February 2023

About Us

WRITERS

Dr. Alan Hix

Arietta Grimmett

Dr. Bobby Sneed

Brenda Dedmon

Brent Goodge

Candyce Carden

Chad Hess

David Huff

Donna Swann

Donald Cantrell

Dorothy Teague

Greg Grotewold

Jordan Burchette

Kristen West

Lori Sentell

Monica Gambrell

Reagan Marsh

Rick Hughes

Sandra Gilmore Sheneka Land

SALES

Austin Calfee 423-650-6565 Email: dalton.goodnews@gmail.com DESIGN

Caleb Prytherch Email: art.goodnews@gmail.com

PHOTOGRAPHER

Paula Knipp 423-310-4207 FACEBOOK GoodNews Dalton DISTRIBUTION

Jodi Varnado Email: articles.goodnews@gmail.com

PUBLISHER

Matthew and Bethany Ruckman

Cell: 423-503-1410 E-mail: goodnewstn@gmail.com OFFICE 423-790-5378 WEBSITE goodnewscm.com issuu.com/goodnewsdalton

Hello Friends,

We want to take a moment to tell you who we are and what we are about. Our names are Matt and Bethany Ruckman and we have six beautiful children, Brendon, Kailey, Andrew, Leah Jean, Emma, and Cooper. We live in Cleveland, Tennessee, and love what this town has to offer! We have started GoodNews Christian Magazine because we feel that when God, family, and community are combined, lives will be changed.

GoodNews Christian Magazine is a complimentary, Christian lifestyle publication. You can find us throughout the community in retail establishments, churches, restaurants, and more. Our magazine opens the door for Christians to work together to grow and strengthen our community through relevant editorial and effective advertising.

GoodNews Christian Magazine is written by men and women in the community who love and serve the Lord. Our hearts are open and willing to be used by God to reach out to the community to spread the GoodNews!

Disclaimer

All of the content in the GoodNews Christian Magazine is for general information and/or use. Such contents does not constitute advice and should not be relied upon in making (or refraining from making) a decision. Any specific advice or replies to queries in any part of the magazine is the personal opinion of such experts/consultants/persons and is not subscribed to by GoodNews Christian Magazine. The information in GoodNews Christian Magazine is provided on an “AS IS” basis, and all warranties, expressed or implied of any kind, regarding any matter pertaining to any information, advice or replies are disclaimed and excluded. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement or article we deem inappropriate.

GoodNews from the Pastor’s Desk

6 Ask the Pastor: Forgiving Myself? by Reagan Marsh

GoodNews for Kids 8 Who Needs a Friend? by Brenda Dedmon

GoodNews Money Matters 10 Understanding Fixed Index Annuities by Rick Hughes

GoodNews for Men 12 Friendship for Men by Chad Hess

GoodNews for Women 14 Hope in Motion by Sandra Gilmore

GoodNews for Everyone 18 A Broken Heart by Dorothy Teague

GoodNews for Everyone 20 How Well Do You Understand Love? by Dr. Alan Hix

GoodNews for Everyone 22 Choosing to Love by Kristen West

GoodNews for Grandparents 24 Iron Sharpens Iron by Donald Cantrell

GoodNews Cover Story 26 Dalton Heating & Air

GoodNews for Everyone 28 Trust: Even When God Seems Silent by Donna Swann

GoodNews for Everyone 30 Let Us Love One Another by Lori Sentell

GoodNews for Everyone 32 Sovereign Goodness by Greg Grotewold

GoodNews for Everyone 34 I Love You Most by Dr. Bobby Sneed

GoodNews for Everyone 36 The Value of Relationships by David Huff

GoodNews for Everyone 38 Scared Straight by Monica Gambrell

GoodNews for Everyone 40 Mind-Reading by Sheneka Land

GoodNews for your Taste Buds 42 Valentine’s Day Red Velvet Cake Pops

GoodNews Poetry 44 Not Yet by Arietta Grimmett

GoodNews for Family 46 What Influences Your Family? by Brent Goodge

GoodNews for Everyone 48 God-honoring Relationships by Jordan Burchette

GoodNews for Everyone 50 Love Is... by Candyce Carden

Ask the Pastor: Forgiving Myself?

“Forgiving myself” is common practice among Christians today, almost taken for granted as right, necessary, and biblical. The idea runs roughly like this: when I sin, I must confess my wrongdoing to God, accept his pardon, and then forgive myself. Poignantly reflecting the heavily psychologized world in which the Church walks, to witness how vigorously this historically-recent practice is advocated (and defended) exposes just how much water the Old Ship of Zion is taking on.

Christians confess the sufficiency of Scripture for doctrine and practice (2 Peter 1:3; 2 Timothy 3:16-17) – that is, the Bible contains all that is necessary for me to know who God is, what he requires of me, and how to do it. Forgiving myself draws from culture, not Canon; since Scripture is silent about this idea, it “goes beyond what is written” (1 Corinthians 4:6). The Bible tells us “a broken heart and a contrite spirit he will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). “Return to me and I will return to you” (Psalm 34:8). “…the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin...if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:7,9). Scripture highlights the all-sufficiency of God’s pardon, calling me to rest in it – and nowhere else. My sin and guilt must be laid at the foot of the Cross alone.

The danger is subtle, but strikingly real. Consider what I’m telling myself in practicing self-forgiveness: I softly say that God’s absolution in Christ is insufficient for peace with him, that “having [my] heart sprinkled to cleanse…a guilty conscience” (Hebrews 10:22) isn’t enough. I confess in it that his poured-out wrath on his only Son might pass muster for heaven’s judgment, but not for mine. To “forgive myself” is fundamentally a claim that the suffering and death of Jesus served for “peace with God” (Romans 5:1) but not for peace within me. Jesus said “it is finished,” but since I must forgive myself, his grace really isn’t sufficient for me (2 Corinthians 12:9). Instead, I supplement the grace of the Cross, completing his pardon by adding my work to it.

Precisely here is the quiet shift from well-intentioned error to genuine heresy. To forgive myself is to substitute God’s standard with mine, to append my judgment and assessment of Christ’s work to Scripture’s, to exchange the Father’s mercy and approval for what I think is best. It’s a gentle replacement that “makes the Cross of none effect” (1 Corinthians 1:17; Mark 7:13), ultimately relying on “what is right in my own eyes” (Judges 21:25), on my terms. It makes my sin out to be so great that Jesus couldn’t handle it, or so insignificant that Jesus couldn’t be bothered with it; but either way, I deify myself. In the name of faith in Christ, I put faith in me. At its core, forgiving myself is self-pardon, self-absolution, self-salvation.

I must learn rather to “set my heart at rest in his presence” (1 John 3:19-24) when conscience condemns me, by full confession and repentance before the only One who can forgive sins (Mark 2:5-11). I must “still and quiet my soul” by the mercy and merits of Jesus alone (Psalm 131:2), for he “is faithful and just to forgive.” I must look solely to Christ, stricken for sinners like me, to know peace with God (Isaiah 53:4-6).

About The Author

Who Needs a Friend?

Ibelieve having friends and being a friend is an important part of our lives. I have friends today that I made when I was a child, and we still enjoy doing things together. It is important to remember the friends we have made, but it is also important that we continue to make new friends.

We find examples in the Bible of people who were friends. We find in 1 Samuel 1:18 the friendship of David and Jonathan. David said his friendship with Jonathan was as if he was his brother. In the New Testament, in John 15:15, Jesus said to His followers, “You are my friends.” In the book of Acts, we read about Paul, Silas, and Timothy as friends. Paul was also friends with Lydia and the women she had church with by the river. When Paul wrote letters to the churches in the New Testament, he always called them his friends.

We also read in the Bible reminders of things we need to do to be a friend and what we should do for our friends: “Be kind and compassionate” (Eph. 4:32 ) and “Pray one for another” (James 5:16). What do you think you have to do to make friends and be a friend? It may be hard to make new friends when you move to a new neighborhood or move to a new school. So where do you start?

You will discover on this page four suggestions that could help you with making friends. Ask your parents to help you develop a plan using these ideas.

