By Rich Sanders

Who would’ve thought that a simple cookie could become an instrument for delivering the Good News? Michele Pavlich did! As the founder of Covenant Cookie Creations, LLC, Michele was called by God to start a company based on two simple concepts: 1) making the best cookie she could; and 2) saying a prayer over each cookie to ask God to bring the Good News to whoever received it!

She didn’t start off with a bakery, however.  She and her husband met in high school and have now been married 40 years.  After he retired from the Air Force, they took the leap of faith to move to the Emerald Coast from Alaska.  God soon called her to start the cookie business.

In describing her business card for Covenant Cookie Creations, Michele points out that: “Just by saying the name, the seed is planted and what that seed is–it’s God’s mustard seed. Our logo has the mustard seed on it. You’ll also notice it’s triple C. If people know us as “Triple C”, I love it. But when I hear it, I hear Christ, Cross and Church. Wow!”

One of the core tenets of the Christian Capitalist is that we glorify God through our work, and Michele does that every single time she bakes a cookie. “So I pray over every cookie: not a prayer for me… it’s a prayer that the Lord’s seed is planted in the individual that partakes in this cookie, that a seed is planted.  It’s all up to His glory that I give him- isn’t that something?”

It is something indeed.  Covenant has grown steadily in its first year and just got a major boost from some of the biggest celebrities on the Emerald Coast- the Blue Angels! Working with the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce, Michele had the opportunity in July to make cookies for the Pensacola Beach airshow to serve families and friends of the Blue Angel pilots, as well as hosting a tent and sell her cookies to hundreds of thousands of people!

When asked what it means to be a Christian Capitalist, Michele wrote a poetic response: “Each day offers an opportunity to bridge the gap between the image we see [in the mirror] and the image God created us to be.”

Michele recently appeared on the Christian Capitalist podcast Episode #30. This is significant for her because it had been 30 years since she participated in a small group at church, and she had a chance to read and review The Christian Capitalist this Spring in her small group at church!

Starting this month, SOWAL Life will provide a link to episodes of the Christian Capitalist podcast on its website.  We are excited about this opportunity to continue to provide inspirational stories of hard work and generous giving to the poor and needy in the name of Jesus Christ, starting with Michele Pavlich and Covenant Cookie Creations!

Rich Sanders is a pastor, small business owner, retired healthcare attorney and adjunct professor at Emory University, and former intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy,  He and his wife, Rebekah, met at church in 1996, have been blessed with three children (James, William and Caroline) and live in Destin with their large golden retriever, Cowboy.

By Rick Moore

It is hard to get the images of the children from Camp Mystic out of my mind. Well over a hundred lives were lost in the floods in Kerr County, Texas. We pray for the community. Our church sent money to support the efforts. I try to tell members of the Coast Guard thank you for their service. Yet, it isn’t enough.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Scott Ruskan was recognized for saving over 160 people, many of them children, during the devastating Texas floods in July 2025. He said, “The mission’s not over yet. It’s not over for us.” Those words rang out to me. For many of us who have lived through hurricanes, we know that long after the national media has moved on to the next big story, some are just beginning the healing process. It’s not over.

Award-winning author and USCG Captain Martha LaGuardia Kotite shared these thoughts on the Texas Floods: “My heart grieves for all those families impacted by this tragedy. I am grateful for the courage and determination our first responders have given to help save lives, especially those in the USCG.” One of the several books Martha has written is titled “So Others May Live.” She shares several stories about the many heroes who head toward danger when others are fleeing. My favorite story is “Hurricane Baby.”

The Hubbard family was in the Atlantic Ocean, hundreds of miles from the coast of North Carolina. This family of four was in grave danger, trapped in the clutches of the extreme winds and huge waves of Hurricane Gordon. One of the children was an infant who was only four months old. Their boat was being tossed around by twenty-five foot seas and gale force winds. Rescue swimmer Mario Vittone, pilot David Gunderson, copilot Daniel Molthen, and mechanic Bobby Blackwell boarded a Jayhawk helicopter after receiving a Mayday call from the family.

After flying hundreds of miles through the storm, they refueled by landing on the USS America, which was about halfway to the rescue scene. That gave them just enough fuel to fly the rest of the way to the family, spend no more than twenty minutes at the scene for the rescue, and then return to the USS America for more fuel before heading home. The swimmers had never trained for saving an infant in these conditions. Just the spray from the helicopter blades is more than some adults can handle during a rescue operation.

By the time they arrived at the Hubbard’s boat, the seas had risen to thirty feet. The back of the boat was cluttered with an assortment of gear, making delivery of the rescue basket impossible. Mario would have to swim to the stern of the boat, inflate the one-man raft, put the baby in it, and hoist it to the helicopter. While Mario was still swimming toward the boat, the mother carried the infant to the sailboat’s swim platform. Then one of the breakers swept her and the baby into the sea. Mario dove to the rescue, saving mother and infant. After getting them safely into the helicopter, he went back to rescue the teenage daughter and the father. Mario received many awards for his historic rescue. The hero’s response to such accolades is simple but profound. “We do this job because every once in a while someone is out there without hope, desperately praying for their life, and we get to be the answer.”

