Special to Wesson News Head Coach Kyle Flessner speaking to campers before camp Copiah-Lincoln Community College’s baseball program welcomed approximately seventy-four young players to its annual summer baseball camp at Sullivan Field on at the end of June, giving area youth three days of instruction, competition and fun under the guidance of the Wolves’ coaching staff and players. First-year head coach Kyle Flessner, a Thomasboro, Illinois, native who arrived at Co-Lin in the fall of 2024, said the turnout exceeded expectations. “We had a really, really fun event for us,” Flessner said. “I think we had about seventy-four kids end up signing up.” The three-day camp, priced at $100 per participant, included instruction in throwing, hitting, fly ball pursuit, infield fundamentals and baserunning. Campers also participated in scrimmages throughout the week. Flessner noted that camp shirts are planned for future years. A highlight of the final day was a slip-and-slide baserunning activity that has become a camp tradition. “We always like to teach them baserunning on the last day and let them learn how to slide and do it in a fun way,” Flessner said. “All the little campers always look forward to that.” Flessner, who has a one-year-old son at home, said camps like this leave a lasting impression beyond the diamond. He added that his son — who started walking at nine months and already hurls objects across the room — will be a camp participant himself one day. “As soon as he picks something up, he throws it across the room,” Flessner said. “Whenever he’s old enough, he’s gonna be doing these camps, too. He’s always being around baseball, so he already loves it.” Flessner said camps like this create memories that stick with kids long after the final out. “It’s something that they end up remembering doing as they were growing up,” he said. “They try to go year after year, and they do get a little bit better at baseball. It’s a win-win for everybody.” Co-Lin players were equally enthusiastic about the experience, with staff members still exchanging stories from the week. “We always share stories of a funny thing that a kid did or just a funny thing that he said,” Flessner said. “We had a really good group this year and had a really good turnout. I just want to do it more often.” Community members looking for another opportunity to connect with Co-Lin baseball can mark their calendars for the next GOAT Camp, scheduled for October 6-7 at Wesson Park from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The free event will feature Co-Lin baseball players working directly with youth participants.

By Jessica Breazeale Chamber President Teri Bath, Founders Day Queen Caylie Britt, and town librarian Marilyn Britt (Photo credit: Jessica Breazeale) Rain and rumbling skies couldn’t dampen the spirit of Wesson’s Fourth of July celebration, as families packed Wesson Park for a night that doubled as a tribute to America’s 250th birthday. The event, held from 5 to 10 p.m. at Wesson Park on July 4, featured a lineup of contests and activities for all ages, including a watermelon eating and seed-spitting contest, a hot dog eating contest, an ice cream brain freeze contest, and a mini pecan pie eating contest. An apple pie baking contest also drew entries from locals. Vendors on site sold food and beverages throughout the evening. One of the night’s biggest draws was the dunking booth, where Wesson Mayor Alton Shaw and Co-Lin head baseball coach Kyle Flessner took turns in the tank, drawing long lines of residents eager to take their best shot. Despite periods of rain throughout the evening, organizers said turnout remained strong, with residents bringing lawn chairs and umbrellas to wait out the weather, rather than miss the festivities. Organizers said the weather served as a reminder of the community’s resilience, rather than a setback. Special thanks were extended to Stephen Ashley and Mike King, who helped plan the event alongside their respective teams. Local sponsors and businesses helped support the event. A Kids Patriotic Parade kicked off at 6 p.m., with children decorating bikes and wagons in red, white and blue. Special music was provided throughout the evening by Sami Curole of Wesson, adding to the night’s festive atmosphere. The evening’s centerpiece was a ceremony at 8:15 p.m. honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States, recognizing 250 years of freedom, faith and the American spirit. Pastor James Harris offered remarks towards the event conclusion. The event finished with a fireworks display at 9 p.m., lighting up the sky over Wesson.

