James 5:7-8: “Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” Isaiah 40:6-8: “A voice says, ‘Cry out.’ And I said, ‘What…
Harvest Your Past Challenge – 31 Days of Free Writing Prompts to Help You Write Your Own Memoir
Some people know me as the author of the picture book The Donkey’s Song, The Donkey’s Song – A Picture Book Written by Jacki Kellum Illustrated by Sydney Hanson Published by Doubleday for Young Readers at Penguin Random House And some people know me as an artist, but a few people also know that I…
Listening for the Voice of God
A couple of weeks ago, I visited with two ladies who have been friends almost their entire lives. At various times, Estha Mae Coleman Parker and Virginia McKibben Vanlandingham lived and worshiped at the old country church at Pilgrims Rest in Yalobusha County, and now, both of them live only a couple of farms away…
Memory of an Old Country Revival in the Wildwood
Last week, I visited with Estha Mae and Porter Parker. They are dear, sweet people from Calhoun County, and they have lived near Pilgrims Rest Church and School almost all their lives. Because Mary Sue Stevens has known the Parkers for a long time, she took me to visit them. After we turned left on…
Finding the Spirit of God in a Forest Church – at Pilgrims Rest
This week, I have continued my search for an old place of worship that I have been carrying in my heart for many years, and in doing so, I discovered the Pilgrims Rest Church and Schoolhouse. It is important to note that in this area, many of the original church buildings are no longer standing…
My Church Journey Feeds My Soul
For the past week, Yalobusha County’s former circuit clerk and lifelong resident Mary Sue Stevens has taken me on a tour into her past—which, in some ways, was also a tour into my own past. For many years, I have been fascinated by old, white country churches, and as soon as I settled in Water…
Theora Hamblett – I Remember
Hamblett, Theora. I Remember. Theora Hamblett, 1971. “Why am I willing to write ‘I Remember’? “As a youngster, I enjoyed listening to older persons tell about their experiences, and their experiences became part of my memory. Though of course I do not remember all that they told me, details of their lives lodge here and there…
A Newcomer Looks at Water Valley, MS, and the Annual Watermelon Carnival
Jacki Kellum at the Water Valley, MS, Watermelon Carnival 2023 This article was first published in the North Mississippi Herald on August 10, 2023 Before this past spring, I had never been to Water Valley, but three months ago, I moved here. Mississippi – I’m Finally Coming Back Home: Moving to Water Valley, Mississippi…
The Fabled Life of Aesop by Ian Lendler – A Picture Book Biography Fabulously Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski
For many years, I have been a fan of ancient cultures, and I have several copies of Aesop’s Fables. But I am also a great fan of Pamela Zagarenski’s illustrations, and when I saw The Fabled Life of Aesop, I couldn’t help myself. I had to buy yet another title about Aesop. As it turns…
Aesops Fables and the Bible: How Was Ancient Greece Connected to the Bible?
In a recent Bible study of the book of Jeremiah, the phrase “sour grapes” came up. Many of us who have studied literature know that the concept of “sour grapes” is also part of one of Aesop’s Fables. Image Credit: Walter Crane – from The Baby’s Own Aesop Published in 1887 THE FOX AND THE…