A special thanks from the family at Mark’s Outdoors for allowing us to serve you for 45 years! Our doors opened in January of 1980 as a small tackle store and has expanded to what you see today! From five employees and less than 2,000 square feet to 30 employees and over 15,000 square feet! We could not have done this without you!
Mark Whitlock, Sr. and Mark Jr. in the early years. Mark Sr. ran Markâs Outdoors for more than 32 years. Today son Mark Jr. continues the tradition of equipping families with what they need to enjoy the outdoors.
Mark Sr. and Mo started the store with the idea to put customers first and foremost. To make friends and turn them into customers. And to make them enjoy their shopping experience unlike many other stores.
45 years and going strong shows that it worked! Mark Sr. and Mo might not be with us anymore; but the family keeps the tradition going! Mark Jr. runs the store and mom Dana handles the financials. “We have the best crew members here!” says Mark Jr. “What keeps people coming back is familiar faces when you walk in the door and the family friendly atmosphere. We still try to call people by their first name when they walk into the store.â These are the things that keep Marks Outdoors going!
As we think about the changes we want to make in 2025, many of us are mapping out resolutions and thinking of specific words we want to anchor to this year. If you have financial goals for 2025, why not add a few financial resolutions to your list? Here are a few to consider.
Reduce your debts. It may be easier said than done, but if you can cut down on your debt load, youâll increase your cash flow and have more money available to invest for your future. So, look for ways to lower your expenses and spending. You might find it helpful to use one of the budgeting apps available online.Â
Boost your retirement savings. Try to put in as much as you can afford to your IRA and your 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan. If your salary goes up this year, youâve got a good opportunity to increase your contributions to these retirement accounts. And once you turn 50, you can make pre-tax catch-up contributions for your 401(k) and traditional IRA. You might also want to review the investment mix within your 401(k) or similar plan to determine whether itâs still providing the growth potential you need, given your risk tolerance and time horizon.
Build an emergency fund. Itâs generally a good idea to maintain an emergency fund containing up to six monthsâ worth of living expenses, with the money kept in a liquid, low-risk account. Without such a fund, you might be forced to dip into your long-term investments to pay for short-term needs, such as an expensive auto or home repair.Â
Keep funding your non-retirement goals. Your traditional IRA and 401(k) are good ways to save for retirement â but you likely have other goals, too, and youâll need to save and invest for them. So, for example, if you want your children to go to college or receive some other type of post-secondary training, you might want to invest in a tax-advantaged 529 education savings plan. And if you have short-term goals, such as saving for a wedding or taking an overseas vacation, you might want to put some money away in a liquid account. For a short-term goal, you donât necessarily need to invest aggressively for growth â you just want the money to be there for you when you need it.Â
Review your estate plans. If you havenât already created your estate plans, you may want to do so in 2025. Of course, if youâre relatively young, you might not think you need to have estate plans in place just yet, but life is unpredictable, and the future is not ours to see. If you have already drawn up estate plans, you may want to review them, especially if youâve recently experienced changes in your life and family situation, such as marriage, remarriage, or the addition of a new child. Because estate planning can be complex, youâll want to work with a qualified legal professional.
You may not be able to tackle all these resolutions in 2025. But by addressing as many of them as you can, you may find that, by the end of the year, you have made progress toward your goals and set yourself on a positive course for all the years to come.
In the video below, Laci P Graul, CRPSâą dives deeper into financial goals and how you can implement them in the new year.
âAnd the Lord added to their number daily those who were being savedâ (Acts 2:47). Every church was meant to grow. Is yours growing? The Perpetually Growing Church is a how-to book unearthing the best practices of churches experiencing a decade or more of numeric growth.
When a local church is a unified, biblically functioning church, tuned in to the power of the Holy Spirit, culturally relevant, exercising church growth principles and practices, and led by spiritually mature, gifted, God-honoring leaders and pastors, it has the potential of being a perpetually growing church.Â
Author Rick Howerton has given his life to learning church, leading churches, and consulting churches. He has been a church planter, pastor, groups pastor, campus minister, teaching pastor, and church consultant. He is a highly sought-after trainer, speaker, and author of multiple books and Bible studies. Howerton has spent his adult life networking with, consulting, and learning from influential church leaders whose churches experienced numeric growth for ten years or more. They are perpetually growing churches. Many of them are the most influential churches in America. This book unearths the practices that were consistent in those churches. If you want to lead or be part of a perpetually growing church, this book is for you.
