Author: Anna Lee

Saturday Update on Aaron Hill

Posted 1:13 P.M.

Aaron had a quiet night and has been doing good this morning. The doctors had to go in his chest to clean out a blood clot that had settled there. They say it is fairly common when a child is on ECMO. He tolerated the procedure well. They have done an EKG on him and have told us his heart function is looking good. For this we are so thankful. They MIGHT look at trying to wean him from the machine tomorrow. Please pray that God will continue to strengthen Aaron’s heart and the rest of his body so that he can come off the bypass machine. It is a very scary sight for his parents and the first big step in his recovery from the second operation.

With my surge of adrenaline and emotions, I failed to mention in last night’s post that Dr. Spray was able to close both of the holes in Aaron’s heart. One was the result of a torn stitch near where his VSD was and the other was up higher. Both of these repairs were very difficult, but successful.

I have to confess that I struggled yesterday with disappointment and anger. Not anger at God, really, but anger that Aaron has had such a hard time. Although there is much sadness in this place, we also often seen babies and children come in for heart repair and leave within a few days. We rejoice for those families, but are secretly jealous of them. We want our Aaron to know health, a life outside the hospital, to be free of pain and to be one of the families walking out with a smile. We continue to pray for patience if this is God’s will for Aaron.

Please continue praying for our little one.

Saturday

“The Lord is merciful and gracious;

he is slow to get angry and full of unfailing love.”

~Psalm 103:8 (NLT)~

Rapid Response Team Deploys to Flooded Missouri


The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team has deployed their crisis-trained chaplains in response to the recent floods across the nation’s midsection. A total of four chaplains are currently working with victims in the area of Piedmont, Missouri.

“Chaplains are already on-site and praying with those who are going through this tragedy in their lives,” says Jack Munday, director of the Rapid Response Team. “Pain and despair increases as the flood waters rise. We want to bring hope and support into this unbearable situation.”

Prayer
Chaplains have already spoken and prayed with nearly 75 people in this town of 2,000. They are in communication with local law enforcement and area pastors.

As in past disasters of this magnitude, RRT chaplains are working alongside Samaritan’s Purse, a disaster relief organization headed by Franklin Graham, who also heads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. While Samaritan’s Purse volunteers meet the physical needs of the victims, the chaplains will address the emotional and spiritual needs brought about by the floods.

Meeting Needs
“Often in these situations, the immediate need is physical: ‘What do I do about my house?’ ‘What about my possessions?’” says Munday. “However, after the immediate physical trauma, the questions start to come: ‘Why did this happen?’ The chaplains will be there to help them as they work through those questions.”

This is the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team’s third deployment of 2008 and its 22nd deployment overall. Earlier this year the chaplains deployed to Tennessee and Arkansas following the deadly tornadoes in the region and to Northern Illinois University following the Valentine’s Day shooting of several students.

Mrs. Berta Pittman is still at North Oaks. Diagnosis has been made and treatment started. Pray for her as she continues to improve.


Frank Williams
A retired manager of the Florida Boulevard Piccadilly Cafeteria and a proud Vietnam War veteran, he died Sunday, March 30, 2008, at his home in Baton Rouge. He was 65 and a native of Kentwood. Visiting at Magnolia Baptist Church, 960 E. Buchanan St., on Saturday, April 5, from 9 a.m. until religious service at 11 a.m., conducted by the Rev. J. Bertell Davis. Interment in Roselawn Cemetery.

EXPECTATIONS OF JESUS

After being with his blind date all evening, the man couldn’t take another minute with her. Earlier, he had secretly arranged to have a friend call him to the phone so he would have an excuse to leave if something like this happened.

When he returned to the table, he lowered his eyes, put on a grim expression and said, “I have some bad news. My grandfather just died.”

“Thank goodness,” his date replied. “If yours hadn’t, mine would have had to!”

