Sean of the South Weaves Tales of Southern Life & Faith

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Sean of the South with his dog

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Sean Dietrich tells his stories of the South with an accent as thick as honey. The stories- ones of Southern people, places, and values- have earned him the moniker of “Sean of the South” and gained him loyal followers who love his heartfelt wisdom and inspiration as much as they do that thick accent.

Sean of the South sitting at a table with a notebook and glass of tea.
Sean of the South found himself visiting downtown Birmingham, Chelsea, Columbiana and Irondale for the shooting of commercials for Alfa Insurance. The company chose Dietrich as a spokesperson based on his “down-home humor, love of all things Southern and celebration of everyday heroes.”

Dietrich’s stories can be found on his website, where he writes a blog entry every day; the stories are shared on his Facebook page, which has more than 100,000 followers, and on his popular “Sean of the South” podcast. His most recent book, Will the Circle Be Unbroken? (Zondervan), is a memoir that evidences the power of faith and the human spirit to overcome a difficult background that included his father’s suicide.

One episode in the book tells of a newspaper editor’s now-ironic suggestion to Dietrich: “I’m gonna give you some free advice that nobody gave me. Nobody wants to read stories that are about happy things. That isn’t how you sell books, newspapers, or magazines. People like things that are gut-wrenching…. more blood and guts, less romance.” Dietrich’s own testimony is a testament to the fact that people do, indeed, need happy stories.

A Born Storyteller. Dietrich came by his storytelling gift honestly. He remembers hearing stories from many members of his family, and then started writing his own stories in elementary school. “Maybe it’s our generation, but we had storytellers around us. I can recall my mother, grandmother, grandfather telling stories. My mother was chatty and could start a conversation with anyone,” he said. “When I write, I think about that older generation that taught me the value of a good story.”

Dietrich, born in Missouri, moved to Florida when he was just 12 and dropped out of school at 14. Although he loved writing at a young age (and still remembers the fifth-grade teacher who encouraged him), he didn’t discover it again until he was an adult. “I was self-educated, so I read a lot, and I didn’t go back to school until I was in my 20s,” he said. “I did construction, hung sheetrock, jobs like that, but then I discovered that writing was what I really loved. It’s what connects me to other people.” The odd jobs eventually sent him to community college, then a semi-professional musical career (he still sings and plays guitar during speaking engagements), and ultimately to writing. His path also led him to wife Jamie (a native of Brewton, Ala.), whom he met at a church potluck in Destin, Fla. “I grew up Southern Baptist and always played for Wednesday and Sunday night singings. And at the time I worked part time playing for a little Baptist church,” Dietrich said. “I met this cute brunette at a potluck, and we got married six months later. We’ve been married for 18 years.”

Sean and his wife Jamie in the kitchen cooking together.
Sean’s wife Jamie is a trained chef, but now works as her husband’s manager. They’ll celebrate their 17th anniversary on December 19.

Dietrich laughingly said that getting to where he is right now has been “a big, long train of fortunate events” and often expresses disbelief in his success. “I remember being on the road coming home from a speaking gig one night and I realized this is what I love,” he said. “I like to make people feel good, even if it’s only for a few minutes. I really have no idea what I’m doing, but I love doing it.” These days he’s one of the most prolific writers you can imagine, producing 900-word columns or blog entries every day and adding in more work on book projects. “It’s sort of compulsive,” he admitted. “I’ve written 3000 words a day for almost 8 years.”

A Loyal Following. Dietrich’s stories come from a variety of experiences- from meeting a stranger in a cafe, to eavesdropping on a conversation between two children on a creek bank; from what it means to be patriotic to what it means to show kindness. And the stories come from throughout the Southern states; they can be based on his own experiences or be inspired by others’. His posts on Facebook typically get around 5,000 shares and make the rounds on social media. “Stories find me,” he said. “It started as a blog, kinda on a whim. I wanted to write about the people and places in my region, and I didn’t have any higher desire for it. But things went really well. People keep reading, and I keep doing it.”

Will the Circle Be Unbroken? braves some more serious issues, tackling his father’s death and the broken family he grew up in as a young child. The book also introduced his writing to a larger audience and built his fan base. Before the coronavirus pandemic hit, Dietrich was on a multi-city book tour throughout the South. The night before the tour was shut down, he stood in lines in Nashville greeting fans and friends. The next day he was in Birmingham, saying good-bye to the tour and retreating home to Florida. “That night in Nashville, there were 400 people standing in line, hugging necks, telling their own stories,” he said. “And then it was over.”

Sean of South Cover Art of Will The Circle Be Unbroken
Will the Circle be Unbroken? is Sean Dietrich’s newest book. Its title comes from the hymn played at his father’s funeral when Sean was just 12.

Dietrich has changed since the pandemic hit, writing with a clearer focus and separating from the busy-ness of book tours and marketing efforts. “I was overworking myself, and I’m grateful now that I’m able to see that,” he said. “We’ve been doing a lot of virtual stuff, but we’ve mostly stayed home and haven’t seen many people.” The one exception was when Dietrich spent time filming commercials for Alfa Insurance in Birmingham and Columbiana. The invitation to be an Alfa spokesperson came soon after Covid appeared, and he was taken aback by the company’s interest. “I told them they had the wrong guy,” he laughed. “I have a face for radio.” The commercials have brought even more attention to Dietrich and his storytelling.

A Legacy of Faith. Underlying so many of Dietrich’s stories is a belief in the goodness of people, and in the importance of faith and religion in so many lives. Some of his recent columns include “Church Lady” (an ode to the women so many Southerners relied on), “Holy Cow” (a tribute to a “possible angel” who helped after a car broke down), and “Tight Knit” (a story of prayer shawls and other “holy” knitted objects).

In the South, he said, there’s no way to separate faith from everyday life. “That’s one thing I really love about Southern culture. It’s just part of our lives, and it’s not compartmentalized,” he said. “Everyone has an experience with church. If you have the flu, well Miss Anne’s gonna come check on you. You’re gonna be brought deviled eggs or a casserole. It’s about people and community.”

“I’ve visited other regions where people can separate religion from the rest of their life,” Dietrich said. “Down here, it’s ingrained, even in the phrases we use. ‘She needs Jesus’ or ‘Bless your heart.’ It’s part of us.” On a personal level, Dietrich said that faith has helped him through some of the lowest points in his life. Of course, the way he explains it is pure “Sean of the South.” “I’ve known a lot of people who didn’t grow up in a church setting like I did. Those people can call faith a crutch,” he said, “and if you ask me, that is the perfect description. Because without it, I wouldn’t be able to walk.”

–Cheryl Sloan Wray 

Wray loves to tell her own stories –but nothing like Sean!– as a freelance writer and book author. She’s married with three daughters and six grandchildren and lives in Hueytown, Ala.

Did you enjoy this story? Read our full December issue here.

“Putting Up the Tree”

Christmas Tree with PresentsSean Dietrich said his childhood Christmases were small and simple, but one year his father taught him an important lesson.

“The next Christmas, my father decided to help me see life more clearly. He let me accompany him on one of the annual holiday errands he always did for our church. We spent the evening going across town to deliver free balsam firs and sacks of gifts to needy families. These were sturdy trees, and the presents were mostly coats and shoes and hats. That night we visited many different neighborhoods. I was introduced to various children who lived in ramshackled homes with dogs under the porches and absent parents. My father wasn’t trying to give me a guilt trip, I think he was just trying to let me see the world as it was. And I did. I met kids my age who didn’t even seem to realize it was Christmas. They had no twinkling lights, no yard art, no butterscotch, no cheese logs, no nothing. There was one kid who I went to school with. He was waiting on his porch with his little brother when we arrived. His family not only lacked a tree, they were using flashlights because their electricity was off. The church delivered their groceries weekly. And their clothes came from donations. My father put on his biggest smile to make the delivery. We dropped off a garbage bag filled with gifts, and I was surprised to discover that these kids were actually excited about receiving so little. When the kids threw their arms around my father I saw peach-sized tears in their eyes. One boy shouted, “Oh thankyouthankyouthankyou!” And I’ll never forget seeing that kid look admiringly at my father, then to me, and saying with complete sincerity: “Man, you’re SO lucky.” We rode home in silence. And when I arrived at our little house and saw our crooked tree, I felt differently about it all. I looked at our handmade decorations, and the popcorn garland, and the quilted advent calendar, and the candied pecans, and I felt downright silly. Then I sat beside the glow of our lit-up tree and got lost in the sounds of music. I could not quit thinking about what I had seen. And even though I am an adult now, and even though COVID-19 has made this year a crummy year, I still replay that boy’s words in my head. Because they remain so very true.”

(reprinted with permission from SeanDietrich.com)

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Ashley McMakin Family Photo

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An old Latvian proverb proclaims that “A smiling face is half the meal.” Ashley McMakin, the owner of the Birmingham area’s five Ashley Mac’s restaurants, has been putting smiles on the faces of her customers for more than a decade with her delicious comfort meals. The restaurant’s signature dishes-mouthwatering creations like poppyseed chicken and strawberry cake- have gained Ashley and her partner husband Andy accolades from fans and critics alike, but McMakin said that the success has been a sweet surprise reminding them of God’s faithfulness. Today she smiles as she looks back at the business’s humble beginnings and the way God has used it to bless others.

