchased the equipment using a subgrant awarded by the Traumatic Brain Injury/Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund administered by the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services (MDRS).
“They helped get us a lot of equipment that adapts to the needs of different types of disabilities. We have the equipment now where they can harvest the animal on their own,” said Ben Robinson, founder of Faith Hope Love.
Ben said he sees the ministry as an easy way to love others and assist those who need a little help to get out and enjoy the outdoors.
The TBI/SCI Trust Fund provides direct services to clients and awards subgrants to Mississippi organizations for the awareness and
Ben Robinson of Faith Hope Love Outdoor Ministry demonstrates the use of specialized hunting equipment for people with disabilities, including Brock Kinsey (inset), who used the equipment to harvest his first deer.
prevention of traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries.
Faith Hope Love Outdoor Ministry submitted a request explaining their organization and what they intended to do with the funds if awarded. “And through the trust fund, we were able to support them by providing the help needed to purchase state-ofthe-art adaptive hunting and fishing equipment,” stated Laura Jones, the TBI/SCI Trust Fund Coordinator at MDRS.
“These individuals who have just sustained an injury and their life has changed, they are able to go on a hunt and utilize this equipment that they might not otherwise have the opportunity to use, and they are able to engage in something that they love to do,” Jones said.
Kevin Runnels, a Faith Hope Love volunteer, shared, “In addition to letting people experience things that they otherwise would not be able to, it gets them to be part of the community. They get to meet people who otherwise they would never meet. They get to make new friends. They get to be a valued contributing member. And it’s just a wonderful experience.
“Without that equipment, a lot of this would not have been possible. It has been a blessing.” Y
MDRS releases the new Requests For Proposals for the Trust Fund subgrants after each new calendar year. To submit a request for your organization, visit https://www.mdrs.ms.gov/special-disability-programs/btiscitrust-fund.
Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services is a state agency that provides resources to help Mississippians with disabilities find new careers, live more independently, overcome obstacles, and face new challenges. We are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of the people we serve. If you are a Mississippian with a disability and are interested in seeking assistance, call 1-800-443-1000 or visit mdrs.ms.gov.
From poet to psychiatric ward and beyond
The life I have led as a mental health patient has had its ups and downs. From my first memories of being in elementary school, I could feel the nervousness inside me — the warm rush and tremble in my body when my first-grade teacher would ask me a question, and despite knowing the answer, I would not say a word. But I would look around for my cousin. Never socializing, I only went to school and worried if the other kids would play with me.
I was an only child. My home life was different. My mother showed me love and attention and tried to instill in me the fight I needed to make it.
Growing up as a teen in the early 1990s, at 12 I had a nervous breakdown when I got into a fight at school with a classmate. I blacked out, and I do not remember anything but my teacher calling my name. I was angry beyond measure, in a rage because of the years of being bullied and internalizing the pain. My selfesteem was low, and I did not know that the release of pressure from that fight would change my life forever.
“You never get over losing a child, but with God’s help, it is possible to find purpose, hope, and joy beyond grief.”
–SUSAN CLELAND
“ From my first memories of being in elementary school, I could feel the nervousness inside me — the warm rush and tremble in my body when my first-grade teacher would ask me a question, and despite knowing the answer, I would not say a word.”
By the time I reached high school, I excelled in school. Still, my mind was not focused on anything but love. Because of this, I spent many days concentrating on my poetry and my journal. I was going to go to Holmes Community College and Mississippi State University and become a journalist. Well, things did not actually turn out that way.
After entering Holmes, writing for the student newspaper Growl, and spending my time on campus meeting people who loved writing like me, I became burned out and tired. I stopped writing for a long time. In the summer of 2001, I became severely depressed and started eating nothing but cereal and sandwiches.
I told my mom how I was feeling and that I did not want to be here anymore. She took me to the doctor, and they put me on suicide watch for one night. Then I went to the hospital for a week in the psychiatric ward. I did not want to go, but I had to. This was the first of many hospital visits, and from that point until today I have been pushing myself forward into recovery.
After that summer of 2001, I went back to Holmes and graduated in 2002. Then I started back writing in my journals. I began reading the Bible in 2003 and rededicated myself to God.
I began publishing online on February 15, 2008; I felt empowered to find readers. The obsolete website Associated Content is where I first started publishing my poetry online. It took four years for my work to become noticed significantly. In 2012, my poem entitled “Naturally” received 600,000 or more page views. I was ecstatic! This one event in my life as a poet gave me the confidence to help others through my writing and the determination to never give up on myself. Y
Alexis Ellis, 42, is from Lexington, Mississippi. She has a Master of Arts degree in Education from the University of Arizona Global Campus. She is a member of Maynie Street Church of Christ in Yazoo City. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering, transcribing, and watching retro television.