This is just one of the many rescue stories Martha LaGuardia Kotite has to share. After having served in the Coast Guard for three decades, Martha is now an author and keynote speaker. Her work is far from over. If you would like to read more about great maritime rescues, visit marthakotite.com/books.

BY Kirk McCarley

Earl Weaver was highly successful for many years as manager of the Baltimore Orioles.  During a 17-year career as skipper for the O’s, Weaver’s teams won more than 58% of their games, appearing in four World Series and winning one.  His squads were both talented and fundamentally sound, relying on solid defense and timely hitting.

Weaver was also notorious for his high-energy responses to umpiring calls with which he disagreed, engaging in a variety of profane and somewhat “creative” outbursts and tantrums.  His theatrics resulted in his discharge from 96 games, still third all-time among big league managers.  In fact, he averaged being tossed at a pace of about one out of every 26 games during his tenure, essentially once a month during a season.

His demeanor with officiating crews was typically far from warm and tender.

We’ve all likely instigated as well as been the recipient of a crucial conversation.  These discussions are often defined as those where the stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions can be strong.

Recently, I had the distinction of doing some leadership training for a team of executives.  One of the components of that training related to these very same critical conversations.

Crucial communications occur in a wide array of environments.  In the business world, it may relate to a dialogue between a supervisor and a team member.  In sports, it can be a player and a coach.  In the classroom, there are teachers, students, and sometimes parents involved.  For those of us responsible for initiating the conversation, it can be one of the more unsettling experiences we encounter, regardless of our role.  It is also often quite necessary.  Avoidance seldom brings about a resolution to the matter at hand, although there can be benefits to “letting the jets cool” for a while before engaging.

So, where to start?

First, identify the issue.  Are there problems with work performance, and what are they?  How is it impacting not only overall productivity, but also the output of others on the team?  What does the problem seem to be?  Is it related to production, or is it attitudinal and potentially toxic?  Prepare for how to approach the situation, what you want to say, when, and the potential reactions you might expect.

Begin the engagement with a question to let the person know that feedback is coming.  In other words, “Do you have an idea as to why we’re meeting?”  Sometimes the response is volunteered knowingly, other times it may be a mystery.  Describe observations.  “I’ve noticed your level of engagement has diminished.  Do you also see and acknowledge that?”  Or a coach might offer to an interior offensive lineman after a game that “you missed four blocking assignments in our last game.  Before that, you had been averaging just one.  What else may be on your mind?”

Include positive observations as to what is being done well.  “You have consistently been a great student.”  “You have established a high standard in customer service.”

Next, describe why what has occurred is a concern.  Demonstrate curiosity.  A supervisor might ask again, “Is there something else going on that I should know about?”  A teacher may want to know if a student is seeing and hearing all right.  Perhaps there are some visual or audial challenges that have recently manifested and can be corrected.

Finally, invite input.  The objective is not to determine “who” is right or wrong, but rather “what” is right.

One of the worst things we can do to anyone is leave them guessing.  The cold shoulder and inaction fail to bring about better results.  Neither is the “in-your-face” exchange common between coaches and officials.  Entertaining though it may be, it occurs in a different world from which most of us exist.  There are ways that are right and better in which to have the critical conversation.  Establish yourself as someone fair-minded, under control, and professional.

A graduate of the University of North Texas, Kirk McCarley is a Certified Professional Coach as well as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and SHRM-CP Certified. He is also a Production Assistant for both college football and basketball for ESPN and leads group cycling classes as a Certified Spinning instructor. Contact kirk@theseedsowercoach.com, theseedsowercoach.com, or call  (314) 677-8779.

By Dave Holland

“Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’… But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.” — Luke 23:46, 49

Luke’s Gospel repeatedly highlights the faithfulness of women. More than any other gospel writer, Luke shows how women were consistently devoted to Jesus—from Galilee to Golgotha. I relate deeply to this. I came to Christ in a church founded by a woman—Aimee Semple McPherson. Though she passed before I was born, her legacy raised up many men and women in ministry, including me.

Early on, I learned Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile… neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Women have always had a powerful place in God’s story—and especially in the life and ministry of Jesus.

Women didn’t just cheer from the sidelines. They followed, served, gave, and endured. They traveled with Jesus, supported His ministry financially, and even cared for His physical needs. And when the road got hardest—when the crowds disappeared and the cross loomed—they stayed.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, not only birthed the Son of God, but gave us the “Magnificat,” a prophetic song that still echoes today. Mary Magdalene is mentioned in the Gospels more than most of the apostles. Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward, helped fund Jesus’ ministry. Salome, the mother of James and John, was present at key moments. So were Mary of Bethany and her sister Martha—both women of deep faith and connection to Jesus.

