Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

~Proverbs 13:12~

Read the Bible

I Sam. 22-24
Ps. 52
Acts 11

Please continue to pray for Mrs. Betty Catherine Hatcher who is at Hood Memorial Hospital.

I told you how wonderful the ladies’ meeting at Amite was going to be. I’m sorry if you missed the meeting, because it was even better than our expectations. I hope you have the opportunity to talk with someone who was there.

Today begins a new month. Operation Christmas Child suggests you purchase hygiene items such as bars of soap, washcloths, toothbrushes, hairbrushes, body scrubbers, STICK deodorants, and combs during the month of May. You can add these items to your shoeboxes or bring multiple of some of these items for us to send as fillers which can be added to boxes that are not completely full when our boxes get to Dallas.

Pray for the children and adults who will be attending M-JAM at the end of this week.

Friday’s Bible Study – Romans 7

Vacation Bible School – First full week of June at FBC, Kentwood

Pray for the high school and college graduates who will be honored at church Sunday. Pray that decisions about continuing education, military, and careers will be carefully made.

Let me update you on David. He is feeling much better, eating like a horse, and has gained back six pounds so far. Thank you for praying for him and asking about him. He is regaining his strength and hopefully will be back to his usual size and activity level in a few more months.

Anna Lee

Friday

“Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”

~Acts 5:20~

Jelaigne Fitzhugh of Greensburg had a heart procedure yesterday. Thankfully, the doctors at Ochsner were able to repair her heart valve, not replace it. Pray for her as she recovers.

Debbie Wilkinson of Amite made her regular trip to M.D. Anderson at Houston and returned giving a praise report that her tumor is not growing. Thank-you for your continued prayers.

David Carley, the son of Gary Carley and Gwenette Dixon will have triple by-pass heart surgery this afternoon. Please pray for the family and for all the medical staff involved.

Joanne Seymour‘s stage four cancer surgery went well in New York yesterday. Please continue to pray for Joanne as she heals. She formerly lived in Amite.

Victoria Griffith, the granddaughter of Gerald and Martha Griffith of Kentwood, tried to stop a dog fight yesterday, She was bitten and lost the tip of her ring finger. She will be having surgery in Jackson, MS today. Please pray for Victoria, the medical staff, and the family.

Read the Bible Today

I Sam. 13-15
Ps. 50
Acts 7

Friday Morning Bible Study – Romans 6

Operation Christmas Child – Bring your filler items to my Sunday School classroom before Sunday School. An example of a filler item would be balls you found on sale recently that you purchased in abundance. Other items you might consider buying would be $1.00 flashlights at Walmart, $1.00 calculators from Dollar General, $1.00 jump ropes from Dollar Tree, and bars of soap. Buy as many as you fed led to purchase. You might even consider buying something every pay day or on a certain day of the week. You will be blessed as you bless others.

Have a wonderful Friday! Today would be a good day to attend Bible study, visit someone who is ill, prepare a meal for a busy neighbor, or ?????.

Anna Lee

Thursday

For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

~1 Corinthians 1:25~

Joanne Seymour’s surgery went well yesterday. Please continue to pray for her.

Jelaigne Fitzhugh of Greensburg. is having a heart procedure today at Ochsner in New Orleans. She may wind up with “full-blown” open-heart surgery Please pray for her.

Read the Bible

I Samuel 10-12
Psalm 50
Acts 8

Filming last night certainly took all of us “out of our comfort zones”, but we did what was asked of us. I pray the video clips will be a good promotional tool for the Georgia Barnett Offering.

Tomorrow’s Bible Study – John 6

If you are still planning to contribute to the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home to help meet some of their needs, please bring your items to the church by Friday. The Housewarming will be Saturday from 2 P.M. to 4 P.M. at Hillsdale Baptist Church.

Pray for the many hurting families in our area. Our hearts are broken for them.

Anna Lee

Friday

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

~James 5:16~

Sharon Phillips is home and improving following heart surgery. Pray for continued improvement.