What are others saying?
âReading this book is like being able to sit and chat with a trusted friend who knows ministry inside and out. Rick brings decades worth of conversations, strong leadership, and hands-on coaching to the table. I found the book to be challenging and a much-needed encouragement to be dedicated to the Kingdom work and think strategically.â ~Amazon Review by Rodney
âRick has finally done it. He has taken all the church growth and healthy learnings over the last 50 years of the church and served them up in The Perpetually Growing Church. If you are the lead pastor or serve in leadership of your church, this book is a must! There are so many gold nuggets to help your church reach your community, you donât want to miss any of them. If Kingdom focus is the mission of your church, pick this book up.â ~Steve Gladen, Elder and Pastor of Small Groups at Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California
âRick lays out a clear path to leveraging church-growth practices and gives us examples of ministries that are keenly focused on catalyzing conversion growth. Rick’s experience speaks into what makes these places successful at reaching and connecting people to Jesus.â ~Amazon review by Bill DonahueÂ
Thunderfoot. That was my daughter Bayâs nickname because of how heavy her foot planted with each step across the hardwood floors of our old house. One day, those steps came pounding down the hall toward our bedroom. My dad sonar also picked up the familiar, yet much more subtle, pinging of her little sisterâs steps. Both were running, as if the bass drum chased the cymbals- one after another. They rounded the corner, stopped suddenly, and then both looked surprised to see Hannah and I standing there like a catcher waiting at home plate for a runner who should have stayed on third base.
The Merrell girls matured in their relationships together.
Cape was five years old. She started with a whaling âBay hit me!â Her face was fire ant red, but no tears rolled. Bay was eight years old. She batted her eyes a few times at me and shrugged her shoulders, with a Julia Childâs look of âIâm offended at the notion.â The truth was, Bay had been going through a bullying phase. I had already warned her that Cape was growing and catching up with her, but that didnât deter Bay. So, without giving it much thought- and probably in a state of frustration- my response was quick and decisive. âHit her back.â I was sure Cape would ask for clarification or at least ask âAre you sure?â Certainly, she would glance in my direction like the RCA dog seeking affirmation. Instead of a momentary pause or hesitation, Cape reached back as far as she could and brought a haymaker she found somewhere in the neighborâs backyard and clobbered Bay far worse than anything Jake Paul could ever muster. Before I could crack a grin or act shocked, Hannah yelled âWhat are you doing?â Her venom was directed at me so now I had become a menace to society. Bay lay on the floor in a puddle of her tears and humility. Cape seemed to be dusting her hands off and grinned like the cat that ate the canary. Hannah was picking Bay up, yelling at me, and scolding Cape all at the same time. I was secretly impressed with Capeâs roundhouse, yet frustrated by her lack of diplomacy, sympathetic to Bayâs hurt and scared of Hannahâs wrath- and randomly, I craved a Little Debbie.
Walt Merrell recognizes that as a father, God calls him to be present and decisive with his daughters in order to make room for Godâs pruning process.
Twenty minutes later, we all sat on our big green sofa in the living room, snacking on Cosmic Brownies, and watching Auburn football. Bayâs face was still flushed from tears, and she was folded up in Hannahâs lap. Capeâs face was littered with brownie crumbles as she and I jockeyed for the last Little Debbie. I let her win of course. She devoured one half in a single bite, then gave the other half to Bay. Bay smiled, and Cape crawled over and into her arms. Their relationship had matured. From that day forward, Bay never bullied Cape again and Cape never hit Bay again.Â
I wish I could claim some sort of fatherly insight and say âI told you soâ to Hannah, but the truth is, it was not my doing, but His. âEvery branch in me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruitâ (John 15:2). As parents, we sometimes foster the pruning process that He does in our children. That is⊠if we will. Not that I necessarily made the right decision that day- but I decided, nonetheless. And He did His work with my decision. Be present and decisive, parents. Our children need us to hold them accountable so that He can prune.          Â
-Walt Merrell
A Christian Outdoorsman who writes of his adventures with his family, with the hope that others might be inspired and encouraged to embrace Godâs tapestry, otherwise known as the great outdoors, as a means of finding Common Ground. You can follow him at Shepherding Outdoors on FB, YT and IG and at shepherdingoutdoors.com. His most recent book is available at shepherdingbook.com. Read his faith story here.Â
â⊠We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done.â Psalm 78:4
Watching the children who grew up at Big Oak become young adults who are walking pathways built on the foundation of generational change is such an honor. We love receiving wedding & baby shower invitations, graduation announcements and news of milestones reached.Â
Matt and Melody Patton welcomed their baby girl McKenna in August.
