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The Source for Single Moms, 2000 Appling Road, Cordova, TN (2026)

11/04/2025

Single Moms,
I know some of you have been wondering about what is happening with our single mom’s brunches. It is time for the official update. Over time, I have seen that the original purpose of these events, which was to reach single moms with young children, is no longer being achieved. While our events fill a need for those who come, I knew it was time to reevaluate. I notified the Women’s Ministry that I believed it was time for me to step aside

About that same time, Bellevue called a new pastor, Ben Mandrell. I have had the opportunity to sit at the table with him and his wife, Lyndley, at two different dinners. They are a wonderful couple. I am very excited about the direction he is going to take our church. He has also been straightforward about the plans for evaluating the many programs that are available at Bellevue. He told me he is aware of the great needs for single moms in the Memphis area. He has also told the church that we need to be in the habit of evaluating the programs annually to see if they are still fulfilling their purpose. We have been blessed to do the Source for 15 years. I must be honest enough to say it needs a new direction to bring our younger moms back into the fold.

It has been such a privilege to have been a part of this ministry since day one. I will forever be grateful for what it and the many single moms that have come into our events have taught me. I am thankful for Kim Jaggers, whose ministry we copied when we started. I am thankful to the late Tim Shelton who had the vision of bringing this ministry to Bellevue. I am thankful for the many wonderful volunteers, especially my husband Harb, who were always willing to do whatever needed to be done. I am grateful for the Women’s Ministry who has loved all of you with me, for the culinary department, the musicians and singers and for the late Harrison Donathan, our faithful sound guy. I remember with pleasure the many desserts donated by women in our church to our Friday night events, and those who donated items and those who set up the Clothes Closet that was such a help to so many.

I pray you have taken something of value from our years together. May you know that though you may be a single parent, you are not alone. Jesus is your Bridegroom. He loves you and your children more than you can possibly imagine. His Word is your guide. His Holy Spirit is your helper. His Church is your community. Stay strong in the faith. Continue to encourage one another. Believe He is able and in His strength you are too.

I won’t be posting to this page any longer. I will miss our fellowships and our hugs, but I am also looking ahead and praying for the new things that lie ahead for our church and single moms’ ministry. Until then, I still teach a class at 11:00 in room W272. You are welcome anytime to join us! Love you all!

Psalm 119:114 - You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope.

10/29/2025

Betrayal may be the worst feeling a person can experience. It can only come from someone we trusted. The moment a spouse discovers the one they committed their life has been unfaithful will turn a world upside down. I know those whose pain was doubled when they find out the other party was their best friend. The pain heightened even further as they remember tearfully confiding their suspicions to the very friend who was betraying them.

The plot to kill Jesus is heating up. Judas, who walked with Jesus for 3 years, witnessed the miracles and received His great love, has sought the leaders to find out how much he could get for betraying Jesus. Meanwhile, Jesus has made preparation for what we call the Last Supper. There He tells them one of them would betray Him. Jesus knew Judas had already sealed the deal. How did He respond? He washed his feet, just as He did for the other eleven. Though they had been told what was going to happen, no one could tell from Jesus’ behavior that it was Judas. Even when Judas asked if he was the one and Jesus confirmed it to him, it remained a secret between the two of them.

We are familiar with the phrase, “Practice what you preach.” It isn’t what Jesus did. He preached what He practiced. Jesus had already delivered the expectation He had for His followers. “Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” He had reminded them that anyone can do good to those who are good to them. Until we strive to do what Jesus did for Judas, can we claim to be followers of the One who preached what He practiced all the way to the cross?

I am watching the fault line grow in our nation. The Bible clearly tells us the division is good and evil, sheep and goats, lost and saved, so why are we dividing first by red and blue, black and white? Why do we believe politicians, laws, policies, or any other human intervention can fix what is broken, the soul of our nation? I think when Jesus looks down at what has become of the church in America, it would be said, “Jesus wept.”

Until Christians can wash the feet of those that in their flesh, are their enemies, we have not learned the lesson of Jesus. Yes, He was teaching us to serve. He was teaching us to take the lowest position. He was teaching us about true humility but never overlook that He was showing us to do this for both friend and enemy. We do this because of who we are, not because of who the recipient is.