Alice Faye Lee is still hospitalized at Greensburg. She’s improving. Keep her and her family in your prayers.

Amber Prine Ragan is a young mother and teacher from Ponchatoula who has new hope for a brain tumor. You may want to follow her page on Facebook. You probably know some of her Prine relatives. Amber Prine Ragan “We’re In This Together”

Mr. John Alan’s obituary – http://riverwoodfamily.com/index.php/item/553-john-allen-blackwell

John Alan “Johnny” Blackwell, 87, a lifelong resident of Kentwood, Louisiana passed away April 16, 2018 at North Oaks Hospital in Hammond, Louisiana.

He was born September 12, 1930 in Kentwood to J. D. Blackwell and Martha Lambert Blackwell.

He was a member of First Baptist Church Kentwood. He had many different occupations during his lifetime.

He worked as a pipe-fitter, welder, mechanic, and auto body repairman.

His favorite job was working as a truck driver for Hatcher Dairy Farm.

His retirement years were filled with many adventures. Most of these consisted of traveling the country with his loving wife, Mary Alice Simpson Blackwell in their camper.

Together, they visited every state in the continental US. He was an avid gardener and enjoyed watching his grandchildren

and great grandchildren grow and he just recently became a great great grandfather. He will be greatly missed.

He is preceded in death by his wife, his parents, his brother, J. D. (Punkin) Blackwell and his only son, Alan Ray Blackwell.

He is survived by two daughters and two sons-in-law; Marty Blackwell and husband Chaney Phillips of Ponchatoula,

and Carolyn Boyd and husband Jan Boyd of Moss Point; a daughter-in-law, Beverly Blackwell of Kentwood;

numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren and the one great great grandchild; a lifelong friend, Donald Jones; special friends, Betty and Jimmy Hatcher.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, of which John was a longtime supporter.

Children in Action – Please turn in your permission slips for M-JAM by Sunday night. They need to order your t-shirts next week.

M-JAM had a huge impact on our boys and girls last year. We will attend this year’s M-JAM at Camp Tall Timbers in Alexandria on May 5th.

Friday Morning Bible Study

10 A.M.
Romans 5
Bring your Bible and a pen

Read the Bible

Ruth 1-2
Eccl. 8:10-17
Acts 2

I believe in prayer. Do you?

Anna Lee

Friday

“Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God.

Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage.

The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.”

~Matthew 6:6, The Message~

Pray for Gail Brister as she has a knee procedure today in Covington.

Pray for Mrs. Bessie Hayden. She continues to have various health issues.

David has gained another pound and is slowly trying to regain his strength and endurance. Please keep praying for him.

Read the Bible

Judges 4-6
Eccl. 7:1-13
John 17

Friday Morning Bible Study

Today at 10:00
Fellowship Hall
Romans 4

Reminder: The will be no Third Thursday at the Cabin until David gets stronger. Hopefully, it won’t be much longer.

M- JAM – May 4-5 at Camp Tall Timbers

Boys and girls in grades 1-6
Permission forms available in the church office and from me

God has blessed us with a beautiful spring weather. Take a walk and enjoy God’s beautiful creation.

Anna Lee

Wednesday

“Heaven and earth will pass away,

but my words will never pass away.”

~Luke 21:33 NIV~

Pray for Bobby Simpson as he prepares to go to St. Helena Rehab for outpatient rehabilitation.

Mrs. Mimi Sneed needs prayer for dental work she is undergoing.

Sharon Philips will be having a heart valve replaced today in Covington. Pray all goes well today and in the recovery phase.

Firma Kay Schneeweiss passed the heart tests yesterday, so she was sent home with new medication for GERD. Thank God she has the less serious problem.

Jennie made it back to Prague and is with her family. Thank-you for your prayers.

Earl Wayne McCarroll, Sr.

