Category Archives: Opinions
Who was Naomi?
Ruth 1:2 “And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem Judah. 
And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there.”
Several characters in the Bible that played a vital role in the lineage of Christ and ultimately the salvation of mankind have been overlooked in their importance. Their sacrifice and suffering
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Stolen valor: When they didn’t earn it
Despite the Stolen Valor Act and the punishments for violating that act, there are still far too many who decide to take the chance on reaping the material gains of claiming 
benefits and wearing a uniform they didn’t earn.
A veteran on the east coast was nailed not only for scamming charities but for pretending to be a Purple Heart recipient. In a rare change from the usual in
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Gift giving this year?
A show of hands, please: How many of us are already in a panic about just how we’re going to give holiday gifts to our family and friends this year? With the costs of 
everything seeming to go up by the day, how are we going to manage to stretch our budgets to include
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
The easy way is not God’s way
Seeking comfort and not being willing to stand against sin leaves us lukewarm and vulnerable to defeat and destruction. Christians who avoid getting their hands dirty 
with prayer and obedience might have religious knowledge, but are developing spiritual muscle atrophy. If we stay on the couch and only eat rich
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Courier Letters to the Editor 10-22-25
Compromise is governing
Dear Editor,
Compromise is not weakness — it is the foundation of governing. Since the Constitution was written, compromise has been essential. It gave us two houses of Congress in 1787.
In 2010, the Affordable Care Act was itself a compromise: Democrats wanted universal healthcare, Republicans opposed it. The result? Americans gained coverage for pre-existing conditions, young adults stayed on their parents’ plans until age 26, and mental health care finally achieved parity with physical health care. While Republicans still
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Be careful choosing with your ancestors
Deuteronomy 4: 9 “Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons.”
Have you ever wished you could have chosen your ancestors? Perhaps you’ve looked in a mirror and
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Dealing with food recalls
It’s impossible to say exactly what’s going on, but lately there are problems with our food supply, one after the other. Listeria and salmonella are at the top of the list.
Listeria shows up in water, waste and the soil and ends up in our meat, fresh produce and dairy products.
Some say the rising number of cases of listeria are because we’re eager to grab ready-to-
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
Mayor: City is steady, responsible and proud
When I talk about the strength of Pickens, I’m not just talking about our spirit — I’m talking about our finances, too. A strong city needs both. And I’m proud to say that in 2025, the city of Pickens is in better 
financial shape than it’s been in many years.
If you’ve been following along with city council meetings or reading the budget summaries, you’ve seen the change for yourself. If you’ve been listening to some on social media more concerned with creating drama than knowing or telling the truth, you might think the city is on its last legs. They are talking about the past and ignoring the progress of the last two years.
Back in 2023, our general fund budget was overspent by around
Find your challenge
Philippians 4:12-13 “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”
One of life’s greatest rewards is to find a challenge, study it, work it and achieve it! To be challenged is to be motivated. Motivation is the key to action and ultimately success and that great feeling of accomplishment.
Unchallenged people may be sad and have not a clue why. An uncle retired from an automotive plant in Ohio and moved back to
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
It is faith that builds peace
There is a fundamental relationship between faith and peace. We are told that the harvest of faith is peace. But what is the nature of this peace and how do we understand it?
First and most importantly, there is peace that results from relationship with God, which is the very foundation of faith itself; this means the knowledge of God, devotion and servitude to Him. This peace is transcendent, eternal, and beyond any limitations of materiality. It is the Light of the holy spirit that emanates from God and illumines our hearts; it flows to our being as we turn obediently to Him, conferring on us an inner state of faith and peace.
An obligatory and inseparable aspect of this peace, is being at peace with each other. In the Beatitudes, Jesus tells us that God loves and blesses peacemakers, and calls them His children. This implies that relationship to
You must be logged in to view this content.
Subscribe Today or Login
