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By Kenny Mitchell kenny@westbowiepost.com The New Boston family of Reagan Hancock and her unborn child Braxlynn have authored what they see as lifesaving legislation that could be made into law by the next session of the Texas Legislature. Reagan’s mother Jessica Brookes and her sister, Emily Shirey, joined together to pen the proposed legislation in an attempt to prevent other families from having to live through the nightmare that began for them in October of 2020. In the proposed legislation, the family states, “No family should have to endure the loss of a loved one because warning signs were missed, misunderstood, or left unaddressed.” The family has sent the proposed legislation to Texas House District 1 Representative Gary VanDeaver who told them that he will send it to attorneys to have it drafted into a bill ahead of the 90th session of the Texas Legislature that is scheduled to convene on January 12, 2027. Chris Spencer, the Republican candidate expected to win in November and take over for VanDeaver as the District 1 State Representative on January 1, 2027, told the West Bowie Post, “If elected as State Representative, I will be filing The Reagan and Braxlynn Protection Act. Not only will this legislation honor the lives of Reagan Hancock and her unborn daughter, it will criminalize the tragic events that led to their deaths. This is common sense legislation that will penalize the very foundation of faking a pregnancy, leading to convictions that will stop this path of destruction.” Brookes and Shirey have also met with a representative of United States Congressman Nathaniel Moran’s office concerning the proposed legislation. Aptly titled THE REAGAN AND BRAXLYNN PROTECTION ACT, the proposed legislation has the expressed goal of prevention. It states, “Our goal is not only to honor their lives, but to help prevent other families from experiencing a similar tragedy. We believe targeted legislative reforms can better protect pregnant women, unborn children, infants, and families when warning signs indicate that a fraudulent pregnancy scheme may escalate into fraud, exploitation, abduction, or violence…This proposal seeks to address gaps in public safety, criminal law, and fraud prevention while preserving legitimate privacy rights and medical confidentiality protections.” The proposed legislation goes on to address in depth what Brookes and Shirey see as the key elements that may lead to prevention. Those elements include pregnancy fraud prevention, fraudulent pregnancy documentation, threat assessment and intervention and mental health and law enforcement coordination. It specifically calls for action to make it a criminal offense for misrepresenting a pregnancy in an effort to obtain things such as monetary support, employment benefits, housing and custody advantages. The legislation would also hope to establish enhanced penalties when pregnancy fraud is connected to stalking, harassment, coercion, exploitation, kidnapping, assault, homicide, or attempted homicide. In the area of fraudulent pregnancy documentation, the legislation seeks to make it a crime to create, sell or distribute faked pregnancy related documents and products like fake ultrasound imaging, counterfeit pregnancy verification documents and fraudulent prenatal medical records. With the entirety of the legislation, the family hopes to see a rise in protection for pregnant women, as well as, their unborn children, and to garner increased awareness among health professionals and additional accountability for those who engage in pregnancy related fraud and deception. The mother and sister conclude in their proposed legislation, “The deaths of Reagan and Braxlynn demonstrate the need to examine whether current laws adequately address situations involving fraudulent pregnancy schemes and credible threats of violence. We respectfully request that lawmakers review these issues and consider targeted reforms designed to protect families while preserving legitimate privacy rights and constitutional protections.”

