Category: Devotional

Sunday

“[God] shows how to distinguish right from wrong,

how to find the right decision every time.”

~Proverbs 2:9 TLB

 

Upcoming Surgeries

  • Monday – Angie Nielson’s mom
  • Tuesday – Freida Jones, Kenny Ray Gill, & Kenneth Birch

 

Joey and Rory Feek – http://thislifeilive.com/a-bus-full-of-joy/

 

Read the Bible in 2015 – I Peter 4-5

Waylon Bailey – http://waylonbailey.com

Thom S. Rainer – ThomRainer.com

 

Devotional, Scripture, and a Song

 

Thankfulness: Day 15

“[God] shows how to distinguish right from wrong,

how to find the right decision every time.”

~Proverbs 2:9 TLB

What I do is them my decision.  I’m thankful He is there to offer guidance in the large and small decisions of my life.  

It’s Lottie Moon Christmas Tea Sunday.  I can only  invite you and encourage you to attend.  You have to make the final decision.  (God helps with decision making.  See the verse above.  Ask Him if you and yours should attend the tea.)

 

Saturday

Surely goodness and love

will follow me all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

~Psalm 23:6~

 

Ketera McMillan is doing well following knee surgery in Baton Rouge.  Pray all continues to go well with her.

Jesse Dean should be able to come home today.  Pray for his continued recovery at home.

Dan Turner’s Update

I’m at 26-28 hours since my last dosage-change and can tell a pretty dramatic difference in the spasticity of my left leg. Not as much improvement is noted in my left hand, but it’s a little better too. My left leg feels so odd, not being tight all day. It actually feels like someone else’s leg has been put in the place of mine—I know, that’s weird. If things stay on this trajectory, I plan to start working out my legs in 4-5 days. I’m just giving myself a few days to adjust to the relaxation of my muscles. What a welcome feeling of progress to be thinking and planning my lower-body workout!

Sylvia Thornhill Wales

Born: March 27, 1938
Died: November 11, 2015

http://www.mckneelys.com/home/index.cfm?action=public:obituaries.view&o_id=3378701&fh_id=10545

 

Friday Bible Study – We have two more lessons in Women of the Bible.  Then, we will begin a study of the book of John.  If you are interested in being in on this from the beginning, please mark your calendar for the second Friday of December.  We meet at 10 A.M.

 

Operation Christmas Child – Shoeboxes that have been pack will be delivered to the collection centers beginning Monday.  I’m so excited to know we have a part in such a meaningful project.  Pray for each child who will be receiving a shoebox in the coming months.

 

Lottis Moon Christmas Tea

Thanks to the following ladies for working yesterday to get ready for the tea: Theople Hurst, Judy Liberto, Velma Anthony, Eleanor Morris, Sue Connelly, Virginia McKenzie, Margaret Olliver, Sharon Martin, Linda Frazier, and Bessie Hayden.  The room looks very nice.

Now, let us pray for a room full of people tomorrow.  I know that God will send those He wants to be there.  Let’t pray heart will be receptive to all that is shared there.

Don’t forget to being Christmas cards with stamps or a book(s) of stamps that can be used with some cards that have already been shared.  If you need more time, you have until Sunday, November 29th to get them turned in.

 

Read the Bible in 2015 – Acts 15-16

Baptist Press – bpnews.net

Devotional, Scripture, and a Song

 

Thankfulness: Day 14

Today, I’m thankful for growing up in a Christian home.  What a difference that made my whole life.  I’m also thankful for other Christian homes and the guidance they provide to many of you.  Let’s pray for more and more homes to be providers of the Christian guidance children need and deserve.

 

I think it is unspoken today, but let’s pray for the people of Paris.  Let’s pray that more people will learn what happened “At the Cross” and understand the significance to our lives both today and in the future.

Anna Lee

Friday

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness

and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,

in whom we have redemption,

the forgiveness of sins.

