What will you find this Christmas?
Christmas has always been a special time for me. As a child, the anticipation of Christmas morning was almost more than I could bear....
The story of Jesus’ birth
The Birth of Jesus
Luke 2:1-20 (King James Version of the Bible)
2 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a...
Jewish Festival of Lights draws to a close
A warm glow filled the room Sunday night as the Sholom B’Harim Jewish congregation gathered in Gainesville to celebrate Hanukkah with song, prayer, and...
Finding the perfect JOY
It was the beginning of December, and it was time to hang my old Christmas wreaths on my windows and front door. Once finished,...
Why are you blessed?
As we go into this Christmas, something keeping me grounded in “the reason for the season” is the beatitudes Jesus said in Matthew. This...
Mighty Mollie’s lasting gift
John Sparks, my great-grandfather, died suddenly in December 1907 due to a sawmill accident. His wife, Mollie, was in the midst of preparing Christmas...
The Christmas Book
"Granddaddy! Granddaddy! Have you received the Sears and Roebuck Christmas Book yet?" I shouted as I entered my grandparents’ house.
"Of course, I got it!...
Keep the childlike wonder
Santa is on his way! I am sure happy the government shutdown is over so the air traffic controllers can navigate his sleigh!
As a...
Understanding Thanks and Giving
As I prepare for Thanksgiving, I realize I need a few essential items for my cornbread dressing—starting with, of course, cornbread! I also need...
Waiting, waiting, and waiting more
It is November 8th, and I am sitting in a Seattle airport lounge on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, waiting to fly home. Thanks to...
Faith in action: River Point Church’s record year for Operation Christmas Child
MT. AIRY, Ga. — What began 17 years ago with a humble goal of 128 shoeboxes has grown into a communitywide movement filling more...
The true patriots
True patriotism cannot be reduced to a sound bite or used to define a political leader, party, or group. It means loving your country...