I am so glad that I don’t have to deal with the “dating scene” — worrying about making a good first impression so that I can meet her expectations and trying to deal with the awkwardness of the situation if she’s doesn’t meet my expectations. That’s especially the problem with “blind dates”, something I managed to avoid altogether in my dating years. You get an image in your mind of what your date is going to be like (or what you hope she’s going to be like), and it often doesn’t take much to shatter that misconception. Granted, your date could possibly turn out to be better than you expected, but it seldom seems to work out that way.

That was a problem that Jesus faced when he came to this earth. He should have been greeted with open arms — after all, he was the long-awaited Messiah. The problem is that the Jews had expectations of what the Messiah would be like. For most of the Jews, that preconception involved an earthly king who would boot the Romans out of the land and assume control. In fact, they were quite prepared to make Jesus that king (John 6:15).

Even without that misconception, though, none of the Jews could imagine a Messiah hanging on a cross. So the cross became a “stumbling block” to the Jews and “foolishness” to the Greeks (I Cor. 1:23). Jesus didn’t meet their expectations and they hurried to find a way to end the relationship.

Philip Yancey deals with this topic in his book “The Jesus I Never Knew”. He speaks of his own misconceptions of Jesus at an early age: “I recalled the Sunday school image of Jesus that I grew up with: someone kind and reassuring, with no sharp edges at all — a Mister Rogers before the age of children’s television.” Certainly Jesus was kind and reassuring, but he was so much more than that — he was a man who was strong (physically and emotionally) and passionate.

What’s important is that we allow the Gospels to define who Jesus was, and not expect him to measure up to our preconceived ideas. I challenge you to read the Gospels in a fresh light. Remove all expectations and allow the Word of God to define and shape who Jesus was. I guarantee the Messiah will turn out to be better than you expected!

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina

There not a new post of Aaron Hill this morning. I’ll post one when it is available.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Anna Lee

Friday – Evening

Aaron Hill – 7:54 P.M.

Aaron came out of surgery about 6, but he remains on the ECMO machine. His heart was beating way too fast and misfiring and his blood pressure was too low. Drugs that had worked for his rhythm problems before were causing too much of a strain on his heart’s function. ECMO is a type of bypass machine that allows his heart to continue working, but it does the pumping of blood to his lungs and other organs. The doctors think that his heart will recover from the assault of the surgery and bypass machine during surgery and they will be able to wean him from the ECMO within a few days. However, it is very scary to see our son on this machine. Please pray for Aaron’s heart and the rest of his body. He has been so strong for us since his birth. It’s hard to believe he has come through two open heart surgeries and two heart caths and he’s not even seven weeks old. God is the only one who can heal his heart and make him well. Please pray for God’s healing power.

Friday – Afternoon

Aaron Hill – 4:04 P.M.

Aaron is still in surgery. His heart is having rhythm problems again and the nurse has come to tell us he may be brought out of surgery with his heart on an ECMO circuit (type of heart lung bypass machine). Please pray that God will resolve these problems and that Aaron’s heart will work properly without the need for the bypass machine. We are praying and continue to wait.

Friday – Update on Jesse Dean

Jason Dean wrote this update this morning:

My father is at home am doing well. He has a long way to go to get his strength back. His knee is doing well,his sugar level and kidneys appear to be improving. His main problem now is regaining his strength and his blood levels to return to normal. Thank everyone for all the prayers and keep remembering him.

The Dean Family

Friday

Aaron Hill

Please begin now to pray for this baby, his family. and the medical staff who will minister to Aaron and his family today. God has touched many lives through the life of one sick little boy. Pray that no matter how the surgery turns out today, lives will continue to be touched and blessed. Pray Aaron and his family will feel the love, support, and encouragement of many people as well as the peace and endurance from God for whatever they face today.

I thank all of your for the many prayers you are lifting up for Aaron. Each message has truly blessed me today. We cherish each new friend we are making through this process (we can’t wait for Aaron to thank you himself for your prayers one day!), those of you whom we haven’t seen in years and those friends that we just haven’t seen since leaving for PA. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Aaron will be the second surgical case tomorrow. They anticipate coming to take him to the operating room about 10 a.m. We will spend the morning with him and let everyone know when the surgery begins. Please pray for the hands of the surgeons, for Aaron’s peace and pain, that intubation will be easy and all toxins will stay out of Aaron’s body, that the holes will be easily located and repaired, that Aaron will have no trouble coming off the bypass machine and that his heart will not misfire when it begins working again. Pray for healing after the surgery.