David Ray Flowers, of Hazlehurst, Mississippi, passed away peacefully to be with his Lord and Savior on July 3, 2026. A dedicated public servant and proud member of the Hazlehurst community, David leaves behind a legacy of courage, compassion, and service that will not be forgotten. For many years, David served as a local Fire Chief, EMT, and Dispatcher, answering the call at all hours to protect the lives and property of those in his community. His leadership, calm demeanor under pressure, and unwavering commitment to public safety earned him the respect of fellow firefighters, emergency responders, and citizens alike. Beyond his service, David was known for his kind heart and willingness to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. Whether responding to emergencies or spending time with family and friends, he demonstrated the values of integrity, selflessness, and dedication throughout his life. David cherished time spent with his loved ones and enjoyed gardening and cooking for his family and friends. He was a valued member of the Jaycees and an assistant scoutmaster for years in the community. David also served the community by volunteering at the Mississippi Music Museum in Hazlehurst. He is survived by his sister, Meg (Jeff) Mathis, nephew, Ross Bosch, niece, Lauren (Nick) Hall, and great-nephew Noah Hall as well as extended family, friends, and countless community members whose lives were touched by his generosity and service. He was preceded in death by his parents Ray and Margaret Flowers. A celebration of David's life will be held on August 8th with visitation starting at 1:00 PM and service following at 2:00 PM at First Baptist Church of Hazlehurst, MS. Family and friends are invited to gather in remembrance and honor a life well lived. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Hazlehurst Fire Department, First Baptist Church of Hazlehurst (151 Caldwell Dr. Hazlehurst, MS 39083), or Baptist Children's Village (P.O. Box 27 Clinton, MS 39060) in David's memory. David will be remembered not only for the lives he helped save, but for the example he set through a lifetime of service and love. His legacy will continue to inspire all who had the privilege of knowing him. To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

By Misty Strieff Prine “In Christ ALONE, my hope is found!” I’m sure we’ve all, at some point in our lives, heard a version or cover of the song, “In Christ Alone.” I love the cover of the song that was made by Lauren Daigle. This song serves as a great reminder of WHO and WHERE our strength, hope and peace are and will ALWAYS, ultimately be found. He is our Cornerstone and He is our solid Ground when we are all too often on shaky ground with no sense of direction or stability on our own. For in Christ alone, the answers to all of life’s answers are found. Do you have Him as the Cornerstone in your life? I pray that you do. Jesus should always be the part of your life that everything is centered around. If that’s not the case, I pray tonight’s the night you make that happen. I promise you this. You are missing out on so much peace and joy if you don’t know Him today. He is a life changer and chain breaker! I want to share the lyrics to this song because reading lyrics are often just as powerful as singing them! “In Christ Alone” cover by Lauren Daigle. “In Christ alone my hope is found,He is my light, my strength, my song. This Cornerstone, this solid Ground. Firm through the fiercest drought and storm. What heights of love, what depths of peace. When fears are stilled, when strivings cease, my Comforter, my All in All. Here in the love of Christ I stand. In Christ alone! - who took on flesh, fullness of God in helpless babe. This gift of love and righteousness, scorned by the ones He came to save. Till on that cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied. For every sin on Him was laid, here in the death of Christ I live. There in the ground His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain: Then bursting forth in glorious day, up from the grave He rose again. And as He stands in victory, sin's curse has lost its grip on me. For I am His and He is mine, bought with the precious blood of Christ. No guilt in life, no fear in death, this is the power of Christ in me. From life's first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny. No power of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hand. Till He returns or calls me home, here in the power of Christ I'll stand.”