• Learning how to meet friends by asking questions. Start with asking simple questions such as their name, their favorite food, game, movie, and how old they are. Explore other ideas you might want to ask.

• Make a storyboard of action steps. Using the questions you decided on, make a storyboard of “how” to put those steps into action. You may want

to explore what to do if someone answers no to answering questions.

• Play a game of “What If?” Think about the best or worse thing that could happen if you are fearful about making new friends. For example, “What if you ask others to play and they do not respond like you think they would? Sometimes talking about what could happen and sharing ideas of how to deal with it in a variety of ways could give you confidence in making friends. You will also realize that it is not a big deal if things do not go perfectly every time.

• Read books. Using books is a fantastic way to help you realize how to make friends, be a friend, and that making friends is a natural part of life. The following books are part of my favorite books about making friends: How to be a Friend by Laurie Krasay Brown, Will you be friends with Me? by Kathleen Long Bostrom, and The Kids Book of Friends by Catherine Stephens.

About The Author

Understanding Fixed Index Annuities

Money Matters Rick Hughes

with

Fixed Index Annuities can be confusing. For one thing, they are not fixed annuities, which have been around for a long time. FIAS, which came about in 1995, guarantees a set interest rate. Usually, the rate is fairly low, such as 2.5%, but guaranteed no matter what the economic conditions. The major question is whether FIAS are good for your portfolio.

An FIA is an insurance contract between you and the issuing insurance company. The insurance company is guaranteeing your principal and backing your principal payments with their assets. They make these guarantees based upon the claims-paying ability and financial strength of the issuing insurance company.

In an FIA, during the accumulation phase, your contact growth potential is linked to an index, such as the S&P 500, but not directly invested in the index. The insurance company has guaranteed that if the linked index is positive, you will receive interest credits to your account, but if the linked index is negative, your contract value will not be negatively impacted. Remember, you are not directly buying a stock—instead, your contact value is only linked to the index you have chosen.

Many insurance companies offer a bonus for your principal purchase. Let’s say you make a principal payment of $100,000 and receive a 10% bonus, which would increase your contract value to a theoretical value of $110,000. Why would an insurance company be willing to do that? It’s very simple, they have plans to make money from your money, in the same way, banks loan out your money for profit.

Driven by a passion to educate, inform and prepare future retirees, Mr. Hughes founded Hughes Retirement Group in 2007. His main interest is helping his clients in reducing their taxes.

Most FIAS have two phases, the first phase being your accumulation phase. This includes your principal payment(s) and bonus that you may have received, plus any credited interest rates you received as well. Most insurance companies will allow you to withdraw up to 10% a year without a surrender penalty. Be sure to review your specific insurance contract for certain conditions, exceptions, and limitations that may apply. The insurance company only allows you to take up to a 10% surrender penalty-free withdrawal. If you take more than 10%, a surrender penalty is assessed and you may lose any potential credited interest rate that could have occurred.

The second phase would be the distribution phase. Purchasers receive a percentage of income depending on their age, and if a spouse is involved, it will be a percentage based on the youngest spouse. Again, be sure to review your specific insurance contract for certain conditions, exceptions, and limitations that may apply. The owner can choose to receive a monthly check. If the policy owner dies, the spouse can continue to receive the monthly check until they die. If there is still money in the account when the policyholder dies, their beneficiaries can typically receive the remaining funds in a lump sum.

One of the biggest fears most seniors have is outliving their money. Including an FIA as part of your retirement strategy can help prevent that from happening.

Friendship for Men

Godly friendships between men based on a shared love of Jesus Christ are a true blessing. Proverbs 17:17 tells us that “A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity.” There are numerous examples of friendship in the Bible, but perhaps my favorite is the bond that existed between David and Jonathan. It is perhaps the best example of friendship ever recorded.

Jonathan was the son of Israel’s first king Saul and a warrior of great renown. When David was the only one willing to stand against Goliath (and, with the power of God, defeat the giant), Jonathan made a covenant with David, stripped himself of his armor and robe “because he loved him as his own soul” (1 Samuel 18:1-4). We read further in 1 and 2 Samuel how their relationship becomes one of love, admiration, respect and character as they protect and defend one another through the many perils faced, mainly arising from King Saul himself. They endured much together and were only separated by death.

This biblical story from over one thousand years prior to Christ, remains for men today a perfect example of how men in the 21st century should strive to be friends and brothers. We should love, stand by, and stand up for our friends: “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). We should spend time together as friends in work, play, conversation and prayer: “Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man

speaks to his friend” (Exodus 33:11). We should choose our friends wisely, and then as Jonathan and David, remain steadfast in our friendship: “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24).

Friendship, true friendship, is a rare and beautiful thing. It is something to be sought and closely guarded. In the modern world, we are often isolated from others because of technology and the norms (not necessarily good ones) that surround us. Time spent with a friend should be something that we make an honest effort to achieve. A true Christian friendship is one that aids both members of the friendship to live a life of discipleship, love, giving, responsibility and commitment. Of course, we have no greater friend than our Lord Jesus, but a friend in times of joy and trouble is a gift from God.

Hope in Motion

Are you busy making New Year’s resolutions? Let me guess: one of them has to do with getting organized. Besides losing weight, getting organized is a top goal early in a new year. Americans are fascinated with clutter and organizing. Have you noticed all the shows dedicated to this one topic? Have you noticed all the gadgets and even rising careers associated with household and office organization? The Proverbs 31 Woman had it covered long before plastic was even mentioned! Proverbs 31:27 says, “She watches how things go in her house” (The Complete Jewish Bible translation). Do you know how things go in your house? Or even how they come? Research through the years finds a deep connection between clutter and hopelessness. Let’s start this new year off right!

Through the years of being a mom with a career outside the home, then years of being a stay-at-home mom, I collected and developed a list that helped keep me organized and focused. Listed here are just a few. Pick one that resonates with you. Put it into motion soon. Where confusion and clutter once grew, you’ll see hope take root!

*Make several sets of keys. Place them strategically at home, at work, or at the neighbors if need be.

*Keep multiple hair dryers in the house. The Bible says a woman’s hair is her glory. It is terrible to have the hair dryer die when you are not quite “glorified!”

*Make copies of important papers, including digital copies. Secure a safe box at your financial institution. Put anything you deem important in your box with an inventory list of its contents. Keep an extra inventory list at home too.

*Keep a calendar with big boxes for each day visually handy to record family events. You could quickly jot down milestones, whether it’s the last time you had your oil changed or your baby’s first sentence. When you

have time, you can easily scrapbook or journal these milestones. Encourage your children to log items. It will be even more special in years to come to see their own handwriting.

*When possible, put the kids to bed in their clothes. Summer short sets or winter stockings and turtlenecks are often as soft and flexible as pajamas. Come morning, you and your children will be glad for the extra winks!

*Keep a 3x5 card with important information secured to the visor of your car. Cell phones lose their charge or hit dead zones. A simple card can save the day.

*When you are working on an important document or want to archive important information, email it to yourself. If your computer is inaccessible or you lose a flash drive, you can usually access accounts in libraries or other public places. Your information is now available to you 24/7, anywhere in the world.

*Pray Proverbs 8:12, “I wisdom dwell with prudence and find out knowledge of witty inventions.” When we are in a tight spot, Holy Spirit will send wisdom when we ask. Wisdom can reveal “witty inventions,” meaning new ways of doing things, effective time management methods or ways to multiply effectiveness.

*Keep prayer a priority. Redeem time to spend with the Father. He loves you. He created you. He is especially proud of you. Spend time with Him as your source of strength and growth. His unconditional love will sustain hope for you like nothing else!

You’ve probably got some of your own tips for watching how things go in your house. Share those in a conversation, on a blog, or even a post. Pass on hope!