We love you all.

Billy Wilkinson

I saw Billy Wilkinson of Fluker last night. He continues to have treatments at Mary Bird Perkins in Baton Rouge. Please pray for him as he continues his treatments.


Paul D. Morel, DMD

Paul Douglas Morel, DMD, died April 1, 2008, at his residence.
Visitation is 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Hartman-Sharkey Funeral Home in McComb. Services are 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home chapel with Dr. David Millican officiating.

Dr. Morel was born April 26, 1958, in Pasadena, Calif. He was the son of Jo Blades Morel of Magnolia and the late Paul Francis Morel. He was a practicing dentist in Magnolia.

KOMpray

Kids on Mission Pray

Prayer requests

April 4, 2008

“Let the little children come to Me, and don’t stop them,

because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these,”

Luke 18:16b

EIGHT-HOURS TO THE OASIS… A team of volunteers went from the United States to West Africa to tell the Kanuri people about Jesus. They wanted to go prayerwalking-you know, praying while walking. You can walk through your neighborhood too and begin praying for your neighbors. Well, these volunteers wanted to pray for the Kanuri people. Sad to say, they weren’t allowed to go to some of the villages they hoped to visit. So, the missionaries took them on an eight-hour trip to a desert oasis. Make a picture in your mind-hot sun, huge sand dunes, and water for thirsty travelers! The volunteers were very excited about the trip. They planned to do some prayerwalking in the desert and definitely wanted to tell someone about Jesus.

Whew, eight-hours riding through the desert! At the oasis, they climbed to the top of huge dunes to look out and pray for the desert peoples. The volunteers asked God to show them people who wanted to hear about Jesus. Even before the volunteers left the United States, they thought about that. They used the church’s Vacation Bible School missions offering to buy some very special, small media players. They have four-hours of Bible stories on them-sort of like Sunday School lessons-from Creation through Jesus. The stories were in seven different languages so everyone could understand. Everyone who lives in the Saharan desert that is!

After praying on the sand dunes, the volunteers started back. And what did thy see? A camel caravan! Yes, they were in the middle of a caravan of 150 camels and 30 drivers. The camel drivers were excited to take the media players and listen to the stories in their language. Please pray for these camel drivers (kind of like West African cowboys). Pray for them to listen to the stories many times and become Christians. Pray that they will share the stories with their families and others they meet on the trail.

MORE PRAYER REQUESTS FROM MISSIONARY KIDS

My prayer request is that God will help me reach more and more hearts of people. LS, age 10 (East Asia)

Pray that other people would love me. THAD, age 5

Please pray that I would have more girls to play with in my neighborhood. DANIELLE, age 9 (Pacific Rim)

Dear God. Please help my great grandma to stay healthy. RAYMOND, age 7 (East Asia)

Please pray for my strength as I try to lose weight and exercise more. Pray that I will have faith that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. AP, age 15

Nanna was born with only half of a heart in Scarborough, East Toronto, Canada. Her church (Iglesia Bautiste Betel) prayed for her survival as a testimony to Jesus’ love for children and His power as the Great Physician to keep her alive. She has been alive longer than anyone else in her condition, but the more she grows, the more she needs a whole heart. Please pray that she will be put on a list to receive a heart transplant. Please ask Yahweh the Father to let this little vivacious girl with an infectious smile and lots of joy in the Lord continue to live as a testimony to Jesus’ love for children. NANNA, age 7 (Middle America and Caribbean)

KneEmail
“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow…” (Philippians 2:10).
Mike Benson, Editor

LEADERSHIP OF THE Democratic Party in Michigan and Florida is in a quandary…

In the past, the presidential nomination process has been settled by the time their primaries were held. In an attempt to make their primaries more meaningful, they scheduled the events for an earlier date. The national party leaders warned them not to make those changes, or their votes would not be counted. The warnings went unheeded.

