Laurie Stroud
American Village Celebrates 25 Years
Special Feature The American Village in Montevallo will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year. When it opened its gates for the first time on November 30, 1999, only four buildings existed: Washington Hall, inspired by George Washington’s Mount Vernon; the Courthouse, modeled after Colonial Williamsburg’s Courthouse of 1770; Founders Hall, which served as the first administrative building for …
How Pests Make It Inside Your Home
Our House You’ve probably noticed some pests inside your home this time of year and wonder: How are they getting inside? As Birmingham’s premier pest control team, Vulcan Termite & Pest Control hears your concerns and wants to help you keep your home safe, healthy, and pest-free this fall. Pests Inside the Home and How …
Honoring the Legacy of Jody Baker: Serving East Birmingham for 43 Years
Church Leaders At a young age, Jody Baker put her faith in Jesus at Mountain Brook’s McElwain Baptist Church. Raised in a family who was active at McElwain and in the community, Baker began to feel the call to ministry during her high school years. It was rare for women to serve in vocational ministry …
The Good Shepherd & His Sheep
Encouraging Word In John 10:11-14, Jesus refers to Himself as the “Good Shepherd.” Sheep need a shepherd. Matthew 9:36 says when Jesus saw the multitudes, He felt compassion for them because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd. Psalm 23 describes the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep. This relationship is …
Giving Grandmas a Good Name: Birmingham’s Own Diane Waud
Cover Story Diane Waud proudly accepts the title of “the South’s grandmother” stemming from the viral video skits produced by the popular “It’s a Southern Thing” YouTube channel. Waud’s video appearances have garnered millions of views online. The retired Mountain Brook kindergarten teacher is surprised by the notoriety that her acting in the comedy sketches has …
Values Instilled at Big Oak Ranch
Miracle Moments Brought to you by: Molly Maid of Birmingham, mollymaid.com/birmingham My twin brother and I moved to the Big Oak Boys’ Ranch in 7th grade, needing a change in environment and someone to lead us down the right path. The Ranch was a great place to grow up. There were fields for sports, a …
The Perfect Getaway
Best Books Trusting a cop could open a new door to danger… But what if it’s her only chance at freedom? First-grade teacher Riley Vreeland is terrified. When the attention from a recent acquaintance escalates from creepy to threatening, she flees to Village Green. With its limited employment, housing, and amenities, the tiny town is …
Politics, Faith & Conversations with Your Kids: Whose Side is Jesus On?
Parenting Points “Unprecedented” has become a meaningless word because it has been applied to everything. A coming presidential election leads to dusting off this word. Once again, we find ourselves in a world where we are divided – your party vs. my party and your candidate vs. mine. We all want to be on Jesus’ …