ClayH.ChamblessCPCU,AAI,ARM 706-278-1149

ClayH.ChamblessCPCU,AAI,ARM 706-278-1149

201W.WaughSt.,Ste.100 Dalton,GA30720

201W.WaughSt.,Ste.100 Dalton,GA30720

ClayH.ChamblessCPCU,AAI,ARM 706-278-1149

201W.WaughSt.,Ste.100 Dalton,GA30720

Dalton Church Directory

Assembly of God

Christian Fellowship Assembly 3656 Chattanooga Road, 30755 706-280-7594

The Sanctuary 515 Reed Rd NW, 30720 706-270-2088

The Healing Center Church 515 Reed Road, 30720 706-229-9456

Baptist Abundant Life Baptist Church 811 J and J, 30721 706-278-5289

Antioch Baptist Church 1205 Antioch Road, 30720 706-278-1305

Beaverdale Baptist Church 2496 Beaverdale Rd NW, 30721 706-259-7089

Calvary Baptist Church 2115 Chatsworth Rd, 30721 706-278-6324

Carolyn Baptist Church 2305 Cleveland Highway, 30721 706-259-8142

Centerpoint Baptist Church 420 Centerpoint Drive SE, 30721 706-277-2100

Christ Reformed Baptist Church 1378 Dug Gap Rd, 30720 706-226-3026

Concord Baptist Church 1054 Hopewell Rd, Cohutta 30710 706-694-8618

Cove Baptist Fellowship Church 461 Carbondale Rd SW, 30721 706-277-3484

Crown View Baptist Church 502 West Tyler St, 30720 706-278-7422

Deep Springs Baptist Church 1660 Beaverdale Rd NE, 30721 706-259-3255

Dug Gap Baptist Church 2031 Dug Gap Rd, 30720 706-278-2377

Eastbrook Baptist Church 204 Hill Rd, 30720

Eastside Baptist Church 913 East Morris St, 30721 706-278-8553

Eleventh Avenue Baptist Church 2550 South Dalton Bypass, 30722 706-278-7020

Emmaus Baptist Church 4268 S. Dixie Rd, 30735 706-483-5251

First Baptist Church 802 Kenner St, 30721 706-226-9681

First Baptist Church of Dalton 311 North Thornton Ave, 30720 706-278-2911

Grace Baptist Church 2049 Lower Kings Bridge Rd, 30721 706-537-6884

Good Hope Baptist Church 2525 Lake Francis Rd, 30721 706-259-3719

Grove Level Baptist Church 2802 Cleveland Highway, 30721 706-259-8519

Good Samaritan Baptist Church 3137 Cleveland Rd, 30721 706-259-7239

Gospelway Baptist Church 336 Jupiter Cir, 30721 706-278-1424

Grace Baptist Church 2049 Lower Kings Bridge Rd, 30721 706-537-6884

Harmony Baptist Church 187 Lower Dawnville Rd, 30721 706-226-5521

Harvest Baptist Church 3986 Cleveland Hwy, 30721 706-694-8951

Hill Crest Baptist Church 1901 Cityview St, 30720 706-279-1267

Hopewell Baptist Church 3527 Airport Rd, 30721 706-226-5987

Kinsey Drive Baptist Church 2626 Kinsey Drive,30720 706-277-3505

Lakeshore Park Baptist Church 12 Crescent St, 30720 706-275-6050

Liberty Baptist Church 506 South Pentz St, 30720 706-226-5535

Lindsey Memorial Baptist 706-673-7650

3503 Lindsey Memorial Rd. Rocky Face, Ga. 30740

Macedonia Baptist Church 1355 Dawnville Rd NE, 30721 706-259-9220

Maple Grove Baptist Church 347 Maple Grove Rd, 30721 706-483-6300

McFarland Hill Baptist Church 307 Brickyard Rd, 30721 706-277-5521

Mount Rachel Baptist Church 332 Haig Mill Lake Rd, 30720 706-278-5192

Mount Ridge Baptist Church 1401 M L King, Jr. Blvd, 30721 706-278-0335

New Hope Baptist Church 900 Roan St, 30721 706-226-2093

New Hope Baptist Church 706-673-8050

2105 Tunnel Hill-Varnell Road Tunnel Hill, GA 30755

New Life Baptist Church 2620 Old Grade Rd, 30721

Northwest Georgia Baptist Church 222 North Pentz St, 30720 706-463-3490

Olivia Baptist Church 1817 Guy St, 30720 706-278-3507

Pine Grove Baptist Church 4004 Airport Road, 30721 706-264-8630

Poplar Springs Baptist Church 897 Poplar Springs Rd, 30720 706-259-8727

Reformation Baptist Church 244 N. Hamilton St, 30720 706-314-8711

Rocky Face Baptist Church

1544 Rocky Face Railroad St, 30740 706- 226-5751

Salem Baptist Church 1448 Pleasant Grove Dr, 30721 706-259-7045

South Dalton Baptist Church 498 Lakemont Drive, 30720 706-278-4946

Shiloh Baptist Church 2014 East Waugh St, 30721 706-226-5981

Temple Baptist Church 2310 South Dixie Hwy, 30720 706-226-6785

Valley Baptist Church 2907 Old Rome, 30720

Welcome Hill Baptist Church 2772 E Welcome Hill Circle, 30721 706-278-0368

Whitfield Baptist Church 2134 Dug Gap Rd, 30721 706-278-6776

Bible

Fellowship Bible Church 2044 Dug Gap Rd, 30720 706-278-6269

Catholic

Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church 968 Haig Mill Lake Rd, 30720 706-278-3107

Christian First Christian Church 1506 Dug Gap Rd, 30720 706-278-7244

Church of Christ

Central Church of Christ 515 N. Tibbs Rd, 30720 706-278-8051

Riverbend Church of Christ 2218 S Riverbend Rd, 30721 706-226-0819

Church of God Church of God of Union Assembly 2311 South Dixie Rd, 30720 706-275-0510

City View Church of God 3688 Chatsworth Hwy, 30721 706-226-6686

Crosspointe 2681 Underwood Street 30721 706-278-2649

Lifegate Church 2744 Cleveland Highway, 30721 706-259-0016

Valley Brook Church of God 1474 Mineral Springs Rd, 30720 706-279-3296

Community

Church on the Hill 1035 Abutment Rd, 30721 706-278-9208

Community Fellowship Church 409 North Fredrick St, 30721 706-278-3204

Freedom Community Church 908 Elk Street, 30720 706-463-2690

Rock Bridge Community Church 121 W Crawford St, 30720 Episcopal

Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church 901 West Emory St, 30720 706-278-8857

Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 610 Shugart Rd, 30720 706-278-5295

Lutheran

Christ the King Lutheran Church 623 S Thornton Ave, 30720 706-278-3979

Methodist

Bethel AME Church

620 Spring Street, 30720 706-226-2714

Bethel UMC 123 Bethel Church Rd, 30721 706-278-3309

Dalton First UMC 500 South Thornton Ave, 30720 706-278-8494

Dawnville UMC 1529 Spring Ln NE, 30721 706-259-5342

Fairview UMC 735 Riverbend Rd, 30721 706-996-5057

Five Springs UMC 2823 Five Springs Rd, 30720 706-277-3928

Mineral Springs UMC 4079 Airport Road, 30721 706-517-0200

Mt. Vernon UMC 597 Lafayette Road Rocky Face, GA 30740 706-673-4667

New Haven UMC 4040 South Dixie Highway, 30721 706-217-1879

Pleasant Grove UMC 2701 Cleveland Highway, 30721

Sugar Valley UMC 503 Murry Hill Dr, 30720 706-280-9112

Trinity UMC

901 Veterans Dr, 30721 706-278-4042

Tunnel Hill UMC 706-673-4022

121 North Varnell Road Tunnel Hill, GA 30755

Varnell United Methodist Church 3485 Highway 2 Cohutta, 30710 706-694-8023

Wesley Chapel UMC 808 Jamestown CT, 30721 706-270-2331

Nazarene

First Church of the Nazarene 2325 Chattanooga Rd, 30720 706-278-8428

Grace Church of the Nazarene 1111 Nelson St, 30721 706-278-1171

Non-Denominational

Abundant Life Bible Church 901 Chester Road, 30721 706-270-9733

Bridging the Gap Ministries

514 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, 30721 706-277-7575

Relentless Worship Center 210 Robinwood Dr, 30721 706-313-1129

Cornerstone Family Church 1240 Dawnville Rd, 30721 706-259-8509

Dalton House Of Prayer 897 College Dr, Conference Rm 3, 30720 706-915-6545

Good Neighbors Church 910 South Thornton Ave, 30720 706-226-0846

Gospel Light Tabernacle 804 Sheridan Ave, 30721

Grace Fellowship Ministries

620 N Glenwood Ave 2&3, 30721 706-280-1375

Northwest Christian Fellowship 272 Main St, Varnell, GA 30756 706-694-9830

River of Life Church of Dalton 2919 East Walnut Ave, 30721 706-965-6683

Saint James Overcoming Church 400 North Fredrick St, 30721 706-278-0319

Pentecostal

Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal Fuente de Agua Viva 1007 Underwood St, 30721 706-278-4963