By Kenny Mitchell kenny@westbowiepost.com Bowie County is set to vastly expand its service and assistance to local veterans this fall through a new partnership with Cass, Marion and Morris County that will open the door for what Precinct 4 Commissioner Mike Carter says is a veterans assistance program that is the first of its kind for Bowie County veterans and their families. The assistance comes in the form of an $800,000 grant from the Texas Veterans Commission. Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Veterans Commission recently announced that $40.8 million in Fund for Veterans’ Assistance (FVA) grants would be given out this year to support 190 grants to 160 organizations across the state. FVA grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations and local government agencies throughout Texas that provide direct services to veterans and their families. The 190 grants are anticipated to serve over 125,698 veterans and family members statewide. Carter told the West Bowie Post that half of the grant funds would be allocated for home assistance such as remodeling, wheelchair ramps and any other work on a home needed to make it more livable. One drastic difference from the norm is these grants funds are made available not just to individual veterans, but also to spouses and dependent children. The other $400,00 in the grant funds will be directed to helping veterans with everyday living expenses like utility bills and house payments. Funds will be available to pay as much as six months of house payments if a veteran’s family is in need of that assistance. Carter stated that when he first heard about the grant program he reached out to Cass County Judge Travis Ransom. Cass County already has a Veterans Service Office, unlike Bowie County, and that office has been actively involved in past grant programs. Ransom told Carter that they would be able to receive a bigger grant if the four counties joined together. Each of the four counties made their own presentation to the Texas Veterans Commission relaying the need for the grant funds, with Carter making the presentation for Bowie County. The grant funds will be overseen through the Cass County Veterans Services office, which already has the staff, and an inspector when needed for home repairs. Bowie County will only be responsible for the travel expenses for that inspector, making it a low-cost resolution to the void currently seen in Bowie County where it comes to serving the approximate 5,900 veterans in the county. Carter said, “This is a really good program for our veterans. Bowie County has never really had a program in place like this for our veterans and I am glad we were able to get this dome so that we can take better care of those who have served us in the military.” The grant funds are set to be allocated in September, and the funds are made available from the state through the sales of a $2 ticket sold through the Texas Lottery Commission. For more information, you can call Precinct 4 Commissioner Make Carter at 903.628.2278 the Cass County office at 903-756-5221 or you can contact Veterans Services Officer Gary Foster via email at vso@casscountytx.org. For more information on the statewide program, you can visit their website found at www.tvc.texas.gov

By Connie Pinkham It has become a job description in the age of social media. The word regularly finds its way into conversations. People speak about an influencer they follow like we used to talk about our favorite weather man or news commentator. They operate through Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and probably others I’m too old and out of touch to know about. I remember when my mother-in-law talked about Ron Young like he was a personal acquaintance. She called him Ron. Daily, like she had just had a visit with him! Walter Cronkite told us ‘the way it is’ every night. Tom Brokaw defined who was the ‘Greatest Generation’. Now, I talk about Brenda Gantt like she is a family member, admire her for passing down her precious recipes in the cookbooks I buy, and find myself trying techniques I once thought were too old fashioned. Think I was influenced?? Chuckle…. Influencing others is not an original idea with social media. God always intended His people to be influencers. I am to be an influencer, and you too, if you wear the Name. We humans were created to be His imagers, to commune with Him. But things went awry, and humans were influenced. Rather than BE the influencers, humans were influenced to exercise the will God had given in making very poor, rebelliously disobedient decisions. Still, after all these years, we are influenced to choose poorly. Still, we are influenced from an external deceiver, the satan. Still, we are influenced internally, from our fleshly nature to sin. Still, “The temptation to give in to evil comes...We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust.” (James 1:14 from The Message) From the very beginning, God intended us to be caretakers. “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful…fill the earth and subdue it. Rule…over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28 NIV) That is a huge charge, and an even bigger realm in which to implement our influence! How do we do that? How can I BE the influence, rather than be the one who is influenced? What I allow to guide my mind shapes me, and in turn, impacts the world around me. I have some control in that regard. I admit that some days for me, it is an hourly battle. We are bombarded from all directions. Paul and Timothy’s advice to the believers in the city of Philippi have been helpful to me time and time again. “Celebrate God all day, every day….Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you are on their side…help them see that the Master could show up any minute. Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray….let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness..will come and settle you down. It is wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Do your best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable…the best, not the worst; the beautiful not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse….do that and God, Who makes everything work together, will work you into His most excellent harmonies.” (Philippians 4:4-9 from The Message) All that stuff we fret over? All the things we ‘hope’ won’t happen? All the scenarios we dream up? Stop!! Is it the best? Or the worst?! Is it beautiful, or is it ugly? If it true? I mean…is it even true?!?! In those anxious moments, am I being influenced by the steadfast Word of The Eternal God of the universe? Or am I being influenced to question Him, just as Eve was? The incident in the garden is far behind us. But never-the-less, we can learn from it and make better choices than our ancestors. Obedient decisions. Eve didn’t have a copy of scripture, but she had access to The One who authored every word. She could have gone to the Source. Reader, we have access to Him now! His written Word, and the privilege of prayer. Let us make the decision to search Him out, find out what He says, and trust Him in our obedience to the light we are given. The apostle Paul tells us “Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out… recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you…” (Romans 12:2 from The Message) We will not find a way to avoid strife in the world we live in. Not on this side of eternity will it be absent. We are not promised that, but just the opposite. “In this world you will have trouble..” (The words of Jesus in John 16:33). There is a tension, a living in the “now” and finding hope in the “not yet.” Let us purposefully BE the influence. Let us sprinkle our salt and shine our light. And let us believe that “…He will guard and keep us in perfect and constant peace when our minds…are stayed on Him. Lean on Him! Hope confidently in Him forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock, the Rock of Ages” (Isaiah 26:3-4, AMP with my own emphasis) Hallelujah

By Betty Simpkins Have you ever seen any of the paintings by Norman Rockwell? His artwork is synonymous with Americana because he knew how to put average people in the limelight. One of my all time favorites is the scene depicting a ridge along a seashore upon which stands an old sea captain and his very young protégé. I’m sure you’ve seen it a time or two on a calendar or in a magazine. But there is more to the picture than the immediately pleasing spectacle of a wind-ruffled sea, gulls in flights, and the faithful pup by his little master’s side. It is a sublime example of a relationship that is as important as bread and butter. It is, very simply put, the beauty of past and future enjoying a fleeting moment of today—together. Together, what a lovely idea! It is this need of every man, woman, and child that makes us human. We need companionship. And not just the association of those within our age group, or those interested in the same subjects. We need associations that inspire, encourage, even provoke sometimes, because that’s how we learn. Statistics say that we usually learn better when we are happy and feel secure. This is where the old and the young come into the picture. We can learn from one another because neither feel the other is trying to intimidate or outdo their companion. Youth feels physically superior to the material strength of age, while age knows it has far more wisdom than youth realizes it doesn’t possess yet. Consequently, neither feels they really have to prove anything. This leaves the field of opportunity wide open for both of them. Youth needs the stability and solidity that age provides. Age has already been there, done that (most of the time). Age has also seen fears and joys come and go; has dealt with hard blows and great encouragements. But through it all, age has learned that time will come and go whether or not he worries about it. The early 20th century comedian Charlie Chapman once said, “Nothing in this wicked world is permanent; not even our troubles.” Age has experienced this, and come out on the winning side. Youth has much to learn; but also much to give. Where age begins to see weakness in themselves, and can start to feel sidelined by the daily activities of others, youth can offer a unique joy in life that brings a special kind of hope to each new day. Youth is so vibrant, full of ideas and exuberance. The listening ear and proffered attention of this young society puts a twinkle in the eyes and a certain pulsation in the heart of age. This is why that relationship is so beautiful, because each is only there to enjoy one another, not prove to one another.

By Ken Esten Cooke Guest Columnist The World Cup — that “other” football event played every four years — has returned to North America. And the world’s most popular sport has brought the world’s most joyful fan bases with it. The Scottish Tartan Army is bringing laughs — and a huge economic boost — to the greater Boston region. Those Scot fans talked of running out of beer on the flight over, then proceeded to drain many a local watering hole of their supplies as well. On game day, many Boston locals arose to bagpipes and kilts at sunrise and the Tartan Army cheered their team on to a 1-nil win over Haiti. And yes, they’re enjoying their barley waters, but they are exceptionally well-behaved. And so many stories have crossed our social media feeds, bringing smiles and heartwarming “feels.” Witness the Japanese fans tidying up at AT&T Stadium in Arlington after their game. (Yes, they brought their own trash bags.) Witness the German soccer fans who found in their hotel room Houston Rockets jerseys and cupcakes — just because. There was the Mexican boy who wore a Santa Claus Christmas sweater because his school instructed students to wear the colors of the Mexican bandera, the national flag. He became a viral sensation and was rewarded with a jersey from a team star. There was also “Merlin” the duck, who waddled through the streets of Mexico City and became a good luck charm for the team. The Mexican and South Korean fans got up close and personal — with Mexican fans giving a “crowd surf” to the Korean visitors, and Mexican gals giving a beso to South Korean gents at a post-game gathering. And the food in America is bringing joy to the bellies of fans from hither and yon. There are videos of Brits trying biscuits and gravy for the first time, and looks of ecstasy when Asian fans bite into a smoked brisket for a taste of Texas. One meme showed the mighty Achilles as a warrior labeled “The world hating the U.S.,” And an arrow in his heel was labeled as “Europeans trying Texas brisket for the first time.” And one Swedish lass stated she had an “out of body experience” and posted photos of her food from ... Golden Corral. There are hundreds more stories that bring joy, and we are here for them. It’s nice to see something besides hateful politics in our social media feeds or certain politicians sucking up all the air. And it’s especially nice to see that for all our differences, our humor and sentimentality are similar the world over. We’ll be rooting for the home team, but we welcome the World Cup on our shores again. And we welcome soccer-loving brothers and sisters from around the globe. Let’s enjoy the fun for the next month. Ken Esten Cooke is a fourth-generation Texas newspaper publisher, past president of the Texas Press Association, and writer of all things Texas. You can reach him at kenestencooke@gmail.com.

