Thursday

“But from there you will seek the Lord your God,

and you will find Him

if you seek Him with all your heart

and with all your soul.”

~Deuteronomy 4:29~

Mrs. Faye Price continues to slowly improve. The doctors are now talking about being able to move her from ICU soon. Thank you for your prayers. Continue to pray.

Jimmy Schwartz has been to the doctor this week and is doing better. Continue to pray for Jimmy.

Quinton West, the son of a KHS secretary, is hospitalized in New Orleans. Please pray for him and his famiy.

Mrs. Annie Bell Harrell continues to have problems that have sent her to the hospital again. Please continue your prayers for her and for Mr. Phillip.

Continue to pray for Mr. Tut Young and his family as he makes decisions about treatment.

Pray for Mrs. Parmys Stegall as she continues to recover from her fall and surgery. Pray for her caregivers too.

We have a request to pray for a mother and two young sons as the family goes through a divorce.

Gaza Pastor Gives Update from War Zone
By Staff

RICHMOND, Va. (BP)–No Christians in Gaza have been injured despite living in hard-hit areas, a Baptist pastor there reported to Baptist Press late in the afternoon Jan. 6.

News staff at Christianity Today, meanwhile, were reporting three Christians have died since the hostilities began in Gaza Dec. 27 but Baptist Press has not yet independently confirmed the circumstances of those deaths. One death was attributed to a heart attack but no supporting information was provided about the deaths of the other two individuals named.

Lack of food, water and electricity is a major concern for the population, the Baptist pastor said.

The pastor (name withheld for security reasons) asked that Southern Baptists pray for a quick and peaceful resolution of the strife between Israeli and the Palestinian Hamas faction.

Israel tentatively welcomed a proposal Jan. 7 from Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and French President Nicolas Sarkozy calling for a Gaza cease-fire to allow aid to reach Palestinian civilians, the Associated Press reported.

The temporary cease-fire took place in the “whole of the Gaza Strip” Jan. 7, Israeli Defense Ministry spokesman Peter Lerner told CNN. The truce is scheduled to take place every other day for a three-hour time span until a permanent resolution is formed.

Israel will continue its discussions with Egypt and France about how to achieve an extended cease-fire.

(Reported by the Richmond, Va., bureau of Baptist Press.)

FBC, Kentwood

* Deacons for the Week – Robert Wilson & Tom Brister

* “Miracle on Main Street” DVDs available for $5.00 in church office

* AWANA begins again Sunday at 4:45 P.M.

*WMU association meeting at FBC Monday, Jan. 19 at 10:00; Gloria Wheat Thompson – speaker; covered dish lunch

* Adult discipleship resumes Sunday @ 5 P.M. with “How to Pray for Your Family”.

*On Mission in Kentwood – Saturday at 8 P.M.

*Baby shower for Lauren H. Fowler @ 2 P.M. Jan. 18

*So far $14,220 has been given toward the $18,500 goal for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.

After seeing “Fireproof” Sunday, this devotional may act as a reinforcement or reminder to you.

SEVEN AGES OF A MARRIED COLD

I first saw today’s bit of humor a number of years ago in Bulletin Digest, which relayed an article that first appeared in Saturday Evening Post a number of years before that. It reveals a sequence of actions where a husband reacted to his wife’s colds during seven years of marriage.

1st year cold: The husband said, “Sugar dumpling! I’m really worried about my baby girl! You’ve got a bad sniffle and there’s no telling about these things with all the strep going around. I’m putting you in the hospital this afternoon for a general check-up and a good rest. I know the food is lousy there, so I’ll be bringing you food from Tosini’s. I’ve already got it all arranged with the floor superintendent.”

2nd year cold: “Listen, darling! I don’t like the sound of that cough! I’ve called Dr. Miller to rush over here. Now you go to bed like a good little girl just for Poppa.”

3rd year cold: “Maybe you better lie down, Honey. Nothing like a little rest when you feel lousy. I’ll bring you something. Do you have any canned soup?”

4th year cold: “Now look dear, be sensible! After you’ve fed the kids, washed the dishes and finished vacuuming, you’d better lie down.”

5th year cold: “Why don’t you take a couple of aspirin?”

6th year cold: “If you’d just gargle or something, instead of sitting around barking like a seal!”

7th year cold: “For Pete’s sake, stop sneezing! Are you trying to give me pneumonia!?”

Things do change over the years, don’t they? But they don’t have to. May I encourage those of you who are married to do something special for your spouse today. Write a sweet note or buy a card. Pick up some flowers or a small gift (yes, I know, be prepared for a response like, “What did you do now, wreck the car?”). Just make a conscious effort not to take one another for granted.

Those of you who aren’t married, sorry, I have no words of wisdom for you today. But, print this out and save it. Who knows when it may come in handy! 🙂

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it.” (Ephesians 5:25)

“…admonish the young women to love their husbands….” (Titus 2:4)

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina

Thank you for praying. You impact many lives! Have a terrific Thursday!

Anna Lee