Alexis Ellis
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.
St. Dominic’s celebrates 50 years of healing hearts in Mississippi
For five decades, the people of central Mississippi have entrusted their hearts to St. Dominic Hospital and the Mississippi Heart and Vascular Institute (MHVI).
This milestone is not only a celebration of 50 years of groundbreaking care but also a testament to the powerful partnership with Jackson Heart Clinic’s renowned cardiologists and surgeons. Together they have built a legacy that has transformed heart health in central Mississippi.
Pioneers in heart care
The journey began in 1965 when St. Dominic’s established the first coronary care unit not just in Mississippi but in the entire Southeastern United States. This bold move laid the foundation for the creation of MHVI, which officially came to life in 1974. Early milestones, like the institute’s first heart catheterization in 1973 and open-heart bypass surgery in 1974, set a new standard for cardiac care. Under the guidance of Sister Josephine Therese Uhll, whose prayers were a constant presence during these pioneering surgeries, St. Dominic’s became a beacon of hope for heart patients.
A growing legacy
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, MHVI’s impact only deepened. By 1993, the institute celebrated its 20th anniversary by offering free heart checks to the Jackson community, demonstrating their unwavering commitment to public health. Their efforts earned recognition from the Mississippi Hospital Association and solidified their status as a leader in cardiovascular care. Partnerships with the National Cardiovascular Network and other esteemed organizations further enhanced their reach, bringing the latest heart care innovations to Mississippi.
Compassion meets innovation
MHVI’s dedication to saving lives continued to expand with the launch of initiatives like placing Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) across Jackson in 2005. A year later, MHVI introduced its
St. Dominic’s cardiology team meeting for final plans for the cath lab in 1973, from left: Dr. James C. Hayes, Dr. John W. Evans, Dr. Henry Tyler, Dr. William Rosenblatt, and Dr.
Level I Heart Attack Program, cutting critical response times and setting a new benchmark for heart attack care in the state. Their commitment to innovation was further demonstrated by implanting the first wireless pacemaker in Mississippi in 2009, signaling the institute’s leadership in adopting cutting-edge technology.
A future of promise
As MHVI looks toward the next 50 years, the focus remains on addressing Mississippi’s most pressing cardiovascular health challenges, including hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. The future holds exciting advancements in artificial intelligence, genomics, and telemedicine, which will allow for even more personalized, preventive care.
St. Dominic’s, MHVI and Jackson Heart Clinic have shared an unwavering commitment to improving heart health for half a century. With eyes set firmly on the future, their partnership will continue to bring hope, healing, and innovation to the people of central Mississippi for generations to come. Y
Learn more at stdom.com/heart.
Quinton H. Dickerson.
Commemorative sculptures were presented to key figures in the formation of MHVI, from left: Tiffany Tyler Steadman, Sister Trinita Eddington, Dr. Quinton H. Dickerson, Dr. James C. Hays, and Dr. James L. Crosthwait.
The Square Marketplace Shop local
“Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.”
~ PSALM 68:5, ESV
“He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing.”
~ DEUTERONOMY 10:18, NLT
“The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.”
~ PSALM 146:9, ESV
“Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.”
~ PSALM 82:3, KJV
“But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn — not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.”
~ JOHN 1:12-13, NLT
“Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers; don’t take the land of defenseless orphans.
For their Redeemer is strong; he himself will bring their charges against you.”
~ PROVERBS 23:10-11, NLT
“He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.”
~ EPHESIANS 1:5, ESV
“But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.”
~ GALATIANS 4:4-5, NLT
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’”
~ HEBREWS 12:28-29, NIV
“Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
~ PSALM 106:1, KJV
“Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”
~ HEBREWS 13:15, ESV
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
~ COLOSSIANS 3:16, KJV
“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”
~ ROMANS 8:15, KJV
Don’t wait until it’s too late.
Most early-stage lung cancers are completely asymptomatic, which is why screening is so important! A screening can save your life.
St. Dominic Hospital is designated as a Screening Center of Excellence by the Lung Cancer Alliance, offering lung cancer screenings for individuals with a high risk for lung cancer. Screenings include:
• Initial RN consult and risk assessment
• Low dose CT scan (without contrast)
• RAD score results within 24-48 hours
• Connection to St. Dominic’s multidisciplinary team for thoracic oncology (radiologist, pulmonologist, thoracic surgery, pathologist, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, primary care network)
WHO SHOULD GET SCREENED?
Those who may be at highest risk of developing lung cancer include:
• Between ages 50 and 80
• Actively smoking at that age or quit smoking within the last 15 years
• Someone who has smoked an average of a pack per day for 20 years or more
For additional information, or to request a screening please call (601) 200-2787.
