Month: June 2009

Thursday Afternoon

From Pam Sellers

Please pray for Tripp Roth, a 6-week old infant who’s aunt works with me. He was born with a very serious skin condition. It is so rare that there are very few doctors even familiar with it. The family will be going to Denver next week to be evaluated and hopefully learn a little more about it. Please pray for peace for the family. It is their first child and they are very anxious about this.

From:
Subject:
Quote Message Text

Luther Ricks

After today, i will have only 6 more Radation treatments remaining. Thank the Lord for only the small problems i have, instead of the ones i could have. Thanks for the prayers as i beleive they have worked.

Thanks again. Luther


Pauline Swindle

(February 25, 1930 – June 24, 2009)

Died at 5:30 PM on Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at Hood Memorial Hospital in Amite, LA. She was a native of Itawamba County, MS and a resident of Kentwood, LA. Age 79 years. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Kentwood, from 9 a.m. on Friday until religious services at 11 a.m. Interment Woodland Cemetery, Kentwood, LA. Survived by daughter, Peggy Vick, Red Bay, AL, son, Gene Swindle, Kentwood, sister, Helen Ridings, Neddleton, MS, 3 brothers, Herman Burton, Golden, MS, Sherman Burton, Neddleton, MS, and Dennis Burton, Hamilton, AL, 5 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by husband, Elzie Swindle, parents, Theodore and Lona Burton, 2 grandsons, Brian Vick and Steven Vick, 2 sisters.

Philip Alan Gray

(February 3, 1939 – June 24, 2009)

Died at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at his residence in Kentwood, LA. He was a native of St. Helena Parish, LA. Age 70 years. He is survived by his wife, Beverly Carloss “Toni” Gray, Kentwood; son, Philip A. Gray, II, and wife, Leanna W. Gray, Ponchatoula; 2 grandchildren, Chase A. Gray and Devan L. Gray; 3 sisters, Antoinette Willson and husband, Donald Willson, Kentwood, Nancy Birch and husband, Ladell Birch, Kentwood, and Peggy Varnado and husband, Dr. Jimmie Wayne Varnado, Greensburg; sister-in-law, Kay Gray, Shreveport; numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, James & Nettie Phillips Gray; 3 brothers, James H. Gray, Huey P. Gray and Leahman P. Gray. Visitation at Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, Magnolia, MS, from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Sunday and from 8 a.m. until memorial services at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 29, 2009. Services conducted by Revs. Melanie and David Lemburg. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the Episcopal Church of Our Redeemer, P. O. Box 1001, McComb, MS 39649 or Community Care Hospice, 1007 W. Thomas St., Suite A, Hammond, LA 70401.

Thursday

“Or what man is there among you who,

if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?

Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,

how much more will your Father who is in heaven

give good things to those who ask Him!”

~Matthew 7:9-11~

Thank you, God, for the rain! Of course, You knew how much we needed it!

Mrs. Ferrie Gene Blackmon is home and recovering.  Please keep her in your prayers.

Mt. Nebo had 117 in VBS last night.  Keep up the good work for the Lord and for the precious children.

Pray for the students who will be taking LEAP and GEE tests between now and next Tuesday.

Jimmy Schwartz was able to be at church without his walker Sunday.  Pray he continues to improve.  Pray he doesn’t have any additional health issues while Ruby is on the mission trip.

Elizabeth H. Cooper continues to improve,  but will require more plastic surgery.  Pray for her as she goes through this long process step-by-step.  Thank God that her injuries were not any greater than they were.

Pray for Mrs. Hellen Morris and Lauree Titus as they continue to deal with back problems.

Continue to pray for Mrs. Blanch Wheat, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Williams, and Mrs. Faye Price.

Remember the Canada Mission Team today.

http://www.imb.org/main/news/details.asp?StoryID=7878&LanguageID=1709 I hope you will find time to read this story, look at pictures, and view the video.  You will learn a lesson in religions freedom in addition to the lesson on political freedom you have been viewing on television.