Ashley McMakin in green dress
Pictured above is Ashley McMakin, owner of Birmingham’s Ashley Mac’s.

Humble Beginnings, Unexpected Success. Ashley Mac’s was born “as a hobby” in a small Homewood condo in 2007 after Ashley McMakin graduated with a business degree from the University of Alabama and returned home after a year serving in China with Campus Crusade ministries. “I got engaged the day I got home from China and looked into culinary school, but we were broke newlyweds,” McMakin remembers. Instead, she began work at a local advertising agency and started catering out of her condo with a friend from work. They began catering parties and corporate lunches and within three months she quit her job to work full time with the new venture.

Recipes were developed and dishes tested, as they tried to build a menu that was “a little bit better than your Momma’s.” That idea- to not be super trendy, but to appeal to the average person who likes delicious comfort food and may not have time to cook- started then and continues today. McMakin’s husband saw the potential for growth and quit his own accounting job to, as he would tell friends and colleagues, “help my wife start her business.” Together they named it Ashley Mac’s and opened their first location- a catering and to-go place only- in Bluff Park in 2007.

Ashley McMakins adopted daughter arrives
The McMakin family celebrates at the airport on the day adopted daughter Mally came home from China in 2015.

“During that time is when we felt like God called us to Ashley Mac’s,” she said. “We feel that we are called to the restaurant industry like missionaries are called.” Their first employee hire is indicative of the way the McMakins do business with faith and concern for others. When the business was first run out of their home, Wanna Conner had just married their downstairs neighbor. One afternoon they went to introduce themselves and Andy asked, “Do you like to cook? And do you need a job?” Conner joined them on the spot, was the first official employee at their first location, and still works for Ashley Mac’s today.

The number of employees grew as Ashley Mac’s continued to gain popularity, and expansion was inevitable. “As it continued to grow, we got our name on the map with stories in food sections, and then we did Pepper Place. We love being involved in the community, and a lot of our current customers first discovered us there,” McMakin said. The second location in Cahaba Heights opened soon after; affectionately called “the pink house,” it was a pick-up location only. They soon discovered that there might be a market for something more. “We saw that there was a market over there, so we opened our first restaurant, sit-down location in Cahaba Heights in 2010,” she said. “The joke is that when we got the place it was going to be pick-up only. My husband looked at the space with tables and said, ‘Why don’t we let people sit down and eat?’”

“That’s called a restaurant,” she laughingly answered, knowing the hard work involved in operating a full-fledged restaurant. “My husband was right, though. He was the visionary. We learned so much from that first store and after that he had me on board.” The menu developed–very similar to what it is today–and the three-pronged concept of their business was born, with catering, gourmet-to-go, and a cafe offered. Locations in Inverness (2013), Riverchase (2015), Homewood (2017), and Pizitz Food Hall (2020) followed.

Ashley McMakin Family Photo
On the front steps of their home in Mountain Brook, Andy and Ashley McMakin are seen here with their children (from left): foster son Trey, Jackson, Mally, and Ryder. The family attends Cahaba Park Church.

Family-focused in Midst of Challenges. While finding success with Ashley Mac’s, the couple struggled personally with infertility- something that McMakin said today shows God’s plan for their lives. She took infertility treatments and prayed for a child, all while the restaurant started and then flourished. “At the beginning, I didn’t really have the desire to make the business bigger, and I decided that I’d do it until I got pregnant. But we never did get pregnant, and then went on fertility treatments for two and a half years,” McMakin recalled. “God used that time for us to build the business. If we had a baby, there wouldn’t be an Ashley Mac’s.”

Their first son, Ryder, was born in 2009 and was followed by Jackson in 2011. They each arrived while McMakin worked to open new locations, and Jackson came while dealing with a fire at the Cahaba Heights café. “Each time, people would laugh that with each location we’d have a kid,” McMakin said, not realizing at the time that there would be some truth to the joke.

While in the middle of preparations for the Riverchase location, the McMakins began the process to adopt a daughter from China; the adoption, which took place through Birmingham’s Lifeline Christian Services, brought 2-year-old daughter Mally to them in 2015. “When I lived in China, Andy and I would Skype and I’d tell him that I really want a little girl from there one day,” she said. “Throughout the infertility process, we’d always discussed adoption.” According to McMakin, the adoption process was a smooth one. Since Mally had a minor heart condition, the process was somewhat sped up; the adoption took about 10 months, whereas usually, it takes more than a year. “Lifeline has partnerships in China, and they facilitate everything. They were great to work with,” she said.

More family additions came through a fostering situation with two former employees. The McMakins got to know their families and during difficult situations, they’d care for their children on weekends. “As we were opening the Homewood location, they asked if a child could live with us,” McMakin said. “He stayed with us for two years.” The situation, McMakin said, was an extension of the grace they try to extend to their employees and in all business dealings. “We’ve always been taught by our church that life is our mission. We don’t separate work and faith. And we felt like God was telling us to take these kids in, even though we’d never necessarily felt called to fostering. We were just responding to a need. Doing life with our employees,” she said.

Ashley McMakin kids at Pizitz Food Hall Opening
Ryder, Trey, Mally, and Jackson celebrate the grand opening of Ashley Mac’s at the Pizitz Food Hall in downtown Birmingham in 2020. The Pizitz location includes an enclosed dining area, catering services, and gourmet-to-go options.

That Christ-centered business philosophy, according to McMakin, is stressed in all of Ashley Mac’s plans and dealings. The restaurant finds some employees through Jobs for Life (a program that helps people through addiction, poverty, and other issues), where McMakin has served as a mentor. “We strive to create a culture that’s different than the typical restaurant industry, which can be rough,” she said. “We want employees to feel respect and to know that there’s dignity and worth in work.” Ultimately, she said, their core value is grace.

A Bright Future. The recent coronavirus pandemic brought extra challenges to McMakin, as she worked to continue supporting her employees and customers while battling to keep the business open. Ashley Mac’s business model, however, made the challenge a bit easier for McMakin than other owners. “Restaurants had to pivot to figure out how to do what we’re already doing,” she said. “Gourmet-to-go saved us through Covid. People already knew us for that and thankfully our loyal customers continued to support us, and we gained new customers who were looking for a place to get take-home meals.”

McMakin shut down dining for a period of time and had to furlough some employees, but thankfully was able to recently reopen. “The first day we reopened, we wondered if anyone would come,” she remembered. “At first we might have two tables occupied, but now we stay pretty full along with social distance and a limited number of tables.”

“We’ve hit what we call a new normal, but we’ll be excited when it’s over,” she said. McMakin’s immediate plans for Ashley Mac’s include the upcoming holiday season, which she expects to be especially busy with more people eating at home because of the pandemic. The restaurant will offer new holiday packages to make dining at home easier, and further plans for the business include possible expansions into other areas inside and outside of Birmingham. Whatever comes, McMakin said that the business is in God’s hand.

When Covid was at its height, she realized that it could mark the end of Ashley Mac’s–and she rested in the knowledge that that would be okay. “We knew that God had given Ashley Mac’s to us, so if it was the end, we understood that. We’d weathered so many issues in our lives and the business and felt like Covid wouldn’t stop it, but if it did there would be something else for us,” she said. And now? She rests in the witness Ashley Mac’s can give to others, and the smiles it puts on her customers’ faces. “You don’t always think about the significance of what you’re doing,” she said, “but when you hear stories from people who are celebrating around your food, it puts things into perspective. Food is such a central part of life, and we’re blessed to have a part in it.”

-Cheryl Sloan Wray

Wray is a freelance writer and author who lives in Hueytown; she looks forward to the holidays with husband Gary, three daughters, and six grandchildren. She’s also the coordinator of the Southern Christian Writers Conference.

Did you enjoy this article? Check out our full November issue here.

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Candace Cameron Bure on the Set of Fuller House

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Candace Cameron Bure grew up before our eyes. At the age of 11, she came onto television screens in 1987 as a part of the popular family comedy “Full House,” and she became America’s favorite teenager during the eight seasons the show was on the air. As D.J. Tanner, Bure went through all the teenage drama one might expect while displaying a refreshing blend of wholesomeness and realism. Since that ubiquitous role, Bure has remained in the spotlight appearing on “Dancing with the Stars,” “The View,” “The Aurora Teagarden Mysteries,” numerous Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel, and the revival of “Fuller House” on Netflix which premiered its fifth and final season this summer. And throughout her career, Bure’s dedication to her Christian faith has shown through in everything she’s done. “A lot of people commend me for being bold in my faith, and while I appreciate that, I always say that’s the easiest part,” Bure said. “I love Jesus, and I love sharing my faith.”

Candace Cameron Bure Family
Candace met her husband Val when she was 19-years-old. They were introduced by the actor Dave Coulier (“Uncle Joey” on “Full House”) at a charity hockey game; according to Val, he learned English by watching reruns of “Full House.” They will celebrate 24 years of marriage in June, and are the parents of (L to R)Maksim, Lev and Natasha.