The closeness of the 2008 Democratic presidential campaign has surprised many. The delegates that would have been chosen in the Michigan and Florida primaries might have made a distinct difference. In hindsight, all wish that they had left the schedule alone. Now there is discussion about redoing the primaries. Many oppose such efforts, however, saying that rules can’t be changed after the fact. It will be interesting to see how all of this develops.

Attempting to change the rules is an ancient practice. Esau, described in Hebrews 12:16 as a “profane person” (NKJV), made an impulsive decision to sell his birthright in order to satisfy his physical hunger. Later he begged his father to reverse the blessing he had given to Jacob, or at least to pronounce a second blessing. His words in Genesis 27:38 reveal his desperate situation: “And Esau said to his father, ‘Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me — me also, O my father!’ And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.” But it was too late. There was no blessing for one who had thought so little of his spiritual heritage. The rules would not be changed for Esau.

Similar desperation can be found in Matthew 7:21-23, words which will surprise many religious folks: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!'”

God’s will had been given to these startled souls. They could have known and obeyed the will of God if they had so chosen. Instead they launched out on their own wisdom, doing whatever seemed right and religious to them. In the end they were lost because they had not obeyed God’s rules. No amount of pleading would change what God had laid down in scripture.

Let us learn from the mistakes others have made. Let us be thankful that God has given us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:2-4), and then let us be intent on knowing and doing those things. One thing is certain: We’re not going to change what God has said! (Tim Hall)


“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’

shall enter the kingdom of heaven,

but he who does the will of my father in heaven.

Many will say to me in that day,

‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name,

cast out demons in your name,

and done many wonders in your name?’

And then I will declare to them,

‘I never knew you; depart from me,

you who practice lawlessness!'”

~Matt. 7:21-23~

 

 

Have a great Friday!

Anna Lee

Thursday Afternoon

 

 

“Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion!

Declare His deeds among the people.”

~Psalm 9:11~

Aaron Hill

We learned from Aaron’s nurse this morning that the surgical team has scheduled Aaron’s surgery for tomorrow. We don’t know details yet, but we pray that Aaron will be ready and that his surgeon will be well prepared. We know our Great Physician will be ready any time, so we are trying not to be scared that it will take place so soon. I am definitely praying that today the Prince of Peace will help us with our worry and the Great Healer will do a work in Aaron.

Scott, Mom and Levi are currently on a flight to MS (Levi can say “Mississippi” now), so please pray for their safety. Scott was planning to attend Marshall’s funeral this afternoon, but I’m not sure he’ll be able to make it now, as he will be taking a flight back here for Aaron’s surgery tomorrow. Please pray that the trips will not tire him out and that he will make it safely back here.


John Howard “Johnnie” Strong

(March 2, 1922 – April 2, 2008)

John Howard “Johnnie” Strong died at 10:51 p.m. on April 2, 2008 in Hammond. He was 86 years old, a native of Roseland and served in the United States Coast Guard during World War II. “Johnnie” returned to the Amite area and was a well-known mechanic, working at Frohn Brother’s and Brumfield Ford throughout his lifetime. He is survived by two daughters, Linda S. McNabb of Hammond, and Laura S. Albritton of Amite, one brother, Eugene Strong of Hillsdale, and one sister, Carrie Desplas, of Metairie, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marjory Baker Strong, his father, James Nelson Strong, his mother, Carrie Jackson Strong, his sisters, Laura S. Durnin and Margaret S. Marquette. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to a hospice program of choice. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, from 9 a.m. until religious services at 11 a.m. on Monday April 7, 2008. Services conducted by Rev. Clay Gillespie. Interment Amite Memorial Gardens, Amite

Elizabeth Ann Ballard
(December 21, 1958 – April 2, 2008)

Died at 6:55 p.m. on Wednesday, April 2, 2008 at her residence near Kentwood. She was a native of Independence, LA. Age 49 years. Visitation at Chesbrough Baptist Church from 10 a.m. until religious services at 12:00 Noon Saturday. Services conducted by Rev. Ed Norris. Interment Ballard Family Cemetery, Chesbrough. She is survived by her husband, Richard Edwin Ballard; 2 sons, Richard Joshua Ballard and Justin Wallace Ballard; 1 sister, Rebecca Varnado; 1 brother, Leroy Varnado; 1 granddaughter, Brianna Elizabeth Ballard, all of Kentwood. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Thursday

“But you will receive power

when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,

and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem,

in all Judea and Samaria,

and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:8 (HCSB)

 

 

Betty Taylor is still sore from her fall, but continues to improve. Please continue to remember her in your prayers.

