Loving Your Family by Grace

January 28, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Parenting Points

February is the month of love. Valentine’s Day in our culture defines love as a feeling or emotion. People can fall into love and out of love because according to romantic comedies love is a decision rather than a commitment.

Biblically, we see love defined as a commitment that requires work and investment. It is a commitment to pursue and put another person before yourself. Love is something that cannot come from our own strength but must be empowered by God’s grace through the Holy Spirit’s work in and through us. In 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 ESV, Paul defines love as “patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, and endures all things.”

However, we are at times not patient nor kind. Our kids can be rude and want their own way just like we can. Our kids can celebrate when their sibling gets in trouble just like we celebrate when our rival is met with difficulty. Yet in the midst of a home where at times biblical love can be pushed to the side in favor of promotion of self, how can we cultivate love in our families?

1. Rely on the grace of God. None of us are perfect at loving. We need the love of God through the Holy Spirit to fill and guide us to put our family members before ourselves and to love them well.

2. Realize the long-term calling of love. Paul uses the words “bears” and “endures” to describe love. These are not words that make good Hallmark cards because they point to the difficulty of love. There are moments where we, like our family, are hard to love, yet we continue to pursue love because Jesus pursued us by His love even when we were unlovable.

3. Rest in Jesus’ perfect love. On the days when we have struggled to love well, we remember that Jesus’ perfect love covers us. Jesus is in the business of making us new – people who love without bounds and express His great love to our families only by His grace.

-Dr. Ben Birdsong

Missions Minister at Christ Church Birmingham

Writer and Speaker

www.benbirdsong.com

March 4, 2021January 28, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Our House

Look for more Home Tips from Tom and Julie Douglass in next month’s issue of BCF! You can also learn more about them and receive real estate tips all month long by following @TomandJulieDouglassRealEstate on Facebook and Instagram.

With February being the month of Love, we thought it all too fitting to share how ironic our real estate love story began nearly 14 years ago. We weren’t realtors and we certainly weren’t business partners. We just loved driving around Birmingham and admiring the architecture and landscaping, as well as popping in and out of Open Houses. Each house we visited seemed to open up more conversation and commonalities we had in each other. It was like we were creating our own “Likes/ Dislikes” list and we weren’t even technically dating. Obviously, after becoming a husband-and-wife realtor team we know how our story worked out, but what is funny about the transformation of our love story is the correlation between our conversations of “Likes/ Dislikes” and “Needs vs. Wants.” The more serious our relationship grew, the less time we spent discussing “Likes/ Dislikes” and the more we covered items regarding “Needs vs. Wants.” It’s not too uncommon that Julie and I find ourselves on opposites sides of the “passionate wagon.” After-all, don’t we have to get a little passionate to explain to our loved one that a Like & Want is also a Need? Or is it that a Need just so happens to be what we Like and Want? In either case, we didn’t realize we were in training on how to help others through stressful times and tough love conversations.

Julie. “Tom is a bones guy. While he appreciates finishes, he really loves to see the potential a home provides. That’s not to say I don’t appreciate a well-built house, but are you really expecting me to lay awake at night and dream about whether my stud wall was properly installed? No thanks, I would much rather be picking out finishes and gaining inspiration from other talented decorators in town and then turning it into my own style,” says Julie.

Tom. “The dream of us working together has always been there for me, but I could never see how it would work. I knew I had a super talented wife that I couldn’t communicate with and I knew we were missing out on realizing our true potential by working separately. Thanks to many marriage counselors, seminars, events, prayer, and most importantly grace, Julie and I learned the art of communication. She also decided to let go of her fear and choose faith.

Julie. “I certainly needed to rely on faith but being an accountant, I was trained to rely upon facts and numbers. Faith took over. I turned in my notice to my amazing employer two weeks before COVID hit and God has been faithful as He always is. Our family life has become more amazing than we ever could have thought. It is a joy to work together and share the love and passion God has given us for homes with our clients.”

HOME TIP. Now is the Time to Focus on Curb Appeal!

