August 2014 Magazine

Whitesburg AUGUST 2014

ten and s li ll i w n a A wiseeamse his learning, ill incr erning man w and a disainc guidance. obt :5 HCSB 1 s b r e v o Pr

WHITESBURG BAPTIST CHURCH

Connect in worship, build relationships in LIFE Groups and

reach out to serve the community. God is doing something special here at Whitesburg, and we want you to be a part of it!

Sundays at Whitesburg: LIFE Groups 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00 am Blended Traditional Service 9:30 am Contemporary Service 11:00 am Evening Service 6:15 pm

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6806 Whitesburg Drive, Huntsville, AL 35802 256-881-0952

Inside

Whitesburg AUGUST 2014

Page 11 school lunch

2 on the bookshelf

The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson

3 lessons for life

By Dr. Jimmy Jackson

4 It’s Heart Work!

By Val Rufe

7 kid’s space Fun activities!

8 the best advice i ever got

By David Dye

11 my school cool lunch

By Melissa Schuster & Katie O’Boyle

14 the ABC’s of Salvation

Page 16 homeschooling

The way to a relationship with God

16 Considering homeschooling?

By Vicki Harrell Hereford

19 The Empty Nest

By Mark Hodges

the caring place

WHITESBURG BAPTIST CHURCH

Whitesburg magazine is a publication by Whitesburg Baptist Church, 6806 Whitesburg Dr., Huntsville, AL 35802-2299. (Permit No. 446) Publisher: Whitesburg Baptist Church Editor-in-Chief: Rev. David Dye Graphics & Publishing: Melissa Schuster, Ron Snyder Editorial Assistants: Karen Tidwell, Beverly Dishman, Katie O’Boyle

rt It’s Hea Work!

Page 4 it’s heart work August 2014 | Whitesburg

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on the

bookshelf Rev. Terry Herald, Executive Pastor at Whitesburg Baptist Church, recommends these books:

Dream Big. Pray Hard. Think Long.

According to Pastor Mark Batterson in his book, The Circle Maker, “Drawing prayer circles around our dreams isn’t just a mechanism whereby we accomplish great things for God. It’s a mechanism whereby God accomplishes great things in us.” Do you ever sense that there’s far more to prayer, and to God’s vision for your life, than what you’re experiencing? It’s time you learned from the legend of Honi the Circle Maker - a man bold enough to draw a circle in the sand and not budge from inside it until God answered his prayers for his people.

In Draw the Circle, through forty true, faith-building stories of God’s answers to prayer, daily scriptures and prayer prompts, Batterson inspires you to pray and keep praying like never before. Begin a lifetime of watching God work. Believe in the God who can do all things.

- thecirclemaker.com 2

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Lessons for Life

By DR. JIMMY JACKSON

Here it comes—ready or not. Backpacks, books, homework, and another exciting year of school. We sometimes complain about having to go to school, but a good education is one of God’s desires for us.

Paul, the Apostle, wrote a letter to his young helper, Timothy. Although his preacher-boy had finished his formal schoolwork, he still needed to keep on learning. His job was to be a preacher and teacher of God’s Word. The information and discipline gained in the classroom prepare us to live a better and more helpful life.

In II Timothy 2:15a, Paul challenges Timothy with these words: “Study to show yourself approved before God….”

Lessons: (1) Even after Timothy was out in the work-a-day world, he still had to study. One of the most profitable things you and I can learn is how to study. Good teachers help us with that.

(2) Who are we trying to please? “Approved before God.” God gives us the ability to learn and He is interested in our success in learning. We are even told in the Bible to love God with “all of our mind.”

School is not always easy, but it is one of God’s ways to grow His children. Have a great year!

Dr. Jimmy Jackson is the Senior Pastor at Whitesburg Baptist Church in Huntsville, AL. August 2014 | Whitesburg

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y d a e r s d i k Are your ol? o h c s o t k to go bac

t r a e It’s H ! k r o W

By Val Rufe

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It is relatively easy to buy “back to school” supplies when your children are in elementary and middle school. When your child is in High School it becomes a little more hectic because you have to wait until the first day of class.

