Wednesday

“Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego,

who sent His Angel

and delivered His servants who trusted in Him.”

~Daniel 3:28b, NKJV~

 

Jadon’s Story: Tomorrow is the day

Tomorrow is the day.

Posted: 27 Jun 2011 07:28 PM PDT

We leave to go to Boston tomorrow. Everyone is going this time. My brother is so excited about flying in morning. Our flight leaves at 6am from New Orleans. It’s going to be an early morning. We will arrive in Boston at 12:15. Once we get to the house we will probably take a nap. Then we will have time to go do something tomorrow night. My 3T MRI is Wednesday at 11:15. That is 10:15 in Louisiana. If you think about it, please say a prayer for me around that time. We have the day off Thursday. If I’m feeling ok, we will go do some touring in Boston Thursday. Friday we meet with the neurologist at 9:00. He will explain the results of the MRI and then tell us what he thinks we should do next. We will have the rest of the day Friday to go and do some things. We then come home Saturday. Please pray for safe travel as well as great results. I will keep everyone updated while we are there. Thanks for your prayers.
The Hatchels will be arriving in a little more than two weeks.  I am so excited.  For those of you who have asked, they will be speaking Sunday, July 31 in the A.M. service (10:30).  Pray for them as prepare to leave home to live at NOBTS for the next few months.
Heart to Heart with Holley: You’re seen
You’re seen

Posted: 22 Jun 2011 10:15 AM PDT

My family has a favorite phrase: “We’ll see…”

We add it at the end of stories. Grab onto it to describe the future. Toss it into the middle of decisions.

It works pretty well.

And yet lately I’ve found myself wondering what it might mean to add more to the end of that phrase–to not simply stop at “We’ll see.” What if I finished the sentence?

We’ll see…God come through in amazing ways.

We’ll see…how He’ll work all of this out.

We’ll see…His goodness in the middle of the happy and hard places.

Yes, He knows all our circumstances, every hair on our heads, every care in our hearts.

He’ll see…always has, always will.

And somehow that’s enough to make me close my eyes and smile for awhile.

 

Your turn: We’ll see…{how would you finish that sentence?}

 

 

Have a great day!

Anna Lee

Tuesday

 

 

“Let no man despise thy youth;

but be thou an example of the believers,

in word,

in conversation,

in charity,

in spirit,

in faith,

in purity.”

~1 Timothy 4:12, HCSB~

 

 

From Mrs. Annette Hano

Please include Jim and Judy Alford in your prayers. Jim has had a set back from a recent surgury and is back in the hospital. Thank you!

 

Adrian Phillips continues to improve.  Please keep him in your prayers.

 

Tom Brister is now home.  He did not require blood while at the hospital and does not require home health care.  Keep the Brister family in your prayers as Tom continues to recover from surgery.

Heart to Heart with Holley: You’ve got the strength you need for a new week….

You’ve got the strength you need for a new week…

Posted: 26 Jun 2011 01:50 PM PDT

I look at the days ahead and wonder.

Don’t we all?

And then these words:

“Go in the strength you have…am I not sending you?” Judges 6:14

We don’t have to…

wait to overcome our weaknesses,

complete the ten point improvement plan,

figure everything out.

The strength we already have is all the strength we need.

Because we have a limitless God within us who loves us.

As is.

And He promises to stick by us.

All the way.

 

Make a memory today!

Anna Lee

Monday

Every word of God is flawless;

he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

~Proverbs 30:5 (NIV)~

 

 

Pray for Mrs. Shirley Frazier as she officially gets the results of the MRI.  Pray for relief from the back pain.

 

CaringBridge: KathyJoThompson

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kathyjothompson

 

Heart to Heart with Holley

You’re seen

 

My family has a favorite phrase: “We’ll see…”

We add it at the end of stories. Grab onto it to describe the future. Toss it into the middle of decisions.

It works pretty well.

And yet lately I’ve found myself wondering what it might mean to add more to the end of that phrase–to not simply stop at “We’ll see.” What if I finished the sentence?

We’ll see…God come through in amazing ways.

We’ll see…how He’ll work all of this out.

We’ll see…His goodness in the middle of the happy and hard places.

Yes, He knows all our circumstances, every hair on our heads, every care in our hearts.

He’ll see…always has, always will.

And somehow that’s enough to make me close my eyes and smile for awhile.

 

Your turn: We’ll see…{how would you finish that sentence?}

 

 

Have a wonderful Monday!