The importance of curb appeal cannot be understated. We always say you must reveal to catch the appeal. If there is a chance you are considering selling your home this upcoming year, trim your shrubs now to show off your home’s features. Make sure windows are not blocked and limbs are not growing into the eaves. By the time spring rolls around, new growth of leaves will fill in any bare spots created due to a significant cut back. Not only will this improve the aesthetics of your home, but it will also keep several items from showing up on a future home inspection. Tom and Julie explain more in this video.

-Tom and Julie Douglass

[email protected], [email protected]

205-999-2780, 205-999-4153

February 9, 2021January 28, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Money Matters

Presented by Community Partner Vision Financial Group, Inc.

As winter ends it brings in the beautiful spring season. Unfortunately, it also signals the time to complete tax returns. While this task is never fun, you can find some sense of accomplishment as the return is finished. Investment and giving decisions can be maximized to reduce the amount of taxes you pay each year. Here are four ways to increase your assets by utilizing smart investing and giving strategies.

1. Lump your giving. The elimination of the personal exemption and increase of the standard deduction in the 2018 Tax Act has given rise to a strategy of lumping your charitable contributions into a single tax year and then “skipping the donation” the following year. Used in coordination with a Donor Advised Fund, this approach can reduce your overall tax liability without adjusting the timing of your actual donations to your favorite charity. As an example, if a married couple donates $20,000 per year and they have $10,000 of state and local taxes, their total deductions for each tax year would be $30,000. Over two years they would have $60,000 of deductions. By lumping their giving into one tax year they would have $40,000 of giving and $10,000 of state and local taxes in year one (for a total of $50,000 in deductions that year). In year two they take the standard deduction of $24,000. Over the two year period they now have $74,000 of deductions. If they are in a 22% tax bracket that strategy would save them $3,080 dollars in taxes!

2. Donate appreciated stock. With the market up substantially last year, reviewing your portfolio to find appreciated stock to donate allows you to obtain the tax deduction for giving without having to recognize the gain on the securities. A win-win proposition!

3. Tax budgeting in your portfolio. In connection with your advisor you can take active steps to manage your tax budget by:

Hold stocks (when possible) for a minimum of one year to obtain the lower tax on long-term capital gains.
As the year ends, look to realize tax losses and offset gains in your portfolio with positions that have gone down in value since they were purchased.
Use realized gains to offset any tax loss carryforwards from prior tax years.
Use tax lot management if you have stocks that you have purchased at different times by selling or donating specific shares of that stock.

4. Asset location. By allocating securities that produce interest income into your IRA or Roth IRA accounts and allocating stocks that are growth or long term hold stocks you can reduce your current tax expense and in many cases reduce or eliminate the taxes completely. If you have not reviewed your portfolio for taxes with your advisor, you should consider doing that in 2021. As always, the tax strategies should supplement your overall investing strategy.

–Mike Mungenast, Sr. Vice President, Senior Advisor

Vision Financial Group

4505 Pine Tree Circle, Birmingham, AL 35243

205-970-4909

www.vision-financialgroup.com

Investment advisory services offered through Investment Advisors, a division of ProEquities, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor. Securities offered through ProEquities Inc., a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. Vision Financial Group, Inc. and West Alabama Bank are independent of ProEquities, Inc. Securities and insurance products offered are not bank deposits, have no bank guarantee, are not FDIC insured, and may lose value. 2018 Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

Click Here To Learn How To Reach A Christian Audience in Alabama.

January 27, 2021January 27, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Church Leaders

As we work on trying to figure out what the collective church looks like going forward, many churches are beginning to think of online discipleship as something that they did during COVID and that they can drop once we are all back to in-person gathering. But is that the correct way to view it? Once the doors open on Sunday, will anyone watch online? Will online compete with the Sunday in-person service?

First, we have to get rid of the thought that online church came with COVID. Many churches were already streaming their services online. They saw it as a way to reach those that could not be there on Sunday mornings. This was something that was already happening. COVID simply pushed churches that were not there yet. It did not cause online church to exist, it caused it to grow.

Secondly, the future of the church depends on us growing disciples in younger demographics. Online church is a documented way to do that. A recent Barna study revealed that 41% of Gen Z say that when COVID is over, they want to return to in-person worship. 42% of Millennials say the same. This means that the majority of these groups do not. Wow. Contrast that with 71% of Boomers. This does not mean that traditional church is dead by any means, it simply means that we have to find ways to reach those that are not inside the walls.