By Jessica Breazeale Copiah Nutrition recently opened its doors for a cause close to the community’s heart — hosting a blood drive on behalf of Ledger Smith, a six-year-old Brookhaven boy fighting a leukemia relapse. The Mississippi Blood Services mobile unit came out for the event, and eleven donors stepped up to give on Ledger’s behalf. Ledger, the son of Reid and Caitlyn Grace Smith, had been in remission, but became ill shortly after returning to school. He is currently in Jackson for an extended stay, requiring frequent blood transfusions as he battles through his relapse. Recently, his sister donated bone marrow to help in his fight. Communities across Copiah County and Lincoln County have been lifting Ledger and his family up in prayer for a long time, and his story has touched many hearts. Those who wish to donate blood for Ledger can do so at any local blood drive or at Mississippi Blood Services in Flowood, using ID # EJ22. The need for blood donations is urgent. Mississippi Blood Services has repeatedly sounded the alarm over critically low blood inventory levels across the state, warning that, without community support, essential medical procedures could be delayed and lives put at risk. Mississippi Blood Services relies on mobile drives in communities like Copiah County to keep blood on the shelves and patients cared for — and every local donor makes a direct difference. For Copiah Nutrition owner Ana Mason, hosting blood drives is deeply personal. “I choose to often host blood drives at Copiah Nutrition, because my best friend had an emergency C-section and almost bled to death because of an error — the doctor nicked a vein,” Mason said. “She is O-, and there was no blood available for her. I’m A+ and felt completely helpless that I could not donate just one pint. She literally lost half her blood supply. Immediately after that, I started hosting blood drives. Even during COVID, I continued to host and donate blood and platelets.” The cause hit close to home again in 2021, when Mason’s own mother became ill and needed blood. “The blood supply was so low that I hosted a couple of emergency blood drives for my mom,” she said. “Within a two-week period, my mom went through fifteen pints of blood. I just wish more people truly understood why donating is so important. Without the generosity of blood donors, people like my mom would not have received life-saving blood — and she would not be here today.” Those who are able to give are asked to make blood donation a priority the next time the opportunity arises. For more information about upcoming blood drives, donation locations or to register to become a donor, visit MSBlood.com.

By Bob Garver Poster credit IMDB I am well aware of the case against Disney’s live-action remake of its 2016 animated hit “Moana,” namely that the original film is less than ten years old and doesn’t need a remake, and also that Disney live-action remakes are lazy cash-grabs in general. And I agree with a lot about that argument. I’d rather see Disney put its resources into developing new ideas instead of rehashing old ones, especially when it means trading the magic of Disney animation for the limitations of live-action. At the same time, no amount of discouragement – of which I offer a lot – can stop Disney from making and releasing this movie, and the movie they’ve made and released isn’t terrible. The story remains the same. Moana (Catherine Laga’aia), teenage daughter of Chief Tui (John Tui) and his wife Sina (Frankie Adams), is destined to one day take over her island home, but is told she must never go out on open water. Her wise grandmother Tala (Rena Owen) encourages her to take her duties seriously, but also to think for herself if strict adherence to tradition isn’t working. The island comes to be in trouble, and only returning the heart of petrified goddess Te Fiti will save it. Fortunately Moana has had the heart since childhood (she earned it as a reward for compassion toward the ocean and its creatures), so she sets out on an unprecedented seafaring expedition to return it. Moana’s mission requires her to team up with exiled demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson, reprising his role from the original, but now in live-action), who isn’t keen on crossing paths with old enemy Te Fiti. Together they have to keep other parties from stealing the powerful heart for themselves, such as coconut-like pirates the Kakamora and greedy crab Tamatoa (Jemaine Clement, also reprising his role in voice only). Then there’s Te Fiti herself, who is so mistrustful of humans and demigods that she fights our heroes even when