By Kenny Mitchell It comes to mind that there are some days that life makes it extremely hard to make lemonade. Life has a tendency to throw things at us that will even not want to even think of drinking lemonade of any kind, and it is those days when we need it most. I play around with the word lemonade a lot here in this weekly spot, with the hopes that you will understand the real meaning behind the words. Obviously, lemonade has a hodgepodge of meanings, but in most cases here, it stands for the good things in life. The things that make us happy, bring us joy, and make this thing we call life...livable. But, it has been my experience, that even though we should always look for the way to take the ingredients that life brings us and make the best of it, there are days when it seems almost impossible. Let me try to give you some examples. Over the last few weeks, there has been a rash of burglaries in our area. What must be a pretty organized group of ...hmmmm, how do I put this...thugs...miscreants...petty thieves...lost souls, have been going about stealing everything they can find that’s not nailed down. I am talking everything from tools, lawnmowers, and even kid’s toys, right out of folks’ yards. Now, that might not seem like a terrible crime in the light of the violent stuff we see on the news, but if you are like me, if you pay for something, it’s yours, and you don’t like it when somebody takes it from you. It is fairly hard to make lemonade from those particular ingredients because it leaves a pretty sour taste in your mouth when things you spent your hard earned money on suddenly are gone. Another, even harsher example is this. This past week brought the news that a young man, a 2025 graduate of Redwater High School, is no longer with us. As it is, very few know the real circumstances of why that young man is no longer here on this Earth, but no one will argue the fact that his passing came too soon. There is almost no way to take that kind of hurt and make lemonade. Speaking purely as one who has experienced the loss of a loved one, way too soon, it is hard to see the light of hope in that darkness. It is a challenge to see any good come from it. It is next to impossible to even think that God has a plan in the midst of the pain. But also speaking from one who has been there...He does. It takes time to see the plan in the pain, and it takes a determination to even look for it, but somewhere in the loss there comes a light. To be honest, even after eight year, that light can be pretty dim sometimes, but it is there nonetheless. So, this week, it comes to my thoughts that sometimes we have to really fight for the light. We have to dig deep into our soul, and our faith, to find the right ingredients to make life’s lemonade. This past Saturday helped most of us find a little sweetness in life as we all celebrated the 250th birthday of our great country. It was a day to remember for people all across our land. Here locally, there were the usual fireworks shows and holiday festivals and from what I saw, there were good times that lead to lemonade. The fact that we were celebrating such a monumental day is a lasting testament to the fortitude of our citizens and to the base of faith that our country was founded upon. You can look around and see all of the dissention, the turmoil and the division, but at the root of our country still lives, one nation under God. Despite the hate that rears its ugly head far too often, and despite the wars that we fight, overseas and right here at home, God is still in our midst and He is watching over us as He always has. There is lemonade to be made from those facts and we have the choice, daily, to either find the sweetness of being an American and celebrating it with a hot dog, apple pie and a cold, icy glass of lemonade, or letting the ugliness of the world settle into our souls and be a part of it. My prayer is that more of us every day see the sweetness, fight to keep it, and God Bless the United States of America.

