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4 Tickets to watch the Birmingham Barons play at Regions Field.To enter simply LIKE and COMMENT on the Giveaway Post on Birmingham Christian Family’s Facebook @BirminghamChristianFamily.
4 Tickets to watch the Birmingham Stallions play at Protective Stadium. To enter, simply LIKE and COMMENT on the Giveaway Post on Birmingham Christian Family’s Instagram @cfpbirmingham.
Did you know? Approximately 20% of teens will experience depression before they become adults. 14% of teens have experienced depression in the last 12 months and of those affected by depression, 80% have never received help.
Causes of Teen Depression. Depression is defined as a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think, and how you act. Teenage depression can be caused by several things including bullying, relationship problems, academic problems, and poor self-esteem. Signs of depression include a change in appetite, prolonged anger or frustration, withdrawal from activities, and increased thoughts or reference to death or suicide.
Risks & Signs of Teen Suicide. The risk for teen suicide varies with age, gender, and cultural and social influences. Some factors include one or more mental or substance abuse problems, impulsive behaviors, undesirable life events such as being bullied, or a recent loss such as the death of a parent. Another risk is a family history of mental or substance abuse problems or suicide. Many of the warning signs of suicide are the same for depression. Warning signs include stating “I want to kill myself,” or “I won’t be a problem much longer” as well as giving away important belongings or expressing strange thoughts.
Ways to Alleviate Teen Depression & Prevent Suicide. Take time to listen to your teenager’s concerns. Remember that just because it’s not a big deal to you doesn’t mean it’s not a concern to them. When disciplining your teen, replace shame and punishment with positive reinforcement for good behavior. By listening to your teen instead of telling them what to do; you may discover the root of the problem. Make sure your child knows you care and will always be there to discuss their problems. Teen depression tends to come and go in episodes. Once a teenager has a bout of depression, they are likely to get depressed again at some point. The consequence of letting teen depression go untreated can lead to extreme and serious consequences that could be deadly.
Together, we can make sure our teens have the proper tools and ability to beat depression. If your teen is exhibiting signs of depression, call our Parent Talk line at 205-605-1827. If your teen is exhibiting signs of self-harm, call the Crisis Call Center at 1-800-273-8255. Learn more at www.compact2020.com. To read other articles like this one, click here. †
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.
Easter is on April 20, 2025. Here is a list of Easter Week Services and Activities happening in and around Birmingham. Click on the links for more details.
Nearly 200 area high school seniors recently shared with us how their Christian faith has impacted their decision to attend college. Each student shared these details with us in an essay they submitted as a part of the 7th annual Birmingham Christian Family(BCF) Scholarship program sponsored by Alabama Credit Union, American Village and Vulcan Termite and Pest Control.
WOW! What great stories these students have to tell about God at work in their lives!
With the help of an independent panelist of judges, five students will be chosen as finalists for three college scholarships this year. Our essay winner will receive a $2000 scholarship and our two runner ups will each receive a $500 scholarship. On Wednesday April 2, 2025 we will announce our finalists on Facebook and Instagram. Read these students’ great stories April 3 through 9, 2025 and help us select our scholarship winners! Read their outstanding essays at www.BirminghamChristian.com/Scholarship then cast your vote for your favorite student essay.
Voting ends Wednesday April 9, 2025, and winners will be announced Tuesday April 15, 2025 on Facebook and Instagram. Winners will also be recognized in the May issue of Birmingham Christian Family.
Join BCF in encouraging our youth to live out their faith wherever they are, and may we set an example for them to follow.
My wife’s father was a big, barrel-chested man of tall stature with a booming voice. He commanded a room, and admittedly, I was regularly intimidated by his presence when Hannah and I first started dating. As time passed, and roots grew deeper in our relationship, his presence in my life grew more significant. The nervousness of unfamiliarity subsided and soon I found myself seeking his advice and counsel on various things, many of which still ring in my ears today.
Walt Merrell’s oldest daughter Bay enjoying the great outdoors during her “12 Year Old Trip.”
“Your granddaddy did a lot to teach me what it means to be a man, a husband, and a father,” I told my oldest daughter Bay. At 22, she and I have a much different relationship than we did when she was 12. Then, she lamented my fatherly efforts more times than not. Once, I stopped the car at the end of the driveway and told her she could walk to school. Of course, she didn’t- her mother was kind enough to give her a ride. To say that our relationship was turbulent would be a compliment. But I knew that she was transforming from the little girl who once climbed on me like monkey bars into a teenager who desperately wanted to push me away.