they’re trying to do something as helpful as returning her own heart. It’s when the action kicks into gear that the movie doesn’t fare well. For most movies I’d say the opposite, that I prefer it when the first act stops plodding along and we get to the action. But the second and third acts in this film differ so little from the original that it’s just a matter of waiting for the same beats from 2016. I know “I’ve seen this all before” is a cliché for critics, but in this case it’s especially accurate and appropriate. While I’m talking about the movie’s lesser points, I need to bring up Dwayne Johnson. In 2016, I was thrilled that the pro wrestler known as The Rock had a juicy part (and even a song!) in the Disney canon. But he’s really lost a step since then. His jokes sound forced (not helped by, again, being carbon copies of jokes from ten years ago) and his body is unnaturally puffy, a result of the effects team going overboard in giving him sentient tattoos. Speaking of unnatural special effects, animal sidekicks Pua the pig and Heihei the chicken also look terrible, and even the water isn’t as… fluid as it should be. With all of these problems that I can completely understand being deal-breakers for other critics, why am I recommending this version of “Moana”? The answer is simple: Moana. Or, less simply, Moana and her family dynamic back on the island. The first act of the movie gives us four good characters with passion and motivation. The remake really steps up its game in fleshing out these characters now that they have actual flesh. Of course, the standout is Laga’aia, matching the charm of original Moana Auli’i Cravalho every step of the way. Laga’aia and Cravalho combine their spirited voices for a song that plays over the credits, which is just enough to earn this film a recommendation by the hair of a coconut. Grade: B- “Moana” is rated PG for action/peril, some scary images, rude humor and brief thematic elements. Its running time is 115 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Send responses to: andybowman839@gmail.com Absolutely nobody I’ve ever known loves to go to see the doctor. In fact, we usually put up with pain until it becomes pretty unbearable, and only then do we begrudgingly drag ourself to visit that dreaded human being. And whether it is only a forty-eight-hour recovery by using an antibiotic the doc prescribes, or it turns into a long haul, it simply doesn’t matter. The next time we again feel ourself getting sick, we will put off that phone call as long as we can. I know, I know, no one wants to just give up and acknowledge their body has decided to leave the beaten path of pure health, that it has taken a sharp left turn and is now broken and spiraling downward. But look at it this way. Because we are the stubborn creatures that we are, it just may take everything falling apart in your life to make you actually get help you need. So, from that point of view, things falling apart can be a good thing. Because that’s when everything can begin falling back into place. You finally go to Urgent Care, or call for an appointment with the ‘dreaded human being.’ You submit yourself to an exam, take some tests, and voila, you find out why you have been feeling like your train has run off the tracks and is wallowing around in the desert somewhere. But are you like so many of us? That when it happens to you, your reaction is always, “This stinks! Why is this happening to me?” C’mon, honestly, do you really think that you are The Chosen One? That your gorgeous body is so wonderful that no disease or accident should be allowed to touch it? That God has designated you as His poster child for absolute health until the day you breathe your last breath and He whisks you off to paradise? No, of course not. If you are breathing, you know that is not the way life treats you. Fact; in this broken world, things break. And people hurt. And everyone needs help from someone else when we get broken. So, the best thing you can do is to simply acknowledge a few things. Life hurts humans. You are not super-human, so you are going to get hurt by life. And when that happens, you need someone to help you. People do not have ESP. That means you are going to have to pick up the phone, or confide in a friend, or yell down the street. But you are going to need to let someone help you. To let someone in. And that can be a definite good thing in your life. Sickness and sadness. It's going to happen to you. So best thing you can do is to change your perspective. That when things break in your life, decide to keep your eyes open for the eventual good that can result.