The goal of the evil one is to divide the people of God, to diminish our power and to make us enemies. Only we can stop that from happening. If we fail, we can be sure the boat is going down, and we are all going down together. Be Jesus today to a world that is in desperate need for a foot washing from the Lord.

Matthew 26:14-16 - Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?" And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him. From then on he [began] looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus.

John 13:12-15 - So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined [at the table] again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? "You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for [so] I am. "If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. "For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.

10/28/2025

I don’t like mixed messages. Even so, when it comes to relationships, we cannot operate in rigidness. No one, especially God can be balanced on a few sentences. We must keep the words of the Bible on the rails, which sometimes means harmonizing what looks contradictory.

Jesus is facing the cross. His preaching has taken a turn. Though He hasn’t left, He says His return will be like the days of Noah. The people weren’t expecting anything even though they had been told, a giant ark was in their midst and animals were showing up in pairs. He spoke of faithful and unfaithful servants being left in charge or given money to watch while the master was away and bridesmaids waiting with their lamps for the groom. He finishes up with a story of the final judgment and the separation of the goats and the sheep. Jeus is clear. Judgment day comes to everyone based on what we do while the Master is away.

The final story seems incompatible with Jesus’ message of grace. He seems to say eternal life is earned by works. Feed the hungry. Clothe the naked. Visit the prisoners. This is the social gospel Jesus everyone loves. It is the hook many hang their salvation on, but it’s not in line with the message of repenting, obedience and salvation through grace. Is Jesus sending mixed messages?

The key is found in the verse where Jesus defines the hungry, poor, naked and imprisoned. He calls them “these brothers of Mine”. As we read yesterday, Jesus told of the days of persecution coming to His people. They would be hungry, poor and naked. They were going to be imprisoned. It is our treatment towards these that distinguishes us as His.

Every believer is imperfect. A believer may say the right thing in the wrong way. A believer may have a place where they need more spiritual maturity. A believer may be having a bad day. But if someone proclaims to be a follower, takes the gospel to the lost, speaks truth about Jesus and salvation, fellow believers ought to give the same grace we want for ourselves. We ought to minister to, not denigrate, to do less is to be guilty ourselves.

The qualifications for eternal life haven’t changed. It is by grace through faith in Christ alone. Jesus shows us a measurement includes how we treat His followers. Before we examine anyone too closely, we need to examine ourselves and remember, we will be judged as we judge. We need to take the plank out of our eye and remember, only the one without sin can cast the first stone. We are to confront privately. The world is supposed to recognize we are Christians by our love for one another. Jesus said if we can’t love the brother we have seen, how can we love God whom we haven’t seen? None of the words of Jesus are a one-hit wonder. To know Him is to both know His Word and obey it. That includes treating each other as we want to be treated so don’t be a goat.

Matthew 35:40-46 - The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ “Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ “Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

10/27/2025

We had our youngest granddaughter yesterday. School and other activities have greatly interfered with spending time with her. At one point she told me, “I wish I was still 4.” I told her I tried to warn her just like when I was 15 and I couldn’t wait to be an adult and move out. My parents tried to warn me, but it didn’t quite describe the reality of adult life.

Jesus had answered the question about the most important commandment by saying love God with everything in you and love your neighbor as yourselves. He chastised the rabbis for cheating widows, and though He commended the widow who gave all she had, He may also have been proving His condemnation of the rabbis for taking everything from the widows. In today’s reading Jesus warns about what the future will look like.

He warned of coming wars. They could not imagine a day when nations would have the ability to blow each other up from across the world. He told of famines and earthquakes. They could not see a day when the news of natural disasters would be tracked and witnessed worldwide. Then Jesus moved from the natural world to the spiritual world and warned of the coming persecution for those who followed Him.

Right now there are hot beds of wars and potential wars all over the globe. Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and more unusual. Most disturbing to see is the increase in those who claim to be Christians who have abandoned the hard messages of the Bible and of Jesus. I stand amazed with all the warnings Jesus gave, we watch more preachers and teachers delivering messages that challenge no one and only criticize those who believe the Word of God. They seem to miss the point that Jesus’ harshest messages were to the vipers and snakes who claimed to be religious leaders but were leading the flocks astray.