In prayer about losing the influence I held in her life, I realized that God gave a great example in my father-in-law, who long ago taught me the value of the great outdoors as a common denominator. From that came the inspiration for what I call “The 12 Year Old Trip” which is a low-budget, low-tech trip with my 12-year-old. The idea was to isolate her in the wilderness so that I didn’t have to compete with the distractions of everyday life and to bond over common adventure in the great outdoors. Soon after, we loaded up and spent a week paddling and hiking through the Ozark Mountains on the Buffalo River in Arkansas. We laughed, we fussed, we smiled, we grimaced, and we still love to tell stories about that trip.
Walt spent a week in the Ozark Mountains with his daughter Bay where they fussed, smiled, and laughed together.
Proverbs 22:6 encourages us to “train up a child in the way they should go, and when they are old, they shall not depart from it.” And as much as I’d like to think this story is about me training up Bay- it is also about George training up me. My dad, God rest his soul, never took me camping, hiking, or anything much outdoors related. That’s not to disparage him, but rather an acknowledgment that those sorts of things were not who he was. Instead, George trained me in that regard. Not as a child, but as a grown man with the inexperience of a child. “Hey Dad,” Bay sheepishly gestured just a few weeks ago, “Want to go paddle on the Buffalo River after I graduate in May?” George trained me and Bay is not departing from it, either. No truer, too, than in the Word. For George trained me in my Spirit walk, too. I “walked the aisle” and made my profession of faith in my 20s- long after he had taken me under his wing. And still, my daughters are reaping the benefits. Train them up, dads. Train them up, granddads. They need you.
-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 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. His most recent book is available at shepherdingbook.com. Read his faith story at www.BirminghamChristian.com.
Technically the heart beats because electrical impulses trigger contractions in the muscle. A cycle of signals repeats continually to create the rhythm of the heartbeat. This is how your physical heart beats but what makes the heart of your soul beat?
Sonya King founded Two by Two Animal Rescue more than 20 years ago with the mission to give life to abandoned, abused, stray and distressed animals.
For me, it is saving and rescuing animals. There is no comparison of elation I feel when I see the eyes of a defeated creature turn to hope. I can feel the electrical impulses of my soul revive and feel alive. We all have something that makes our heart beat, our soul awake and our spirit dance. Remember, God wired your heart so there is great purpose in the dreams of your passions. If you have not found your “something,” I challenge you. Think about what makes you smile, what keeps you up at night, what gives you joy and what matters to your heart. We are still early in the year of 2025. I challenge you to find your heartbeat and to go for it. You will never forget it. It will make you feel alive. It will add to the value of your life.
What makes your heart beat? I would love to hear from you, so email me at [email protected] and let me know what it is.
More than 14 years ago, Rick Page and Jamie Berry founded Steel City Roofers. Both came into the business with years of experience in the roofing business. Both had a desire to continue working in the field but in a way they believed would serve area families better. They started Steel City Roofers from scratch, dedicated to serving customers the way they would treat their own family members.
Members of the Steel City Roofing Team seek to serve families in Central Alabama with the highest level of integrity and have been doing so for almost 15 years. Learn more at www.steelcityroofers.com.
The success of the company is steeped in family support. Jamie’s parents, Charles and Sandra Berry, were a particularly important part of the company’s beginnings. Rick and Jamie explain, “Sandra has always kept the books since day one. She makes sure to always keeps us in the green with our suppliers, taxes, and accounts payable and receivable. Charles had a very important role too, making certain we always had the correct insurance policies in place (since he was a retired insurance agent). He also ran production for several years prior to the addition of Bradley Ramey and Mike Howle.”
A graduate of UAB, owner Rick Page is a U.S. Air Force Veteran that served in the Special Operations Command during Desert Storm/Gulf War. His integrity, enthusiasm, and his dedication to help others solve problems is evident in his work ethic. Rick and his wife Kayla call Helena home where she is the Vice President of their Homeowner’s Association and oversees marketing for the company. They have three daughters, Madison, Elaina, & Eleah and Rick loves being a girl dad in his off time!