Miles Hatchel has a splint on his broken wrist and will get a cast Monday.  The next day, the younger brother, Mason, sprained his right arm/wrist (?) and also has a splint.  That makes three of my six grandchildren injured is a week and a half.  Please pray for healing for all.

Mose Guzzardo, Amite, will have a complete shoulder replacement today in Baton Rouge.  Pray for him during the surgery time, but also during the long recovery he is facing.

Mr. James Miller will be going to St. Tammany today.  Pray for him and “Miss” Mary.

Continue to pray for Jesse Dean following his surgery.

Dan Turner’s latest update:  

Well, my last 20% dosage increase on 11/2/15 did not yield any improvement. I wasn’t any better; however, I wasn’t any worse, either.

Today (11/12/15), I had another appointment. The good news: although, subjectively, I have felt no improvement over the last 10 days and the objective data gathered while testing my H and M reflexes, today, also showed no improvement from 10 days ago, the subjective assessment by my nurse practitioner (NP) revealed improvement in my deep tendon reflexes (DTRs) and improvement in the abnormal propensity for my left foot to invert or turn inward. My DTRs have been abnormally hyper-reflexive until now. Today, my DTRs of both legs were normal and equal—that was encouraging to hear, for sure.

I will return on 11/30/15 to repeat the process. So, I have 18 days of tracking progress before going back.

I’m getting close to finding my “magic dose,” but still need a little more tweaking. My dosage is now at 289 mcg/day after the 20% increase today. The researchers and my NP are confident that we will find it. As you know, the act of breathing is possible because of the accessory muscles of the rib cage and the muscle, known as the diaphragm—breathing muscles can be affected by Baclofen just like the muscles in my left leg and arm. So we don’t want to overdo it. But laughingly, the researcher, Tony, said that knowing they could give me enough Baclofen to make me stop breathing, he felt sure they were going to be able to relax the remaining spasticity in my left arm and left leg. I thought that was a funny way to inspire confidence, but it worked!

Also, after talking to Tony today, I think I have a shot at winning the award for the most resilient H & M Reflexes ever seen at Mississippi Methodist Rehabilitation Center. I’m not real sure that I want that award.

Thanks for reading and God bless you all.

 

Read the Bible in 2015 – Zechariah 1-7

Baptist Press – bpnews.net

 

Women’s Ministry

  • Friday Morning Bible Study – today at 10:00 followed by decorating for Lottie Moon Tea
  • Lottie Moon Christmas Tea – Sunday at 2:00 at FBC, Kentwood
    • If you are female and between the ages of 3 and 103, you are encouraged to participate.
    • If you are male and interested in missions, come ahead and join us.  The missionary speaker will be interesting for all of us.
  • Stamped Christmas Cards for Prisoners – 2 ways to help
    • Bring your stamped cards to the tea Sunday or get them to me in the by November 29th.  I will deliver them for you.
    • Bring books of stamps.  I will place them on cards that were shared with me.
  • “Young” Ladies’ Birthday Party
    • November 24th at 11:00 A.M. at The Cafe
    • Honoring ladies with November birthdays
  • Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes
    • Shoebox collection being Monday
    • Contact me if you need information about where your boxes can be taken.  Our boxes will go to Franklinton, FBC.
  • Coming Soon – Lottie Moon Week of Prayer and Christmas Offering for international missions.
  • Potato Bar (Donations Only) – Sunday, November 15 at New Zion Baptist Church at 12 Noon

 

Devotional, Scripture, and a Prayer

 

Thankfulness: Day 13

Today, I’m thankful for the love of my church families.  They love, support, encourage, etc. me in so many ways.

 

Thank you for loving others enough to pray daily.

Anna Lee

 

 

Thursday

Cry out, “Save us, O God our Savior;

gather us and deliver us from the nations,

that we may give thanks to your holy name,

that we may glory in your praise.

~1 Chronicles 16:35~

 

Continue to pray for Mr. James Miller and those who love him.