March 26, 1956 – April 09, 2018

Earl Wayne McCarroll, Sr., a resident of Roseland, passed away on Monday, April 9, 2018 at his home. He was born March 26, 1956 in Independence and was 62 years of age. He is survived by his 2 daughters, Barbara Jean Easley and husband, Michael, and Jahala Leal and husband, Jonothan; 3 sons, Earl McCarroll, Jr. and wife, Tiffany, Shanon McCarroll and wife, Januari, and Wren Mayfield; 15 grandchildren, MaKayla Rodriquez, Jaden Wall, Michael Rodriquez, Kennedy McCarroll, Kyleigh McCarroll, Journie Wall, Melanie Hill, ChloeBeth Rodriquez, Jessa Wall, Sara McCarroll, Catie McCarroll, Mason McCarroll, Ava McCarroll, Wyatt Easley, and Harlie Leal; great-granddaughter, Ryan Kate Swilley; 2 sisters, Barbara Morgan and husband, Leroy, and Becky Granger; 7 brothers, Gary McCarroll, Jack “Catfish” Granger and wife, Tammy, Jules Granger and wife, Vonda, David Granger and wife, Linda, William Granger and wife, Charla, Edward Granger and wife, Melissa, and Doug Granger and wife, Rhonda. Preceded in death by father, Ralph McCarroll; mother, Marjorie Granger; step-father, Jack Granger, Sr.; brother in law, J. L. Granger. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, from 9:00AM until religious services at 11:00AM Wednesday, April 11, 2018. Services conducted by Rev. David Cutrer. For an online guestbook, visit http://www.mckneelys.com.

T. Eugene Smith, Sr.

January 29, 1935 – April 09, 2018

January 29, 1935 – April 09, 2018A resident of Amite passed away on Monday, April 9, 2018 at home. He was born January 29, 1935 in Franklinton and was 83 years of age. He was a former member and pastor of Crossroad Fellowship Church. He is survived by his wife, Parmys Waller Smith; 2 daughters, Kandi Susan Smith and Karen Smith Lopez and husband, John; 2 sons, Thomas Eugene Smith, Jr. and wife, Stacey, and James Edmore Smith and wife, Estela; step-daughter, Beverly Susan Husser; step-son, Glenn Lee Husser and wife, Karen; brother, Hobart William Smith, Jr. and wife, Mae; 14 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by parents, Hobart William Smith, Sr. and Lula Belle Bennett Smith; first wife, Wanda Joan Husser Smith; step-son, Richard Keith Husser. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home, Amite, from 10:00AM until religious services at 1:00PM on Wednesday, April 11, 2018. Services conducted by Rev. Jesse White. Interment Killian Chapel Cemetery, Amite. For an online guestbook, visit http://www.mckneelys.com.

Missionary Spotlight Update: Eric and Julie Maroney

By Adult Resource Team on April 01, 2018

Relationships are everything in Croatia. It takes years of living through the good and bad together to create a certain level of trust. Eric and Julie Maroney are ready to live through some of the good.

Soon after filling out the WMU questionnaire for the story about their family in the April issue of Missions Mosaic, Julie was diagnosed with cancer. It was not a convenient time for the diagnosis—the Maroneys were leaving their eldest child, Nathan, in the United States at college after 19 years of living in Croatia with the International Mission Board (IMB). The diagnosis brought their active lifestyle to a standstill.

After a year of cancer treatments in the States, Julie received the “all-clear” to return home to her neighbors and friends. Eric, Julie, and daughter Kayleigh didn’t just pick up where they left off; they entered Croatia running to keep up.

“It’s been hectic getting back,” Eric conceded. Just a few months ago, Julie was still getting radiation therapy. However, the family dove right into hosting 2 camps, Vacation Bible School, and volunteer missions teams.

The family may have gone through a trauma, but its goal is the same—building relationships in order to share the love of Jesus Christ.

“The greatest need in Croatia is for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ,” Eric said.

Pray for a spiritual hunger among Croatians. With the family’s brush with cancer, its fire to share Christ burns brighter than ever before.

Eric and Julie Maroney are featured in the April 2018 Missions Mosaic Missionary Spotlight.

Sue Sprenkle spent decades traveling the world for the IMB as a missionary writer/photographer. Now, she leads a quiet life as a digital media professor in Kansas.

