In today’s fast-paced world, it can be difficult to find meaningful ways to slow down and truly connect with the people around us. Between work, school, sports, and endless digital distractions, quality time often takes a back seat. Yet one of the simplest ways to strengthen relationships has been sitting on our shelves all along—a tabletop game.
Everyone is invited to enjoy the fun at 10:25 Tabletop Games. Whether you’re coming solo, as a couple, or with family and friends, there is a spot for you.
Over the past several years, tabletop gaming has experienced a remarkable resurgence. Families, friends, coworkers, church groups, and neighbors are rediscovering the joy of gathering around a table to laugh, strategize, and enjoy one another’s company. Unlike screen-based entertainment, tabletop games encourage face-to-face conversation. Players share stories, solve problems together, celebrate victories, and learn to navigate disappointments with good sportsmanship.
The mural created by local artist Jennifer Joffrion (L) greets you at 10:25 Tabletop Games and reflects owner Terri Harris’ (R) love of her family history that shaped her business dream. Experience the fun at 507 11th Ave SW, Alabaster.
One local business embracing this growing movement is 10:25 Tabletop Games in Alabaster which was inspired by Hebrews 10:24-25, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” This faith-based tabletop game café was created with a simple mission: bringing people together. With a library of more than 300 games, the café offers something for every age and experience level. While visitors come to play games, they often leave with something much more valuable—new friendships, deeper conversations, and a renewed sense of community.
Located in a beautifully restored historic home in the Siluria Mill District, 10:25 Tabletop Games provides a warm, welcoming environment where families, friends, church groups, homeschool families, and even first-time visitors can gather around the table. In addition to its extensive game collection, the café hosts community events, tournaments, game nights, and opportunities for people to meet others who share similar interests. To learn more about 10:25 Tabletop Games and find a calendar of events, visit 1025tabletopgames.com or call 205-873-5316. †
Is the love in your marriage like an enticing, flavorless entrée, appetizing in appearance yet blah in essence? When you said, “I do,” you thought your marriage would overflow with laughter and good times. You never imagined life would include hum-drum days and not-so-happy nights. Marriage for you would be different. You had dreams of fun adventures and delightful romance with your perfect spouse. Those dreams came true and lasted for a while. Now, boredom has replaced the excitement. Do not be discouraged. With a few proven adjustments, you can revive your marriage.
The Analysis. As an irresistible dessert with the wrong ingredients is disappointing, a marriage without luster is disheartening. Does the love in your marriage resemble a distasteful dish? Is there a lack of interest and a determination to withhold affection? What shifted? Did work or unplanned circumstances create tension? Stress and disappointment can weaken your relationship. Ignored, these disruptors spoil the joy of marriage and lead to isolation, disconnection, and misunderstanding.
The Plan. It is time to prepare. Just as delectable savory dishes need salt, herbs, and spices, marriage needs attention and intentionality. Frequent check-ins are crucial to keep a marriage fresh and healthy. May I offer eight ideas to add flavor to your marriage?
Renew your commitment to Christ and each other.
Talk face-to-face with each other.
Listen to understand.
Forgive.
Encourage and compliment.
Reflect on the good times.
Incorporate purposeful changes.
Extend grace and patience as Christ does toward you.
Christ Jesus is the perfect model and teacher. He left an unforgettable picture of sacrificial love, not framed with mushy feelings. This kind of commitment is sometimes difficult, painful, and susceptible to rejection. The Bible describes love this way: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Lean on Christ for help. He cares. He restores unions and makes them new. The psalmist reminds us that God’s love never ends. He writes, “His love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1). Mix love and patience together and allow the Lord to produce what your marriage needs. A healthy marriage thrives from vigilance and care. So, zest up your marriage and watch Christ restore your relationship into one that gratifies. In time, you will enjoy a marriage that is pleasing to you, your spouse, and the Lord.
You’re invited to Biblical Marriage Institute’s Benefit Banquet on Thursday, October 8, 2026. Join the movement to leave a legacy for future generations. Click here for details and registration.