Finally, this cultural shift in preferences does not mean that the church needs to simply create online content to survive. We have to find ways to engage outside of that traditional worship slot. Small groups, missions…these are all things that can happen as the church continues to do what it always has. We just have to find new and creative ways for them to happen.

Maybe it’s time to rethink things and be willing to stop treating the very thing that can give the church future growth as a cute thing we have on the side. March of 2020 is not coming back. It’s time to work with what we have going forward. Let’s look at ways to prioritize and minister to both in-person and digital congregations. Paul used the technology of his day to spread the Gospel. We have to do the same.

-Mark Harvard

Director of Communications

Clearbranch UMC

[email protected]

January 26, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Senior Scene

Your Chance for Priority Vaccination. Vaccines for COVID-19 have been authorized for emergency use by the FDA, and many Brookdale residents are included as a priority for COVID-19 vaccinations. Making the move to a Brookdale community like Brookdale University Park in Birmingham will provide you with an opportunity to receive the vaccine. New residents who move in at least two days prior to our scheduled vaccine clinic will be eligible to receive the vaccine.* Learn more about being in a priority group to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at our upcoming clinic by contacting Leanne Messer, [email protected], 205-613-0688.

*To be eligible to receive the vaccine a new resident must: (1) sign a residency agreement and satisfy all obligations specified in the agreement at least two days prior to the scheduled clinic date; (2) be available to attend the vaccine clinic; and (3)pass screening requirements at the time of the clinic. No respite or short-term stays will be eligible to participate. Independent Living residents may not be eligible depending on state directives. The vaccination occurs in two doses given approximately three to four weeks apart and requires a signed consent prior to administration.

“When Babe received the COVID vaccine, it gave us, as a family, incredible hope and joy. Hope that we will be able to see her in person again soon, hope that a sense of normalcy is on the horizon for all and joy as we eagerly shared images from that day with our family and friends across the country. Babe turned 100 years old a few days after receiving her vaccine. She has certainly experienced and lived through some of our nation’s most memorable historical events during her lifetime. What an honor it is for her to make history by being the first resident at Brookdale University Park, and first person in our family, to bravely receive the groundbreaking vaccine. The Grainger family appreciates all that Brookdale has done to keep Babe well and love her unconditionally.” Mary Foster, Daughter of Brookdale resident Agnes (Babe) Grainger

December 29, 2020 Brookdale University Park held its first vaccine clinic. Other clinics are being scheduled now.

An Invitation to Experience Brookdale

Residents of Brookdale University Park enjoy an engaging lifestyle with a selection of care options to meet changing needs. The community conveniently located off Lakeshore Drive offers a full continuum of care, including independent living, assisted living, Alzheimer’s and dementia care and skilled nursing and rehabilitation. Brookdale offers virtual visits and tours, live video chats as well as in person visits in which safety measures are taken to protect you, residents and staff. Face covering required (if you don’t have one, one will be provided), six-foot social distance maintained during visits, hand sanitizing stations throughout areas, temperature and health screenings at entrance of the community, 205-870-0786, www.brookdale.com.

-Leanne Messer, Brookdale University Park
Contact Leanne to participate in upcoming Brookdale
educational offerings as well as schedule a tour, [email protected], 205-613-0688

January 26, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Publisher’s Note

With all the challenges of the last year, our BCF team believes it is particularly important to recognize and encourage our community’s teachers and students. Please consider taking a few minutes to share with us how a teacher has made a difference in your life or the life of your child. We will be recognizing and honoring five area teachers next month as a part of our “Teachers Touching Lives” campaign. It only takes a couple of minutes to share with us on line about your favorite teacher, visit www.birminghamchristian.com/teachers-touching-lives/. Deadline for entries is 2/5/21.

We also want to encourage and help the students of our community pursue their dreams and live out their lives for Christ. Again this year we will recognize five high school seniors in the five county area and award the top three with scholarships to the colleges of their choice. Urge your senior high school student to complete a short essay on how God has been at work in their lives, www.birminghamchristian.com/scholarship. Application deadline is 3/15/21.