Faith and Family. Bure’s faith story has many layers. While raised in a moral home, she said it wasn’t a Christian one until her family had a conversion experience when she was 12 years old. She accepted Christ and was baptized along with the rest of her family. Bure, a native Californian, was raised by her parents alongside brother Kirk (a fellow actor and star of the 1980s sitcom “Growing Pains” who is now known for his starring roles in Christian films), and sisters Melissa and Bridgette (also actors). “While I wasn’t raised in a Christian home, I had a very moral upbringing that placed a great emphasis on family,” she remembered. “When I was on ‘Full House,’ it was clear that things wouldn’t change. When we got home from work, it didn’t matter that we were on TV. And I had a wonderful experience on ‘Full House,’ which is why I’m still in the entertainment industry. It was a healthy environment and I loved the people I worked with.”

Bure said that her faith took another step in her mid-20s. She and her Russian-born husband, Val- a former professional hockey player whom she met at a hockey fundraiser in 1994-strengthened their faith through a more conscious commitment to prayer, Bible study, and other Christ-centered activities. “Val was raised in the Christian faith, but it was more like being a ‘holiday Christian.’ He’d go to church on high holy days,” she said. “So, we really came to our faith together.” The couple continued to grow together in faith as their lives changed throughout the years. Val moved from his hockey days with such NHL teams as the Montreal Canadiens to other professional endeavors, and Candace’s career also transitioned to new areas. Their growth has also come as a family, after welcoming daughter Natasha in1998 and sons Lev in 2000 and Maksim in 2002. Family, Bure said, will always be her highest priority.

Candace Cameron Bure on the Set of Fuller House
“Full House” ran on ABC from 1987 to 1995, and then continued to gain popularity in syndication. In 2016, the “Fuller House” revival premiered on Netflix and aired its final season this past summer.

Bure left the entertainment industry for a decade when her children were young. She and Val worked consciously to make their relationship and their children their primary concern. “We planned a long time ago what our priorities were in life and with our family. We set up boundaries and communicate, having an ongoing dialogue,” she said. “Even as a young couple, we knew family was going to be the highest priority.” They also understood that marriage would be a journey. “We knew that we would have to reassess, pull back, reprioritize if we had to,” she recalled. “We both travel a lot, and the biggest challenge was always to spend time at home. That’s why I took the 10-year break, so I could spend time with the kids.”

The recent coronavirus epidemic upended the Bure family- but also brought them together in unexpected ways. While Candace and Val had become empty nesters, the quarantine brought daughter Natasha back home; during this time, son Lev got engaged while Maksim sheltered in place at his hockey academy in Minnesota. The quarantine helped remind her how important it is to slow down and focus on her family and her relationship with Christ. “I know how hard I work and how busy I can get,” she said. “It’s made me reevaluate things, because I know I can be very driven. It’s helped me slow down and God has shown me some things that were affecting my family and marriage. That’s been eye opening.”

Candace Cameron in LOA T Shirt
Candace Cameron Bure in her Love Overall T-shirt.

According to Bure, she always keeps faith and family in mind when choosing projects. She recently became the CSO (“Chief Spiritual Officer”) at Woman’s Day magazine, where she shares devotional thoughts in each month’s issue and has also introduced a new faith-based line of home decor and gifts through DaySpring (a division of Hallmark Company). Her new Love Overall line is based on the words of Colossians 3:14, “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” The line includes paper goods, office supplies, casual wear, and home decor; a special Christmas collection will be released in November. “We developed this last year in 2019, but we couldn’t predict what would happen in 2020,” she said. “It’s so timely because it reminds us to give encouragement and hope, and to treat each other with love.” The goal with her products, she said, is to create inspirational items that are also modern and beautiful. “Inspirational items often tend to be more old-fashioned,” she said. “I want to create ones that are aesthetically pleasing and more stylish and contemporary.”

Love for the Holidays. Bure’s relationship with Hallmark has been one of the most important in her career and highlights her love of the holiday season  Bure is often referred to as “Christmas queen,” due to her starring role in so many Hallmark Channel Christmas movies. It’s a title that she said is perfectly appropriate for her. “Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year because we’re celebrating the birth of Jesus. And I’m honored to be such a big part of the Christmas community at Hallmark,” she shared.

Her family treasures their time together during the holidays; they’ve celebrated each Christmas morning for the last 10 years by cooking, serving, visiting, and sharing the Gospel at a homeless shelter. Bure herself tries to keep the holidays uncomplicated, focusing on “family and friends and the simple things.”

Bure’s ninth Hallmark Channel Christmas movie, “If Only I Had Christmas,” premieres this season and is an homage to her favorite movie “The Wizard of Oz.” As with all of the films, Bure developed the script and produced the movie in addition to starring in it. She proudly calls it her favorite movie and adds, “they’re kinda like my children, so you love them all but can love them differently.”

Candace Cameron Bure on the Set of her Hallmark Christmas movie.
“If I Only Had Christmas” will be Bure’s next Christmas movie with the Hallmark Channel; she also stars in the “Aurora Teagarden” mystery series for Hallmark, with a new movie scheduled to premiere in early 2021.

Why do people love the Christmas movies so much? For Bure, it’s quite simple. “They’re comforting and heartwarming. You know what to expect and there’s always a happy ending. They help remove you from all of the world’s problems, even if it’s for a bit,” she said. “I just watched the newest one again a couple of times, and I squealed with delight. I just love it.” Ultimately, Bure’s projects with Hallmark are an extension of her faith and the Christian worldview she desires to share with others.

A Continuing Witness. While Bure said that a Christian witness isn’t always welcome in the entertainment industry, she’s never been hesitant about sharing hers- and she’s always felt encouraged by those around her. “God calls us to share the Gospel message, and that’s what I do. I’ve never been afraid to share it publicly or privately, and I know that God’s given me a unique platform to do so,” she said. “At the core of it all, I want to point people to Jesus.” She believes that her mission is to share her faith, but not be divisive. “I want to show love and kindness, and also show respect, realizing that not all of us are going to have the same viewpoints and not everyone will accept or believe what I’m saying,” she stressed. “In every different group, whether it’s political or social or religious, you have the people who represent it well and then there are those who are hypocritical and do the group a disservice. I don’t want to do my faith a disservice.”

Whether it’s starring in a Christmas movie, creating inspirational products, or reconnecting with her “Full House” family, Bure said that her life’s a gift and a blessing that points back to faith. “I can walk out on the street and have a 6-year-old light up when he sees me. He recognizes me as D.J.,” she said. “Or there will be a 60-year-old who recognizes me from the Hallmark Channel or watched me as D.J. years ago. It’s just a gift.”

-Cheryl Sloan Wray

Cheryl Sloan Wray is a freelance writer and author who lives in Hueytown. She has three daughters (who love Hallmark movies) and six grandchildren.

Did you enjoy this article? Check out our full October issue here.

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Jake Rufe Birmingham Legion action kick on ground

Cover Story

Jake Rufe said he could have never imagined that he’d be playing for Birmingham’s professional soccer team, but he knows that God’s plans are always bigger and better than anything he could have foreseen.

Rufe, a Huntsville native who played club soccer in high school in the Birmingham area, joined Birmingham Legion FC as a defender for the 2020 season and has already found playing time on the pitch. “Not long ago I was in Charlotte playing in soccer’s third division. The club was struggling, and I didn’t even know if the season was going to happen,” Rufe said. “I ended up leaving and taking the chance on my next step. God went before me and knew what I needed. I can see God’s hand in all the little things that have happened during my soccer career.”

Jake Rufe Birmingham Legion action going down field
In just his first season with Birmingham Legion FC, Jake Rufe has both started and played in substitution roles as a defender. He hopes to help lead the team to another United Soccer League playoff appearance. Photo Courtesy Birmingham Legion

Birmingham Legion FC. The Birmingham Legion FC is a professional soccer team that’s part of the United Soccer League (USL), which is just one division below Major League Soccer (MLS). Players on USL teams often have had MLS experience, or share time during the season with an MLS team, making the quality of play stellar. This is just the second season in Legion FC’s existence and follows up on an inaugural season that saw the team make it to the USL playoff quarterfinals, a feat unmatched by any other new league member. The team this year has started off strong in a coronavirus-delayed season that will go through Oct. 3 and any ensuing playoff games. As of August 28, Legion FC’s record was 5-1-3 and the team sat in first place in the USL’s Group G division. Legion FC, which plays at BBVA Field on the UAB campus in downtown Birmingham, is a favorite family destination and offers special kid-friendly pregame and other activities. Limited capacity and other changes have been made to keep the environment safe amid the Covid-19 pandemic. You can learn about Legion FC’s schedule, activities, and more at www.bhmlegion.com.

Journey to Birmingham. Rufe, 24, played soccer at Grissom High School in Huntsville and was named the Gatorade Alabama Boys State Player of the Year in 2014; he then played collegiately at Indiana University for two years before transferring to and playing three years at Western Michigan University. Before coming to Birmingham, he played professionally with AFC Ann Arbor in the USL’s League Two and for Charlotte in the third division. “I started playing when I was four or five at the park like a lot of kids do,” Rufe said. “I started playing club soccer in fourth or fifth grade, and then in middle school stopped playing other sports to focus on soccer.”