By Pam Kumpe I admit it. I followed her. It started with an innocent glance from my car window when I saw her sitting in the shade of a tree, almost hidden by low branches. The day was warm. I rolled down my window and called, “Would you like a Gatorade?” She waved me off, grabbed her backpack, and walked the opposite way. That should have been the end of it. But apparently, I am not always a “that should be the end of it” kind of person. At the corner of the street, I turned left, then left again, then one more left until I ended up where she crossed. She waved me off again. I parked my car anyway, jumped out, and held up the bottle. “It’s only going to get hotter. I’d love to share this with you.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I’m fine. I don’t need a thing.” I nodded, put the drink back in my seat, and drove on. But the next street sent me in her direction as she’d apparently turned that way, and so did I. I drove by again, parked two blocks away, and hurried to a small concrete wall in her path. I placed three scripture cards beside three bottles of Gatorade. Blue, orange, and green. That way, she could choose without me hovering. And if she didn’t take one, maybe someone else would. I returned to my car and waited where she couldn’t see me. Maybe. But I could see the Gatorade. A few minutes later, she marched up to the drinks, glancing around. She hesitated. Sat next to them. Still watching. She touched a scripture card, slipped it into her pocket, then lingered over the drinks. Blue? Orange? Green? Maybe that’s what she was asking herself. Finally, she chose green. Stood. And stepped into the shade, twisted off the cap, and took a drink. I sat there smiling like I had witnessed a small miracle. Delivery made. A verse in her pocket. Her body becoming hydrated. Then two men came from the other direction. The woman pointed back toward the wall, and they rushed over to the other bottles. They even took the scripture cards, holding them for what seemed like eternity, reading them. Three drinks. Three people. Three times to bless someone on a hot day. A few blocks later, I met a man who looked downcast. Sweat poured down his face. “You seem sad today,” I said. “Things aren’t looking good. It’s hard.” I handed him two Gatorades. “Let’s get you in the shade. I’ll pray for you, and we can talk.” So we did. Later, as I started to leave, the woman from earlier came up to me again. She saw me and hurried the other way. But halfway across the street, she stopped and turned back. “Thank you for the Gatorade,” she said. “You are a little persistent, aren’t you?” “I can be. I hoped you didn’t think I was stalking you.” This time, she almost smiled- well, a little grin did slip in. The man near me said, “You can’t be stalking people. You know how scary you are.” “I wasn’t stalking her. I was following her.” “And how is that different?” “I’m not sure. But at least she’s not thirsty now.” Sometimes kindness comes with twists, turns, stalled situations, and a woman who keeps waving you away. But love does not give up at the first wave. Or the first time someone shoos you off. Jesus didn’t give up on us. He pursued the lonely, weary, overlooked, and the ones who said they didn’t need a thing. And in my case, maybe the Lord used a green Gatorade and a scripture card to remind one woman she was seen. Not cornered. Not pressured. Just seen. That almost-smile made every turn worthwhile. Now, if I can only see her again, learn her name, and maybe, one day, become her friend.

Joe Connor Hart, age 87of Hooks, Texas passed away Monday, June 22, 2026 in Hooks. Mr. Hart was born September 13, 1938 in New Boston, Texas to Joe Carroll and Emeline Hart. Known for his hard working nature, he was Owner and Operator of Hart Farms and Construction. He served on the Board of Directors of many Associations across Bowie County including the ASCS Board, Miller Bowie Farmers Association , Bowie County State Bank, Oaklawn Bank, FirstBank, Bancorp South and the National Bank of Bossier, Bossier City, Louisiana. Joe Connor is preceded in death by his parents, Joe Carroll and Emeline Hart. Left to cherish his memory are his sons, James Connor Hart, Joe Roberson Hart and Rachel Strain, his grandchildren Presley Hart and Houston Hart. One sister, Katie Hart Armatige and the mother of his children, Kathy Hart. Also a special friend, Stina along with many many other friends and relatives. Funeral services will be held 2:00 P.M., Friday, June 26, 2026 at Ramage Farms, 5600 FM 560, Hooks, Texas with Roger Sheppard officiating. A private burial will follow. Visitation will be from 6:00 until 8:00 P.M., Thursday, June 25, 2026 in the Bates Rolf Chapel, New Boston, Texas.

