Join The Parkinson Association of Alabama for their Inaugural Tulip Gala on September 18 starting at 6 p.m. at The Country Club of Birmingham. This event will be an unforgettable evening dedicated to raising critical funds for the thousands of Alabama families affected by Parkinson’s disease.
Together, we’ll raise hope and critical funds for Alabama families living with Parkinson’s disease. The night will include a cocktail reception, an elegant seated dinner, live and silent auctions, a wine pull, raffle, and unforgettable music by Dr. Harrison Walker and Cooper & Johnson Trent. Black tie optional. Learn more at tulipgala.org.
Divorce Care at Double Oak Community Church (located in the town of Mt Laurel)
Divorce Care is a video-based support group that provides practical tools for coping with separation or divorce. This group is open to anyone in our community to attend free of charge. The Divorce Care workbook is available for a discounted rate of $10.
Divorce Care will meet on Wednesdays starting August 13 through November 19, 6:15 pm – 7:30 pm.
The group will meet in The Annex (located on the back side of the Double Oak Community Church-Community Building located at 112 Olmsted Street). A small parking lot area is located on the back side of the building and the entrance to the Annex faces that parking lot.
Divorce Care is a part of the church’s MidWeek programming, so events will be taking place at the same time for Preschool (Birth-PreK), Kids (K-5th), Middle School (6th-8th) and High School (9th-12th) should you have children that would like to attend.
Please contact Bud & Mary Ussery for more information about Divorce Care ([email protected]) or call the church for details at 205-995-9752.
GriefShare at Double Oak Community Church (located in the town of Mt Laurel)
GriefShare Grief & Loss Support Group at Double Oak Community Church is open to anyone who has lost a loved one to death and is still struggling with navigating the grief process. This group is open to anyone to attend free of charge.
GriefShare will meet on Mondays starting August 11 through November 17 (not meeting on designated holidays), 6 pm – 7:30 pm each week. The group will meet in The Annex (located on the back side of the Double Oak Community Church-Community Building located at 112 Olmsted Street). A small parking lot area is located on the back side of the building and the entrance to the Annex faces that parking lot. Please contact Kelly Stephenson if you have any questions and are interested in joining the group.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Being thankful means expressing gratitude, having a sense of appreciation, and acknowledging a benefit received or blessing. An attitude of gratitude is personal, positive, powerful, and leads to praise.
Personal. Thanksgiving must be individually expressed. It is not something someone else can do for you. There are three factors for thanksgiving to be complete:
Something to be grateful for
Someone to give thanks to
The act of giving thanks
Positive. Being thankful is extremely positive and optimistic. You can’t be negative and thankful at the same time. Try it, you can’t!
Powerful. Being thankful encourages:
Honesty- Reflecting that life is not all bad- the good outweighs the bad.
Humility- Realizing I can’t take credit for the blessings.
Healthy- Being positive, hopeful, and optimistic contributes to better health.
Happy- a grateful heart leads to a satisfied soul.
Holy- When you are thanking God for His blessings, your focus is on Him.
Leads to Praise. Gratitude to God paves the way for praise, and praise opens the door for worship.
Be encouraged to express appreciation and gratitude to God for His provision, protection, and blessing in all circumstances.
A woman of God, a survivor of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide, a true testimony of faith that can and is moving mountains. Immaculee IIibigiza is a motivational speaker who will speak at Prince of Peace Catholic Church on July 23. Every denomination is welcome to come hear her speak. Children 10 and up are welcome with a parent. All ages 10 and up are welcome. This is a family event and will move your faith! Ignite your faith and soften heart. Payment is via cash, check, cc, or Venmo. Email Danielle Poe of Salt + Light Ministry at [email protected] to reserve your tickets that are $25 per person.
Encouraging Word
Relating to sports, the term “A Game” refers to giving it your all, doing your best, and being committed. As we go through life and encounter challenges and adversity, there are areas we need to focus on in bringing our “A Game.” In Matthew 26:41, Jesus said to be alert, to be on guard, to keep watching and praying for the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. What are some areas of our life that we need to be aware of and attentive to? I call these areas our “A Game.” They are attitude, appetite, ambition, attraction, and allegiance. If these areas are not managed, they will manage you.