-Laurie Stroud Franklin

Founder, The Christian Family Publication, Inc.

www.BirminghamChristian.com

Facebook: Birmingham Christian Family

Twitter: @cfpBirmingham

Instagram: @cfpbirmingham

LinkedIn: Birmingham Christian Family

Celebrating 21 Years of Good News!

January 26, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Special Feature

Do you want to have a firm faith foundation for life- with all of its unexpected twists and turns- in 2021? Beeson Divinity School’s Lay Academy offers a great opportunity to grow in your faith and knowledge of God’s Word during the spring semester. The focus is Matthew 7:24-25, “…The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the work.”

A Study of the Christian Life in Light of the Wisdom of the Christian Past is one course that Dr. Mike Pasquarello, Beeson’s Methodist Chair of Divinity, will teach. He explains, “This course on the Christian life draws from the wisdom of well-known Christian teachers and leaders in Christian history: Augustine, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and C.S. Lewis.” The class begins on February 22 and will meet online for six Monday nights from 6 – 8 p.m.

Sacred Worship will be taught by Dr. Kenneth Mathews. The class will seek to answer the question, “What is pleasing, authentic worship to the Lord?” He shares that, “God has made us creatures of worship. By our study in the Old and New Testaments we will learn anew who it is that we worship and how we engage God as his people,” adding that, “typically, we think of worship as a formal act at our local church, but Scripture teaches us to experience an informal daily worship.” Sacred Worship will be taught online for six Monday afternoons from 2 – 4 p.m. beginning February 22.

Resolving Confusion of Christian Identity: A Study of 1 Corinthians will delve into Paul’s writings. Dr. Sydney Park will lead the class and says, “In these troubling times, the question of what it means to be a disciple of Christ is more urgent than ever. Come discover what the Apostle Paul writes about Christian faith and practice to a church struggling with various aspects of the Christian life.” She adds, “His advice remains pertinent still for the modern-day church. Come and be renewed and restored with hope and faith to live out the life of faith in Christ.” Dr. Parks’ class will begin on February 25 and meets for six Thursday afternoons from 2 – 4 p.m.

Read about all of the classes offered this semester and register at www.beesondivinity.com/lay-academy.

-Melissa Armstrong

February 11, 2021January 26, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Cool Stuff

Are you ready to support small businesses and find unique gifts? Visit the Hoover Finley Center on February 18-20 for Vintage Market Days of Birmingham’s “Pinkies Up.” Enjoy a special shopping experience, featuring the best vendors from Alabama, as well as artisans and makers from nearly 20 other states! Each vendor will feature their choice of true vintage goods, antiques, original art, clothing, jewelry, handmade treasures, home décor, outdoor furnishings, consumable yummies, seasonal plantings and so much more!

Vintage Market Days Flowers — Don’t miss Vintage Market Days of Birmingham’s Annual Spring Event at the Hoover Finley Center February 18-20! Be sure to stop by the *Birmingham Christian Family* booth where we will have some great giveaways for you!

Vintage Market Days(VMD) of Birmingham is a juried event accepting vendors based on variety, originality and quality of goods sold. Over 70 vendors will bring a shopper’s paradise featuring vintage, one-of-a-kind antiques, repurposed, children’s items, clothing, handmade jewelry, original art, consumable yummies, seasonal plantings, handmade goods and much more. Live music will be provided by Rachel Wilson. Pre-sale ticket holders get early entry at 9:15 each morning. Additionally, the first 50 guests with pre-sale tickets on Thursday will receive an exclusive VMD tote with market cash to spend at any vendor!

For the safety of customers, staff and vendors, event organizers will be implementing COVID-19 precautionary measures including (but not limited to) requiring all customers, staff and vendors to adhere to state of Alabama mask mandate, encouraging social distancing and 50% capacity of the building.

Hours and admission tickets are:

Thursday, February 18: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Online admission- $15, At the gate admission- $17 (tickets good for free re-entry by ticket holder all weekend)
Friday / Saturday, February 19-20: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Online admission- $11, At the gate admission-$12

Free admission is offered for children 12 and under. Parking is $5 per the City of Hoover. Purchase tickets and learn more here. †

The Birmingham Christian Family team can’t wait to see you at Vintage Market Days! Be sure to stop by our booth to enter great giveaways and pick up the latest issue!

