As Christians, we are told throughout the Bible that we will suffer because we are Christians. And while the definition of “suffer” can be up for debate, we know that nowhere in the Bible does it tell us that life will be easy once we give our life to Christ.

TRUTH. Does God always speak the truth? Yes, I know that's a rather silly question. Anyone with an ounce of honest goodness left in their heart knows that God always speaks the truth. God spoke the truth through both His prophets in the OT and His apostles in the NT. God spoke His truth to Moses through angels, the highest beings of His creation (Acts 7:53). But God ultimately spoke the truth through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. That should cause people to sit up and pay attention to the truth Jesus spoke. Sadly, that's often not the case. The book of Hebrews exalts Jesus Christ and exhorts people to hear the truth He spoke. It starts by telling us that "God...has... spoken to us by His Son" (1:1-2)..."Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away" (2:1). The point is that Jesus spoke the truth about salvation in Himself and yet some people were in danger of drifting away from Him back to Judaism. In John 10, Jesus was talking to some Jews who refused to believe that He was the Messiah and Savior. They said to Him, "If You are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus responded by speaking the truth: "I told you, and you do not believe...because you are not among my sheep" (10:24,26). He then continued telling them the truth: "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish" (10:27-28). The truth is that anyone who trusts be His sheep. Jesus spoke truth when He said, "he who believes in Me has everlasting life" (John 6:47). Jesus spoke truth, saying, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life” (John 5:39). Are you a sheep trusting the One who said in John 14:6, "I am...the truth"? If so, don't drift. If not, maybe it's time to hear His voice.

I am sorry for my absence last week, as my family was struck by the Covid-19 pandemic. My daughters’ otherwise healthy classmate since primary school died of a hemorrhagic stroke they say was caused by the Covid-19 infection. She is leaving behind a husband and three small children, as well as an entire community that is mourning the loss of this 35-year-old woman. And our numbers are up nationwide for the highly contagious, yet typically milder mutations of Omicron. Her vaccination status doesn’t matter now, because she is gone. But her loss should mean that we pause to consider our own relationship to Covid-19, and whether we feel the need to better protect ourselves or family. The vaccine was never meant to prevent transmission, just to prevent serious illness and death. And it works for this purpose. That is enough about our pandemic for this particular column.

Tara Elmer of Plainville has earned an Associate of Science Degree from Barton County commuity College for the spring semester of 2022..

A total of 2,239 students completed associate, bachelor, or graduate degrees at Fort Hays State University in the fall of 2021 and spring of 2022 terms. Graduates are listed by semester, with their degrees.

ENJOYING THE FIRST PAINTING CLASS at The Sunflower Shed were (back row, from left): Lavinia Haines, Lexi Geissert and Reagan Cleaves from St. Louis, Mo., Danyell Mains from Charleston, S.C., Janese Townley; (front row, from left) Darby Mains from Charleston, S.C., Jan Mains from Charleston, S.C. and Judy Schroeder. Everyone had a fun time, and they all did a great job.

TAKING IN THE CRUISE NIGHT festivities on June 17 were, from left: Delanee Bedore, Olivia Dix, Addie Dix and Ava Dix. The event was sponsored by Stockton Rodders, Inc..

(The following article is taken from the unapproved June 13th Woodston City Council regular meeting minutes.) The Council of the City of Woodston met in the Council Chamber at the City Hall on Monday, June 13th, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. Council Members present were Bill Dibble, Judy Turnbull, Kate Terry, Charles O’Neil and Thomas Yakish.

EARNING THE 2021-2022 KANSAS Governor’s Scholar Award was Tiger senior Rylan Basart. He received his certificate during the Stockton High School Awards Banquet held on April 27..

OLIVE REED SCHAFER AWARD RECIPIENTS recognized at the Awards Banquet in April were, from left: Savy Gray, Rylan Basart, Olivia Dix, Madison Moffet, Kayleigh Cunningham, Janae Keller, Delany Snyder, Camden Iwasnski and Coryn Hahn.