Neal Embry

Follower of Jesus | Married to @Destiny_Embry19 | Father of two | Marketing & Communication Manager @BeesonDivinity | @NOBTS Graduate |

[Beeson Divinity School @BeesonDivinity]

Beeson's Josh Chatraw recently wrote about the "absurdity of autonomy" and our need for God and others for TGC. Read Read this timely article at the link below! https://t.co/7QDHoDyxN5

[Neal Embry @NealEmbry]

From a tiny church in Nashville in 2017 to the hallowed circle of the Grand Ole Opry, it’s been a joy to support @foyvance over the years and see his career take off. It was such a joy as well to meet him yesterday and tell him how meaningful his music has been in my life!

[Neal Embry @NealEmbry]

I’m so grateful for Ben Sasse and the way he’s lived his life as a testament to Christ. Praying for him and his family in these difficult times. We’re losing a good American and a better man. Thankful for his faith and testimony even in this announcement.

[Ben Sasse @BenSasse]

Friends-

This is a tough note to write, but since a bunch of you have started to suspect something, I’ll cut to the chase: Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and am gonna die.

Advanced pancreatic is nasty stuff; it’s a death sentence. But I already had a death sentence before last week too — we all do.

I’m blessed with amazing siblings and half-a-dozen buddies that are genuinely brothers. As one of them put it, “Sure, you’re on the clock, but we’re all on the clock.” Death is a wicked thief, and the bastard pursues us all.

Still, I’ve got less time than I’d prefer. This is hard for someone wired to work and build, but harder still as a husband and a dad. I can’t begin to describe how great my people are. During the past year, as we’d temporarily stepped back from public life and built new family rhythms, Melissa and I have grown even closer — and that on top of three decades of the best friend a man could ever have. Seven months ago, Corrie was commissioned into the Air Force and she’s off at instrument and multi-engine rounds of flight school. Last week, Alex kicked butt graduating from college a semester early even while teaching gen chem, organic, and physics (she’s a freak). This summer, 14-year-old Breck started learning to drive. (Okay, we’ve been driving off-book for six years — but now we’ve got paper to make it street-legal.) I couldn’t be more grateful to constantly get to bear-hug this motley crew of sinners and saints.

There’s not a good time to tell your peeps you’re now marching to the beat of a faster drummer — but the season of advent isn’t the worst. As a Christian, the weeks running up to Christmas are a time to orient our hearts toward the hope of what’s to come.

Not an abstract hope in fanciful human goodness; not hope in vague hallmark-sappy spirituality; not a bootstrapped hope in our own strength (what foolishness is the evaporating-muscle I once prided myself in). Nope — often we lazily say “hope” when what we mean is “optimism.” To be clear, optimism is great, and it’s absolutely necessary, but it’s insufficient. It’s not the kinda thing that holds up when you tell your daughters you’re not going to walk them down the aisle. Nor telling your mom and pops they’re gonna bury their son.

A well-lived life demands more reality — stiffer stuff. That’s why, during advent, even while still walking in darkness, we shout our hope — often properly with a gravelly voice soldiering through tears.

Such is the calling of the pilgrim. Those who know ourselves to need a Physician should dang well look forward to enduring beauty and eventual fulfillment. That is, we hope in a real Deliverer — a rescuing God, born at a real time, in a real place. But the eternal city — with foundations and without cancer — is not yet.

Remembering Isaiah’s prophecies of what’s to come doesn’t dull the pain of current sufferings. But it does put it in eternity’s perspective:
“When we've been there 10,000 years…We've no less days to sing God's praise.”

I’ll have more to say. I’m not going down without a fight. One sub-part of God’s grace is found in the jawdropping advances science has made the past few years in immunotherapy and more. Death and dying aren’t the same — the process of dying is still something to be lived. We’re zealously embracing a lot of gallows humor in our house, and I’ve pledged to do my part to run through the irreverent tape.