For college, on the other hand, the lists go on and on! Cha-ching! Cha- ching! The things we purchase to make sure our students succeed at school! How much more should we prepare our children’s hearts to make sure they will succeed at school…at college… at life?

So how do we prepare our children’s hearts for success? Scripture tells us “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it”. (Proverbs 22:6 NKJV) That’s where it all starts, when they are children. Train, prepare, teach, lead, and be an example. Part of the Shema (shuh-mah), which is often the first part of Scripture that a Jewish child learns, states, “…Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength…Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up…” (Deuteronomy 6:4-8 NIV) I am reminded of young Daniel while in Babylon, standing firm to his faith in front of a powerful king by not defiling himself by eating choice foods.

(Daniel 1) Or Shadrach, Meshach and Abendnego standing firm to their faith by not bowing down to the golden statue. (Daniel 3) Those godly young men stood firm because, before the world got to them, their parents got to them! It was their parents that brought those boys up in the Lord, teaching them about God. When Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abendnego found themselves in a godless place,

Those godly young men stood firm because, before the world got to them, their parents got to them!

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Teach your children to praise the Lord, teach them to thank Him, and teach them to pray.

that godless place was not found in them - living in Babylon without becoming Babylonian!

This all takes time, moments, days and years, spending time with your children while looking for teaching moments to lead them to things of the Lord.

Your children don’t know what you are thinking, so even if you are thinking, “Lord what a beautiful sunset, thank You;” unless you say it to your kids they will not know you are praising the Lord for everyday things. Teach your children to praise the Lord, teach them to thank the Lord even for a close parking spot when it is pouring rain, and teach your children to pray.

Provide the opportunities for the church to pour into your children. Allow them (and you!) to try choir/orchestra, weekly Bible studies, mission trips, and church-wide events. Remembering, the whole point is preparing your children’s hearts.

Another great teaching moment is to take your child with you as you minster to others. JOY – Jesus, Others, and You is a great acronym to live by, to look at life by, and to help your children know that life is not all about them! Engage yourself in your children’s activities. You will not only be pouring into your own child, but you will be pouring into the lives of their friends and their parents as well.

Our children are not the church of tomorrow; they are the church of today! They are the ones shining God’s light to a generation that is ripe for harvest.

They need us to lead them. What an honor and privilege God has given us to train up our children to make His Name famous.

Val Rufe is a wife, mother,

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cheerleader for her kids and a fellow servant of Jesus.

KID’S SPACE

Creation Crossword Answers on page 18.

Across 2. God created the moon on this day.

4. The earth was this before the creation.

5. God created these on the fifth day.

7. God created these on the third day.

9. The name of the Garden God created.

10. God created this on the first day.

Down 1. The name of the man God created.

3. God did this on the seventh day.

4. The name of the woman God created.

6. God created the woman by taking this from the man.

8. God created land creatures on this day.

Help the shepherd find his lost sheep!

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The Best Advice I Ever Got (or got to give)

By David Dye

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I still remember as I prepared to head off for college one piece of advice I received (and regrettably didn’t heed.) My older friend Millie warned me, “Whatever you do, do not room with your best friend. Many friendships have been destroyed by this.” Sadly I didn’t listen and within months was no longer speaking to one of my best friends. I’m glad to report after we stopped rooming together we were able to repair the friendship, but I do know many that have never seen that restoration.

Recently I surveyed members of Whitesburg Baptist Church for the best advice they received or would give to someone about to go off to college. Here are some of the highlights, divided into four categories: academic, social, spiritual and life lessons.

whitesburgbaptist.org

Academic “Don’t sleep in! Go to every class.

Yes, you may have been great in high school, but you’ll have to step up in college.”