We felt so much joy hearing that Melody and Matt were expecting a baby girl, and we knew that Matt was going to be a wonderful girl dad! As her pregnancy progressed, Mel let us know she had been diagnosed with preeclampsia and asked that we pray that Baby McKenna would “stay put” for as long as possible. Requests were shared on the following Monday with the staff during morning prayer at the Ranch offices. We continued to pray as a Ranch family and stayed posted on news about Melâs induction planned for September 3 and the pending arrival of McKenna. On Tuesday, August 27t Mel’s social media post read, “Our September Baby couldn’t wait and decided to be an August Baby! McKenna is here and healthy, and Matt and I couldn’t be more grateful.” We quickly reached out to celebrate with the new parents. It was so good to talk to Mel and hear her voice, so full of relief and joy! Then, to our great delight, came the pictures.
As we reflect on the work your support enables us to do, we are thankful for our houseparents and staff that surround and support our mission of Hope – pouring into the children who currently live at Big Oak. We appreciate the opportunity to open each day in the offices with prayer and praises over our entire Ranch Family. We are grateful for those that paved the way and poured into our Former Residents, the Big Oak connections that will always tie us together and the many other stories that are being lived out, just like Melody’s. Read more of Melody’s story here.
Socks recently came to us and demanded answers. Heâs been with the rescue for over a year now. Heâs watched other cats come in and be adopted out just as quickly. His own brother was adopted right before his eyes. Heâs had several meets and greets with wonderful families and yet, for reasons unknown, he is always passed up. He declares that this makes no sense and has therefore come to sing his own praises.Â
At two years old, Socks is in his prime â equal parts playful and tame. Though he is considered a tuxedo cat, he insists that he wears his tux with more care than most and holds his head high to ensure potential adopters can see just how neat and tidy he keeps his fur. He has spent his time in foster care with both cats and dogs and has developed unmatched patience because of it. Whereas other cats may tremble and run from a canine companion, Socks will bravely approach and even cuddle with his natural enemy if he is so compelled.Â
He may be a little skittish at first, but Socks would like the people to know that he would make the perfect addition to your family for the new year. He is kind and gentle, litterbox trained, and ready to finally find a home of his own. Could you provide that home? Apply at www.twobytworescue.com.
Two by Two is a faith based, no kill rescue whose mission is to give life to abandoned, abused, stray and distressed animals. Saving animal lives for more than 20 years, Two by Two operates out of Birmingham, Alabama, and has coordinated the rescue and adoption of cats, dogs, horses and even a few pot-bellied pigs. Two by Two has placed dogs in almost forty states and even a few abroad! To learn more about Two by Two visit www.twobytworescue.com.
