Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1207650
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM FEBRUARY 5- 11, 2020 UCW 21 MUSIC SEABROOK AUDITORIUM 1200 Murchison Rd •910- 672-1724 Feb. 8 Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra's "Music She Wrote." Feb. 22 Ran'D Shine * Heart and Soul of Magic CROWN COMPLEX 1960 Coliseum Dr. •910- 438-4100 Feb. 14 Community Concerts: Texas Tenors Live March 6 Community Concerts: The Tempations and The Four Tops PAUL'S PLACE 719 Starling St.•910-779-2898 March 20 Rivermist THE DRUNK HORSE PUB 106 S. Eastern Blvd Feb. 12 Vader And Abysmal Dawn Feb. 16 King 810 w/ Skinlab, Righteous Vendetta Feb. 22 Schmegma, KIFF, Trailer Park Orchestra, and Rot Gut Likker Feb. 27 Vale Of Pnath, Gorod, Wolf King, Since Day One The first time I met Nate, he was asking a question about a micro- phone I was using to collect stories at a local church men's breakfast. The church is known for the num- ber of military families it attracts, and I was looking for one-liners about freedom for radio vignettes I was planning to broadcast from Memorial Day to Independence Day. As I engaged in a conversation about the microphone and his how- to mechanic videos, I had no idea of the story that was just beneath the surface. It wasn't until at least six months later I met his wife and dis- covered the pair and their three chil- dren had been through a harrowing, headline-grabbing ordeal three years prior to my meeting Nate. His wife's younger brother, who was living with them to add some order and stability to his life, had been shot to death after being beaten and robbed on an otherwise beautiful day in May. The story caught my interest — not because of the murder itself, but because of the story of faith and forgiveness sur- rounding it. Imagine the range of emotions in a courtroom filled with grieving fam- ily members on just about every seat in the room. One family grieving the life of a 16-year-old killed over $120, and the parents and siblings of six other young people grieving the sons they were about to lose to the prison system. Now imagine the guardian of the slain teen handing the mother of one of the accused a tissue to wipe her tears as she said, "I forgive you. It's not your fault." This wasn't a scene from a cheesy made-for-TV movie — it was real life. It took real courage, and it stemmed from real faith. The incident and events surrounding it called every- thing into question for Nate and his family. And as they embraced those questions, they emerged with answers that led them to the dusty villages surrounding ancient Jerusalem, where a man named Jesus taught about loving God, treat- ing others as well as you would your- self, and forgiving those who seek to do you harm. The journey that led them to for- giveness led them down roads of anger, bitterness and even resent- ment, but the God they found along the way gives them peace, which outweighs it all. At WCLN, we call that Monday School. The lessons learned as we venture beyond the rally and rheto- ric of a weekend worship service into stories of real life, real faith and real people. We have devoted air time and a podcast channel to stories like Nate's and have discovered they are all around us. Our friends, neighbors and coworkers — their stories con- tain tales of heroism or sorrow and may be marked with an undeniable joy that defies explanation. You can find Monday School wherever you listen to podcasts, and we hope you do. Learning to care by DAN DEBRULER OPINION Growing and forgiving isn't always easy. DAN DEBRULER, General Manager, WCLN. Comments? Editor@upandcomingweekly. com. 910-484-6200. FSU can change your life, too Whether you're transitioning out of the military, dealing with frequent deployments, or balancing your work, school and family life as a military spouse, Fayetteville State University will help you achieve your higher education goals and advance your career. Accredited. A Proud Member of the UNC System; An Incredible Value 8 Week Classes Available on Fort Bragg, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Main Campus, and Online Flexible with Traditional, Hybrid, and Online Classes 42 Degree Programs and Unlimited Career Opportunities More info -Dalashia Early, Military Spouse uncfsu.edu/Military-Successes Or call Register today for Spring Open House on March 21, 2020 www.UNCFSU.edu/springopenhouse 910.672.2963 910.672.2966 "Getting my degree was the best thing I have done for myself and my family. It changed my life."