Local Voices

by Kayla White

In today’s world, it’s easy to forget how little we once knew about major league baseball. When I saw my first game, it was on a TV cart in a 4th grade classroom. Our teacher was a baseball fan, and she didn’t let simple arithmetic get in the way of the World Series.

Recently, we reminisced about Dippity Do, Hai Karate, Mr. Bubble and other products from our youth. That opened the floodgates. Many of you shared memories of products we rarely see today. Let’s take another trip down the aisles of A & P, Piggly Wiggly, and Shop-Rite stores we visited every Friday night.

Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.” Revelation 2:20-23. If you are serving the Lord, sowing into your community and on a path of Kingdom anointing then there is no doubt in my mind you have encountered the Jezebel spirit. I encourage you to read 1 Kings 19:1-8 to understand what it looked like for Elijah as he himself came face to face with Jezebel – a power-hungry queen who would stop at nothing to gain control and influence. First, I want to give you some characteristics that you can look for when discerning this specific spirit in your own walk.

Table Talk

Afriend of mine recently lost his iPhone. I’ll call him Jack, since that’s his name. (He doesn’t read my column, so we’re safe here.) For about 24 hours, Jack’s life was a mess. He couldn’t focus on anything except his missing phone. “My whole life is on that phone,” he said. “My money, my passwords, my pictures. I’m lost without it!”

Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.” Isaiah 43:26. I ask you to think about a courtroom today – who and what do you see when you look around? Frist and foremost, you see a judge, jury, the defense attorney, the prosecutor, witnesses and of course the accused. There have been times in my life, and I am sure yours, that settling a dispute in the carnal courtroom seemed like an easier route. In this season of trials God began to whisper to me to “take it to His court”- the accusations, the lies of the enemy, the battles and struggles. It has taken me years to truly understand what it means to remain still and plead my case to the ultimate Judge.

Being a lifelong music fan and an occasional radio host, I’ve often baffl ed my family with my song selections. I believe that the driver of the vehicle controls the music. I’m the one who has to stay alert, right? So my lucky passengers have long been treated to my music choices. At first, it was a mix tape, aptly named. Later, I began “burning” random songs to compact discs. Now I create my own playlists, and play them directly from my phone into the car speakers.

Dolly Parton has been in the news a lot lately, and she appears to have overcome some health concerns. 2026 is a milestone year for Dolly, marking her 80th birthday, the 60th anniversary of her marriage to the late Carl Dean, the 40th anniversary of Dollywood, and the 30th anniversary of her Imagination Library. There is no better time to send a love letter to “our Dolly.”

As a believer in Christ, I must admit that reading and studying the book of Revelation has always been the most daunting and challenging responsibility.