Lost

IN 1937, AMELIA Earhart set out on a 29,000-mile flight around the world…

With only 7,000 miles remaining, she took off from Lae, New Guinea, in search of Howland Island, 2,556 miles distant in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Her last radio reports were received by the Coast Guard Cutter Itasca positioned just offshore the mile-and-a-half long island. At 7:42 a.m., the ship picked up the message, “WE must be on you, but we cannot see you. Fuel is running low. Been unable to reach you by radio. We are flying at 1,000 feet.” One hour later they heard the final words, “We are running north and south.” Rescue efforts commenced immediately, but the $4,000,000 operation covering 250,000 square miles ended in disappointment. Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, were lost at sea.

Spiritual lostness involves a dangerous disorientation of the spirit. When a person is lost, it means he has lost touch with truth and reality. Important values have vanished from his radar screen. He is misguided in his beliefs and off course in his behavior. Lostness is losing one’s way in life, morally, ethically and spiritually. And unless one repents, the repercussions are everlasting. (Aubrey Johnson)

“For what advantage is it to a man if he gains the whole world,

and is himself destroyed or lost?”

~Luke 9:25~

Posted by Mike Benson

Have a terriffic Thursday!

Anna Lee

Wednesday

“Truly, truly, I say to you,

unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,

it remains alone;

but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”

~John 12:24, ESV~

Mission Canada Volunteers

Remember the team as they travel to Canada today.  Pray for safety and a spirit of unity.

Scott Lindsey

We made it home from the hospital tonight around 8:00 p.m. After all of the test, the doctors are still uncertain as to the cause of the seizures. There is a fluid collection under the recently replaced bone flap. Scott will be taking two anti-seizure medications for the foreseeable future.

He will be having another CAT Scan on Monday to check the fluid under the flap. Worse case scenario is a tap to remove the fluid. Best case scenario is that the medications he is taking will prevent any further seizure activity. Although he is “sick” of hospitals, he is in good spirits. Karibeth, Scott’s youngest sister had to leave on Sunday to go to the Girl Scout camp where she is a counselor this summer. Please keep her in your prayers.  As you can imagine, it is hard to be away when you feel someone you love needs you.

Thank you for your continued prayers. Your calls of concern are truly appreciated. Please continue to keep Scott and our family in your prayers.

(Becky Lindsey – Mom)

Baptist Press

June 23, 2009

KENTUCKY–Hunt: ‘There’s gold in them there pews.’ http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30741

KENTUCKY–Chapman: Missions fervor trumps doctrinal divides. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30742

KENTUCKY–Huckabee laments U.S. lack of morality. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30743

KENTUCKY–Pastors’ Conference looks to unity in love, spirit & purpose. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30744

KENTUCKY–EC report underscores financial freedom, cooperative missions. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30745

KENTUCKY–Southern Baptists cease relationship with Texas church over homosexuality. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30746

KENTUCKY–Hunt re-elected SBC president. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30747

KENTUCKY–Repentance a ‘dire need’ in SBC, Hunt tells pastors. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30748

KENTUCKY–WMU envisions changed lives & a changed world. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30749

KENTUCKY–Family festival highlights Hispanic outreach. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30750

KENTUCKY–Doctor-turned-

musician leads worship at SBC. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30751

KENTUCKY–Wedding plans unveiled at Pastors’ Conference. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30752

TEXAS–Jack Graham diagnosed with prostate cancer. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30753

WASHINGTON–Obama signs tobacco regulation bill. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30754

LOUISIANA–FIRST-PERSON (Keith Manuel): Evangelism tools that go ‘vroom.’ http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30755

Know

know3.jpg“IS IT REALLY possible for a person to KNOW the truth…?”

There are so many opinions about what the Bible teaches. “Is truth even attainable in the religious realm?”

These are common questions today. Consider a few observations from Scripture:
How can a person be expected to OBEY ( Hebrews 5:8-9) Christ if he is incapable of knowing what constitutes obedience to Christ?