Lisa Ann Neaves Brimer, age 64 of New Boston, Texas passed away Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at her residence. Ms. Brimer was born July 11, 1961 in Texarkana, Texas to her father William Frank Neaves, Jr and mother Freddie. She was retired as an Administrative Assistant at Red River Army Depot, member of Rock Creek Baptist Church and is preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Joel Meadows, Micah Neaves and her father Roy Meadows. Lisa is survived by her fiancée, Eddie Parsley, daughter Nicole Powell, granddaughter Kaylyn Hall and Daniel, grandson Ethan Powell and Savanah, sisters and brothers in law, Rita and Randall Fellers, Marquita and Robert Swilley, brother and sister in law, Darby and Pattie Neaves, nephews, Justin Fellers and Eddie, Jacob Fellers and Brea, her beloved cat Cheeto and a number of other relatives and friends. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M, Thursday, July 2, 2026 in the Bates Rolf Chapel, New Boston, Texas. Visitation will be from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M., Wednesday, July 1, 2026 at the funeral home. Interment will be in Chapelwood Memorial Gardens Nash, Texas under the direction of Bates Rolf Funeral Home, New Boston.

Brycen Wayne Bailey, age 19, of Redwater, TX, ran into the arms of The Father July 1, 2026. The Lord brought a bright eyed spunky baby into the world on December 3, 2006 to bless us for a time shorter than any of us feel is fair. Brycen was a 2025 graduate of Redwater High School where he was an outstanding musician, leader, everyone’s adopted big brother and the forever hype-man in the Mighty Dragon Band. Brycen was currently an honors student at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, LA where he was majoring in music, he was a brother in the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and performed with the Spirit of Northwestern Marching Band. Brycen was not your typical musician; he was blessed with a God given talent to make music on any instrument he touched and sing in a way that brought the music alive with emotion, beauty, and joy allowing others to not just hear the piece, but feel and understand it on an emotional level. He was a faithful member of Highland Park Baptist Church where he could be found sharing God’s word and his talents with the youth praise and worship team. His servant heart, bright smile, unwavering kindness to all, big personality, razor sharp humor and loving spirit have left an impression on anyone who met him. And the gift of knowing him is what will carry a community through the emptiness his absence brings. This loss has broken the hearts of many that will continue to love Brycen every minute of every day. His village was too numerous to count. He leaves that village to carry his light daily including his parents Ronny and Liberty Bailey of Redwater, TX, his sister and brother-in-law Morgan Soyars (Christian) of Genoa, AR, brother Cooper Bailey of Redwater, TX, grandparents Kenny and Mary Bailey of Maud, TX, Freddie Ellis of Queen City, TX, and Terry Stroman of Tigard, OR, as well as numerous uncles, aunts, and cousins. Brycen will also be missed by a myriad of friends that he loved like family and he made feel seen, included, and cared for. We will come together to celebrate Brycen’s life with a visitation Monday, July 6, 2026 5pm-7pm at Highland Park Baptist Church and on Tuesday, July 7, 2026 at 10am with a service lead by Pastor Kevin Meyers. He will be laid to rest following the service at Chapelwood Memorial Gardens. The family will be gathered to also accept loved ones that want to celebrate Brycen at their home. In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made to a scholarship fund honoring Brycen that will be available beginning Monday, July 6th at RRCU. Brycen, losing you does not make sense to any of us, we feel lost without your quick wit, and your smile that was just a little bit mischievous. We will long for your hugs and the love you made each of us feel. The rooms we enter will be dimmer without your personality lighting them up. We will strive to live for Jesus as you did. The love we have for you and the way we miss you is greater than any words will ever express. Your wit will forever be unmatched, you did big things, and we know you will be sitting front row in Heaven being our hype man until we get there.