Rusty Williams also continues to improve. Last week, he was able to use his wheelchair and attend church. Please continue to pray for him.

Continue to pray for Joan Hagan as she prepares for surgery on Wednesday, April 30th.

Pray for Mrs. Joann Carter. She has a recurrence of cancer.

Families on Mission in Kentwood!

  • Saturday, April 26
  • Men, women, boys, girls, Sunday School classes, families, young, not so young, any combination of people
  • Assist people in the community with tasks they are not physically able to do on their own.
  • Contact the church office with needs you are aware of.

Annie Armstrong Easter Offering

  • Goal: $13,000.00
  • Receoved: $7,667.85

Nursery Volunteers for April 6

  • Velma Anthony
  • Jill Brister
  • Patty Hoffstadt
  • Emily Daniels

No “Baptist Message” will be printed today.

Thanks for the many migrant health kits that were turned in.

Sunday, April 6

  • No discipleship classes
  • AWANA will meet
  • Worship at 6 P.M.

Paid Nursery Position Open

  • Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings, Special services
  • Applications are available in the church office

 

KneEmail

“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow…” (Philippians 2:10).
Mike Benson, Editor


MOST PARENTS HAVE seen this happen…

As the communion tray passes by, our little one stretches to see its contents, then in a stage whisper says: “Mom, can I have some juice too?” Of course, you could say flat out, “No!” but most parents wisely respond, “Not yet.”

“No you can’t,” and “Not yet” are quite different responses, you know. Sometimes it’s important to wait. Delay is not denial. Waiting for the proper time is not idle waiting, nor is it empty.

Anticipation is the best preparation for the moment of fulfillment.

Of course, our kids could take crackers and juice right with all the other participants, but they would not be partaking of the body and blood of the Lord, and the special nature of this ceremony would be lost on them.

Delayed gratification is not popular in our culture, but there are times when it is important. I remember the first time I took communion. I was twelve years old, and it was the week after I was baptized. What a very special moment that was!

Human beings are always in such a hurry. God, I have noticed, allows for nature to take its course. And it doesn’t hurt for our children to observe baptisms, and the Lord’s Supper, and to begin to form the idea that one day, they, too, will grow to participate in and appreciate these grownup mysteries. (Stan Mitchell)

“Wait for the Lord;

be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

~Psalm 27:14~


Have a wonderful day. “Let Others See Jesus in You”!

Anna Lee

Wednesday Night

Latest post on Baby Aaron Hill

(Wednesday @ 8:15 P.M.)

We got disappointing news today from our surgeon. For the past 36 hours, Aaron has not been getting better. He has been draining tons of fluid from his chest tubes and his heart rate and respirations have been high. He has been laboring with each breath. They have been giving him blood products and iv nutrition, but he continues to weaken. Dr. Spray feels like Aaron needs another open heart surgery very soon to repair the holes between his ventricles and atria. One of the holes is in the area where they put a patch to connect his aorta with his VSD–the doctors think some of the stitches may have come out around the patch. The other hole is in a very difficult place to reach, but it is doing lots of damage b/c it’s allowing backflow into Aaron’s right atrium. Dr. Spray had wanted to see if Aaron would get better so we could skip another surgery because it will be a difficult repair, but that has not happened. The operation may be Friday, but at the latest Monday. They don’t want Aaron to get any worse.

We are disappointed and scared. We want Aaron to get well and don’t want to hand him over to be cut open again. We haven’t held our baby boy in over two weeks now. This has been hard for us, but harder on our Aaron. Please pray for healing for our son.