“Write in complete sentences, not incomplete sentences. Use spell check & grammar check. Take classes completely unrelated to you major area of study, you just might be surprised. Professors are not infallible, merely human.”

“Remember that you are there to get an education and be able to tell people “no” to social outings when there is schoolwork to be done.”

Social

“Your social life will come after college. Call your parents once a week if you are out of town.”

“Enjoy your time as a college student. You will never have this much free time again. Don’t date just to date. Date to find your future spouse. After college they will be hard to find.”

“During the first semester of freshman year everyone is new to this. A feeling of out-of-place

is ok! It took years to build your relationships with close friends in high school. Expect the same for college and that’s ok!”

Spiritual:

“Along with finding a church to attend, look for Christian groups that meet regularly on campus.

This will help you to not fall into the wrong crowd.”

“Having Christian friends is an important part of a vital support system you need in college.”

“Don’t put off finding a new church with excuses or feeling like you have to visit 100 of them before deciding. Church involvement will help you to stay grounded and continue growing in your faith rather than questioning or wavering in your faith. “ August 2014 | Whitesburg

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Life Lessons: “Always strive to be the best in your field…DON’T CHASE MONEY. If you’re the best in your field, money will find you.”

“Bring a small toolbox – You would be surprised how often you will need a screwdriver or hammer in your dorm room.”

“Learn to enhance selfconfidence without being boastful. Arrogance is never attractive but confidence speaks volumes.”

“Consider the timeline of your life: The next 4 years are small in the entire scheme of your lifebut many decisions, good and bad, will be made during those years. Make decisions that will not end in regret. Live today with the end of your life in mind.”

“If you can work, get a job! Work experience of any kind is really important. Challenge yourself, step outside your comfort zone, don’t be afraid of failure, this is the time to start again if you do.”

David Dye is a follower of Christ, husband to Wendy, dad to Tyler an Christopher (and Belle the wonder dog), and an Auburn Tiger.

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My Cool School Lunch

By Melissa Schuster and Katie O’Boyle “Not another sandwich!” I heard this exclamation countless times from my daughter last year as she inspected what I’d packed in her school lunch. Like many other moms out there, I work full time, keep house and make sure everyone gets to their appointments and activities. By the time I pack lunches in the evening, my brain is completely empty of any creative food prep ideas.

This school year, though, I’ll be ready! Over the summer, we combed the internet and Pinterest for practical lunch suggestions and handy tips, and found many great ideas. In this article we’re sharing our favorite tips, supply suggestions and food options to help you get started on your own school lunch plans for the year.

Our goal? To hear those wonderful words, “Mom, today my lunch was awesome!”

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Supplies

Cookie Cutters (for fruits, cheese and bread) Ziploc Divided lunch container (“Bento Box”) Colorful Silicone Muffin Liners (great for serving fruits & veggies) Disposable soufflé cups & lids (easy for dips & sauces) Thermos mug (for meatballs & other hot foods) Non-toxic markers Decorative party toothpicks

Tips

Use a melon scoop for fun melon balls Add a temporary tattoo to a banana’s peeling Freeze drinks overnight for icepack/cold drinks Use non-toxic markers for drawing faces on apples or Cuties Make shapes out of fruit, cheese, and bread with a cookie cutter Make mini taco salad bowls by baking small tortilla circles in a mini muffin pan.

Mash up fruit or berries in cream cheese. Serve with graham crackers.