At the beginning of this season, Rufe got in touch with a former club coach in Birmingham who was able to get him a tryout with the Legion team. He arrived on the first day of preseason practice and waited to hear whether he’d made the team. “Each day I was on trial and tension was high, but right before the quarantine I signed here with Birmingham,” he said. “It really felt like home.” According to Rufe, the journey to Birmingham reinforced to him that God was at active work in his life. The decision to play for the club soccer coach was something that happened “at the last minute” when he was a teenager, and yet that connection is what brought him to play professionally with Legion FC. “Things happened that I never could have expected,” he said.

Jake Rufe with his family
Jake Rufe’s parents Jerry and Valerie exemplified Christian faith in his growing-up years in Huntsville, and he continues to rely on them as role models. He is seen here with them and his sister Jillie and brother-in-law Chris.

Rufe said that he’s felt right at home since arriving in Birmingham. He’s established relationships with other players and he unexpectedly was able to earn immediate playing time. “Circumstantially, I’ve been lucky enough to start some games and get a lot of minutes,” he said. “A lot of players aren’t coming to the league and getting time. I’ve talked about what a great opportunity this is. I have to seize the opportunity and realize this is what I’ve been training for.” When Rufe signed with Birmingham, president and general manager Jay Heaps noted Rufe’s “versatility and depth” as key reasons for his addition to the squad.

Faith Journey. Rufe grew up in Huntsville’s Whitesburg Baptist Church with strong Christian parents who instilled in him strong values and lessons of faith. His father, Jerry, not only was a former soccer goalie but also a Sunday School teacher at their church while mother Valerie often held Bible studies in their home. Looking back on the way he was raised and on the model his parents set, Rufe said that he now sees how blessed he was. “It’s something I think about more and more as I get older,” he said. “I can see blessings in their lives because of how they’ve lived. Now that I have a bigger picture view, their examples definitely inspire me.” The challenge now, according to Rufe, is to continue that same sort of faith as he becomes a role model to children and other fans, and as he builds relationships with teammates. He said he’s always looked up to professionals who were believers, noting how they’ve lived their lives in the spotlight. “You can be on the biggest stage and you don’t have to change what you believe,” he said. “While I’m not well known per se, I definitely see how important that is.”

Rufe has always taken advantage of opportunities when they’ve arisen to share his faith with others. He’s recently been able to talk at his high school and church, and he knows that it’s a big responsibility to represent Christ. He said that the most exciting recent opportunity has been getting to know his new team. Training has always been one of his favorite parts of being on a team and he said that it’s particularly conducive to building relationships. “During the week when we’re not playing, we get to know each other really well. I’ve had a lot of great conversations with people, and I’ve been excited to realize that I have fellow believers on the team,” said Rufe, adding, “It is so encouraging to share struggles and victories with my teammates. I know they face similar temptations and feel pride rise up and it’s good that we identify it for what it is and encourage each other to not let that control our reactions,” Rufe said. “We have spoken on many occasions on how what you dwell on and feed your thoughts is what will drive your desires.”

Jake Rufe Birmingham Legion action ball above head
Photo Courtesy Birmingham Legion

The Hopes of the Season. Rufe said that the 2020 season has been unique for many reasons, the most obvious of which has been the havoc caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The time has given him, however, a unique opportunity to grow in his faith while also growing in his ability as a soccer player. He’s spent more time in spiritual growth through Bible study (he’s currently studying Judges, which Rufe said teaches about the cycle of “brokenness, rescue, and deliverance”) and has also improved his performance on and off the field through workouts and playing time. “It was a little tough when we went a couple of months without knowing if we would have a season or not, but then our spirits really changed,” he said. “We realized it was a real privilege to be playing again and to have that opportunity.” Players had individual workouts, then about a month before the season started, they were able to work in small groups. Now, back on the pitch together, the team is trying to replicate what it did last season. “It’s really been a good start, and we’ve already won a lot of games,” he said. “We have to focus on one game at a time and try to pick up where the team left off last time. I’m just happy to be able to contribute how I can.”

-Cheryl Wray

Wray writes about sports for the Alabama Media Group, and is the coordinator of the Southern Christian Writers Conference. She lives in Hueytown, Ala. and is married with three daughters and six grandchildren.

Get more Good News! Read the entire September 2020 issue of Birmingham Christian Family!

 

 

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Jeremy Towns

Cover Story

Jeremy Towns still remembers the time he dressed up as a doctor for Halloween. He wore scrubs, carried a stethoscope around his neck, and had a badge affixed to his shirt that proclaimed, “Emergency Medicine.” Today, Towns is a medical resident at the University of Alabama at Birmingham working in emergency medicine. A recent graduate of the University of South Alabama(USA) medical school,  he hopes to ultimately work in a subspecialty such as critical care or sports medicine.

Towns said he remembers asking his mother on that Halloween night many years ago about what it took to become a doctor. “How do I become one of those? I asked her,” he said. “She told me that I had to work my tail off academically. So, I did. I always wanted to make the highest grade in class and to be the best.”

Jeremy Towns Playing Football at Samford University
Jeremy Towns played on the defensive line for Samford University from 2008-2012; he fought back from missing the 2010 and 2011 seasons due to injury to making an NFL roster. Towns shares about his time at Samford here. Photo: Samford University Athletics

Towns’ journey to medicine has been a circuitous route filled with success at many different levels–first in football at the college level at Samford University and then with a stint in the NFL. His story is one of football and medicine, but above all is the story of his faith. It imbues everything he has done since he first truly encountered Jesus as a freshman football player at Samford. Today, that faith continues to drive his life as he mentors ministry groups on college campuses across the Southeast, holds football camps for underprivileged children, and makes plans for his future in medicine.

Finding Football. Towns played football at Birmingham-area Wenonah High School, but only played fully in his freshman and senior years. So, despite having stellar seasons and stats, Towns was not widely recruited. A call from Samford head coach Pat Sullivan changed all that. Towns worked part time at Walgreens when an announcement came over the loudspeaker that he had a call. “I answered it and he said, ‘This is Pat Sullivan from Samford.’ I went home and told my mother and then got a letter to sign for a full scholarship,” he recalled. “It was really a God thing because I hadn’t been offered by many schools. My mother said that I was going to sign this thing. She was right.”

Towns said that playing under the legendary Sullivan–the former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback from Auburn University–was a jumpstart to his success in a multitude of ways. “I remember once being at the old field house and he sat down with me. He told me if I’d make the most of the opportunity and grab life by the horns, I’d be capable of doing anything in life,” he said. “I didn’t immediately grasp it at that time, but it inspired me and got me going.” Towns went on to become a star on the Samford football team and graduated magna cum laude with a degree in sports medicine from the University in 2013. He said, however, that the most life-changing thing to happen to him while at Samford was being invited to a Bible study as a freshman. “I said it wasn’t really my speed, but they kept asking me. I finally came, really just to get this one guy to leave me alone. So, I would go to Bible study and make jokes. It was my goal to have Nick [Williams, now a player in the NFL]  kick me out for being disruptive,” Towns said. “But one day he kept talking about how Jesus could be my homeboy, my friend. I wanted Jesus at that point. Someone I could tell my secrets to, who would be there for me, and who wouldn’t count my faults against me.”

Jeremy Towns Next Level Football with Pat Sullivan
Jeremy Towns and Samford teammate Nick Williams (currently a defensive lineman with the NFL’s Detroit Lions) stand with former Samford head coach Pat Sullivan. Towns credits Sullivan with being instrumental in his growth as a football player and Christian. Photo Courtesy Jeremy Towns

Towns fell in love with Jesus and became outspoken about his faith. “I became so blunt and raw about God and had this fire,” he said. “Why wouldn’t people tell others about this love that’s so good? For the first month or two I was just frustrated that people hadn’t told me about Him. But then, I got focused. And I started talking to other athletes and students about Bible study.” Towns ultimately founded RANSOM (Radical Athletes & Student Oasis Ministry), a Christian organization designed to provide mentorship and leadership training on college campuses. “During one of my injuries, the mentor who led me to Christ told me that someone needed to be able to replace me. And that’s when I started planting leaders and reaching out to other schools,” he said. “I went to plant it at UAB, a volleyball player took it to Campbell University. It just spread.” Today RANSOM is on the campuses of Samford, UAB, Campbell (in North Carolina), Alabama State, Murray State (Kentucky), and Clarke-Atlanta (Georgia). Towns takes the job of mentor seriously, realizing that he has much to teach from his walk with Christ and his witness as an athlete. He also wants to equip new leaders. “I coached those leaders up, and then when I came out of the NFL I came back with that same passion. Students wouldn’t leave me alone. I couldn’t leave it alone.”