We are reading words Jesus spoke just days before going to the cross. He was preparing His disciples for what they were going to face. In the short-term, many of His prophecies would be fulfilled in 70AD when more than one million died and the Temple was destroyed. During that time and the years that followed, the disciples and those who would become followers of The Way, the first Christians, would be beaten, stoned, imprisoned, and killed.

There was nothing in Jesus’ messages that told them to play nice with Pilate and Herod. He didn’t instruct them how to organize protests or put programs in place to help the community. He told them to prepare to be hated and betrayed, He told them to be prepared to die for following Him.

The reality will be worse than the warnings. I believe the day is coming when we will look back on those easy days of life as a Christian in America. Unlike looking back at when we were 4 or 15 when we didn’t have all the responsibility that comes with age, I think we will regret we didn’t take more responsibility for growing our numbers and growing a faith that will endure to the end. We cannot imagine the glorious place that awaits those who do.

Matthew 24:7-13 -“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.

10/25/2025

I have an expression I use frequently, “I’m smarter than I look.” I usually use it when I surprise someone by answering a question or solving a problem for them. I get opportunities to say it to my teenage grandchildren often. I do remember being their age. I don’t know why I thought stupidity came with age rather than wisdom, but I did.

Jesus had cleaned the Temple, withered a fig tree and stopped a challenge to His authority with a counterquestion on John the Baptist. Today’s reading begins with a parable of two sons, one who said he would go to the vineyard and another who said he wouldn’t and did. Jesus asked which one was obedient. He gave a parable of a vineyard owner who sent his servants to collect his share of the crop. They beat the first two, killed the third and finally killed the son, all representing God, the prophets and finally Jesus. He told the story of the great feast where many declined to come and a man who came and was not in wedding clothes. He was outcast. He outsmarted other crafty religious leaders with the words, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar and to God what is God’s”. Despite His reputation, some Sadducees thought they could outsmart Him with a tale of one woman who marries seven brothers when each die before she has a child. They ask, “Who will she be married to at the resurrection” (which they didn’t even believe in). They tried to stump the wrong person. Jesus had the wisdom of eternity.

He narrowed their problem down to two key factors. First they didn’t understand Scripture and secondly, they did not understand the power of God. Turns out this is basically the root cause of all of our problems today. It is almost comical to listen to people take Scripture, distort a verse or two like a pretzel, ignore the entire counsel and character of God and proudly act like they alone have discovered the missing key of the problem. I would love to hear Jesus’ response to some of these.

The basic problem with human nature is we think we know so much. We are like teenagers who believe because they can get to level 90 on Fortnight they are some kind of genius. We have no idea how much wisdom we lack. We add to our problem when we fail to factor in the overriding power of God. There is no panic in heaven. Ever. He is far more powerful than our minds can fathom. All our planning and scheming is foolishness. We will never outsmart Him.

The Bible will never correctly answer life’s hard questions until we commit to read it to understand who God is and why He created us. We will live in the realm of anxiety and worry until we discover the true power He has. Until we can see ourselves as He sees us, we will continue to believe we are smart enough to figure it all out ourselves. Until we get to that point that we understand we do not know as much as we think we know, when it comes to the things of God, we will be mistaken.

Mark 12:24 - Jesus said to them, "Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God?

10/24/2025

The truth is, there is a certain amount of comfort in fitting in. No matter how good we look, we don’t want to be the only one who shows up at a party in an evening gown when everyone else is in jeans. We don’t want to be the last one picked for the team. We want people to laugh at our jokes and listen to our ideas. While some like to march to the beat of a different drummer, even they want to have a small group that will march with them.

We are in the week leading up to the cross. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a c**t, in fulfillment of Scripture. The crowd sang praises to Him. He wept over the city and foretold of His death, comparing it to a grain of wheat that falls in the ground and dies. He warned those who loved this world that they would lose it. Today’s reading begins with people who would not believe despite what they saw. He said they were blind and deaf. He then speaks sad words concerning those who believed but would not profess that belief because they did not want to lose man’s approval.

It is hard to imagine not wanting to follow Jesus in 30AD. I am a skeptic by nature but the healing of many from blindness, deafness, muteness, lameness and even death would remove most of my skepticism. Seeing or even hearing about a few dead people coming back to life would remove any lingering doubt. So why was it so hard for these who were there to believe?