By Jessica Breazeale Hank Miller and Leyton Ainsworth, students at Wesson High School, enjoy the new Dippin’ Dots offerings at Milltown Mall. (Photo credit Jessica Breazeale) For more than thirty years Dippin' Dots has been creating fun and making memories for fans across the globe. Now, Wesson residents can enjoy the fun locally, with a new Dippin’ Dots location inside Milltown Mall. Microbiologist Curt Jones invented the beaded ice cream concept in 1988 when he used his knowledge of cryogenic technology and his love for ice cream to create Dippin’ Dots, which has since been America’s number one beaded ice cream brand. Through innovation and imagination, Dippin’ Dots redefined ice cream. Popularity grew, and, in the early 90's Dippin' Dots became the pre-teen image of fun with friends at malls and amusement parks across the country. In 1995, Dippin' Dots made its international debut in Japan, where fans of American culture would fall in love with the “Ice Cream of the Future.” An icon at amusement parks and stadiums, Dippin’ Dots is served in nearly every major theme park and in more than two thirds of all baseball stadiums in the U.S., not to mention local water parks, amusement parks and attractions. Dippin’ Dots Franchising, which has operated an award-winning franchise system since 2000, now has more than one hundred store and shopping center locations coast-to-coast. Today, the franchise model includes co-brand opportunities with sister company Doc Popcorn, the nation’s largest popcorn franchise, which was acquired by Dippin’ Dots in 2014. Many franchisees take their business mobile, serving Dippin’ Dots at thousands of fairs and festivals, from food trucks and mobile carts, and in schools and convenience stores. Availability of Dippin' Dots products expands year after year, with 22,000 points of presence across the U.S. Through a variety of outlets including e-commerce, drug and convenience stores, fairs, festivals and events, Dippin’ Dots fans can often find their favorite sweet treat just around the corner. At press time, available Dippin’ Dots flavors in Wesson included chocolate, cookies and cream, banana split, rainbow, cotton candy, and chocolate chip cookie dough. Milltown Mall is located at 2058 US Highway 51, and the Dippin’ Dots are in the front by the register.

Special to Wesson News Brookhaven Animal Rescue League is proud to participate in this nationwide effort, joining animal welfare organizations across the country to help more pets find loving homes. Through July 26th, BARL has reduced adoption fees to $35 cats/kittens and $55 dogs/puppies. This fee includes spay/neuter, vaccinations and a microchip. (Few animals are excluded from promotion.) Summer is one of the most challenging times of year for animal shelters, as kitten and puppy season brings an influx of litters while adoptions struggle to keep pace. At the same time, shelters often see increased owner surrenders and fewer available volunteer hours, creating significant capacity and resource challenges. Empty the Shelters helps provide critical relief by encouraging adoption and creating much-needed space for pets awaiting homes. "Every summer, shelters face the greatest pressure of pet overpopulation," said Cathy Bissell, Founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation. "We are deeply committed to addressing the root causes of overcrowding through spay and neuter — but until prevention can meet the scale of the crisis, our adoption events are a lifeline for shelters and the pets in their care. We hope you'll open your heart and your home to a shelter pet this summer." BARL is open each week Thursday-Sunday, 12:00-4:00 pm. Adoption appointments can be scheduled at other times, if needed. Many adoptable pets can be seen online at BARL.net/adopt. Petsense in Brookhaven also houses some adoptable BARL cats. BARL's mission is to humanely care for shelter animals while contributing to community activities that reduce pet overpopulation, encourage responsible pet ownership, protect public health and safety, and promote the human-animal bond. BARL is a volunteer-based, 501 c3 charitable animal welfare organization serving Copiah, Franklin and Lincoln counties. BARL provides food, shelter and veterinary services for homeless animals until they are adopted. All BARL animals are vaccinated, spayed/neutered and microchipped. Anyone with questions about adopting, contributing, or volunteering should call BARL at (601) 757-4367 or email info@barl.net. Donations are tax deductible and may be mailed to BARL, P.O. Box 3477, Brookhaven, MS 39603. BARL features many of its adoptable animals online at barl.net and on their Facebook page.

