Sunday morning had a different start for the Godwins than usual. Instead of attending our home church, we were out the door and on the road by 7:30 a.m. to join the young cadets at the Grayson County Juvenile Boot Camp.

Billy Wayne and I were among a small group of adult volunteers granted admission to participate in a church and worship service with 50 or more young men.

Our group of volunteers was organized through the Air Chapel Academy, a non-profit agency in Grayson Couny that, among other things, appeals to local ministries and churches to help with the religious services every Sunday and Wednesday at the boot camp. 

Sunday it was Pastor Sammy Garcia of Iglesia Bautista Camino Real Church in Denison who spoke to the boys while music was provided by Paul Garland of Sherman.

We were there to help serve those young men, but we were the ones who were blessed. One of the highlights of the morning was a loosely organized choir of cadets who came to the front of the room and stood behind Paul as he led the group in a song called “Peace Speaker.” Some of the boys played percussion instruments while others simply used their voices. The result was spine tingling.

The song talks about experiencing storms in life. “But even in the storm, I can feel the calm, and here’s the reason why,” sang this group of about 15 young men. “I know the Peace Speaker, I know Him by name…

“There’s never been another man with the power of this friend; by simply saying ‘peace, be still’ He can calm the strongest wind…

“And that’s why I never worry when storm clouds come my way… I know the Peace Speaker…”

As I watched these youngsters sing loud and strong and thought about the lyrics, I considered this special group. Each one is there because of storm clouds in their own lives. They are there because of legal problems of many levels and the boot camp program is their last chance to turn around.

In a small prayer group, some of the young men shared feelings of being homesick, one asked for prayer to help him stay focused on the goal to make the achievements necessary to get out and go home. Another shared concerns about his family.

It was a special time for us and we’re looking forward to going back.

At a charity event I attended recently, one of the speakers, a local girl, talked about her early life when a closet was her favorite place because it was the only place where she felt safe. It was her only escape from the mayhem caused by the beatings inflicted on her mother by her father.
She was 13 when the beatings finally stopped and she had to find a way to put her life back together so she could have a future.

It occurred to me the timing of hearing that student speak was right in line with the Holy Week events honored by Christians remembering the death and subsequent rising of Jesus Christ. It’s all about restoration.

Easter Sunday is a day we celebrate as one of new beginnings when all things are new. It’s probably no accident that this event comes during a season when vegetation is returning to life. Trees are budding, flowers beginning to show themselves and the air is warming.

Great numbers of us will bow heads Sunday to worship the Son of God who died on the cross to pay for the sins of all humanity. We will marvel that our creator loves us so much he allowed his own son to suffer the humiliation of crucifixion as an offering to reconcile our sinful nature to Him.

That’s why the story of Jesus Christ is called “the Good News.” In order to be reconciled to God for the everlasting reward of heaven, we need only accept in our hearts that God made this offering for us. That’s why we call Jesus “Savior,” and that is why Easter is such a huge celebration for Christians.

Without the death and resurrection of Christ, there can be no Christianity.

Lots of religions on this planet worship deities of one sort or another, and with all, the only path to a heavenly reward is through work we do on earth. But our Bible teaches there is nothing we can do to ‘earn’ a place in heaven. We must accept the free gift of eternal life paid for with the suffering of Jesus Christ.

This Sunday you can find me in church like millions of others who accept the grace of God as a gift. Like the young student whose life has experienced restoration on earth, I find the Christian message of Easter to be good news indeed.

Happy Easter.

At this time of year thoughts often turn to ghostly talk and children of all ages dress up as goblins and ghouls. Make-shift and temporary haunted houses appear for the purposes of scaring visitors who dare to enter — all in the fun of Halloween.

I visited a Web site out of curiosity, after doing a Google search on U.S. Hauntings. I found a state-by-state, country-by-country listing of haunted places. We’ve all heard the local lore of ladies on the lake, ladies in the mist, ladies in white, haunted inns and much, much more. The big question being, do we believe it.

The closest listing to Grayson County I could find was McKinney, Texas where a lady in white is said to look out the window of the old courthouse building at night. It is supposed to be the spirit of a woman who hanged herself in 1896.

One of the more interesting cases close by is in Dallas at Flag Pole Hill on Northwest Highway. There is said to be a narrow road on which there is no place to turn around. Once you start on it, you must continue. Mysterious rocks are said to fly at vehicles from weird angles “sudden, unforeseen vehicular body damage” can occur. The Web site states the local police department will verify this as far back as 1976.

You must admit, that is just plain intriguing for curious minds looking for answers. Don’t you just want to go there to see if it’s true and find out about what brought those spirits of unrest to be causing such havoc?

Let me try to save you a trip. I’m not saying suspicious things don’t happen there. With so many reports, it’s hard to deny. But what I am saying is there are no ghosts. That is, people who die do not come back in their spirit to be able to haunt anything.

A look at the Bible tells me that just can’t happen. Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 says “For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten. Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun.” So the dead won’t return to this universe for anything.

For me, that settles the question of whether or not ghosts really exist. Once someone dies, he or she has no part in anything under the sun. So, they won’t be throwing rocks at cars on deserted roads nor looking out windows during the night.

So what is it that’s going on in these “paranormal” events? Some of these events can probably be explained away through science, given enough time and the proper scientist. But other occurrences may indeed be the work of something not from this earth.

If my Bible-believing mind and heart can’t accept the explanation of ghosts and science can’t explain it, then the only thing left comes from those fallen angels we read about in God’s holy word. And it also says, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,” Ephesians 5:11.

I think we should not take lightly these instructions. We really can’t pick and choose what we want to accept from the Bible. If it’s wrong, there is no hope for man’s salvation. We’re stuck with what we have.

But, if it’s right, it’s right all the way through. And, the explanation that “you can twist the meanings of the Bible around to say whatever you want,” is old and tiresome to me. Anybody can read it for themselves and understand if they have the Holy Spirit to guide them and want to make the effort. The Holy Spirit comes after you’ve surrendered your life to Jesus Christ.
What you gain from reading the word of God far exceeds the little bit of effort it takes to understand it.

Joyce Godwin is a Herald Democrat staff writer/editor and may be reached by e-mail at jgodwin@heralddemocrat.com. She lives in Van Alstyne and attends the First Baptist Church there.