-Vanessa Jones
Mother, Bible teacher, speaker, and writer
Co-founder and Vice President of Biblical Marriage Institute
Vapor Ministries recently celebrated the opening of its newest thrift store in Trussville. Shop great deals and pick up your free copy of Birmingham Christian Family magazine at the store on Mary Taylor Road while supporting the ministries’ mission of serving people in extreme poverty around the world.
A big thank you to the media outlets of Birmingham for helping us get the word out about the Celebrate the Family Expo!
A beautiful butterfly release was recently held at Aldridge Gardens to raise awareness for the silent symptoms of ovarian cancer, remember those who have lost their lives and honor those who are battling or have beaten ovarian cancer. Learn more at cureovariancancer.org. Next event Mahjong October 8, 2026.
A big thanks to Birmingham Barons Baseball General Manager John Cook and his team for giving Birmingham Christian Family magazine the opportunity to host Faith & Family Nights again this year.
Been a part of a recent community event or celebrated a milestone?
Send us a photo and a caption to be included in Community Buzz. Email [email protected].
Expanding its ability to serve adults who want their Christian faith to be an important part of the counseling they receive, Still Waters Counseling and Education Center has added a pastoral counselor to their team.
Bill Brunson will offer Biblical and pastoral counseling to adults in person in Mountain Brook and online throughout Alabama.
Bill Brunson brings more than 35 years of ministry experience to Still Waters, having most recently completed a 14- year tenure as senior pastor of Vestavia Hills Methodist Church. “Bill brings an extraordinary depth of pastoral experience, Biblical knowledge, and genuine care for people,” said Beverly Ward, founder and executive director of Still Waters. “He has spent more than three decades walking alongside individuals and families through the joys, questions, and difficult seasons of life. We are honored to welcome him to Still Waters and excited about the support he will provide to our community.”
At Still Waters, Brunson will offer Biblical and pastoral counseling to adults facing the challenges of caregiving, grief, spiritual struggles, relationship concerns, major life transitions, and questions of purpose and direction. He has a special interest in supporting clergy and others serving in ministry roles. “I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving people through this new role at Still Waters,” Brunson said. “Pastoral counseling provides a place where people can speak honestly about what they are carrying and consider how their faith speaks into the circumstances they are facing. I look forward to walking alongside them with compassion, encouragement, and hope.” To learn more, email [email protected] or call 205-825- 1423. †
Brought to you by: Community Partner Still Waters Counseling and Education Center, mystillwaters.org
Caleb saw the giants too. When Moses sent twelve men to explore the land God had promised Israel, they returned with the same report. The land was good. The cities were fortified. The people were powerful. Ten of the spies looked at what stood before them and concluded, “We can’t attack the people because they are stronger than we are” (Numbers 13:31). Caleb saw the same obstacles but reached a different conclusion: “Let’s go up now and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it!” (Numbers 13:30). The difference was not what Caleb saw. The difference was how he understood what he saw. God later said of Caleb, “But since my servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed me completely, I will bring him into the land” (Numbers 14:24).
Maybe you are facing something much bigger than you: an unexpected loss, a relationship you do not know how to repair, a frightening diagnosis, or a season of uncertainty with no clear ending. Sometimes the giants in front of us are very real. Faith does not require us to pretend otherwise. Caleb did not deny the fortified cities or powerful enemies. He refused to let what he could see become more authoritative than what God had said. He saw the obstacles, but also a greater reality: God was with them, and God could be trusted.
Strong faith does not mean we will never feel afraid. David wrote, “When I am afraid, I will trust in you” (Psalm 56:3). Not if I am afraid. When.
Fear and faith can meet in the same moment. The question is which one we will allow to shape how we see what is before us. For those who have placed their faith in Christ, we do not face those moments alone. God has given us His Spirit, who produces in us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. As we remain rooted in God’s Word and learn to walk by His Spirit, we can increasingly respond to difficulties from what we know about God rather than simply from what we feel.
The giants may be real. The diagnosis may be real. The grief may be real. The uncertainty may be real. But God is real too. And God is bigger. Caleb’s story reminds us that courage is not pretending there is nothing to fear. Sometimes courage is looking honestly at what stands before us and learning to understand it differently, not because the circumstances have changed, but because we remember who God is in the midst of them. The giants don’t always disappear. But with God, they don’t have to define how we understand what we see or determine how we move forward.