Please continue to pray for Jane Wickham who is hospitalized again.  Pray she will be well soon.

Pray for Jesse and Majel Dean.  Jesse had to report in for surgery at 5:30 this morning.

Jill Brister is continuing to feel free of some of the pain she has dealt with for a long time.  Pray for her as she wears a hard cast and enjoys some pain relief.  Thank God she had her procedure Monday.

Mrs. Anne Hurst is home and all-over-the-place doing the things she loves most.

Keith Womack is home for a while before going back to a Shreveport  hospital again.

Our oldest grandson, Miles Hatchel, broke his wrist at PE yesterday.  We’re hoping for a good report on his care at the local hospital.

Chinero’s dad, Buddy Harrison, continues to be in University Hospital where various surgeries/procedures are being done.  Pray for his children as they  check on him there.

Johnnie “Lil Man” Santangello is hospitalized again.  Some of the recent treatments seem to have helped a little.

 

Read the Bible in 2015 – Ecc. 7-8

Baptist Press – bpnews.net

Devotional, Scripture, and a Song

Thankfulness: Day 12

I’m thankful for music that I grew up with and continues to serve a great place in lives today.  The song above was my go-to song as I grew up and faced little problems that seemed like mountains at the time.  I received comfort in knowing God was there all the time, no matter the location, to take good care of me.  My earthly parents cared for me; My heavenly Father did an even better job.  

Thanks for reading and praying.

Anna Lee

 

 

Veterans Day/Wednesday

“LORD, God of my salvation,

I cry out before You day and night.

May my prayer reach Your presence;

listen to my cry.”

~Psalm 88:1-2, HCSB~

 

Happy Veterans Day

Can you think of some vets who served so that we might be free?  I plan to make a call or two to thank some today.  Of course, my favorite vet was my daddy, Grant Smith, who served in the Pacific in WWII.  He would often eat a meal with us, them sit a long time watching the military channel on TV.  Often, he would add his own commentary about the battle, equipment, location, etc.  I learned more about his war experiences by watching him watch television here in his last years.  Growing up, it wasn’t talked about.  I’m thankful to have had the chance to hear his memories at last.

 

Please continue to pray for Keith Womack as he battles kidney stones.

Pray for Ketyra McMillan and her family as she has knee surgery today in Baton Rouge.

 

IMB Commissioning Service at FBCNO – Sunday night

http://www.bpnews.net/45809/35-new-imb-missionaries-appointed

Baptist Press – bpnews.net

Read the Bible in 2015 – Psalm 128-130

 

Devotional, Scripture, and a Song

Thankfulness: Day 11 (11-11-15)

Today, I’m thankful for freedom.

  • I’m thankful to have been born an American.  We have so many freedoms as Americans.  As we think of these freedoms and the threats that are being imposed on them today, let us always proudly remember those who served in our military to ensure our freedom.
  • I’m also thankful to be born a Christian.  I’m thankful to the One, Jesus, who died to ensure that great privilege for me.

 

I’m thankful for prayer and the opportunity to write TPL daily.  I’m thankful for those of you who “tune-in” each day to read and to pray.

Anna Lee

Tuesday

No one who denies the Son has the Father;

whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

 

Our granddaughter, Peyton Alford, had a good half-day of school yesterday, so she will get to go a full day today and to begin to do all that make-up work that comes with missing a week of school.

 

Baptist Press – bpnews.net

Read the Bible in 2015 – 2 Chronicles 33-36

 

Devotional, Scripture, and a Song

Thankfulness: Day 10

Today, I’m thankful for all of God’s creation, including the sun.  I am not one who enjoys the heat of the year or getting a sunburn, but have an appreciation for the light. I love the order of the days and seasons.  I’m thankful for the sunshine that returns each day.  Even more than that, I’m thankful for the “Sonshine” in my life.