Read the Bible

Joshua 23-24
Eccl. 6:7-12
John 12

Children in Action (Boys & Girls in Grades 1-5)

Tonight at 6 P.M.
FBC, Kentwood
Exciting things are happening.

Friday Morning Bible Study

10 A.M.
FBC, Kentwood Fellowship Hall
Studying Romans 4 this week

WMU Events

Quarterly Meeting at Montpelier at 10 A.M. Monday, April 16/Speakers – short-term missionaries from New Zion Baptist Church
Special invitation to a Ladies’ Event at FBC, Amite at 6:30 P.M.
Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home – Items needed will be turned in to Hillsdale Baptist Church Saturday, April 28th. That gives two weeks to turn them in at church if you cannot attend the celebration on the 28th.

Don’t forget the Annie Armstrong Offering for North America or items for Operation Christmas Child.

If you wish to send a request for something to be placed on TPL, you can send a message through this site.

Anna Lee

Monday

“The seeds that fell in good soil stand for those who hear the message and retain it in a good and obedient heart, and they persist until they bear fruit.”

~Luke 8:15 GNT~

Pray for our daughter as she leaves Waco and our granddaughter for home, husband, and three other children. Thankfully, she was able to visit and make some new memories.

Yesterday, David made it to church for the first Sunday since he got sick. He’s better, but still seeking answers. Pray for us as we see a doctor this morning to continue the search.

Read the Bible – Reflect on God as Lion and Lamb. Complete any readings you missed this past week.

The Children in Action, missions group for children at FBC, Kentwood, will have the opportunity to attend M-JAM again this year, They will leave after school on May 4th and be at Camp Tall Timbers for the meeting on the 5th. After the great meeting in New Orleans last year, expectations for this year are high.

Operation Christmas Child – Donations are being made for filler items for Shoeboxes when they are processed/checked at their next stop after they leave our area. Items for boys and girls ages 2-14 are being accepted now. Also, shoeboxes and lists of suggested items will soon be available at church. Be thinking about how many boxes you and your family will want to pack this year.

Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home items are still being collected. Bring your donations in soon. A list of suggested items is on the bulletin board at the entrance to the fellowship hall.

Friday Morning Bible Study will focus on Romans 4 this week.

My Sunday School lesson yesterday was on putting our love into action. Let’s make a special effort to do so this week.

Anna Lee

Saturday

Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many;

and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

~Hebrews 9:27-28~

Please continue to pray for Glen Magee, Sr. as he continues recovery and physical therapy for his recent heart surgery.

Pray for Mansell Stinson. He has been having a hard time because of his diabetes.

Read the Bible

Joshua 17-18
Ps. 42
John 12

What a good study of Romans 3 we had yesterday! We learn from the insight of each other and leave understanding a passage much better. Friday Morning Bible Study is very special to me. We will be studying Romans 4 next week.

If you have purchased or made items for Operation Christmas Child, please being them to my classroom before Sunday School. Thank-you. If you are wanting an idea of what to purchase, these suggestions may help.

$1.00 flashlights (about 4 inches long) from Walmart
Spoons or knife, fork, and spoon sets (Dollar General)
Sewing kits
Baby dolls (Dollar Tree)
Small tractors, cars, and trucks

Annie Armstrong Offering for North America missions is still being collected.

Tomorrow is the Lord’s Day. Don’t try to make it your day!