By Pam Kumpe So that you know, I’ll never fly a helicopter. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not even if the pilot hands me the keys, pats me on the shoulder, and says, “You’ve got this.” Because I do not, in fact, “got this.” I learned this painful truth when I entered college and took a series of career assessment tests. The goal was to help students discover areas of work we might consider pursuing in the future. There were questions, aptitude tests, personality checks, and then, because apparently someone thought college freshmen needed humbling, a mock helicopter. Yes, a helicopter. My assignment was simple: sit in the little simulator, grab the handles, touch the right buttons, and fly the silly thing digitally across the screen. Simple, they said. Well, bless their optimistic little hearts. I grabbed the handles. I pushed the buttons. I leaned forward with all the determination of a woman destined for greatness, or at least destined not to embarrass herself in front of strangers. And then I crashed my helicopter. I skidded across the runway. I flipped my helicopter. I stalled my helicopter. I landed sideways, upside down, and possibly in another county. If there had been digital cows nearby, they would have scattered. No matter what I did, that helicopter was not going to fly; it bucked, dipped, spun, and flopped across the screen like a June bug in a ceiling fan. Meanwhile, the line behind me grew. Students shuffled their feet. A few mumbled. Others wiggled with the kind of impatience only young adults can display when someone else is publicly failing at aviation. And there I sat, still gripping the controls, still trying, still giving that poor helicopter one more chance to become airborne. Finally, the kind instructor leaned in and said gently, “I’m pretty sure you’re not going to become a pilot. Let someone else try.” Well. There it was. My aviation career had ended before it began. I climbed out of that little machine with every eye in the room glued to me. Defeat followed me like a sad trombone. But then someone in line whispered, “I’ll give you credit. You didn’t give up.” I cannot remember how the rest of those tests went. I do not remember what careers they suggested for me. I only remember one thing with absolute certainty: I could not fly that stupid helicopter. Now, I do not ponder this daily. I don’t sit around sipping coffee and mourning my lost life as ‘Captain Pam of the Skies.’ But now and then, the memory rises when I crash and burn in some other area of life. And haven’t we all? Have you ever spoken poorly of someone? Let harsh words fly before kindness had a chance to buckle up? Your helicopter just crashed. Have you ever ignored the nudge of the Lord to encourage someone, check on someone, forgive someone, or show kindness when it would have been easier to look away? Your helicopter just stalled. Have you ever turned a deaf ear to God’s Word, skipping the spiritual food your soul desperately needed while feeding everything else? Your helicopter just skidded. Have you ever grown complacent in your walk with the Lord, letting your flesh have the controls instead of surrendering the day to Him? Your helicopter just flipped over. The truth is, we all crash sometimes. We wobble. We stall. We take off crooked and land in places we never intended to go. But praise God, failure is not the end of the flight plan. I may never fly a real helicopter, but I can still be a “helicopter of hope” for someone’s heart today. I can lift another person with encouragement. I can hover near the hurting. I can carry kindness into a hard place. I can rise above my own discouragement long enough to point someone else toward Jesus. This verse compels me: “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11, ESV). That is real flying. Serving God. Encouraging others. Refusing to let the enemy use yesterday’s crash to keep us grounded today. So maybe I will never pilot a helicopter. But with God’s help, I can still lift a heart. And friend, so can you.

