Story By MARY BAILEY
“Crosswalk 2025, from Beulah to Bethany” was held Saturday morning just as the sun was coming up across Marshall County.
The first trek of the journey began at 7 a.m. at Beulah Baptist Church in Boaz.
“The message for today is Luke 9:23-24,” spoke Jason McCullars, Associate Pastor of Beulah Baptist Church to those who had gathered. “Then Jesus said to all of them, if anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. That’s the theme for today, so as we are walking, you who are walking the cross, think about that. Think of this being a symbol of denying ourselves, taking up the cross and following him, today. Because he said we need to do this daily.”
A light breakfast and prayer were held before the 14-mile walk began from Beulah Baptist Church to Bethany Baptist Church in Douglas.
Young and young at heart took turns carrying the 22-pound, 6-foot-long wooden cross through the residential neighborhoods of Boaz and Douglas.
The youngest to carry, seven-year-old Bennett Strickland, said he felt the need to carry the cross because he wanted to tell people about Jesus.
“It felt good and I think Jesus was happy,” he said of his experience Saturday morning.
The oldest to carry, 81-year-old Tommy Garrett, said he might not be able to carry it long but he wants to because Christ did it.
“I’ve never carried the cross before, this is my first time,” Garrett said as he placed it on his shoulder. “I want to do it cause Jesus did it for us, that’s the main thing. God’s blessed me.”
Hearts stopped when Mia Sanders, who has Cerebral palsy, wanted to carry the cross.
“She propped it up on her walker and took off,” said Adam Strickland who helped organize the event. “It was so meaningful to everyone who saw her.
Cross Walk 2025 from Beulah to Bethany was a vision laid on the heart of Strickland.
“The name we want the world to know is Jesus!”