Medicine or the NFL? Following graduation from Samford, Towns felt torn. His plan was to head to medical school, but he also wanted to chase his dream of playing in the NFL. An apparent sign that he needed to pursue medicine came when he was accepted to USA’s medical program the day before Pro Day with NFL scouts. After going undrafted, his path seemed even clearer. With no professional football reality on the horizon, Towns committed to a weeklong mission trip to Dominica, an island country of the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with the Samford athletic director and others. “I was out of the country for a whole week and I found out that the Washington Redskins had tried to call me the day after I left. I was going to medical school in a week, so I didn’t want to call. But then he texted me back while I was in the Atlanta airport,” Towns said. “It didn’t work out right then, but then a day before going to medical school I got a call to fly up that day for a workout.”

Towns said, looking back, he knows that “the battle’s not mine, but the Lord’s.” He signed a free agency deal, despite his mother’s encouragement to do otherwise and medical school awaiting him. And Towns said that his decision was almost immediately rewarded with Christian mentors in the professional football league. “The night I made the team roster I sat next to the team chaplain, who happened to be the pastor of a girl I knew from South Alabama. And he just encouraged me,” Towns recalled. “He told me that I was the most blessed man in the room, and I felt that. Some people would just want to go to medical school or go to the NFL, but God was working what was best for me and what I needed.”

Jeremy Towns
Jeremy Towns will finish his medical residency at UAB in 2023. Towns said it’s a “tremendous blessing to be back in Birmingham” and to be close again to his mother Janice. Photo: Bill Starling, Photographer USA Health

Towns spent three years in the NFL, playing with the Redskins, the Philadelphia Eagles, and finally the Buffalo Bills. He said that the friendships made and the lessons learned in the NFL were instrumental to his growth and to his desire to continue mentoring others in Christ. “I was around chaplains, and guys like Kirk Cousins, Colt McCoy, Alfred Morris, Tim Tebow. Great men of faith,” he said. “We’d sit down and just talk about the Lord.” Towns said the chaplain at Buffalo instilled in him a greater desire to be bold in his faith. “He would ask tough questions: If you lose time, can you get it back? If you lose money, can you get it back? He would say that God got me here, and if they fire me, I’ll go somewhere else. You just have to do what God tells you to do.” That lesson soon came to fruition, as Towns saw himself cut from his NFL team and heading back to his other dreams–practicing medicine and helping others.

Helping Others. Towns said that he knew after his NFL experience that he wanted to focus on reaching others with the Gospel. “God literally told me, ‘You’re getting all these things. Who around you are you taking with you?’ ” he said. “I wanted to pour into students and give them innovative ways to deliver the Gospel.” Upon returning to Alabama, Towns continued his work with RANSOM while also starting the medical program at USA. He established student groups on campus and began to mentor football players; he spoke to student groups and Bible studies. He also decided to start the Next Level Sports Camps for children in the Birmingham area. The one-day camps attract 300-500 students each Summer in football and volleyball; held at Legion Field, the camps are free and include lunch, t-shirts, and instruction from Towns and other former pro players. “We also share a faith message. I want to make it so Jesus is right there in front of them,” Towns said. “If the kids can get there, I want to give them a first-class experience. But I also want to show them Jesus.” Those camps were postponed this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, but Towns said that he looks forward to providing more opportunities to “show the kids Jesus, because it’s something some of them never see.”

While serving in those capacities, Towns graduated from USA and was awarded the 2020 Dr. Alexandra Greene Medical Student of the Year Award. Now at UAB he strives to serve in the next phase of his life and career and reflects on how Covid-19 has uniquely impacted daily life, health care, and even sports. “I myself follow the advice of infectious disease experts and epidemiologists,” he said. “There are many reports of widespread transmission of the virus at large gatherings.” He thinks it will be hard to effectively play football this season. Whether now, or when things get back to “normal,” Towns knows that he can be a strong witness. “As a doctor, I want to have a Christianity that means I never have to necessarily tell you about Jesus,” he said. “I want to love and serve you so that you will ask me what I’m doing and what makes me the way I am… I want to bring mercy to earth. Whoever I see walk through the doors, my job is to provide the utmost care and bring God’s love to them.”

-Cheryl Wray writes about sports for the Alabama Media Group, and is the coordinator of the Southern Christian Writers Conference. She lives in Hueytown, Ala. and is married with three daughters and six grandchildren.

Did you enjoy this article? Read the full August issue here.

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Patti Callahan Henry Writing

Cover Story

The opening line of Christy Award-winning novelist Patti Callahan Henry’s newest book proclaims: “From the very beginning it was the Great Lion who brought us together.” Her book, Becoming Mrs. Lewis, tells the unexpected and inspirational love story between C.S. Lewis and his wife Joy Davidman–a romance built upon Lewis’ own literary creations and a shared quest to intimately know God. Writing the book provided Henry with her own brush with the “Great Lion,” as she learned more about her own faith and the way women can live into God’s purpose. For the Auburn graduate and Mountain Brook resident, it was a “transformational journey.”

Patti Callahan Henry in front of Magdalen College at Oxford University
Patti Callahan Henry spent time in Great Britain, walking the roads where C.S. Lewis and Joy Davidman lived and loved while she did research for her book Becoming Mrs. Lewis. She stands here in front of Magdalen College at Oxford University, where Lewis was the Tutor of English Literature. Henry’s next book will release in March, 2021 and is another historical fiction novel, this one based on the Steamship Pulaski wreck in 1838 off the coast of North Carolina.

Discovering the “Mrs. Lewis” Love Story. Henry is the author of 15 New York Times bestsellers and was recently honored with the 2020 Harper Lee Award for Alabama’s Distinguished Writer. The Bookshop at Water’s End (2017) and other prior contemporary Southern novels have gained countless fans; a Library Journal starred review said that “Callahan’s writing is riveting and her characters spring to life to create a magical and literary experience that won’t be soon forgotten.”

Henry was born in New Jersey, grew up in Philadelphia and moved to Florida when she was 12, but moved to Auburn the day she graduated from high school. She went to Auburn for her undergraduate work and then Georgia State for a graduate degree; after living in Atlanta for 25 years, she and her husband Pat moved to Alabama with their three children in 2011

For the prolific Alabama author, Becoming Mrs. Lewis was a departure. The book was the first in her repertoire to be considered an inspirational novel, and it was her first with a Christian publishing house (Harper Collins’ Thomas Nelson imprint). Her agent even won the argument to use “Patti Callahan” as her byline, so as not to confuse authors as to the type of books she writes.

When she began researching the story of Lewis and Davidman, though, Henry knew that it was a book she had to write–whether it was seen as a departure or not. Henry grew up a C.S. Lewis reader, and knew vaguely about his wife. “As the daughter of a Presbyterian minister, I grew up with C.S. Lewis in the house. I read The Screwtape Letters, and then fell down the wardrobe hole of Narnia,” she said. “I always knew he had a wife whose loss broke his heart, but that’s all I knew.” She later watched the movie “Shadowlands,” which showed how Lewis’ wife’s death had devastated him, but again felt drawn to Joy’s story. “It was told from his perspective, but I wanted to know her story,” she said.

Patti Callahan Henry's Family Outside
Patti Callahan Henry’s family celebrates daughter Meagan’s pregnancy. Pictured are son Thomas, Patti Henry, daughter Meagan, son-in-law Evan Rock, husband Pat, and son Rusk. Rusk is a junior at the University of Alabama and husband Pat is the President of Daniel Corporation in Birmingham.

Davidman was a renowned poet and novelist herself who was an atheist who converted to Christianity during her first marriage; when the marriage–which was marred by her husband’s alcoholism and infidelities-ended in divorce, she moved to England with her two young boys. On her conversion experience after exploring many religions, Davidman said: “the Redeemer who had made himself known, whose personality I would have recognized among ten thousand–He was Jesus.” Davidman had studied Lewis’ writing and began a correspondence with him in 1950; she moved to England in 1953 and they married in 1956. After her death from cancer in 1960, Lewis wrote what is considered one of the best expositions ever on grief- A Grief Observed.

Henry said that she was drawn to this unlikely relationship. “As I started researching, I asked this one overarching question. How did these two people ever come together? It was a completely improbable love story,” she said. “One was a poet, had been married, had two children, had never left New York. And then here was a man who had never left Ireland. He was a Christian apologist; she had been an atheist.”

“They were completely different faith-wise,” she said. “They literally could not have been more different. But fundamentally they couldn’t have been more perfect for each other.” Henry dug into the research process, reading everything Davidman had written and studying correspondence between the couple. She reread Lewis’ books from their ten years together and the years after Davidman’s death, and then visited Chicago’s Wheaton College which holds a huge collection of Lewis’ and Davidman’s papers. “Then I went to London and Oxford and walked in what I like to call the footsteps of Joy,” she said.

Patti Callahan Henry Writing
Award winning author Patti Callahan Henry will be the featured speaker at the Tom and Marla Corts Distinguished Author Series September 22 hosted by Samford University Orlean Beeson School of Education. Click here for details.

Learning from Joy. Henry has always written intimate tales of Southern women–who they are, what they struggle with, how they find meaning. Southern tales, she said, hold a special appeal because of the “certain wistfulness and melancholy in their storytelling.” With Becoming Mrs. Lewis, Henry said that she discovered a new layer of understanding women, especially in the way they relate to faith.