Women’s Ministry

  • Lottie Moon Christmas Tea – Sunday at 2 P.M. at FBC, Kentwood.  This is for ladies from 3-103 and throughout the association.  Contact me for more information.
  • Friday Morning Bible Study – 10 A.M. at FBC, Kentwood.  We will be studying the Syrophonecian Woman who is discussed in Matthew 20 and Mark 15.  We are almost finished with our study of Women of the Bible.  We are choosing our next topic now.
  • Stamped Christmas Cards for Prisoners – Each year the women of Two Rivers Baptist Association collect these to give to the parish prisoners of St. Helena and Tangipahoa parishes.  I have a supply of card that were given to me, so all you have to do to help is bring a book(s) of stamps.  I will deliver them to the jail at the end of the month.  You can bring your stamps to me at the Lottie Moon Tea Sunday or any time before the end of the month.  If you choose, you can stamp your own cards and decide between delivering them yourself or having me deliver them for you.  I’m sure the family members who receive cards at Christmas are thankful for them and appreciative of those who provided them.

 

Let the Son shine through you today!

Anna Lee

 

 

Monday

“[God] is able to do exceedingly abundantly

above all that we ask or think,

according to the power that works in us.”

~Ephesians 3:20, NKJV~

 

David and I were able to attend the commissioning service at FBC, New Orleans for missionaries about to begin service far from here.  We also were blessed to hear the IMB president, David Platt, speak twice.  My heart was so touched as the young missionaries stood all around the room with their families gathered around them for prayer.  They are in my thoughts this morning. God supplied this verse that seems so appropriate.  Please keep the missionaries and their families in your prayers.  Pray, too, for them to be effective  witnesses for God in their new countries.

 

Please pray for Jill Brister as she has surgery on her neck today.  Pray the surgery is effective in curing the pain Jill has suffered for some time.

Gibby McMillan said the date has been set for Katera’s knee surgery.  She should be hospitalized three days in Baton Rouge.  Pray the surgery goes well and is effective in solving her problem.

Our granddaughter, Peyton Alford, had a concussion last week.  She has stayed at home “resting her brain” all week.  Today, she will go to school for half a day.  If that goes well, she will return to her regular schedule Tuesday.  Thank-you to all who prayed for her and asked for updates on her.

 

Nicholas N. Frazier, Jr. (Updated)

Born: March 20, 1937
Died: November 06, 2015

     http://www.mckneelys.com/home/index.cfm/obituaries/view/fh_id/10545/id/3373107

 

Read the Bible in 2015 – Deuteronomy 10-12

Devotional, Scripture, and a Song

Thankfulness: Day 9

Today, I’m thankful for Jesus being “The Lighthouse” of my life.  I also appreciate all those who have guided me in my Christian journey.

 

I trust Jesus is your “lighthouse”.  If not, please ask me or some other Christian, how to find the “lighthouse” who can guide all the remaining days of your life and even guide you to an eternity in heaven.

Anna Lee

 

 

Sunday

 Humble yourselves, therefore,

under God’s mighty hand,

that he may lift you up in due time.

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

 Be self-controlled and alert.

Your enemy the devil prowls around

like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

~1 Peter 5:6-8~

 

Jill Brister will be having neck surgery tomorrow.  Please pray for Jill, the family as they wait, and the medical staff caring for her.  Let’s also pray the results of the surgery make like much more bearable for her.

Angie Nielson’s mom will be having surgery the following Monday.  Let’s also pray for this situation.

 

Read the Bible in 2015 – I Peter 1-3

Devotional, Scripture, and a Song

  • “Bringing Our Friends to Jesus” – http://odb.org/

  • When Jesus saw their faith,                                                                                                                  he said to the paralyzed man,                                                                                                           “Son, your sins are forgiven.”                                                                                                                                                          ~Mark 2:5~
  •  “Have Faith in God”

I’m thankful for God’s Word/message and for those who can present it to us musically.  The truths of my faith were reinforced as we opened those Broadman hymnals is a small church and sang from our hearts.  I love to take time to focus on the words of each verse and each line.