How can a person be expected to ABIDE IN ( John 8:31) the word of Christ if he is unable to learn and know Christ’s teaching?

How can a person be expected to PROVE ( 1 Thessalonians 5:21; cf. 1 John 4:1) what the Bible says if the truth cannot be distinguished from error?

How can a person be expected to CONTEND ( Jude 3) earnestly for the truth if the truth is unattainable?

How can a person be expected to BEWARE ( Matthew 7:15; cf. 2 John 7) of false teachers if there is no discernible way of telling whether or not they are teaching error?

How can a person be expected to SPEAK ( Ephesians 4:15) the truth in love if he is unable to differentiate between truth and error?

Yes, we can know the truth. (Mike Benson at: http://www.forthright.net/)

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” ( John 8:32; cf. 2 Timothy 3:13-17).

Posted by Mike Benson

Thanks for praying today.  You make a difference in many lives.

Anna Lee

Tuesday Evening

You may want to begin praying for these people.  They will depart for Canada at 5:00 in the morning.

Mission Canada Volunteers

  1. Joey Miller
  2. Bucky Erwin
  3. Butch Reviere
  4. Judy Fowler
  5. Francis Gay
  6. Wendell Rhodus
  7. Don Schneeweiss
  8. Firma Kay Schneeweiss
  9. Danny Hayden
  10. Dawn Hayden
  11. Kelsi Hayden
  12. Hunter Hayden
  13. Jacob Moore
  14. Ruby Schwartz
  15. Linda Boudreaux
  16. Evelyn Bridges
  17. Barbara Hutchinson
  18. Gail Brister
  19. Haley Brister
  20. Jan Hammons
  21. Kaye Roberts
  22. Kristi Womack
  23. Justin Morgan
  24. Cacy Morgan
  25. Nancy Stokes

Tuesday – Midday

Ferrie Gene Blackmon

The doctors are waiting on MRI results to determine what treatment is appropriate.  Ferrie Gene is feeling okay.  Please continue to pray.

Dukes Update Written by Dr. Jimmy Dukes

Well, when I agreed to write an update, my purpose was to express thanks to all of you who have been so thoughtful, generous, and persistent in praying for us and supporting us. We will be eternally grateful to you. I certainly cannot even remember who all to thank, so please allow me to just say thanks to all of you for all you have done.

One thing we have learned about God in this experience is that he is still God and he has a lot of people out there who are being the church in their daily lives. Thanks to you for your faithfulnes

s and obedience. I certainly would not like to go through this again, but so many good things have come out of it that I must express my thanks to God for his goodness.

My family has been so supportive. I have told them that they have behaved in this exactly as I expected them to. I am thankful for that.

Retia had a great birthday yesterday. Thanks to all of you who visited and all of you who sent her greetings on Caring Bridge. I will read those to her when we get there this afternoon.

We are looking forward to attending a meeting tomorrow morning of all those who are caring for her. We will give you an update after we hear the results of that meeting.

Today has been a good day for me. I went to the orthopedist this morning and he told me both my legs, my wrist, and my elbow are healing well. The best news is he allowed me to take off the fracture boot and wear regular shoes on my left foot for the first time in almost three months. If you are not familiar with a fracture boot, let me tell you it is heavy and cumbersome. It is designed to keep the leg stable, but it has a rounded sole and is not easy to walk in. Now, since I can put full weight on both legs, I can take it off and get used to walking in regular shoes again. In addition, I was able to remove the platform from my walker. That platform is designed to allow the left elbow to carry some of the weight I have not been able to bear on my left leg. It makes walking on the walker much easier.

However, the best news for me is that I can begin to transition from the walker to a cane. (I think it will be a fast transition. In fact, I am going to get one today). All of this means that I am several steps closer to normal walking.  I forgot to ask him if I could drive. I am sure he would have said OK, so if I can convince Erik and Jason, I will try that too.