Does your closet look like it needs a makeover? Now is a great time to declutter your space while giving back to those in need. Bash Boutique in Hoover is hosting a Clean Your Closet event on Wednesday, October 28, and Thursday, October 29, 2026. Bring your gently used clothing to the store to donate to local nonprofits: The Foundry Ministries, which restores hope and rebuilds lives through Christ-centered recovery, and Vapor Ministries, whose mission is to meet needs, feed souls, and elevate God. As a thank you for your donation, you will receive 20% off a Bash Boutique item of your choice.
Give to those in need and reward yourself by participating in Bash Boutique’s Clean Your Closet Event October 28-29, 2026 in Hoover.
Clean Your Closet Tips. Bash Boutique has three tips to simplify your closet refresh and make it less overwhelming.
Think about how long it’s been since you’ve worn an item. If it has been longer than a year and it is not specifically for a special occasion, then let it go. Put a smile on someone else’s face and donate it.
Ask yourself, does the item fit my body now? Does it make you feel good when you wear it? If you don’t love the way it looks, then donate it to someone who will.
Do you have several of the same items already? If you do, keep the best one and donate the rest. This will help you purge in a way that can help you declutter and have fewer decisions to make when choosing what to wear.
So, let’s get started and plan a visit to Bash Boutique on October 28-29. It’s a win-win-win! Clean your closet, help those in need, and receive a discount on something new you will love. The store is located at 2539 John Hawkins Parkway, Suite 105, Hoover, 35244, bashboutique.net. †
Birmingham Christian Family (BCF) hosted the 7th Annual Celebrate the Family Expo, brought to you by White Lily, on September 12, 2026. Welcoming the largest crowd yet, this year’s Expo featured nearly 60 exhibitors, the Wonders Center & Science Museum Kids’ Zone, the Alfa Farmers Celebrity Chef Stage, live entertainment from Magic City Big Band, food trucks, and much more! We are already preparing for the 8th Annual Celebrate the Family Expo. Here are just a few of the highlights from the free day of family fun at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex’s Finley Center!
The first 200 families that arrived at the Expo received an Expo swag bag packed full of great giveaway items from Expo sponsors.
White Lily was the Expo’s title sponsor, and their giveaways, including dough scrapers and coupons, were a huge hit with attendees!
Alfa Farmers Celebrity Chef Stage was a crowd favorite of the day. The lineup of local chefs included Debbie Goldsmith, Lil Bougie Foodie; Karah Skinner, Rock House Farms; Stephen Ritchey, Christo’s Confections; BCF contributor Danna Standridge, author of Happiness is Homemade, Y’all; and Brenda Gantt, Cooking with Brenda Gantt.
The Chick-fil-A Herd of Cows and the Birmingham Barons Babe Ruff visited and danced with Expo attendees. Babe Ruff found a few furry friends to hang out with as well.
Each attendee received an Expo Bingo card when they arrived. Every booth had a special stamp and if attendees filled out their card by by visiting each booth, they were entered to receive great prizes like a Roku Ultra courtesy of WBRC 6 News, Ashley Mac’s gift cards, cases of Bud’s Best Cookies, and much more.
Live entertainment was provided by Magic City Big Band and Steel City Swing- a huge hit with attendees and mascots.
Children enjoyed fossils from the Wonders Center and Science Museum, glitter tattoos from FabUbus, inflatables from Iron City Rental Co., coloring sheets from Linda Harper Music, and balloon twisting from Nunu’s Balloons.
The Hoover Belles joined us for the fun day and welcomed attendees to the Expo.
Media sponsor, WBRC 6 News, brought their green screen and prize wheel! WBRC’s Janice Rogers emceed the Alfa Farmer’s Celebrity Chef Stage for the fourth year in a row.
Expo attendees also had the opportunity to purchase goods from local artisans and vendors, highlighting Birmingham and surrounding-area businesses.
