Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
~Lamentations 3:22–23 (NIV)~
Update on Johnnie Smith
Johnnie smith has been home sceen last sunday and doing good. Thanks to all or friends and family for there prayers and calls.
Jadon’s Story: The Past Couple of Days
My neurologist called first thing Wednesday morning. She didn’t want to increase my vimpat. She wanted to increase my banzel. So that’s what we did. The past two days haven’t been the best for me. Yesterday my mommy had to come home from work. I was crying, having seizures, and just miserable. We went to the pediatrician and I have a nasal and throat infection. She put me on antibiotics. She also gave me a cream to help my rash that I just can’t seem to get rid of. My seizures have not been good either. I’m having about 80 a day. I have done a little better this afternoon. My mommy has only seen about 10 small spasms. I’ve also been saying da da da all afternoon. So hopefully I will get to feeling better and my seizures will go down. I will keep you update. I love you and please continue to pray for me.
Baptist Press News
Mike Benson, Editor
THE KEY WORD is through…
God promises you will get through the waters of grief, the river of sorrow, the furnace of pain. Somehow you will get through. What you experience today will not last forever.
One encouragement here is God knows who you are. He is your Creator, and he calls you by name (Isaiah 43.1). You are His, and He will take care of His own. In time of sorrow you feel unimportant and unknown. God knows you, and you are important to him.
God also knows where you are. He knows when you’re fighting the current of the river of sorrow, when you’re walking through the firey furnace of suffering. Others may not know what you’re experiencing. One the outside you may have everyone believing you’re fine. But inside you’re about to drown. God knows — and He is there for you.
When Daniel’s three friends were thrown into the furance, the king watched (Daniel 3.22-26). And what he saw amazed him: the men were not harmed, and a fourth person was with them in the furnace.
God knows how you feel: alone, afraid, uncertain about the future, isolated, maybe rejected. God made you with your emotions, and he knows how they can overwhelm and control you. God will never condemn you for the way you feel. Tell him how it feels — He will listen.
God knows what you need. You need someone to share the pain, to walk through this long valley with you. He promises His presence. He also promises His love. God gave you His Son to conquer death and give hope.
Live on promises, not on explanations. Even if God explained by your loved one died, the answer wouldn’t end the heartbreak or quench the questions. Instead of explanations, God gives promises, which keep you moving ahead, giving hope and new strength.
You’ll get through your grief. It won’t end today or next month. But there is an end. Just face today. Tomorrow will take care of itself. Don’t burn today’s energies on tomorrow’s problems that aren’t here yet.
You’re going to make it through. David W. Wiersbe, “Going Through,” Gone But Not Lost, 77-78
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire,
you shall not be burned,
nor shall the flame scorch you.”
Isaiah 43.2
Annie Armstrong Easter Offering Week of Prayer
North American Missions Emphasis 2011 “Start Here”
“When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were weary and worn out, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest’” (Matthew 9:36-38, HCSB).
Spiritual awakening and revival will never come to our families, churches, communities, continent or world without it first coming to our individual hearts. Even Christians strong in their faith and the expression of it in word and deed need times of renewal and reflection on where God has brought them and where He is leading them to go. We need renewal. We need revival. We need to experience afresh God’s power and presence in our lives. We need His eyes to see, His hears to hear, His heart to love, His hands to touch, and His mind to engage people where they are and lead them to Him. Only then can we move out toward others with evangelistic passion and purpose.
To “Start Here” is to look inward at ourselves. It is to examine our hearts, our thoughts, and our actions. It is to discover the strengths and weaknesses of our faith. The mirror that reflects our inward condition is God’s Word. We must respond to God’s desire for us to explore His Word, listen to His voice, and invite His Spirit to move in our lives so we can freely and sacrificially give ourselves to His Kingdom work as we live out the Great Commission task.
“Start Here” is to also see those around us with God’s eyes and to respond to what we see with His hands of love and His heart of compassion and His message of Truth and salvation.
The landscape of lives that make up North America will never be fully cultivated and harvested without God first touching Christians’ hearts to see the field and discover their personal roles in fulfilling the Great Commission. Christians must see the crowds and not be overwhelmed by the vastness of the needs. They must “start here” – with one person, with one prayer. Those that have discovered God’s abiding presence, even in the midst of fear, inspire and motivate us to join them in having passion and compassion that reaches from one’s heart all the way around the world – knowing sometimes the world is as close as the person right beside you.
Southern Baptist North American missionaries are a key element in the task of fulfilling the Great Commission, but the call is for everyone’s involvement. As we support this great missionary force through prayer, through financial support, and through going to serve alongside them, we must recognize that their task is ours as well. They serve in hard places with dedication and perseverance, but they need our active participation.Missionaries first fall on their knees in prayer before standing up and moving into the field on their feet. They are role models in being fully used by God to bring the gospel to all people. They trust the Holy Spirit to move in the lives of people and rest assured that God has called them to be both faithful and fruitful. They know the joy of seeing transformation come as a new follower of Jesus starts here with simple faith and trust.
This year, will you commit to “start here” by re-examining your heart to discover His will and way for your life as you live out the Great Commission call? What transformation do you need to witness? How will you respond?
To learn more about the North American Missions Emphasis, which includes the Week of Prayer and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, visit http://www.anniearmstrong.com.
Don’t let the rain bring discouragement to the day!
Anna Lee
The Prayer Link 