Anna Lee

Friday

“But as for me, my prayer is to You,

O LORD, in the acceptable time;

O God, in the multitude of Your mercy,

Hear me in the truth of Your salvation.”

~Psalm 69:13, NKJV~

Bertie Hano (Yesterday)

Today would have been Mamma’s 98th birthday. I would like to wish her a Happy Birthday and just want her to know how much she is missed.

With Love,
Your Family

Wendall Rhodus has been undergoing some medical tests.  He has learned he has a problem that can be treated.  Thank-you, God!

CaringBrigde: LoganWatts

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/loganwatts

Pray for Susie Eads, wife of Rev. Bobby Eads, as she begins a medical mission trip to Africa today.  Thank-God for the opportunities she will have.

Mr. Philip Harrel is still wearing his wrist brace because he broke his wrist again.  Pray for his wrist to heal and stay strong.

Mrs. Annie Bell Harrell continues to be about the same physically.  Life as she knew it has changed so much.  She still has her sweet, encouraging, loving spirit.

Mrs. Shirley Frazier continues to have back issues.  Pray for her as she sees her doctor Monday to officially get the results of her MRI.  Pray for relief from the constant pain.

Adrian Phillips’ surgery went well.  Continue to keep him and his family in your prayers.

Tom Brister had a good day yesterday.  He was able to sit in a chair and to walk around some.  Pray he has another good day today.  As you pray for him, pray for Gail, his wife.

I taught Cindy Knight of Amite.  She is now Cindy Edwards and has a step-son, Shawn Paul Edwards, who is very ill.  Join Cindy in praying for God’s will in Shawn Paul’s young life.

Heart to Heart with Holley: What are you created to do?

Posted: 09 Jun 2011 02:29 PM PDT

Hands and Flowers photo by Man & His Cam {flickr creative commons}I can just picture her, fingers intent on the keyboard, eyes fixed on the screen, sending a question across the miles that so many of us only dare to ask within our hearts…

How do I know what I’m created to do? It’s not a question with an easy answer. But I do believe there are ways to do some investigating.

Of course, all of us are first intended to LOVE the One who made us and those He places in our lives. But we each do that in unique, specific ways.

To discover more about yours, ask yourself these questions:

When do I feel most alive? Think of the moments when you lose track of time, when you’re fully engaged, when you feel the strongest.

When do I bless others? There are things you do that create a response in others. You encourage, comfort, nurture, organize and those around you are better for it.

When do I feel closest to God? There may be odd moments in your life that seem like they’re not even spiritual–you’re cooking or talking with a friend or preparing a report–but somehow you still sense God’s presence with you.

Were there words or themes repeated in your answers? If so, they’re probably closely connected to what you’re created to do.

If you didn’t find anything, that’s okay too. Just start paying close attention as you go through your day and ask God to show you more about who you are and how He wants you to live that out.

It’s a process that takes time–and it may even change depending on what season of life you’re in too.

What was your answer to one of the questions above? I’d love to know!

 

Did you come up with an answer?  What are you created to do?  I think I have my answer.

Anna Lee

 

Thursday

“God does speak—

sometimes one way and sometimes another—

even though people may not understand it.”

~Job 33:14 (NCV)~

 

Adrian Phillips will be having pacemaker surgery this morning at 10:00.  Please be in prayer for him.

 

Mrs. Barbara Hutchinson has been having problems with an eye.  Pray this issue is resolved soon.

 

Romanian mission trip

wow! i’m so blessed! God blessed our last clinic day today, which meant last vbs day 😦 afterwards, we went to the orphanage-incredible! (i guess that about sums it up!) the kids were so precious! thank You Lord for allowing me to serve You here in Romania! had to say goodbye to my new friends here 😦 that was hard! thank yall so much for yall’s prayers and support!