Sample Menus

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Chicken dices BBQ Sauce Goldfish Crackers Apple slices Yogurt tube Water

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Pancake strips Maple syrup Sausage dices Popcorn Grapes Milk

Taco Meat Shredded Cheese Mini taco bowls Salsa Rice Krispie treat Fruit juice

Food Groups Breads/Grains

Meat/Protein

Fruit/Veggies

Mini Muffins Crackers Buns French bread Fruit bars Goldfish Crackers Banana bread Pancake sticks Granola bar Pretzels Popcorn Tortilla chips Sun chips Hawaiian rolls

Hamburger Chicken nuggets Chicken dices Hard boiled eggs Bacon Ham roll ups Turkey roll ups Tuna salad Beef stick Sausage Taco meat Peanut butter

Carrots Celery Broccoli Sweet peppers Spinach Apples Applesauce Melon squares Grapes Strawberries Blueberries Banana Mandarin oranges

Dairy

Cheese sticks Cream cheese Babybell cheese Yogurt tubes Pimiento cheese

Drinks

Water Milk Chocolate milk Fruit juice Veggie juice

Fun Stuff

Gummi snacks Chips Fruit cups Jell-O Marshmallows Rice Krispie treats Cookies

Dips

Ranch dressing Mustard BBQ sauce Salsa Ketchup Sweet & Sour sauce Maple syrup

Melissa Schuster and Katie O’Boyle have laughed and bonded over many projects together! Katie is a newlywed with no children - these tips help her pack her own lunch! Melissa loves to read, cook and go camping with her husband and daughter.

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The ABC’s of Salvation Admit:

Confess to God that you are a sinner. Repent or turn away from your sin.

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Believe:

Trust that Jesus is God’s Son and that God sent Jesus to save people from their sins.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

Roman’s 5:8 “but God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no else for there is other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

Commit:

Give your life to Jesus. Ask Him to be your Lord and Savior.

Roman’s 10:9 & 10 “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

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Follow up ABC’s Ask:

Ask Jesus into your heart.

Romans 10:13 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Baptism:

Follow Jesus in Baptism.

Romans 6:4 & 11 “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

“In the same way, count ourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

Church:

Find a local church body of believers to join with.

Hebrews 10:25 “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the day approaching.”

Do what it says!

James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

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Considering Homeschooling?

This Single Mom’s Story: From Surviving to Thriving

by Vicki Harrell Hereford It is bearing down on us again… That time of year when we decide to try again, to nurture those precious little souls and help them explore new wonders.

It’s that time of year, when we moms second-guess ourselves and wonder if we are doing our children a disservice or if we are saving them from the evils found “out there” – you know, beyond 16

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the front lawn. I can tell you that homeschooling does not work for everyone, nor will it resolve all of your educational and disciplinary problems.

But, it certainly can be amazing, wonderful, enlightening, purposeful, and just what your relationship with your child really needs.

My homeschool journey started in Jacksonville, Florida, in

2000. A friend knew I was trying to decide if I should homeschool my (then) eight year old son. She suggested that I contact a friend of hers – a homeschool mom by the name of Pam. (I am not including her last name, but I will tell you that she has a son named Tim who turned the NFL upside down with his testimony.) She strongly encouraged me to go ahead with my plan, as she felt very sure that parents could do a great job with their own children because they know their kids better than any other person.

The first year was a real struggle for me. We started when my oldest was nine and

in fourth grade and I also had a four year old and an 18 month old. We were engrossed in homeschooling when the news came across the airwaves that we had suffered a terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. The entire country was reeling, and our family was about to suffer a devastating blow as well. My marriage of over 20 years was in trouble and eventually ended.

After much prayer and seeking what the Lord would have me do, I continued to homeschool and nurture those precious little ones – and I prayed diligently that God would give me three more years at home. I had seven August 2014 | Whitesburg

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more years at home with my children. It was a tremendous opportunity to help them heal, to teach them at home, and to provide stability that most single parents only dream of providing to their hurting children. I will never get over God’s unending love and protection during that time in our lives – and the blessings that have come to us over the years are too numerous to list.

Homeschooling is ending for us – it was for a season, and it was for a purpose. I was so very blessed to see them all three overcome, to see them grow, and

to see them embrace the Truth that is Jesus Christ. Could all of that have resulted without homeschooling?

Certainly, it could have – but through all of the struggles, through all of the days when one of them would go to his happy place in his mind for hours on end, through all of the second-guessing…

We persevered. Our family healed. My children grew.