308 East Matilda St, 30720 706-270-8826

True Gospel Pentecostal Church 109 South Henderson St, 30721 706-278-5696

Shadow Ridge Worship Center 122 Wheat Drive Varnell, GA 30721 706-280-4546

Presbyterian

ChristChurch Presbyterian 510 South Tibbs Rd, 30720 706-529-2911

First Presbyterian Church 101 S. Selvidge St, 30720 706-278-8161

Grace Presbyterian Church

2107 Threadmill Rd, 30720 706-226-6344

Salvationalist

Salvation Army 1109 N. Thornton Ave, 30722 706-278-3966

Seventh Day Adventist

3 Angels Hispanic SDA

701 E Morris St, 30721 706-618-1182

Dalton Hispanic SDA 112 W Long St, 30720 706-275-0523

Dalton SDA Church 300 South Tibbs Rd, 30720 706-226-2166

Chatsworth Church Directory

Baptist

Blue Ridge Primitive Baptist Church 706-517-9849

134 Hyden Tyler Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Calvary Baptist Church 706-695-7747

Highway 225 North Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Center Hill Baptist Church 706-695-7988

65 Berry Bennett Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Cisco Baptist Church 706-695-9270

Highway 411 North Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Cool Springs Baptist Church 706-517-5388

Holly Creek Cool Chatsworth, GA 30705 US Fellowship Baptist Church 706-695-2626

4396 Highway 52 Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

First Baptist Church 706-695-2112

121 West Market Street Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Flat Branch Baptist Church 706-695-2663

3443 Highway 286 Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Free Hope Baptist Church 706-695-3717

4176 Highway 76

Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Holly Creek Baptist Church 706-695-8522

422 Holly Creek Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Liberty Baptist Church 4221 US-76, Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Little Consauga Baptist Church 706-517-5733

1100 Sugar Creek Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Maranatha Baptist Church 706-695-6330

Highway 225 South Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Mount Pisgah Baptist Church 706-517-8944

2309 Old Highway 411

Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Murray Baptist Church 706-695-9712

508 West Peachtree Street Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

New Hope Baptist Church 706-517-3089

1273 New Hope Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US New Prospect Baptist Church 706-629-9521

7629 Highway 225 Chatsworth, GA 30705 US Old Fashion Baptist Church 706-695-5420

885 Ben Adams Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Open Air Ministries 706-386-484

1058 Mtn Crest Dr. Chatsworth, GA 30705 US Prayer Baptist Church 706-624-9216

10859 Hwy. 225 South Chatsworth, GA 30705 US Shinning Light Baptist Church 706-517-1739

801 North 5th Avenue Chatsworth, GA 30705 US Smyrna Baptist Church 706-695-5815

1913 Smyrna Church Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US Spring Place Baptist Church 706-695-5532

441 Highway 225 South Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Strait Way Baptist Church 706-517-2861

508 West Peachtree Street Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Total Praise Baptist Church 706-695-6441

1461 Greeson Bend Rd, Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Zion Hill Baptist Church 706-517-5913

Highway 225 North Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Bible

Grace Bible Church 2599 Leonard Bridge Rd. Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Church of Christ Woodhaven Church of Christ

706-847-7400

508 West Peachtree Street Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Church of God

Chatsworth Church of God 706-695-9388

Highway 411 South Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Central Community Church 706-695-4242

60 Pine Hills Drive Chatsworth, GA 30705

Spring Place Church of God 706-695-8000

717 Tibbs Bridge Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Full Gospel Faith Worship Center 706-695-6866

189 Hyden Tyler Road Chatsworth GA 30705

House Of Prayer 616 Jenkins Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US Methodist Casey Springs UMC

7250 Chastworth Highway South Chastworth, GA 30705

Center Valley UMC 706-971-4646

5394 Highway 225 North Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

First United Methodist Church 706-695-3211

107 W Cherokee Street Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Fullers Chapel UMC

532 Cook Drive Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Mineral Springs UMC

71 North Way St Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Spring Place UMC 706-695-5143

Po Box 248 Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Non-Denominational God’s Light House

784 Smyrna Church Road Chatsworth, GA 30705

The Church of God of the Union Assembly at Chatsworth, GA 706-695-7335

Highway 52 Alternate Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Liberty Tabernacle 706-517-3140

2196 Smyrna Church Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Living Word Christian Fellowship 706-695-5005

960 Cherokee Drive Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

New Beginnings Ministries 706-695-6067

646 Floodtown Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

North Gate Church 706-548-4967

7727 Highway 225 South Chatsworth, GA 30755 US Tabernacle of Praise 706-517-0377

1435 Leonard Bridge Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Wings Of Faith Ministries 706-695-1527

1122 North Holly Drive Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Pentecostal

Victory Tabernacle 706-517-1458

355 Ellijay Street Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

A Place to Worship 706-517-8568

259 Old Landfill Rd Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Presbyterian

Sumach Presbyterian Church 706-695-4773

2089 Sumach Church Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

Seventh Day Adventist

Seventh-Day Adventist Church 706-517-5124

1115 Highway 52 Chatsworth, GA 30705 US

A Broken Heart

Just mention February, and people automatically think of Valentine’s Day. For most people, images of flowers, chocolates, cards, and the whole romantic Hallmark scene is what we think of and aspire to. Being in love is a wonderful feeling, but as we surrender our hearts and open ourselves up to love someone, we become vulnerable and risk being hurt. As a matter of fact, chances are one hundred percent that we will have a broken heart several times in our lives. People will hurt us, and we will hurt others because we are human. The only one who will not fail us is Christ. In Jeremiah 31:3, He says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love…” Jesus, Himself, knows quite a lot about having a broken heart.

Jesus died of a broken heart when He hung on the cross and died for all mankind. As He hung there, with all the sin of the world upon Him, He was in such physical, mental and emotional distress that His heart burst open and spilled out for us. There is a condition known as Broken Heart Syndrome, also known as stress cardiomyopathy, which occurs when a person experiences sudden acute stress that can rapidly weaken the heart muscle. Two kinds of stressors, emotional or physical, often cause this. Emotional stressors include grief, while physical stressors such as significant bleeding, difficulty breathing, and chest pain can result in this (www.hopkinsmedicine.org).

Jesus had been beaten and wounded repeatedly before He ever got to the cross and endured the physical trauma that hanging there put on His heart. But, more than this, He was experiencing grief from being separated from His Father. God could not look upon sin, so He had to turn away. Even though Jesus knew He must finish the work on the cross for our redemption, the agony He felt being apart from His Father must have been unbearable! Yes, Jesus knows all about a broken heart in every sense of the word. He knows us and understands us better than we know ourselves. Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet without sin.” He “knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14). We were designed to love and be loved. But, when we get hurt along the way, we can find solace in the Word of God. He reminds us that He is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18), and that He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3). Your Valentine’s Day may not be like a Hallmark movie where everything turns out perfectly in the end, but there is One you can depend on to always love you perfectly; His name is Jesus!

Church Activities & Events

Concord Baptist Church

Ladies Valentine’s Tea

Sunday, February 12 | 3PM - 4PM 7025 E Brainerd Rd, Chattanooga, TN

Tuesday, February 14 | 10AM - 11:30AM 623 S Thornton Ave, Dalton, GA

Meadow Lane

Saturday, February 18 | 6PM 3688 Chatsworth Rd SE, Dalton, GA

Sunday, February 19 | 7PM 6201 Mountain View Rd, Ooltewah, TN

How Well Do You Understand Love?