Victoria Nielsen

Jadon’s Story: Keeping our fingers crossed

Keeping our fingers crossed 🙂

Posted: 22 Jun 2011 06:45 AM PDT

Other than being fussy the lamictal increase is working great. It has cut my seizures done in half. I’ve gone from having 80-100 to about 40-50. Yay!!!!! Now the question is will it continue to work. We are praying that it will. We still have to increase it two more times to get me on the therapeutic dose. So our hope in the medicine has gone from 0 to wow maybe this will work. We are already at half the seizures and still have more increases left. You know when my seizures go down that means new tricks. Well I have several new tricks. The first one is signing the word more. I have always signed more but it was more like a clap than the actual sign. Well I’m doing the sign correctly now which means more control of my hands. I’m also getting frustrated. I just want to do everything my big brother is doing but I just can’t. My family is great about accommodating me so that I can do as much as possible. Even if it means they have to hold me and do it with me. I’m also getting frustrated with my speech. I’m trying so hard to tell everyone what I want, I just can’t. I will keep trying hard and hopefully I will get more words soon. So I saved the best trick for last…Drum roll please…I’m pulling up!!!! I can only make it to my knees. I try to stand from the knee position but I fall down. We know I will get it soon because I’m determined. I just started doing this yesterday and I woke up doing it this morning. So all great things around here the last couple of days. The only downfall to this is the side effects of the lamictal. I’m very fussy and I’m waking up for about an hour during the night. The fussiness will stop once I get used to the medicine. We are hoping I will start sleeping through the night again too but hey we will take it. An hour a night with few seizures is much better than several times a night with seizures all the time. Please continue to pray for me. We are leaving next Tuesday for Boston. So we need lots of prayers!!!

CaringBridge: CallieCole

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/calliecole

Update on Tom Brister

Tom is doing well this morning and on the way to a good recovery.  Keep praying for Tom and his family.

 

UNDERSTANDING WOMEN

The following guide has been composed (by “author unknown”) for men to translate what women say into what women really mean.

It’s your decision = “The correct decision should be obvious by now.”

Do what you want = “You’ll pay for this later.”

We need to talk = “I need to complain.”

We need = “I want”

I’m not upset = “Of course I’m upset, you moron!”

You’re so manly = “You need a shave and you sweat a lot.”

This kitchen is so inconvenient = “I want a new house.”

Hang the picture there = “NO, I mean hang it there!”

I heard a noise = “I noticed you were almost asleep.”

Do you love me? = “I’m going to ask for something expensive.”

How much do you love me? = “I did something today you’re really not going to like.”

I’ll be ready in a minute = “Kick off your shoes and find a good game on TV.  It’s going to be a while.”

What’s wrong?  Nothing = “Everything.”

Okay, okay, so that’s a bit of an exaggeration (translation:  “maybe I can still get out of this without taking too much grief”).  But one of the greatest challenges for men and women is in the realm of communication, isn’t it?  And men, God has given us a tremendous responsibility toward our mates:

“Likewise, you husbands, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.” (I Peter 3:7)

With understanding?  Yes, with understanding.

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing you have given me through my wife.  She is truly the joy of my life.  As I daily try to express my love for her, help me to grow in my understanding of her, my patience toward her, my expressions of appreciation for her, my willingness to admit wrong and my willingness to forgive her.  In Jesus Christ, Amen.

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina

 

A wise woman told me yesterday that the key to a successful marriage is compromise.

Anna Lee

Tuesday

“I sought the Lord,

and He heard me.”

~Psalm 34:4a~

Adrian Phillips

Adrian Phillips, my first cousin, had a major heart attack over the weekend. He is in critical care at Lady of the Lake. He has four blockages and will receive two stints Tuesday. He is not a
candidate for the needed by-pass surgery because his kidneys are not functioning propoerly. Please pray for the families as they care for him and Janet who is at M.D Anderson for treatment.

James Rimes

CaringBridge:LarkinDorris

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/larkindorris

Romanian Mission trip (Victoria Nielsen)

God blessed us with such a wonderful day today! got to minister to children today! 😀 they were so precious! God is just doing such awesome things! counted about 40 kids today who prayed to recieve Jesus as their Lord and Savior! praise Jesus! thank you for all your prayers, please continue to pray!

A movie will be shown at FBC, Kentwood at 6 P.M. Sunday night.  Bro. Butch is previewing and selecting the movie.  I’ll post the name of the movie when he makes a decision.

Continue to pray for the Vacation Bible Schools this week.

Pray for the Brister family as Mr. Tom prepared for triple heart bypass surgery in the morning at Lacombe.

Heart to Heart with Holley: If not for grace

http://www.holleygerth.com/heart-to-heart-with-holley/2011/6/19/if-not-for-grace.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+

dayspring%2FaSfH+%28Heart+to+Heart+with+Holley%29

It is such a privilege to see God use Christians to help solve a fix someone got themselves into and to point the person/people to God.  Use the opportunities that God sends to your doorway!