Davidman, Henry said, had great courage in the face of struggles. She packed a suitcase and moved across the ocean, to be with the man she loved but also to learn more about her relationship to God. That courage was one of two primary faith lessons Henry learned during the writing of the book. “We might not pack a suitcase, grab our kids, and move to another country, but we as women need to pack up the expectations and demands put on us that have nothing to do with the demands that God puts on us,” she said. Christian women, she said, can learn from Davidman’s courage. “She didn’t pack up without fear. She was scared out of her mind,” Henry said. “She packed it up because she had to change.”

Henry said that a second powerful message from the Davidman story is that there is nothing wrong with asking tough questions. “Joy was never afraid to ask the bigger questions,” she said. “She had been a genius intellectual and asked the big questions to understand the mystical experience she had. That’s why she wrote to Lewis in the first place.” Henry likes to call those questions “the beautiful questions”–the ones that “make or unmake a life.”

Becoming Mrs. Lewis Cover Image
Becoming Mrs. Lewis

Winning the Christy Award. Becoming Mrs. Lewis won the 2019 Christy Award for Christian Fiction, an award that acknowledges “the value and impact of novels of faith in contemporary culture.” Henry said that she was “peacock proud” for winning the award. She’d been asked to present a session on C.S. Lewis for the awards ceremony but didn’t think she had a chance of winning the Christy. She didn’t even have a speech and had to make up something on the spot. The award, she said, was especially meaningful because it wasn’t what she set out to write. “I’ve always written about love, family, and women, but to get this for an inspirational book was astounding,” she said. “I was properly stunned and unprepared.”

Henry’s next book will also be a historical novel. Coming out in 2021, it is based on the true story of the Steamship Pulaski wreck. In the meantime, she is treasuring the lessons learned from Becoming Mrs. Lewis. It’s given her opportunities she never imagined beforehand (including a new podcast entitled “Behind the Scenes of Becoming Mrs. Lewis,” which takes the novel a step further and includes interviews with researchers, women in her life, experts on grief, even Lewis family members), and also provided her with an unexpected way to share her own faith story. “I could never write sermons like my father did, and he never wrote books,” she said. “And as an author you never want to be the face of the story. I’m glad I had Joy to help tell the story.”

-Cheryl Sloan Wray

Wray is a freelance writer from Hueytown, Ala. She and her husband have three daughters and six grandchildren. She is the coordinator of the Southern Christian Writers Conference; learn more at the “Southern Christian Writers Conference” group on Facebook.

 

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110318 MFB TagovailoaTu LSU KG1062 Courtesy University of Alabama Athletics

Cover Story

It’s a simple fact. Tua Tagovailoa–the quarterback who rewrote the record books at the University of Alabama, endeared himself to sports fans around the world, and was selected fifth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft–is one of the greatest college players to ever play the game.

Brothers Tua and Taulia walk off the field after Alabama’s game against Texas A&M last October. Taulia announced in May he is transferring from Alabama to Maryland to play quarterback. Photo Courtesy Kent Gidley

Tagovailoa rose to prominence when he entered the 2017 national championship game at halftime as a true freshman and rallied Alabama to defeat SEC foe Georgia 26-23 on a gutsy, now legendary 3rd-and-26 pass to Devonta Smith in overtime. Tagovailoa’s celebrity shot through the stratosphere as he led the Crimson Tide to another national championship game the following season and smashed records–43 touchdowns in a single season, 87 career touchdowns–on his way to compiling a 22-2 overall record. Parents Galu and Diane Tagovailoa watched their son’s ascension to the top of the sports world from the stands, proud of not just his success but also of the way he gave glory to God and credit to his family. “Every time, the biggest thing that helped me was my faith. Praying through the series kept me calm,” Tua Tagovailoa said after his national championship-winning performance. “My poise comes from my faith. I just pray, asking God to let His will be done in me, and the rest will follow.”

Prayer is an essential part of Tua Tagovailoa’s life. Here he is joined by his family in prayer in the locker room at halftime after injuring his ankle in the second quarter against Tennessee on October 19, 2019. Courtesy Crimson Tide Photos, Kent Gidley

Faith and Family. The Tagovailoa bond is built on faith and family, and grew from the insistence Galu and Diane had in raising Tua and their other children Taulia, Taylor Ann, and Taysia in the strongly-spiritual American Samoa tradition. “Family and faith are everything,” Galu (pronounced Na-loo) Tagovailoa said. “It’s part of our Samoa culture. We’re strongly taught back home that family is so important and how we stick together is everything.”

Taulia, Taylor, Galu, Diane, Taysia and Tua Tagovailoa pose for a family portrait. Taylor is a 2020 graduate of Thompson High School.

Diane was born in Hawaii and Galu Tagovailoa was born in American Samoa–an unincorporated U.S. territory located approximately 2500 miles south of the Hawaiian islands–and moved to the state when he was five. The couple settled in Ewa Beach, a small city on the island of Oahu and raised their children amongst a large extended biological and church family.

The community cheered Tua Tagovailoa on as he led Saint Louis High School in Honolulu to the 2016 state title and became the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback recruit in the class of 2017; it then followed closely his journey to select a college destination.

Tua momDad Courtesy Tagovailoa Family
Tua Tagovailoa, the oldest of Gala and Diane Tagovailoa,’s four children, loved playing football from an early age in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. Photo Courtesy Tagovailoa Family

Intertwined in the Tagovailoa’s family life is a reliance on religious values and church life. At Message of Peace Church in Ewa Beach, where Tua’s aunt and uncle serve as pastors, the Tagovailoa family raised their children on the values of Christ. At home, the family continued that spiritual upbringing, gathering every afternoon for prayer services in their home. “At 6 o’clock, we get together. Every afternoon,” Galu Tagovailoa said. “Our family gets together and prays. We rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us. And that’s the same thing we do here in Alabama.”

Tagovailoa said there’s no option to not practice faith; it’s integral to everything his family does. “Our faith comes from our upbringing,” he said. “In Samoa, church is everything. Everyone goes to church and we are together teaching our children the importance of church and God. We’ve done everything we can to continue to carry on that legacy with our children.”

With that faith comes an understanding, Tagovailoa said, that God can equip you with the values to get through any circumstances whether positive or negative. “Faith comes with a lot of important values,” he said “Love, respect, being kind, but also being honest and upfront. It also means knowing that you can glorify God through everything.”

Galu hugs Tua Tagovailoa after the 26-23 National Championship Win over Georgia on January 9 2018. Photo Courtesy Kent Gidley

That leaning on faith and family was on display throughout Tua’s years at the University of Alabama, and continued just this April when he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins. “I think the motivation for me getting this far is my family. It’s not just me out there. It’s me carrying my family’s name and everyone who’s helped me be who I am today,” he said at a press conference announcing that he’d forego his senior year to enter the draft. “I’ve heard my parents say many times that it takes a village to raise a child. When you get where you’re going, don’t forget to turn back around and help the next in line.”

Tua Tagolvailoa left Alabama with the most career touchdowns in the history of the school, and now heads to the Miami Dolphins where he was selected as the Fifth Overall Pick in the NFL Draft. Photo Courtesy University of Alabama Athletics

Coming to Alabama. Tua Tagovailoa had his pick of offers to play collegiate football, but said ultimately that Southern hospitality and Nick Saban’s character were integral to his decision. As was a prophetic word given to him by a relative that he’d play football in Tuscaloosa.

The faith-based decision led the entire Tagovailoa immediate family to relocate to Alabama, where they settled in Alabaster and enrolled their younger children at Thompson High School. They also joined the Church of the Highlands, which Tua had discovered early in his move to Tuscaloosa and excitedly told his parents about.

Being close to their son was the only decision they felt comfortable making. “We love the Alabama people, we love it here, and it’s our home now,” Galu Tagovailoa said, noting that he has been uplifted and encouraged by the love extended toward Tua and his entire family. He takes that acceptance seriously, he said, and challenges everyone in his family to be real and true in their dealings with others–especially the Tide faithful. “We’re just regular people, and we don’t need to be lifted up because of what Tua’s doing. It shouldn’t change us, and it shouldn’t change what people think of us,” he said. “Fame won’t change the Tagovailoa family. We live in Christ, and are just so grateful for the platform so we can allow others to see what God has done for us.”

The attention thrust on the family grew with every new success achieved by Tua–but then took a different turn, when a devastating injury took Tagovailoa out of the 2019 matchup against Mississippi State. The dislocated hip and posterior wall fracture sidelined him for the rest of the season and put into question his future at Alabama and in the NFL.

Galu and Dinae Tagovailoa enjoy a moment with Taulia and Tua at the 2018 Heisman Trophy Ceremony where Tua finished runner-up to Oklahoma quarterback, Kyler Murray. Photo Courtesy Crimson Tide Photos, Kent Gidley

Looking to the Future. Galu Tagovailoa said that the injury and ensuing uncertainty was a challenge–but that his family looked to God’s guidance through it, as in every other situation. He recalled waiting for Tua to wake up from the surgery to repair his hip injury, wondering what his son’s attitude and countenance would be. “When he woke up he asked me, ‘Are you all right? Is everything okay?’ He was worried about his mother,” he said. “He started laughing and singing. He had a positive attitude that he would continue to glorify God through everything.”

