Good morning on this Lord’s Day! Thank God for waking you up this morning. Ask Him what he has for you to do today.

Today’s Verse

Nancy Gray Birch

August 1, 1937 – September 19, 2025

Nancy Gray Birch, a lifelong resident of Kentwood, departed for her heavenly home on Friday, September 19, 2025 at a residence in Tangipahoa Parish at 88 years of age. Nancy started working as a lab technician at Pike Hospital in Kentwood. Then She continued her career as a lab technician with the State of Louisiana in Jackson, LA and then went to work at Lallie Kemp Hospital as a lab technician and retired at the age of 60 years of age. She was married to her husband, Ladell for 63 years and had 3 daughters. She is survived by her 2 daughters, Julia B. Travis and Michelle Fitzgerald and husband, Justin; seven grandchildren, Jansen Fitz and husband, Cragg, Garrett Fitzgerald and wife, Rachel, Brennan Lee and husband, Ethan, Sutton Travis and wife, Stephanie, Cullyn  Travis Breland, Joshua DeLee and wife, Madison, and Allee DeLee  Munn and husband, Paden; great grandchildren, Kenlea Wilkinson, Case and Kit Lee, Lola, Lyla, and Stoney Fitzgerald, Wes and Lennon Fitz, Sadie, Sage, Slade, and Sofia Travis, Beau and Eliza Breland, and  Annie Kate and Wills DeLee; one sister, Peggy Varnado and husband, Jimmie; and her loving, caring care giver, Peggy Tate.  She is preceded in death by her daughter, Resa Birch; husband, Ladell Birch; parents, James and Nettie Gray; brothers, James H. Gray, Huey P. Gray, and Leahman Gray; and a sister, Antoinette Willson. Pallbearers will be Garrett Fitzgerald, Sutton Travis, Joshua DeLee, Paden Munn, Cragg Fitz, Paul Willson, Baxter Birch, Jeff Birch, and Phil Gray. Visitation at New Zion Baptist Church from 9:30AM until religious services at 11:00AM on Tuesday, September 23, 2025. Services conducted by Bro. Larry Blades. Interment New Zion Cemetery, Kentwood, LA. McKneely Funeral Home, Kentwood, in charge of arrangements. For an online guestbook, visit http://www.mckneelys.com.

Read the Bible in 2025

• September 21
• Psalm 46-50

Additional Bible Reading for Today

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

— Matthew 5:3

This passage explains that being “poor in spirit” is a blessing from God, not just a state of sadness, but rather an acknowledgement of one’s deep spiritual need for Him and a blessed place of dependence on Him, for which they receive the kingdom of heaven.  (Easy English Bible)

Sunday School Lesson Today

The lesson for today focuses on Numbers 13.

Be an Encourager Today.

Encouraging others comes in many forms. Choose what works best for you.

Anna Lee

Read the Bible in 2025

• September 20
• Psalm 40-45

Today’s Bible Verse

Georgia Barnette Offering

This offering is for ministry in Louisiana. All funds are used here in our own state – Collected here and spent here!

English as a Second Language (ESL)

According to Shannon Brown, “ESL is an opportunity to do missions without leaving home.” English as a Second Language (ESL) training is a Compassion Ministry of Louisiana Baptists, and Shannon is the statewide coordinator.

Shannon’s passion for cross-cultural missions began at the University of New Orleans, where she joined the Baptist Student Union’s outreach to international students. Her experience of opening her family home created natural opportunities to demonstrate Christian love across cultural boundaries.

Extending Christian hospitality while meeting tangible needs for people from other countries shaped Shannon’s mission journey. Her heart now is to establish church-based ESL ministries that intentionally share and demonstrate the gospel of Jesus Christ while helping people learn to speak English. In ESL classes, participants learn how to build relationships with people in their community and create lasting connections. Classes also provide a natural setting for sharing the gospel. 

Support from the Georgia Barnette Louisiana Missions Offering allows Shannon to train and assist local churches in reaching multi-ethnic communities for Christ.

Watch the video on this link.

https://georgiabarnette.org/prayer-emphasis/Week-3/

Ways You Can Pray for this offering:

• For wisdom as Shannon leads Louisiana Baptist churches to reach people from diverse backgrounds.
• For Shannon to have continued opportunities to serve in cross-cultural ministry.
• For the seeds planted in ESL classes to bear fruit.
• For Louisiana churches to give generously to the Georgia Barnette Louisiana Missions Offering to support Compassion Ministries like ESL that reach international students and others from diverse backgrounds.