Anna Lee

Monday

He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children,

and the hearts of the children to their fathers …

~Malachi 4:6a (NIV)~

 

Romania Mission Trip (from Victoria Nielsen)

was blessed with an awesome time today! got to play Amercian football with some of the Romanians lol 😀 today, 7 people said they prayed to recieve Christ today at vbs! so very awesome! Praise Jesus! heard that many others did too in the other villages! Praise Jesus! yall pray for daddy, as Lord willing he will be preaching tomorrow! thanks for the prayers! keep praying please!

was blessed so very much with an awesome day! got to worship with brothers and sisters in Christ in Romania and help lead worship 😀 with Jesus, you never know where He will lead you, couldnt have imagined i would have gotten to do what i did today! four people recieved Christ today! praise Jesus!

 

Thank God for a church and a dad who takes a teenage daughter on an international mission trip!  What experiences!  What an awesome God!

 

Please continue to pray for Mrs. Bill Hughes, sister of Mrs. Anne Hurst.  “Miss” Bill is still in North Oaks.

 

CaringBridge:AdriannaCavanaugh

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/adriannacavanagh

Parents who lose their children miss their children forever!

 

 

Vacation Bible Schools this week

  • Kentwood Methodist Church – 9 A.M. – 12 Noon
  • Spring Creek Baptist Church – 6 P.M. – 8:45 P.M.

 

 

 

Bill Graham’s New Suit

(Mrs. Ann Chapman sent this as an email.  You may have seen it before, but it will give you an opportunity to thank God for Billy Graham’s long ministry and to ask him to bless other ministers who try to fill Billy Graham’s shoes.)

 

Billy Graham is now 92-years-old with Parkinson’s disease.  In January 2000, leaders in Charlotte , North Carolina , invited their favorite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honor. 

Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he  struggles with Parkinson’s disease.  But the Charlotte  leaders said, ‘We don’t expect a major address.  Just come and let us honor you.’  So he agreed.

After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said,  “I’m reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century.  Einstein was once traveling from  Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger.  When he  came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket.   He couldn’t find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets.  It wasn’t there. He looked in his briefcase but couldn’t find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him.  He still couldn’t find it.

“The conductor said, ‘Dr Einstein, I know who you are.  We all know who you are.  I’m sure you bought a ticket.  Don’t worry about it.’

“Einstein nodded appreciatively.  The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets.  As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket.

“The conductor rushed back and said, ‘Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don’t worry, I know who you are; no problem.  You don’t need a ticket.  I’m sure you bought one.’

Einstein looked at him and said, ‘Young man, I too, know who I am.  What I don’t know is where I’m going.

Having said that Billy Graham continued, “See the suit I’m wearing?  It’s a brand new suit.  My children, and my grandchildren are telling me I’ve gotten a little slovenly in my old age.  I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion.  You know what that occasion is?  This is the suit in which I’ll be buried.  But when you hear I’m dead, I don’t want you to immediately remember the suit I’m wearing.  I want you to remember this:  I not only know who I am. I also know where I’m going.”  May your troubles be less, your blessings more,  and may nothing but happiness, come through your door. “Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil – it has no point.”

 

Thank-you for praying today.  Your prayers make a difference to many.

Anna Lee

Sunday

 

“[T]he Son of God came

so we could recognize and understand the truth of God—

what a gift!—

and we are living in the Truth itself,

in God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

This Jesus is both True God and Real Life.”

~1 John 5:20 (MSG)~

 

CaringBridge:LoganWatts

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/loganwatts

 

Jadon’s Story

Feeling better, a new trick, and getting ready for Boston!!

Posted: 18 Jun 2011 12:25 PM PDT


So sorry that I haven’t posted in 10 days. I don’t know where the time has gone. Well I’m feeling much better. I was determined to drink my liquids this time. I stayed out of the hospital and only ran fever for 3 days. Round 2 of adno was much easier than round 1. So what have I been doing? I’m moving all around on my stomach. I keep trying to push up to the crawling position. I will get it soon. All I want to do is get down now. It doesn’t matter where I am, I want to be on the floor. (Yes the baby that used to scream when put down, now wants to be on the floor all the time. Great progress.) I’m able to move wherever I want to go. I either scoot on my stomach or I scoot on my butt. Today my mommy put me in my room. She went to put some clothes in the washroom and when she came back I was in the hall. I’m also able to scoot to someone when I want them to pick me up. It makes my mommy really happy when I scoot to her. I started drinking out of a straw yesterday. I think its hilarious when I do this and I clap for myself. As far as seizures, well you know they just won’t leave me alone. Some days they are so bad that I stop talking and all I want to do is sleep. My neurologist said that we could start going through the medicine list again in hopes that one will work this time. Mommy and daddy decided they didn’t want to do that. So now we are waiting to see if the lamictal will help. So far it hasn’t helped at all. We increase it again on Monday. We leave in 10 days to go to Boston. We are ready to see what my neurologist in Boston has to say. I have made so much progress since the last time he saw me. When you pray for me, please start praying for our Boston trip. I’m leaving you a picture of me playing in the dirt with lightening. Like I said early in the post. I want down and as you can tell the dirt is one of my favorite things to play in 🙂
Mrs. David Lee fell and broke both collarbones yesterday morning.  Please pray for her as she heals.  I believe she is 91 years old.
Heart to Heart with Holley has a blog.  You can find it at
Have a great Lord’s Day.  Have a great Father’s Day!
Anna Lee