We still do not have any solid information on when we will be able to return to Orlando. We hope to know more this week. I assure you we will let you know as soon as we know. In fact, you may hear us from here when that happens.

I want to say thanks again to all of you. Your response to us has been overwhelming. We will never forget it. My hope is that it will make us more aware of the needs of others and more willing to be involved in their lives as you have been in ours.

Please continue to pray for us and for Justin, Jennifer, and Caroline Taylor. Check out Jason’s blog, jasoncdukes.com, for some pictures, Mary Caroline Taylor’s Caring Bridge page address, and a video of Gracyn DenBesten singing at FBC Orlando.

Love you all.

blessings

jdukes

Tuesday Additions

I forgot to give a report on two missions trips.

Bro. Ronnie Nielsen is home from Romania.  He had an awesome trip.  He hopes to go back and take some of his family members with him next time.  We’re thankful for his willingness to go and to minister there.  I’m sure the people there are changed, just like Bro. Ronnie.

Bro. Deloy Chapman and Gracie got to fly into the jungle yesterday.  Deloy said they were in the area where missionary Jim Elliott was killed.  He said the trip was very good.  He’ll also be changed forever and will plan to return next year.

On a different note, Mrs. Nadine Council will have hip surgery July 15th at North Oaks.  Please be in prayer for her.

Tuesday

“This, then, is how you should pray:

‘Our Father in heaven:

May Your holy name be honored.'”

~Matthew 6:9 TEV~

Susie Eads’ mom got a wonderful report – scar tissue!  Thank you for praying.

Pray for the mission team from FBC, Kentwood as they prepare to leave in the morning for Canada.  May they be a witness in all they say and do.  As you pray for them, pray for those they will come in contact with during their ten day trip.

Mt. Nebo Baptist Church started out their VBS week with 106 children.  Pray children will learn about the Bible and come to know Jesus.  VBS at New Zion last week was interrupted by funerals.  Pray  the children will still be impacted by what they saw and heard while there.

Baptist Press

June 22, 2009

KENTUCKY–Crossover draws 3,000 volunteers for 95 projects. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30730

KENTUCKY–Southern Baptist EC recommends ceasing relationship with church over homosexuality. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30729

KENTUCKY–Pastors called to God’s glory, love for others, discipleship. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30731

KENTUCKY–Evangelists look to Christ’s return. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30732

KENTUCKY–28 students turn to Christ. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30733

KENTUCKY–Gratitude voiced to Woman’s Missionary Union. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30734

KENTUCKY–New seminary history tells comeback story. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30735

KENTUCKY–Biography relays seminary president’s legacy. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30736

KENTUCKY–Classical ballet at Pastors’ Conference. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30737

KENTUCKY–BP blogging & Twittering from SBC meeting. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30728

TENNESSEE–‘Saddle Ridge Ranch’: 2010 VBS theme. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30738

VIRGINIA–Retirees’ 1,576 years in missions celebrated. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30739

ALABAMA–FIRST-PERSON (Rick Lance): Whatever happened to old-fashioned respect? http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30740

MISSOURI–Royals shy away from ‘everyone is welcome’ policy. http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=30727

Mrs. June Russell was a wonderful Christian, mother, grandmother,  and friend.  She will be missed by many.  Pray for her family as they celebrate her life at the funeral service today.

Cost

A 7-YEAR-OLD GIRL named Jessica was playing outside of her house one day when a pit bulldog came up in her yard…

She went over to pet him and he attacked her–knocking her down and immediately clamping down on her throat. Hearing the commotion outside, her 2-year-old labrador retriever, Sam, came barging out of the house, threw his weight into the attacking dog and knocked it off of Jessica.

After a few days in the hospital, Jessica finally got to go home. When she walked into the house, she started calling for Sam…only he didn’t come. Her parents sat her down and told her how Sam had saved her life, but it cost him his own. (via Mark Burleson, Kensington Woods church of Christ)

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

Posted by Mike Benson

Be careful of the heat today!

Anna Lee