Local Southern Baptist churches have special envelopes for this offering. You can also write Georgia Barnette on a regular envelope before placing your offering in a offeratory plate.

Spiritual Warfare

‘God Is a Refuge, a Shield, and a Source of Hope!

 13  With my lips I declare

all the rules of your mouth.

 14  In the way of your testimonies I delight

as much as in all riches.

 15  I will meditate on your precepts

and fix my eyes on your ways.

Ps. 119:113-115

Today is a day for preparation of things you need to do before the Lord’s Day. Accomplishments today can help make tomorrow run more smoothly.

Examples: Studying your lesson. (Scripture focus posted yesterday)

Selecting clothing and being sure everything is ready for wearing

Preliminary planning/preparation for some food items

Preparation for guests you might have

Fall Food Round-up for the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home

Thank you for you donations of items needed or a check to purchase some items as the need for them arises. (For your information: Each cottage prepares their own food in that cottage. It’s like in our own homes, not like a cafeteria style setting.) This is more helpful to the residents who call the LBCH home.

Another option that is becoming popular is to provide gift cards for eating out or pick-up. We’ll talk about that more at another time. If you would like to know more ask me or call the children’s home.

Operation Christmas Child

We are collecting funds for postage. This includes shipping fees, a Bible in the language of each child, a booklet that is similar to a Sunday School book that introduces the child to Jesus and gives them an option to continue learning what the Bible says, etc. The cost is very economical – $10.00 per shoebox!

During October, there will be training for drop-off location leaders and packing of shoeboxes in many churches. November 17-24 will be the days for dropping your completed shoeboxes off to a designated location. FBC, Kentwood serves in this capacity. Whatever site you use, go to the Samaritan’s Purse webpage and then Operation Christmas child. You will find the hours these official sites are available.

Use your personal prayer list for praying today. Have a wonderful day!

Anna Lee

Baptist Press

FIRST-PERSON: Separating fact from conspiracy in Kirk assassination

https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/first-person-separating-fact-from-conspiracy-in-kirk-assassination/

Your Fantastic Friday awaits you. What will you do with this day God is giving us?

Today’s Scripture Verse

Reading the Bible in 2025

• September 19
• Psalm 36-39

Prayer Focus

Please pray for our nation to stand strong for the values God would have us live for and thank God for our forefathers and their strong belief in God and ideals for our nation.

Sunday School Lesson

• September 21
• “The Land”
• Numbers 13:17-31

Senior Adult Lunch Yesterday

We enjoyed our lunch yesterday at Middendorf’s. There were 32 FBC, Kentwood senior adults present for the meal. What a blessing on a beautiful day!

Two-Rivers Associational Senior Adult Revival

Early October

1st day – Meeting at Spring Creek

Assisted by Kentwood

I’ll share more information next week.

‘Idolatry, Power, Money, and Satan’

 ²³ And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. 

²⁴ For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of ^[a]Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. 

²⁵ He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: “Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. 

²⁶ Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. 

²⁷ So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and ^[b]her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.”

Acts 19:23-27, New King James Bible

Please continue to pray for Ruby Schwartz. She is experiencing a lot of pain following the additional surgery she had.

Anna Lee

Verse of the Day

Prayer Focus

Today, let’s pray for Ruby Schwartz. She probably was already on your prayer list due to recent surgery. She required surgery yesterday to remove some infection. That’s now done. She will be at home again in a few days. Pray for her as she continues to progress.

Reading the Bible in 2025

• September 18
• Psalm 32-38

Obituary

Patricia Ann Thomas

September 15, 1949 – September 16, 2025

A resident of Kentwood, LA, passed away on Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at St. Tammany Parish Hospital in Covington, LA. She was born September 15, 1949 in Osyka, MS and was 76 years of age. She is survived by her son, Robert Marc Huber (Melissa Cuti); daughter, Lori Burch (Jamie); grandchildren, Amber Huber, Kelsey Travis (Landon), Kylee Burch, Ethan Burch, Cooper Burch, and Grace Arnone; great-grandchildren, Ember Huber, Bentley Travis, and Ryleigh Travis; brother, Dennis McElveen (Rosalee); niece and nephew, Elizabeth and Mathew McElveen. Preceded in death by her parents, Gordon and Elsie McElveen; and uncle, Eddie Varnado. Visitation at East Fork Baptist Church from 9:00AM until religious services at 11:00AM on Saturday, September 20, 2025. Services conducted by Bro. Donnie Easley. Interment at East Fork Cemetery, East Fork, LA. McKneely Funeral Home, Kentwood, in charge of arrangements. For an online guestbook, visit http://www.mckneelys.com.