A big thanks to Eugene’s Hot Chicken, The Lil Bougie Foodie, and Hoover Hotspot for providing Expo attendees with delicious food and treats.
Adorable, adoptable dogs and cats with Two by Two Animal Rescue enjoyed lots of attention at the Expo. Several furry friends even found their forever home at the Expo!
Thank you to our Expo Emcee Mark Harvard who stepped away from his day job as senior pastor at Morningstar Methodist in Chelsea to announce all the jam-packed Expo activities taking place from 10am-2pm.
Want to see more photos from the day? Click here to see the full album. Thank you to Jinny Snowden Photo and Elizabeth Grandy Photography for capturing the day.
Watch the video below to hear more from Expo attendees!
TO SAY THANK YOU for reading and supporting the businesses and organizations that advertise with Birmingham Christian Family(BCF) and make spreading Good News possible, we have THREE Great Giveaways this month!
#1Tickets to Christmas Village, November 4-8, 2026 at the BJCC
4 Winners, 2 Tickets each! Enter on Facebook and Instagram.
LIKE and COMMENT on the Giveaway Post on our Instagram @cfpbirmingham.
For an EXTRA ENTRY
SHARE the giveaway post on your story.
Offer ends Monday 10/26/26. FOUR Winners announced Tuesday 10/27/26 on Facebook and Instagram so be sure to FOLLOW our Facebook @BirminghamChristianFamily and Instagram @cfpbirmingham pages.
#2 Tickets & Arena Club Passes to COME WORSHIP! Tour with CeCe Winans October 21, 2026 at the BJCC
Photo Courtesy Matt Wiley
3 Tickets with Arena Club Passes (complimentary parking and food, exclusive lounge, premium seating, and more!)
LIKE and COMMENT on the Giveaway Post on our Instagram @cfpbirmingham.
For an EXTRA ENTRY
SHARE the giveaway post on your story
Offer ends Thursday 10/15/26. Winner announced 10/16/26 on Facebook and Instagram so be sure to FOLLOW our Facebook @birminghamchristianfamily and Instagram @cfpbirmingham pages.
#3 Two VIP Tickets($100 value/front row) to the 9th Annual Holiday Cooking Show November 2, 2026 in Gardendale, gritsandgouda.com.
To enter simply LIKE and COMMENT on the Giveaway Post on Birmingham Christian Family’s Facebook @birminghamchristianfamily.
Mark and Marlys Kuehnert recently celebrated their 65th Wedding Anniversary. They say the secret to a long marriage is to love, laugh and forgive.
Thank you Trussville Chamber of Commerce for an awesome Dog Daze celebration in Trussville.
Pastor Clifford Hellmers holds a framed copy of a hymn written and sung for him at the recent celebration of he and his wife Dee’s 50 years of ministry at the Lutheran Church of Vestavia Hills.
The Megan Montgomery Foundation recently announced their newest grant of $40,000 to UAB’s Department of Theatre to produce “Red Flags,” a theatre production designed to help young people recognize warning signs in relationships and prevent relationship violence. Learn more about the Foundation at the Celebrate the Family Expo.
Owen Weldon, threw out the first pitch for Birmingham Christian Family at the recent Faith and Family Night at the Birmingham Barons. Owen’s mom Dori is the event coordinator for the Celebrate the Family Expo!
COMPACT’s Leah Lightner and T Fox Salon and Spa owner Traci Fox will be two of the women speaking at the upcoming Women’s Business Council of Shelby County Summit October 14, 2026.
Birmingham Christian Family was recently featured on WBRC-TV’s Good Day Alabama and other area news media to share about the Celebrate the Family Expo.
Shepherding Outdoors is not always about adventure. In fact, it’s rarely about adventure. I usually write about faith, family, and life lessons. Here’s an example… a few years ago I took Bay, our oldest daughter, to Washington, D.C. The Shepherding Outdoors effort was to learn about government and civics and freedom. We learned about history and patriotism, too. And most of all, we learned about courage and real American heroes.
Walt and Bay visited the U.S. Capitol during their trip to Washington, D.C.
