Columnist: “Take the road less traveled, Route 66”

Greetings from The Springs. I would like to thank Monaray Powers with the Morgan County Citizen for printing two weeks’ worth of articles for Union Springs news in the previous edition. We had a lovely conversation last Monday and I want her to know that The Springs appreciates her help with any issue that arises. I really try my best to deliver to you our news but unfortunately life happens.
Continue to keep Mother Willie Ann Johnson and Mother Rebecca Hubbard in your prayers for healing. Willie Ann is still recovering from knee surgery. When I spoke with her she was still a bit sore. However, she did give high praises for her husband Tommie for taking great care of her. I don’t have an update on Mother Rebecca but I am sure that she is receiving good care and attention. The church hopes to see both of them really soon.

Wednesday Night Bible Study was a lesson on “Spiritual Gifts.” It is a part of a special series that Rev. Terrell is doing to help people recognize their gift(s).   

He told us that preaching is a calling and a gift from God. This is a time and area in which some may think that they have but not really possess. It is definitely a gift that one should not try to rush and need to be sure that they really have.
Of course the best way to examine this is to look at the life of Christ. In Luke 4:18 we see that Jesus was divinely appointed by the Holy Spirit. Another point revealed in this book is that Jesus’ fame went before Him. In other words others were able to see His gifts. Pastor emphasized to us don’t rush it. Be sure!   

Guess who turned 69 years young Sunday? Prophet Frederick Collins! The Springs were happy to share in his special day and we were invited to fellowship with him at Arizona’s at Stonecrest Mall. Anthony and I went also but by the time the others were pulling in we were pulling out of our parking space! I hope that they had a terrific meal like we did.   

Leon Goodrum, CEO of Capital City Bank, worshipped with us Sunday. He is a good friend of Pastor Terrell and he surprises us with visits from time to time. He also owns several McDonald’s including the one at Hartsfield-Jackson airport, so if you take a flight stop in and get a bite.   

Every Sunday we have many visitors in attendance and I can’t make mention of all of them but I do have one more person to make note of. Robert Benford, Sr. came and we were all very excited to have him join us. Mr. Benford is well known in Madison and Eatonton and is also the father of Pastor Terrell’s armor-bearer Robert Benford, Jr. I know that he will be back with us soon.

Pastor Terrell placed special emphasis on the youth again on Sunday with his message and rightly so. Out of the 12 candidates that we had for baptism, 10 were our youth. He dared them to be different.   

The text for the morning came from St. Matthew 7: 13-14, which compares the two ways in life that a person can take. “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and there are many who go by it.”

If we follow the 66 Books of the Bible then we will end up where we are supposed to go. We can’t worry about being mocked and not taking the way of the world. Just think Jesus was different and made fun of it. In St. Mark 5: 14 when He went to heal the daughter of Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, “they ridiculed Him”.   

The trap is that when we take the broad road we don’t see that it leads to destruction. Once we are on that road things seem to go okay. Then the enemy cuts us down. Fear of what others will say leads us down the wrong paths in life.   
It is okay to be different. Be laughed at for the right thing and take the road less traveled, Route 66. Glory Be To God!

Printed in the March 7, 2013 edition