February 9, 2021January 14, 2021 by Laurie Stroud

Special Feature

Are you struggling with finding hope and peace? There are two opportunities to hear encouragement from best-selling author Susan Alexander Yates- while helping provide scholarship funds with Samford University’s Legacy League. On February 11 Yates will be in Birmingham to speak mid-day and in the evening on being anchored in hope and finding peace amidst uncertainty.

Author Susan Yates and her Family — Susan Alexander Yates has been married to her husband, John, for 50 years. They have five children and 21 grandchildren and live in Virginia.

Yates is the author of 16 books including Cousin Camp, Risky Faith, and One Devotional. In addition to writing books and her blog at www.susanalexanderyates.com, she speaks on topics “related to parenting, marriage, building strong families, and faith issues.”

The first event Yates will speak at is the Samford Legacy League Scholarship Luncheon at a country club in Vestavia from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. “Anchored in Hope: Finding Wisdom for Every Season” is her topic. “We are living in such a turbulent season- all of us. I’ll be sharing four keys to finding hope during this season,” Yates reflects, adding, “We are all in the turbulent season, yet each one of us is in a unique season.”

Susan Alexander Yates will speak two times on February 11 for Samford Legacy League. Get tickets for one or both events at www.samford.edu/legacyleague.

“Finding Peace in Times of Uncertainty” is the topic Yates will explore during the Evening Program at Covenant Presbyterian Church from 7-8 p.m. “I’m going to share two surprising concepts that will enable us to go deeper into our walk with the Lord,” Yates says. Psalm 146:5 tells us, “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.” Yates digs into the promise of this verse. “While it sounds very nice that Jesus understands, what does that mean pragmatically?” Guests will also hear her speak on how our view of God should be bigger than any problem we face. “As we focus on Him- our issues won’t go away because we are fallen people in a fallen world- but they can assume their more proper place than overwhelming us,” Yates says.

To learn more about these events hosted by Samford University’s Legacy League and to make reservations, visit www.samford.edu/legacyleague.

-Melissa Armstrong

December 28, 2020 by Laurie Stroud

Special Feature

God. Family. Mission. The life of a Kingdom Builder involves stewarding all three, in perfect unity. It’s about living a life that’s open-handed and open-hearted, freely giving of time and treasure. And through that generosity, God uses such stewards for His purposes on the Earth. But what does this look like in a time of crisis- when so much is unknown in our world and it can feel as if there’s zero stability? Perhaps it’s in these seasons when building the Kingdom becomes center stage again. In our former non-2020 lives, we maxed out our schedules, traveled freely, and had endless social options. While the pandemic has wreaked havoc on our world, it has also brought us a much-needed opportunity to refocus. To redirect our attention back on what really matters: God. Family. Mission.

You see, anyone can lead in a season of plenty, but those who are connected in mind, body, and spirit with the Lord are able to lead and give wholeheartedly in the times of crazy. They are still full of faith and their perspective remains peaceful. They have God-sized dreams complete with wisdom and strategy. In times of fear and stretching, the world is crying out even more for hopeful leadership and generous hearts. And those who live with an overflow from their intimacy with God are positioned to help and influence.

Here’s more good news: it’s a fresh year. Yes, we are still facing big challenges, but that doesn’t mean we pause and grit our teeth until easier times arrive. Instead, we use this time to reset our attention, quiet our minds, get in the Word, listen, and make courageous goals to live with mission. I have no doubt that as you spend more time with God and allow Him to reveal His heart, you will gain greater clarity and vision for 2021. Maybe you’ll have new business ideas or receive supernatural solutions to challenging obstacles. Most likely, you’ll be stirred to serve and give more. May this season be eternally fruitful as you refocus and make more time with your biggest Source of love, strength, and purpose. For more resources on how to prioritize time with God and an easy game plan to follow weekly, check out the KB Gameplan at www.kingdombuilders.us.

-Lee Domingue

Legacy Pastor, Church of the Highlands, www.churchofthehighlands.com

Founder, Kingdom Builders, www.kingdombuilders.us

Author of KB Gameplan, Kingdom Builders Devotional

Loving Your Family by Grace

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