The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) will make available state Education Enhancement Funds (EEF) to all public-school districts on July 15 for teachers to purchase instructional supplies for their classes throughout the school year. For the first time, EEF funds are being provided to teachers through a digital wallet platform. Each eligible teacher has been allocated $748 in EEF funds for the 2026-27 school year. Teachers will access these funds through ClassWallet, a digital wallet platform built for instructional supply funds. Teachers may purchase instructional items using their EEF accounts at any point during the school year until April 30, 2027. The digital platform will enable teachers to track their spending and automatically collect receipts, reducing the administrative burden on district staff. Mississippi law requires districts to give teachers access to their EEF teaching supply funds by August 1. The Legislature in 2022 passed a law to move the deadline from September 1 to August 1 in response to the increasing number of districts shifting to earlier school start dates. "The timeline from when MDE receives our state appropriation on July 1 to delivering these funds to teachers is very tight, especially for districts that start school in July," said Dr. Lance Evans, state superintendent of education. "MDE made the decision to move to a digital wallet system to give teachers access to their funds as early as possible. We based our decision on input from district business managers and EEF card administrators from across the state." After districts receive the EEF funds for teaching supplies, they are responsible for activating the accounts and ensuring all teachers are trained through a live or recorded webinar. Teachers are not required to attend a live training session to activate their accounts. Instead, they can review the recorded webinar that will be posted on the MDE website on July 14. Live training sessions will be held throughout July with expanded capacity for participation. MDE will regularly post additional information on the EEF card page of the MDE website. Teachers may use their ClassWallet accounts to purchase items online from more than 160 vendors, including big-box retailers and companies specializing in literacy, early childhood education, special education, and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), among other subjects. Teachers may request the addition of local vendors by submitting their requests to their district card administrators and/or business managers. Local vendors have two options to participate. They may complete ClassWallet's onboarding process and, upon meeting all requirements, be added to the national online marketplace for shopping. Alternatively, local vendors may seek approval from MDE to allow teachers to use their personal funds to shop and submit their purchases to ClassWallet for reimbursement. The Mississippi Legislature has appropriated $25 million in EEF teaching supply funds for FY27. Many other states do not have programs like Mississippi's that give teachers money to buy supplemental instructional materials for their individual classrooms. "The MDE is grateful to the Legislature for continuing to provide Mississippi teachers with money to purchase materials that directly support student learning," Evans said. Find all MDE news releases at mdek12.org/news.

By Sarah Grace Coleman Twiner with one of the possums she rehabilitated Rosie Twiner is a long-time resident of Wesson, where she has lived since she was in fifth grade. She is married to Chase and is a mother to two boys, Reese, 7, and Chastin, 15. She says she fondly remembers Mrs. Patty’s Snack Shack and getting snow cones there. “Mrs. Patty was the kindest lady ever, and she fueled our summers with the snow cones,” said Twiner. Twiner also spent many summers at Lake Lincoln, where she still visits with her family to partake in geocaching, disc golf and fishing. Twiner says she is a big animal lover. She has two cats, Dee and Winnifred; a German shepherd, Maverick; and two bunnies, Bunnicula, named after the children’s book, and Colosso, named after the evil rabbit character on The Thundermans television show. In addition, she recently rehabilitated four baby possums. Twiner is also very passionate about snakes that are native to Mississippi and educating people on them. She frequently helps with catching and re-locating snakes in her spare time. In one particular instance, she helped relocate an eastern hognose snake. “[Eastern hognose snakes are] the coolest to me,” said Twiner. “They’re very dramatic…they pretend to be dead. If you touch them, or if you scare them, their defense mechanism is for them to flip over on their back and start writhing and moving and pretending that they’re dying; and they’ll just lay there in the dirt upside down with their tongue hanging out.” Twiner is currently not partnered with any snake-oriented organizations, but rather considers it a hobby. She also uses snake-catching as a way to start conversations and minister to others about her other passion, her relationship with Jesus Christ. “I would say because my faith