1. Attitude. Attitude is a mindset or a way of looking at things with your mind. Our intellectual capacity is vital. Proverbs 23:7 KJV says, “whatsoever a man thinketh within himself, so is he.” Thinking precedes behavior. Remember the song, “Be careful little mind what you think.”
2. Appetite. Appetite is a natural desire to satisfy a bodily need. It can refer to more than food. What is it that you hunger and thirst for? Matthew 5:6 says we are to “hunger and thirst for righteousness.” God’s grace is sufficient to meet our needs.
3. Ambition. Ambition is a strong desire to do or achieve that requires hard work and determination. Our ambition should be to become more Christ-like (Romans 8:29). Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Our desire should be to please God, not man.
4. Attraction. Attraction is that which draws, allures, or entices. It is what captures your attention. Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” Make sure you have a clean heart, a clear mind, and a close walk with God.
5. Allegiance. Allegiance is loyalty or commitment to a person or cause. As Christ-followers, our allegiance is to God. We submit to Him and Jesus Christ becomes our Lord (Romans 10:9).
So, as you travel life’s journey, make sure you bring your “A Game.”
Jesus begins His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:1-10 with the beatitudes. What are the beatitudes? They are defined as supreme blessedness or a proper attitude that will bring divine favor or blessing. Attitude is defined as a way of thinking that influences one’s behavior. Let’s look at the beatitudes that Christians should strive to incorporate into their life.
1. Poor in spirit. Found in Matthew 5:3, this beatitude means to be “lacking in arrogance” (Romans 12:3), to not be self-sufficient (Matthew 16:24), and to be dependent on God for all good things.
2. To Mourn. This beatitude in Matthew 5:4 means to have deep sorrow or regret over sin. Godly sorrow produces repentance. Those who mourn will be comforted.
3. Be Meek. Meekness is the beatitude found in Matthew 5:5. To be meek is to be gentle and humble, to have patient restraint, and to be submissive to authority. The meek will inherit the earth (Matthew 6:33), as they submit to God and seek His will.
4. Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness. This beatitude found in Matthew 5:6 means to pursue God (Jeremiah 29:13). To pursue means to be diligent, to chase, and follow. Righteousness is living in a right relationship with God. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be satisfied.
5. Be Merciful. Mentioned in Matthew 5:7, this beatitude means to have compassion and concern for those suffering, to demonstrate forgiveness, and to withhold punishment or retaliation. Mercy is a two-way exchange- you must receive mercy and grant mercy.
6. Pure in Heart. This beatitude in Matthew 5:8 is defined as being clean, morally good, sincere, honest, free from corruption and compromise, and untainted with evil (James 1:27). Only those “spiritually clean,” shall see God.
7. Peacemakers. Found in Matthew 5:9, this beatitude describes someone who promotes peace through reconciliation. A peacemaker helps people find peace with God and one another (II Corinthians 5:20). Peacemakers shall be called sons/daughters of God.
8. Persecuted. This beatitude in Matthew 5:10 means to be treated cruelly or unfairly because of your faith. As Christians, we should stand our ground and live out our convictions no matter what. Persecution should not hinder us.
If we apply these beatitudes to our lives, we will be blessed and receive God’s favor.
An essential is something that is absolutely necessary. Psalm 100 mentions four characteristics that are necessary for the Christian.
1. Joy. The first essential mentioned is joy (Psalm 100:1-2). The dictionary defines joy as completely happy or blessed. A Biblical definition is “the confident assurance of God’s presence.” There is a difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is an emotional response to external circumstances. Joy is a spiritual fruit that comes from within the Christian (Galatians 5:22). Joy can be interrupted by sin yet restored through repentance (Psalms 51:12).
2. Service. The second essential is Godly service (Psalm 100:2). To serve is to perform duties for another and to show compassion for others. Galatians 5:13-14 says we are to serve one another, and we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. Joshua 24:15 instructs us to serve the Lord.
3. Humility. The third essential mentioned is humility (Psalm 100:3). Here the psalmist says humility comes when we acknowledge who we are in relation to who God is. He is our Creator, and we are His people. Romans 12:3 says not to think more highly of yourself than you ought. And James 4:10 says to humble yourself in the presence of the Lord.
