About The Jenkins County times. (Millen, Ga.) 2023-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2025)
Page 10 - Wednesday, January 1, 2025 The Jenkins County Times j enkinscountytimes. com cades Just when you think all hope is gone; "His Strength is Perfect" It was the day after New Years of 1969, and I was only six years old. I remember it quite vividly, because it was just one of those things that sticks with you. I do remember I was in first grade and we were all at recess at the time. It was around 11:00 am or so, and me and my friends were playing on the playground. It was my first year and I was so excited to be in real school! I had met several friends and as we played, one of my new friends, Steven fell from the monkey bars. We'll we all had fell from the bars ourselves too many times to count, but this time, Steven fell on his back and landed on a few rocks, of course, being only six, I thought it was a huge rock) All the kids were laughing still having a great time, until two of us noticed that Steven was not getting up and would not talk to us. I ran to the teacher on the playground as quick as I could and told her about what had happened. She came running over, shook our friend, Steven, and he started to come to. We were relieved. However, we acted too quick. You see, Steven could not move. He was paralyzed. An ambulance was called, and they took this new friend of mine to the hospital. I just could not believe it. First day back after the holidays, and my good friend was hurt on the playground. After a month or so, Steven was able to return to school. However, he was in a wheelchair with a spinal injury. He could not run and play like the rest of the kids any longer. We all were glad he was back. Maybe he could not play as he did, but we all took turns pushing him around in his wheelchair. However, Steven never gave up. He kept with his exercises at home, the hospital, and also at school during physical education classes. He was determined to be better and walk again. A couple of years went by and then Steven regained his strength, and his back began to heal, and he was able to walk again. However, we were in third grade now. He was one of my best friends for most of my elementary years. I have to say, as a child of six, it scared me. I thought he was dead at first and I was upset. And, so were, most of the kids on the playground that day. You know, our strength sometimes is not perfect, but God's is. He carries us when we cannot carry on. Although Steven was injured and could not walk for some years, God still watched after him and became his strength. In fact, our strength too. This entire story reminds me of a song by Stephen Curtis Chapman, "His Strength is perfect". The song was written and released in 1988. Chapman began his career in the late 1980s as a songwriter and performer of contemporary Christian music and became the artist in Christian music with the most awards, releasing over 25 albums. He has also won five Grammy awards and 59 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, more than any other artist in history. Chapman is a devout Christian and is married to Mary Beth Chapman. The couple met in the early 1980s at Anderson University in Anderson, Indiana, and married in the fall of 1984. The couple live in Franklin, Tennessee and have three biological children: Emily Elizabeth, Caleb Stevenson, and Will Franklin. They adopted three daughters from China; Shaohannah Hope Yan, Stevey Joy Ru, and Maria Sue Chunxi. This song talks about assurance, security, confidence, rest, and shares some attributes of God. This song has recently been added to the Baptist hymnal. What a joyful song to sing for this new year. Sing with me I can do all things Through Christ who gives me strength But sometime I wonder what He can do through me No glory on my own Yet in my weakness He is there to let me know His strength is perfect when our strength is gone He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on Raised in His power, the weak become strong His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect We can only know The power that He holds When we truly see how deep our weakness goes His strength in us begins Where ours comes to an end He hears our humble cry and proves again His strength is perfect when our strength is gone He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on Raised in His power, the weak become strong His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect Area Churches Observe Christmas Eve Churches around the community marked the birth of our savior on Christmas Eve with candlelight services and/or Christmas pageants. Pictured are Millen Baptist, Fairhaven Methodist, and Trinity Episcopal. WeCcome To The Ta6Ce The stockings were