Some would say to women, “Stay home, be quiet, and tend the children.” Yet, there were many women of various social standings who were out on the road with Christ and his disciples. They would have slept beside the road as Jesus and the disciples did. How awkward was that?

These women didn’t retreat when things got messy. They followed Jesus to the cross. They were present at His death, helped care for His body, and returned to His tomb when others hid in fear. In fact, women were the first to witness and proclaim the resurrection. That’s no small detail.

Where were Peter, James, and John? Hiding. If you wanted to find them, you’d need a woman to point the way.

I’ve experienced firsthand the quiet strength and bold faith of women in ministry. When I first felt the call to serve God, it was a missionary who preached the sermon that broke my heart open. I stepped forward to the altar, unsure but hopeful. And then came Sister Conger—a woman who began weeping and wailing beside me. At first, I was annoyed. But when I looked closer, I realized: she was crying for me.

No one had ever done that before. Her prayers shattered my pride. They were the kind of prayers that birth callings, mends hearts, changes lives. I wouldn’t be in ministry today without her and the many women who prayed for me.

Behind so many pulpits, churches, and callings are women. Faithful, unseen, powerful women—serving, sacrificing, and crying out to God. Jesus saw them. He valued them. And He invited them to walk alongside Him.

And we would do well to do the same.

Dave Holland pastored churches for thirty-eight years before retiring in Destin, Florida. This devotional is from his book, “Extraordinary Jesus.” You can get a copy of his books from his website, DaveHolland.org, or at Amazon.com. Pastor Dave is available to preach and teach at churches and conferences. Contact him at DavidvHolland54@gmail.com.

By Rev. Pete Hyde

It was a perfect “chamber of commerce day.”  The temperature was near seventy, not a cloud in the sky, and a gentle breeze.  A small group of ladies from the church and I had traveled to a large arts and crafts festival.  As soon as we parked and a time was set for departure, they scattered like a group of excited children headed to recess.  I turned around, and they were gone.  I had no shopping list or agenda other than getting bratwurst for lunch.  I slowly strolled the streets lined on both sides and down the middle with white pop-up canopies, trying my best to stay out of the way of serious shoppers.

The local high school booster club was selling brats with homemade sauerkraut, peppers and all the trimmings.  I gathered up my lunch, found an old stump on the edge of the sidewalk in the sun, settled down and checked off the only thing on my to-do list for the day.  The music of the local high school jazz band filtered down the street from the stage a half a block away.  The smell of burgers and brats grilling mixed with the smell of kettle corn from the booth next door brought a carnival feel to lunchtime.  It was time to do a little people watching.

People moved up and down the aisles created by the crafter’s tents in an orderly fashion.  As always, there were a few who were bucking the flow of traffic.  There was an older couple making their way down the street.  She was darting from booth to booth while he made steady progress in a straight line, cane in hand.  Then came the young family pushing a stroller.  Dad had one child in his arms dripping a Popsicle down his back.  The child in the stroller had managed to get cotton candy on every square inch of himself or herself and the entire inside of the stroller.  Mom was texting and not really paying attention, therefore everyone had to dodge them as they weaved through the crowd, never stopping to look at the arts and crafts.  Groups of teenagers in various forms of attire made their way through the crowds with their heads down and eyes focused on their cell phones. They all giggled when one of them turned to the other and said, “Did you get the text I just sent you?”  A couple who looked like they were in their seventies walked slowly, holding hands from booth to booth.  One of the teenagers said, “Isn’t that sweet, they’re holding hands.”

I moved from my stump to a vacant bench with a cup of mocha almond fudge ice cream in my hand.  It wasn’t on my list, but I need to indulge a little.  Again, I gazed across the crowd.  Thousands of people, each with their own agendas for the day, each with their own set of issues and problems, joys and concerns, sorrows and happiness, tears and laughter, enjoying a day in the same place but yet still alone, looking for little diversion or escape from the rigors of life.

Is this a picture of the church today – individual people coming together in a group, yet still alone, looking for an escape or diversion from the rigors of life?  If it is, then the church has failed.  We are called, as Christians, to come together as individuals with all the baggage we carry and form a body, the Body of Christ.   If the church is nothing more than a group of individuals, each on their own individual journeys, who just happen to gather together once in a while, then we will make no more impact on our community and world than the crowds attending an arts and crafts festival.  The song says:  “I am the church, you are the church, we are the church together.”  Let’s consider who we are as the church and, more importantly, who we are as individual members of the body and our part in forming the Body of Christ, called to impact our communities and the world in His name.

Rev. Pete Hyde serves as chaplain with the South Walton Fire District.