Owner Jamie Berry graduated from University of Alabama. He knew early on how important it was to build many strong relationships with local business professionals. He made sure to obtain his home builders license (years before it became mandatory for roofers)and to build many different partnerships with local insurance and real estate agencies. He set the standard for the company to build these relationships and build the company’s role in the community as experts in the roofing field. Jamie resides in Helena with his wife Mary, an RN at Alabama Oncology, and their two children Katie Beth and Nicholas.
Over the years, Steel City Roofers has become a household name in the Birmingham area for its impeccable reputation for quality and service. Their quick response times and careful attention to detail has made them one of the finest roofing companies in north central Alabama. The business is a GAF Master Elite Certified Contractor-one of the highest levels of excellence you can achieve in the industry. Steel City also offers a 50 year transferable warranty to most homeowners, which is a huge selling point when listing your home. Whether you have a simple leak, need minor repairs, or need a full roof replacement, Steel City Roofers is the company to call!
Watch the video below to learn more about Steel City Roofers and the services they provide homeowners in and around Birmingham.
“Sweet home Alabama, where the skies are so blue…”
“Alabama the beautiful.”
Our state has many terms of endearment from those who adore her. And, if an Alabamian has to be away from their state for very long, this is what we are singing on our way back home- “Sweet Home Alabama, where the skies are so blue. Sweet home Alabama, Lord, I’m coming home to you.” Of course, no one sings it better than the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band or with more gusto than a homesick Alabamian.
Danna’s husband, who serves in the Alabama House of Representatives, is seen her with his father Jack on Standridge Farm.
From the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains to the Gulf of America, Alabamians enjoy a vast variety of terrains and a large diversity of flora and fauna. From enjoying an old country road to the lights of our big cities, Alabama has it all. However, Alabama has a sinister side…tornadoes! When those beautiful blue skies turn dark and turbulent all Alabamians pay close attention. Around here, bad weather spawns tornadoes, and tornadoes spawn prayers…many prayers for protection and safety from the God-fearing souls who know the fury of an Alabama tornado.
In April 2020, on an Easter Sunday, that fury came home to roost for our family. At the beginning of the national lockdown for Covid-19, a big mean tornado hit Blount County and plowed through Standridge Farm. Thankfully none of our loved ones were hurt, and we didn’t lose a single cow although some had to be rescued from a destroyed barn. However, the farm did suffer losses. Three barns went down, and two concrete silos smashed on top of a barn. The silos also smashed a car and a truck as well as all the farm tools. A tractor barn was sucked out of the ground, poles and all, and blown away by the tornado, but, thank the Lord, left the tractors still sitting all in a line just like we parked them. It was a true nightmare with scattered tin and debris strewn for acres and acres with so many downed trees and mangled fences we stopped counting.
Danna and David enjoying time together on Standridge Farm.
What makes Covid-19 go away? Being hit by a tornado. Even though we were supposed to be staying away from each other, it was “all hands on deck” to set to right our lovely farm. All the men of the family gathered to formulate a plan and start rebuilding, repairing, and repurposing the devastation. We ladies stayed home, trying not to pass any germs to the grandparents, and we cooked and did what we could from afar. My hardworking family – my husband, son, son-in-law, and grandsons – all became part of the crew that worked diligently to help my father-in-law clean up the debris and rebuild. With three barns down, you can only imagine the amount of twisted tin strewn across the many acres. Picking up twisted tin took a large amount of time. Our grandson told my husband one day that he had carried so much twisted tin to, “Just call me the Tin Man.”
Due to Covid-19, we women of the family all stayed home and cooked for our hardworking crew. This is the recipe that I sent often for the mid-morning snack to give the men energy for the task so they could keep on working. I’m happy to report that the farm is in tip-top shape. And now…we call these Tornado Cookies.
Since its inception in June of 2009, the non-profit Christian ministry, Empowered to Conquer(ETC) has been grounded in a simple vision- for every student to have the skills and support they need to live an empowered life. ETC defines an empowered life as one in which students discover their unique gifts and have access to training, guidance, and opportunities to maximize their potential. Over the past 16 years, ETC has impacted more than 5,000 students in Central Alabama and given over $52,000 in scholarships to college and career ready seniors.
