Weekly columnist shares advice and faith

By Barbara Denman
July 25, 2008

CROSS CITY (FBC)—A Dixie County woman has been given a community-wide platform to advocate God’s plan for marriage and family, promote relational skills and share the gospel through a weekly column in the county newspaper.

Angie Land of Cross City is the author of “Heart Matters,” a weekly column appearing in the Dixie County Times, four neighboring county newspapers and most recently, in a regional on-line edition of the Jacksonville Times Union newspaper.

“I always ask God to give us an audience that is not exposed to church,” Land said. “People everywhere are struggling in their relationships. I try to give them practical advice and solid biblical principles.”

The columnist has long led marriage and family enrichment seminars in north central Florida to help families establish their relationships as a top priority in their lives.

Then five years ago, she began working on staff with the Lafayette Baptist Association as the director of Family Life Ministries, providing family and pre-marital counseling, helping troubled couples and, in turn, area pastors with their workload.

Dixie County Times editor Sue Chewning, a fellow member at First Baptist Cross City, initially approached Land about writing the column.

“She asked me to write something for people who don’t go to church but could benefit from some the conferences I had led,” said Land. “She told me to pray about it and see if God would give me a name.”

In the next several days Land believes God gave her the column name, “Heart Matters,” and she wrote a rough draft of her first article. She sent it to the editor for feedback. But before she heard any response, a grocery store clerk had read the column in the paper and asked a surprised Land, who never knew it had been published, if she was the column writer.

The mother of three teenagers whose photo is included in with the column admits she is “most excited about the feedback from people not in the church. Almost everywhere I go I have people approaching me and giving me constant feedback and encouragement. One lady told me she cuts out the column every week,” Land said.

“I try not to make it sound too churchy” in the articles, she explained, looking for a broader appeal.

Topics for the column originate from her conferences and incidents in her own home. “I am always praying about the next one,” Land said.

A May column began with Land recounting her challenges with text messaging, something every parent of a teenager knows about these days. From there, she discussed a principle in the book, “Now You’re Speaking My Language, written by Christian author Gary Chapman and told how “good communication is the road to intimacy.”

Because Land includes her e-mail address, she receives correspondence from many people in need of advice and help. When asked, she offers them specific counsel, stressing their need for a relationship with Christ. She is aware of at least one struggling family whose father began attending church and accepted Christ. He and their daughters have all been baptized.

“God has given Angie an extraordinary opportunity to minister to families,” said Gary Nichols, associate in the Florida Baptist Convention’s Discipleship and Family Department. “There may be no other Christian in Florida with such a unique opportunity for ministry.”

“The columns she writes are timely and pertinent. God has gifted her with the ability to understand family issues and effectively communicate a biblical message for families in tough times. She uses humor that relates to every age group.”

Land and her husband of 23 years, Alton, teach a Sunday school class for couples at First Baptist Cross City. Their children are Corey, 19, Jacob, 17, and Shelby, 13.

To view Land’s articles go to http://www.jacksonville.com/community/cc/hmatters/