 

Saturday

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;

wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

~Psalms 51:7 (NLT)~

 

 

Continue to pray for Gabriel O’Hern and his family.

 

CaringBridge:CallieCole

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/calliecole

 

CaringBridge:LoganWatts

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/loganwatts/journal

(2 updates Friday)

 

Heart to Heart with Holley: You’re Extraordinary. . . .

 

You’re Extraordinary…

Posted: 17 Jun 2011 10:40 AM PDT

I’m thinking of you today, right there in the middle of wherever you are.

And I just want to say…

Just because your surroundings are ordinary doesn’t mean you are.

If that were true then God would have picked somewhere other than the manger for his Son to be born.

It seems He delights in creating a contrast.

The extraordinary in the middle of the everyday.

That’s you.

Right where you are.

This moment.

Dare to believe that’s true.

And know that even if we’ve never met, I already do.


 

Have a great day as you prepare for the Lord’s Day.

Do something to bring a smile to the face of someone today.

Anna Lee

Friday

“And Paul went in, as was his custom,

and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer

and to rise from the dead, and saying,

‘This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.’”

~Acts 17:2-3, ESV~

 

Please continue to pray for Mrs. Shirley Frazier as she continues to seek a diagnosis for her back problem.

 

Pray for Mrs. Mary Womack as she continues to recover from her recent surgery.

 

Pray for the mission team in Romania.

 

There are many people who volunteer their time and efforts to do “thankless jobs” in our churches.  Think of some of these people and give them a big “thank-you”.

 

THANKLESS JOBS

I heard recently about a stay-at-home Mom. One evening she went to a PTA meeting and her husband and her oldest daughter got together and decided they would clean up the kitchen for her.  They put up all the food, wiped all the counters, washed all the pots and put them away, put the dishes in the dishwasher and ran it. They swept and mopped the floors and then sat down, and awaited her arrival.

Two hours later she returned from the meeting, took off her coat, hung it up, walked through the kitchen into the den, grabbed the remote control, and began watching television. They followed her over to her chair and stood by her side. Finally she felt them looking over her shoulder and looked up at them and said, “What?”

Her husband said, “The kitchen.”

“The kitchen. What?”

“The kitchen. We cleaned up the kitchen. Didn’t you notice? It’s sparkling clean. We cleaned it for you.”

The woman replied, “Yes, I noticed.  Thankless job, isn’t it?”

It is so true that a lot of what our wives and mothers do goes unnoticed and unappreciated.  Please don’t let that happen in your home!  But the same thing can happen at work or around the church.  My guess is that there are many people around you who do important tasks but who go unnoticed and unappreciated.

For example, when is the last time you thanked one of your elders for the work that they do?  These men have a very difficult job that involves a great deal of responsibility (and they likely don’t get paid a dime for their efforts).  They spend countless hours leading, guiding, shepherding the flock.  Take a moment to let them know how much you appreciate their efforts.

Most churches give much thought to the teachers for their children’s Bible classes (except when they’re absent!).  We just assume they’ll just show up and do their job, without considering the hours of preparation each week, not to mention their willingness to deal with a room full of active (and sometimes unruly) children week after week.  Take a moment to let your children’s teachers know how much you appreciate them.

The list could go on and on because there are so many people around you who serve in so many ways, and many of them don’t want the spotlight.  They prefer to work behind the scenes.  But, please don’t take the efforts of others for granted.  Keep your eyes open to the good work that others are doing and “Render therefore to all their due…honor to whom honor.” (Romans 13:7).  Thank you to all of you who serve in a variety of “thankless jobs.”

Have a great day!

Alan Smith
Helen Street Church of Christ
Fayetteville, North Carolina

 

Happy Friday!

Anna Lee