When people think of February, many immediately think of Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day is often viewed as a time to express one’s love for another. However, what we mean when we say we love someone is conditioned by our definition of love. How would you define “love?”

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary lists three aspects of its primary definition of love.

a. Strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties

b. Attraction based on sexual desire: affection and tenderness felt by lovers

c. Affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests However, for human beings, “love” is an emotional word that cries for expression beyond a simple definition. Let’s return to the question above: How would you define love? My suspicion is that your definition would come from your own emotional connection to the concept of love.

Poetry is a common place to find expressions of love. In Hartley Coleridge’s Sonnet VII, he begins his poem with, “Is love a fancy, or a feeling? No. It is immortal as immaculate Truth.” In his Sonnet 116, William Shakespeare echoes a similar expression of the lasting nature of love: “Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks but bears it out even to the edge of doom.”

From these lofty expressions by classic poets, the definition of “love” finds it poorest expression in the 1970 movie Love Story. After a lovers’ quarrel, Jenny reveals to Oliver that she is dying of leukemia. Heartbroken, he begs her forgiveness. Her response has found a continuing life in popular culture: “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” This definition is a far cry from the one expressed by Coleridge and Shakespeare.

Country music fans may be familiar with Clint Black’s “Something That We Do.” He closes his song with:

I remember well the day we wed I can see that picture in my head Love isn't just those words we said It's somethin' that we do

This description of love as not just a feeling but as an action goes far beyond Jenny’s definition above. However, is this definition sufficient? Defining love only within the context of human relationships will always fall short, because a complete definition of love must include the source of love—which is God.

The Apostle John approaches the subject of love in this way: 7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. . .. 10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another (1 John 4:7–8, 10-11).

John helps us to see that true love is not simply a feeling or an action. True love is a person God. Genesis 1:26 declares that we are made in the image of God. Part of that image is loving as God loves. This rich understanding of love is the basis for the Apostle Paul’s description of love in 1 Corinthians 13. Here we see that love is feeling, doing, giving, sacrificing, enduring, and much more. In this moving passage, Paul gives us a picture of what it looks like to love as God loves.

On this Valentine’s Day, let us as believers in Christ commit to reflecting his image by loving as he loves.

About The Author

Choosing to Love

Storefronts and florists are awash with red and pink décor this month as they promote Valentine’s Day. And many people are looking for a feeling that is as ooey-gooey as the centers of those gourmet chocolates they hope to get.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti-Valentine’s Day, and I certainly love getting flowers and chocolates as much as the next person, but how often do we stop there—at the superficial level—and never really learn to love.

I can attest that after 19 years of marriage now, on MOST days, there are no “butterflies in my stomach” feelings or tingly puppy love rush of emotions. There are choices…intentional, deliberate, thoughtful choices.

While that may sound boring to some, those of us who buckled up for life understand that this is where the rubber meets the road. When Anthony and I married, I vowed to love him, “for better or worse; in sickness and in health; for richer or poorer…”

Choosing to love each other—in all of our broken, imperfect “humanness”—is what love is all about. It’s what God modeled for us in hopes that we would follow His example. “We love because He first loved us…” (1 John 4:19). God’s love is always anchored in choices. According to John 3:16, God “so loved” the world that He gave His only Son. That choice wasn’t founded on a good feeling. Jesus knew He was being sent down a path that would end in brutality, public humiliation, and a tortured criminal’s death. There was nothing “lovey-dovey” about it. It was love in its rawest form—a choice to do good to another human being; to put their interests first; to consider and honor them as the valuable individual that God created them to be.

Every day I wake up, I choose to love my husband— even on those days when our brokenness bubbles to the surface and we’d like to have “time-out” chairs for each other. The choice to ask God to continually make me a better wife is love. The choice to stay “till death do us part” is love. The choice to work hard on my marriage so that those around us have a picture of what God’s heart looks like for His Bride is love.

Hmmm, I think I’ll be on the lookout this week for a conversational heart that says, “Choosing to Love!”

Iron Sharpens Iron

Those of you that follow my articles know that I often write about life events that occur between my granddaughter and myself. Kinsley will be ten years old in a few weeks, and I have been her primary babysitter since she was four weeks old. It has been lifechanging for me to watch her grow up from a baby to a “tween” as she calls it.

Throughout the years, we have had some awesome excursions as we went on our weekly trips to the Chattanooga Zoo, the Tennessee Aquarium, various jump parks, petting zoos, or eating maple flavored ice cream with chunks of bacon in it at a working farm over in Ellijay. I have watched her learn to eat everything from sardines, mayo and honey sandwiches to chomping down on gator tail or Alaskan crab legs.

Our journey has been much tighter than merely being her “poppy” or her “babysitter” because I have had the joy of also

being her pastor, literally since birth. During the past ten years, I have watched her grow up singing “Jesus Loves” to singing “Christian Songs” during karaoke on a cruise ship and bringing the house down as everyone applauded and hugged her for singing songs about her faith and her relationship with Jesus Christ.

“Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend” (Pro 27:17, KJV).

You might think that I am always the teacher, but as I have watched her grow up, Kinsley has taught me some wonderful things about life. In watching her, I have learned that it is okay to make yourself vulnerable and put yourself out there in the forefront. It has been a joy to see her grow up and grow into a young girl that not only listens to my sermons, but tries to live by them and then calls me out when I don’t.

One day, I preached on never taking “tomorrow” for granted and that we ought to never put stuff off for tomorrow if we can do it today. The next week, I heard some people in our family saying they would get to some things “tomorrow” and Kinsley told them they should never say “tomorrow.” I find great joy in knowing that she is listening to my messages, but on the other hand, I find it very gripping to know that I better live what I preach.

I have developed a relationship with this girl that is sincere, it is brutally honest, and I can honestly say that she has made me a better preacher, because I see that the words I say are literally taken to heart and that I need to be very careful in how I present the “word of God.” I have enjoyed the last ten years of this relationship and look forward to the coming years. God has blessed me mightily by placing this “fireball” into my life, and I will not take any day for granted.

Dalton Heating & Air

Dalton Heating & Air, a family-owned and operated business, has been serving residents of Dalton, Rocky Face, Ringgold, Chatsworth, Calhoun, Collegedale, East Ridge, GA, and Chattanooga, TN, since 1991. For 32 years, Dalton Heating & Air has proudly offered complete air conditioning and heating services, including installations, maintenance, and repairs.

Dalton Heating & Air Services

Whether keeping cool or staying warm is your priority, the service technicians at Dalton Heating & Air are here to serve you from season to season! Dalton Heating & Air offers complete HVAC services, along with indoor air quality solutions, including air cleaners, air purifiers, air humidifiers and ventilators, heat pump installations and repairs, and flexible ductless minisplit options. Dalton Heating & Air also provides services commercially! So, whether you are a local homeowner or small business owner, the trusted

technicians at Dalton Heating & Air will ensure maximum performance from your HVAC system for years to come.

Why Choose Dalton Heating & Air?

“We genuinely care about our customers. They matter and their comfort matters,” said Isaiah Morgan, Administer of Dalton Heating & Air, and son of owner Kim Morgan.

This priority of customer care is expressed through prompt responses, transparent pricing, and integrity. Dalton Heating & Air technicians are NATE-Certified. NATE (North American Technician Excellence) certifies HVAC technicians through a series of knowledge and experiencebased testing. NATE also initiates follow-up training and testing every two years. Dalton Heating & Air are a Trane Comfort Specialist, indicating their commitment to exceptional HVAC service. With 24-hour responses, technicians can be there when you need them most! From routine

maintenance to challenging installations, Dalton Heating & Air is trusted to serve you.

Dalton Heating & Air is proud to live in and serve our community. “We are filled with gratefulness for our community. Our success is directly related to our customers, and we are so thankful for their support throughout the years,” said Morgan. The Morgan family at Dalton Heating & Air, including Jeremiah, Manager, and James, Service Manager, go above and beyond to help every customer’s needs be met!