It seems it always comes down to the exclusivity clause and the narrow path. The gift of eternal life is free, but it will cost. That’s why Jesus told us to count the cost. It costs relationships, sometimes lots of them. When a person chooses to follow Jesus, they don’t have to walk away from those who love this world. Those who love this world will walk away from them. The hard part is to let them walk, like we recently read about the rich, young ruler who did not want to walk away from his wealth. Jesus grieved for the man as he went on his way, but He did not chase him.

It is heartbreaking to lose a friendship. It is hurtful to know there are places you are no longer welcome. It brings pain to know that those who were at one time for you are now against you. It is hard to write off years of relationships. It is difficult to find yourself alone. No one understood better than Jesus how painful it is to have people walk away. It was Jesus’ growing popularity that caused the religious leaders to panic and drove them to find a way to kill Him, believing His death would be the only way to bust up His fan club. They were right, but only to a point. Two thousand years later, many are still willing to lay it all down, let family and friends walk away and declare boldly, “Jesus has opened my eyes to see, my ears to hear. He has straightened my legs so I can walk in His ways, and He has raised me from the dead. I cannot hide it. I cannot deny it. Come what may.” Each of us must make the decide what to do with Jesus, whether we believe that or not. If we say yes, we cannot keep it a secret.

John 12:37-43 - But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: “LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT? AND TO WHOM HAS THE ARM OF THE LORD BEEN REVEALED?” For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, “HE HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES AND HE HARDENED THEIR HEART, SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND PERCEIVE WITH THEIR HEART, AND BE CONVERTED AND I HEAL THEM.” These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him. Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.

10/23/2025

Welcome to a new day of drama: politics, government shutdown, National Guard, ICE, Israel, inflation, healthcare, and violence. People are arguing over everything (except the ones doing their best to stay out of it). It seems we are chasing truth that cannot be found.

Today’s reading opens at the house of Simon the healed l***r. A woman broke an alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus’ head. When they criticized her saying the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor, Jesus chastised them. He said we would always have the poor, but He would not always be there.

John tells an almost identical story as Mary, sister of Martha, poured perfume on His feet and wiped it with her hair. John tells us it is Judas, a thief and the future betrayer of Jesus who complains. Jesus gives the same response.

Our NLT chronological Bible notes tell us it is two different women in the same week who anointed Jesus. I have always understood these narratives to be one story, with John telling us the woman was Mary. Some would want to spend hours arguing that their side is right and not being happy until everyone saw it their way. Still others would want to lament over the inconsistency of the Bible and therefore, declare it inaccurate and unreliable.

What do I believe? I believe it’s like fighting about what is really happening in the world’s drama, it is unknowable. We have different aspects of the whole story given to us for a purpose. That message is the same in all 3 versions. Jesus is worthy to pour out on Him whatever we have of value. He assured us the problem of poverty would never be solved but Mark will tell His followers to take responsibility and to individually do good to the poor. We learn those who are in positions because they appear to be the most trustworthy (Judas was the chosen treasurer) are often the ones who will steal from us and betray us in the worst way. We learn those who are willing to display their love for Jesus will be mocked but Jesus will be faithful to these.

The words we read were written by those who loved Jesus, gave up everything to follow Him and suffered for it. They are truth whether their facts line up exactly the same to suit us or not. On the other hand, today’s world drama will be presenting to us facts that are devoid of truth designed to get us to hate our enemy and trust mere men as our savior. I can hear Jesus weeping, as those who call themselves His disciples are fighting flesh and blood, and rather than delivering the Good News of the Bible are more concerned with proclaiming bad news gathered from a world system that is not just anti-biblical but anti-Christ. The battle is always and only good versus evil. If you think you will defeat evil apart from Jesus, it’s time to rethink your calling, get back to the feet of Jesus, and pour out everything you have of value and worship Him.

John 12:4-8 - But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people? ”Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. “For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”

10/22/2025

I know the feeling of carefully selecting my seat in an auditorium, getting the perfect view of whatever I came to see, and minutes before it started someone of great stature taking the seat in front of me. It makes for an immediate change of attitude. I have been known to move to another seat. It is frustrating to have your view blocked from the main event.