By Connie Pinkham The fourth book of our Bible takes its name from the counting of the Hebrew men of war during the longest funeral march in history. The men who had gone ahead to assess the area they were to conquer came back with a report that was far from unanimous and the people refused to go forward in following God’s instructions. In unbelief at Kadesh-Barnea, they turned back. The first count of fighting men was 603,550, the second count 601,730. Only two of those men walked into the land that God had promised. Only two! “God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.” (1 Corinthians 10:5 NIV) In Egypt, they had been delivered by the blood of the lamb, but now because of unbelief in the God who displayed His power ten times over, they failed to enter the inheritance that was promised…an inheritance to be claimed by faith. Where is our Kadesh? When we come to a place where we must trust God and continue to walk in obedience, do we turn back in unbelief? At what place have we failed to fulfill the purposes of God in our own lives, choosing rather to believe the nay-sayers? Our Bibles are packed with history lessons. The apostle Paul urged the people of Corinth, (and we do well to listen), “Remember our history, friends, and be warned. All our ancestors were led by the providential Cloud and taken miraculously through the Sea. They went through the waters, in a baptism like ours, as Moses led them from enslaving death to salvation life. They all ate and drank identical food and drink, meals provided daily by God. They drank from the Rock, God’s fountain for them that stayed with them wherever they were. And that Rock was Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10: 1-4 from The Message) Most political conversations offer the argument of learning from history, taking measures to see that history is not repeated. And I agree! The mistakes of world powers and the horrors of war should be learned from and by all means not repeated. But it is paramount to bring those ideals down to personal level. I don’t sit in the governor’s chair, nor the desk in the oval office. But I sit behind the decision-making desk of my life. Paul’s words challenge me often, “…so far as it is up to you, be at peace with all men.” (Romans 12:18 NASB) Evil exists. We who wear the Name of Jesus are not exempt from it. The attacks come. The words are hurled, the ridicule, the accusations, the blame…the shaming. My family has walked thru a bit of that after a devastating tragedy. A decade ago. Ten years sounds like a long time, but ten years sure can fly by fast. At first, we counted the number of minutes, then hours. Then we numbered the days and the nights. Then we counted weeks, then months. Praise God we are now counting years! Our baby Jett-man was two and a half years old when a bullet passed thru his brain. I stopped counting the time publicly, it seemed to be a painful remembrance, interrupting the joy of having a little boy talking and walking, then running! The pain of it all got swallowed up in the joy of seeing that little boy alive, living normally except for a little left hand that doesn’t respond and a slight limp, results of paralysis from the traumatic brain injury he has suffered. This June, as I think about all that tragedy that ripped thru our family ten years ago, I remember the words of a Psalm. “Teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12 NASB) Life is so fragile and uncertain. The apostle Paul advises us to “Make the most of every chance you get…Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants…Don’t drink too much wine, that cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge draughts of Him. Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the Name of our Master Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:16-20 from The Message) For weeks after Jett’s tragedy, I learned from my sister what had transpired that day at Children’s Hospital in Little Rock. I passed it on to family and close friends, it helped relieve her from some of the burden of telling the same thing over and over, even to immediate family and the closest friends. I began using Facebook. For weeks we sought the Lord’s healing and restoration. I became known as Aunt Connie to strangers. But better than that, God was magnified in the tragedy and lives were changed. Our family, but others too. Many times I have said that Facebook is what you make it. You want to gossip? You can. You want to criticize and agitate? You can. You want to be mean and nasty? You can. It became a lifeline for us, communicating to family far and near, friends, and people who joined in bombarding heaven for Jett. You can build a Facebook presence of encouraging pages, follow kind people, hilarious people, interesting new things, new places, recipes, news, devotionals, teachings, etc. etc. For me, when a comment is ugly, I unfollow that commenter and never have to see that nastiness again. It is my choice. One click and problem solved. You know that. Or… you can let the enemy draw you into the attacking. You can join in the ugliness. Me? Im not getting drawn in to anything that steals my peace! I often told my boys, “You can make it better, or you can sure make it worse.” Jesus Himself said “be at peace with one another.”(Mark 9:50 NASB) And one of my very favorite verses from Paul to the Romans bears repeating in this essay…“If at all possible, so far as it depends on YOU, be at peace with all men.”(Romans 12:18 NASB, my emphasis) Ten years ago, our family was crushed with a sorrow that was almost bloody. But we were blessed richly by people like Kenny Mitchell who was behind the scenes doing things that caressed our hearts with the love of Christ. Unfortunately, there was some ugliness. Harsh words, accusations. Paul said, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21 NASB) Rising to meet the ugly only increases the ugly. I confess, it was difficult not to let my fingers fly and tell a few folks what’s what. But it would have only fueled the fire. The advice of the apostle Peter comes to my mind, “…these people are dried-up fountains, storm-scattered clouds, headed for a black hole in hell. They are loudmouths, full of hot air, but still they are dangerous.” (2 Peter 2:17-18 from The Message) Our Jett will be a teenager his next birthday. I am sure there will be celebrations. But every single day is a celebration of his life. Every single one… Hopefully, I will never suffer a gunshot wound. But my days are numbered. So are yours. Even if we die from incredibly old age, the days are numbered that we live in this flesh, in this realm. Oh readers, let us purpose that our hearts gain wisdom from every struggle, every battle, nothing wasted, everything fully used to “…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18 NASB). Hallelujah