As we tick away the days of the last month of winter, don’t let the cold temperatures cause you worry! “You shouldn’t be afraid to use electric heat. With temperatures getting down to the single digits, turn on your electric! When temperatures drop below 30 degrees, heat pumps can become ineffective,” said Morgan. And, with our thoughts turning toward the warmer days of spring, remember to call a Dalton Heating & Air technician to perform a routine maintenance check. You can schedule an appointment today by calling (706)-6192799. Dalton Heating & Air’s office is located at 1500 Cleveland Hwy, Dalton, GA 30721.

Trust: Even When God Seems Silent

On the morning of New Year’s Eve, I sat drinking my coffee and reflecting on the past year. So many changes have occurred in my life. Many changes were small, like getting a cat, while others were huge, liking getting a husband. As always, some were wanted, like a new house, and some less desirable, like my best friend moving further away. Many blessings were a surprise, while others were answered prayers. God answers all prayers. He may

possibilities. Then I began viewing houses with the agent. It was so exciting to see all the potential homes. However, each time I found one and put in a bid, poof! It was gone. Someone got it before me. House after house, after house. Then the loan officer I was working with left the company she worked with, and I was told I was no longer eligible for a loan. This went on for two years. I could not understand why God was not answering my prayer. Well, here I sit in my new home. My prayer wasn’t answered because it wasn’t to be my new home, but our new home. God had the man, the gold band, and the home already planned.

not give the answer we wanted, or He might take a while. Of all the prayers that were answered in 2022, two really stood out to me. One being my quest for a house.

About five years ago, after unfortunate circumstances, my credit score was bottomed out, and I was barely surviving financially. I rented a small house in which, at times, four of us lived. My goal was to become a homeowner again. I worked diligently to raise my credit score and save for a down payment. About three years ago I reached the desired goal, and the search began.

I prayed that God would help me find the perfect house. First, I located a real estate agent and found a loan officer that would give me the benefit of the doubt. Spending hours on the internet, I looked at houses and made lists of

Also, this year God answered another prayer. This particular prayer had been going up for four years. At one point, I remember sitting in my car, literally crying out to God with tears streaming down my face, begging for Him to help my loved one. Watching this person struggle was heart-wrenching at times. I think God was working out the pieces slowly, and finally my prayer was answered this year. Sometimes God’s plan and timing don’t make sense to us. Imagine being an Israelite at the Battle of Jericho. I might have said, “He wants us to do what? Walk around Jericho for six days? We can easily circle the city in one day! And we will be sitting ducks walking around and around out here in the open! God said he would make it collapse. Why doesn’t he just do it the first time we circle?”

Even though the Israelites did not understand the process, they trusted God. They endured six days of silence and circling, just as God instructed. We must pray with endurance and faith. Believe in God’s promises, even when it seems like nothing is happening. In the silence, God is at work.

Let Us Love One Another

When we think about February, we think of the month of love. It reminds us to tell others that we love them. We may show them with cards, candy, or flowers. We may exhibit affection to those we care about. But we need to show love to others, not just once in a while or when it might be expected.

Showing love is a daily action, not once a week, monthly, or yearly. We have to show others that we love and care for them. It may be a kind word, a smile, or a gesture of kindness that lets others know that they are important. It might be giving your time to help others when they are in need or just being there for them. As a Christian, we have to show the love of Christ to others. Our family, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances are the ones who really deserve and need our love. In 1 John 3:1(NKJV), the Bible tells us, “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it didn’t know Him.”

Sometimes, it might be difficult to do when a person doesn’t know how to receive love because they have never experienced it personally. In our daily walk, it may be hard to convince them that you love them and care for them, just because. They might think you have an ulterior motive. The world’s view of love and kindness is distorted

compared to the love of Christ. Jesus Christ showed what perfect love is by His death on the cross for us (1 John 3:16). He accepted this sacrifice for our sins, so we are called to love others the same way. We should not compromise for anything less than this type of love. The world around us does not see that it is necessary to be kind and loving to those around us. We need to be the example and show true love. We are commanded to love one another in John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” This type of love is selfless and referred to as agape love, which is a spiritual kind of love. This “greater” love is the most powerful thing on this Earth. Let us love one another because He first loved us.

Sovereign Goodness

Life is full of sad stories. Like this one. A medical examiner’s office in upstate New York recently concluded its investigation of a two-year-old boy’s death earlier in the year. It was determined that the toddler had died of starvation after his father (the only other person living in the house) had died of a heart ailment. By the time a welfare check was performed, it was too late. The two bodies were found in the father’s bedroom.

This is not the way things are supposed to be. It’s becoming clear that the world is categorically broken, perhaps irreversibly so. And for those like me who lack a certain intestinal fortitude, the prevalence of such suffering can cause deep sadness.

But feeling sad, as a blood-bought believer, is okay, I’ve learned. Sadness need not be the antithesis of hope. The two emotions can coexist, for the former clings to that which can be seen and the latter to that which can’t. “Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for which he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Romans 8:24-25, ESV). One is today’s reality, and the other tomorrow’s. Someday my faith will become sight, and I will be in the glorious presence of Jesus. Until then, Paul tells me to wait patiently. Easier said than done, though. What do I do with my growing angst over disease and death, a culture hellbent on its own moral destruction, my own sinful contributions? Paul provides that guidance, too:

May [the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory] give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. (Ephesians 1:17-21, ESV, bracketed language rearranged).

I grow my ability to endure the sickness when I grow my understanding of the One who will eventually deliver me

from it. In other words, I need to enlighten my heart with a clearer view of Jesus’s sovereign goodness. He makes colossal promises throughout Scripture, but none more seemingly outlandish than the gift of a glorious inheritance for all who trust and obey Him. In any other sphere of life, it would be lunacy to hope in such things. Not Jesus. Not Heaven. Glorious promises are only fulfilled by glorious sources of power. And His prowess is both immeasurable and unparalleled. Nothing— no rule, authority, power, or dominion—will preclude Jesus from delivering His children into Glory. Nothing. Colossians 1 provides even greater illumination as to His power.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. (15-18, ESV)

These four verses are very dear to me. I go to them when the world gets me down, which means I frequent this passage often. Jesus Christ creates all things, holds all things together, and is before all things. These facts tell me He is able to keep His promises. Such assurance regarding the future is what allows me to face the present. May His sovereign goodness do the same for you.

I Love You Most

Aparent’s love for their child is a uniquely powerful thing. I am fortunate to have a daughter who is now in her 30’s, but some of my fondest memories of her growing up are the “I Love You” exchanges we had. I have no idea where or when it started but one of us would say to the other, “I love you,” to which the reply was “I love you more,” followed by the one who initiated, “I love you most.” It sounds simple and perhaps to some “silly,” but it was a sweet exchange of affection that defined our commitment to one another as father and child. As the years have gone by and my walk with the Lord has grown nearer and sweeter, I have come to the realization that this exchange epitomizes God’s affection for us.

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” The gift of the Son to a lost and dying world was, and still is, God saying, I love you! There is no other way to describe this singular act of grace and mercy than to say it was born out of love and devotion to His creation (us), which we know based on scripture is truth because God doesn’t just love; God is love (1 John 4:16).

In response to God telling us, “I love you,” if we receive this love and understand that God is love, then our response is to love Him back. The entirety of the verse listed above (1 John 4:16) states, “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” We didn’t initiate the “love,” God did! Nevertheless, having known and believed the love that God has for us, we learn to love Him more and more, thus “I love you more.”

The love that God has for us will never be outdone! Coming to the earth in human form is an “I love you” from Heaven. Giving us the gift of grace by faith in Jesus to understand and accept this love is “I love you more” as we grow in our relationship with Him; but God finishes the exchange with “I love you most” by dying on the cross for our sins. He became sin that we might live forever with Him. He overcame death so we would have life. Jesus says to us all today, “I love you,” “I love you more,” and “I love you most.” His love will never be outdone!

As we celebrate love, be reminded of this, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” (1 John 4:7). The people in our lives may come to know God’s love by how we love them. Take the time today to say, “I love you!”