Empowered to Conquer (ETC) lives out its mission to develop faith, promote education, and build relationships among students because they envision a world where students are compelled to pursue their limitless potential. ETC’s hope is that as they execute their mission, students are empowered to live out their God-given purpose. With inequality of resources, training, and opportunity, many students can be conditioned to aspire and perform far beneath their capabilities. Through a 3-program initiative called Limitless, ETC works to guide high school students toward bettering themselves spiritually, academically, and emotionally.
Limitless Retreat is a three day, two night annual event in which participants enjoy a time of worship, discussions, and sessions that tackle many of the common questions teenagers face. ETC’s top priority is to share Christ and to illustrate how the Gospel transforms and renews every part of our lives.
Limitless Groups take students on a journey of skill-building for life after high school. Current and former educators crafted the proprietary curriculum to prepare students for success in any college or profession they choose.
Limitless Mentoring pulls together the support offered by Limitless Retreats and Limitless Groups and provides guidance, encouragement, and support in the life challenges students face. This relational program prioritizes each student’s emotional and mental health as they work to achieve their goals.
On April 29th, 2025, ETC hopes to expand its community with more individuals who share their passion for serving students. You are invited to ETC’s Annual Night of Vision at 6pm at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Come and learn more about the story of Empowered To Conquer, hear testimonies of how the work ETC does is impacting the lives of students across Central Alabama and how you can be a part of that mission. For more information and to RSVP for this event visit www.empoweredtoconquer.org, call 205-660-2009 or email [email protected]. †
If you’re just beginning your career, what are your financial priorities? You might have student loans to deal with. You may be thinking about saving for a down payment on a house. These are certainly significant issues, and yet, you shouldn’t ignore your long-term goals, such as retirement- which is why you may want to get started as an investor. And as you invest, consider these suggestions.
1. Take advantage of your opportunities. Even while addressing your other concerns, such as loan payments, you may well have space in your life to invest if you take advantage of the opportunities presented to you. For example, if you work for a business that offers a 401(k) or other retirement plan, try to put in as much as you can afford, or at least enough to earn your employer’s matching contribution. You may also find that contributing to a traditional 401(k) or similar plan is more affordable than you think, as your contributions may be deductible, lowering your taxable income.
2. Think long-term. Some people make the mistake of seeking short-term gains by trying to “time” the market; that is, they try to “buy low and sell high.” While this is a great strategy in theory, it’s almost impossible to follow, as no one can really predict market highs and lows. The most successful investors follow a long-term strategy and don’t jump in and out of the market.
3. Know your risk tolerance. Your investment choices should be based partially on your risk tolerance. Typically, the more investment risk you take on, the greater the potential reward, but it works the other way, too- riskier investments can result in greater losses, at least in the short term. You need to find a risk level with which you are comfortable. Also, your risk tolerance can change over time- when you get close to retirement, for instance, you might want to invest more conservatively than you did when you still had decades ahead of you in the working world.
4. Diversify your investments. The financial markets affect different investments in different ways, which means that, at any given time, some investments will perform better than others. But if you only owned one type of investment or asset class, your portfolio could suffer if a market downturn had a particularly strong effect on that investment or asset. By spreading your investment dollars among a range of investments, you’ll have more opportunities for success, and you can help reduce the effects of market volatility on your holdings. Keep in mind, though, that diversification, by itself, can’t guarantee profits or protect against all losses.
5. Prepare for the unexpected. You don’t always know when you’ll face a large expense, such as a medical bill or a major home repair. If you’re not prepared, you could be forced to dip into your long-term investments, such as your 401(k), to pay for these costs. To help avoid this problem, you may want to take steps such as keeping a cushion of cash in your portfolio and building an emergency fund containing several months’ worth of living expenses, with the money kept in a liquid account.
By putting these moves to work, you can help yourself make progress on an investment journey that could last a lifetime.
In the video below, Laci P Graul, CRPS™ sits down with Birmingham Christian Family Publisher Laurie Franklin to discuss more helpful ideas for young investors to take advantage of now.
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4 Tickets to watch the Birmingham Barons play at Regions Field. To enter simply LIKE and COMMENT on the Giveaway Post on Birmingham Christian Family’s Facebook @BirminghamChristianFamily. 
4 Tickets to watch the Birmingham Stallions play at Protective Stadium. To enter, simply LIKE and COMMENT on the Giveaway Post on Birmingham Christian Family’s Instagram @cfpbirmingham. 