in Jesus Christ is at my core, it is the one thing that I believe to be true in this world; it's the one thing that makes me who I am. I’m not just some random girl that's covered in tattoos and piercings. That's who I am, but I also have a story of where Jesus Christ has brought me from and so everybody has a story,” said Twiner. “At work, I get to talk to all of these students that have not always had an easy life,” continues Twiner. “Many of them have gone through or are going through things that are hard…and so I’m getting to talk to my students, getting to talk to people that I’m removing snakes from their garages. I’m getting to build a relationship with these people and talk about where they’re at in their life and their need for a savior and their need to feel something that's bigger than this world. I know what he did for me, so I want to tell everybody about that.” Twiner is a member of Beauregard Community Church. She gave her life to Jesus on October 31, 1999, and was baptized that same month at Hazelhurst Westside Baptist Church. Twiner attended Copiah-Lincoln Community College, where she studied art. In 2022, she returned to Co-Lin as the Workforce Secretary. Two years later, she transferred to Adult Education Academic Assistant. “That’s actually a really funny story, because, had you told me when I was eighteen years old that I would be returning to Co-Lin one day, I would have laughed in your face,” said Twiner. She says she loves getting to work with some of her previous instructors and says her favorite part of the job is getting to know students and their backgrounds. What are your hobbies? I have a huge reading collection. The walls of my living room are lined with books. Some are classics, and some are on my to-be-read list. I still love music, whether I’m at work, at home or at church, that's just kind of my thing. One of the best parts about being a mom is that I get to give my awesome musical taste to my kids, so it’s a huge accomplishment when I hear them playing a really good 90’s rock song. I feel like I’ve made it as a mom there. Every now and then, I’ll decide that I may want to pick up a paint brush, but I’m a little bit too busy for that these days. Are you a reader? I am always reading. I try to do that at least once a day. My current journey is reading through the Bible in a year, but, in addition to that, I am currently reading a book by Bill O’Reilly called Killing the Witches. My angsty teenage heart would tell you that I always have room for a good romance novel, Calling Hoover, obviously. I do love a lot of historical pieces. The older I get, I find myself reading a lot more of that, but I don’t have a specific genre; I’m kind of open to anything. How about music? I love everything, and I do mean that. Any time that my playlist is on, you’re going to hear a lot of Fleetwood Mac, but then you’re also going to hear maybe some Metallica and Pearl Jam. There’s a lot of worship music thrown in these days, so Elevation Worship and Forrest Frank is one my kids enjoy, too. I would say that my musical taste is very much like me. I am a free-spirit. I am very much kind of a wildflower when it comes to music, because I can appreciate all of it. I just love music that makes you feel some type of way, whatever that is. Do you go to the theater or movies? I try to get to the Brookhaven Little Theater as much as I can. I kind of credit my love for theater to one of my high school teachers, Mr. Rob Martin. He took us to see A Christmas Carol one time in high school, and I fell in love with the theater at that moment; so I do try to visit the Brookhaven Little Theater as much as I can and support them. If you won a lot of money in the lottery, how would you spend it? The first thing I would do would be to give some to our church, just because our church has grown exponentially over the last six months. I would love to be able to build on to our church for the people that are coming in. Then I think I probably would be pretty boring with it. I would build houses all around mine, so that all of my family members could move right there and we could just have a big commune where we’re all together, doing life together. How would you change the world? When I grew up, I was kind of a weirdo; I would venture to say that I’m still kind of a weirdo. Obviously, I don’t fit the mold of a traditional Southern girl. I am, in fact, covered with tattoos and piercings, and my hair may be really neon colors on any given day. So, as a kid growing up here, that was super hard; and I hope that, not necessarily changing the entire world, but I hope that I am changing my part of the world just by loving people the correct way, loving people the way that Jesus does. Because I needed that growing up, and I hope that whenever the alternative kids or the artsy kids or the weird kids come in contact with me that they leave me knowing that there is somebody that loves them and cares about them and accepts them the way that they are. So, I don’t know about changing the world, but I do think that I am - I pray that I am - changing the people that I come in contact with just by loving them the way Jesus loves me.