About The Author

The Value of Relationships

One of the greatest aspects that come from being in a relationship with someone is the unity and love that is created. For this reason, it hurts when we become separated from someone we truly care for. A friend can become a family member and sometimes even closer than our real family. This is the beauty of walking in a relationship with someone.

So many times, the word relationship is taken to believe that it is a “couples-only” word. Boy, girl, or man and woman in a romantic bond. In reality, relationships as a whole are so much more. Dictionary. com describes the word relationship as the way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected or the state of being connected. Being in a relationship with someone does not mean that we are romantically involved with them; it can also mean we are in a deep friendship with them.

In Proverbs 27:17, we are told that iron sharpens iron. When we join a group of friends, we are allowing ourselves to be sharpened by someone else. This is not always easy because that also involves us having to look deep within ourselves to answer some questions that are laid out before us. A relationship is also where we find the true definition of who someone is and how much love they show to the people around them.

God calls each and every one of us to first be in a relationship with Him and then second to be in a relationship with those around us. How we are changed and influenced by these relationships is completely up to us. The value of being

in a relationship with someone is that we grow in Godly grace and love. Jesus tells us to love each other as He loves us. That is a tall order because what happens if we have never had an opportunity to see true Biblical love in our lives? However, when we are in a relationship with the Father, we are also allowing the Father to show us how to love as Jesus did.

We have to make a conscious choice to not walk life alone and enter into a relationship with someone. In the most volatile moments of my life, when I needed to feel love at its deepest level, God led me to people that I needed to be in a relationship with. Some of these relationships were only for a season, and they were with brothers that I will forever be thankful to for walking with me in the most distressful moments of life. Through these small group relationships, bonds were formed that allowed me to become a better person, but also a better Christian. In these relationships, I had to face the reality of being called out by brothers and sisters who genuinely loved me and wanted the best for me. These relationships also led me to be a better husband and father in my personal relationships as well.

Scared Straight

My mother owned a small tract of land with a mobile home in the small town of Cohutta, Georgia. It was a corner lot, and she loved the serenity of the woods surrounding her. When we made the trip to visit her, we were concerned that some pre-teen boys were gathering on the corner of her property to smoke cigarettes. They would disembark from the school bus and step immediately onto her property to hang out and smoke under cover of trees. They stored their bicycles in her woods, and once finished, they simply cycled up the road to their homes. These boys were full of hubris and displayed arrogance in full force. My mother had told them many times to leave, but to no avail.

Now, my husband Bear, was a huge man and a bit mischievous himself. Once, when we were visiting my mother, after pulling into the driveway far away from the boys, my husband exited the vehicle and walked through the woods circling around behind them. They were startled to see him, but put on both the words and faces of bravado. The boys refused to leave the property, so he decided to teach the boys a lesson. He showed them a huge scar on his back in the shape of a capital “I,” about ten inches high, and told them that he had been knifed in prison. The scar was actually from surgery. He told them that he had been homeless and that he liked prison because he had a free place to sleep and eat. He said that it wouldn’t bother him to go back there, and that if they didn’t leave my mother’s property, he would dispatch them.

Coming from Bear, this was more than a whopper. You see, he had never smoked, consumed alcohol, or any such thing. Him being in prison was far-fetched; but they didn’t know that. When Bear spouted that story with his booming voice, those boys high-tailed it out of the woods so fast it was ridiculous. And they never returned.

Is fear always a wrong response? There are times when danger has been averted due to listening to that voice alerting us. I believe when I have been in situations that were dangerous in nature, fear has corrected me and caused me to make better choices the next time. We can learn from even the most fearful events if we allow God to do the teaching and respond as He would have us to.

“But the woman, fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth” (Mark 5:33).

“His affection abounds all the more toward you, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling” (2 Corinthians 7:15).

Father God, we know that perfect love (Your agape love) casts out fear, and that You would not have us to live in fear. One of the first gifts You gave me after salvation was the removal of ongoing fear in my life. But we all sometimes experience momentary fear. Please help us to be sensitive to Your Holy Spirit, to listen carefully to You so that we might deal with it correctly, and to use the experience as a learning tool. Anything You place in our lives has the potential to draw us closer to You if we allow it.

Mind-Reading

Have you, like me, ever fallen into the trap of trying to read the mind of others? Or have you expected others to read your mind? Too often, we fail to clearly articulate our wants, needs, opinions or ideas in fear that we will be misinterpreted or misunderstood. So, we hope that others will figure out on their own where we are mentally, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually. However, the most healthy and effective communication occurs when we clearly communicate these things to others. I wonder how many marital arguments could be avoided if the practice of mindreading were to be replaced with telling those we love exactly what they need to know. Dropping hints is not conductive to healthy relationships. Let’s save our loved ones time, energy, and brain strain by simply asking for what we want or need.

Those who come from abusive situations learn to mind-read in a different manner. They often monitor body language, voice tone and facial expressions in order to self-protect. Unfortunately, our fear can become so deeply ingrained that we may carry this habit into most every part of our lives, finding ourselves assigning meaning to others’ actions that may be completely incorrect. Manufacturing our own reasons for others’ behaviors and actions could be generating fear, insecurity, and discouragement that isn’t even based on truth. I am learning that most things people do and say aren’t as calculated and intentional as we may believe. Sometimes we are simply triggered to make wrong judgements based on personal past experiences.

As a hospital chaplain, I remember one particular charge nurse who seemed to always have a scowl on her face when I interacted with her. If I asked her a question, her answer was usually curt as she looked at me over the rim of her glasses. I immediately assumed that she did not like me for some reason. Maybe she doesn’t care for female chaplains. Maybe she

doesn’t care for chaplains in general. Maybe I should stay out of her way. I shared my concerns with a chaplaincy mentor, and he encouraged me to read the book Conversation Transformation by authors Ben E. Benjamin, Amy Yeager, and Anita Simon. My interactions with hospital staff began to transform as I began to realize the ways that mind-reading can be detrimental to both personal and professional relationships.

A few weeks later, I found myself having a deep and meaningful conversation with the same nurse. She became vulnerable and honest, trusting me as she shared some of her deepest struggles in life and the heart pain she often felt. Guess what? As she communicated these things, she still had a scowl on her face as she stared at me over the top rim of her glasses. Nothing had changed except my perspective as I realized that my previous mind-read of her had been completely wrong. Eventually, I left that particular hospital unit, and on my last day, she gave me a huge hug and told me how much she was going to miss me. I managed to push past my mind-read, just in case I was wrong, and I was pleasantly surprised with a new friendship when I discovered that I was.

Valentine’s Day Red Velvet Cake Pops

Sometimes, nothing says I love you more than a freshly baked cake—or in this case, a no-bake cake pop! This twist on the classic red velvet cake is the perfect sweet treat to make this Valentine’s Day. With only eight ingredients, and a quick, no-bake preparation, you can spoil your loved ones without spending too much time in the kitchen. If you try this recipe at home, tag us on Facebook at GoodNews CM and let us know your thoughts!

Ingredients

• 1 cup of medjool dates • ¼ cup of almond flour • 1 tablespoon of coconut flour • ¼ cup of cacao powder • 2 tablespoons of beetroot powder • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract • 1 tablespoon of maple syrup • 1 tablespoon of coconut cream

Instructions

1. Remove the pits from the medjool dates. Then, add the pitted dates to a food processor and blend until a ball forms.

2. Add almond flour, coconut flour, cacao powder, beetroot powder, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Blend until a dough is formed. Add coconut cream and blend again.

3. Scoop out a tablespoon amount of dough at a time and roll into balls.

4. Roll balls in cacao powder and add a cake-pop stick to one end.

5. Store cake pops in the refrigerator for up to two weeks!

Not Yet

Do I know Yeshuaq (Jesus) as He knows me, Have I seen the nail prints in His hands and His feet, The scars on His brow from the crown of thorns, The wounds on His back from the blows of a whip? Not Yet

Have I seen the One who died for me, The One who saved me to the uttermost, The One who healed my body too numerous to mention, The One who truly gives life after death? Not Yet

But one of these days I will see Him. I will see Him as He sees me now. I will know Him as He knows me now. No, not yet. Still waiting! But by His grace, I Shall.