What makes fentanyl deadly. DEA lab testing reveals that six out of every ten fake pills with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose. It only takes a very small dose of fentanyl- 2 milligrams – to be lethal, such as the amount found on the tip of a pencil. Fentanyl use can cause confusion, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, changes in pupil size, cold and clammy skin, coma, and respiratory failure leading to death.Â
Parents and Caregivers. Itâs important to be aware that the drug landscape is dramatically different from when you grew up, or even from just a few years ago. Drug traffickers are using social media to advertise drugs and conduct sales. If you have a smartphone and a social media account, then a drug trafficker can find you. This also means they are finding your kids who have social media accounts. All parents and caregivers need to be educated on current drug threats to be able to have informed talks with their children. Here are six tips:
1. Encourage open and honest communication
2. Explain what fentanyl is and why it is so dangerous
3. Stress not to take any pills that were not prescribed to you from a doctor
4. No pill purchased on social media is safe
5. Make sure they know fentanyl has been found in most illegal drugs
6. Create an âexit planâ to help your child know what to do if theyâre pressured to take a pill or use drugs
Compact 2020 is here to help you educate your child about fentanyl and fake pills. For more information, visit our Facebook page @Compact2020 or call 205-605-1824. To read other articles like this one, visit www.BirminghamChristian.com/COMPACT. â
Did you know COMPACT offers free prevention, intervention, and education for Shelby County students and parents on difficult topics and issues like substance misuse, truancy, behavioral issues, and more? Click to fill out a referral form.
When I think of January what comes to my mind is the traditional meal I serve my family on New Yearâs Day, and how Iâm always hopeful that we might get snow this year. So, letâs talk black-eyed peas and snow cream. On New Yearâs Day, I serve up black-eyed peas with hog jowl for good luck and a big pot of turnip greens for a prosperous year with our money. Of course, I serve that with lots of cornbread and sweet tea as I welcome my family around my table to celebrate and look forward to the new year.
Seen here are the Swann girls in their mittens playing in the snow. L to R: Dinah (Dannaâs twin), Suzanne, and Danna.
I always say that the combination of us Southerners and snow is a delicious phenomenon. You see, it doesnât snow much in the south. We donât get to enjoy it as often as our Northern cousins do, but we do look forward to the possibility of snow. We all run out to buy our milk and bread to prepare if the weatherman even mentions the âsâ word. We get out of school and get to enjoy the peace and quiet of no traffic on the roads and the beauty of our southern terrain covered in beautiful white fluff. It usually melts away by the afternoon, so we feel like it is a gift from God that allows us time off to enjoy His creation in a calming way. Nope, it doesnât snow much in the south, but let me tell you, when we do get a few inches of snow, we make ice cream out of it!
The Standridge children in the Big Snow of 1993 that covered the entire state of Alabama. L to R: Caleb, Lonna, and Joshua.
Yep, Iâm not kidding, we make âsnow creamâ as we call it. For generations in my family, we have turned snow into a dessert. Itâs just what you do on a snowy morning after you get tired of throwing snowballs at each other. My great-grandmothers, my grandmothers, my mother, me, and my daughter have all carried on this Southern tradition, and if you have never had snow cream, give it a try! Itâs an Alabama tradition in our family. Some of my earliest memories are playing in the snow with my twin sister, my older sister, and my little brother. Mom would bundle us up, and off into the snowy world we would go. Running, slipping, rolling, throwing snowballs, and making snowmen were part of our snowy mornings. And when our noses got too cold, we would go to warm up and eat some of Mommaâs snow cream. You see, while we were playing in the snow, our momma sent Daddy on the errand of gathering clean, fresh snow with no animal tracks or debris in it. The optimal place to gather clean snow was the top of the automobiles and the top of the slide of our swing set. Mom sent Dad on the mission with a big bowl and a big spoon. When I had a family of my own, I sent my husband on the snow gathering mission as I bundled up the children for a fun romp in the snow. And, in case you decide to try it, let me give you a few important hints. Donât scoop to the bottom level of snow on the automobile, leave a half inch of snow behind so as not to collect any dirt. And, heaven forbid, never, ever collect yellow snow! Just trust me on that one.
Ingredients: 1 large bowl of fresh snow (2-3 gallons) 2 cups sugar 2 cups milk (heavy cream or evaporated milk may be substituted) 2 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions: Dissolve sugar in milk. Add vanilla. Taste it. Add more sugar, milk, and vanilla as needed to the mixture to get a strong vanilla ice cream taste. Stir in fresh snow with a large spoon. Add snow a little at a time for best results. When it looks like homemade ice cream, itâs ready. Serve immediately.