I grew. And God blessed our efforts exponentially.

I want to encourage you, if you are considering homeschooling, to really seek the Lord before starting that endeavor. However, if you feel that God is pushing you gently toward that, don’t resist!

Give it a year and see how God works. You may be pleasantly surprised – and richly blessed.

Vicki Harrell Hereford is a child of the One True

King, Mom to three godly men (Ethan, Justin and Logan), Dean of the School of Business Adminstration at Legacy Christian University and a member of Whitesburg Baptist Church.

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Creation Crossword Answers

The Empty Nest… not a bad gig!

by Mark Hodges As the start of a new school year begins many adults are facing a new challenge of their own, the empty nest. I remember clearly the day it happened to us.

We packed our daughter’s car, kissed her good bye, stood in the driveway and waved as she

headed off to Tuscaloosa. Robin and I walked back in the house and looked at each other as if to ask, “What do we do now?” Like so many adults, for the past 18 plus years our lives had revolved around our children’s ballgames, schedules, and events. Now all August 2014 | Whitesburg

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of that was about to change. Our That’s not to say we didn’t miss son had graduated the previous them but we were starting to year and they were going to live enjoy a little new found freedom together in Tuscaloosa. This of our own. We began hiking gave us some comfort however in Monte Sano State Park and we still had the usual questions. traveling to places we wanted to Are they ready, will they make see. We also enjoyed hanging out good decisions, will they be safe? with other empty nesters.

Then the questions

Still there was turned to us. What will an emotional period we do to occupy our of adjustment. Robin When our time? How will this was able to keep her children affect our relationship? emotions in check were Fortunately we had pretty well until we teenagers been discussing places attend the first high we had we would like to go or school basketball game to be the things we would like since our daughter dumbest to do once the children graduated. Everything parents went off to school. was normal. The team Still there was an ran out onto the court alive. adjustment period. Just to warm up and all of being a couple without a sudden Robin breaks children at home takes getting down in tears. I asked, “What’s used to again. wrong?” She said “I just miss that The following Sunday, it really little blonde ponytail being out hit me. A couple asked if we there.” There were a few more would like to go out and eat after instances like this but as time church. My first instinct was to passed we all adjusted to this look around for our daughter to new lifestyle. see what her plans were. Almost We also discovered that we as quickly I remembered that got smarter the older we were. she was away at college. I turned Either that or just not having to the couple and said, “Yes, we children in the house made us would love to.” We didn’t have smarter. When our children to ask. We were free to do as we were teenagers we had to be pleased! I thought, this empty the dumbest parents alive. Just nest think isn’t so bad after all. ask them! Now that our children 20

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were in their twenties they were asking our advice on a whole variety of subjects.

Well it has been some time since we first experienced the empty nest. Today our children are grown with families of their own. They are active in their local churches and raising their children in the way they should go. We are moving on as well. We had been praying for some time to find a new church home. After much thought and prayer we felt God lead us to Whitesburg. We recently became members and look forward to serving our Lord here. We are truly blessed.

P.S. If you find yourself struggling with the thoughts of your children moving out you can take comfort in the fact that statistics today show that 39% of 18-34 year olds move back home at least once!

God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done.

2 Corinthians 9:10 (MSG)

Mark Hodges is an

Assistant Principal at James Clemens HS in Madison. He an his wife Robin, also an educator recently joined Whitesburg Baptist Church.

Both serve on the Board of Directors on Edwin L Hodges Ministry’s. Both love to travel and have signed up to go to the Holy Land next year with the group from Whitesburg Baptist Church.

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B A P T I S T C H U R C H

W H I T E S B U R G

the caring place

LIFE Groups 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00 am Blended Traditional Service 9:30 am Contemporary Service 11:00 am Evening Service 6:15 pm

Come worship with us on Sundays!

6806 Whitesburg Drive Huntsville, AL 35802

Whitesburg Baptist Church

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Huntsville, AL Permit 446

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