Anna Lee

Friday

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said,

“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

~John 1:29~

Update on Josiah Huckaby written by KK last night

Update: Josiah has been doing great! It’s hard to believe he has been in the hospital for 394 days and that he will be 13 months old on Sunday. They have been able to wean his vent settings and his oxygen since getting him back to his regular dose of steroids & Lasix. We have had some HUGE praises this week. He had an echo on Tuesday & it showed his pulmonary hypertension pressures have gone from mild-moderate to normal-slightly elevated. He’s never had an echo show pressures below mild. He also got a new type of trach called a FlexTend, which is a lot more flexible & will help him be able to be more mobile. The plan is to try to swap him back to the home vent on Monday. His little personality continues to blossom…he is so silly, always laughing at anything & everything. He is now getting tastes of baby food from a spoon. He likes to help hold the spoon like a big boy & he started “chewing” his baby food this past week. It’s so sweet watching him. It amazes me how God instills things in us so that we naturally know how to do some things…no one taught him how to “chew”. 😊 We are currently working on learning some signs & learning how to clap. He has 3 teeth coming in on the top. He loves to watch us blow bubbles & then cackles after they have all popped. He is still a TV junky. Some of the IMCU staff have given him the nickname “Hoss” because he’s such a big boy. 😂 God is so good and we are so blessed to have such an amazing little man!!!

Hope Rene Threeton Owens passed away on Easter Sunday, April 1,2018, at the age of 53. She was born on Tuesday, November 17, 1964 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Hope was a resident of Petal, Mississippi. She had a lifelong love of dance and music and even kept all of her mom’s Elvis records after she got married and moved off. Hope started dancing around age 9 and was a member of the Ponchatoula Wavettes her junior year. She especially enjoyed watching any show on TV that involved dancing, such as “So You Think You Can Dance” and “Dancing With The Stars” and would watch these shows over and over again.

Hope is survived by her husband, John Owens; parents, Len and Marie Rodriguez; sister, Tina Rodriguez; brothers, Rodney Rodriguez and Henry Threeton; mother-in-law, Gayle Owens; and sister-in-law, Donna Owens; and last but not least, her faithful companion, Dakota (Pom).

She was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Freddie and Maudie Bazile; grandparents, Henry and Mary Threeton; grandfather, A.J. Rodriguez; father-in-law, Ralph Owens Sr. (Ole Man); brother-in-law, Ralph Owens Jr.; nephew, John Lewis Brooke; and Lawless Threeton.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Funeral Service at Harry McKneely & Son Funeral Home – Ponchatoula , 100 W. Magnolia St., Ponchatoula, Louisiana 70454 (985-345-5801), on Monday, April 9, 2018 at 10:00 am. Visitation will be held on Sunday, April 8, 2018, 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm & Monday, April 9, 2018, 8:00 am – 10:00 am.

Interment will follow in Parklawn Memorial Gardens, Hammond, La.

Read the Bible

Joshua 15-16
Eccl. 5:10-20
John 11

Friday morning Bible study

Fellowship Hall of FBC
10 A.M.
John 3

Thank you for praying for the Huckaby and the Owens familes today.

Anna Lee

Friday

“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ,

set your sights on the realities of heaven,

where Christ sits in the place of honor

at God’s right hand.”

~Colossians 3:1 NLT~

Read the Bible

Joshua 3-4
Eccl. 4:1-6
John 5

Mrs. Ruby Dillon has been fighting an infection all week. She is better now. Thank God for her progress.

Yvonne Birch called yesterday to share her good news. The surgeon said open heart surgery is not needed now. In August, he will re-evaluate her situation. Thanking God for all the prayers for Yvonne and her family.

Scott Womack will be having open heart surgery today in Covington. Please pray for the surgeon as he works with Scott. Pray for Scott’s family as they wait. Pray for Scott who is ready to get this done and behind him.

I thank God for the peace He has given Yvonne and Scott as they have faced their heart problems.

David will be seeing a surgeon April 9th to determine if gall bladder surgery is needed. Please pray for this decision.

Baptist Press – http://bpnews.net

Louisiana Baptist Message – http://baptistmessage.com/

Operation Christmas Child – Don’t forget to look for bargains to fill shoeboxes when you shop. It is not too early to begin shopping.

Annie Armstrong Offering for North American Missions – Support efforts to win those who are lost in Canada and the United States.

No Bible study this morning. We will meet again in a week.

The Children in Action are collecting broken crayons which they will repurpose for OCC shoeboxes. If you have any to add to the collection, please bring them to FBC, Kentwood. Thank-you!

Pick your sunrise service today!

Anna Lee