The Nothing Blog

We're keeping this simple, Sisters.  This is an ongoing invitation for you to gather with gals who believe God moves mountains when we pray. (Matthew 17:20).  We meet in the gazebo in the center of the city. This started with one woman. Then another faithfully joined her. They represented different generations and different churches. Yep. Awesome. These two ladies met for several months on Fridays and continued to pray for the city, the local businesses, all the people who live and work in the city as well as countywide. They also prayed for our state, our nation, the world and the people who dwell in it. And now there are  SIX sisters who gather on Fridays at the gazebo! By the grace and favor of God, the little group is represented by three generations from six different churches! Love it!  And the group is flourishing with God's blessings of the encouragement of answered prayers, and new friendships!  Before going to the gazebo the ladies often drop in  ...

In my life's journey I seem to bump into my own walls of pride, self-centered worry, and unbelief. It's stupid on my part because I know the truth about my Savior -- that He will continue to love me unconditionally and always take tender care of me!  But, oh that flesh! That stinkin' worldly flesh that loves the world and worldly ways! Self. Selfie. Me! Me! Me! Selfie-ness! I want. I need. What about me??????? When I struggle I know to go to God and His word and ask for forgiveness and help in overcoming this "selfie-ness!" I've also learned along the way to save a lot of time and ask God, "What is the root of my problem? What really is my deeply rooted source of this?" He always reveals it to me and usually right away. It's rough sometimes but He's still pruning and shaping me. My problem always comes down to SELF. My Self. I read in Oswald Chambers' renown devotional, My Utmost for His Highest, (January 15), about having a 'white fu...

WOMEN WHO FOLLOW JESUS is not a club. There are no membership dues to pay, either because the ultimate  price was already paid  by the blood of the Lamb of God on a cross. Yep. Jesus "will remove our hearts of stone and give [us] a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26), then call us by name and we will confess our sins. Immediately He "forgives" us   (1 John 1:9), and our hearts are set free to live and love for His glory alone! And the LORD of Glory doesn't stop there! He gives us total security when we are His because women who follow Jesus learn wisdom from His "Holy Spirit" (Ezekiel 36:27) Who now lives inside us.  WOMEN WHO FOLLOW JESUS IS A LIFESTYLE, BABY! We seek His kingdom first! We put God's Word, His counsel, His guidance, first in our hearts and minds. Where do I get this info? Right here, Sister. "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans r...

by Polly Balint When I told my friend Diane Oberkrom I wanted to write a story about her and title it She Smiles When She Talks , she laughed. I told her, "You really do smile when you talk, you know!"  She smiles when she answers the phone and when she bakes her latest mouthwatering treat from her Soul Food Market kitchen. Diane Oberkrom, owner of The Soul Food Market, is giddy over the recipe she calls,  "Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Cushion."  Actually it is a gourmet sandwich cookie.  H er life has not been an easy journey but she is trusting God as the power who is higher than her circumstances. Diane is a widow and a single mom to son Augie, who's a freshman at Reinhardt College. "I think I was just born with a happy disposition. I've always been a  smiler, " she said, smiling of course. Diane was raised in the church. Her parents and grandparents are Christians and have lived lives of faithfulness to God. It's all she's known grow...

Come on, be honest. If you were strolling down the sidewalk in Historic Downtown Canton and you saw a little dog quietly sitting in a bicycle basket you'd take more than a second look. You'd take a picture, too, just like I did. Of course, I couldn't stop there, I had to move in for a closer look and prove this was a real dog in a bike basket and the bike was leaning against a wall! So I took a close up photo.  If you keep reading you'll see I took several photos while I was laughing in amazement. The cute little dog posed for my photo shoot instead of barking at me or jumping out of the basket!  After taking several pictures of this phenomenon I turned around and walked to my car parked two storefronts away. I kept thinking "Where is the owner and how is this possible? There is a story here, I know it." The dog in the bike basket was gently and securely parked next to a huge ceramic painted pig! Yep. And it makes sense because this is the front of The Painted...