Today’s reading begins with the parable of the vineyard owner who gave the same day’s wage to everyone who worked the field, whether one hour or all day, illustrating the reward of heaven not dependent on the length of service. He tells the details for His impending death and resurrection and tells James and John He cannot give them seats at His right and left hand in the coming kingdom. He also hints they will likewise face an unpleasant death. He tells leaders to serve and restores sight to the blind who then follows Jesus. This leads into the story of Zaccheus, a man who couldn’t see because he was too short, and others were obstructing the view.

The American Christian has enjoyed a peace that was never part of the early church. Jerusalem was full of religious people who followed their laws to a tee. They lived in the political atmosphere of Rome, minded their own business and tried not to make waves. Then Jesus showed up. He was radical. He messed with their rules and created fear that the crowds would disrupt their relationship with the Romans. He had a message that resonated with people and attracted unlikely people, like Zacchaeus the tax collector. The religious crowd had no use for sinners and no desire to bring them to God. They stood in the way figuratively and literally. When Jesus noticed him, the religious got angry instead of celebrating and condemned Jesus

We are on the cusp of really learning the danger of worshipping Jesus in a culture that rejects Him. Will the threat of the crowds and the government silence our message? Will we rethink what we believe? Will we seek out cultural-friendly pastors who will allow us to believe we are safe with God by preaching the peace-loving Jesus while ignoring the His hard words, or the persecution that came when the Church began to live out the full mission of Christ? We cannot compromise. Many of those who are blocking people from seeing Jesus today, are Christians in name only. Like many followers in Jesus’ day who I suspect quickly reversed their stance when they saw Jesus carrying His cross to Golgotha, they haven’t signed up for the hard stuff.

It is time for some hearty reexamination. Number one, am I really engaged in the message that Jesus came to deliver, not just the parts I like? Number two, am I figuratively standing in the way of someone being able to see Jesus? Number three, would I rather condemn the lost, especially if they have hurt me personally (as Zaccheus likely had done to many), than to see them come to Christ? Number four, am I willing to reach out and be the one who looks up to the lost and says, “I need to sit down with you today?” Number five, will I stick around when the promised persecution comes to my door? My bet is Zaccheus did.

Luke 19:3-7 - Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way. When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, "Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house." And he hurried and came down and received Him gladly. When they saw it, they all [began] to grumble, saying, "He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner."

10/21/2025

I remember the old insult, “Act your age not your shoe size.” It was intended to shame a person for being childish. Even as teenagers, we knew there was a standard. We were supposed to grow up. Who could have imagined we would see the vast number of adults who would make a career out of being children. There is even a classification called ABDL, adult baby / diaper lovers. More frightening is MAP, a minor attracted person, some who say they identify as teenagers, and groups advocating for their acceptance.

Today’s reading begins with Jesus pointing out a self-promoting Pharisee who wasn’t like the sinful tax collector who was also praying. As he was saying, “Thank God I’m not like that,” the tax collector was begging for mercy. It was the prayer God heard. Jesus went on to define marriage as between a man and woman and said divorce apart from infidelity was not God’s plan. Later, the disciples chastised those trying to bring their children to Jesus for a blessing. Jesus rebuked them, telling them we must come to Him like a child, or we won’t come to Him at all.

Children had no status in Roman culture. They could lay their babies outside to die if they didn’t want them. Jewish families did not do that, but their children did not have status in the home like today’s children. They were expected to honor, respect, and obey their parents. A rebellious child could be brought to the elders by the parents and stoned to death. They would be dumbfounded by the status of children today, as it has become the norm to navigate the family decisions based on what makes the children happy and keeps peace in the home, while ignoring disrespect and rebellion.

This mindset may interfere with how we interpret Jesus’ command to come to Him like a child. He was and is calling us to be childlike, not childish. He is calling us to be pure and innocent in our trust. We must come with humility, knowing we bring nothing to the table. There is no place for pride or rebellion, only love, honor, and reverence.

If we are not reproducing, we will die out but babies cannot raise babies. Baby Christians need to be nurtured and fed milk, but the expectation is that they will eventually learn to eat meat. Let’s come as children, but let’s not be ABDL Christians who are content with never getting out of the baby stage.

Mark 10:13-16 - And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.

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