Baptist Press

Today, we have a news article concerning See You at the Pole which will be celebrating it’s 35th anniversary and adding some new components. Read about this wonderful opportunity for our students each year.

https://www.baptistpress.com/

Today’s Quote, Author Unknown

“If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.”

Personal Prayer List

Today is a good day to update your Prayer List or to create one if you have not already started one.

Devotional Thought from Charles Spurgeon

“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

— Galatians 5:25

It is important to have both a life of faith and a walk of faith!

In closing, let your light shine by reaching out to OTHERS in a way that suits you best.

Anna Lee

Today’s Bible Verse

“God made the earth by his power, and he preserves it by his wisdom. With his own understanding he stretched out the heavens. When he speaks in the…”

Jeremiah 10:12-13

Prayer Focus

We had a number of deaths in our area last week. Please pray for the families as they continue to live without their loved ones.

Baptist Press

baptistpress.com

Obituaries

No new obituaries today!

Closing Scripture

Matthew 20:13

In the parable, the landowner pays all workers, regardless of the hours they worked, the same wage, which prompts the resentment of the early-hired workers. The landowner’s response emphasizes his right to be generous and that he has not wronged the first workers, as they received the payment they had agreed upon. 

Thank-you for reading today’s post. Be kind to others today and every day!

Anna Lee

Today, let’s focus on praying for making good decisions as individuals, families, organizations, communities, and nations.

Today’s Bible Verse

Read the Bible in 2025

• September 16
• Psalm 21-25

No New Obituaries Posted This Morning

Same Wonderful Story

Quote by Charles Spurgeon

“Rely implicitly upon the old, old gospel. You need no other nets when you fish for men; those your Master has given you are strong enough to hold the little…”

The message hasn’t changed!

This hymn come to mind – “Tell me the Story of Jesus” by Fanny Crosby

I hope this image, quote, and hymn inspire you today.

Set a Goal/Step into ActionToday

Pray first. Then set a goal for this day that will make today better for someone.

Examples:

• Call a friend who might need a prayer of a simple task done.
• Take a food, store-bought rf fresh from your kitchen, to someone who is homebound.
• Offer a ride and some company to someone going to the doctor.
• Pick up some limbs or trash that has blown into a yard.
• Bake a food and deliver it “straight out of the oven”.
• Take a friend to get a haircut.
• Put some new light bulbs in the house and/or on the porch of an older person’s home.
• Sweep of some porches and leave a cutting growing in a jar of water for the kitchen window.
• Water some plants in a yard or on a porch.

It’s the thought, time, and effort, not the price tag from the store that counts!

Enjoy the smiles you will be rewarded with. Pray first that God will lead you to the people and projects that will be most meaningful.

Anna Lee

Monday Morning

What a great day to begin with praying to God and ministering to others!

Verse of the Day

Live each day of your life doing your best to learn more and do more.

Associational WMU Meeting Saturday

We had a good increase in attendance. The meeting went well. We learned about the “new” Camp Living Waters and it’s availability to us. I must say I think the ladies left the meeting with some new ideas about missions that our churches can work into our focus and our plans.

Sunday School

It’s great to have a good group to teach and ladies who ask questions about what they studied. They have knowledge from many years that they can share. How special it is to teach them! I hope you have a Sunday School class and individuals who are always anxious to review a topic they are familiar with and/or learn about a new topic.

Read the Bible in 2025

• September 15
• Psalms 17-20
• Progress so far: We have read all the New Testament and are working our way through the Old Testament. Currently, we are reading and learning from Psalms.
• I hope you are reading along with us. I know of some people who are. We will accomplish our 2025 goal in a few months!
• Before long, it will be time to select a plan for 2026 and read the Bible again in the coming year.
• I trust that some of you will join us next year and read the Bible again. I’ve started to use a different Bible each time I read by this method. It encourages me to not miss a single chapter.

No New Obituaries Today

It’s never too late to send cards, call, visit, etc. those who have had recent needs.

Georgia Barnette Offering

This offering covers many different ministries throughout Louisiana. This is our time to focus on them. It’s never too late to give!

Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home Fall Food Round-Up

A truck will be at FBC this morning to collect of gifts to cover their food needs for the next year. If you have not turned in a donation or if you want to give again before next September, you can mail your donation to them in Monroe or you can give to them through your local church. The church will forward your check for you. It’s never too late to give.

Children’s Ministry & Youth Ministry

There is always so much going on with opportunities for children and youth. I trust you are encouraging your children and youth to grow through Sunday School, music, missions, outreach, etc. If you need additional information, you can call the church office.