4. Thanksgiving. The fourth essential mentioned is thanksgiving (Psalm 100:4). Thanksgiving is to express appreciation, be grateful, and have an attitude of gratitude. A thankful spirit helps keep you humble, honest, healthy, happy, and holy.
What is the basis for these Christian essentials? It’s the Lord. Psalm 100:5 says, “For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.” These are essentials that every Christian needs: joy, service, humility, and thanksgiving.
Life has its ups and downs, its good days and bad days. As we travel life’s journey, we will climb to the mountain top and travel through the valleys. Even though we would like to be we are not exempt or excused from the adversity and challenges that life brings. As we experience life, we will at times struggle, stumble, suffer, need to sacrifice, and surrender. We must learn how to respond to these different situations along the way.
Struggle. Life has its struggles. Struggling is to strive to attain something in the face of difficulty or resistance. In John 16:33, Jesus said, “In the world you have tribulation but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
Stumble. As you go through life, there will be times you will stumble. Stumbling is to trip or lose momentum or to make a mistake. In I John 2:1, the Apostle John writes that if we do sin (stumble), we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ. Our responsibility is to repent, get up, and keep going.
Suffer. Unfortunately, in life, suffering is unavoidable. Suffering is to experience something unpleasant or to be in a state of continued difficulty. I am learning that suffering has its place. Romans 5:3-5 tells us that suffering leads to perseverance, proven character, and hope.
Sacrifice. As you travel life’s journey, on occasion there will be a need to sacrifice. Sacrificing is the act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important. Romans 12:1 says, “…to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” We need to sacrifice selfishness for holy living.
Surrender. To be successful in life, we need to learn how to surrender. Surrendering is to submit to authority. In Matthew 16:24, Jesus said, “…If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny (surrender) himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” We need to follow Jesus’ example and surrender our will to God’s will!
As we travel life’s road, we will struggle, stumble, suffer, sacrifice, and surrender. Apostle Paul sums it up in 2 Corinthians 4:16, “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.”
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17
My parents divorced when I was young, and my mother was granted full custody. She married an alcoholic who sexually molested me. Fortunately, my kindergarten teacher noticed the signs of abuse and asked if I was being hurt. DHR was called, and I was immediately placed in my father’s custody. In the beginning, living with my dad and new stepmother was great, and I felt safe. However, the relationship between them and my mother was contentious. Over the years, those bitter ongoing conflicts took their toll. As a result, things with my stepmother rapidly deteriorated. Her mounting mental health crisis caused disagreements between us to escalate and eventually led to a physical altercation that prompted me to ask my dad if I could leave.
The Rowell family lives in Pell City, Ala. Amanda is a full-time mom and a freelance writer for Big Oak.
The years at Big Oak Ranch were healing. I developed close bonds with my houseparents and ranch siblings. I thrived at Westbrook Christian School and made friendships I keep to this day. I excelled at sports and loved being part of the youth group at our church. It salvaged what was left of my childhood and taught me that the generational curses that wounded me didn’t have to be left unhealed to bleed onto my children. After I left the Ranch, I made some decisions that went against what I had learned there. I had a daughter out of wedlock and then entered an unhealthy relationship with an alcoholic who exhibited abusive behaviors. One particularly hard night, I felt the sweet voice of the Holy Spirit say, “You are repeating the very things I delivered you from.” And I was. With His guidance, I left that relationship. I started all over again as a single mom until I met the man that came in like warm sunshine after a long rain. Lance loved my little girl as his own from the day he laid eyes on her, and seeing their relationship grow allowed me to begin to forgive my own early mistakes as her mother. We are now married and have added two (soon to be 3) more children to our family. Gracelyn (15), August (3), Junah (2) and our baby that is due this summer have parents that have committed to being spiritually and emotionally healthy. We are firmly rooted at Victory Church in Pell City, where we also live. Big Oak was the vessel Jesus used to show me what He could do through a healthy family that served and loved Him. The Ranch’s legacy through me is my deep unyielding heart for Jesus, my beautiful marriage and my precious babies. The greatest “thank you” that I can ever hope to give to Big Oak is to raise a generation that will never need the Ranch for themselves. Instead, maybe they will have hearts and hands to one day serve those, like their mama, that find their home there. -Amanda Rowell
Big Oak Girls’ Ranch Former Resident
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