“With things like the injury, you want what’s best for your kid and your heart goes out to them,” he said. “But then you take a step back as parents and allow God to calm everything down and tell you, ‘That’s life. What are you going to do about it now?’” Tagovailoa said that experience reminded him that he can learn from his children. “It’s an uplifting feeling when you see those things in your kids. You learn a lot through them,” he said. “My wife cried, seeing him support us and support his team and brother and family. It was a beautiful thing.”

As Tua looks to his future in Miami, his father said that the message to his son is still the same–to honor God and use his reputation as a platform. “Tua knows he can’t let this fame and the things happening in his life change him and who he is as a Christian,” he said. “The most important thing is that now he has an even bigger platform for God. Look at the effect that he has. And we remind him about that, and also realize that we need to do the same thing. It goes both ways, and we have to be accountable to God as well.”

-Cheryl Wray

Cheryl Wray is a freelance writer who covers sports for the Alabama Media Group. She is the coordinator of the Southern Christian Writers Conference. Visit www.southernchristianwriters.com and join the “Southern Christian Writers Conference” Facebook Group.

Enjoy this story? Click here to read the full June 2020 issue! 

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Ashley on SET 2 1

Cover Story

Would you move into a RV with your three young children and spouse? That is exactly what CBS 42 Chief Meteorologist Ashley Gann did more than four months ago and calls it an amazing family experience! Here’s a look into the life of this trailblazer who gives God all the glory.

Ashley Gann joined the CBS 42 Weather Team in 2015 as the only female Chief Meteorologist in Birmingham.

Life as a Meteorologist. Gann recalls always having a respect and wonderment with weather. She grew up in Atlanta, Ga. and at the age of thirteen attended a space camp that included weather classes. “I finished up space camp and told my mom, ‘Hey, Mom, when I grow up, I want to be a meteorologist.’” Gann pursued her goal, majoring in aerospace engineering at Auburn University and earning her master’s degree in meteorology from Mississippi State University in 2007. Gann admits she faced many obstacles when she went into the field of meteorology including a large gender gap, since only eight percent of chief meteorologists are female. She was often the only female in her math classes and did not have a female mentor to look up to in the field. With gratitude she shares, “The challenges and hurdles made me who I am. It’s made me stronger, more resilient and compassionate toward the adversities others are facing.” Because of her perseverance, she became the first female Chief Meteorologist in the state of Alabama and is still the only one in Birmingham. Gann is also passionate about being a mentor to anyone interested in or preparing to enter the field of meteorology. “Reach out to me if you have any questions because I love to walk students through what that journey looks like.”.

Besides wife, mom and meteorologist, Ashley Gann also holds the title of Mrs. Alabama International 2017, an experience that gained her lifelong friends. She is seen here with her mother Cindy Taylor.

“It’s not all roses,” Gann reflects about being a meteorologist on television. She explains that she may have to wake up at crazy hours or cut a family trip short if a hurricane is coming. Her least favorite part of her job is centered around social media and the negative comments people leave on her feed. “People are very opinionated on my look, my hair, my clothes, my pregnancy,” she says, “I could do without that, but adversity makes for stronger people.” There are sacrifices Gann makes, but she shares that being a meteorologist is an extremely rewarding job too. Her favorite part is being able to serve people by making them aware of severe weather threats. “When people say, ‘When that storm came through and I got to my safe place, it was because I heard you say my street name or my city. I did what you told me to and that’s why I’m here today.’” Gann adds that those messages remind her, “Why I do what I do.”

Ashley and Derek Gann married in 2013 and they have three children: Reagan (6), D.C. (4), and Rhett (18 months). Derek and his brother David provide mobility and accessibility solutions for area families through their business 101 Mobility.

Life as a Mother. Of all of Gann’s titles in life, being mom is her favorite. Gann and her husband Derek have three children: Reagan (6), D.C. (4), and Rhett (18 months). “As a Christian, I get to be one of the first people to teach my children about Jesus. I literally have the opportunity to live my life in a way that leads them to salvation,” says Gann, admitting that this responsibility can be overwhelming as well as joyful. Ashley recalls that when she and Derek were expecting their first child, a mentor shared with them, “Teach them about Jesus and have fun. If you do those two things and do them well, your children will be just fine.” Those are the words the couple still lives by as parents of three. “If Jesus is my model in how I parent, that’s all that matters.” Gann adds she believes it is important to give yourself grace as a parent. She has learned that balance is key, so she doesn’t try to be perfect. She also is passionate about incorporating her children into the simple, necessary things like cleaning.

Life as a Woman of Faith. Gann and her husband, Derek, both accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior at an early age. She says they strive to live by the mantra “How are we making the biggest impact for the kingdom?” They both believe that wherever you are in the world, that is your mission field. “We want whatever message we are giving people at church on Sunday, on television during the week or at the grocery store to match,” she adds, “We want to be light in the world. We want to be Jesus people.”

Chief Meteorologist Ashley Gann and her family have spent the last four months living in an RV at camp sites where they explore nature, hike and enjoy God’s creation.

Life in the RV. The Ganns decided to purchase a camper to have fun with the family on the weekends. “My husband and I have no camping experience at all,” Gann admits but they thought it presented a great way to be more intentional with their time with their children with little or no distractions. Fast forward one year. In the midst of trying to sell their home, the couple quickly discovered how difficult it can be to live in a house while it is on the market. They decided, after six months of planning, to upgrade their camper to an RV and live in it while selling their house. Gann shares that she always dreamed of living in a tiny house, “but my husband isn’t a tiny person 6’6.” Living in the RV was the next best thing. Gann shares that her family spends most of their time at Oak Mountain State Park but have found great spots all around Alabama to call home for the last four months. Gann says the adventure has been fun and enlightening. As they downsized and decluttered, she says the family gained a new understanding of what is truly important to them. For instance, most of the Gann kids’ toys can now be found outside! “They get to explore the woods and we get to go on two-hour hikes anytime.” Gann believes that living in an RV has also given her family more time to invest in each other since less time is needed to do things like cleaning the house. When will the RV adventure end? The Gann’s aren’t exactly sure, but you can keep up with their journey on Gann’s Facebook page.

-Melissa Armstrong 

Enjoy this story? Click here to read the full May 2020 issue! 

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Cover Story

“One love can change your life; one life can change the world.”  That is the tagline for the newly released film I Still Believe, based on the life of contemporary Christian singer Jeremy Camp and his relationship with his first wife Melissa, who died of cancer in 2001. The movie was shot in Mobile, Ala. and the surrounding areas, as “it had the landscape and topography we were looking for,” producer Kevin Downes explained. Downes, along with Birmingham natives Jon and Andrew Erwin, produced I Still Believe as well as the inspirational movies Mom’s Night Out, Woodlawn, and I Can Only Imagine, which was the #1 box office grossing, independent film of the year in 2018.

Jon & Andy
Birmingham natives Jon Erwin and brother Andy Erwin directed I Still Believe as well as independent film blockbuster, I Can Only Imagine. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate

Kingdom Story Company. Downes and the Erwin brothers along with Tony Young are the founders of Kingdom Story Company, which partners with Lionsgate Entertainment to strive to create life-changing content from a variety of talented storytellers.  “When I go to the movies, I want to be entertained, but if I’m encouraged and inspired in my own life, then that’s a huge win. And so those are the types of stories that I love to tell,” says Downes. “True stories that showcase the power of the Gospel and stories of the Bible.” He adds that all the company founders are passionate about telling these stories, and audiences seem to love them.

Where I Still Believe originates. Downes and his wife were attending a Jeremy Camp concert about eight years ago, and Camp was talking about his wife Melissa and what they had gone through with her cancer and her untimely death. Downes adds that he and his wife both had tears in their eyes, and she mentioned to him (or gave him the elbow, he says) that he should make Camp’s story into a movie someday. Around the time he was filming I Can Only Imagine, he brought the idea for Camp’s story to the Erwin brothers. He remembers telling them that they “really needed to dive in and see what this story is all about.” The Erwins loved the story, and they all decided it would be their next movie.

Andy & KJ
Director Andy Erwin on the set with I Still Believe star KJ Apa. Photo Credit: Michael Kubeisy

Andy Erwin shares that Lionsgate has put all their resources behind the filmmakers in order to create I Still Believe. This is a big difference from how the film team had to approach the production of I Can Only Imagine. “No one expected it to do anything. We had to self finance to put it in theaters. It was predicted to do very little, and it did 17 million across the country and went on to steamroll.” Erwin adds, “I’m not my films, I feel very called to tell the stories that really move my heart and this is satisfying in and of itself for an audience.”

Made in Alabama. “We feel passionate about staying in the South. When choosing whether to shoot in Los Angeles or in our own backyard, we will pick our backyard every time,” explains Erwin. “We also feel passionate about people we do movies for and don’t want to get absorbed by the system on a stage celebrating about ourselves.”