By Jessica Breazeale My take on faith, dry seasons and a strange little plant that refuses to stay dead. I heard about a plant that looks absolutely dead but can come back to life. I was greatly intrigued. So, I bought some to test this knowledge. Yes, this plant looks like it belongs in the trash. Curled up, brown, brittle…the kind of thing you'd sweep off your porch without a second thought. It's called the Rose of Jericho. Most people know it by a better name: the Resurrection Plant. Drop it in water, though, and something remarkable happens. Within a few hours it starts to uncurl. Green creeps back into its fronds. What looked dead begins to breathe again. It doesn't strain to come back to life. It simply responds to water, the way it's been designed to for thousands of years. Scientists call it a desiccation-tolerant organism, meaning it can survive for years in that curled, lifeless-looking state and pick right back up the moment moisture returns. I brought one of these plants into our church service recently, not for a biology lesson, but because I think a lot of us know exactly what it feels like to feel, even look, curled in on ourselves, brown at the edges, wondering if whatever used to be alive in us is ever coming back. We decided to have an honest conversation about the real cry of a dry season. King David wrote in Psalm 63, "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you... as in a dry and weary land where there is no water." He wasn't writing from a palace. He was in the wilderness, on the run, surrounded by trouble. What stands out is what David doesn't do. He doesn't fake it. He doesn't open with "I'm blessed and highly favored" when what he actually feels is parched and far from home. He just says: I am thirsty. This is dry ground. Faking it will only get you so far. To real…is to heal. David was real in his honest cry. A lot of us have been performing "fine" for a long time. The dry season crept in so quietly we barely noticed — a prayer life that went silent, a Bible that stopped landing the way it used to, a church service where we sat and felt nothing at all. Know this: Dry is not dead. Thirsty is not forsaken. But you have to be honest about where you are before anything can change. Try speaking to what looks finished. In Ezekiel 37, God sets the prophet down in a valley full of bones — "very dry" bones, the text says. Not recently dead. Long gone. The kind of dry that means people had written the whole thing off and moved on. God asks Ezekiel, "Can these bones live?" And Ezekiel doesn't say yes. He says, essentially, You know. I sure don't. He didn’t pretend he knew the answer. He submitted to the One who KNEW. God tells him to prophesy anyway — to speak to what looks finished. That resurrection plant doesn't know it's "supposed" to be dead. It doesn't read the room. Its whole design is built for coming back. Death was never its final state; dormancy was. So what have you already declared dead that might not actually be finished? A relationship gone cold? A dream shelved because the door never opened? The version of yourself that used to be hopeful, before life wore you down? Resurrection rarely shows up all at once, either. In Ezekiel's vision, it comes in stages: first, a rattle, then bones connecting, then sinew, then flesh, then lastly…breath. By the time we get to John 11, Martha has lost her brother, Lazarus, and she tells Jesus plainly: if you'd been here, he wouldn't have died. She believes in resurrection — just as a someday, far-off, last-day kind of event. Jesus stops her right there. "I am the resurrection and the life," He says. Present tense. Not someday. Now. Four days after Lazarus died, Jesus called him out of the tomb by name, well past the point most people had given up hope. And He did it anyway. What a dry season isn't A dry season isn't abandonment. The capacity for life is still there, just waiting on water. It isn't punishment. Sometimes the wilderness is simply the road between two places you're being led. And it isn't permanent. It has a duration, even when you can't see the end of it from inside it. The resurrection plant doesn't have to talk itself into living again. It just has to be placed in water. That's it. No coaching required. If you're in a dry season right now…curled in, brown at the edges, wondering if there's any life left in you — here's the word for today: you are not dead. You are dormant. And the water is closer than you think. Only takes a little water to get that party started. And real living is definitely what you really want! Left, resurrection plant in its dormant state. Right, back to life within hours. This reflection is drawn from a recent sermon. My personal photos of an actual Rose of Jericho — shown both in its dried, dormant state and after being revived with water — accompany this blog post. Downloadable Version