By Jennifer Davis Rash
President and Editor-in-Chief
Hi friend, my name is Jennifer. I’m new here — not to Alabama Baptist life nor to the newspaper but to this historic page.
Traditionally referred to as Page 2, the editorial page in The Alabama Baptist has been the hangout spot for only 12 others in the nearly 176 years of our paper’s existence.
Yes, you guessed it, intimidated would be a good description about now, maybe even overwhelmed — but not anxious.
I’m not sure I can do justice in explaining the peace and confidence, but the assurance is undeniable. It’s one of those “you just know” kind of things and every fiber of my being is certain God has put me here.
And what an incredible privilege to have this next opportunity to serve Him and you along our journey home.
Does that make the new role an easy task? Absolutely not. Does that mean I’m not scared? Goodness, no.
There have been some days I’ve had to pull back from thinking, dreaming, evaluating, problem-solving, etc., about the big picture of TAB and focus only on that day’s specific needs in order to prevent a loss-of-control feeling.
But balanced with those jitters is a healthy dose of excitement and courage — both of which are nurtured and strengthened by you. Your confidence in me is what gives me the confidence to move forward.
The love, support and encouragement I’ve experienced through the years — and especially in recent days — nourishes my soul, fills my heart and supplies a sense of security. We all need those things to be and do our best in the places God has called us to serve.
Our team at TAB is committed to maintaining the paper’s legacy of integrity, goal of clear communication and truthtelling, and adherence to the highest of journalistic standards.
Those parts will not change but you will notice differences in the look of the paper. For instance, that traditional Page 2 editorial I referenced is now on Page 3. There will be other layout tweaks coming soon and I’ll work hard to explain the various areas being adapted as we go along. We also will be developing other ways to share content and communicate especially on digital platforms.
Along with explaining where we are headed with the content of TAB, I’ll also catch you up on me soon. If you know me already, you know I like to talk so we should be set for words on this page for a while. Ha!
Thank you for being my friend. I look forward to catching up with you each week and maybe even in person from time to time. We plan to be out and about across the state a good bit, so I might even steal a hug if we end up in the same place.
Come by to see us, call, email, text or write a letter. However we do it, let’s plan to stay in touch.
If there’s one thing I know for sure, it is that I still have so much to learn in so many areas. I’m excited about getting to share what I’m learning and how I’m growing. And I’m hoping you will be willing to come along with me so I can learn from you as we go.
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