Happy New Year Black-Eyed Peas
Ingredients: 1 ham hock 3 cups water 3 cups chicken broth 1 lb. black eyed peas, dry 10 oz diced tomatoes with chilis Salt (to taste)
Ingredients: Rinse the peas and look them over for debris. Cover them with water and soak overnight or 8 hours. Drain off water. Place all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Simmer for 2 to 3 hours or until peas are tender and the texture is to your liking. Salt to your taste. Serve with turnip greens and cornbread. *These can be cooked in a crock pot on low for 6-8 hours.
As 2024 comes to a close, and the New Year begins, we are encouraged to begin a new chapter and make a fresh start. To help us do that, we need to both take a look back and look forward.
Look Back. This involves taking a trip down memory lane. As we remember, we review events and reflect on past experiences. As we take a self-inventory, there will be some things where repentance is required. Repent means to express sincere regret or remorse about oneâs wrongdoing or sin. There will also be areas of regret- disappointment over a missed opportunity. We will also discover areas that need improvement. As we look back, we will also be reminded of things to rejoice over and celebrate such as areas where we were successful.
Look Forward. This means being optimistic as we venture ahead. Many will consider making New Yearâs resolutions. To resolve means to make a firm decision to do something. To follow through with a decision requires determination and discipline. A plan with action steps must be developed and preparation is necessary to achieve desired goals. Remember, a goal without a plan is just a wish.
As we enter a New Year, let us seek Godâs will, rely on His presence, and depend on His provision. To assist with your outlook for the New Year be sure to look up. Hebrews 12:2 says to fix your eyes on Jesus and Matthew 6:33 says to seek first the kingdom of God. Looking up will help you to move forward. Have a blessed New Year!
Public school students throughout Ala. are learning the Bible during the school day thanks to School Ministries Alabama. While similar classes have been held nationwide for over 100 years, itâs a relatively new concept for most Ala. schools.Â
Thanks to School Ministries Alabama, students get to learn about the Bible during the school day.
How It Works. âSchool Ministries Alabama is active in communities and school districts around the state to promote one particular free exercise of religion that doesnât entangle the school district or cross over that fictitious âwall of separationâ,â explains Winston Greer, Executive Secretary of the School Ministries Alabama (SMA) Board of Directors.He adds, âIt is a religious freedom that is little known, often misunderstood, and underutilized by the evangelical Christian community. It is called Released Time Bible Education.âReleased Time Bible Education (RTBE) allows parents to grant permission for their child to be excused from public school during the school day to receive private Bible instruction. This practice has been constitutionally permitted since the Supreme Court’s 1952 decision in Zorach v. Clauson, which ruled that students may participate in religious instruction during school hours as long as parental consent is given, the classes are held off public school grounds, and the program is privately funded. âSchool Ministries Alabama is a non-profit, 501(c)(3), state office affiliate of School Ministries, Inc., a national organization of RTBE programs in the U.S. We presently have twelve classes operating in sixAlabama school districts and have been authorized by another three to begin Bible classes in their school districts, with more classes and districts actively pending.â
To learn more about School Ministries Alabama, visit www.smalabama.org.
âSchool Ministries Alabama works within the legal boundaries of the U.S. Constitution and Alabama state law to offer an opportunity for public school students to receive, with the permission of a parent, Bible education during the structure of the school day, and at no cost to the school,â Kasey Burleson, President of School Ministries Alabama, explains, adding, âFor some, this may be the first and only opportunity in their young lives to learn from His Word about the God who creates, forgives, and can lead them with purpose, in peace and joy, their entire life â now and for all eternity.â
Inside the Classroom. âA typical class for intermediate and middle school students meets once a week, and begins with an opening prayer by the teacher followed by a lesson from either Godâs Rescue Mission or  Jesus On Mission Student Guide books, Greer explains. Classes generally close with student requests. Greer adds that the high school elective credit Bible education classes are similar in routine but have to meet the number of contact hours required by the school district for elective course credit, generally five 50-minute class sessions each week. Lessons are taught from SMAâs âWorldviewâ curriculum; the first semester covers the Old Testament and the second semester covers New Testament and World Religions. School Ministries Alabama classes in the Birmingham area include Oak Mountain Intermediate School, Booker T. Washington School, and more. To learn more and register your child to attend SMA, visit www.smalabama.org. â
Brought to you by: Molly Maid of Birmingham, 