hung. The tree was pretty. The meal was good. The presents were lovely. The family visits were refreshing. Now what? In the long weeks of decorating, buying, cooking, and going, it was all over in a day or maybe two. The only thing faster than Christmas is the Kentucky Derby! For our house, it was two months of decorations and so much more, and on December 26th, it will all be in the closet and stored until November 1, 2025! The Christmas season will soon be over. Christmas candy is already off the shelves, and Valentine’s Candy will be in place, quickly replaced by the spring sections of the stores. The fruit cake will be in the trash, diets will begin, and gyms will be full. How about your spiritual life? Christmas is a season to celebrate Jesus. Will that celebration go away as fast as the fruit cake the day after Christmas? Will your life in Christ be part of your New Year’s Resolution? The four Sundays of Advent, which lead to Christmas Day, were concluded by lighting the Christ Candle on Christmas Eve night. Those participating in Advent learn that Christ is hope, peace, joy, and love. The candles of Advent point to the reality that all things are fulfilled in Christ. Colossians 1:15-20 points us to this reality when Paul writes, “15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” Christ is the fulfillment of all things the heart longs for, but will He be the center of our lives in 2025? Man often roams in the darkness, searching for an answer to life, not realizing that Christ is near them all the time if they call upon Him by faith. Believers in Christ can get caught in the busyness and only pause on a Sunday to say, “Thank you,” but Christ can be largely forgotten the rest of the days. Advent is designed to be a transformative season. It is a season to reflect, renew, and be revived. Too often, it passes us by, the candles are put in their boxes, and four Sundays before Christmas, we will reflect once again. In 2025, do not put Christ away with the decorations and the Advent wreath! Keep Him at the center of your life all year. Worship weekly, pray and read the Word daily, and love others deeply all year. May Christ be the fulness of your life this year! East Burke Baptist Church Sunday Services li a.m. Pastor: Jordan Clayton Hwy 24 Sardis, GA Please call 706-526-1733 for more information. Elam Baptist Church Sunday School meets 9:45 a.m. Sunday Services 11 a.m. Pastor: Jody Bryant 5199 Elam Road, Millen, GA 30442 Wednesday activities begin at 5:45 p.m. with a meal; Team Kid, Youth and Bible study Begin at 6:30 p.m. For more information, please send emails to elambaptistchurch@gmail.com. Green Fork Baptist Church Pastor Jesse Sadler (Phone Number: 850-843-6102) Worship Opportunities: Sunday School 10:00 a.m. Morning Worship 11:00 a.m. Evening Worship 5:30 p.m. Children's Choir 5:30 p.m. Wednesday Bible Study/Prayer Mtg 7:00 p.m. Millen Baptist Church Come join us!! Morning Worship 11AM Sunday School 9:45 a.m. 219 N. Gray St, Millen, GA 478-982-5411 Pastor Brad Asbury pastorbradasbury@gmail.com Millen Methodist Church Morning Worship 11AM Sunday School 10 a.m. 413 N. Gray St, Millen, GA 478-982-2664 Pastor John Drake For questions about our services, please email us @ millenmethodistchurch@gmail.com Miracle Temple 640 Millen Bypass Millen, GA. Worship Services every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Pastor Joseph Radlift. For more information please contact the church office at 478-455-1844 Oak Hill Baptist Church Sunday School: 10 a.m. Sunday Morning: 11 a.m. Wednesday: 7 p.m. Adult Bible Study - Young Adult Bible Study Youth Group - Team Kids S Oak Hill Church Rd., n, GA Pastor: Joshua Johnson 478-982-1616 www.oakhillmillen.com Rocky Ford Baptist Church RFBC, here for the Gospel 132 Main Street Rocky Ford, GA 30455 (9121-863-4288 Sunday School: 10 a.m. Morning Worship: 11 a.m. Sunday Evening Service: 4:30 p.m. Wednesday Night Children and Youth Program 6-7:30pm Pastor: Wayne Bragg www.rockyfordbaptist.co_m Facebook/rockyfordbaptist Scarboro Baptist Church 4204 Scarboro Church Loop Millen, GA 30442 706-466-4494 Pastor: Perry Hearn Sunday Worship: 11:00 a.m. Sunday School: 10 a.m. The Church of God 625 Hwy 25 N. Millen Pastor Joshua Farthing Worship Leader Karen Kent Farthing 6i5-559-8577/ 6l 5-559-8574 Email: jfarthing@ thechurchofgod.org Sunday School: 10:30 a.m. Worship 11:15 a.m. Wednesday Bible Study 7 p.m. Find us on Facebook Trinity Episcopal Church 4401 Country Club Rd, States boro, GA Sunday Eucharist 8:15 a.m. and 10:30a.m. Father Charles Todd, Rector Jonathan Murphy, Music Director. 012-489-4208 Facebook/ TrinityEpiscopalStatesboro Food Bank Distribution 1st Saturday of each month Miracle Temple 8-10 a.m. Hwy 21 Bypass Miller Ga 478-455-1844 Elijah Coney