Kevin Downes
Kevin Downes along with Jon & Andy Erwin are three of the four founders of Kingdom Story Company, an American film and television studio in partnership with Lionsgate specializing in the production of Christian films.

Downes praised the Mobile area, indicating that the residents were very friendly, the food was great, and that he would love to film in the area again. He and the Erwin brother spent about two months filming the movie in Mobile. Besides Mobile, the crew visited Fairhope, which he described as an “idyllic little postcard town”; Dauphin Island, where the wedding of Jeremy and Melissa was filmed; and Gulf Shores, where the city’s annual Hangout Festival served as the backdrop for one of the film’s concert scenes. Downes appreciates the festival organizers for the “gift” of letting them use the stage and observe the audience’s excitement.

I Still Believe
KJ Apa plays Jeremy Camp and Britt Robertson plays Melissa Henning Camp in the newly released movie I Still Believe, filmed right here in Alabama. Beginning March 27 through April 28, you can watch the movie in your home via Video on Demand. “We’re proud to have the opportunity to share online a movie whose inspiring message of love, hope and faith is perfect for these uncertain times,” explained Birmingham natives Andy and Jon Erwin in an interview with The Wrap. Photo Credit: Jason LaVeris

A Well Rounded Cast. 22-year-old KJ Apa, a native of New Zealand plays Jeremy Camp. Downes describes him as a “talented kid with an old soul,” and notes his favorite scene in the film is an intimate moment between Apa and Britt Robertson, who plays Camp’s wife. Without giving too much of the scene away, Downes shares that it makes the viewer see how much Jeremy loved Melissa: “KJ sings acapella, with no background music, just him and his voice to the camera, singing to her. You see his heart poured into it, really beautiful.” The rest of the principal cast includes actor Gary Sinise and singer songwriter Shania Twain as Jeremy Camp’s parents.

Downes observed that all of the actors were really invested in the story. He noted that the cast, including Sinise and Twain, made shooting the film an enjoyable experience, particularly in a scene where Camp’s parents come to visit him at college. Those scenes were filmed at Spring Hill College, and Downes says that Sinise and Twain “made it a lot of fun,” displaying great charisma and personality.

I Still Believe
Singer songwriter Shania Twain plays Jeremy Camp’s mother in I Still Believe. Photo Credit: Michael Kubeisy

Message of the Film. Downes is very proud of how the movie came together and is sure that audiences of all ages will gravitate toward it because of its positive message. “I think, whether you’re young or old, there is something in this movie for you because we all have relationships in our lives, whether or not we’re married,” Downes says, “and this movie is such a visual example of how to love your neighbor and treat them in a way that’s often better than ourselves, and what happens when we actually do that and serve one another.”  He also adds that it’s a message that is so needed in today’s society, “how it’s all about ‘me me me’, and people kinda take from each other. Yet here’s this visual example of true love.”

Downes believes that audiences young and old will really grasp the overall theme of unconditional love in the midst of circumstances as they watch how Camp puts everything in his life aside in order to serve Melissa. He encourages people to see the film not just for the sights and sounds of Alabama, but for the true story that resonates throughout the film. “Even though this is a love story with kind of a sad element, they [viewers] should know they will be encouraged and inspired by going and watching this movie.”

-Adrian Bates 

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Cover Story

S. Truett & Jeannette Cathy
When Chick-fil-A first opened in 1946, founder S. Truett Cathy was 27 years old and his wife Jeannette was only 25 years old.

Truett Cathy founded one of the largest fast food restaurant chains in America, Chick-fil-A, in 1946. Do you recognize the name Jeannette M. Cathy? Wife to Truett Cathy, Jeannette played a very important role in Chick-fil-A’s success, albeit mostly behind the scenes. Trudy Cathy White watched her mother provide their family with a quiet strength grounded in faith. “She was very committed, passionate and full of compassion for people. My mother was an encourager and a real prayer warrior.” The impact of her mother was so strong, White felt compelled to share her legacy with others in her latest book A Quiet Strength: The Life and Legacy of Jeannette M. Cathy. Although Jeannette passed away in 2015, Trudy Cathy White believes her impact will be felt for generations to come.

 Surprising Facts. White shares that her mother had a difficult childhood. She never knew her earthly father because he left the family when Jeannette was only three months old. However, at a very young age, Jeannette was introduced to her heavenly Father. “My mom had a very vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ, and she was totally captivated by the idea that she could have a Father and that He would be a perfect Father to her.” Jeannette had a unique childhood because her mother was a talented seamstress and as her daughter, she spent countless hours growing up backstage in the Fox Theater in Atlanta, Georgia. Jeannette was able to achieve her dream of attending college and seminary thanks to ladies from her church who put their money together to make it happen. “She continued that learning spirit. She was a lifelong learner but was rarely in the spotlight,” says White. Her mom became a self-taught artist at the age of 65.

Jeannette Cathy Painting
Jeannette M. Cathy became a self-taught artist at the age of 65. Her daughter, Trudy Cathy White, explains that her mother was an encourager and prayer warrior that lived a Christ-centered life until she passed away at the age of 92.

Jeannette’s Legacy as a Mother & Wife. White shares that her mother taught her children the importance of building their lives on what mattered most- Jesus. “My mother always reminded us that we needed to know who we were and whose we were.” She also knew the importance of taking time to be still before the Lord. As a child, White remembers finding her mother reading her Bible and praying often, even during a busy day. “Everything in her life taught me what it meant to walk with the Lord.” Jeannette also played a critical support role as the wife of Truett Cathy. “While Dad was focused on building the business, Mom was focused on building the family.” White adds that her mother cared deeply for others from all walks of life and nurtured a positive attitude. “She was the type of person that when it rained, she would get out her brightest umbrella.”

Trudy Cathy White Family portrait with husband kids grandkids
Trudy Cathy White and her husband John have been married for 40 years and have four children and fifteen grandchildren. The couple served as overseas missionaries for 10 years and later co-founded LifeShape, a ministry committed to restoring children at risk, cultivating servant leaders and discipling the nations. They also cofounded Impact 360 Institute which offers life-changing experiences that help students live out their faith with confidence. The program includes worldview studies, experiential learning, international travel and leadership training.

Chick-fil-A Business Principles. Both of White’s parents modeled perseverance. “You can, with God” was a phrase that her mother often said. She shares that her father’s second restaurant burned to the ground, but he didn’t let that challenge stop him. Both parents taught their children how to press on, even when the circumstances were not easy. Her father especially taught her how to honor and merge Biblical principles in both her professional life as a Chick-fil-A ambassador, author and former missionary and in her personal life as a wife, mother and grandmother. White shares that her family is still deeply committed to the original business purpose of Chick-fil-A established by her parents. “That purpose is to glorify God by being a faithful steward to all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.” Her parents also modeled how to keep charitable giving a foundation in the family business. White emphasizes that this idea does not just apply to monetary giving, but the Chick-fil-A family strives to be generous with their time, talents and influence in order to glorify God.

Trudy Cathy White with mom Jeannette and daughter Angela
Although the Whites live in Atlanta, Ga. they frequent Birmingham to see their daughter Angela and her family. Angela is pictured here with her mother Trudy and grandmother Jeannette.

Birmingham Connections. White attended Samford University and at the age of nineteen, she became the youngest Chick-fil-A operator, overseeing the company’s restaurant just miles from campus. White also met and fell in love with her Birmingham native husband, John White, during this time. While they lived in Birmingham during their college years, they were active members of Shades Mountain Baptist Church. The Whites served as missionaries in Brazil for 10 years with the International Mission Board and eventually settled in Atlanta, the home of Chick-fil-A, where White currently serves as a Chick-fil-A ambassador. Their daughter Angela lives in Birmingham with her husband Brent Fielder and their four children and they continue a role in the family business. Angela’s husband operates the Chick-fil-A Greystone location. White frequently visits Birmingham to see family and friends and adds that while she’s here she always makes plans to eat at Gus’s Hot Dogs and Davenport’s Pizza Palace. “Outside of Chick-fil-A, of course, we love to eat there.” Her favorite items on the Chick-fil-A menu? Chick-n-Minis and the original chicken sandwich with extra pickles!

A Quiet Strength
Trudy Cathy White explains that her new book, A Quiet Strength is similar to a memoir and is full of stories about her mother’s life. The book uncovers her role in the success of the nationwide restaurant chain Chick-fil-A.

A Quiet Strength. White hopes her new book of short stories about her mother’s life and legacy as a Christian wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother will inspire readers and be great reference for her family for generations to come. “Anybody that is wanting to focus on how to build their life and focus on the things that really matter in life, I think they will really enjoy reading the book and find it to be really encouraging.” White adds that she is trusting the Lord to use the book to bring honor to her mother. “Under my breath, I keep saying ‘Mom, I hope you’re okay with this,’ because she was such a behind the scenes person, and I am really putting her out there now.” A Quiet Strength is available for purchase online and in stores beginning March 10, 2020. Read more about White, her family and her other books at www.trudycathywhite.com.

–Melissa Armstrong

 

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