“Manna”

This is a food ministry to meet community needs, especially to older and homebound individuals. They are seeking additional people to volunteer to cook or to deliver meals. Contact the church office.

Homebound Ministry

We also have a revitalization of the homebound ministry in our church. You can turn in the names of homebound individuals and/or volunteer to be a part of a team to minister to them all throughout the year. Contact the church office to learn more.

Operation Christmas Child

We will soon be moving into the packing phase of this ministry. We are also working toward paying shipping on the many boxes we have packed. OCC works in such a great volume that the additional needs are very economical. Trust me, as a mother who has paid to ship boxes to family serving overseas, the shipping for OCC shoeboxes is very economical!

Pine Ridge Bible Study

Wednesday, we will be studying about Lot’s wife. I hope to see you at noon. If you have any questions, contact Kathy Wales or I will pass on a message for you.

Baptist Press

https://www.baptistpress.com/

Additional Scripture

A Thought from Charles Spurgeon

They will have no fear of bad news;
    their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

Psalms 112:7 NIV

In Closing….

I hope you will select some ways to pray and to serve….

Anna Lee

Let’s honor Him today!’

Today’s Bible Verse

Read the Bible in 2025

• September 14
• Psalms 9-16

No New Obituaries

Message from Franklin Graham

Hope for a Broken Nation

Dear‍ Friend,

Our nation is in trouble.

We’re faced with overwhelming violence and hatred—and you don’t have to look farther than the assassination of Charlie Kirk or the brutal murder of a young Ukrainian woman on a train in North Carolina.

“What do you stand on when everything seems so dark, when everything’s falling apart?”
—Franklin Graham

My good friend Greg Laurie and I have put together a special broadcast that will air this Sunday at 2:30 p.m. on TBN, Newsmax, and Newsmax2. The 30-minute program, Hope for a Broken Nation, will also feature music by Michael W. Smith and Charity Gayle, and you can also watch it online at BillyGraham.org beginning at 3 p.m.

Greg and I will discuss the recent violence—and the great hope we have in Jesus Christ. America has faced many dark hours before, and we just commemorated one of the darkest: 9/11. We’ll also share the message my father preached from the National Cathedral 24 years ago. It’s just as relevant and powerful now as it was then.

“Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.” (Psalm 46:2, NKJV).

I hope you’ll join me and Greg this Sunday. Please pray for our nation, that God will turn many hearts to Himself and heal our land.

May the Lord richly bless you,

Franklin Graham
President, Samaritan’s Purse

Yesterday’s WMU Meeting

Ladies, we increased our attendance at yesterday’s. I’m expecting another increased at our December meeting. You can be a part in that increase when we meet in December at Spring Creek Baptist Church.

We learned so much about the how Camp Living Waters is used and how we can use it. If you missed the opportunity yesterday, I hope you will take another opportunity and learn about these opportunities.

Additional Bible Verses

‘The Sabbath Rest’

Hebrews 3:7-4:11

Hebrews 3 and 4 focus on the superiority of Jesus Christ over Moses and issue a strong warning against unbelief and disobedience that could prevent believers from entering God’s spiritual rest. 

“Dear Father, I long to enter into your rest – into creative work that is effortless, into joyous activity in which there is no fatigue, into glorious…”

Study the Bible and worship the Lord today.

Anna Lee

Today’s Bible Verse

Prayer Focus

Today, let’s pray for those who live alone. Many are lonesome for interactions with others. If you know of someone who fits that description figure out a way to impact that life.

Today, let’s also pray for those who are in rehabilitation facilities. These sites make a big difference in lives of people following surgery, sickness, and or accidents.

Read the Bible Today

• 9-13-25
• Psalm 1-8

Georgia Barnette Focus for 2025

Tomorrow, we will have week three of our focus on missions in Louisiana.

Additional Bible Reading

‘What about Us?’

Read Matthew 19:27-30.

Opportunities

• Associational WMU meeting today
• Sunday School and worship services for all ages tomorrow at many churches
• Participation in mission projects in our area
• Giving a check and/or groceries to the LA Baptist Children’s Home to help feed all the residents in the next year. A truck from the children’s home will pick up items in our area early Monday morning, so leave your donations by tomorrow.
• Learning about Camp Living Waters, summer camp opportunities, and other ways the facilities can be used
• Personal contacts with those hospitalized or receiving rehabilitation services.
• Visiting those who are homebound
• Contacting those who live alone
• Giving to the Georgia Barnette Offering for Louisiana or donation time to serve in outreach in our state

Have a wonderful day. May we all share Jesus in our own way(s) today.

Anna Lee