 

Waylon Bailey – http://waylonbailey.com/

Thom S. Rainer – thomrainer.com/blog/ 

 

Make this day count for something eternal!

Anna Lee

 

Saturday

I will listen

to what God the LORD will say;

he promises peace to his people,

his saints–

but let them not return to folly.

~Psalm 85:8~

 

Great news!  Connor Corkern got well enough that he didn’t need to be at Children’s Hospital any longer.  Thank God for his progress and the faithfulness of many people.

Mr. James Miller has had a couple good days at home.  Please keep him in your prayers.

 

Donna Hatchett Gully (Steve and Vicki Cunningham Gully’s daughter-in-law)
Died: November 2, 2015
Nicholas Nelf Frazier, Jr.

Born: March 20, 1937
Died: November 06, 2015

http://www.mckneelys.com/home/index.cfm?action=public:obituaries.view&o_id=3373107&fh_id=10545

“Love Makes Your Hair Fall Off” (Joey and Rory)

http://thislifeilive.com/love-makes-your-hair-fall-off/

Read the Bible in 2015 – Acts 13-14

Baptist Press – Bpnews.net

 

The annual Lottie Moon Christmas Tea will be at FBC, Kentwood Sunday, November 15th at 2 P.M.  It is for all ladies, from 3-103, who are in any of the churches in our association or who are in our area that day.  Come enjoy the time together and learn about international missions.

 

Devotional, Scripture, and a Song

Thankfulness: Day 7

Today, I’m thankful for intercessory prayer.  I’m thankful for the times I’ve had to pray for others and the times others prayed for me.  Yesterday, at Bible study, a sweet lady told us she prayed for each of us every day.    That’s an awesome example of intercessory prayer.

 

Enjoy the day God has sent us today.  Make some sweet memories with those you love and/or with those who need your love today.  Maybe, they need to know of God’s love.  You can be the one to tell them all about Him!

Anna Lee

Friday

The server for TPL was being updated this morning.  It is back, so here is today’s post.

“I have told you these things,

so that in me you may have peace.

In this world you will have trouble.

But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

~John 16:33~

Connor Corkern is continuing to improve.  Hopefully, he will be home soon.

 

Mrs. Flo Hatcher has had some good days, thanks to a new medication.  These good days have make it much easier for all her caregivers.  

 

Mrs. Catherine Yarborough is enjoying being at home again.  Her wonderful spirit is always encouraging.  


Pam Drury, interim youth/children’s minister at New Zion, was a passenger in a car yesterday that ran into the median at Wardline Exit because someone who got on I-55 wanted the space where their car was.  Thankfully, everyone was okay.  The did get a scary mud-ride though.

 

The service for David Wickham was a  wonderful testament to all those present about the real person David was.  I left the service thinking what a wonderful man he was and wishing I had known him better.  Please pray for his wife, his mother, his siblings, and other family members.

 

Baptist Press – bpnews.net

 

Read the Bible in 3025 – Haggai

 

Devotional, Scripture, and a Song

 

  • Praise be to the Lord my Rock,                                                                                                        who trains my hands for war,                                                                                                             my fingers for battle.                                                                                                                                                                 ~Psalm 144:1~
  • “Wherever He Leads, I’ll Go”

 

If you like cowboys and westerns, this certainly has wonderful images you’ll appreciate.

 

Thankfulness: Day 6

Today, I’m thankful for God’s faithfulness.  When I think about the memorial service I attended, the words of my friend “Cissy” as she faces life without her husband, the words of a new friend, Pam, who was in a vehicle “mud-riding” in the I-55 median yesterday, seeing faces at a medical clinic, etc., I know God’s faithfulness can take us through any situation we might be in.  I’m also reminded of the poem, “Footprints”.  I’m so glad we can have God with us in all the various trials of life.  Another thought is that He equips us for His purposes.

 

Have a fantastic Friday.

Anna Lee