But for now, as our family faces the reality of treatments, but more importantly as we celebrate Christmas, we wish you peace: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned….For to us a son is given” (Isaiah 9).

With great gratitude, and with gravelly-but-hopeful voices,
Ben — and the Sasses

[Neal Embry @NealEmbry]

Let’s go Tatum!

[Tater @TatumPaxley]

I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #WWENXT

[Neal Embry @NealEmbry]

Final: Homewood 42, Gardendale 9

@UnderLights365

[Neal Embry @NealEmbry]

Another touchdown for Homewood! Patriots score to make it 42-9 with 8:36 left in the game.

@UnderLights365

[Neal Embry @NealEmbry]

Homewood 35, Gardendale 9 after three quarters. Homewood has the ball after a turnover on downs by the Rockets.

@UnderLights365

[Neal Embry @NealEmbry]

Gardendale has struggled mightily with major penalties all night, including a defensive pass interference on the latest Homewood drive. The Patriots take advantage and make it 35-6 with 2:59 left in the third.

@UnderLights365

[Neal Embry @NealEmbry]

Gardendales first drive of the night ends in a nightmare as the punter’s knee hits the ground at their own 3, leading to an immediate Patriots touchdown on the next play.

28-6 Homewood, 9:42 left in the third quarter.

@UnderLights365

[Neal Embry @NealEmbry]

Homewood fails to convert a scoring chance, missing a field goal before the break.

Halftime: Homewood 21, Gardendale 9

@UnderLights365

[Neal Embry @NealEmbry]

Homewood’s defense forces the Rockets to settle for a field goal.

21-9 Patriots, 1:01 left in the half

@UnderLights365

[Neal Embry @NealEmbry]

And the Rockets recover a fumble on the ensuing kickoff! Gardendale showing some fight here as the half draws to a close.

Rockets ball on the Patriots 21

@UnderLights365

[Neal Embry @NealEmbry]

The home team gets on the board quick, as Ridge Wiggins finds Jackson Hanner for a 46-yard touchdown on the Rockets ensuing drive.

After a blocked PAT, it’s 21-6 Patriots with 2:26 left in the half

@UnderLights365

[Neal Embry @NealEmbry]

Following a 72-yard gain by Tomon Felton on a reverse, the Patriots score again from two yards out to make it 21-0 Homewood with 3:31 left in the half.

@UnderLights365

[Neal Embry @NealEmbry]

After another impressive drive, Homewood QB Kaleb Carson takes it in from a yard out to extend the Patriot lead.

Homewood 14, Gardendale 0 | 11:21 Q2

@UnderLights365

[Neal Embry @NealEmbry]

Homewood 7, Gardendale 0 after one quarter. Patriots driving, as they have been most of the night.

@UnderLights365

[Neal Embry @NealEmbry]

Homewood gets on the board early and first with a Davis Griffin touchdown following an impressive opening drive for the Patriots.

7-0 visitors, 10:06 left in the first quarter.

@UnderLights365

[Neal Embry @NealEmbry]

The rumors are true. Yours truly is coming out of sideline retirement! I’m not sure how @KyleParmley has made it these past three years, but his nightmare ends tonight as I cover Homewood at Gardendale!

[Under the Lights @UnderLights365]

Friday follows:

@HuskyFast vs. Thompson: @KyleParmley
@CCHSfootbal at @MtnBrookFTBL: @JGleas
@HWD_Football at Gardendale: @NealEmbry
@BucsFootball at @FootballOMHS: @Jackson_Powers_
@1rebelathletics vs. Prattville: @SteveIrvine04
BCS, Chelsea & SP: @UnderLights365

[Neal Embry @NealEmbry]

First time in far too long I’ve written something that wasn’t for work. Thanks for the opportunity to serve the church, @reading4glory!

[Coram Deo @coramdeo_center]

Today, as we continue in our Nicene Creed Series, @NealEmbry reflects on the phrase “He rose again on the third day, in accordance with the Scriptures”.

Read the full article here:

https://t.co/IOmBpNNaX0