On September 11, 2001, the quintessential American heroes revealed themselves over and over again. Countless stories of heroism came from the aftermath at the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. But the bravest of all, in my humble opinion, came from high above the carnage, on United Flight 93. You’ll recall that United Flight 93 departed from Newark, New Jersey in route to San Francisco. Forty-six minutes after take-off, four terrorists took control of the plane. A fifth would be terrorist, Mohammed al-Qahtani, had been denied entrance to the United States a month earlier; otherwise, he too would have been on that plane. His absence may have been what allowed four men the opportunity to become heroes. Tom Burnett, 38, told his wife, “We’re all going to die. There’s three of us who are going to do something about it.” Mark Bingham, 31, told the FBI, through his mother, that the hijackers claimed to have a bomb. The last words Jeremy Glick, 31, said to his spouse were, “We’re going to rush the hijackers.” But it was Todd Beamer, 32, who connected with a GTE supervisor while attempting to reach his pregnant wife, who calmly and decisively uttered the iconic phrase: “Are you guys ready? Let’s roll.”
Walt and Bay visited iconic sites in Washington, D.C. including the Lincoln Memorial.
“Let’s roll.” Oft repeated now as a battle cry, but Todd Beamer offered it otherwise. His tone was calm, collected, and matter of fact. Todd realized the men had to decide… die whilst immobilized by fear, and more people would die too. Or die as heroes and save lives. The choice was easy for Todd and the others. No discussion was needed; it simply was the right thing to do, no matter the sacrifice. For those of you who might be unfamiliar, seconds later, Todd and his team forced their way into the cockpit. Immediately after, the plane nose-dived into a field in Pennsylvania, never reaching its suspected target, the Capitol or the White House. Todd, Tom, Mark, and Jeremy all died that day. They left behind wives and children. A total of forty passengers and crew died in the crash. In truth, we don’t exactly know what happened inside that cockpit. The actual audio from the cockpit voice recorder has never been released to the public. It was played for the families of the passengers by the FBI, and it was offered as evidence against al-Qahtani for his role in helping to plan the attack. There is, though, a transcript of the recording that has been made public. What it reveals is a six-minute-long ordeal where those four heroes fought valiantly to break into the cabin and take back control of the plane. No one knows for certain exactly what happened, but the data tells us that the terrorist rolled the plane, pitched the nose, and slammed up and down, all in an effort to stall the heroes’ entry. The transcripts indicate that the heroes finally made entry into the cabin when one terrorist is heard repeatedly yelling, “Pull it down! Pull it down!” Seconds later, the plane crashed. Did the heroes save the passengers? No. But they saved countless others.
Here is a photo of part of the plaque in the U.S. Capitol that memorializes the heroes of United Flight 93.
And because they are heroes, they are forever memorialized inside the United States Capitol. Though the nine and ½ foot tall bronze plaque in the East Front Vestibule near the Rotunda, and the recognition it gives, is hardly enough of a tribute, it is fitting that the very place where others would have died but for those heroes now celebrates their bravery and sacrifice. It reads: “In memory of the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93, whose brave sacrifice on September 11, 2001, not only saved countless lives but may have saved the U.S. Capital from destruction.” And then it lists all of the crew and passengers by name. Todd’s daughter, Morgan, was born four months after he died. She, along with his wife, Lisa, and their two sons David and Drew, are Todd’s most valuable and important legacy, save perhaps his faith. Todd and Lisa taught Sunday school at Princeton Alliance Church for six years and worked in youth ministry. We may not be able to ever say thank you to Todd’s family or any of the other men, for that matter. But we can honor them. They were ordinary citizens, just like you and me. They died to help people, save people, and protect our country. We can learn from their example. “You’re your neighbor” and oppose evil. It’s a pretty simple motto, and if we’d all embrace it, instead of opposing one another, then these United States would truly be “one Nation under God.” Until then, thank you, Todd, Tom, Jeremy, and Mark. “Greater love hath no man than this, that man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Bay and I are ready. Are you? Let’s roll.
-Walt Merrell is a Christian Outdoorsman who writes of his adventures with his family, with the hope that others might be inspired and encouraged to embrace God’s 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.
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