Here’s to 20 more years!
Praise God for the first 20 years of Mississippi Christian Living!
Twenty years ago, the Author and Sustainer of all things allowed Marilyn Tinnin to establish a publication showcasing His work in Mississippi believers; He kept it going until she was ready to retire in 2018; then He dropped the business into my lap (see cover story on page 18)!
But I also owe thanks to many others. First to Marilyn, for choosing to place her “baby” into my hands and trust me with it, and for always being available to answer questions and help in any way she can. And to Sherye Green, who suggested Marilyn call me in 2018!
I’m also grateful for my staff, contractors, and everyone who keeps the business going.
Suzanne Durfey’s official title is “managing editor,” but she does far more than I can list here, and she happily helps and finds solutions for just about everything, especially technical questions. Ginger Gober makes more sales calls in a day than I’d care to make in a month, but she’s also full of ideas for how to make MCL better. Many changes or additions I’ve implemented have come straight from Ginger and/or Suzanne, and I am so thankful for them.
Graphic artist Sandra Goff is probably the quickest designer I’ve ever met, but you’d never know it. Thanks to her, MCL looks better than ever. And photographer Deryll Stegall (see feature on page 28!) has been a joy to work with on every shoot, even when I am not.
Of course, I also want to thank you — yes, you, the one reading this! If we had no readers, there’d be no reason for MCL to exist.
I firmly believe in the power of story. Think about the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15. No three-point sermon can say as much as the father running down the road to embrace his long-lost child. That’s why we have the Bible, first and foremost, but it’s also why we want to share each other’s stories in the here and now — so folks will know there is still a God who loves them, even when the world at large is seemingly more hateful and divided than ever. So thank you so much for choosing to read MCL, whether in print, online, or both.
Finally, I want to thank our advertising partners — from the ones running a small ad in one edition to those who’ve been running a full-page ad every month for years (you can read about some of the latter on page 24). Quite simply, we cannot keep the lights on without money, and the vast majority of it comes from advertising. I know this medium provides a benefit to those who choose to buy ads, but I’m also grateful that so many of them believe in our mission of pointing people to Christ and making their lives better.
If you’re excited that MCL is turning 20 and want to see us make it another 20 years, here are three ways to help:
◼︎ Connect us with possible advertisers! It’s easier than you might think. If you know a business owner, or someone in leadership at a church, business or organization, ask if they’ve considered partnering with MCL — or better yet, send us their email, and we’ll ask them ourselves! And by the way, we aren’t just a print magazine (though most of our advertisers still prefer print). We offer web- and email-based ads as well, along with event sponsorships.
◼︎ Follow us on Facebook.com/MSChristianLiving and Instagram.com/mschristianmag. We get the most social clout from shares, so anytime you see us post something you like, please share it! Also subscribe to our e-digest, which is sent out four times a month, by going to MSChristianLiving.com and scrolling to the bottom.
◼︎ Get excited about our events! Save the date for our 2022 women’s retreat, happening Saturday, October 29 at Broadmoor Baptist Church in Madison. You probably read about our keynote speaker, Shay Greenwood, in last month’s cover story, and you can also get to know her better in this month’s Faith, Fashion & Fitness column. Ticket info coming soon!
Whether you’re an advertiser, a longtime reader, or you’re picking up this magazine for the very first time, thank you. I still find it hard to believe I get the privilege of running MCL, and I’m so excited for what’s to come!