What Influences Your Family?

Society today is driven by information overload. The never-ending scroll feed on social networks often turns a simple message check into an hour-long hiatus. There will always be one more post to scan or one more video to view.

Ignoring the obvious waste of time, consider the harmful images and sounds we subject ourselves to through social media. Ads suggestive of immoral thoughts and behaviors, violent videos, and the enormity of information we absorb posted by influencers who don’t know God.

Social media may be the most obvious issue today, but the concept is not new. Television programs and advertising have been guilty of the same for decades. For those who have no screen time, billboards along the road are designed to tie a product to sell to immoral pleasures. What is all this doing to our walk with Jesus? Think of what it does to our kids.

When Abram offered Lot the choice of where to go to find pasture, Lot should have deferred the choice to the one God had promised Canaan to in the first place. But Lot saw the fertile river valley and the cities it cradled and decided that was the ideal place to live the easy life with his family. Lot knew the practices in the valley’s cities were abominable in the sight of God. But he felt quite secure in the knowledge that his connection with God was strong enough to overcome the evil. Genesis 13 says he “pitched his tents near Sodom.”

Living in tents near Sodom was apparently not very cool. The rich inside Sodom in their luxurious houses probably thought the rift raft was camping outside of town. Maybe Mrs. Lot was embarrassed. Maybe it was just for protection. But by Genesis 14, Lot’s family had moved inside the wicked city of Sodom.

War came to Sodom. In His mercy, God used Abraham to rescue Lot and the rest of the captives from the

invaders. This should have been a warning to Lot that it was time to get out of the wicked city. But he remained.

God’s mercy is so amazing! When it was determined by God that Sodom must be destroyed, God sent angels to rescue Lot and his family. But the influences of Sodom had become so ingrained in the hearts of his family that not one

of his children who lived around town would believe him and choose to escape.

When the angels grabbed Lot, his wife and the two daughters still living at home, dragging them to safety, Lot’s wife looked back with longing at Sodom, and she died with the city. The two daughters eventually ended up incestuously pregnant.

The influences we choose to allow our families to be subject to makes a difference, often an eternal difference. May we each make the commitment to make Christ and His sacrifice for us the center of our home. May we never in our own families have to regret the results of Lot’s poor choice.

God-honoring Relationships

For the past few years, I have struggled to cope with the reality that I don’t have a thriving relationship with my parents. They divorced when I was a child, and most of my childhood was spent dealing with the effects of their choices and addictions. To this day, I vividly remember lying awake in a pitch-black back bedroom in the house my father lived in at that time, counting down the hours until morning. The air was thick with cigarette smoke, and my little brother was sound asleep beside me in the bed, unaware of my turmoil. As I lay there, confused, terrified, and brokenhearted, I vowed to myself and God that I would never make those choices for my future family. Although I couldn’t predict the future, I have watched as Jesus has graciously helped me create a different life for my own family.

When I became a mom seven years ago, I had to come face to face with my past. As soon as that little pink bundle was placed in my arms, I knew it was time to heal so I could learn how to be a godly parent. At first, it was perfection I was seeking. The longer I prayed and searched scripture, the more I realized there are no perfect relationships or parents. What I did find in my healing process was that godly relationships are possible, but they require a lot of selflessness, forgiveness, and work. In order to form a healthy and godly relationship with our children or anyone in our lives, we first have to focus on our most important relationship—our relationship with Christ Jesus, the author of life.

When we are immersing ourselves in scripture and prayer daily, we deepen our relationship with Christ. As we soak up the word of God, we are instructed on how to love others as Christ loves us. God’s word not only shows us how to love others but also magnifies the sin we may have hidden in our hearts that is preventing us from having healthy relationships. When we neglect God’s word and don’t spend time deepening our relationship

with Him, we often have a harder time keeping our other relationships healthy. Pride, bitterness, anger, and other sins start to creep in when we neglect to feed ourselves spiritually. Mark 12:31 says, “The second is this: you shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Scripture is full of people who had both healthy and incredibly unhealthy relationships. When we think of biblically healthy relationships, we think of Ruth and Naomi or Esther and Mordecai. They stood by one another and kept their promises even when it could have resulted in their death. If we reflect on unhealthy relationships for a moment, David and Bathsheba may come to mind, or King Xerxes and Vashti. From the start, their relationships were formed on lust and lies that caused problems for years to come. Not only does scripture show us examples of healthy and unhealthy relationships to learn from, but it also gives us wisdom on how to create God-honoring relationships with those around us.

Mission Statement:

We believe when people are equipped, motivated, and passionately engaged in living out their faith in Jesus Christ they have the potential to be world changers.

Our mission is to bring people into a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ—a relationship that empowers them to see how God can work through individual personalities, situations, and talents. Christ was an activist, he did not neglect the needs of the people as He brought His message. We strive to encourage everyone to look more like Christ by reaching outside of themselves to serve the needs of others—at home, at school, in communities, and across the world.

Writer Guidelines:

Who: Our writers range from pastors, professors, and professional writers to stay at home moms and dads, business professionals, and others who have a desire to reach out to people through words of encouragement.

What: We believe that it is important to laugh together, praise each other, encourage one another, and to offer biblical advice. Articles can be directed toward everyone, or from woman to woman, or man to man. We love to share recipes and family traditions as well. We ask that articles be kept to a 500 word maximum. We’d love to hear from you!

Where: Please send submissions to articles.goodnews@gmail.com

Why: Because God has not intended for us to just survive. We believe that we are intended to reach out to love and encourage each other. God has brought each of us through tough times, blessed us, and made the “impossible” possible. Let’s, together, share the love of Jesus Christ.

Love Is…

My mother wrote the following poem when I was a teen. Love Is…

Sometimes love is one red rose, Sometimes love is orange blossoms And a diamond ring.

But oft times than not, love is plain every day, Like potatoes boiled, mashed, or baked;

Like clean clothes on the line, A bandage on a cut finger, or just a family gathered ‘round.

I’m a romantic, and the poem struck me as incredibly corny. Nevertheless, I added it to a folder labeled MAMA’S POEMS.

Fast forward several years. I’m now the mother of three young children. My family is spending Spring Break knocking out home maintenance tasks. My husband paints while I clean house and entertain the kids. We’ve had a pretty good week.

“Mommy!” shrieks my oldest from the bathroom. What now? Too much togetherness had led to petty squabbles all morning. I enter the bathroom and watch the commode’s overflow soak the bath mat. My toddler flashes me a blissful smile as he repeatedly flushes the toilet. Through wails, his sister tells me her Barbie doll’s head is down the drain.

I wonder what my friends at the beach are doing. After I settle the mishap with promises of a new doll, we walk to the park to play. Now the house is peaceful. Baby boy sleeps. Older daughter enthralls younger daughter by dancing last year’s recital decked out in ballet garb.

I decide to sort through last year’s summer clothes. What still fits? What can go to charity? I wash and dry them and begin the tedious task of folding and stacking. As

each pile grows, the individuality of my kids emerges. The oldest, seeking self-identity in fashion, owned the wackiest collection. Middle Child’s stack reveals a rainbow of pinks and purples. Toddler lived in t-shirts and jeans.

I examine one of his shirts now, a favorite worn yesterday. The garment, streaked with grape juice before

washing, is stain free. A wave of contentment sweeps over me, and I press my son’s warm shirt to my face, inhaling its crisp scent. It was a cup-running-over kind of moment.

A memory is triggered. I scurry to find mama’s poem and smile as I read it. Closing my eyes, I send God a “Thank You!” The poem no longer seems corny. My mother’s heart treasured familial love when she wrote it. And now, so did I. My mother died two years after penning “Love Is,” and we connected in a big way twenty years later through her poem.

That evening, with family gathered ‘round the wooden picnic table, I dished out potatoes, mashed. I smiled as my freshly-showered husband batted away a gnat and a child knocked over a cup of milk. And I knew there’s no place I’d rather be than with this family, wiping up spilt milk.